His sharp eyes merely flickered over them quickly before he moved to the rear of the car, pressing the remote to open the trunk. It revealed a considerable amount of luggage. Ae and Ploysuay exchanged glances, surmising he must be their new neighbor.

"Hello! Are you the owner of that house?" Ae asked immediately.

The man paused slightly, but did not turn to face them directly. He gave only a terse acknowledgment: "Yes."

He pulled out a suitcase, then strode past them with an air of immense dignity. Every movement was precise, carrying the assured composure of a gentleman. In the fleeting second he passed, a clean, subtle scent—like the fragrance of a steady, established man—brushed their noses.

The morning sunlight grazed his dark hair as he bent to place the luggage on the ground. His eyes remained calm and deep, utterly unstirred. His strong, skillful hands methodically arranged his belongings without sparing them another glance.

"That means you’re our neighbor then!" Ae beamed, relieved that at least a 'person' was occupying the house next to Rin Fah House.

The man offered no response. His expression was so flat, so cool, it was almost glacial, as if he hadn't heard her at all. He closed the car trunk, then silently retrieved the last large bag, walking straight to the front door of his house with an unnerving tranquility.

"We just rented the house next door," Ae announced, pointing toward Rin Fah House. The man offered no reply, simply continuing to attend to his remaining luggage in silence.

Ploysuay gently nudged her friend, signaling that he clearly had no interest in getting acquainted. But Ae ignored the hint, refusing to give up on meeting her new neighbor.

"Um... what's your name?" Ae pressed, mustering her courage. The man remained silent, causing Ploysuay to cringe with embarrassment for her friend.

"I’m Ae," the round-faced young woman introduced herself with a wide smile—friendly to everything in the world (save the non-living). Still, the man offered no reply.

He lifted the bag waiting by his front door. Finally, he looked at the two women for a brief moment, then offered a slight, distant bow of acknowledgment before shouldering the luggage and stepping inside his house.

Ploysuay watched his broad back vanish, then quickly tugged on her friend’s arm.

"I think we should just forget about getting to know him," Ploysuay whispered.

"Why? At least if a ghost shows up at night, he might help us," Ae countered, smiling with stubborn hope.

Ploysuay, however, glanced back at his large, silent house with a growing sense of foreboding.

"I think he's scarier than any ghost," she murmured, recalling the chilling stillness in his eyes. A profound sense of distrust settled over her.