(I suppose I have no choice, since there's no way I can sleep in a forest with wild animals...)

Of course, I suspected Baekhyun was also dangerous, but I decided I couldn't cut off my nose to spite my face. 

(Encountering a wild beast is a matter of life and death.)

Baekhyun might be untrustworthy, but at least he didn't want to kill me. If he did, he would have already done so by now. Anyway, he didn't seem like the violent type. So...

I decided to take my chances with Baekhyun rather than the beasts, and I walked to the forest with him.

~~*~~

"That's my house."

The house seemed to be at one with the trees and gave off a quaint vibe. The light spilling out from the windows was soft and gentle, the atmosphere was welcoming. 

"...What a lovely house."

I didn't let my guard down completely, but I let him lead me inside. 

Baekhyun's house lacked a feeling of being lived in. The comfy room was a bit too clean and devoid of personality. The fireplace looked to be broken in, which meant nights in the forest were likely cold. 

"Incidentally..."

Baekhyun smiled at me as I took in the room. 

"You must be hungry by now. Why don't we have dinner?"

"Since you're letting me stay at your place tonight, I'll cook. It's not much, but it's my way of saying thank you."

"Your homemade cooking... Mm, what a pleasant surprise. If you're going to put your heart into cooking for me, my Alice--Kyungsoo... I'll happily devour whatever you make for me."

"...Um, Baekhyun."

"Yes?"

"You don't think I can cook, do you?"

"That's not it at all. I'm just saying I value the effort over the food itself... So, you know...the results don't really matter. There's no pressure, okay?"

"...Wait and see, all right, Baekhyun?"