Page 74 of Scarbound

“I don’t know how to leave.” He closed his eyes. “I can’t go back to who I was.”

His breathing became uneven. “If I lose him…” He stopped.

“I’ll try to kill myself again.”

The apartment fell silent.

“And I can’t stay away from him.” His lips parted. “He’s…”

The words never came.

Ji-Woo held his breath. Behind him, the kitchen had gone silent.

Neither of them asked him to finish.

Ji-Woo remembered Duri’s warning.

Don’t push him. Not today.

He reached over and wiped the tears from Noeul’s face. “You don’t have to figure everything out right now,” he said. “Just… don’t shut me out again, okay?” A small, uncertain smile touched his face. “I’m here. Duri too. Whatever happens, you don’t have to deal with it by yourself.”

Noeul nodded slowly. The tears finally slipped down his cheeks.

“Okay,” he whispered. “Thank you, Ji-Woo.”

Ji-Woo carefully pulled him into a hug, holding him as though afraid that, if he let go too quickly, his brother might fall apart again.

For the first time in days, Noeul didn’t pull away.

Mr. Choi cleared his throat from the kitchen. “Dinner is ready.”

The brothers slowly let go of each other. They exchanged a small, fragile smile before walking to the table together.

Mr. Choi had prepared doenjang-jjigae, grilled fish, rice, and several small side dishes. Steam rose lazily from the bowls, filling the apartment with a comforting warmth that had been absent for days.

“Eat while it’s hot,” he said, setting another bowl of rice in front of Noeul. “You don’t have to finish everything.”

Noeul looked down at the meal. “…Thank you.”

It was the first time he had thanked him since returning from the cemetery.

Mr. Choi smiled to himself but said nothing.

For several minutes, only the sound of chopsticks touching porcelain broke the silence. Ji-Woo stole a glance at his brother and noticed Noeul reaching for a second spoonful of stew. He looked away before Noeul could catch him watching.

“Your soup is really good, Mr. Choi,” he said instead.

The older man chuckled. “I’ve had many years to practice.”

“You should open a restaurant.”

Mr. Choi laughed. “At my age? I’ll leave that dream to someone younger.”

The conversation faded again. This time, it was Noeul who broke the silence.

“Ji-Woo.”

His younger brother immediately looked up.