Page 305 of Scarbound

“Was having friends betrayal?”

“No.”

“Was loving Ji-Woo betrayal?”

“No.”

“Was your body ever his?”

Noeul stopped breathing for a second. Dr. Kim didn’t look away. “No.” The word trembled.

She waited.

Noeul repeated it. “No.” His fingers closed tightly around the ring. “My body was never his.” He struggled to get the words out.

Dr. Kim nodded. “No.”

Noeul stared at the floor. For several seconds, he couldn’t speak. Then he said, “But I still loved him.”

“I know.”

“I still miss him.”

“I know.”

“He hurt me.”

“Yes.”

Noeul’s eyes lifted. “And I still wish I could go back and save him.”

Dr. Kim’s expression softened. “Those things can exist together.”

Noeul wiped his face. “I hate that.”

“I imagine you do.”

He laughed through the tears. “I wish everything were simpler.”

“Most people do.”

Noeul looked toward the window. “I was scared after I left the clinic.”

“Of Gong?”

“Of myself.”

Dr. Kim waited.

Noeul rubbed his palms together. “I kept thinking about his illness.”

“What about it?”

“That we were identical.” His voice became quieter. “Do you remember the day you first spoke to us about his diagnosis?”

“I do.”

“My mother asked about me.” Noeul looked down at his hands. “She asked whether the same thing could happen to me because we were identical twins.”