I know and you know (part2)

"Why do you think I'll hate you?"

Charlotte asked leonid in a low voice after she calmed down gradually, her head still on his chest.

"Well you always say that when someone's bothering you."

"It's ridiculous to believe that."

"It's even ridiculous for you to say that every time you get angry."

Leonid rested his chin on the top of Charlotte's head until he felt her head rise towards him.

He got his head back and stared at her expression.

Charlotte pursed her lips and tried to hold back her tears so as not to start the second round. Leonid's words might have touched her sensitive nerves, especially since her feelings were still turbulent.

Leonid blinked his eyelids once and stared at Charlotte's silently protesting gaze. He remained like that for a while until he relented and said.

"I was kidding you."

"Let me go."

Leonid was shocked by Charlotte's request for a moment.

"Are you serious? You can barely stand on your legs. If I lift my arms off you now, you will fall immediately."

Leonid was quiet while trying to convince Charlotte to back off the idea of letting her go alone.

"I'll be fine."

"no."

Leonid replied in his cold tone and hugged Charlotte to his chest, the height difference between them was uneven and sweet.

Leonid was six feet three inches all while Charlotte was only five feet three inches.

"Are you trying to provoke me?"

"no."

"Then why!?"

Charlotte's nose was red, as were her eyelids. If someone asked Leonid who was the person who cried in front of him the most, he would answer Charlotte without a second thought.

"Because I…"

Leonid spoke quietly and wiped away the tears clinging to her thick, long eyelashes with his finger. Charlotte cried on his chest for about Twenty minutes. She was exhausted, of course, but still pretended to be fine even though he supported her with his arms to stand.

"I just don't want to."

"Huh…?"

Charlotte's expression stiffened, mixed with confusion and embarrassment. Why does she now feel Leonid's influence on her? She closed her fingers around Leonid's shirt and lowered her head down, the chestnut locks sliding down her face and covering her shy features.

"Also, we have something we haven't finished discussing yet."

"What are you talking about?"

Leonid's arm pressed against Charlotte's back and suddenly he picked her up, put his other arm under her legs and pinned her to his chest. He began to walk towards the sofa with calm steps while Charlotte's eyes widened.

Charlotte was surprised by what was happening, but she did not make a sound. She held onto Leonid's shirt tightly and remained calm. She was a little upset because Leonid refused to let her go, but for some reason she felt comfortable.

On his way to the sofa, Leonid asks what kind of feelings Charlotte has suppressed inside her. Just how could a woman who was only twenty-two years old think in such a superficial way despite being so emotional about others.

The icy blue color of Leonid's eyes reflected Charlotte's figure as she rested her head on his chest.

Since Charlotte is emotional towards others, why isn't she emotional towards herself? Leonid asked in his mind and sat Charlotte on his thighs after he sat down on his sofa.

Gently combing and moving random strands of hair away from her face, Leonid was gentle with every step without even noticing it.

"Hey what are you doing?!"

Leonid ignored Charlotte's protest and thought silently. Since he moved to this building, Leonid expected to only do his work and not wander around this woman who lived next to him. She was like a puzzle to him the first time and he did not know that he had gradually fallen into a trap since he interfered in her life against her will.

"Let me go now, this is too much!"

"Stay calm."

Leonid replied coldly and continued to think. Maybe if another crime happened in this building and Charlotte wasn't the victim, he wouldn't be so affected since this woman for whom he had strange and unexpected feelings was safe by his side.

"Leonid!"

"No means no."

Leonid tightened his arm around Charlotte's waist and prevented her from moving. She was just trying in vain to escape from his embrace to no avail.

"Now tell me, if you met that man who harassed you one day, what would your reaction be if he tried to harass you again?"

"That guy?"

Charlotte stopped trying to escape and stared into Leonid's icy blue eyes, his gaze was calm and at the same time indecipherable.

Charlotte thought for a moment since she knew the man in question that Leonid was referring to, well what would she do if he tried to harass her again? She thought for a moment until she said.

"I will beat him until he dies."

"Please say something that makes sense."

Leonid's response was dry, but he could not suppress the smile that appeared on his lips.

It's funny that you would answer in such a serious way after ignoring that guy's antics and teasing.

"Answer really seriously. What would the real Charlotte Smith do if she met the man who harassed her and he harassed her again?"

"The truth? Wait why are you so interested in what I'm going to do?"

Leonid shrugged and waited patiently for Charlotte's answer. Charlotte crossed her eyebrows, then her arms, and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay, I will act according to what I feel at that moment."

"Depending on the moment? This is a worse answer than the previous one."

"Why do you criticize my answers every time?!"

Charlotte immediately complained and pouted her lips.

"The blame lies with you. You do not think well about your options. You only talk while you are unable to do anything on your own."

"Do you want to start over again?"

"Absolutely not."

Leonid's answer was as serious as his stern expression.

"then stop criticizing me."

"As you wish."

Leonid smiled when he saw Charlotte's frown disappear after his response, she was satisfied and it was evident in her proud expression.

Leonid secretly knew that Charlotte tried her best every day to better herself for others. At first, Leonid thought that she was doing this to attract the attention of others around her.

"Okay, since we've reached an agreement, can I go?"

"no."

However, Leonid realized otherwise with time, especially through her previous words about herself. It's like she's programmed to do her best to please others.

"Can I know what kind of upbringing you had, Charlotte?"

Leonid asked softly next to Charlotte's ear and cupped his free hand on her cheek.

It may not be the right time, but it is still the right time for this question.

"Why are you interested in this…"

Charlotte could feel the heat on her cheeks, specifically under Leonid's palm, where they had made contact.

"I'm curious about the woman I'm interested in."

Red spread on her cheeks and ears, far from everything. Charlotte was not thinking negatively about Leonid's question, she was thinking superficially.

Since Leonid cares about her, he wants to know everything about her, even the upbringing she received.

"Well, I had a normal upbringing, and I'm also the middle daughter in the family. What about you, Leonid?"

Her black eyes sparkled with colorful orbs and she eagerly waited for his answer.

"For me, as a male I was given a strict upbringing by my parents, plus I am an only son."

"Strict upbringing?"

Leonid noticed the confusion on Charlotte's face, her eyes shining with worry.

"Strict is just a word that explains some situations. Don't worry. I had a normal childhood like anyone else."

Leonid tried to make the term simpler so that Charlotte would not mourn the strict upbringing he received as a child.

"I got it! So it's okay."

Charlotte smiled and lowered her head, not noticing that she had become accustomed to calling Leonid by his name or even sitting on his thighs.

She was developing without noticing how close she was to Leonid.

"Can I know how many people your family has?"

"certainly!"

Charlotte exclaimed quickly. She was happy to tell Leonid everything, as long as she did not feel in danger to herself.

"We are five people, with my mother and father making us seven."

"This is too much compared to my family."

"You're three, well that's very few compared to my family."

"Actually, we're not three. My mother died when I was seven years old."

Charlotte stiffened after hearing Leonid's calm words and didn't say anything, her black eyes staring into Leonid's icy blue eyes, until she said in a low voice.

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing? You weren't the one who brought it up in the first place, and you've already moved on, so it's okay."

Leonid's palm gently caressed Charlotte's cheek and then pulled away.

"Tell me more about your family, what they look like and how they treat you, can I know the good details?"

"Well I don't mind, I can tell you everything in return…"

Charlotte lowered her voice and hesitated for a moment until she said.

"Can you tell me everything about yourself, without indulging yourself? I mean, I don't want the details of your life."

"I promise to tell you whatever you want, whatever it is, I don't mind either."

Leonid was serious in his words, even if Charlotte asked him about his job he was ready to tell her his truth.

"Then let me start first!"

Charlotte raised her palm slightly in a positive gesture and then lowered it.

"Well, you may have noticed that before, but I will tell you, my father is Russian and my mother is Australian, they are of two different races."

Leonid nodded gently and stared at Charlotte's lips, which were moving again.

"At the moment my family is settled in Australia while I am alone here in Russia."

Charlotte's features were warm and soft as she talked about her family.

"First of all, the fact that I live here alone has nothing to do with my family or because I like to live in an environment like Russia and vice versa for Australia."

"I understand. You live alone and on top of that in a different country than the country your family lives in. There is no specific reason, just your desire and nothing more."

Charlotte's eyes lit up as Leonid calmly explained her point of view and understanding.

"But don't you feel lonely sometimes."

"No…on the contrary, I feel free, even though it is difficult sometimes."

Charlotte gestured with her thumb and index finger as the distance between them narrowed slightly, a bright smile playing on her lips.

Leonid stared silently at that smile and then smiled.

"I thought you were spoiled when we first met, but you take good care of yourself, even though things are difficult for you sometimes."

"Well you're not entirely wrong, maybe I'm spoiled after all."

"Do you like that, I mean being spoiled?"

"no."

Charlotte answered smoothly while Leonid stiffened for a few moments.

"This is completely unexpected. Well why wouldn't you like that, don't all women like being spoiled?"

"Let me think…"

Charlotte thought even though she already knew the answer.

"I don't know."

Charlotte smiled as she answered in the way that was most comfortable for her, the way that Leonid did not prefer at all.

"Stop fooling around. You know why, but you don't want to answer."

Leonid furrowed his brow, then lifted his arm away from Charlotte's back and pushed her onto the sofa with a quick motion, saying as she fell onto the soft mattress of the sofa.

"You can go now, I no longer want to talk to you."

"Are you serious!?"

Charlotte quickly got up and squatted next to Leonid.

"Leonid…?"

Leonid crossed his arms over his chest and closed his eyes. He ignored Charlotte's call as if he was deliberately ignoring her.

"Oh, so you're really serious…"

She whispered in a low voice, feeling guilty for upsetting Leonid. Charlotte already knew that Leonid didn't like the way she answered like that, but why should he be upset?

Charlotte sat, bewildered, staring at Leonid after she leaned against the back of the sofa, resting her head on her arm.

"No need to be upset… Why do you act like my family every time?"

She asked as she moved closer to him and then tapped his cheek with her index finger. Charlotte was trying to get Leonid to open his eyes, but he completely ignored her.

"That's so mean."

"Leave before I throw you out."

"Do you really mean your words! Throwing a lady like me out?!"

"Yes. "

Leonid did not wait for Charlotte's response. He quickly got up and carried Charlotte by the waist, heading towards the door.

Charlotte's eyelashes fluttered for a moment as she looked down. The floor was close to her as Leonid held her on his waist while wrapping his arm around her waist.

Leonid opened the door, but before he could put Charlotte down, she shouted to him.

"No! Slow down please!"

"What now?"

Leonid stopped, staring into the hallway, waiting for Charlotte to speak, still holding her.

"I'm really sorry, I won't do it again. I can tell you the truth if you want…"

"Then tell me. What's your real answer?"

"My real answer is."

Charlotte remained silent for a moment while looking down, Leonid's arm holding her was so gentle that she would not feel the pain of being carried like this.

"I like it…"

Charlotte finally answered, blushing.

"And sometimes I don't like it."

Leonid lowered his head and stared at the top of Charlotte's head from above. He could see her fiddling with her fingers and the back of her ears turning red.

"What about me?"

"What do you mean… ?"

"I mean, would you like me to spoil you?"

"I… would it be alright if I answered yes…?"

"Why not? Well you can go I'm not bothered with you."

Leonid smiled and then gently placed Charlotte on her feet. He was very satisfied with the answers he got. The next time, if Charlotte tried to mess with him, all he had to do was repeat the behavior.

"That's good, okay see you later."

Charlotte waved her hand and headed toward her apartment. Her white skin clearly reflected the redness of her cheeks and ears, but the sunset lights filtering through the hallway windows did little to hide her shyness.