Page 283 of Scarbound

“Yes, I do.”

She laughed softly. “No. You want him to choose you.”

Duri went still. Yujin lifted her glass again.

He closed his eyes. “Damn it.”

Yujin smiled. “He really got you, didn’t he?”

Duri opened his eyes, waiting for the inevitable list. It came.

“I see why you like him.”

“I love him.”

“I know.” She paused. “And I see why. He’s thoughtful. Intelligent. Talented. Kind. Unreasonably handsome.”

“Eomma.”

“What?”

“Please stop talking about my boyfriend like that.”

Yujin laughed. “You inherited your taste from me.”

“That sentence is horrifying.”

She laughed harder. Eventually, the humor faded. Yujin reached across the table and covered his hand.

“Let him find himself.”

Duri looked toward the hallway one more time. “And if he comes back?”

“Then you’ll know why.”

Duri swallowed. “And if he doesn’t?”

Yujin didn’t lie to him. “Then you’ll survive.”

CHAPTER 61

A few nights later, Noeul called his brother’s name in his sleep.

“Gong, Gong, Gong!”

The room fell silent again, broken only by the ragged rhythm of his breathing. The blanket had slipped to the floor. Sweat soaked his T-shirt, clinging to him like a second skin.

Duri woke at once. “Hyung?”

Noeul jerked upright as though he hadn’t heard him. His eyes were open, but whatever he was seeing wasn’t the bedroom.

“Noeul?”

He was already on his feet. Duri barely had time to move before Noeul stumbled toward the bathroom.

“Hyung!”

No answer.