Page 140 of Scarbound

“For someone who brought dinner? I think I can manage.”

Noeul smiled faintly.

The apartment was quiet, faintly scented with coffee and clean wood. It felt lived-in but carefully arranged, much like Kija’s exhibitions, warm without being cluttered. Noeul sat on the white couch and placed Ji-Woo’s portfolio on the low table.

His brother first.

Then came the photographs of his own paintings. Each one centered on Haneul. Some were finished. Others were only studies, different expressions, angles, fragments of memory Noeul had tried to preserve before they disappeared. His fingers lingered over one photograph longer than he intended.

Kija noticed. “You care deeply for this person.”

“I do.” Noeul’s voice softened. “He was my best friend.”

“Was?”

Noeul swallowed. “He died three years ago.”

Kija’s expression changed. “Chung-Hee’s brother.”

“Yes.” Noeul looked down at the image. “Since then, everything I create seems to circle back to him.” His thumb brushed the edge of the photograph. “Even when I try to paint something else, somehow he ends up there.”

Kija remained quiet.

“His death changed my life,” Noeul added. A pause. “For the worse.” The words came out quietly, almost final.

“I’m sorry.” Kija didn’t add anything else. No attempt to comfort him. He gestured toward Ji-Woo’s portfolio. “May I?”

Noeul handed it over, then waited in silence, forcing himself not to fidget while Kija turned the pages slowly. “His goal is to enter art school,” Noeul said after a while. “His art teacher told him the portfolio needs improvement, but we don’t really know what to change. I’d appreciate your guidance.”

Kija nodded, still studying the work. “Your brother is very talented.”

Noeul straightened almost immediately.

Kija glanced up. A smile appeared. “That reaction is rather cute.”

Noeul’s gaze dropped at once. Heat crept into his cheeks. “Kija…”

“I’m only stating an observation.”

Kija returned to the portfolio as though nothing had happened. Noeul stared at him for a second before looking away.

“He has range,” Kija continued, “and his fundamentals are strong. His composition, anatomy, and use of color show that he clearly knows what he’s doing.”

Noeul immediately opened the notes app on his phone. “But?”

Kija smiled. “There’s always a but.”

Noeul laughed softly.

“Some of the pieces are weaker than the rest. Not bad. Just weaker. In a portfolio, every piece counts.” He turned back several pages. “This one, for example.”

Noeul leaned closer.

“It’s technically good, but it doesn’t tell me anything about him.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can see that he can draw.” Kija tapped lightly near the image. “I can’t see why he needed to draw this.”