Page 228 of Scarbound

His voice broke slightly, but he recovered.

Dr. Kim spoke quietly through the phone. “That’s good. Give him time.”

Duri took another slow breath. Noeul’s eyes darted around the room.

“He’s coming.”

Duri’s stomach twisted. “Who?”

Noeul shook his head. “He’ll come back.” His gaze moved frantically toward the bedroom door. “He’s going to hurt me.”

“No one is coming into this room.”

Noeul looked at him.

Duri immediately corrected himself. “Mr. Han and Ji-Woo are outside the door. Chung-Hee isn’t coming in here.”

Something flickered across Noeul’s face. “Ji-Woo?”

“Yes.”

His expression tightened in concentration. “Ji… Woo…”

Duri nodded. “Your brother.”

Noeul stared at him. Then his face changed again. Confusion. Fear. He lifted one hand toward his head. “I can’t…”

Duri wanted desperately to cross the room. He stayed where he was. “You don’t have to remember anything right now.”

Noeul shook his head. “I can’t think.”

“I know.”

“No.” His voice broke. “I can’t!” He pressed his palm against his forehead as though he could force his thoughts back into place. “Something’s wrong.”

Duri’s eyes burned. He looked away for half a second, composed himself, then faced him again. “You hurt your head.”

Noeul looked at him.

“That’s why help is coming.”

“Help?”

“Yes.”

Fear returned immediately. “No doctors.”

“We don’t have to talk about that yet.” Duri kept his voice even. “We only need to get you out of this room.”

Noeul shook his head violently. “No. I can’t.”

“Okay.”

The answer seemed to surprise him. Duri sat slowly on the floor near the doorway, keeping several meters between them. “Then we won’t move yet.”

Noeul watched him.

Duri rested his hands visibly on his knees. Nothing hidden. Nothing reaching. “We can stay like this for a minute.”