Once Upon a Time
By: Mako-chan
True ending: Faery tales end happily ever after
"I'll be going now!" Xiaoyu shouted as she closed the gates of their house. Having finally graduated from the university (and with academic distinction), she landed a job in one biggest telecommunications companies in China. With the salary she was receiving plus the incentives that came along with her position, Xiaoyu was able to pay for house repairs, buy new things and fill the refrigerator with food until it exploded.
"We'll be waiting!"
Waving goodbye, Xiaoyu pushed on the pedals of her bike and sped off. She was given a day off and she decided to go on a little shopping spree, albeit with the insistence of everybody that she should spend at least some of her money on her. Taking her usual route, she screeched to a halt right in front of the newspaper stand. Xiaoyu grabbed a paper and reached into her pocket. Behind the vendor was the television, placed right above so that people who at least passed by could catch a glimpse of whatever was being shown. She was about to hand the bill when something on TV caught her ears.
"Jin Kazama, the young head of Japan's biggest company, Mishima Enterprises, has announced his engagement this morning, 9:00 am Japan time. It was said that the tycoon's bride-to-be is a native and current resident of China. During the press conference, he has also announced his plans of visiting in order to make necessary arrangements with the family within the weekend. Other details have not been disclosed for reasons of privacy, and they have yet to make a public appearance as an engaged couple...Now let us have a look at the world of sports..."
The words falling into her ears, Xiaoyu dropped the money and hastily went away. A familiar sense of pain struck her chest again, and she tried her best not to cry. But fate had a way of telling a joke. And it wasn't funny. Everybody she saw seemed to be in pairs. Of course she had a companion, only, it was loneliness. Xiaoyu rode her bike, taking her places wherever she herself would be taken. Each turn seemed to become farther away. Unable to take it anymore, she stopped and tossed her bike, creating a loud crash. She walked and went wherever her feet would take her. But after all her running away, Xiaoyu couldn't erase the pain, anger and jealousy that welled up inside her.
"Forget about me."
His last words rang inside her head. God knows how hard she tried. And until that very moment, Xiaoyu was sure that she had forgotten all about Jin...but it had hurt so much.
Bathed by the light of the sunset, lovers sat beside each other in an embrace, in a kiss, hand in hand.
Xiaoyu sat alone, shoulders racking with an controllable sobs. "Well, sure as hell he did forget about me."
"Here you are...you sure you gonna walk your way to their house?"
"You do have a family to come home to, don't you, Sir?"
The elderly man gave a chuckle. "Indeed I do, but, it's not I who should be called 'Sir'. This has been the most interesting drive of my life. Take care of yourself, Mr. Kazama."
Jin smiled and paid his bill. He watched as the taxi sped of into the darkness. With a map in his right and a duffel bag slung on his left shoulder, Jin proceeded to follow the directions that faintly familiar road that he took. However, this time was nothing like the last time. He walked in silence, with only the sound of gravel crunching beneath his feet as his companion. Contrary to what he had disclosed to the press that morning, Jin had come to China in secret and earlier than was expected. He needed to do it as discretely and as seamless as possible. If he wasn't successful, it could cost him his reputation and the rest of his life.
Xiaoyu dragged her feet along the gravel road, hating the fact that she had to take that particular path. It was the same road she took when she went in search of her uncle...exhaustion and defeat finally taking a toll on her, Xiaoyu stopped and dropped to her knees. The sting of the words invaded her ears yet again, and the pain turned into a hundredfold. Everything was coming back to her just like yesterday, only it was filled with sadness and heartbreak. Shoulders shaking, Xiaoyu's tears flowed again like a threatening flood. And as if to drown those haunting words away, she held her hands against her ears, bowing her head until it touched the ground.
Jin muttered a curse, tripping for the fifth time on a large stone he failed to see. The street lights were dim and he had to squint every time he checked the map, and the problem was he had to take a look at it every five minutes. "If I walk a bit longer, there should be road down to the left...crap!" As if his luck wasn't getting any worse, the wind blew mightily, causing him to lose grip of the scrap of paper in his hand. Jin ran after the paper as if he were chasing a flying bug.
"Jin...Jin. After all this time, why does it hurt?" Xiaoyu cried. She was oblivious to the things around her, and especially oblivious to the small scribbled paper that had landed in front of her.
He stopped a few feet away, unmindful of the map that was threatening to fly away again when he saw a hunched figured in the middle of the deserted road. The person seemed to be crying, and in a sudden streak of creative imagining, Jin thought that it may be a ghost of folklore. He swatted away the preposterous thought and stepped forward cautiously.
"Jin..."
His name floated through the air, and was ready to dismiss it as a product of his weary thoughts. But when he heard his name again, he knew it wasn't even close to a joke. Jin's heart pounded wildly, everything finally dawning on him -- it was Xiaoyu! He found her at last! But why was she crying? He knelt in front of her, uttering a few words. "Excuse me, I seemed to have gotten myself lost. Do you where Ms. Ling Xiaoyu's house is?"
Without looking up, she answered angrily, using the most vulgar Chinese, "Can you just leave me alone and go ask someone else? And why the hell should I tell you where I live? The hell you want from me at this time?" Xiaoyu was so irate that she failed to notice the incoherence of her words, let alone the deep voice that made her hairs bristle with excitement everytime he called her.
"There's something I'd like to ask her, and there's also something I must give her," Jin replied like a submissive slave.
Xiaoyu didn't reply, trying to pacify herself. What could this ass possibly want from me? she angrily thought. "Well, go ahead and get it over with."
"Will you marry me?"
Her head snapped, not believing the words that came from this odd passerby...but when she saw who he was, she got robbed of the ability to think and speak.
"Please accept this as a gift from me." Jin pulled out a velvet box from his pocket, and opened it for her to see. The diamond sparkled beautifully in the moonlight.
"Is this some kind of joke? Or haven't you played enough of it that you just had to do it again?" Furiously, Xiaoyu dusted her self off and spun on her heel.
Confused and disliking how their reunion was turning out, Jin chased after her. He caught her by the arm and turned her to face him. "What's your problem?"
"What's my problem? I should ask you that! Why in god's name are you proposing to me when you have some dumb girl waiting on all fours for you to marry her? In case you're not aware, the news has just officially spread all over China this morning. GO BACK."
Xiaoyu's bitterness was crawling into his skin, and he had to set everything straight. "Listen, that's not true!"
"Oh don't you patronize me! I maybe like this but I sure heard it! It came from none other than you! Get away from me, I don't want to see you ever again." Xiaoyu snatched her arm, walking away and leaving Jin just to watch her disappear.
"You don't mean that, Xiao. You're jealous and angry because you think I've gotten over you. But I haven't. That news. That news was meant for you. That news was all about you! Ever since I let you go home I worked myself to death because I didn't want you plaguing me. But after all this time, the more you've haunted me...think about it, Xiao. Five hundred days. You do know what I'm saying, don't you? I'm here not because of a bet. Not because of a contract. Not because I want to have a personal slave. I came because my future wife is here...and what does she do? She walks away from me..."
"You never called. You never wrote."
"I made that news for you and only you, Xiao. All you need to do is say the word, and that news will become reality. There's no one else. I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't have the chance to refuse me. Now, I'll ask you again. And I won't stop until you say 'yes'. Ling Xiaoyu, will you do the honor of marrying me?"
"You stupid, stupid, stupid man!"
Two years pass...
Warm sunlight bathed the vastness of the immense room, and outside, the new morning was marked by the smell of fresh morning dew. Jin slept comfortably, warm blankets and fluffy pillows covering him. With a sigh, he turned to his side. A slight pat disturbed him, and then an incessant poking on various parts of his face. He wrinkled his nose and then opened his eyes. A familiar rosy face greeted him.
"Ba..Ba.."
Coming into full wakefulness, Jin smiled warmly at his 11-month old son. His tiny legs crossed in front of him, and craving to touch his father with his little hands, he bobbed up and down. Jin sat up, and took the baby in his arms. "Good morning, little man. And how may I ask, did you manage to get here?"
"I brought him to stop you from snoring. Good afternoon." Xiaoyu sat beside her husband and infant son, planting a kiss on top of both their heads. "It's already a little past noon, so I suggest you get up...oh, the little angel's sleepy again. I guess you and your brother should go back now. Time for your afternoon nap." With that, Xiaoyu stood up, carrying their baby girl in her arms as she headed for the nursery. After freshening up, Jin followed not long after, carrying his tiny bubbly son.
"Sweet dreams." Jin gave the twins one last kiss and shut the door of the nursery softly. Across him, Xiaoyu stood waiting for him. He looked at her intently for one moment, thinking how beautiful the mother of his children was.
"They're very lucky to have a father like you," she remarked.
"You really think so? I think they have the best mom in the whole world."
Xiaoyu giggled at the compliment. Taking his outstretched arm, the young couple walked towards their room. "I'm so proud of you. I think you're going to be great."
"Really?" Jin had a mischievous smirk on his face. "Xiao," he began. "you do know how many rooms the house has, don't you?"
Her graceful eyebrows met in confusion. Why ask that question? "A little over a dozen, right?" Not picking up on her husband's thoughts, Xiaoyu went on to ask again. "You must be hungry. Come, lunch is waiting."
"It's fine, love. I'm not exactly THAT hungry," he said, his voice rich and deep.
"Well, alright. How many rooms are there?"
"Fifteen, to be exact," he replied knowledgeably. "I've always had a dream of filling the house with children. And since we already have twins..." he ended with a leer. Jin stopped purposefully, watching the Xiaoyu's face go deep red. Unable to contain his emotions, he gathered her petite frame tightly in his arms and swooped down on her with an ardent kiss. "How about a dozen...starting right now!" Jin effortless scooped up his Xiaoyu and burst through the bedroom door.
Once upon a time, there lived a prince in a faraway kingdom. He was young, dashing and wealthy. But despite these, he was very lonely. One day, he met a poor girl, a girl unlike any other. Her smile was as bright as the sun and her beauty was beyond compare. Her love sparkled like a rainbow in the sky. Once selfish, the prince changed because of the young lady. He never felt alone anymore. They married and lived happily ever after.
THE END.
Everybody loves happy endings...don't you? ;)
Author notes:
Well, will you look at that!!! Another Xiaoyin fanfic in the bag! Thank you to all those who read this fic. I really appreciate it, in fact, I am very flattered. Thank you for all your encouraging reviews. I could never ask for more. Many people always ask for sequels and what have you, please bear with me if there are times that I am not able to fulfill your wishes. I am the type who writes what, how and when she feels like it. In some sense, I am a bad writer for being selfish. Still, keep in mind that you, readers, inspire me to improve my writing. You don't know how much I enjoy reading your reviews, they are very heartfelt and I feel your excitement. I should know, I am a fan/reader myself.
You may be wondering where I got the motivation to write this surprisingly long and filled fanfic. I am an avid fan of Japanese comics, and if you happen to know "Yamada Tarou Monogatari", that's the answer. To those who are not familiar with this awfully funny series, it is about a teenager named Yamada Tarou (hence the title), he lives in a rundown house with a very lavish mother, with his six (or is it seven, I lost count) brothers and sisters. I based Xiaoyu, her Uncle Wang and her siblings on the characters of this hilarious manga.
The Jin I conjured up here is a tad different than my previous fics. Needless to say, I made him as obnoxious as I possibly could.
There are a lot of other stuff that I wanted to write. I particularly wanted to put some detail into Xiaoyu's life before Jin came into the picture. I was also planning to give a clear resolution to the issue of where the family should stay or basically, how it was going to be resolved. But lo and behold, an idea came into my mind...something that I thought would be better.
You may have noticed that the twins seem to be nameless. I had to think the details over, and I am in no position to christen them. Wasn't it enough that I made them make kids? Some things should be left to the reader ;P
On Xiaoyu's qui pao, I personally love the dress, but since I have used it in my other fic, I figured out that the scene really called for some magical feel. Hence the long and layered gown.
I hope I didn't make you panic with the "last line." I actually wrote something to follow that but a little suspense wouldn't hurt. Seriously, by the ninth chapter, did you think I'll let everything end upthat way?! Well I guess I am so horrible that I made your hearts stop. As I have recently discovered and admitted, I happen to be a major sucker for happy endings!
There, all qualms are answered. Now for personal thank you's (I hope I got everybody right):
almighty goddess
anonymous person
baccus cremaeus
becca
dark-n-lovely
FFAngel
forevermore
jeanie
Kari
KC
kerrianne harrington
knc
kuyhlubkoj
Melancholy Doll
moonbeams-stardust
muonlinefan
penguin-sesshy
reader
reviewer
riri
rushyuo
sally
skittle-xtreme
snowbunni3z
tiger5913
xiAoyu
I admire you for your patience and regular reviews. I am rarely able to do such things. To the girls who gave Xiaoyu cookies, the cookie part during Jin's birthday was a tribute to you. I laughed when I saw that. It's just so sweet.
Will I have a new project? Hm...I'll have to finish to two of my pending stories. I owe it to the people who follow them, and that's the least I could do.
Finally, the obligatory disclaimer: I don't own them. Xiaoyu's siblings, tutor, assistants and the owner of the mahjong house are figments of my imagination. There. Go sue someone else.
By: Mako-chan
True ending: Faery tales end happily ever after
"I'll be going now!" Xiaoyu shouted as she closed the gates of their house. Having finally graduated from the university (and with academic distinction), she landed a job in one biggest telecommunications companies in China. With the salary she was receiving plus the incentives that came along with her position, Xiaoyu was able to pay for house repairs, buy new things and fill the refrigerator with food until it exploded.
"We'll be waiting!"
Waving goodbye, Xiaoyu pushed on the pedals of her bike and sped off. She was given a day off and she decided to go on a little shopping spree, albeit with the insistence of everybody that she should spend at least some of her money on her. Taking her usual route, she screeched to a halt right in front of the newspaper stand. Xiaoyu grabbed a paper and reached into her pocket. Behind the vendor was the television, placed right above so that people who at least passed by could catch a glimpse of whatever was being shown. She was about to hand the bill when something on TV caught her ears.
"Jin Kazama, the young head of Japan's biggest company, Mishima Enterprises, has announced his engagement this morning, 9:00 am Japan time. It was said that the tycoon's bride-to-be is a native and current resident of China. During the press conference, he has also announced his plans of visiting in order to make necessary arrangements with the family within the weekend. Other details have not been disclosed for reasons of privacy, and they have yet to make a public appearance as an engaged couple...Now let us have a look at the world of sports..."
The words falling into her ears, Xiaoyu dropped the money and hastily went away. A familiar sense of pain struck her chest again, and she tried her best not to cry. But fate had a way of telling a joke. And it wasn't funny. Everybody she saw seemed to be in pairs. Of course she had a companion, only, it was loneliness. Xiaoyu rode her bike, taking her places wherever she herself would be taken. Each turn seemed to become farther away. Unable to take it anymore, she stopped and tossed her bike, creating a loud crash. She walked and went wherever her feet would take her. But after all her running away, Xiaoyu couldn't erase the pain, anger and jealousy that welled up inside her.
"Forget about me."
His last words rang inside her head. God knows how hard she tried. And until that very moment, Xiaoyu was sure that she had forgotten all about Jin...but it had hurt so much.
Bathed by the light of the sunset, lovers sat beside each other in an embrace, in a kiss, hand in hand.
Xiaoyu sat alone, shoulders racking with an controllable sobs. "Well, sure as hell he did forget about me."
"Here you are...you sure you gonna walk your way to their house?"
"You do have a family to come home to, don't you, Sir?"
The elderly man gave a chuckle. "Indeed I do, but, it's not I who should be called 'Sir'. This has been the most interesting drive of my life. Take care of yourself, Mr. Kazama."
Jin smiled and paid his bill. He watched as the taxi sped of into the darkness. With a map in his right and a duffel bag slung on his left shoulder, Jin proceeded to follow the directions that faintly familiar road that he took. However, this time was nothing like the last time. He walked in silence, with only the sound of gravel crunching beneath his feet as his companion. Contrary to what he had disclosed to the press that morning, Jin had come to China in secret and earlier than was expected. He needed to do it as discretely and as seamless as possible. If he wasn't successful, it could cost him his reputation and the rest of his life.
Xiaoyu dragged her feet along the gravel road, hating the fact that she had to take that particular path. It was the same road she took when she went in search of her uncle...exhaustion and defeat finally taking a toll on her, Xiaoyu stopped and dropped to her knees. The sting of the words invaded her ears yet again, and the pain turned into a hundredfold. Everything was coming back to her just like yesterday, only it was filled with sadness and heartbreak. Shoulders shaking, Xiaoyu's tears flowed again like a threatening flood. And as if to drown those haunting words away, she held her hands against her ears, bowing her head until it touched the ground.
Jin muttered a curse, tripping for the fifth time on a large stone he failed to see. The street lights were dim and he had to squint every time he checked the map, and the problem was he had to take a look at it every five minutes. "If I walk a bit longer, there should be road down to the left...crap!" As if his luck wasn't getting any worse, the wind blew mightily, causing him to lose grip of the scrap of paper in his hand. Jin ran after the paper as if he were chasing a flying bug.
"Jin...Jin. After all this time, why does it hurt?" Xiaoyu cried. She was oblivious to the things around her, and especially oblivious to the small scribbled paper that had landed in front of her.
He stopped a few feet away, unmindful of the map that was threatening to fly away again when he saw a hunched figured in the middle of the deserted road. The person seemed to be crying, and in a sudden streak of creative imagining, Jin thought that it may be a ghost of folklore. He swatted away the preposterous thought and stepped forward cautiously.
"Jin..."
His name floated through the air, and was ready to dismiss it as a product of his weary thoughts. But when he heard his name again, he knew it wasn't even close to a joke. Jin's heart pounded wildly, everything finally dawning on him -- it was Xiaoyu! He found her at last! But why was she crying? He knelt in front of her, uttering a few words. "Excuse me, I seemed to have gotten myself lost. Do you where Ms. Ling Xiaoyu's house is?"
Without looking up, she answered angrily, using the most vulgar Chinese, "Can you just leave me alone and go ask someone else? And why the hell should I tell you where I live? The hell you want from me at this time?" Xiaoyu was so irate that she failed to notice the incoherence of her words, let alone the deep voice that made her hairs bristle with excitement everytime he called her.
"There's something I'd like to ask her, and there's also something I must give her," Jin replied like a submissive slave.
Xiaoyu didn't reply, trying to pacify herself. What could this ass possibly want from me? she angrily thought. "Well, go ahead and get it over with."
"Will you marry me?"
Her head snapped, not believing the words that came from this odd passerby...but when she saw who he was, she got robbed of the ability to think and speak.
"Please accept this as a gift from me." Jin pulled out a velvet box from his pocket, and opened it for her to see. The diamond sparkled beautifully in the moonlight.
"Is this some kind of joke? Or haven't you played enough of it that you just had to do it again?" Furiously, Xiaoyu dusted her self off and spun on her heel.
Confused and disliking how their reunion was turning out, Jin chased after her. He caught her by the arm and turned her to face him. "What's your problem?"
"What's my problem? I should ask you that! Why in god's name are you proposing to me when you have some dumb girl waiting on all fours for you to marry her? In case you're not aware, the news has just officially spread all over China this morning. GO BACK."
Xiaoyu's bitterness was crawling into his skin, and he had to set everything straight. "Listen, that's not true!"
"Oh don't you patronize me! I maybe like this but I sure heard it! It came from none other than you! Get away from me, I don't want to see you ever again." Xiaoyu snatched her arm, walking away and leaving Jin just to watch her disappear.
"You don't mean that, Xiao. You're jealous and angry because you think I've gotten over you. But I haven't. That news. That news was meant for you. That news was all about you! Ever since I let you go home I worked myself to death because I didn't want you plaguing me. But after all this time, the more you've haunted me...think about it, Xiao. Five hundred days. You do know what I'm saying, don't you? I'm here not because of a bet. Not because of a contract. Not because I want to have a personal slave. I came because my future wife is here...and what does she do? She walks away from me..."
"You never called. You never wrote."
"I made that news for you and only you, Xiao. All you need to do is say the word, and that news will become reality. There's no one else. I wanted to make sure that you wouldn't have the chance to refuse me. Now, I'll ask you again. And I won't stop until you say 'yes'. Ling Xiaoyu, will you do the honor of marrying me?"
"You stupid, stupid, stupid man!"
Two years pass...
Warm sunlight bathed the vastness of the immense room, and outside, the new morning was marked by the smell of fresh morning dew. Jin slept comfortably, warm blankets and fluffy pillows covering him. With a sigh, he turned to his side. A slight pat disturbed him, and then an incessant poking on various parts of his face. He wrinkled his nose and then opened his eyes. A familiar rosy face greeted him.
"Ba..Ba.."
Coming into full wakefulness, Jin smiled warmly at his 11-month old son. His tiny legs crossed in front of him, and craving to touch his father with his little hands, he bobbed up and down. Jin sat up, and took the baby in his arms. "Good morning, little man. And how may I ask, did you manage to get here?"
"I brought him to stop you from snoring. Good afternoon." Xiaoyu sat beside her husband and infant son, planting a kiss on top of both their heads. "It's already a little past noon, so I suggest you get up...oh, the little angel's sleepy again. I guess you and your brother should go back now. Time for your afternoon nap." With that, Xiaoyu stood up, carrying their baby girl in her arms as she headed for the nursery. After freshening up, Jin followed not long after, carrying his tiny bubbly son.
"Sweet dreams." Jin gave the twins one last kiss and shut the door of the nursery softly. Across him, Xiaoyu stood waiting for him. He looked at her intently for one moment, thinking how beautiful the mother of his children was.
"They're very lucky to have a father like you," she remarked.
"You really think so? I think they have the best mom in the whole world."
Xiaoyu giggled at the compliment. Taking his outstretched arm, the young couple walked towards their room. "I'm so proud of you. I think you're going to be great."
"Really?" Jin had a mischievous smirk on his face. "Xiao," he began. "you do know how many rooms the house has, don't you?"
Her graceful eyebrows met in confusion. Why ask that question? "A little over a dozen, right?" Not picking up on her husband's thoughts, Xiaoyu went on to ask again. "You must be hungry. Come, lunch is waiting."
"It's fine, love. I'm not exactly THAT hungry," he said, his voice rich and deep.
"Well, alright. How many rooms are there?"
"Fifteen, to be exact," he replied knowledgeably. "I've always had a dream of filling the house with children. And since we already have twins..." he ended with a leer. Jin stopped purposefully, watching the Xiaoyu's face go deep red. Unable to contain his emotions, he gathered her petite frame tightly in his arms and swooped down on her with an ardent kiss. "How about a dozen...starting right now!" Jin effortless scooped up his Xiaoyu and burst through the bedroom door.
Once upon a time, there lived a prince in a faraway kingdom. He was young, dashing and wealthy. But despite these, he was very lonely. One day, he met a poor girl, a girl unlike any other. Her smile was as bright as the sun and her beauty was beyond compare. Her love sparkled like a rainbow in the sky. Once selfish, the prince changed because of the young lady. He never felt alone anymore. They married and lived happily ever after.
THE END.
Everybody loves happy endings...don't you? ;)
Author notes:
Well, will you look at that!!! Another Xiaoyin fanfic in the bag! Thank you to all those who read this fic. I really appreciate it, in fact, I am very flattered. Thank you for all your encouraging reviews. I could never ask for more. Many people always ask for sequels and what have you, please bear with me if there are times that I am not able to fulfill your wishes. I am the type who writes what, how and when she feels like it. In some sense, I am a bad writer for being selfish. Still, keep in mind that you, readers, inspire me to improve my writing. You don't know how much I enjoy reading your reviews, they are very heartfelt and I feel your excitement. I should know, I am a fan/reader myself.
You may be wondering where I got the motivation to write this surprisingly long and filled fanfic. I am an avid fan of Japanese comics, and if you happen to know "Yamada Tarou Monogatari", that's the answer. To those who are not familiar with this awfully funny series, it is about a teenager named Yamada Tarou (hence the title), he lives in a rundown house with a very lavish mother, with his six (or is it seven, I lost count) brothers and sisters. I based Xiaoyu, her Uncle Wang and her siblings on the characters of this hilarious manga.
The Jin I conjured up here is a tad different than my previous fics. Needless to say, I made him as obnoxious as I possibly could.
There are a lot of other stuff that I wanted to write. I particularly wanted to put some detail into Xiaoyu's life before Jin came into the picture. I was also planning to give a clear resolution to the issue of where the family should stay or basically, how it was going to be resolved. But lo and behold, an idea came into my mind...something that I thought would be better.
You may have noticed that the twins seem to be nameless. I had to think the details over, and I am in no position to christen them. Wasn't it enough that I made them make kids? Some things should be left to the reader ;P
On Xiaoyu's qui pao, I personally love the dress, but since I have used it in my other fic, I figured out that the scene really called for some magical feel. Hence the long and layered gown.
I hope I didn't make you panic with the "last line." I actually wrote something to follow that but a little suspense wouldn't hurt. Seriously, by the ninth chapter, did you think I'll let everything end upthat way?! Well I guess I am so horrible that I made your hearts stop. As I have recently discovered and admitted, I happen to be a major sucker for happy endings!
There, all qualms are answered. Now for personal thank you's (I hope I got everybody right):
almighty goddess
anonymous person
baccus cremaeus
becca
dark-n-lovely
FFAngel
forevermore
jeanie
Kari
KC
kerrianne harrington
knc
kuyhlubkoj
Melancholy Doll
moonbeams-stardust
muonlinefan
penguin-sesshy
reader
reviewer
riri
rushyuo
sally
skittle-xtreme
snowbunni3z
tiger5913
xiAoyu
I admire you for your patience and regular reviews. I am rarely able to do such things. To the girls who gave Xiaoyu cookies, the cookie part during Jin's birthday was a tribute to you. I laughed when I saw that. It's just so sweet.
Will I have a new project? Hm...I'll have to finish to two of my pending stories. I owe it to the people who follow them, and that's the least I could do.
Finally, the obligatory disclaimer: I don't own them. Xiaoyu's siblings, tutor, assistants and the owner of the mahjong house are figments of my imagination. There. Go sue someone else.