"Suit yourself. I'll be back with something to eat," the masked man said, turning to leave the room.

Aeri sat on a chair in the same dusty old library, her mind racing with a thousand thoughts. When she saw him finally leave her alone, she swiftly stood up and moved towards the book that had intrigued her earlier. To her dismay, the book was no longer on the table.

Perhaps he placed it back on one of these shelves? she mused. Aeri began to search through the books on the shelves.

She admired his taste; the selection of books aligned perfectly with her own preferences.

While she was still perusing the shelves, his voice startled her from behind. "I guess you’re fond of reading too," he observed, placing a tray of food on the small table.

Aeri returned to the chair and sat down. "May I at least know your name?" she inquired.

"It's quite personal, but you can call me Taesan," he whispered while arranging the food he had brought.

"I'm Aeri, Aeri Park," she responded automatically.

"Oh yes, I know."

"How?" Aeri asked, bewildered.

"Oh—it was on your backpack, Miss," he replied, pointing to a small travel bag placed in a corner.

Aeri nodded to herself.

"I hope you're not allergic to any of this," he murmured, handing her a bowl of rice along with some snacks.

"Thank you so much," Aeri replied gratefully.

"If you don't mind, may I join you for the meal?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"Of course, it's your place anyway," she said, unconsciously smiling a little.

The man named Taesan nodded and finally removed the mask he had been wearing since they met. As soon as he took off the mask, Aeri couldn't help but stare at his strikingly handsome features.

"The food is getting cold, Miss Aeri," he stated, snapping her out of her trance.

"Just Aeri is fine," she said, refocusing on her meal.

They ate in silence for a few minutes before Taesan broke the silence. "May I ask you a question, Aeri?"

Aeri nodded, slowly becoming comfortable with the stranger.

"What were you doing alone in this abandoned forest?"

"I wasn't alone. I was with my friends, but suddenly they were gone," Aeri replied, her eyes welling up with tears.

"You shouldn't have come here in the first place. Don't you know how notorious this place is?" he asked, chugging down a glass of water.

"But you live here?" Instead of replying, Aeri countered with a question.

"I have my reasons," he replied straightforwardly. "If you're finished, may I clear the dishes?" he asked, gesturing to the plates.

Aeri nodded, sensing the sudden shift in his mood.

"I'll be back after washing these. You can rest until then," he said, turning to leave again.

But Aeri stopped him. "Taesan, if you don't mind, I would love to help you."

Aeri was sure he would refuse, but to her surprise, he nodded.

"Follow me to the kitchen, then," he said, stepping forward.

Aeri followed him through the same corridors until they finally reached what he called the kitchen.

"I'll handle the dishes. You can sit here," he pointed to the only dining chair in the room.

Aeri looked around, noticing a few cabinets, some open, others closed. There were just a few dishes on the table, sufficient for one person.

"Do you live here alone?" Aeri couldn't help but ask.

Taesan, who was busy wearing the gloves, nodded.

Silence prevailed for the rest of the time, with Aeri quietly observing him and her surroundings as he washed the dishes...