Page 137 of Scarbound

“You can do whatever you want. Even if you had flirted with him, Chung-Hee still had no right to hit you.”

Noeul’s faint smile disappeared. He looked down at his hands.

There was more.

Duri knew there was more. The way Noeul had flinched from his touch. The delay at the door. The cut lip. The careful way he was holding himself.

But Duri didn’t ask.

Not yet.

“I didn’t flirt with Kija,” Noeul repeated. His eyes lifted to Duri. “Besides… I think there might already be someone I’m interested in.”

Duri stopped with the bottle halfway to his lips. His eyes widened slightly.

“You think?”

Noeul immediately looked away. “I said might.”

For one dangerous second, hope rose so quickly inside Duri that he hated himself for it.

“Ah.”

Noeul waited.

Duri lowered the bottle. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“I’m happy for you, hyung.”

The words were correct. His face wasn’t.

Noeul watched him with growing amusement. “You don’t look very happy.”

“I am.”

“You look like someone smashed your favorite guitar.”

“I don’t have a favorite.”

“Exactly. Even worse.”

Duri rolled his eyes. Noeul laughed.

“Don’t think about anything else, Duri. Let’s eat, drink, and play.”

“That depends.”

“On what?”

“Whether you’ve improved since the last time we played.”

Noeul scoffed. “Prepare to lose.”

The hum of the console signaled the beginning of their gaming night. Within minutes, Duri had transformed.

“Hyung! Where are you looking? Two enemies on the left!”