Embers of Desire VI

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

This chapter was re-written and edited I don't know how many times. Yuhee complicates my life even as a fictional character. I might edit this in the future. 

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. ^^

On with the chapter!

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

Leandro and Yuhee walked at a leisure pace towards the apron her business jet was parked on. It was a gorgeous, sleek Gulfstream G650. 

With their exceptional looks—and their synchronized stride—they looked like a heavenly couple. 

"You've brought your sword with you, huh? You really mean to go in there." Yuhee smiled pompously, quietly admiring his side profile. "Crazy man."

He answered her with an impassive expression, gazing forward as the wind softly played with the hem of his beige trench coat. The two were walking shoulder to shoulder, close enough for their arms to brush on occasion.

"No choice. You can gain power there, why would you not want to go in? The South Korean government thinks it's smart to close off the Monolith from anyone who wants to go in because it's unsafe. Less people equal less chances at clearing it. Not to mention the Tower doesn't care who goes in it. If they restrain its flow of talent—whether good or bad, it'll drastically drop our survival rate as a whole."

He snorted in a rather uncharacteristic way of him. Yuhee thought it was hot.

"You reckon something bad will happen?" 

"It will happen." He said, firmly. "Sure, because a building the size of three skyscrapers put together, shitting out of the ground, isn't enough of a warning that peace won't last long."

If things proceeded like this, history would repeat itself. Their country would be torched. 

Yuhee blew on her raven locks as it bounced into her face. She contemplated her next words with the soft taps of their footsteps as background noise. "They're just trying to avoid the same accident from repeating itself on domestic territory. Isn't it all about face?" 

Leandro gazed at her, before his eyes returned forward. He spoke without hesitance. 

"Face and politics have little value against billions of lives. It's stupid. Some are too corrupted to see it and those who do don't have a strong enough political power to do anything. Then again, hasn't it always been like this? Hardly a surprise."

The government was right to be afraid of the Monolith appearing on Korean soil, but they really needed more than face or pride if they were to survive as a country.

"Who knows." Yuhee casually replied, glancing at him. "They might try to implement some kind of security for those entering it after another week or two, once the panic has cooled down."

Leandro smiled conspiratorially, as if only he knew something that others didn't.

"Maybe."

Yuhee's voice lowered as she lightly seized his hand. Her lips curled into a foxy smile. "But nevermind that, Leandro. It's been a while since we got to hang out like this. Shouldn't you be focusing more on your poor Noona? Ah, I've been so lonely~"

Leandro wordlessly peeled her fingers away one at a time.

He could see the pilot and stewardesses waiting by the private jet in the distance. 

They quickly bowed as soon as they noticed their presence. 

One pilot. One co-pilot. And two pretty flight attendants bedecked in their uniforms. A couple of ramp agents were by the perimeter. 

Yuhee clicked her tongue as the pilots bowed in front of them. Her playful expression disappeared within a fraction of a second, replaced by a beautiful, yet frigid, one. Her elegant back straightened while her footsteps slowed down considerably.

"Yuhee-nim. Leandro-nim. We've been waiting for you." The captain of the crew spoke with a polite smile. "Please board our G650, everything is ready according to your arrangements."

"Hmm..." She walked towards them without sparing them a look and only acknowledging with her beautiful smile. "Of course. We'll be in your care during this flight."

"This time the route was determined to be around one hour and ten minutes, the weather will be generally stable as well." 

Yuhee moved to face Leandro in front of her plane's open stair, the cold breeze bringing fresh air into the area. Her hair fluttered into a playful dance, like a raven colored dahlia. 

On the aircraft's side, the ramp agents were proceeding to load their suitcases in the cargo. Leandro noticed the stewardesses' eyes on him and nodded in their direction. 

They smiled sweetly. 

'A little too sweetly.'

Yuhee narrowed her eyes. 

Leandro boarded the jet, and the moment the attendants moved to go in after him, Yuhee blocked the way. "Ah, my most sincere apologies, but we won't be needing your services for this flight." 

She smiled brightly at them, fox ears twitching top of her head. 

"Huh?"

They blinked, looking at each other in bafflement. 

"Oh, but don't worry." Yuhee clasped her hands together and tilted her head. "You'll still be paid for your trouble~ I just wish to spend some time with my boyfriend. You girls understand, don't you?"

"O-Of course…"

The attendants couldn't help but draw a mental picture of a ferocious vixen hovering like a nightmare behind the woman. As if that wasn't enough, Yuhee's voice suddenly sounded sharp and chilly, as if she was expressing a subtle, but very real, warning to them. "And by the way—"

Before she could finish with whatever spiel that would reduce her employees' spirits by another half, Leandro called out to her from within the plane.

"Yuhee Noona, are you coming or not?" 

"Hmm? Cooooming~"

Yuhee chirped, her back straightening once more as she sauntered into the jet and straight into the lavish seating area. The pilots who had witnessed the whole scene, smiled bitterly at the dispirited stewardnesses and proceeded to board and close the aircraft doors. 

Leandro, who had been seated the whole time, noticed the lack of the stewardesses. "Where is the rest of the staff?"

"Oh, poor things." Yuhee crossed her legs as she propped her chin with one, staring fixedly at him. "They weren't feeling well~ so I sent them back. Don't worry, if you need anything, just let me know. I'll take care of you~" 

Leandro lazily fell backwards into his luxurious seat, resting both his hands on the arm rests as his vision landed on her face. "What an honor…"

The plane shuddered as soon as its engines hummed to life. Outside, the ground personnel marshaled the jet out of the parking spot. 

"Every man needs a woman at his side, no matter how strong he is."

Yuhee's words reminded him of Nari. She had also said something similar. 

"Is that so?" Leandro regarded her with an amused look.

"But of course~!" Yuhee grinned, purple eyes glowing slightly. "The difference in your case is…" She leaned over the table that separated them. "You need the company of an adult woman, not girls."

He exhaled quietly. She continued smiling, simply staring at him. 

The jet moved out of the taxiway and into the runway, picking up speed and taking off in due time.

The Captain spoke over the public address system and informed of a gradual climb of 34 degrees.

Leandro and Yuhee both faced the scenery gradually shifting beyond the window, blue skies spreading wide as if to merge with the sea.

Yuhee glanced over her shoulder at the intercom. A playful smile curled on the corners of her lips as she stood up, moved to Leandro's side, and swung one leg over him, elegantly straddling his hips.

The rush of her soft fragrance hit him before the weight of her body did. Leandro maintained his calm as he curiously stared at the woman on his lap. She had her blazer removed, showing off a tight, office blouse with a hint of midriff. 

Yuhee fixed the already straight collar of his shirt as she cupped his chin. Her eyes gleamed slightly purple again. The way she looked down at him might have seemed condescending, but he found it cute instead. 

She had always appeared strong and scheming, throwing money left and right, as if the entire world was beneath her. He didn't think Yuhee had ever seen another man as anything more than a toy to discard at her whim. 

But Leandro had seen the worst of the Monolith. He had seen the devil and played her advocate. 

Yuhee's nose was close, as well as her soft, inviting lips. Leandro inhaled the whiff of her floral aroma. 

"Hmm~ what do I do with you?" She whispered. "My heart just beats so fast around you."

She gently massaged his jaw with both hands, softly and coquettishly stroking his chin with her delicate fingers, tickling his senses.

Yuhee curled forward until her forehead leaned on his while her warm, alluring smile mesmerized him. Her legs wrapped his waist like two taut vines of seductive delight.

He noticed how she shivered in his arms.

He was observing her, his head tilted. 

Yuhee licked her glossy lips like a fox and closed her eyes with a sigh of longing. She softly nuzzled him, breathing slowly, letting him breathe in more of her fragrance until his thoughts lost touch of reason.

"Is this why you kicked off the stewardesses? So you can do this to me?" 

Leandro mused, a calm smile on his face.

Yuhee giggled charmingly. "Caught me~ You shouldn't underestimate your Noona, sweetie~"

Her curtain of hair encased him. Yuhee leisurely ran a hand through his hair, one hand straddling his cheek, tickling and teasing him while she leaned her moist and slightly parted lips next to his. 

Yuhee opened her eyes a sliver, staring at the sight of the man beneath her with a delighted and yet sensual look. "Have you ever been in love with someone?" Yuhee said in a sweet tone. Her hand seized his jaw, not strongly, but quite firmly. "It's not hard to tell."

Leandro gazed straight through her soul, it was overwhelming, as if he could even touch the red beating of her heart; it was enough for someone to have a cardiac arrest. "I can't say I have… quite a sudden topic to talk about. What's the occasion?"

She twirled a stray lock of his hair around a finger, regarding the strand as if it was her sole focus. 

"There's no occasion. But today will be a special day for us~" She leaned down and pecked his lips like a vixen. It was short and fleeting. "Remember, I'm not someone that likes to share her toys~ Leandro's a keeper, and only for Yuhee~"

Leandro was too quick for Yuhee to properly react. 

With a sudden gasp leaving her mouth, she found herself lying back first on the table. Leandro had his hand around her chin, softly but firmly. He wasn't the type to inflict pain because he could, but Yuhee squirmed in arousal under his grasp. 

She licked her rosy lips—smoky eyes half-closed.

"What's wrong, Lee-an-dro~?"

"Just…" He swept a finger over her lips. She suckled on it like a nipple. "... wanted to remind you that I'm no fucking toy."

Yuhee's tongue smoothened over his digit. Warm and wet. "Well… you're free to treat me like one. I can fulfill any fantasy you have, Leandro. Any~thing."

"Hmm~… anything I want?" He pushed his knee further between her squirming thighs, leveraging himself with one hand next to her head. 

Her dark hair splayed all over the table. She moved her hands up to cradle his face. 

"Of course~"

"In that case." Leandro zoomed in so close to her face that she prepared to shove her tongue into his maw and suffocate him, but—"Shut up and get back to your seat, Noona. I like to keep that sort of thing between closed walls." His thumb swam across her tongue like a boat caught in the tight grip of a squid. "This is neither the place or time, and I'm certainly not risking someone hearing your moans."

"Hmm~ But we've already started foreplay, what's this closed walls thing you're so strict about?" Yuhee hummed delightfully as the pressure between her legs slowly receded. She took hold of that hand cradling her chin and wrapped her lips around his thumb.

Something brewed in his eyes. Calm yet sharp. 

"You've always been like this. Every time. You play me around, thinking you're being smart, thinking you can ensnare a tiger as if he were just some kind of cute housecat." His voice dropped to a whisper. 

She released his thumb with a 'pop'.

He stared at the tip of his finger, coated in drool, and continued speaking in an even tone. "Perhaps that's why I find you adorable. You use seduction as a weapon, because it's the only weapon you have." 

"Is that so~" Yuhee rubbed that digit on both sides of her lips as if it was lip gloss. "You don't seem to mind it, though?"

He smiled—another nostalgic smile that, for some reason, she didn't like.

"You remind me of someone else…" 

"..."

She tilted her chin, her tiny nose curling slightly.

"You're not that smart either, talking about some other girl in front of me."

"Upset?"

She perched his thumb between her white teeth, her canines stabbing slightly into his skin. "What do you think~?"

Leandro withdrew his finger and stared straight at her eyes that exuded a purple color.

Yuhee always appeared condescending; scheming. It didn't matter who you were, but you could bet there was some kind of scheme behind her eyes, hidden. She looked at the world as if the people in it were ants to trample at any given notice. 

"Leandro…" She started, still with an air of mischievousness, but he could tell she was more serious now. "Don't look at other girls, 'kay?"

"Is that an order, Yuhee-nim?" He curved a smile and rolled off of her in a casual motion, moving to fix the cuffs of his shirt. "Please bear in mind I live with two other girls."

As if nothing had happened, he backstepped and adjusted his clothes, looking as unflippable as ever. 

"You could come live with me~"

"Sure." Leandro said, with faux cheerfulness. "Only if Nari and Hari Noona come with me as well." 

"..."

With a huff, Yuhee adjusted her hair as she returned to her spot across from him. "You're impossible…"

"Yet you can't stay away from me." He tugged at his collar, settling his gaze out of the window again. 

"I'm impossible as well." She murmured, perching her chin on her manicured hands.

He hummed. Time passed quietly. The Monolith was visible from the distance, its immense pillar disappearing above the clouds. He'd really like to see a satellite image of Earth at this moment.

How would it look from space? A globe with black needles piercing its surface?

In front of him, Yuhee had completely different thoughts running through her mind.

After staring at him for what one would consider an unhealthy amount of time, she opened her mouth. "Say, you've got someone else in your mind, don't you?"

He barely arched an eyebrow at her words. "What makes you say that?"

Yuhee smoothened her clothes as she sat straighter. It was cute how serious her expression looked at times like these—as if she genuinely worried about him.

"Just a guess. I can see it in your eyes."

"My eyes, huh?" He turned to look at her, huffing a chuckle. "You seem to already know the answer, why are you asking?"

Yuhee's lips twitched. She propped her elbows on the table, steepling her fingers under her chin. "I want to hear it from you~"

Leandro shrugged, in his typical, infuriating way. Yuhee huffed at the sight. She hated how nonchalant he was. "What would you even do if I was interested in someone else?"

Yuhee tapped a finger over the wooden table, glancing out of the window at the clear skies and the clouds sailing by. Her lips thinned, as if contemplating.

Leandro didn't know whether Yuhee was pretending or not. He honestly doubted she'd be jealous if she caught him with some other girl, since she was not really his to begin with.

So why was Yuhee being so dramatic about this, what was he to her exactly?

"Oh, Leandro. Don't say that~" She smiled slowly, in a cunning manner. Her purple eyes gleamed. "Your Noona here is pretty jealous, you know~ she likes it better when all her toys are neatly tucked in the shelf, or better yet, on her person. She doesn't know what she might do if her toy hangs out with someone else, haha~"

"....."

Yuhee reached a leg towards him. Leandro caught her foot, as expected. She traced an exposed calf against the back of his hand, her nylon-clad toes playing and tickling their way towards—

He narrowed his eyes. 

A voice cut through the tension. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We'll be landing soon, so please return to your seat and fasten the belt."