Page 314 of Scarbound

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Mrs. Kang.”

“You’re going out for hours.”

“We’re eating.”

“And if you don’t?”

Noeul opened his mouth. Yujin raised an eyebrow. He sighed and took the container.

“Fine.”

“Excellent.”

“You’re very controlling.”

Yujin’s expression changed immediately.

Noeul realized what he had said. For a second, silence settled between them.

Then Yujin answered carefully. “You can leave it here if you don’t want it.”

Noeul looked at the container in his hand. He shook his head. “No.” He slipped it into his bag. “I want it.”

Yujin nodded. “Then take it.”

Noeul looked at her for a moment. “Mrs. Kang.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

“You’ve thanked me enough.”

“Not for this.”

Yujin waited.

Noeul smiled faintly. “For making everything feel normal.”

Her expression changed. She looked away before he could see too much of it.

“Well.” She picked up her coffee again. “Someone in this family has to be normal.”

From the hallway, Duri shouted, “I heard that!”

Yujin raised her voice. “Then fix your hair!”

Noeul laughed. A real one.

Duri appeared a moment later, offended. “My hair is perfect.”

“That’s what worries me.”

Ji-Woo walked past him toward the elevator. “If we miss our reservation because of your hair, I’m leaving you here.”