Life in the Mishima Polytechnic High School continues peacefully but Miharu Hirano knows that something keeps bothering her friend. Will she be able to make her open up to her and cheer her up? Set after the fourth tournament
IMPORTANT NOTE: I do not own anything. Everything belongs to Namco
My apologies for both possible grammar and spelling mistakes. English is not my native language.
I have a simple request. Please be kind with either positive or negative reviews.
Thanks in advance!
A SELFIE UNDER THE CHERRY TREE
The leaves from the cherry trees were falling on the ground with the guidance and rhythm of the afternoon breeze. Little by little they created a small beautiful pink flowery carpet inside the Mishima Polytechnic High School. After the last bell, the students in small groups started walking outside the main building laughing and joking with each other…
"Isn't it pretty?" said a Japanese girl to her friend as they were walking outside the school…
Her black haired friend wasn't paying attention as she was talking to her. She raised an eyebrow and said again as she nudged her…
"Hey, Xiao?"
That time her friend looked confused at her. Yes, she heard, even though she was thinking of something else, that her friend was saying about the scenery…
"Umm…What did you say again?" she said with an apologetic smile…
Miharu Hirano rolled mentally her eyes at her friend…
"I mean the trees…Aren't they pretty?"
Xiaoyu looked there. True…The scenery was amazing. That time she watched as Miharu took out her cellphone and started taking photos. That girl really liked photography, didn't she? At least she had something she was passionate about. Xiaoyu was worried about her sometimes, since when it came to school her friend was worse than her. She had to give some advice to her by telling her that, if she liked it seriously, she should pursue it professionally…
She, then, remembered what she was passionate about and the reason why she was here in the first place. A lot of thoughts passed her mind and she looked at the ground…
"So it seems." She answered trying to sound as natural as possible. However, she noticed Miharu's confused expression as she raised a little her head…
"I mean that you're right, Haru, you did well by taking pictures. Make sure to upload some of them, ok?" Xiaoyu smiled slightly and took her gaze away from hers…
Miharu, on the other hand, knew that something was bothering her friend. True, these two last years, Xiaoyu was devastated that her friend, aka secret love, disappeared. However, she would always try to find something to do and distract herself and especially after the anonymous email she got. That relaxed her in some way. At least he was ok. He was safe…
That email triggered her curiosity, since she knew who sent it to her. As expected the fourth tournament was announced and taking in consideration the email's content and its sender, she signed to compete, in order to see him and if she was lucky, to convince him to come back. Indeed, Xiaoyu left to compete in the tournament and when she came back…alone…things became worse…
When they met with Miharu back then, her best friend asked her a lot of different things like if there was any tall, blue eyed blond foreigner. That was Miharu's type, since she always believed that foreigners were much more interesting and direct than the shy Japanese guys. She knew that foreigners were expressing their thoughts and feelings in a bolder, romantic way. Yes, Miharu was traditional in things that had to do with romantic relationships in contrast to the girl next to her, who didn't have any problems in showing her attraction to the one she was interested in. But being completely right, Miharu wanted to say to her friend that how come she thinks that way and she still was trapped in that thing called unrequited love. Well not unrequited since the other party didn't know and Miharu was sure that he could never think that Xiaoyu felt that way towards him. Possibly, a romantic relationship was the last thing Jin Kazama had in his "to do" list. Poor Xiao…But she loved that guy…She didn't want to confuse her friend's feelings, so the only thing she was doing was to stand by her side.
Anyway, she was asking her about trivial things like the one above, about how huge the hotel was and, of course, about her matches or if she did anything embarrassing as always. Xiaoyu gave her the answers she wanted except from one thing…When Miharu made that question, Xiaoyu preferred to get the waiter's attention and order her favorite cold chocolate drink with some whipped cream and pieces of black chocolate flakes on top of it. Since then they never referred to that subject and the Chinese girl was only preoccupying with things that had to do with her friend and Panda and was giving her all in helping them. Of course, the young girl was happy that her friend put so much effort in things that had to do with her and the concern she showed her, but sometimes Miharu thought that she was useless, in contrast to Xiaoyu, and didn't do anything to help her. That feeling became more intense when they heard the news of Heihachi's death. Xiaoyu was crying soundlessly and Miharu was just looking at her. Her friend was a very approachable person and easy to hang out. She always made others happy but what someone could do when she was the one being sad?
For a moment, Miharu turned her head at her right and saw Xiaoyu staring persistently at a cherry tree. She watched as her black hair, wrapped in two ponytails at the two sides of her head, was hitting gently her tender face. Xiaoyu was having a nostalgic face expression and a sweet smile on her lips. Miharu knew the reason and wanted to get her attention and distract her from these thoughts that they could become depressing, if she was going to let her looking at that tree. She touched lightly a lock of her light red hair and said to her friend…
"I think, I should dye my hair again."
Succeeding in what she wanted to do, her friend looked at her place and caressed her shoulder length hair…
"I can't find a reason for you to do that but…what do you have in mind?"
Miharu placed a finger under her chin and said…
"Umm…well…What would you say if I was to dye them black? Like yours, I mean."
"But I always thought that black was your natural hair color."
She shook negatively her head. After that she rolled her eyes looking at the sky and said in annoyance…
"No…Dark brown is my natural…Boring…"
With that Xiaoyu laughed and especially at Miharu's reaction. Yes, Xiaoyu knew that Miharu was dying her hair but she always guessed that her hair was black. She never managed to see a part of her friend's root hair, since she was visiting the hairdressers' two times a month.
Miharu raised questionably her eyebrow. Why was she laughing now? Yes, she wanted to distract Xiaoyu but she asked her one of the things, which were bothering her a lot…
"Don't laugh at me, Xiao! You know how sensitive I am when it comes to my appearance."
Xiaoyu smiled lovingly at her and fondled her friend's cheek. Miharu looked, this time, confused at her. After a small pause between them, Xiaoyu pinched the same cheek, which made her friend to try and ease the annoying pain…
"Nah! I wouldn't recommend it." Said Xiaoyu…
"Why not?
Xiaoyu sighed… "Easy! I think that this red hair of yours can make you find easier your blond prince. In the west, there are some women, who have your red colored hair as their natural, besides it sweetens amazingly your face…Umm…in other words it makes you shine!"
Miharu smiled at her. She really tried to come up with a lot of things to dissuade this and still make her feel good about herself…
"Oh Xiao, if you were a guy, I would be head over heels in love with you." She said jokingly and the two laughed at each other…
Miharu wrapped with her hands Xiaoyu's left arm and said…
"But seriously now…I really love your hair and how it fits with your skin complexion. I'M JEALOUS!"
Xiaoyu closed her eyes for a moment. Why for her to be jealous of her? There are so many things that Xiaoyu was jealous of Miharu, always with the nice meaning, she never wished anything bad to happen to her best friend…
"First of all, black hair is my natural, so of course it matches my skin and secondly…" she paused for a moment… "Secondly, I believe that you're joking with me for some reason."
"Why would you say that?!" said Miharu slightly offended…
"Let's just drop it."
Miharu was confused with Xiaoyu. Did she bother her unconsciously? She hoped not. While, Miharu was still wondering if she hurt Xiaoyu in a way she didn't want to, the last one turned again her head and looked at the same cherry tree. Miharu's hands were loosened around her arm and that allowed her to start walking at its direction. The Japanese girl noticed her friend's footsteps walking away and looked at where she was going. She sighed and after that she followed her.
When they arrived there, Xiaoyu walked down the tree and stopped. She took a better look of it and noticed the lower branch of the tree. She managed to cut a pink flower by rising on her feet. Miharu walked next to her and saw her as she was turning the flower between her fingers and then as she smelled it for a moment. She was getting more and more clueless as the time passed. Some time ago her friend wasn't even in the mood to do anything and was always trying to avoid any conversation, she found suspicious with Miharu but now…What happened?
Suddenly, she started laughing. Xiaoyu's face was very bright and all that because of her smile. It's been a lot of time since she heard her laughing like that. Yes…Almost two years. Some minutes later and when Xiaoyu realized that she was the only one laughing and her classmates, who had stayed behind were looking confused at her, stopped as she placed her hand on her mouth. When she saw them walking away once again, relaxed. She turned to Miharu, who was happy enough seeing her friend smiling and didn't realize that she had a smile on her face as well. Xiaoyu placed the flower steadily behind her friend's ear. When she did that and was ready to remove her hand away her friend's ear, Miharu stopped her by taking her hand with hers…
"Xiao? Not that this is something bad but what happened and your whole mood changed?" she said and let her hand go…
"Why are you making such a big deal out of it? Am I not allowed to laugh?"
Miharu scratched the back of her head and noticed that with her action the flower was ready to fall on the ground, however, she managed to catch it and once again place it, where Xiaoyu did before…
"I don't mean that…but…"
Xiaoyu looked her friend's uneasiness and sighed. Noticing that she was joking with her a little ago, she decided to get back at her for a while but now she decided to let it go…
"I understand…I just…Just remembered something…Something very beautiful…Umm…That's all!"
"What thing?" said Miharu crossing her arms below her chest…
Xiaoyu turned away from her and didn't say a word. Miharu had a feeling about what kind of memory she had but decided to not pull the subject any further as to what kind of thing she remembered and all. It's been a long time since she saw her smiling sincerely. Xiaoyu, of course, was a joyful person, full of life and for that reason she wanted to build the biggest amusement park in China. Almost everyone, who knew about that dream of hers, found it childish and that made them think that she was childish herself. However, making true that dream of hers, Xiaoyu aimed to make everyone happy. Miharu, when Xiaoyu told her this, agreed without any further explanations. Before she met her, she wasn't hanging out in these kinds of places until they became best friends. Since then, they were looking in newspapers or on the internet about a new amusement park opening in Japan…
"Well, you see, I remembered how Panda enjoyed rolling on the flowers."
Miharu nodded positively… "Yeah, I remember but she still does this thing, right?" she asked her…
Xiaoyu wasn't sure if she should continue talking about that. Because one thing leads to another and then, they would unconsciously change the subject. On the other hand, it was such a wonderful memory, not exactly wonderful or beautiful as she called it before, but it was something that made her reminisce something that she wanted to share…
"She, sure, does…but somehow…umm…"
"Say it, Xiao." Said Miharu guessing what it was about…
"That time…Jin was still here. I remember it just like it happened yesterday. Here under this same tree, he used to relax when he would feel tired. I remember one day that he had forgotten his bag right here" she said pointing to the ground… "And when he came to get it back, Panda was already here rolling on the flowers."
Miharu started laughing since she remembered what she was going to say…
"Hahaha…Yeah, yeah! I remember, it was that day when he tried to approach her silently but Panda noticed him and pulled him down because she wanted to play with him."
"Of course, he didn't do it and Panda wasn't «talking» to him for a week, until he went and bought her some bamboo."
Miharu took an annoyed face expression…
"True and all that because of his pride…In the end, he is still a Mishima."
The smile disappeared from Xiaoyu's lips and her whole aura changed. Miharu tightened her bag's leash around her fist. Enough, it was time to have this conversation with her friend…
"You know, Xiao…I…"
"I had seen Jin, Miharu. In the tournament, I saw him. I'm sorry for not talking to you about it this whole time and I always found useless excuses to avoid the subject. I knew you had realized it as well. You're not stupid and…"
"You mean that you're ready to talk to me?" she said interrupting her…
Xiaoyu looked at her full of expectation face and said…
"It was about time I think. It's been almost two months since then."
"So?" said the girl pulling gently her friend on the ground for them to sit down…
"Back then, I didn't talk to you because I was still shocked. I recently learnt that grandpa died, as well, and it wasn't easy…I respected him a lot."
"Wait a minute! But wasn't it time already? He was old enough."
Xiaoyu sighed…
"To let you know, my real grandfather is over one hundred…Stubborn old man…"
Miharu was left speechless… "Wow…That's the only thing I can say. Next time you need to tell me the secret of his longevity."
"Seriously now, Haru…Do you want to listen to me? There's always Panda, here, willing to hear me."
Miharu smiled and placed her head on Xiaoyu's shoulder playing a little with her ponytail…
"Come on…You know I said it to lighten up the mood, since I guess that with what I'm going to listen, later on, it will get dark enough."
Xiaoyu breathed out and hugged tightly her legs…
"In the tournament…I saw Jin's father."
Miharu's eyes widened… "What?! Wasn't that guy dead? Wasn't that what Jin said to you?"
Xiaoyu nodded. She looked at the grass and, without thinking much of it, placed her bag on the ground and laid back resting her head on the bag…
"And that was what he was told. Jin never had a reason to lie to me."
"And then?"
"For an unknown reason, I still don't have a clue why, some guys from the Tekken Force kidnapped me but…"
"WHAT?!" said Miharu interrupting her friend. They had kidnapped her and she was telling her now?! Why would they do that? Oh no! That friend of hers was so clueless sometimes. Miharu understood perfectly the reason…
"Come on, Xiao…That email he sent you, made things completely obvious. Stay away from Heihachi and then having Tekken Force kidnap you. How much time do you need to think and realize that he kidnapped you to lure Jin? And not to mention that even old man Heihachi had noticed this relationship between the two of you." Thought Miharu, with a hint of desperation in her face due to her friend's obliviousness…
"Relax, Haru…As you see, I'm ok, well thanks to a cool, weird guy from the tournament. He saved me."
Miharu, after seeing that her friend wasn't particularly shocked by her kidnapping, decided to let it slide. Well, probably the last thing Xiaoyu cared back then was her kidnapping…
"Since you're ok…So what did you learn?"
Xiaoyu stayed silent for some time. She decided to not mention the topic of why Heihachi wanted dead both son and grandson and, of course, how the last two managed to stay alive, the first one from a fall into the volcano and the other one from a bullet on the head. For both of them responsible was the devil gene…
"You see, Heihachi was very strict with Kazuya and…"
"Who's Kazuya?"
Xiaoyu rolled her eyes. Why did she have to interrupt her again?
"Kazuya Mishima, Jin's «father»" said Xiaoyu making sure Miharu noticed her sarcasm…
"I see…Go on."
Xiaoyu tried to remember what Yoshimitsu said exactly to her. She raised her gaze to meet Miharu's and said…
"One day, grandpa said to Kazuya that if he was really his son he would be able to climb back the cliff where he threw him from."
Miharu was left speechless. The same had happened with Xiaoyu back then. She knew that Heihachi was not an easy person to please, after seeing how strict he was with Jin, but she couldn't believe that he could do such a cruel, despicable thing to his own son? And then the same with Jin?
"He threw him of a cliff?! His own child?! What kind of person is this man?"
Xiaoyu looked at her friend and managed herself up from her laid back position. She didn't know what to say. It was true, at least, from what she knew that Heihachi had been a horrible man but Xiaoyu couldn't bring herself to hate him so suddenly. It wasn't like she was trying to find something to justify these actions of his but she just couldn't hate him. Of course, she would make a big try for Jin's sake, who was from the most important people in her life, but she knew that her conscience wouldn't allow her to. She was still her own person and on the other hand, Heihachi had shown her a different side of his. She didn't know if he was honest but he had awarded her well from the time he took her with him. He tutored her and became her guardian. In the end, she met Jin because of him…
"Xiao?" said Miharu as she nudged her…
"Y-Yes?"
"Will you continue? You know…"
Xiaoyu nodded and went on telling Miharu almost everything. The girl managed to explain at her friend, somehow, why these men hated each other, even though, she didn't say anything about the devil gene. On the other hand, even if she wanted to tell her, she wouldn't be able to since she didn't know much about it. In the end, Miharu said…
"So, how did Jin survive? You didn't say."
"A young guy from the tournament happened to be at the place, where they had set him up and he helped him avoid much serious injuries." She said with a small smile on her face not mentioning that Jin was actually shot in the head…
Miharu was waiting for Xiaoyu to tell her more about what happened between her and Jin and not just about his family. As she saw her being silent she rolled her eyes and said…
"Now, on our subject, I mean what I most care about…How did you see him? Was he ok? Did you talk?"
Xiaoyu wanted to laugh at this. The thing that she managed to see him could be considerate a miracle. She sighed remembering all this and said…
"If we talked, you ask…That was what I was wishing for. I didn't have hopes of learning what exactly happened or if I could manage to bring him back. I couldn't even manage to look him into his eyes."
"Huh?"
"He was wearing like a very huge hoodie jacket and his face was hidden. I only managed to see his mouth."
"And how did you know that he was Jin? You say that you could only see his mouth."
Xiaoyu felt somehow offended by what Miharu said. Did she just dare to underestimate her ability to specify Jin? It was one of the things she was proud of…Her photographic memory. She had in her mind "saved" all of Jin's proportions. Pretty creepy, right? She knew but didn't care.
"Of course I knew! He was biting his lips in the way only "my Jin" did. What am I saying? There's no need for me to even explain myself to you. It was definitely Jin!"
Miharu giggled to Xiaoyu's annoyance…
"Hehe… I believe you. Since it was "your Jin" it's natural for you to be able to recognize him that easily since you lived in the same house, went to school together…umm…"
"Where are you getting at?" said Xiaoyu suspiciously…
"He was. No! He is the guy you love and of course you always dreamed of kissing those lips of his."
"MIHARU!?" said Xiaoyu flustered as she got up…
Miharu stood up as well and fixed her skirt, something, which reminded Xiaoyu to do the same…
"Why are you blushing, Xiao? No, need to hide. It's completely obvious that you love him." She sighed…
"Even Panda knows of it." She said again…
Xiaoyu managed to quiet the blush from her face…
"Seriously now, Miharu. It's not nice to use so freely such important words as "love". I mean that…It's not like I don't…Umm…What I want to say is that towards Jin I feel the same love as I do with you, not the one you perceive."
Miharu looked at her, faking an understanding face expression…
"I get it." She said and looked at the ground…
Xiaoyu sighed in relief and when she tried to lift her bag from the ground, Miharu caught her arm and brought her face closer to Xiaoyu's. The last one looked at her strangely…
"Miharu…What are you…"
"Xiao? Will you kiss me?" said Miharu faking an innocent tone in her voice…
"W-What?" Xiaoyu didn't have a clue of her friend's last words…
She let her arm go and Xiaoyu swallowed hard…
"What's with her?" she thought…
"Come on…Just a light kiss…Here on my lips." Miharu tried to subdue her laugh when she was saying these stupid lines and especially at Xiaoyu's priceless look…
"But we're…And I…"
"Didn't you say that you love Jin and me in the same way?"
"I d-did?"
"So? You must kiss me! Or else you'll be a hypocrite."
"…Ok, then…I'll give you a kiss." Said Xiaoyu with a sigh and started moving towards Miharu…
The last one's eyes widened. That friend of hers was so incredibly stubborn. She smiled and said…
"Let's drop it, Xiao."
"Huh? When I prepared my heart for my first kiss?"
"Exactly, that's what I'm saying. Your very first kiss, which must be with the guy you're in love with…equals Jin."
…
"My sweet dear, Xiao…I'm your best friend. With Jin the way he is and with the way he's going to be from now on, you'll maybe need a shoulder to lean on. And I mean mine."
Xiaoyu didn't say anything else. She didn't have to admit anything on the other hand, since Miharu knew…
"I've admitted to you all the guys I liked so far and you've helped me with them all the time. Do you want me to feel useless? Like I'm not a good friend to you?"
"No, I wasn't intending to make you feel this way!" Xiaoyu took a deep breath… "Ok, ok…I admit…I"
"Hehe…You don't need to admit anything. You're lucky I was the only one, who heard you back then."
"Back where?"
"When we went on that trip last year? On the first night, well I was excited and I couldn't sleep in contrast to you, who were having quite a lot of fun. As many times as I remember it, I still can't stop laughing. You confessed perfectly your love in your sleep. You were all the time…Jin, Jin, Jin and how much you loved him and then again you were smiling, from that one I guessed that you two moved onto the next level, naughty Xiao. Then…"
"I don't remember seeing anything like that!" she said angrily…
Well, maybe Xiaoyu didn't have a dream like that and Miharu had been joking with her or that she really did and couldn't remember it and, of course, her friend didn't know. Miharu had said all that because she wanted to see her reaction and confirmed her thoughts, since her white skin gave away two pink cheeks and her right hand touching gently her heart, which couldn't stop its rapid beats from what she was hearing from Miharu…
"A lot of times we don't remember what we see. It had happened to me a lot of times before."
Xiaoyu stopped her with her hand and this time lowered her body to take her bag from the ground…
"Whatever, I'm not going to continue this conversation since with your stubbornness you're even going to say that I came in this country just for Jin Kazama."
"Now you're overreacting and ok…I'll stop."
"Phew…"
"But say, Xiao, don't you feel better that you let it all out?" said Miharu as she grabbed her bag as well…
"Indeed…And that's because you know that I don't like keeping thoughts inside my mind for a long time…It makes me anxious for some reason."
The two then started laughing…
Miharu took a brief look of the cherry leaves as they were falling around them. It was a scene, which deserved a photograph…
Xiaoyu looked at the school gate and noticed as the last students were walking away…
"Haru, shouldn't we start going? I need to feed Panda, too."
The auburn haired girl took out her cellphone and said as she patted Xiaoyu's shoulder…
"Xiao?"
"Hm?" said the other uninterested…
"Come on, let me get your picture." Said Miharu as she took her position…Xiaoyu placed her hand in front of Miharu's phone's camera and said trying to hide her face…
"No! You know that I don't like taking pictures of me alone. I'm seeing this face in the mirror for the last eighteen years of my life, I don't need to see it in the photographs as well. No thanks! I'm not that kind of narcissist!"
Miharu was left confused. She didn't manage to say a word. Ok, Xiao, you don't need to make such a big deal out of it. She knew on the other hand that her friend preferred taking, mostly, group photos…
"I get it…What about we get one together? The scenery is perfect for a selfie. It shouldn't go to waste, don't you think?"
"A selfie?" asked Xiaoyu raising an eyebrow…
"Yup!" Miharu nodded enthusiastically…
"Fine!" said Xiaoyu… "Where do you want us to take it?"
Miharu walked closer to the tree and said…
"Here…The title will be: The day Ling Xiaoyu poured her heart out under a cherry tree."
"What kind of stupid title is that?!" said Xiaoyu irritated…
"It's perfectly fine." mumbled Miharu as she positioned the camera…
"Whatever you say…"
"Exactly, now give me a warm smile, ok?"
Xiaoyu sighed and proceeded to give the smile her friend asked her to…
Miharu placed her arm around Xiaoyu's shoulder and said before taking the photo…
"Remember the smile…"
"I said ok!"
"Good, since I'm going to upload it later."
"WHAT!?"
CLICK
Miharu took the two photos and showed one of them to her friend. Xiaoyu's eyes widened…
"Are you kidding me? That's only me!" said Xiaoyu as she saw the photo Miharu took. It was only her on it...
"Delete it now that I'm asking nicely. I don't know what I'm gonna do, if you don't!"
Miharu started laughing and said as she looked at the photo…
"Such a shame, Xiao! For an unbelievable reason, you look hot in this. And not to mention that your bosom is quite visible."
Miharu's words made Xiaoyu blush and especially when she said that part of her chest was exposed. She made a move to cover her chest and said…"Stop it and do as I said."
"Hmm…Ok, I'll do it…"
Xiaoyu sighed and said… "Finally…"
The Japanese girl looked at her friend and nodded, she, then, looked at her cellphone once again… "Well…I really think that this picture shouldn't go to waste and by chance it happens for me to have Jin's number. Do you think he uses the same?"
"Say what?! Don't even think about it!"
With that Xiaoyu started trying to get Miharu's phone from her hands and finally delete the photo for good. However, her friend managed to escape and started running to the main gate of the school…
"On the other hand, it won't hurt to try it, right?"
"MIHARU!? Seriously now, please."
Miharu stopped and walked back to Xiaoyu. She showed her her cellphone's screen and said…
"Just kidding! See? I've deleted it. I, only, have the one we took together."
"Tch…" she crossed her arms below her chest…"I see…" she mumbled while looking at the ground…
She touched her friend's shoulders and said… "Sorry, ok? I just teased you. Forgive me?"
Xiaoyu turned her head to face her friend and said…
"Ok…I do…" she smiled and Miharu sighed in relief…
"Thanks…But I still can upload the one we took together, right?"
The other girl nodded and started walking… "You can but seriously now, let's get going."
Miharu caught up with her and linked arms with Xiaoyu…
"Sure!"
…
As they passed the gate, Xiaoyu stopped again and looked suspiciously at Miharu, who had taken out of her bag a lollipop…
"Just to make sure…Having Jin's phone number was a part of your joke, right?"
She swallowed hard and nodded…
"Yeah…But you don't need to show your possessiveness with such a scary face." She said as she started unwrapping her candy…
"Who's possessive?!" said the girl as she snapped her arm away from her friend's…
Miharu stared silently at the girl and after seven seconds, exactly, said as she took her gaze away from Xiaoyu's face to the road…
"You have your answer there."
"You're looking for trouble today, aren't you?!"
