Nari and Minho stood motionless, their hearts pounding like drumbeats in their chests as the man entered the room. His presence was magnetic, exuding power and menace with every step. The air thickened, the weight of his gaze bearing down on Nari like a predator eyeing its prey. His eyes, cold and calculating, locked onto hers, and an unsettling silence stretched between them.

"Why do you insist on causing trouble in my domain?" His voice was low, laced with an authority that made Nari's blood run cold.

Still shaken by the gunshot, by the blood on the floor, and by the old woman's death, Nari exchanged a glance with Minho. His face mirrored her disbelief and fear, his expression drawn tight with confusion. He opened his mouth to speak, but the man cut him off with a sharp, almost dismissive gesture.

"Who sent you? Why are you searching for your family?" The man's words cut through the room like a blade, and his eyes never left Nari's.

Minho started to speak again, but the man raised a hand to silence him. Without taking his gaze off Nari, he gestured to a set of chairs nearby, his movements calm and controlled. "Sit. We have much to discuss."

Nari's heart hammered against her ribcage, but she nodded, slowly lowering herself into the chair. Minho followed her lead, though his eyes never left the stranger, wary and calculating.

Nari took a deep breath, steeling herself. The questions were suffocating, and yet she had no choice but to face them. "I don't want to," she began, her voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through her veins, "but circumstances have forced me to confront the dangerous elements of my past. I have no choice but to find my family."

The man's lips twisted into a subtle, almost mocking smile. He regarded her with a new kind of interest, as though seeing something in her he hadn't expected. "You're not just a pawn in this game, are you?" His voice softened, a hint of something almost... admiring in his tone. "They sent me to deal with you, but you're more than just a target. You're from my village, aren't you? From our village. Seeking answers that you may not be prepared for."

His words sent a ripple of recognition through Nari, a chill creeping up her spine. Her family. Her past. She wasn't just seeking answers—she was uncovering a truth that could change everything. But the look in his eyes—half regretful, half intrigued—made her doubt everything she had believed up until that point.

The man straightened, as if making a decision. "I'll let you continue your search, Nari," he said cryptically. "But know this: the truth you seek may not be what you expect." He turned on his heel, walking toward the door. Before he left, he paused, his voice softer now but still carrying a dangerous edge. "I hope you find your family, Nari."

The door creaked shut behind him with a finality that left a deafening silence in its wake.