He was walking very quietly and carefully, glancing around to make sure no one would see him. He hoped there would be no one around at that time, as the whole house was completely silent and dimly lit — the lights were off. When he reached the hallway, he looked around. Though he had left his room to find food, seeing the empty hallway tempted him to head toward the main gate instead of the kitchen. But the main gate was locked. Disheartened, he started searching for the kitchen.
The kitchen was so large, it looked like it belonged to a palace. He went toward the fridge, but it only had water bottles and apples . Just as he picked up an apple and turned around, he saw someone standing behind him — and screamed in fear. The apple slipped from his hand and fell. Backing away in panic, he ended up pressed against the fridge.
Joon Hyunk stepped forward and turned on the kitchen lights.Yeo Jun silently prayed to disappear from there somehow.
Joon Hyunk said,"You won't find anything in the fridge. Whatever you want is in the pantry."
He opened a door inside the kitchen — it led to the pantry. Everything was available there. Joon Hyunk picked out some fruits and took a knife, then started cutting them on the cutting board. Yeo Jun stood watching him — like a curious child seeing someone prepare fruit for the first time.
He couldn't decide whether to stay or leave, but he was hungry, so he remained there — still stuck close to the fridge.
In a few minutes, the fruit salad was ready.Joon Hyunk gestured for him to sit on the stool by the kitchen table, but Yeo Jun just kept staring at him, without blinking or moving an inch.
When Yeo Jun didn't move, Joon Hyunk placed the bowl aside and began walking toward him. Seeing him approach, Yeo Jun panicked and ran over to the stool, quickly climbing onto it and sitting down.
Joon Hyunk sat down too, two stools away from him.
At first, Yeo Jun nervously bit his lip. But then his sharp mind kicked in.Should I eat this or not?He kidnapped me, and now he's making me fruit salad in the middle of the night?There must be some plan behind this. What does he want from me?
After thinking for a while, when his hunger became unbearable, he finally reached for the bowl and began eating.
He had barely started when Joon Hyunk said,"Eat slowly."
Yeo Jun had been so hungry for the past two days that he was shoving all the fruit into his mouth without even chewing. But now, obeying Joon Hyunk's instruction, he started eating more slowly and chewing properly.
When he noticed that Joon Hyunk was constantly watching him, he began to feel embarrassed.
Yeo Jun felt bad.
It didn't seem right that Joon Hyunk had made a fruit salad for him so late at night, and he hadn't even asked if he wanted to eat any himself. Yeo Jun thought maybe Joon Hyunk was staring at him because he was hungry too. So, thinking he should share, Yeo Jun pushed the salad bowl toward him.
Joon Hyunk stared at him for a moment, as if he couldn't understand why Yeo Jun had done that. But when he kept just staring without responding, Yeo Jun pulled the bowl back to himself. He had already finished all of his own salad, and now his eyes drifted toward the remaining salad in the other bowl.
So, hesitantly, he asked,"C-C c, can I… ,hh,,,,h, have… a bbi,,,bb,,,,,bit more…?"
Joon Hyunk simply replied,"No. You can't."
Yeo Jun hadn't expected that answer.Joon Hyunk stood up, took the rest of the salad, and put it back in the fridge.
"If you want more food, come downstairs in the morning for breakfast," he said, without looking back.
Yeo Jun lowered his eyes in disappointment.As Joon Hyunk faced the fridge, distracted, Yeo Jun slowly climbed off the stool. And the moment Joon Hyunk turned around, Yeo Jun took off running toward the stairs—terrified that he might try to stop him—and quickly rushed into his room, locking the door behind him.
He was still hungry… but not as much as before.He lay down on the bed, and since he hadn't slept for several nights due to the hunger, now that he'd eaten a little, drowsiness finally began to take over.And before he knew it, he had drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, after his usual exercise and jogging, Joon Hyunk was ready and having breakfast at the dining table.But Yeo Jun still hadn't come out of his room.
His breakfast was almost over when he finally noticed Yeo Jun standing at the top of the stairs.He looked nervous, pressing his fingernails into his palms anxiously.
Before coming out, Yeo Jun had paced around the room for a long time, struggling with the thought—should he go out or not? Should he stay in?
Eventually, forcing himself, he stepped out. But as soon as he reached the stairs and saw Joon Hyunk sitting at the dining table in plain view, he stopped.The moment their eyes met, Yeo Jun turned right around and headed back toward his room.He was about to go inside again.
Yeo Jun was still extremely scared of Joon Hyunk—but he didn't understand what he wanted from him.So far, he hadn't said or done anything—but then, why had he brought him here and kept him locked in like this?
He kept going over these thoughts again and again.Finally, when the hunger became unbearable, he decided to come back out—hoping Joon Hyunk had already left.
As he walked toward the kitchen, he stopped at the sound of someone moving around inside.Peeking in, he saw a beautiful woman washing dishes.
The moment the woman felt Yeo Jun's gaze on her, she immediately turned around.Caught in the act, Yeo Jun felt embarrassed and stepped fully into the kitchen.
"Oh, hello, dear! I'm Sun Hee," she said warmly, smiling brightly as she stepped toward him. "I work here for Mr. Joon Hyunk."
Startled, Yeo Jun quickly took a step back.
Seeing him recoil like that, the woman froze in place."I'm so sorry… Mr. Joon Hyunk told me you have germophobia," she said, bowing slightly in apology. "That you don't like people getting too close. I completely forgot."
Sun Hee looked truly sorry, and Yeo Jun didn't know what to say.
He didn't actually have germophobia. But Joon Hyunk… he hadn't used that lie to make fun of him.He hadn't mocked his weakness like everyone else always did.
Instead, he'd protected it—quietly.
That small detail made Yeo Jun's heart thud a little.
He couldn't help but smile.
Seeing him smile, Sun Hee relaxed and smiled back."Come, would you like some breakfast?" she asked, walking toward the pantry.
"Mr. Joon Hyunk said to prepare something light for you," she continued gently, "so your stomach doesn't get upset eating too much all of a sudden."
At that, Yeo Jun frowned internally.
"What does he mean I'll get sick from eating too much? When has he ever even given me 'too much' to eat? Just one slice of bread and a fried egg—or that tiny fruit salad bowl. That's considered too much now?"
"Hmph. Stingy jerk. And it's not like I asked to stay in this house and eat his food. Let me go, and your fridge will stay full, happy?"
"Not only has he locked me up in here, now he's acting like I'm a glutton too."
Annoyed, Yeo Jun started ranting inside his head while Sun Hee quietly placed a glass of juice in front of him and began preparing breakfast.
Yeo Jun found her… pleasant.
She didn't stare at him.She didn't ask about his face.She didn't make any weird comments about how he looked.
Her tone was gentle.He liked that.
Maybe… maybe he could talk to her.
"A-are… y-you… w-working… h-here… s-since… l-l-long?" he stammered hesitantly.
"I've been here for several years," she replied with a soft smile.
He hesitated, but he had to ask.
"M-m-miss… d-do… y-you… kn-know… i-if… M-Mr. J-Joon Hyunk… k-kidn—"
Before he could finish, Sun Hee gently interrupted,"I don't know what Mr. Joon Hyunk is doing exactly… but maybe give him a chance."
She placed the breakfast in front of him and turned to leave.
But that made Yeo Jun snap.
"H-he… h-he's… l-locked… me… u-up… h-h-here!"
Sun Hee paused, then turned back to look at him.
"Are you really locked up here?" she asked, calmly and without judgment.
"Because… from what I know, this doesn't feel like someone being held captive."