Page 324 of Scarbound

When it was Noeul’s turn, he spoke softly and without embellishment.

“Where do I even begin?” He glanced toward the wall behind him. “These paintings are a reflection of the world as I’ve lived it alongside my twin brother, Gong, and my closest friend, Haneul. The emptiness their loss left behind will always weigh on my heart. But they were more than the way they died. They lived. They laughed. They annoyed me. They made me happy.”

A faint smile touched his lips.

“I wanted to remember that too.” He drew a quiet breath.

Jun and Ms. Lee entered the gallery shortly after the brothers had finished their presentation. Jun was dressed in a modern designer cream suit, while Ms. Lee looked radiant in traditional white attire. Together, they wandered through the exhibition, admiring the artwork. Ms. Lee eagerly purchased two of Ji-Woo’s paintings, delighted to have discovered such an extraordinary young talent.

Then she approached the final wall.

Her steps slowed.

A sigh escaped her lips. “Haneul?”

Jun stopped beside her.

Ms. Lee moved closer to the first portrait. “How…?”

Her eyes traveled across the familiar features of her youngest son. The expression. The slight curve of his lips. Even the softness in his eyes had been captured with painful familiarity.

She turned to Jun in astonishment, searching his face for an explanation.

“The artist created these paintings to honor your son,” Jun said, his voice barely above a whisper.

“The artist?” she whispered. “Who?”

Her eyes wandered across the wall, searching for the artist’s information.

Then they stopped.

Another face.

One she knew all too well.

“Gong?”

Jun said nothing.

Ms. Lee stared at the portrait. Then at Haneul. Then back at Gong.

“…Noeul?”

Her voice barely existed. She turned to Jun and gently took hold of his hand.

“Jun… is he the artist?”

Ms. Lee gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “Jun? Am I right? These are Noeul’s paintings?”

Jun bit his lower lip and drew a slow, steadying breath. “Only this wall.” He looked toward Haneul’s portrait. “He wanted to honor your son.”

Her entire body trembled. “Honor?”

She lingered on the word.

“What does he know about honor?”

Jun remained silent.