Page 197 of Scarbound

He scanned the room. Large windows. Dark furniture. Chung-Hee’s bedroom. He knew where he was. What he couldn’t assemble was how he had gotten from the kitchen to the bed. He remembered the kitchen. Haneul’s note. Gong. Crying. Chung-Hee blocking the door.

Then…

Nothing.

The harder he searched, the further the memory seemed to retreat. His head hurt. His mouth was dry. His thoughts felt strangely slow, as if every one of them had to travel through water before reaching him.

Hours seemed to pass that way. Awake. Asleep. Pulling at the cuffs. Calling out once or twice before giving up. Trying to remember.

When Chung-Hee finally returned, Noeul couldn’t tell whether it was afternoon or evening. He watched him enter the room.

“Noeul.”

Noeul tried to sit up. “What happened?”

Chung-Hee stopped.

“I can’t remember.”

Something flickered across Chung-Hee’s face.

Noeul searched his own mind again. Fragments surfaced.

I can’t bear the thought of losing you.

You belong to me.

I need your promise that you’ll stay.

His breathing changed.

“No…”

Chung-Hee approached the bed. Noeul pulled against the cuffs.

“Don’t.”

Chung-Hee stopped. For a moment, uncertainty crossed his face. His hand hovered over Noeul, then withdrew.

He could still stop. He could unlock the cuffs. Call a doctor. Call Ji-Woo. Walk out of the room.

Instead, he stayed.

When he reached for Noeul again, Noeul’s body went rigid. He wanted to move. He couldn’t. The command existed clearly in his mind.

Move.

Nothing happened.

Push him away.

His arms remained heavy.

Say no.

His throat closed.

Fear seemed to have severed the connection between thought and movement.