Together We Stride II

// ------------------------------------ //

patreon.com/nneeil (up to 15 chapters ahead of current release)

https://discord.gg/xZqYt267NH

Oh, guys, if you have an account on ff.net, and if it's not too much trouble, consider dropping a follow and fav there too. ^^

Preferably on Scribble Hub as well. If you an account there, please do consider adding it to your reading list. 

On with the chapter!

// ------------------------------------ //

The limousine eventually turned into a luxury, private resort. An entire fleet of high class sports cars was parked outside as valets attended them with their uniforms on. 

Other staff waited by the resort's doors, bowing at the limo as soon as it arrived in the parking lot.

Yuhee tapped a thoughtful, purple-manicured finger on her lips before finally speaking. "We'll finish our conversation later. Think about it, alright~?"

"..."

The chauffeur opened the door for them. Leandro quietly stepped out before extending a hand towards Yuhee. She smiled brightly at him. 

He helped her exit the limousine.

Yuhee proudly strolled into Cheonjaeyang's lobby as guests stopped whatever they were doing—even gambling at the slot machine—before they inevitably stole a glimpse towards them. She flipped her hair, beaming in satisfaction as she observed their reactions and could see the jealousy.

Good thing the place wasn't too crowded. Leandro wasn't one for fanfare.

They stepped inside, past security checkpoints, their suitcases in tow. 

At the reception, Yuhee confirmed the reservations. The female receptionist, even as she typed away at her computer, openly eyed him. Leandro didn't care too much for her reaction as long as her professionalism was up to par.

Of course, just because he didn't care, didn't mean Yuhee was fine with it. 

"Hooh~? I didn't know that gawking unashamedly at guests was part of the curriculum. Should I complain to your manager~?" Yuhee flashed a smile too sweet for it to be true. Leandro could swear he saw the illusion of foxy ears springing out of her head. 

The receptionist jumped a little and hastily apologized.

"I-I'm sorry! It won't happen again, please forgive me!"

Leandro intervened before Yuhee could further traumatize the girl. "Yuhee Noona, that's enough." He turned towards the receptionist. "Room, please."

"Y-Yes."

The receptionist glanced at his face. She felt heat spreading throughout her face and quickly looked elsewhere. "Here you go!" After smoothly completing the check-in, she handed him a keycard. "I hope you enjoy your stay."

Leandro nodded as they turned around. Yuhee glared at the receptionist from the corner of her eyes. Then, once they were out of earshot, she leaned in and whispered in a sickeningly saccharine manner. "You see, Leandro? If only you allow me to put a leash on you, or even a simple collar, people will know that you belong to me."

"What makes you think I belong to anyone in the first place?" Leandro replied, taking her words in a neutral, benign manner.

"Ahahaha, oh, you~" Yuhee hooked her hands on his elbow, as a sign that she wouldn't give up without a fight. Her nails dug into his arm slightly. "I never said I want ownership of you. Just that I want other people to know, if you ever wanted to entertain some idea from anyone, that you are unavailable. That you already have a partner."

They crossed the large lobby to reach the elevators, attracting gazes their way.

Leandro frowned imperceptibly. Yuhee took advantage of the opportunity, puckering her lips. She leaned forward towards him, as if to press those dewy lips against his. Leandro tactfully twisted to the side to avoid Yuhee's tempting kiss, making her smirk triumphantly. 

She knew he didn't do it in order to offend her but instead because he was too proud to give in to her whims. 

The elevators closed on them as soon as they went inside.

Yuhee clung close to his arm throughout the ride, resting her chin on his shoulder and not caring for who observed them. It made him remember the days with Hari and Nari, somehow. As she swayed her hips slightly, she said coyly. "Not going to play a bit with me, are you~?"

"Yuhee Noona, remember that we're here for business."

"Really now~?"

"Yeah."

He rolled his eyes.

She smirked. 

He looked elsewhere.

She pinched his side.

He glared at her.

She looked away, smiling.

"..." 

Yuhee was playful in most situations, and downright dangerous when provoked. As the elevator doors opened at their floor, he found it timely. She headed directly towards her personal suite, heels tapping loudly. The luxurious resort had marble tiles and wide halls. Everything was big and spacious.

Since she was the one who booked for the both of them, Leandro lazily followed behind her. 

"You'll be staying with me~" 

Yuhee turned around to stare at him, her tongue sweeping over her lips. 

He merely quirked an eyebrow, scoffing. 

"I'd rather sleep on the bench outside."

"Oh, you're so cheeky~" Yuhee smiled. "Not with me in the suite?"

He stared evenly at her. "I'll most likely spend our entire time here inside the Monolith. I just need a room for my belongings."

There was a limit to his inventory, after all. 

"Aww, I was actually looking forward to spending some time with you."

Leandro liked to think that there was some genuine, invested emotion in her words, but with her, it was wise to always keep his guard up. He swept a hand through his brown hair, slicking it back until only a rebellious curl fell over his forehead.

Yuhee, staring at him from the corner of her eyes, blushed a bit before she began to walk ahead. 

Swiping the keycard over the scanner, the wide door clicked. It opened to a lavish suite with a gorgeous view of Jeju Island in the backdrop. Yuhee set her bag aside as Leandro walked further inside. 

It was actually quite a pretty room. A clean place with sleek furniture, a grand living area, and stunning view of Jeju Island's azure coastline and lush landscapes. Hari and Nari would likely enjoy a place like this. Not that their apartment was bad, but he wondered if either of them would enjoy experiencing a more opulent life. 

Yuhee made herself at home, gliding over to the balcony's sliding doors and pulling them open to let in the sea breeze. "You should enjoy life a bit more, Leandro." She said, tugging her heels loose before kicking them away. Barefoot, she walked towards the kitchen's counter, where she popped open a bottle of wine and poured some of it into two glasses. "I get it… it's the end of times. Scary stuff."

The air smelled of salt and sand. Yuhee rested her hip on the kitchen's counter.

She poured a little more into her glass, swirling the deep red liquid thoughtfully as if it could reveal the answer to a question she hadn't quite asked yet. "But you know, the world could end any day, and we'd be here, working our butts off, chasing one problem after another." She continued, picking up one glass and holding it out to him. "Doesn't it get tiring?"

Leandro took the glass, but he didn't drink from it. Being a 1-Star Challenger, he could hardly get drunk, but drinking from her glass would mean acknowledging that he should really say 'fuck it' and abandon his duty. 

"It does…" He replied, setting the glass down on the wet bar, still untouched. "But someone has to do it. And I'm good at it."

Yuhee rolled her eyes playfully, taking a long sip of her wine. "Always the serious one, huh? Lighten up a bit, Leandro~! It wouldn't kill you to have a little fun, would it?" She set her glass aside and leaned against the counter, her smile as radiant as ever. "Besides, you have me for company. That's gotta count for something, right?"

Leandro shrugged. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy her company—it was just that Yuhee had a way of complicating things, making them messier than they needed to be. But that was also her charm, he supposed. She had a way of keeping things interesting, and perhaps, he needed a little bit of that unpredictability in his life.

"You never know when to give up, do you?" He said, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

Yuhee grinned broadly. "That's the spirit! Keep that attitude up, and maybe you'll even enjoy yourself here." She replied, tapping her glass against his. "Here's to a bit of fun, a bit of business, and a bit of whatever else comes our way."

She downed the rest of her wine, then set the glass aside with a satisfying clink. "Come on, let's check out the rest of the suite. You need to see the view from the balcony—it's breathtaking." She grabbed his arm, dragging him along before he could protest.

Leandro sighed but followed her, knowing there wasn't much point in resisting.

••••

•••

••

•

Yuhee felt a smirk pull at her lips. 

Beneath her lay a very unimpressed Leandro. Despite the close proximity, the scent of wine that bathed his face with each breath she took, there was little to no change in his face. 

"Peekaboo?"

"This isn't surprising anymore." 

Yuhee pouted a little, inching closer, but not too much. "What would surprise you then?"

For a moment, Leandro seemed to lose himself in his thoughts before he quickly composed himself, a smile on his annoyingly handsome face. "Maybe if you stopped trying so hard to impress me."

Yuhee shifted a little, her mouth opening wide open, as if to take a bite of his face, but she stopped a breath's width away. Her smile turned feral—behind her, foxy tails swished in contentment. "No way, Leandro." Her long, purple-blackish curls fell over her pale face. She placed her hands on his chest as she leaned her curves into him. "There's got to be something that makes you tick... that makes your heart race. Every man has one."

Leandro said, unfazed. "Good luck finding mine."

She licked her lips in an obscene way as she shifted even closer. The scent of his cologne had now completely invaded her nostrils. "Oh, it's fine~ I'll grow into you…" You'd think Yuhee would initiate some advances, especially with how lewdly she was straddling him. But she didn't. "We connect. We click. And…"

Her hand moved slightly upward. She could feel Leandro's heart beating faster and faster—

And suddenly Yuhee found her world turned sideways. 

When she opened her eyes, Leandro had smoothly switched positions. A glint of excitement flashed in her amethyst-colored gaze. His warm hand cupped her cheek, his thumb sweeping over the corner her plump lips. 

Yuhee teasingly bit his finger, her tongue playing with its tip. 

"You're really testing me, Noona…" He said, looking firmly into her eyes.

"Oh, I like testing~" 

She gasped as his thumb dug deeper into her oral cavity. Gosh, she was already sweating, her things squirming around Leandro's knee. She was wearing a black lingerie—there was literally nothing underneath it. 

She writhed, moisture growing between her thighs. 

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"Have you…" Yuhee could clearly see the slight furrow of his brows, and a glint of something unusual and dark in his eyes. "... tested any other man?"

Her heart almost skipped a beat. 

Did Yuhee detect a hint of jealousy in the midst of his eyes? Or was her desire so potent that her mind was playing tricks on her? She inhaled deeply, trying to stay rational in Leandro's closeness.

She managed to pout, struggling not to laugh and completely spoil this perfect opportunity.

"So, what if I have~"

Leandro tilted his head, his eyes vaguely glowing. An undercurrent of energy ran through her body, seemingly coming from him. She couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly, but it was not unpleasant.

In fact…

"You're lying." 

Yuhee frowned.

"..."

And that unspoken confirmation siphoned off a bit of his tension. 

"Why are you lying?"

Leandro sounded irritatated as he leaned his face even closer, and damn, Yuhee wanted to choke him with her tongue. 

"What makes you think I am?"

She grinned a little with an upturn of her nose, as if looking down at him. 

"..."

He tilted his head, staring at her as if he were analyzing some sort of circus freak. 

Those fucking eyes of his—

"What? Got something to say, big boy~?" Yuhee whispered in a throaty voice. 

"Erratic heartbeat. Slight shift in your voice." Leandro thumbed her lips. His voice was low, but each word was precisely enunciated. "You lick your lips when excited. You turn your nose up to assert confidence. You flip your hair for attention. You're overly confident and promiscuous, but I've never seen you with a man. Is it because of me?"

She tightened her grip on him, nails digging into his back. She could have chalked it up to the tension, but breathing was becoming a little harder.

"Your grip tightens when you're nervous." He continued, and Yuhee immediately pulled her hands away, as if burned. "You tend to laugh and make jokes when cornered. Your breathing becomes shallow when you're unsure. You talk a lot when anxious, though you're surprisingly good at hiding it. You have a good control of yourself, probably due to your innate allure and wealth, but it's paper thin. Once someone spots a weakness… you easily fall."

Yuhee gaped. 

Suddenly, she felt utterly naked in front of his eyes.

How did he—what gave—no, how dare he—!

This bastard!

This bloody bastard!

Her eyes wavered, while his beheld her calmly, patiently. 

"You keep playing this silly game… trying to manipulate me." Leandro breathed directly next to her earlobes. "Your mask cracks the moment someone challenges your dignity. It hurts your ego. You lose face. Your mind runs at a hundred miles a minute. Yet… you crave danger. You think this is fun because your life isn't exciting enough. You're constantly looking for something to keep you grounded. You want me because I give you that. You like it because you know how I think. It makes you feel alive… understood. Accepted even. You don't feel pressured. You find me to be one of a kind. It fascinates you. You want to make me yours, and you hate that you can't… because I don't want you yet."

Yuhee shut her eyes tight, holding back a whimper.

No one had ever called her out like this…

Yuhee, one of South Korea's top businesswomen, always made the rules, the laws.

So who was this bastard, who defied everything? Who treated her like any other person… or rather, a child throwing a tantrum? Yuhee couldn't help it. She swallowed audibly, feeling the back of her throat dry up.

Leandro was shattering everything.

Her control, her dominance.

Her face turned a few shades lighter. Yuhee breathed roughly. His masculine scent was all too overpowering, and the goddamn weight of that ridiculously beautiful body—muscled in all the right places!—was pinning her down to the bed.

He softly spoke again.

"You like the way I look at you. It's not superficial like the stares of other men. I look right through your persona to the woman hiding underneath. But... we can't continue with the way it is. You're selfish. And so am I. One of us has to give in."

Yuhee sucked in a deep breath of air, feeling herself beginning to spiral out of control. 

His fingers were caressing the line of her jaw. 

His warm breath billowed over the side of her neck. 

She felt her sweat coat her back and cling onto the bed sheets. There was not damn enough ventilation in that room— 

"Hnnn?!"

She suddenly found her lips captured.

A tongue invited itself in her mouth. She released a small whimper of pleasure into his mouth, unable to resist any longer as her mouth parted before him, allowing his tongue full entrance inside. It met hers, writhing and coiling like eels. 

Her legs began to move restlessly, to lift and hook around Leandro, to not make him escape—

But just as quickly as it began, he suddenly withdrew, pulling himself away from Yuhee's tempting embrace, leaving her hanging with a slack-jawed, flustered expression of disbelief and arousal. 

He briefly looked at her, eyes aglow. 

Yuhee had fallen flat on her back again, Leandro was getting off of her. She gasped like a fish out of water, crawling up from the bed, blinking thrice as a buzzing sound rumbled in her head.

What the hell just happened?!

This wasn't her plan. She had no intention of falling prey so easily, let alone this way. But with Leandro, everything seemed to spin and turn. His fingerprints still burned into her thighs. The touch of his lips and heat of his embrace left her skin aflame.

What was it in that gaze of his… that got her so wound up, so desperate.

Why was she—her of all people—like a fish on a hook?!

"See?" Leandro casually said. He wasn't breathing a single bit heavily. The smug son of a bitch. "The moment someone challenges your dignity…" He trailed off, flashing a smile at her, calm, collected.

'You crumble down.'

"Wha—!!"

She was speechless, completely out of words. 

Yuhee, eyes glowing amethyst, clenched a fistful of her bedsheets.

The asshole had just laid a full-on kiss on her and yet was playing it off coolly.

Was he toying with her?!

She gritted her teeth. Anger flared, thrumming in tandem with the arousal Leandro left behind like a receding wave on a shore. Wet and sweaty. 

He got up from the bed, ignoring the holes Yuhee was glaring into his back. "The Monolith. You didn't forget, did you?" He stared at her from the corner of his eyes. She quickly looked away. Her lingerie clung to her glistening skin. "You can stay here if you want, but you won't see me for a couple of days."

"No…" Yuhee sighed, clicking her tongue. "I'll send you off."

He nodded lightly before he walked off. 

She slumped back, eyes on the ceiling. Her hair was in disarray, her cheeks a fading red. The sheets underneath her were impregnated with Leandro's scent. It didn't exactly ease her mind—she wasn't the type to calm down after being edged like that. 

Everything had gone wrong. At least, from her perspective. Open confrontation with Leandro had always ended in her loss. She didn't think he could be obsessive, mostly because he acted with such an open disregard that it was hard to understand him. 

His true self. 

She couldn't help but groan and shake her head, surmising the entire situation with an expletive that ironically fit Yuhee's sweaty predicament. 

"Fuck me."