Page 307 of Scarbound

“Gong was ill,” Dr. Kim continued. “But illness did not make every choice for him, and it does not make a person cruel by definition. Most people with severe mental illness are far more likely to be harmed than to harm someone else.”

“So you’re saying he wasn’t sick?”

“I’m saying both things can be true. Gong was sick. He was also responsible for the harm he caused. But neither fact means you will become him.”

“So even if I became ill…”

“You would need treatment and support.”

“But I wouldn’t become him.”

“No. You would still be responsible for your choices, and you would still be you.”

Dr. Kim leaned back. “And now? Do you believe you are Gong?”

“No.” The answer came more quickly than it once would have.

“Do you believe having his face makes you him?”

“No.”

“Having some of his genes?”

Noeul hesitated. “No.”

“Being traumatized?”

“No.”

“Being angry?”

“No.”

“Having thoughts that frighten you?”

Noeul looked at her. “No.”

Dr. Kim nodded.

Noeul sat quietly, then looked down at Gong’s ring. “I think I’ve spent years treating every similarity between us like a warning.”

“And every difference?”

Noeul frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Did you notice those too?”

He went still. After a moment, a faint smile touched his mouth. “Not nearly enough.”

Dr. Kim picked up her pen again. “That sounds like somewhere we can continue next time.”

Noeul nodded. His fingers remained around Gong’s ring. But this time, he wasn’t gripping it like evidence against himself. Just something that had belonged to his brother.

CHAPTER 62

A week passed after Noeul finally told Ji-Woo and Duri the truth about Gong. Then another.

Although he had originally agreed to stay only one more week, Kang Yujin proved remarkably skilled at inventing reasons for him not to leave yet. Duri and Ji-Woo hadn’t found a suitable apartment. She needed help around the house. Duri had a school paper due and clearly required supervision if he was going to survive it.