CHAPTER 13 – HATE ME AND LOVE ME
Asuka, Steve and Xiaoyu were all in on the plan.
Steve agreed to make his friend settle down a bit.
Xiaoyu agreed to make Julia see that he never did betray her at all, and that all of the last night was just part of the plan and that her love wasn't being wasted.
Asuka agreed to make the group closer, and she thought this could be a good way to do so…a couple.
"…Jin?" Xiaoyu slowly opened the door to Jin's hotel room.
It was dark, shadows crept across the room from the reflection of the young man who sat upon his bed…blocking the sunlight shining from his window. Shaded slightly in shadows he turned and looked to Xiaoyu…
"…Hey." He nodded to her.
She smiled and stood up straight, closing the door. She walked over to him and scanned him with caring eyes. "How are you feeling?" She asked.
"A bit better I guess." He replied.
She nodded and sat opposite him…
"Me, Asuka and Steve have a little plan," She giggled, trying to make conversation. "We're gonna make that jerk Hwoarang and Julia fall for one another…though," She paused.
"…Though?" Jin said.
"Though Julia already has…" She sighed. "But some things happened with the plan and now Julia hates him." Xiaoyu stated.
"So she should too." Jin frowned darkly.
"Oh Jin," Xiaoyu sighed. "Why can't the two of you get along?" She asked.
"Leave it," He sighed. "It goes back a long way." He frowned remembering the first day he and his rival met.
"…I know that." Xiaoyu nodded.
The two of them fell silent.
Jin's gaze lingered on Xiaoyu…she could almost feel his eyes upon her, burning on her, wanting her to return his gaze.
Finally, she did.
They looked at one another, his black, night – sky like eyes looking into her deep brown ones.
She smiled and relaxed as his hand creeped over to hers and gripped it softly…
"I missed you…" He said.
"That's not like you…to admit something like that." She said standing and walking out onto his balcony…trying to pretend he didn't just say that, just so he could say it again.
He followed her out, and the two of them overlooked the morning sky, which was of a light blue complexion.
"…I did," He said and nodded. "I know I never got in contact but," He was cut off by Xiaoyu.
"I understand." She nodded. "Things we're difficult for you then…well, they still are, I know you don't want to go into it, but, you've been through a lot, and still are." She sighed.
"Yeah." He nodded. "That's why…I want you to help me." He turned to her.
Xiaoyu looked at him. "Help you?" She asked.
"I know you wanted to tell me something about the tournament…right? So, if you tell me, then you can help me, save me from getting myself into something deeper." He smiled.
"…Heihachi is dead, Jin." She sighed. "…He was ambushed along with your father by some robots shortly after you left Honamaru." She explained. "Lei Wulong the police officer helped me find this out, and then me and Julia went looking for you and contacted Steve, who joined us and got us his private detectives and Hwoarang cam with us too." Xiaoyu said.
"……Oh." Jin said.
He felt himself growing angry inside. "I don't care if he's dead. Let him rot." Jin snarled.
"But wait," Xiaoyu said. "We came to tell you that…something's not right, f Heihachi's dead, then who could've sponsored the tournament? Something isn't right, so, Im asking you," She looked at him hopefully, her eyes shining with tears.
"Please don't enter the tournament, Jin…please don't." Xiaoyu begged.
Jin sighed and looked out, his jet black hair spiked out over his eyes slightly. "I wish to enter Xiaoyu, it's my will and destiny." He said.
Xiaoyu shook her head. "No! No it's not…it'll only lead you to your death…something is not right!" She persisted.
Jin sighed. "…I want to enter." Jin repeated.
"No! Jin! Uhh…why won't you listen!" Xiaoyu cried. Tears of frustration spilled down her fair skin…
Jin looked at her sorrowfully and hugged her close to his chest, a hand upon her face, brushing it gently and comfortingly. At first, she fought it, pushing him away but as he held her closer and hushed her, she grew weak and her punches upon his chest grew weaker and she hugged him back.
He brushed her silky black lace hair as they undid from their pigtails and he promised her he would be fine. She didn't have to worry.
"Im uhh…Im going to go umm…ugh." Jin let go of the pretty Chinese girl in his arms and rushed back inside. The close intimacy and feelings that were being fought back but being shown threw actions were all too much for him…
Xiaoyu watched him go and sighed…
"…Jin." She said softly and turned her attention back the balcony.
With a sigh she felt her heart sinking…but something caught her eye and gave her a quick lift…
"…Go away Hwoarang!"
She heard faintly from below…
"Julia! Oh c'mon!" Said another voice.
She gasped. It was Julia and Hwoarang outside! She leaned over and looked down…Julia was furiously striding away from the Korean and heading off into the beautiful hotel garden fields.
She listened carefully…
"Look, I told you…I don't want to talk to you, okay?" Julia shouted loudly.
Julia certainly hadn't kept up the silent treatment! With a quick sigh Xiaoyu ran to find Asuka and Steve. The plan had to start, and quickly! Julia needed to be made jealous so much that she re-realized her feelings for Hwoarang…
And making her jealous seemed but the only possible way at that time.
"Asuka…you ready?" Steve called.
"Yes! Xiaoyu's just adding my lip-gloss." Asuka said as Xiaoyu flustered away at her friend.
"There!" She said with a nod.
Asuka looked very attractive, with a shimmering eye shadow upon her shapely Japanese eyes and a soft gloss upon her lips. She smiled and then shook out of it quickly…
"Right! Where are they?" She asked.
"In the gardens…or at least Julia is. Hwoarang must be with her, he's not in the hotel." Steve said. "And remember! Make her jealous!" He laughed after Asuka who rushed off outside, eager to put her plan to action.
She found them arguing not too far, in the entrance of the gardens.
"Shut up, loser! And go back to Asuka!" Julia hissed and turned away from the red head, who seemed to be boiling over with rage.
"I said sorry! Im not saying it again!" He shouted.
"Well that's fine by me! Because I don't want your apologies." She shouted back firmly.
Hwoarang and Julia were stood nose to nose, Hwoarang glaring down at her, Julia glaring back up at him…they we're seething with one another! Julia hated him right now and Hwoarang hated her for making him apologise for the first time in his life and then it being rejected!
"Your so…" He held back slightly.
"What?" Julia tempted and gave him a taunting look.
"You're so argumentative and the most annoyingly picky girl I know!" Hwoarang said, almost ashamed that was the best he could do.
Julia laughed. "Picky? Oh come on…surely you can do better than that!" She said testing him.
Hwoarang boiled over very quickly. "Shut up, Julia! Right now! Im fed up of you and Im fed up of this! Its bullshit! You're just a stupid little girl, ya know that? Get over yourself! Did you really think I'd wanna stay in your room?" He roared.
"Shut up? Shut up!? Don't tell me to shut up you arrogant jerk! Im fed up of this too, especially you! Im a little girl? You're a little boy Hwoarang, look at you! I mean, grow up! Hmm…you know, maybe not, but I don't care anymore, you're just a liar!" She spat back.
"FINE! Im leaving! I don't need this, I only accepted a better offer and you're pretending it's a big deal like you actually care! Hah!" Hwoarang laughed as he walked away.
"Good! You walk away! And go find that 'better offer' okay? And NO actually, no I don't care…its finished, over, in the past, you can just get on with Asuka now and I'll never ask anything of you again." She called after him and heading on further in the flowery gardens…
"Oh god…things are heating up a bit too much." Asuka said worrying…
Hwoarang looked back over his shoulder at the furious Indian girl…she was hurrying off further into the gardens…he frowned and carried on walking. He jumped as he saw a certain Japanese girl rushing towards him.
"Hwoarang!" She called.
He noticed how lovely she looked…
"What happened just then?" She asked desperately.
He shrugged. "I dunno…and I don't care. But hey, you look a bit alright," He winked. "You know…maybe Julia was right, maybe I should get on with you, huh?" He suggested with a smirk.
Asuka smiled, and tried to remember her plan…this was perfect, all she had to do was make sure Hwoarang still liked Julia, (because she knew deep down he did) and then Julia would get jealous and THEN, it would it bring them together…genius!
She giggled and played along. "…Hmm, maybe you should," She winked. "But…what about Julia?" she asked.
"What about her?" Hwoarang frowned.
"Well…I know you say you don't like her but…well, I believed otherwise." She shrugged.
"Nah, like I said…we're friends, well, we were but Julia is still angry about me ignoring her offer…for yours." He grinned.
Asuka smiled as sweetly as possible. "…Yeah," She sighed. "Hey listen, Xiaoyu is really down about Jin wanting to enter the tournament still so to cheer her up Im taking her out down town!" She giggled. "Wanna come?" She asked with a smile.
"…Sounds cool. I'll go I guess, umm, meet you in reception at…?"
"Oh, eight!" Asuka nodded.
"Alright then…see you there, hottie." He winked.
Asuka watched him leave and with a smirk, rushed to find Julia…
Rushing round bushes and stone pathways, flowerbeds after flowerbeds and passing fur trees and overgrown oak trees too…she finally found the beautiful Native American, sat alone, in the mild, early evening breeze upon a stone bench…
"…Julia?" She said softly.
Julia looked up…had she been crying? Her deep brown eyes looked slightly red and stained. She forced a smile and nodded to he friend…
"Hey Asuka…" She sighed.
"You alright Jules?"
"…Mmm, Im fine."
"Oh…okay. Well umm, you don't look it, if you don't mind me saying." Asuka said taking a close look at the brunette.
"Im fine!" She said suddenly, making Asuka jump back.
"Alright…alright, fine. Just heard you and Hwoarang arguing…" She said.
"Oh," Julia laughed. "Oh did you?"
"…Yeah, and listen…I don't want him to pull our friendship apart." Asuka said firmly.
Julia sighed and looked at her. "…No," She said with a shake of her head. "No of course not I just…" She sighed. "I just really don't like him right now, so can we change the subject?" She asked.
"Yeah," Asuka nodded as a smile spread upon her pretty face. "Well…to cheer you up, come out with me, and Xiaoyu…Im taking her downtown tonight, you know, because she's upset and that." Asuka sighed.
"What?" Julia asked suddenly with more interest. "Xiaoyu? W, what's wrong with her?"
"Didn't you hear? Jin's entering the tournament…she told him not to and what fears we had about it, but, well…he's still going ahead with it." She sighed.
Julia's own emotions suddenly melted away as her heart felt for Xiaoyu…she knew how much her friend cared for Jin. A smile lit her face and she nodded happily. "Yeah," She smiled. "Of course…I'll come," She paused. "With Xiaoyu, and with you too Asuka." She grinned.
Asuka felt over-joyed that Julia didn't bare a grudge against her because of Hwoarang…even though she felt nothing back for him. But she couldn't wait to see when Julia found out that all along there was no attraction and that all of the flirting and such was for her own good…for her future with Hwoarang.
"Great," Asuka smiled. "…Just ignore Hwoarang, yeah?" She laughed.
Julia nodded. "I will…and, Asuka?"
"Yup?"
"Im sorry," Julia sighed. "Please, feel free to be with Hwoarang and whatever," She shrugged. "I guess I was annoyed but…I think, Im alright now, it was just a silly little thing anyway," Julia nodded sadly. "After all…it's not as if Hwoarang's my boyfriend…and," She paused.
"…Jules?"
"And it's not as if I feel anything for him…right?" Julia babbled. "Yeah, and anyway…umm, its fine, really, Hwoarang was right…I don't care, I don't care what so ever." She said trying to be convincing and with a brave nod.
Asuka gave her a fake nod of understanding, pretending she thought Julia was telling truth. "…Alright, well," She gulped. "I think me and Hwoarang are uhh…" She struggled. "Sort of 'seeing' each other now, so, umm…thanks I guess." She smiled brightly.
Julia's heart sank deeply. "…No problem." She said.
"Well! Let's get ready then, yeah? We're meeting Hwoarang at eight at the reception, okay?"
Julia nodded. "Sure, alright then." She smiled and the two girls rushed back, to freshen themselves up…