Page 287 of Scarbound

“What things?” Ji-Woo asked.

Noeul shook his head immediately. “No.”

“Hyung.”

“No.” His grip tightened again.

Ji-Woo stopped.

Noeul stared at the floor. “His words still live in my head,” he said, his voice dropping. “He destroyed me twice.”

Ji-Woo’s face changed.

“With what he did.” A pause. “And with what he believed.”

Duri watched Noeul’s hand. The shard was no longer near his throat. “Can you put that down?” he asked quietly.

Noeul looked at the glass as though he had forgotten he was holding it. For several seconds, he only stared. Then he placed it on the floor.

Relief almost brought Duri to his knees, but he didn’t approach.

“I’m going to move the glass away from you,” he said. “Is that okay?”

Noeul stared at the shard. After several seconds, he nodded.

Duri moved slowly, wrapped the shard in a towel, and placed it beyond the doorway. Ji-Woo remained where Noeul could see him.

“I’m calling Dr. Kim now,” Duri said.

Noeul closed his eyes but didn’t object.

Duri called and placed the phone on speaker. Dr. Kim answered after several rings.

“Duri?”

“He broke the bathroom mirror,” Duri said, fighting to keep his voice steady. “He held a piece of glass against his throat. He’s put it down now, but there’s a cut.”

Dr. Kim’s voice became calm and direct. “Is the glass out of his reach?”

“Yes.”

“Is the cut bleeding heavily?”

Duri looked carefully. “No. It’s a thin cut. The bleeding has almost stopped.”

“All right. Put me where Noeul can hear me.”

Duri set the phone on the floor between them.

“Noeul,” Dr. Kim said. “It’s Dr. Kim. You don’t have to explain everything that happened. I only need to understand how much danger you’re in right now.”

Noeul opened his eyes.

“Are you thinking about killing yourself right now?”

His gaze moved toward the towel containing the glass. “I wanted to go to Gong.”

“I understand. But I need you to answer about this moment. Do you want to kill yourself right now?”