Chapter 209 In a Cabin sneath a Tree IV (1/2)
CHAPTER 209
IN A CABIN 'NEATH A TREE (IV)
Lino was currently rubbing his cheek tenderly with a frown on his face, eyes scrutinizing the masked woman standing in front of him. There was a faint trace of dissatisfaction in his eyes, almost pouting. Both had just left the lake's water, translucent droplets slipping down their bodies and hair, still in their undergarments.
”... now, tell me again, do you know what you did wrong?” Hannah asked with a halfway firm tone.
”... I honestly don't get it,” Lino sighed. ”It's clear you'd like nothing more than to jump me and stab your nails into my skin. And not in the 'oh I'll skin you alive with my nails' sort of a way either.”
”You've got some grand delusions there.”
”Do I?” Lino glanced up, grinning. ”Or am I hitting the sore spots?”
”... you go in to talk to every woman with the expectation that she would just be unable to resist you, do you?” she asked.
”Oh? Is that what this is?” Lino chuckled. ”You're thinking you might just be 'another' woman?”
”I'd always known you had quite a big ego,” Hannah said after a short pause, sighing. ”But this... this is taking things to a whole new level of insanity.”
”You can try to dodge your way out of it as much as you want, won't work.”
”You don't even know who I am.”
”So?”
”What do you mean 'so'? What's with that sheepish expression?”
”... what's it matter if I know your name, or if I remember you or not?” Lino questioned with a serious gaze. ”Shouldn't it be more important that I've gotten to know you over the past week well enough that I'd go for it?”
”... oh, wow. Well, that's one way to weasel yourself out of this.”
”Besides, I think the bar is way too high.”
”What do you mean?” she asked.
”I mean that I'm fairly certain I've never even kissed you in my life, let alone slept with you,” Lino said. ”How in the fuck am I supposed to remember who you are then? Do you know just how many people I've met?”
”...”
”I saw a twitch there,” Lino said. ”Wait, don't tell me I actually failed to remember the softness of the woman's lips?! Aaagh... yeah, you're right. I don't deserve this. I'm too much of a scumbag. I'm despicable. The worst. Atrocious.”
”Listing out your character's flaws won't earn you any free points, you know?” she chuckled faintly, shaking her head.
”... just be honest with me.” Lino suddenly said as he turned around and looked at her again. ”I know you're attracted to me. So... why?”
”... are you sure you want to know?” Hannah tilted her head.
”Ah! So you admit you're attracted to me?”
”Of course I am,” she shrugged. ”Any woman who doesn't think 'oh, yeah, I'd like to bury my face in those abs' probably streaks the other way.”
”... heh.” Lino smirked in satisfaction.
”But, it's just a fleeting attraction. Nine out of ten times, it would practically collapse the moment they got to know you. You're impulsive,” she continued. ”Indifferent, fake down to your bones, uninspired, arrogant, emotionally broken, self-centered, a compulsive liar, a womanizer, a drunkard, a battle-maniac, and though I can't know for certain most-likely a casual thief who does it for shits and giggles. Tell me, then, does that sound like someone I'd be attracted to?”
”... oh, wow. That actually hurt.” Lino said, taking a deep breath. ”But, yeah, why not? I mean, I always tell people: I'm a complex young man with numerous layers that require deep inspection.”
”No, you're just a walking denial wrapped in a bubble of insecurities that'd wear down an entire freaking platoon of us, let alone just me.” she persisted.
”... yeah, I suppose you're right.” following a short silence, Lino spoke out with a faint, bitter chuckle. ”I took a leap of faith... didn't pay off. Can't fault the guy for trying, right?”
”...” after saying so, Lino turned around and picked up the clothes sitting on the ground, slowly putting them on with the clear intent of leaving. ”Is that it?”
”What?” he glanced at her, putting the shirt on.
”No back-talk? No counter-psycho-analysis?”
”Oh, sorry,” Lino smirked. ”I just wasn't as obsessed with you as you were with me to the point of being able to completely analyze your character.”
”... a charming tongue can only go so far.”
”Further than you might think.” he winked.
”... man the fuck up already.” she growled through her gritted teeth.