Never denied, Never agreed
It had been one week since the tournament started, and two weeks since Ling last saw Jin. She didn't regret listening to his wishes to not speak to him. It just hurt knowing that her friend, who had been gone for two years, is back...but she couldn't be with him. She regretted nothing.
"Ling!"
She turned to her friend, Mei Hanao, who was sitting in the driver's seat. "What?"
"You said your unbearably hot friend will be at the fight today, right?" Mei signaled to turn.
"Yah."
"Where will we meet him?"
"We're not; he's one of the fighters."
Today was the Marshal Law vs. Jin Kazama fight. Once the tournament started the news of Jin's return went public. Also, rumors of Kazuya Mishima's comeback were proven true. It was a frightening concept: grandfather, father and son in the same town. And by the means of how that family operates...Ling Xiaoyu knew those three together wasn't very good.
"Your hot friend is Jin Kazama!" Mei exclaimed. "I remember him! You two were inseparable back in the day!"
"Yah," Ling sighed heavily.
"And you used to live with him! I'm surprised you didn't try to go out with him," Mei admitted. "If I were you, I'd shag with him ASAP!"
Ling's eyes widened and she slammed her palms on her lap. "Mei! You have Makoto!"
Her friend snapped her fingers. "You're right. Oh, darn. That's ok; he's your man."
"Our relationship isn't like that. He's my friend, not my man."
"But you want more?" Mei asked.
"I never said that!"
"You never denied it."
Ten seconds passed.
"You want him," Mei smiled.
"No I don't," Ling denied.
"Yes you do."
"No I don't."
Yes you do."
"No I don't."
And it continued on as Mei drove to the stadium.
He was surprised but he would never dare let it show. He heard there was a fight today, so for the sake of feeding his boredom, he came to watch. But never in a million years did he suspect this. Fans, young and old, crowded the stadium seats, watching the fighter that surprised him so: Jin Kazama. It took him off-guard to see this young man has the same last name as his former lover. The young man's physique showed he was powerful. Looking at the fighter was like looking at a mirror. His forehead creased and his eyes narrowed from under his black shades. The fighter and he had the same hairstyle for christ's sake! Fate was truly cruel: Jin Kazama...Kazama...
He turned on his heels and began to walk away, followed by his assistant.
Ling and Mei hurried to the second gate, hoping that they didn't miss the fight. Ling spotted a figure walking out of another entrance. A smile automatically appeared on her face. "Jin!" she yelled. She ran up to the man and grabbed him by the arm. "Jin, I thought--."
The man turned. His complexion was tan and he stared at her from under his dark sunglasses. He wore a purple collared shirt with a black coat and same colored boots and pants. His black hair was spiked at a point on the crown of his head. An eyebrow arched and his expression was a cross between puzzle and anger.
Ling took her hand back, a shudder running down her spine. "I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else..." she turned and ran. Her heart pounded in her chest. She never thought she would run into him of all people.
He titled his head slightly towards his assistant. "Saburo-san, who is that?" He recognized the girl from Heihachi's mansion, cleaning a motorcycle.
"I don't know Sir," he answered honestly.
"Find out," he ordered as he continued to walk.
"Yes, Mishima-sama."
School bell rang and Ling couldn't be any happier. Tomorrow was her first fight and she was completely psyched. Ling finished packing her book bag and left the locker area. She saw her friends leaving and waved goodbye. As she exited the locker area, a man in a black suit approached her. "Excuse me, Xiaoyu-sama, but Mishima-sama's limo is waiting for you."
She nodded. "Ok." She found it a bit odd that Heihachi-san would pick her up.
Ling was escorted to a limo that was parked outside the school. The man opened the door and she hopped inside. "What's up Heihachi-san?"
The limo door closed and locked. "I'm not Heihachi," came a voice from one of the side seats.
Ling's face went pale and her strength fell to her feet. With her eyes glued on him, she jumped to the door, pushing at it. She pulled the handle and pounded hard. "Let me out!" she exclaimed.
He turned to the driver's window. "Drive," he told him. He turned to Ling. "I just need to ask you some questions, Xiaoyu," he said, pulling off his sunglasses.
Ling gulped as she saw the man's red glowing eye. "AAGGHH!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. "Let me out, let me out!"
"Ok, I'll put them back on," he slipped on his sunglasses, concealing his eyes. He watched her continue to pound on the door as she screamed. "How long are you going to scream?" he winced.
She groped the door, trying to find a way for the cursed thing to open. "Let me out! Let me out! I didn't do anything! Please--!"
"Will you please..." he said, massaging his temples.
"I don't wanna die!"
"Xiaoyu, if you don't mind..."
"HELP!" she started slamming on the moon roof.
"SHUT UP!" he exclaimed.
Ling shuddered and sank in her seat. She was shaking from fear and he noticed her panic state. "Xiaoyu, I want to answer some questions."
She tried to calm her hyperventilation.
"Now, do you live with my father?"
She nodded.
"So you know who I am?"
She nodded again. "Y-you're Kazuya Mishima."
"And you know who Jin Kazama is?"
Ling gulped. "Y...yes."
"You and he live with the old man?"
Ling took a deep breath. "No. He doesn't live with us anymore."
"Anymore?"
"I moved in a little over 2 years ago. Jin was there since he was 15," Ling's voice shook and she tried to maintain all sense of composure. "But...he left when he was 19 and ...so, yah..." she ended.
"You're friendly with him," Kazuya stated. That wasn't a question.
"We...we don't talk much, Sir. We...we knew each other a while back but...that was a long time ago."
"I see..." he said. "What do you know about his life before you met him?" his finger and thumb touching his chin.
Her eyes turned to the window, face forward. "N-not much. H-he was raised by his mom but she died when he was 15. Then, he came to Heihachi-san." She watched Kazuya's hand slowly fall on his lap.
Kazuya stared at her in silence. It made Ling very uncomfortable and tense. "Well, I guess I must speak with my father, then." He turned to the driver. "Stop the car." When it did, he continued. "But before I do..." he got off his seat and approached her.
Ling sank in the corner of the seat and door, screaming again. She started pulling on the handle, pounding on the door. Her heart raced, not knowing what the evil Kazuya Mishima was up to. She tried her best to cower away from him. He extended his hand to her...
...and flicked a switch on the door handle. "Have a good day, Xiaoyu."
Ling looked at the now unlocked door. An embarrassing chill ran over her. "Right. I knew that." Like the speed of light, she scrambled out of the limo. Kazuya closed the door shut and the limo took off. Luckily, they had stopped in the business district, in front of a cafe shop. Praise to Kami-sama that he didn't murder her right then and there. Ling decided to go inside. She bought herself a cup of tea to soothe her nerves. She just had an encounter with Kazuya Mishima. She had to tell Jin.
Jin placed a flower down on the grass, in front of a large pile of rubble. A house once stood there, but now it was a heap of wood and cement blocks. His cell phone rang, breaking the silence. He took it out of his pocket and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Jin, it's me."
"Ling..." His voice seemed unsure, almost regretful. "Um..."
"I know you don't want to talk to me but I wouldn't have called you unless it was 100% important."
Ling's voice was shaky and Jin could hear it through the cell phone. "Ling, are you ok?"
"Will you meet me at Mari's Cafe now?" she requested.
He nodded. "Sure. I'll be there in a few minutes." He closed his phone shut and turned to the flower. "Mom, I have to see what's up. It sounds like Ling needs me. I'll be back soon." He turned and left.
Ling sat at a table near the window. She looked up and saw a familiar green sedan pull up near the cafe. She was Jin get out of his car, locked the doors and headed inside. He opened the door, scanned the room once and immediately saw her. He took the seat across her. "What's wrong?" he asked.
Ling took a sip of her tea. "Why? Is it a problem to just see you?" she laughed nervously.
"You're drinking tea and you're shaking," he said, holding her hand up by the wrist. Her fingers were wiggling as if they had a mind of their own.
"I... I saw your father," she said.
Jin put her wrist down. "You did?" She nodded. "How...how is he?" he reluctantly asked.
"Unbearably scary."
"That intimidating?"
" I was about to pee in my pants," she admitted. "You know, you look a lot like him," she said, tilting her head.
Jin lifted his eyebrow. "Thanks," he said, his response dripping with sarcasm.
"Sorry. I know that's not exactly something you wanna hear." Ling took another sip. "He was asking information about you."
Another eyebrow rose. "Why?" She shrugged. He sighed. "So, Kazuya must know about me." He took the mug from her and sipped a little. Jin made a face. "You really are tense; there's a lot of sugar in there. Was it that scary?"
"The guy has a red eye! What do you expect?" she exclaimed. "Anyway, he wants to talk about you with Heihachi-san."
Jin sat back in his chair. "I really didn't want you involved in this."
"I live with Heihachi-san. It's bound to happen." She chugged the last bit of her tea. "Excuse me," she said to a passing waitress. "Can I have a New York style cheesecake and decaf coffee?"
"Sure," the waitress said. She turned to Jin. "And for you Sir?"
"No thank you," he said as he looked up at her. The waitress turned and walked away. Jin returned his attention to Ling. "What?"
She was giving him a disapproving look. "You were checking her out."
"Was not."
"Was so."
"You sure got a wild imagination."
Ling was slightly jealous, she had to admit...only to herself, of course. The waitress soon returned with the order. "Jin, do you wish things were different?"
He shrugged. "It would be nice. My mom would be alive, we'd live in the forest--."
"Or with your father," she suggested.
His eyes turned away. "Maybe." He took a piece of her cheesecake, a scowl painted on his face.
Ling noticed it. She didn't like it when Jin was troubled. It was time to alter the subject. "Do you think we would have dated?" she abruptly asked.
Jin almost choked. "What?!"
"If we met under different circumstances, do you think we could've met and fell in love?"
Puzzlement was painted on his face. "We might have not even met."
"Well, at least you know one good thing in your life," she said as she poured two small cups of creamer in her coffee.
"That would be?"
"Me." She poured in two packs of sugar.
"Why?"
"Because you love me, remember?"
Jin's face dropped. "What?"
"You love me," she said at a slower pace.
"Since when did I say that?"
"You never denied it."
"I never agreed to it."
She tasted her coffee, then added another pack of sugar. "I can see it in your eyes," she said, dreamily.
Jin leaned in and took another bit of her cheesecake. "I better go. You do have a ride home right?"
She nodded. "Sato's picking me up in an hour."
"Oh." His face fell slightly.
"Yah. By the way, we broke up."
"Oh?" his eyes turned to her.
"Yup." She stirred her coffee. "It wouldn't have worked out."
"Well, that's good to hear," he said quickly. When she looked up at him, he coughed. "Um, I was talking with my mom when you called so I better go back."
Ling sipped her coffee. "Tell her I said 'Hi'."
"Ok," Jin rose to his feet. "Remember Ling: be careful, ok? I don't want you hurt."
"See? I told you that you love me," Ling casually slipped a piece of cheesecake in her mouth.
Jin rolled his eyes, a smirk on his face. "Bye Ling." He headed to the door.
"Hey Jin!"
He held the door open and froze. He looked over to her.
Ling smiled at him. "I love you too."
Jin let it sink in for a second, then smiled. He left the cafe.
Ling put her elbow on the table, chin in her palm. It was almost like old times, she thought. Not quite but almost... He smiled at her. Jin still had that breathtaking smile.
Meanwhile, Jin made his way to the remains of his old house, where he grew up. "Sorry about that, Mom. I had to talk to Ling. She's..."
He recalled that little episode in the cafe.
"I told you that you love me...Hey Jin!...I love you too..."
A soft chuckle escaped Jin's lips. "She's something alright."
...el fin
Author's note: Finished! Oh my god, it had been forever since I have written Tekken! I was at a Tekken creative slump but thanks to Cherie Dee, I was able to write this. Muchas gracias! I hope you all enjoyed this fic.