The boy approached Aeria and said softly, “Are you miserable?”

Finally meeting him in person, Aeria stared up at him without even thinking of covering her face. When she remembered her horrid appearance, she quickly grabbed her mask. Just before she could place the mask back on her face, however, the boy grabbed her hand and said, “Do you really want to run away like that?”

“P… Please let go… I’m…”

“Can you keep avoiding it?”

“You are right here… I found you this easily…” Aeria said with deep sorrow in her voice. She lowered her head and covered her face with the other hand. “I didn’t… I didn’t want to show this to you!! At least, not to you…”

The boy grinned at Aeria’s desperate pleading.

Aeria wanted to show the boy her natural self. She didn’t want to show him this horribly wretched face, but the fair and pure appearance that she had when she was younger; the same appearance that made people excited to see how she would blossom.

But God has absolutely ignored Aeria’s wishes. Why was her hideous bare face exposed the moment she met him? Why did God rob her of the small wish that she has been hoping for?

The red-eyed boy looked at Aeria with a...