Page 127 of Scarbound

“You knew,” he whispered.

Chung-Hee frowned.

“You knew I didn’t do anything wrong.” His breathing grew uneven. “You just said it.”

Chung-Hee’s expression shifted.

“Then why are you doing this?”

No answer.

Tears filled Noeul’s eyes, not only from pain but from disappointment. Chung-Hee saw it. His face hardened immediately, as though anger could protect him from whatever that expression made him feel.

“Why are you crying?”

Noeul tried to turn away.

Chung-Hee caught his jaw. “We haven’t even started.”

Noeul’s eyes widened. A chill moved through him.

“What do you want from me?”

Chung-Hee stared at him. “Did you enjoy talking to Kija?”

Noeul closed his eyes. “Hyung…”

“Answer.”

“Yes.”

Chung-Hee’s grip tightened.

Noeul opened his eyes again. “Yes, I enjoyed talking to him. He’s an artist I admire.”

“Did you enjoy his attention?”

“I don’t know!”

The answer came out louder than Noeul intended. Chung-Hee went still. Noeul immediately remembered the warning. His lips parted.

“I’m sorry.”

The apology made something inside him twist with disgust. Why was he apologizing? For raising his voice? For answering honestly? For making Chung-Hee jealous?

No.

He swallowed. “I’m not sorry.”

Chung-Hee stared at him.

Noeul’s heart pounded, but he forced himself to continue. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

The words seemed to echo through the office. For a moment, neither moved.

Then Chung-Hee laughed softly. “You really believe that now.”

Noeul’s face tightened. “Yes.”