The fact he lived in the wood wasn't shocking. Everyone knew that.

It was the fact that he lived in the haunted woods that made him strange to everyone after all. Sure, it was one of the many rumours surrounding the man, but the fact he lived in the woods the height of those rumours.

Now, from everything I've heard of the infamous Mr. Ong, I didn't expect to walk -okay be carried - where Antieno took me.

I guess I shouldn't have been half as shocked after actually meeting the man. He was contradicting everything I thought about him with his mere presense. But do excuse me. It hasn't even been half-an-hour since I met him.

In all honestly, I expected a rundown shack of a house. I had even made myself ready not to judge or react no matters what condition his house was in.

The last thing I imagined was the gorgeous wooden villa in front of my eyes. It looked like it belonged in the streets of Italy or even Greece. Not smack-dab in the middle of the woods in little PyongHo. Our town didn't even show in the South Korean - much less the Jeju Island - map for crying out loud.

Covered in larch boards, stone and glass, it was a three-storey building, done in a contemporary fashion. I could make out the open kitchen from where we stood. The kitchen and a room on the first floor directly above the kitchen. The angle we stood allowed me no glimpse inside though. I could just make out the solar panels on the roof, if I tilted my head at a certain angle.

Breath catching on my throat, I stared with my mouth hanging open. I forgot whatever it was that we'd been talking about when he stepped out of the tree line.

"Did we step into a portal and somehow end up in Italy when I wasn't paying attention?" I asked, gobsmacked. I even looked over Antieno's shoulder to make sure we were still in the woods. That was how stunned I was at seeing his house.

So much for not reacting when I saw his house.

Antieno laughed at my question. Shaking his head, he continued on his way inside.

"I'm afraid we are still in PyongHo." He said.

Grinning, I played along with him. "Hmm... too bad. Italy is such a lovely place. Your Villa looks equally amazing."

"You speak as if you've been to Italy."

It was a statement not a question. Yet I still decided to grace him with an answer.

"I have. Last summer I think it was, had to go with my family. Only don't ask me to speak Latin. Mine's rusty at best."

"So a vacation or family trip? And just so you know, at least you know Latin. I don't speak a word."

"It was... a vacation and family trip of sorts... I guess" I shrugged my shoulder. Not wanting to dwell too much on that with a stranger. He may be a handsome stranger. One who looked like an angel. Yet a stranger nonetheless.

My answer gained me a curious look, but he didn't question me as he placed me on the kitchen counter. Yes, our conversation had led us all the way into the kitchen - which was hi-tech and more modern than the exterior suggested. And yes, I'm aware we entered the house from the back entrance - which was through the kitchen - but his backyard looked like it should belong in a gardenscape magazine too.

"Let's take a proper look at the damage before we get you out of those muddy clothes, shall we?" He said instead. His hands soft and gentle as he removed the sneaker and sock off my left leg. Being extra careful not to jostle my leg around too much.

As soft as his actions made me feel, his words made me look down at him sharply.

If he noticed how improper his words were he didn't show it. His focus remained glued on my leg and my leg alone. My focus remained on him as he inspected my ankle more closely.

"I was right, not dislocated. You must've landed hard enough to twist the leg, but not damage it too much. You'll probably feel good as new by morning.... after a good nights rest." Looking up at me with a smile, he rose to his feet.

"I'll ready a water for you to take a bath before I bandage up your leg." He added ruffling my hair with affection.

His action distracted me from his words.

It wasn't his action per say that distracted me. It was the sudden thought that popped up.

The realisation his word weren't causing alarms to blare loudly in my head. This wasn't exactly the first alarming thing he had said the entire evening. Yet not a single flash of concern for my well-being. No sense of panic. No initiative to run as far from him as I could get. I felt none of that. Not a hint.

Lost in thought, I didn't have time to say no before he was already out of the kitchen. From where I was sitting I couldn't see much past the hallway, so I couldn't exactly tell where he was headed.

What really shocked me was that he left me all alone in the kitchen. A perfect stranger he just met.

Well... it wasn't exactly like I could explore on my own with a hurt leg even if I had been able to hop off the counter. This left me to explore the kitchen in closer detail with just my eyes.

Prinestine and clean... I could imagine the rest of the house already looking like this. Beautiful, architectural, modern and kept in perfect condition. Far, far, far from the rundown shack I expected to walk into. It would be anyones dream house... if it was a little less lonely.

From what I had seen of the villa so far - which wasn't anything past the kitchen and what of the hallway I could make out from my position - it lacked a personal touch. Not even a clue as to what kind of person lived here. It did not give off a homey feeling at all.

Then again, I guess it was a given. Considering he lived alone and all. At least, that's what everyone says. As much as I'd learned - today - not to take heed of rumours, this one was believable.

No, not that he killed his family or that he sacrificed them to some demon. Just the fact that he lived alone.

However left alone to my thoughts, they reminded me of a warm embrace. Dinner with four people more family to me than my own parents. Their summer Villa not very much different from Mr. Ong's.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I shook my head.

There as no use dwelling on the past. No use reminecensing about a boy I gave my all to. One whom I believed to be the center of my universe.

That was the mistake of a naive fifteen year old girl who loved the thought of falling in love. A stupid girl who was too caught in the euphoria of being in love and the gorgeous boy, who used to be perfect in her eyes.

"All ready, shall we?"

So lost in my thought was I, I didn't even realise Mr. Ong was back. Not until his voice snapped me out of my thoughts.

It took me a moment to register his question. Another to understand what he meant. By the time I processed the thought, he was already by my side, arm wrapping around my waist, helping me hop off the counter.

"Where did you go?" He questioned when we were in the hallway. His arm still wrapped around me, helping me limp to the bathroom.

"Down memory lane." I replied with a grimace. I didn't find a point in lying to him. It's been three years. I'd learnt to deal with my heartbreak at this point.

"Must've been a happy one."

I looked up at him puzzled, so he added, "You didn't even realise I walked back into the kitchen, you were so lost in thought."

Dropping my gaze to the floor I smiled. If anything, the memory was nostalgic, nowhere near happy.

"It used to be happy at one point... warm even."

Is how I replied.

Luckily, he had stopped in front of an open door - the bathroom. So I slipped myself away from his hold. Using the doorframe for balance, I limped into the bathroom, leaving him in the threshold.

"I've got it from here. You go get cleaned up yourself," I told, turning to him with a smile.

Giving me an amused smile, he casted a glance around the bathroom before he left. Shutting the door after me, I turned around to study the bathroom as well.

The porcelain bathtub was already filled with steaming water. The violet hue of the water mixed with the scent of Lavander was soothing. Not my normal taste, but I wasn't about to complain. A fluffy towel hanged on the towel rack. It looked warm and was soft as a feather to the touch.

With white walls, trimmed in gold and a wall seperating the commode, it looked good enough to belong in a palace. As clean as the bathroom looked, the lack of personal items suggested that it was hardly used.

Trying not to get mud everywhere, I stripped. Lowering myself into the bathtub was a slow process as I couldn't give too much preassure to my left leg. At the same time I had to make certain I didn't slip.

Scrubbing the mud off my person, I was in the process of washing my hair when there was a knock.

"Dewdrop, I'll leave you a change of clothes right out the door." Mr. Ong's voice called from the other side. The moment I called out an 'okay' I heard his footsteps retreating.

Reminded that I wasn't home by myself, I hurried to finish the rest of my bath. Getting out, drying and changing took longer than I'd have liked. Moving around with only one leg wasn't easy.

It was close to 45 minutes when I emerged out of the washroom, my muddy clothes held in a bundle in one hand and using the wall for support. I took my chance and headed back to the kitchen... or what I hoped was the direction of the kitchen.

I had zero sense of direction, but in my defense, both sides of the hallway looked pretty much the same.

I ended up walking into a cozy looking room with a giant flat screen TV. One large L-shaped couch sat directly opposite the TV and lumpy cushions covered half the floor. A few bean bags were scattered around the room. One side of the right wall was taken as a shelf, and a gramaphone sat on one end of the shelf.

Overall it looked cozy and tempting to simply flop down and relax. If I wasn't in the house of a stranger I'd have followed through with my tempation. As it was, I stood on the doorway and wondered where I took a wrong turn to end up here.

There was no door seperating the room from the hallway - just the doorway - so I'm positive I hadn't passed this room enroute from kitchen to bathroom. Where had I gone wrong? And more importantly, how do I find Mr. Ong?

I don't want to go expoloring on my own. It would feel too much like snooping around. As much as I wouldn't mind doing some snooping, I didn't want to give the man a bad first impression.

Well, one worser than the one already given.

"Dewdrop?"

So lost in thought, that was the second time I hadn't heard him approach. Screaching I jumped, crashing into the wall due to landing on my hurt leg.

Next instant there were hands on my shoulder and arm, and Mr. Ong's face hovered over mine. He looked as if my scream had scared him as much as him sneaking up had me.

"Don't sneak up on me like that. I know it's your house, but you don't have to walk without making any noise," I complained, holding a hand over my heart. Through the whole ordeal, my bundle of muddy clothes remained in my arms.

Upon realising that I was fine, his hands let go of me, even taking a step back so he wasn't in my personal space any more. He chuckled at my words, eyes falling to the clothes I clutched.

"I'm sorry, Dewdrop, but it's you who don't pay attention to your surronding," He said before extending a hand out to me. "Give those, I'll put it in the wash, you can have them back before you leave."

I blinked at him.

"You can't leave yet Dewdrop," He said as if reading my thoughts, shocking me further. "For one, it's raining pretty heavily. I don't want you getting drenched in this weather. For another, I still have to bandage up your leg."

Now that he mentioned it, if I strained my ear I could actually hear the rain. And if I stared at the window hard enough I could see lightening lighting up the outside through the blindfolds.

Relenting, I handed over my clothes to him. He took them with another chuckle.

"Settle down in there, I'll be right back," He said, nodding towards the cozy room. Then he started back the way he came.

And the most surprising part? He never questioned me on what I was doing there.