LUMINESCENCE | K.NJ ✓

XXVIII - HOSPITAL FLOWERS

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT—HOSPITAL FLOWERS

NOURI RAN HER THUMB across the volume button on the remote. Her eyes were focused on the television screen before her. A blanket was draped across both herself and her mother as they sat together on the sofa in their apartment. Nouri cast a glance at her mother to see her eyes narrowed in focus as she watched the program. Her father stood beside the couch, a bowl of cereal in his hand, his gaze trained on the screen as well.

"A week after the rescue of Kim Mira, Park Minhee, Hwang Hyorin, and Lin Nouri—four victims of the series of abductions that have been taking place over the past several weeks—perpetrator Kobayashi Ito has finally woken from an eight day coma after taking a bullet to the chest."

A picture of each girl came onto the screen as the news reporter spoke. Nouri blinked slowly as her own face flew onto the screen; eyes bright, mouth open in a grin that put her teeth on display.

Then an image of Ito appeared next to hers. The frown on his lips and the dull look in his eyes contrasted greatly from her photo.

"The perpetrator, once recovered, will be detained domestically despite the fact that he is not a Korean citizen," the reporter continued. "A full trial will commence thereafter, and police are currently in the process of investigating the methods Ito used to carry out his crimes, which involved a sort of homemade flash-bang, a gun, and a knack for staying quiet. The perpetrator has declined to be interviewed, making only one public statement in regards to his crimes."

The pictures on the screen faded away and were replaced by text—a quote from Ito himself.

"They know why I did it," the reporter read along as the letters appeared, word by word. "They understand. They know I did nothing wrong."

Nouri tightened her grip on the remote. Memories of Ito's frightened eyes, desperate words, his cold touch, all flashed through her mind.

From where he stood, her father reached forward and gently squeezed her shoulder.

"Ito was not the only one to receive a gunshot wound that night," the reporter continued. "Rookie officer Min Yoongi took a bullet to the back from Ito himself."

Nouri sat up straighter. She raised the volume.

"This prompted detective Choi Hyunsoo to shoot Ito in defense of himself and his fellow officer. An investigation on the shooting is currently underway, and Officer Min is recovering from his injuries as we speak—"

Jane reached over and took the remote from Nouri's grasp, quickly shutting the television off.

"Mom? Why did you—"

"You're doing your nervous tick again," Jane said. She reached over and gently pushed Nouri's hand down, away from her neck.

Nouri glanced down. She hadn't even noticed that she had been scratching herself.

With a sigh, her dad moved from behind them and sat down on the floor in front of the sofa, continuing on with his breakfast. He gestured to Nouri's leg with his spoon. "How's your leg feeling, sweetheart?"

"Better," Nouri said with small smile. "You can stop worrying so much, Dad. The doctors took good care of it and I'm on the road to recovery. Besides, it's nothing compared to what the other girls had to go through."

"I'm glad it's healing nicely," he said. There was a brief pause. "Are you doing okay otherwise?"

Nouri laid her head back against the couch. She wasn't sure how to answer the question. In many ways, she was doing just fine. She was safe, she was alive, she was with her parents. Her leg was healing. The abductions were over.