Page 132 of Scarbound

“Then please leave,” he said. “I’ll see you Monday at work. I’m sure you understand why I need the rest of the week off.”

After a brief pause, Jun answered carefully. “We’ll only be here for five minutes… I brought you something to eat. You don’t have to talk about anything. Just let me leave it with you.”

Noeul said nothing.

Jun waited. Then Chung-Hee stepped closer to the door.

“Noeul.”

Every muscle in Noeul’s body tightened.

“Please open the door,” Chung-Hee said softly. “I just want to talk.”

Noeul’s nails dug into his jeans.

“Not tonight.”

“Noeul.”

“No.”

The word surprised even him. He wrapped his arms around his knees, trying to push away the memories that came with Chung-Hee’s voice, the accusations, the bruises, the humiliation.

“I can’t be without you,” Chung-Hee said from the hallway. Desperation had begun to creep into his voice. “We belong to each other. You know that.”

Noeul pressed a hand over his mouth as a sob threatened to escape. Something inside him answered before the guilt could.

No.

He didn’t belong to Chung-Hee. He didn’t belong to Duri. He didn’t belong to Haneul. He didn’t belong to the dead. He belonged to himself.

At least he wanted to.

Jun’s voice came through the door. “He said no.”

Chung-Hee ignored him. “Noeul, just open the door.”

Noeul stared at the handle. For one terrible moment, his hand moved toward it. He imagined opening the door. Chung-Hee stepping inside. An apology, perhaps. A touch. A kiss. Then another accusation. Another punishment.

His hand stopped.

“You should go.”

Silence.

Then Chung-Hee’s voice changed. The tenderness disappeared.

“You needed to learn your lesson.”

Noeul closed his eyes. There it was. No apology. No remorse.

“What lesson?” Jun demanded.

Chung-Hee’s jaw tightened. “This doesn’t concern you.”

“It concerns me when one of our employees is terrified to open his own door because his CEO is standing outside.”

“Jun.”