Page 126 of Scarbound

Noeul stared at him. “Hyung.”

Chung-Hee’s eyes dropped briefly to Noeul’s shoulder, the exact place Kija had touched him. When he looked back up, whatever restraint had been holding him together was beginning to crack.

“I spent the entire weekend trying to let it go.”

Noeul said nothing.

Chung-Hee laughed once, bitterly. “I told myself exactly what you’re telling me now. You did nothing wrong. Kija flirted with you. Not the other way around.”

Noeul backed away instinctively.

Chung-Hee’s voice dropped. “And still, every time I closed my eyes, I saw his hand on you.”

Noeul’s back touched the edge of the desk. “Hyung…”

“I heard him call you handsome. I saw you blush.”

“Stop.”

“I imagined him messaging you.”

“Stop.”

“Teaching you.”

“Chung-Hee hyung.”

“Touching you.”

Noeul pushed against his chest. “Enough.”

Chung-Hee caught Noeul’s wrists.

Noeul immediately struggled. “Let go.”

Chung-Hee tightened his grip.

“Hyung, no.” His voice changed as fear entered it. “Not again. Please.”

For one second, Chung-Hee froze. He heard the words. Saw the fear. Understood exactly what they meant. He could still stop. His grip loosened slightly.

Noeul felt it. “Please,” he whispered again.

Then Chung-Hee’s gaze returned to the shoulder Kija had touched. His jaw tightened. He shoved Noeul backward.

Noeul hit the floor hard, the impact forcing the air from his lungs. Before he could recover, Chung-Hee caught both wrists and forced them behind him. Pain shot through Noeul’s healing hands.

“Hyung!”

Chung-Hee pulled him upright. “Every sound you make tonight will have a consequence.”

His voice was disturbingly controlled.

Noeul stared at him. He wanted to argue. To remind him of everything they had said. I belong to myself. You know what you’re doing. But Chung-Hee’s eyes stopped the words before they came.

Chung-Hee grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled him toward the corner of the office. Noeul stumbled after him, struggling to keep his balance. His wrists burned, his scalp stung, and his cheek still felt hot from hitting the floor.

When Chung-Hee forced his back against the wall, Noeul finally looked at him properly. There were shadows beneath his eyes. He looked exhausted, as though he truly had spent the weekend fighting something inside himself. That frightened Noeul more.