Page 208 of Scarbound

“That I didn’t want to go home.”

Dr. Kim noticed. “Why is that difficult to say?”

“He was sick.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

Noeul’s mouth tightened. “He was my brother.”

“And you didn’t want to go home to him.”

“No.”

“Both can be true.”

Noeul looked at her. Dr. Kim didn’t add anything else.

After a moment, he continued. “I kept looking over my shoulder all the way to the park. I thought he might come after me.”

“Did he?”

“No.”

“And when you reached your friends?”

Noeul’s expression softened slightly. “Haneul saw me first.” He could hear him even now. “‘Noeul! You made it!’” A faint smile touched his mouth, then disappeared. “I forced myself to smile and walked over like everything was normal.”

“Did anyone notice?”

“Haneul did.” He asked if I was okay. Said I looked off.

“And what did you tell him?”

“That I was tired. That I hadn’t slept well.”

“Was that true?”

“Probably.” Noeul almost smiled. “But it wasn’t why.”

“What about the others?”

“Minho noticed I was quiet. Someone said I was laughing like my head was somewhere else.” Noeul rubbed his hands together. “I think I accidentally said Gong had said some things that got to me.”

“What happened?”

“I immediately told them it was nothing serious.”

“Why?”

Noeul’s answer came automatically. “Because it wasn’t their problem.”

Dr. Kim looked at him.

Noeul sighed. “I know.”

“Do you?”

“No.”