Page 259 of Scarbound

Yujin turned back. “Then enough.”

She took the tray.

No persuasion. No one more bite. No disappointment.

Noeul watched her leave.

“Duri.”

“Yes?”

“Your mother…”

He lost the thought. Duri waited.

Noeul frowned. “She’s…”

Another gap.

“Nice?”

Noeul looked at him. Then nodded. “Nice.”

Duri smiled. “She likes you too.”

Noeul’s expression became confused again. “Why?”

Duri’s smile faded into something gentler. “You don’t have to figure that out today.”

Noeul considered the answer. Then closed his eyes.

Ji-Woo stood alone in the kitchen. Dr. Daniels had gone over the instructions twice.

Head injury. Hydration. Medication. Monitoring. Follow-up. Sexual-assault care.

Things Ji-Woo had never imagined needing to know about his brother.

When the doctor finally left, Ji-Woo remained exactly where he was. Yujin placed a cup of coffee in front of him.

He looked at it. “I don’t think I can drink that.”

“Then don’t.”

Ji-Woo looked up. Yujin sat across from him.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

“He won’t go to the police,” Ji-Woo said eventually. “He won’t go to the hospital.”

“I heard.”

“He could protect someone else by reporting him.”

Yujin didn’t answer immediately.

Ji-Woo’s jaw tightened. “I want him arrested.”

“I imagine you do.”