The Bonds We Forge II

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Nari lost count of how many times she looked out of the window. 

She had never been so antsy before. It had been over an hour already! Her imagination ran a mile-per-hour with an entire catalog of possible situations. 

The chilling incident at the store sent shivers to her spine. Just recalling Leandro's eyes before he sent her away was something she wouldn't easily forget. It wasn't that Nari was against Leandro being there for her, but… but to the point of injuring someone so badly? She couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.

She didn't think he could be so extreme. 

That incident with the dog so many years ago should have clued her in, but that was an isolated one. And even then he hardly batted an eye—this time he reacted like a wild animal. 

Nari flopped on the bed, hugging her legs. Leandro's face flashed in her mind. Cold eyes. Blood streaked across his nose and cheeks. 'It's always for you.' The thought that he could turn into such a violent person for her was… oddly comforting, despite her initial unease. 

"Ughh!! Damn it all!"

She didn't know anymore. It was all so confusing. 

"N-Nari?"

Nari turned towards her older sister, a tired expression on her face. "Unnie… how can you be so relaxed?"

Hari blinked, head slightly tilted to the side. "What do you mean?"

"Are you not worried?" Nari pressed, vexed.

She wanted her Unnie to share in her worry, so that she wasn't going crazy with too many thoughts floating around.

Hari went deep in thought—it showed with the slight crease between her eyebrows and the downturn of her lips. She grabbed one of Leandro's pillows and hugged it tightly against her bosom. "Well… Leandro said everything would be fine."

"Do you really believe that?" 

"You don't?" Hari asked back. 

Nari groaned in frustration. Why was Unnie not thinking the same as her?! Leandro didn't really explain anything that transpired and they ended up following along like dummies!

It's not that she didn't trust him, but the thought of something happening to him was enough to make her restless. 

"I think…" Hari started in a tentative manner. "... I think we should put faith in him. You know he's always been… well, special."

Nari didn't like how her sister blushed and went absent-minded. 

Though, she wasn't wrong. Leandro always had this peculiar aura around him—a quiet and absolute confidence that seemed to have its own magnetic field, attracting everyone to him. 

As far as she remembered, he hardly changed from when she met him all those years ago. Perhaps he learned to smile more—to care more. Weirdly enough, it was as if he had become more human. 

Nari didn't want to ponder. It gave her a headache whenever she did.

"Umh…" Hari tightened her hold on the pillow. "... do you think that what he said earlier is true?"

"About what?"

"Well…" Hari blinked, sinking so deep into the pillow she was slowly becoming one with it. "About not having a girlfriend..."

Nari almost jumped out of the bed. Did Unnie really just ask that?

She eyed Hari's sheepish smile and blushing cheeks, and she could only heave out a sigh of defeat. Her sister really had a one-track mind. Though, to be fair, the question did actually get Nari's mind off the gutter.

Instead of Leandro possibly getting into a fight he wouldn't come unscathed out of, her mind veered towards an encounter between Leandro and a mystery woman.

What if that was what he was actually doing?

The thought made her sick to the stomach.

It was a stupid train of thoughts. Of course it was! Leandro didn't look like he was about to get it on with some girl. Still, she knew that while she trusted him, she didn't trust other women.

Nari didn't exactly see him as the playboy type, but Leandro wasn't the average young man either. He wasn't easy to decipher, so, who knows. If the right woman came along, then even he—

"As if that idiot could ever get one…" Nari said hastily, turning around, to make sure her sister didn't see her face. Truth was, even in school, Leandro was a beacon for the many female students. 

They buzzed around him like annoying moths to a flame. 

How long until one of them realized how perfect he was and sunk her claws into him? 

The mere thought sent unpleasant chills down her back.

Hari hummed sympathetically before pushing her face into the pillow. Nari knew she was unashamedly snorting Leandro's scent. 

It was probably why her Unnie wasn't fretting like her—that addictive musk was more than enough to send anyone to la la land.

Nari was no better either, but that would be an issue for future-Nari to deal with.

A soft noise wafted from the main entrance. Click and whirr. A door opened.

Both Nari and Hari sprung up to their feet. They rushed out of Leandro's room and with hurried steps, dashed towards the living room, where they could see Leandro toeing his shoes off. 

Hari opened her mouth to greet him, a smile already forming on her lips, until she took a complete sight of him and froze on the spot. Nari gawked in a mixture of disgust and concern at Leandro.

His white dress shirt was soaked in blood, as were his pants, shoes, and a good portion of his face as well. One might as well count the spots that were still left relatively clean instead of the stained ones—not that it helped. 

He looked like had risen out of a bathtub full of blood. 

His green eyes surveyed the duo. Then they focused more so on Hari, who almost tripped over the coffee table before running up towards him.

Hari circled Leandro, frantically swerving him to check for injuries.

Her hands trembled, hovering right before the red blotches that discolored the white dress shirt. Her movements grew stiffer, however, as Hari felt like touching Leandro like that would hurt him even more.

"I'm fine..."

"B-But you—"

Leandro smiled, though it was more for appearance's sake. "The blood isn't mine."

"..."

Hari gulped before she nodded wordlessly. 

"Ah, I'm sure you have a lot of questions, but let's postpone them. I'm dying to get a shower and a good night's sleep." With that being said, he tugged at the collar of his shirt and headed for the bathroom, not before placing the promised bag of snacks on a nearby table. 

Hari trailed after him until Nari got in the way and stopped her.

"N-Nari?"

"Unnie… why don't you whip up something right quick for him? He must be hungry."

It was a ridiculous excuse; they had quite the extravagant dinner earlier that night. 

Thankfully, her Unnie was as distraught as her and didn't think too much of it. 

Hari craned her head to get a better look at Leandro's retreating form. 

"A-Alright…"

Nari smiled, waiting until her Unnie began busying herself in the kitchen before she quickly followed Leandro into the bathroom. 

The door was unlocked. 

She swung it open—and immediately stilled. Leandro's exquisite torso was fully exposed to her eyes. She held her face in her hands, almost stumbling back from the shock. 

Nari took a deep breath before carefully peeking through a slit at her fingers. She saw Leandro rubbing off the blood on his face with the help of the bathroom mirror.

He caught her staring at him through the mirror and merely sent a quizzical look her way, which caused her to hastily look away.

Her heart was going absolutely crazy and the heat in her cheeks felt unbearably hot. Nari fidgeted for a long while, until she peeked once again to see him with his back towards her. His fingers began to undo the buttons of his pants.

"W-W-Wait! What are you doing?"

She practically yelled. 

"You know, I would like to take a shower, and to do so I need to strip down. I don't mind you looking, but keep it down a little. My head hurts."

"..."

Her throat went dry. She gulped down painfully and turned around, burying her face further between her hands. Nari took in some ragged breaths before her eyes went south—and saw Leandro unclasping his belt before removing it.

Her fingers were clenched so hard they might as well draw blood. Her breaths came out quicker with each passing second.

He popped the button open with a huff before his hands moved to—

"S-Stop right there!"

Leandro sent an upset look her way.

"Is there any reason you're here?"

"W-Well…" Nari tilted her head, looking anywhere but him. "... Truth is… I wanted to know what happened, Oppa."

"Nothing happened, Nari. Just an altercation."

"An altercation?" She looked at him incredulously. "You came back soaked in blood! I-I feel like we deserve to know what you did that got you looking like some sort of Hannibal rip-off!" 

She was breathing heavily now. 

Leandro just blankly stared at her, before sighing out loud. "It was nothing serious. I didn't kill anyone, if that's what's got you so worked up."

Nari wrinkled her nose. 'Is that really the truth?'

Leandro rolled his eyes. "What? Not believing me?"

"..."

"Even if I did kill someone… what would you do, Nari?"

She stared at him, an uncomfortable expression on her face.

"T-That's a weird thing to ask…"

"I know right?" He laughed. "Humor me, though."

Nari wrapped one hand around herself, rubbing her left arm. She looked away. "I-I don't know… I don't think I would hate you… though I'd like to know why."

"Is that so?"

Leandro merely tilted his head, staring at her like he did the other day, in the kitchen. Unblinking. And intense enough to make her forget how to breathe properly. 

Part of her loved the undivided attention, but she wasn't exactly in the right state of mind to enjoy it. So, Nari tilted her chin up, arms moving to cross around her chest. 

She was an aspiring idol; she should be able to handle this much pressure! 

"But you're not the type of person that'd do something like that, right?"

Leandro huffed. 

"Nari." He said, lightly. "I'm the type of person who does whatever it takes to keep the people I care about safe." He paused, letting his words settle, then tilted his head slightly. "So, if you ever find blood on my hands, just remember—it's because someone else was planning to put it on yours."

"..." Nari felt herselt melting. "Why do you have to say stuff like that? You think you're some K-drama protagonist?"

If the way she averted her gaze wasn't telling enough, the way she softly blushed and began playing with a lock of hair definitely was. 

Leandro smiled and turned to resume taking his pants off. 

She squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as she could, waiting for her ears to pick up some sort of indication that the deed was done.

It took a few more seconds. Nari slowly opened her eyes, peeking with one eye to see Leandro neatly hanging the pants on a cloth stand, still wearing some boxer briefs.

"Close the door, Nari."

"W-What…"

"If you're going to stay here and watch me shower, at least close the damn door."

Nari scurried away like a threatened cat, slamming the door shut. 

Leandro's naked chest swam in her thoughts, making her light-headed. 

It didn't take long before she heard the steady cascade of water hitting the tiles. Nari tightened her grip around her head, almost putting a chokehold on it. 

'Damn it!'

Nari let out a small squeal and pounded her head against the door. She wanted to dig herself a hole to never come out of it ever again. 'Did he think I was checking him out?'

His reaction was way too carefree. 

She hated how worked up she got, as if everything was 'normal' between them. 

And Nari didn't want any sort of normalcy. Those brief flashes of tension between them never lasted long enough for 'something' to be built over it. A house of cards that crumbled at the slightest interruption. 

Nari grabbed at her hair. Of course, she was deluding herself; wouldn't be the first time. 

Her feelings for him had never truly waned. Watching him reject so many women had kindled a fire that maybe, just maybe, she could be the one to change him. 

Still, physical contact and displays of nudity still turned the innocent Nari into a blushing storm. 

Leandro's complete nonchalance about it didn't exactly help either. 

She heaved a deep sigh before stomping towards her apartment, not at all enjoying how his stupid, attractive, lean figure flashed every now and then behind her eyelids.