Page 15

Yoona slid in and shut the door behind her. “Turn off the engine.”

He did as he was told.

She closed the windows, and silence filled the space. Somewhere in the distance, a motorcycle revved before drifting away into a lingering echo.

“Where were you, Jun?” Yoona broke the silence. Her brows furrowed, and her mouth twisted in an oncoming wave of anger. “You disappeared. Why didn’t you tell us where you were? Why didn’t you attend the funeral?”

Jun perked up. “There was a funeral?”

“Don’t ignore my questions!” Yoona snapped. She heaved a big breath, trying to control herself. She was usually like this, but she had every right to be mad now. “Four weeks! We were all really stressed and worried! I hope you know that!”

Jun averted his gaze and stared at the steering wheel logo. It was all his fault. Alex didn’t say it, but he was probably thinking the same. Yoona was the more vocal one anyway.

“Sorry,” was all he could answer.

Yoona let out another sigh. She crossed her arms and settled against the leather chair, staring at the street ahead. “Jun. Listen. I’m not here to talk to you like I’m on duty. I’m talking to you as your friend.”

“Okay, then what do you want?”

She curled her hands into a fist and then unclenched them, stretching her fingers out. “When Ruki first disappeared, it was like you changed into a different person. You shut yourself out—not just from the world, but from us.” She took another deep breath. Jun could almost hear her swallow in the dark. “We’re here for you, you know? You can talk to me.”

A rage slowly awakened within him. He didn’t know how many iterations he heard. As much as he loved them too, he didn’t know if they understood the weight they carried in those words after all this time. “Who decided on the funeral?”

“What?” Yoona whispered, taken aback.

“Who decided on the funeral? Was it his parents? Was it Paragon? You or Alex?”

“Paragon. Why?”

The anger he’d bottled for so long pushed up his throat. “You said you care because we are all friends, right? What about Ruki? Why weren’t you there for him when he needed all of you?”

Yoona’s lips twitched in shock. She stared back at the street, as if she couldn’t bring herself to look at him anymore.

After a brief pause, she spoke, “He didn’t talk to us. He talked to you. We’re trying to be here for you now, because he’s not here with us anymore. We don’t need another one of us dying.” She choked on her words. “I’m sure it’s been hard on you too.”

Jun sucked in a breath, keeping himself from screaming at her.

She was not getting it. She never did.

Alex never did.

None of them did.

But he could never bring himself to say it to them. He promised Ruki he would never tell anyone about his reasoning. They never noticed how Ruki was feeling. They could have just talked to him. Jun thought they would have changed by now, as adults, but it seemed those assumptions were wrong.

“Can I go now?” Jun asked. Yoona shot him a pained expression. “I have a place to stay. So you don’t have to keep looking for me.”

When Jun reached for the ignition, Yoona grabbed his wrist. “I don’t know if you’re upset at me personally, and you don’t have to tell me right now, but I just want you to know that I’m really, really glad you’re okay. And whatever it is, I’m really sorry, Jun.” Her breath shuddered. Jun wanted more than anything for her to leave so they wouldn’t be in this painful situation. She released her grip and opened the passenger door. “I really hope you can make it to the memorial. You told Mrs. Ayase you would.”

“I know. Alex gave me the invitation.”

Yoona cocked her head. “Alex?”

Jun frowned at her confusion. “Garza?”

Yoona rolled her eyes and scoffed. “I know who Alex Garza is, Jun.” Then her expression darkened, and she muttered, “So he knew where you were?”

She shook her head, waving her hand. “Anyway.” She let herself out of the passenger seat and turned back before closing the door. “I just want to remind you that I’m here for you. I hope you take that to heart at least.”