Antieno Ong.

A name no one who lives in town did not know.

A name spoken in whispers.

A name shrouded in mystery.

There were so many rumours surrounding the man, I doubt anyone could tell truth from fable anymore.

I was in sophomore year, just having moved to town from Gwangju, when I heard my first rumour concerning the man. My best friend, Hyejin, had been showing me around town when I had wanted to go into the woods.

Hyejin had told me a gruesome story that had kept me well away from the woods for six months.

By the time I explored the woods, I'd already heard everything I could hear about the man. The initial fear of setting foot in the woods dwindled. For the past three years I've made the woods my haven, I had not seen a soul in here before today. For all those years ignoring rumours that said the woods were Ong's territory and hearing that he haunted these very woods. Today is the first time I'm setting my eyes on the man.

I felt a stab of gut wrenching guilt at my thoughtless words the moment he introduced himself. There was enough rumour about him without me adding to it.

The townspeople would believe the only person known to enter these woods in the last decade. Me.

Knowing I had the power to utterly destroy his reputation wasn't helping my guilt. Or meet his eyes.

"May I also point out that had I wanted to murder you I've had plenty of opportunity to do just that? We are alone in the woods right now," He added as he straightened. Mirth still danced in his eyes and his lips stuck in a permanent smile.

It took a second look to notice the self-mocking his eyes held. Hidden carefully behind that gleam of amusement. Hard to see unless you knew what you were looking for.

I was too stunned to say anything in reply.

As if his beauty wasn't distracting enough he had to drop this bomb on me too.

Few people in town had seen him before. Trust me, a man looking like an angel with a dark past... Yeah, that was the kind of topic that would be the talk of town. No, he was a hermit if I ever saw one.

I've been roaming around these woods for three years and this was the first time I'm seeing hide or tail of him. He lives in these woods, for God's sake.

So fact is, no one from town would know the man on sight. So no one had ever given me a description of him before. I always imagined him to be an old man wearing all black with a crappy personality. I never expected a gorgeous man in designer clothes looking ready to strut down the runaway.

I never expected him to look like an angel descended from heaven either.

Excuse me for being thrown off by the revelation.

"Shall we? Or would you rather prefer getting drenched in the rain?" He questioned when I stayed quiet. His smile widening as he bent slightly to look into my eyes. His own twinkling as if they had captured a whole constellation within them.

"Shall we what?"

I'm ashamed to admit my voice came out breathless. My mind was a jumbled mess with all this information it was receiving, that I really couldn't recall his request earlier.

"Head to my place," he replied. As amused as he looked, he hardly seemed to make fun of me.

"Right, your place... Ur, I mean yes, okay."

I nodded my head, stumbling over my words. My cheeks pooling with blood at my own words and I ducked my head.

With a soft chuckle, he held his hand out. Careful as he pulled me to my feet, conscious of my injured foot. A care that extended past what a stranger would show.

"Lets go Dewdrop." He said, a smile playing on his lips as he held me against his side. Hand secured around my waist with the gentlest of touches.

My cheeks were blazing at our proximity. The smell of citrus - with a touch of sandalwood - wasn't helping my case either. His twinkling gaze only made it worse when my head snapped up to his at the nickname.

It sounded endearing, the way it had rolled off his tongue.

"D-Dewdrop?" I spluttered.

He shrugged and helped me limp, directing us towards his house. Yes, I knew where it was. Everyone in town knew. It was the fact he lived in the wood that made everyone avoid it.

"You did just fall of a tree, dearest." He stated.

I choked on air. That was the second nickname he'd given me. In the span of a minute no less.

"Excuse me? That was your fault! You startled me!" I exclaimed in protest.

Laughing, he shook his head, and a silence settled between us. It wasn't awkward, yet it wasn't comfortable either. It was nerve-wrecking.

The silence just made me more aware of our proximity. The curve of his body pressed tauntingly against mine. So close, not a breath of air could slip through. Made me more aware of the large hand pressed against my waist. The tantalising warmth he radiated.

Looking up at his face was the worst mistake I made in that silence. His beauty was too mesmerizing. So handsome, it captivated me just looking.

I found it ridiculously hard to drop my gaze from the utter perfection before me.

From his sharp jawline to his thin lips. The curve of his nose, the downward tilt of his eyes and long neck, broad shoulders. Every physical feature of his screamed perfection.

Even the wind agreed with me. The way it raked its fingers through his hair, tugged at the open buttons of his shirt. Revealing glimpses of his collarbone as if taunting me.

Ethereal. Out of this world.

"Be caref-"

His eyes met mine, and we stopped walking - or limping in my case. The two of us staring at each other.

His lips tugged up, having caught me staring. He bent the slightest bit, bringing his face closer to mine - as if I wasn't blushing enough. I probably resembled a tomato at this point.

"Enjoying the view?"

His voice dropped when he asked that. The deep husky tone making my stomach flip in the most pleasurable way possible. I know my breath hitched, and my legs turned to jelly - I sagged against his hold. His arm around my waist was the only thing keeping me upright at that point.

My lips parted. My mind was too scrambled to structure a proper sentence, so nothing came out.

With a look of satisfaction, he straightened up again.

I could finally pull in a breath again. I hadn't even realised I'd been holding it in.

However, I was quite annoyed at my reaction. His satisfied look at the end wasn't helping my annoyance. Which explains the next words I'd huffed out.

"I find nothing wrong in admiring something beautiful."

He was in the process of trying to lift me up bridal style when the words left my lips. Still bent, he froze. His fingertips just short of touching the underside of my knee.

His head snapped up, eyes widened and lips parted in his own shock. He clearly didn't expect me to say that.

I hadn't either. I would have been mortified myself, if his reaction hadn't given me satisfaction. The fact that I could shock him as well as he shocks me by simply existing was empowering.

I mean sure, annoyance and a lack of filter had let the words slip. It was still satisfying to see him as shocked as he was by my words.

The intensity of his gaze, however, was something entirely else. Unable to hold the intensity of it, I was the one to look away first. It hadn't been bravado that made me voice that out loud. And even in shock, his gaze turned no less intense as when he confronted with all his confidence intact.

A soft chuckle left his lips, and he picked me up.

Squealing in surprise at the sudden movement, my arms wrapped around his shoulder in an automatic reaction. I looked at him questioningly.

"I don't want you falling again, Dewdrop." He explained before I could voice my question. He deftly stepped over a fallen tree. He did so with well practised ease - while carrying me too.

Scrunching my nose, I glared at him.

"Rude," I grumbled.

He laughed, head thrown back. Sounding too endeared by my words.

It took a lot of effort not to stare again. I don't think I suceeded.

"I'm not the one who fell off a tree, sweet cheeks," he said, grinning down at me.

I gave him a look. That was the third nickname he'd given me.

"Could you stop with the cheesy nicknames? It's weird," I said.

He raised an eyebrow at me, looking affronted. "And what am I supposed to call you? You never told me your name."

I gaped at him.

"You never asked!" I protested in my defence. "But that doesn't mean you can call me cheesy nicknames!"

"Very well sweet cheeks, may I have the honor of knowing your lovely name?"

"How do you know my names is lovely, I never told it to you."

"It doesn't matter. Whatever your name is, it has to be as lovely as you."

I huffed crossing my hands across my chest.

"Fine. If you really wanna know. Eunha. Soo Eunha."

His eyes dropped to mine, gaze softening with a smile.

"Small galaxy?" He hummed. A thoughful look crossing his face. "That does sound a lot like you."

The last part was whispered. A gentle tilt to his voice that made a stampede start in my stomach. For heat to rise to my cherks and my gaze to drop.

Just something so fond in his gaze it felt too personal to look at. Even if it was directed at me.

Thankfully I didn't have the time to think of a reply. For he stepped out of the woods and into a lush, manicured garden.

My eyes trailed along the garden to the house at the end. Let's just tell I was mighty surprised by what I found.