A/N: Oh goodness. How long has it been since my last update? Shit, okay. I would like to apologize and say I am truly sorry for delaying the chapter update and all. Mostly for reasons I have yet to confirm, but initially it was just lack of inspiration and ideas. I mean, it's there, it's just not coming clear.
Bad news is, though... I don't know if I should ever continue this, so if you, reader, want to make this happen until the end, please send the blessings. It's not obligatory but... it'll help me achieve through a lot :)
Also, while I decreased inspiration, I've worked on something that was with Leo, giving her her own fanfic. I shall be posting it here in a while but here you go for now! The eighth chapter of No Air!
Disclaimer: I do not own Tekken and its characters. All rights reserved to Namco.
Summary: It all stared out as a simple bet. Little did he know that the more he tries to revert Lili Rochefort's acts, the more Hwoarang controls the urge to fall for her.
No Air
Chapter Eight: Day Four; Waves along the Shore
There, silence loomed around the board of the boat, Hwoarang taking the drive. Even then, the gloomy mood filled every known atmosphere, and it would seem that everyone digressed from each other's conversations. What was present out on the open sea was, well, sea; the moonlit sky illuminated still, despite the hour being so late. Indeed, it was an awkward moment. No one would judge differently.
It was only then that Asuka decided to mutter incoherent fragments of her sentences, half-blinded, ailing. "Kuso… I didn't have to deserve this…" She needn't make Lili known due to this. It was barely her intention to. Surprising of a fact, she held no current grudges. To patiently wait for the boat to arrive the right destination: that's what she anticipated as of now.
Steve ogled none in particular, fingers entwined together as they were not tempting to move anywhere, at that. Composed he was, his usual demeanor decreased with no remnants of goofiness; the level has sunken. How could it be an awkward moment for them at a breezy night, especially on a Saturday night? Really, what became of this trip in the first place?
Little did the Brit know he had the same mental question as Lili did, who seemed to lower her tension after the whole fiasco. What a riot, she also added to her mind. There were indeed some cases where she'd form a ballistic frenzy, surges around her body hailing impact, oh joy. What a sight to see, that might've been.
Hwoarang kept his gaze straight, and hands on the wheel of the boat, pursing both his lips, not even attempting to go far as to ask how everybody was. Conditions like these don't need proper manners. It wouldn't suffice the amount of stress he was inflicted on, let alone those of the rest. So much has it pained him; he shouldn't have pried into it if he was that certain one small, fiery opposing debate could turn out to be one helluva tussle. So much for that out-of-nowhere notion; he just had to try harder.
Land they came, and the first one to come off board the boat was Hwoarang, not even making the slightest movement as to see if the others would follow suit. No. Not this time, he thought. His feet trudged on the sand without the slightest inch of covering to aid. Directed to the building where he'd rest for the night (the rooms), one click of the hotel room and echoes of the shut door rotated, leaving the others to carry themselves up, next. As for Lili, the only thing straightly and monotonously piercing her mind was I've got so many faults… I'm not sure if I would be so humble enough to start them.
Asuka, who was at the right side of Lili further behind, ogled at her standing figure for a minute spent. By that time, she would've paid the kindness back at her with a juicy slap, but no, vengeance sounded sweeter when the hurt was hers alone.
Of course, she's partly to blame.
"I know what you're thinking." Lili initiated amongst the silence, crossing her bars of arms about her chest, folded.
"Just where are you at, Princess?"
"Look, why don't we say our truces already? I just don't like where this is going."
"Speak for yourself," Asuka took her time to wash off the remaining sand grains on the corners of her eyes, which indubitably hurt. Neither was she in the mood to even make up a reason to ever go up her level again; once like that was enough. "Don't… talk to me."
Lili was startled by this act of hers; anything that included brawling with the Monacan was scratched from her list of things to avenge happened to be present with what she said. How this happened, Lili could just imagine. "I'm sorry."
The Japanese woman didn't mutter nor flinch, and instead, turned away to face the resort structure. Mainly, she didn't give a damn at all, about anything, at all. But her only hope was flushed with pure agony; the feeling she had right now needed to be announced somehow.
That's what she considered dramatic, and still, she didn't care.
Asuka's subconscious mind detested, and in the midst of the midnight air, she took the load off and proceeded to fall asleep in the lobby's reception instead, lethargy of the whole happening creeping up to her.
"I'm not usually generous in giving out a simple sorry but believe me, I was hotheaded!"
Hwoarang sat by the edge of his bed, ankle over knee and able to listen to Lili on the other side of his bedroom door. He was indefinitely trying to ignore and find a way to resolve sleep, which was irrevocably impossible that very hour at one AM. Debating on it was the effect of flooded thoughts, and stupid has been of it.
He felt unusual.
"Hwoarang…?" Lili once called out again, gradually losing the hope of being forgiven.
Suddenly, the deadlock shook, a chain bound on the doorframe to the door itself. He appeared deprived of sleep; said so with those eye bags under his eyes. "Hn."
The Monegasque's shoulders fell down, pinkish pale skin as he remembered it. "I've been trying to reach you for hours with your phone… You weren't answering—"
"My room's on the second floor, Lili. It ain't hard to walk your way up."
"—and you practically ignored me when I knocked on your door!"
He knew. "I did it on purpose."
The blonde had no more to ease his anger at her with. A potential apology couldn't cover it, considering the peak was charred off moments ago. But how? Lili didn't know the answer to that, either.
Her eyes closed momentarily, hands clasped together, shivering. No one could forget she was still barely dressed. "Please… Please let me in, Hwoarang." She asked humbly, and he saw it evidently in her expression. He couldn't remain the cold-hearted one here, and finally chose to set off the chain to let her in.
Oh, thank you. In an immediate response, Lili grasped both of her hands encircled around the Korean's neck, pushing her weight to the cottony texture of his Tribal shirt. "… Lili, let go." He pushed her off him, turning his heels to get a shirt from the drawers.
Her eyes spread glassy reflections; gazing at Hwoarang in an almost teary-eyed way made her pride grow dim and her self-esteem reach the far ends of her hair. She wouldn't want to handle this the difficult way, so how less was she at fault? None, because she only lived to insult people.
Or so she told herself that time. Everyone barely turned their backs on her.
"I haven't forgiven you, so don't go touchey-feeley on me just because I let you in." Hwoarang continued, finding an appropriate shirt. "One minute I actually felt sympathetic," His large hands slammed the drawer compartment back in its slot, remained for some time, bothered the second he thought of what was next as he sunk into a nearby chair. "Then the next, you thrashed your hate on a girl who can't be bothered worrying for you.
"Tell me, Lili. Do you really hate her to flick a grudge head on like this?" His folded legs brought by intensity had risen to stand slowly, glancing over to her with dismayed eyes, taking a toll on the possible insult he will hint on her "reason".
But as he looked forward to it, the farther it happened. He was greeted with the possibility of red eyes which helped him slightly understand her rough state.
They weren't enough, actually.
"I need to head back," She finally and discreetly bid, exiting towards the door when a bulky hand had given her a sense of touch, preventing her to go. Now she was as confused as an ant seeking for direction.
Didn't he want to see her face?
Though the presence of sympathy was in his eyes, he'd need a perfectly constructed explanation to let her slide. 'I'm asking you."
"I don't want to talk about it—!"
"You come to me and make me believe you don't want to talk about it?"
"Stop being a stupid smart ass and just understand what I'm on about, okay?" There, Lili finally shouted. From the back of the Korean's mind he knew he'd make her cry more than how his force can handle it, which should end up to this.
Wait, should wasn't the word. He was bluntly preventing this to happen. Maybe he was just denying the sole fact.
Hwoarang sighed as he said, "Come off of your pedestal and let's settle this. I don't want any fights, just you and me talking this out is sufficient enough." His voice appeared sincere, the wholehearted reverb of purity at its presence.
On the other hand, would Lili risk waiting for him to deliver his point, or would she really step off the pedestal and wing this for the better of them both?
To be continued…
A/N: Tell me, was it worth the wait now? No? Yes? I'll leave that up to you, guys. I think I have succeeding events plotting in my mind right now; I just hope my laziness gets all the way out of my system.
Oh, and I didn't bother to proofread it for now. Sorry for that. ;~;
'Till next time!