Thanks to all of you who have read the beginning of this fanfiction. And thank you to those who took the time to leave a review.

Again, be lenient with my translation.

Enjoy !

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Chapter II

MISSING YOU

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The bell rang loudly and students packed up their things before getting out of the classroom. Jin was about to pass the door when his teacher called him.

"Kazama-san, can I have a word with you ?"

Though surprised, Jin nodded and came closer to his teacher. Kawasu-sensei was a middle-aged man, teaching biology. He was strict with his students, but equitable. Jin appreciated him for this, but also for his fairness. Most teachers would treat him with respect because he was the grandson of Heihachi Mishima, the owner of the high school. However, Jin hated any preferential treatment.

"I assessed your results in my subject since your arrival," the teacher began. "Hamasaki-sensei, your mathematics teacher, and Akira-sensei, your chemistry teacher, also gave me a review of those that you obtained with them. They are excellent."

Jin thanked him, a little embarrassed.

"If it is not intrusive, may I know what you would like to do after high school?"

"I have not decided yet," Jin confessed. "But… I am very attracted by ecology and nature. If I could… I mean, if there is anything I could do in these areas..."

"I know the head of the department of environmental sciences of the University of Tokyo," the teacher said. "If you're still tempted by studies in this area, I could, with my two other colleagues, send him a letter of recommendation to support your application."

Jin remained stunned a moment before smiling.

"I would be very grateful," he said with a bow.

"You are an excellent student," Kawasu-sensei smiled. "I like to help those who have potential. Besides, who knows? Someday, you will surely become famous for yourself and for what you will achieve, not for to your relationship with Heihachi Mishima…"

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If he had known, Jin thought with bitterness, staring at the black sky. If Kawasu-sensei had known that his words would have become true…

Leaning on the balcony of his room, Jin was staring at the city running under his eyes. He could not sleep. His mind was boiling.

He saw her.

Yesterday afternoon. After keeping an eye on her for so long, he knew she liked to go in this small park. He had gone there incognito. He had watched her read her book. She had not changed much since the last time he had seen her. She had looked lovely in her pale pink dress. He would have loved to go to meet her, sit next to her and act normally, as before. Only, it was impossible.

He had then looked away from her and had decided to leave. But she had looked up and had recognized him. He had heard her calling him and he had ran, because he could not talk to her. Then he had accelerated into a desert street and had vanished quickly.

He had a long sigh and ran a hand through his hair. His cell phone rang and he answered quickly.

"Yes?"

"It is done, Kazama-sama."

"Any resistance ?

"No, we bombed the building and the rebels came out immediately. Some of them died and some civilians were injured. The target has nevertheless managed to escape."

"It's okay, interrogate his men and continue the research."

"Understood, Kazama-sama."

He hung up, sighing again heavily. Sometimes, he really wondered about the validity of his actions. He was disgusted by all that. But he would eventually admit to himself that he had no other choices.

Since he had declared the independence of the Mishima nation, only forty countries had refused to be subjected to his yoke. He had thus entered into war against them. A war he watched from afar, leaving Eddy Gordo choreographing his troops and the Tekken Force to act.

The only snag was the rebels rallying to counter him, under the authority of his former captain. He had not expected his desertion and this news had hit him like a punch. Although his troops were ubiquitous, they would not always manage to dismantle the resisters networks. Bombings had occurred many times in Tokyo.

Soon, all this would be over. Soon, this nightmare would end and everything would be like before.

Like before…

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He was in the refectory and was unpacking the bento he had bought on his way to high school.

Seated alone at a table, he could hear the whispers around him and feel the gazes on him. He tried to ignore it. He knew that his relationship with Heihachi Mishima, the owner of the high school, had generated a lot of gossips and jealousy among the students who saw it as a privileged person.

Girls, on the contrary, seemed to fancy him, even if he did not really understand why. Maybe because he was taller and a bit more muscular than other boys of high school. Or rather because his grandfather was one of the richest men in the world…

Looking up, he recognized, at the bottom of the room, the girl with whom he had trained a few days earlier. Xiaoyu. He watched her moving forward in the crowded room, vainly seeking a free chair. Everybody refused that she sit at their table and she looked hurt at each refusal.

Jin was amazed that she had no friends. She looked nice though, and she was smiling all the time. In general, students loved when a new girl arrived because they could ask her about her former institution, former town and make her discover the capital.

"Bloody Chinese !' someone cried with a loud voice. "Go back to your country !"

She turned to face him, shocked. Several students burst out laughing and they threw her the same insult in her face. Jin felt his blood boiling in his veins. He knew that some teens were stupid, but he had no idea that they could be racist as well.

His mother had told him that nationalism was very present in Japan, but he would have never thought that boys and girls of his age could think this way. This high school was private and the majority of its students came from well-off families, they nevertheless were all Japanese.

Xiaoyu seemed on the verge of tears.

He rose from his chair and approached her. The noise of his chair falling on the floor stopped the jeers and soon the room was totally silent. Everyone held his breath, waiting to see if the grandson of Heihachi Mishima was also about to make her miserable in public. When he arrived before her, he gently took the tray of her shaking hands.

"There's a free chair at my table," he said in a gentle voice.

And he turned around while she followed him without a word. He put her tray in front of her and pulled up her chair. She sat down, still silent, her head low. He sat too and started eating his meal. The conversations soon resumed and tension fell back.

He felt strangely proud of himself. He was not like them; he had done the right thing.

When he raised his head, he saw the young girl discreetly wiping her eyes and cheeks, her face turned to the wall, before facing him. Her eyes were red but filled with gratitude.

"Thank you," she whispered.

In response, he took a French fry from her plate, smiling.

Ever since this day, no one had ever insulted Xiaoyu …

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Two weeks went by too fast to Xiaoyu's taste.

With her classes and her work, she did not see time passing. One night, as she was getting back home from a walk with Panda, an explosion had occurred, very close to them. Xiaoyu, by reflex, had thrown herself to the ground behind a car. A building had been partially destroyed by rocket shots from a military helicopter, and hunks of concrete of the size of boulders had invaded the streets. The Tekken Force soldiers had arisen from nowhere, taking control of the disaster area, prior to rushing into the building and coming out with several prisoners.

When she rose, still shaking, the young woman had seen Panda lying on the ground, with a bloody paw, moaning miserably. After having immediately taken her to a veterinarian who had found a broken paw, she had been taking care of her with concern for days, and had completely forgotten about the reception.

It was Miharu who reminded her about it during one of their ballads in her favorite park.

"We should go shopping tomorrow," she said, writing a message on her cell phone.

"Shopping? Why?" Xiaoyu asked.

Miharu stared at her with baleful eyes.

"Don't tell me you're attending the reception tomorrow night with your rags!"

Xiaoyu was about to reply sharply when her mind recorded the information. Reception... Reception. Reception means Jin. Her eyes grew wide and she slapped her hand on her mouth.

"OH NO! I totally forgot!"

"Well, lucky you: I'm here !"

"What am I gonna do? I have nothing to wear!" she cried, grabbing her friend's shoulders.

"Eh! Calm down! I've never been to a reception but I have a pretty good idea of the perfect outfit. Tomorrow I'll take you shopping and we'll find what you need, don't worry."

Xiaoyu did not reply and shifted her gaze. She went to sit on a bench and rested her chin on her bended knees. Her friend followed her and sat close to her.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid. It's been so long since I last saw him. I'm afraid I'm fooling myself. He's always considered me as a kid. I'm scared he would make fun of me…"

"That's an insult to my skills," Miharu smiled. "Seriously, Xiao, you have nothing to lose. Go and have fun. If he remains indifferent, well, too bad for him. There'll be plenty of people at this party that you like and who like you too. "

"You're right…"

But deep down, she could not help but being worried.

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Jin watched with distracted eyes his employees that were busy decorating the reception room of the Mishima Manor. He had left it to Eddy Gordo to oversee all of the preparation of the evening and he seemed to enjoy it more than being part of military operations.

Next to him, Nina Williams, fully dressed in black, was checking the list of the fighters. She hesitated, a burning question on her lips.

"Are you sure that accepting the candidacy of Ling Xiaoyu was a good idea?" she eventually asked.

"Refusing it would have aroused her suspicion."

"She's tried several times to contact you."

"I know."

"And she's coming tonight…"

"Turn to the fact," he ordered in an icy voice.

"I'm afraid she could thwart your plans."

"Why?"

"Whatever you want people to believe, I know you care about her. She could discover your motivations and try to prevent you from completing your… projects."

"To do so, she would have to know what my projects are in the first place. You and I are the only ones aware of it. There is no risk," he assured her with a soothing voice.

Nina noticed that he had not tried to deny his attachment to the young woman. She sighed and took her cell phone from her pocket before going on.

"G Corporation has put a price on your head. Apparently, Kazuya took control of it and has a large army of Jack at his disposal."

Like every time, Jin stiffened imperceptibly at hearing the hated name.

"He confirmed his presence at the tournament a little while ago, as you thought," she added.

"If he wants to kill me, it will be directly in singular combat. I'm starting to understand the way he thinks. He is not a coward."

He made a break.

"Speaking of coward, any news about Heihachi?"

"None for now. I order to broaden the scope of research."

"It is useless. Make a list of the fighters having any link with him and put them under high surveillance. He may come back during the tournament."

"Right. I also have to tell you that the Europeans are secretly gathering their nuclear weapons. They might attempt an attack against the headquarters of the Mishima Zaibatsu very soon."

"Make Russia intervene. They agreed to join us but this has not been disclosed. They can thus use the surprise effect. Provide them with all the weapons they need, but keep them under control. Given their strategic position, they will just have to bomb the European territory once to prevent a possible attack."

"Right."

She was about to get out when she froze, frowning, as if she was trying to remember something, then she turned to her boss. Jin looked at her, with raised eyebrows.

"If my memories are accurate," she began, "this Xiaoyu was Heihachi's ward when he brought her from China. Do I put her on the list?"

"No."

The answer cracked, dry as a whiplash. Nina bowed her head and left the room.

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Xiaoyu was relaxing in a warm bath.

Her day had been exhausting. Miharu and she had walked almost all the streets of the capital in search of THE shop. They had tried on lots of dresses and accessories. After founding what was appropriate for them, they had had tea with pastries to relax a little and had chatted and joked all the time. This outing was a great moment that had made them forget, for a while, the war and the upcoming martial arts tournament.

If she had to be honest with herself, Xiaoyu had to admit that she was stressed out. She apprehended to meet Jin and talk to him. She came out of the bathtub and put on a thick and soft bathrobe. After wrapping her wet hair in a towel, she took a nail clipper and began to carve out. Satisfied, she filed it and applied some clear top coat.

She looked at the clock. She still had an hour and a half left.

When her nails were dry, she took her hair dryer and carefully dried her hair. To her great disappointment, it remained desperately flat and stiff.

Plan B, she thought.

She curled her hair with the curling iron that Miharu had lent her and spread some camellia oil to make it shine, a secret that her mother had entrusted her when she was younger. She lightly brushed the rigid curls to relax it and went to her room.

Rubbing her arms, she grabbed a bottle of perfumed cream and put it on her body, massaging her dry skin. When she was satisfied, she put on underwear and the dress that Miharu had helped to choose. It fitted perfectly, neither too large nor too tight.

The shoes that her friend had also forced her to buy were in their box. She brought them out and sighed in despair. Lifting her head, she stared at her reflection in the mirror, smoothing out the folds of her dress.

She looked older, which pleased her, but she was not used wearing high heels. Moving her fingers in her shoulder-length hair, she brought it on one side and left it cascading in black curls on her right shoulder, leaving the other free.

Miharu had showed her how to apply make-up on her eyes before plunking on her couch. She therefore tried to reproduce her teachings and succeeded quite well, to her own astonishment. Fluttering her eyelashes, she examined herself from any angle and made a terrible grimace before smiling widely.

Her jewelry box was open, she took out two long pendants which seemed to be made in diamonds, but she had bought it in the 100 yen Shop below her building. She grabbed her purse in which she slipped her cell phone, key and some money.

She came out of her room and went to join her friend who was watching TV series, gently caressing Panda's head resting on her thighs. She had agreed to look after the animal during the absence of Xiaoyu, which had reassured the young woman.

Miharu lifted her head when she saw her friend timidly coming out of her bedroom. A big smile curved her lips.

"I'm a genius," she said proudly.

"You were supposed to say I was beautiful," Xiaoyu answer ironically.

"Also, but a little auto congratulation doesn't hurt! I think I should give up university and become a stylist."

"Are you done?"

"I think I am! Seriously, Xiao, you're lovely," she assured her with a sincere smile.

"Am I?"

"Of course! Come here!"

She took her hands and made her sat close to her.

"You shouldn't feel uncomfortable," she said. "This dress and makeup only highlight your beauty ; it doesn't transform you into someone else. You're the same, you're just a little more sophisticated than usual. And tonight you'll show Jin another side of you. If he's too stupid to see further than the end of his nose, then forget about him !"

"Hum…"

"No hum!"

There were suddenly three knocks at the door and they jumped. While moving to the entry, Xiaoyu asked herself who that could be. She had her answer when she saw a man on the porch. He was tall and muscular, with clear chestnut hair which formed a complex hairstyle. He was wearing a gleaming black tuxedo and black bow tie. His gaze was sweet and he was smiling.

"Ling Xiaoyu?"

"Er… Yes…"

"Good evening," he said in tilting, "I'm Lars Alexandersson. I'm charged to accompany you at the reception hosted by the Mishima Zaibatsu."

"Oh… I didn't know I was going to be…"

"It is an order coming directly from Jin Kazama."

It nailed the beak of the girl who did not know what to think. Miharu gave her a bawdy look and Xiaoyu went back to the man facing her. He seemed nice and trustworthy. She regained her composure and smiled at him.

"Okay, I'm following you."

"You should take a warm garment," Lars advised her. "The nights are cold and it would be a pity that you get ill before the start of the tournament."

"On the contrary, a lot of people wouldn't mind," Xiaoyu retorted with a smile.

The man broke out laughing and Xiaoyu took advantage of this to go to her wardrobe, take out a black trench and put it on quickly.

"My,my… Who knew how very thoughtful that Jin could be?" Miharu said with a knowing voice.

"Shut up!" Xiaoyu panicked, for fear that Lars might hear them.

"Eh! Excellent choice with that trench! Sober, classy and timeless! You're getting better!"

Rolling her eyes, she kissed her, wished her a good evening and went out of her studio after fondling Panda's head. She closed the door and followed the man downstairs.

"Am I the only one having a particular driver?"

"I think you are. I've not heard other participants were to be accompanied."

"Oh. I am privileged then?"

"Seems like you are," Lars said with a smile.

When they came out, Xiaoyu overviewed a superb and gleaming black sedan parked before the building. Lars opened the door and she dived into it. He took place too and drove off quickly. Buildings were passing before her eyes and the young woman felt her stress rise. She exhorted herself to breathe deeply and calmly.

"You seem worried," Lars noticed.

"Yes, I always am when I'm attending a reception."

"It's not as terrible as it seems, you know," he said with a reassuring smile. "Just people chatting, eating and drinking."

"Yes, it should not be too complicated," she admitted with a laugh. "I'm especially hoping that I put on the correct outfit for this kind of evening."

The man glanced at her in the rearview mirror and went back to the road.

"From what I saw earlier, you don't have worry about your clothes. And I've heard that you've taken part in the previous tournaments, so you'll see people you're acquainted with."

"This is precisely what's making me nervous," she said sotto voce.

He remained silent, and she thought he had not heard her, but he resumed:

"Is it the prospect of seeing Jin Kazama that is scaring you ?"

Xiaoyu felt like she had received a blow to the stomach and she felt her face fading. How the hell could he know? Was it written on her forehead?

"What makes you think that ?" she asked to try to hide her disorder.

"Well, I've heard that the two of you went to the same high school and you were both involved in the same tournaments. I've even been told that you were friends. But since he has become CEO of the Mishima Zaibatsu, you must have been… surprised by his recent actions and statements."

"Surprised is a euphemism," she answered, looking away.

"I agree with you, you know."

"Really ? I thought that the people working for him had to adhere to his ideas, under penalty of death."

Lars broke out laughing.

"This is true. Let's say it's our secret," he added with a wink.

Xiaoyu smiled, but her concern did not disappear. They remained silent for a moment before she talked again, while at a stoplight.

"Do you know why he's doing this ?" she asked in a small voice.

Her companion turned to watch her, frowning.

"This war, those bombings…" she explained.

"'I thought you could tell me."

It was her turn to frown.

"Me? How should I know?"

"Aren't you two friends?"

"I don't know," she replied while looking through the window. "I don't know anymore…It's been so long…I feel like I don't know him anymore…"

He stared at her, frowning, as if he wanted to read her mind.

"It's green," the young woman said.

"Sorry?"

"The green light."

He turned and resumed the operation of the vehicle. They stayed silent during the rest of the journey. Xiaoyu regretted revealing so much to this man whom she did not know. He did not have the type profile of an employee of the Mishima Zaibatsu. He was friendly, nice and easily put in confidence. The opposite of what she expected.

After a while, she noticed that they were approaching a huge portal, guarded by about twenty soldiers armed to the teeth. The car slows and a soldier approached Lars's door. He lowered the window.

"I'm accompanying Ling Xiaoyu."

The soldier stared at him for a moment, then nodded and made a sign to his colleagues. They opened the portal and the car went forward.

The Mishima Manor stood at the end of the alley covered of gravel, huge and imposing building, entirely made of dark stone. Two helicopters were flying over it and Xiaoyu felt her heartbeat speed up. Her hands began to shake slightly and she gripped her purse to calm her tremors. The car stopped finally to the porch where several butlers were waiting. A blood-red carpet covered the white marble staircase leading to the entrance of the mansion.

"Well, I wish you a good evening, Ling-san," said Lars turning to face her.

"Thank you but… You're not attending the reception?"

"No," he replied, smiling. "I have a lot of work waiting for me. But say hello to Jin Kazama."

"If I see him, I will," she said with a green smile.

One of the butlers opened the door to let her out.

"See you soon, and thank you again," she said.

"You're welcome. We will meet again soon," he assured her.

She frowned but left without replying. The car started off and quickly departed.

"If you please, follow me," the butler asked her.

She followed him to the entrance. Her heart was pounding, but she forced herself to move. During a brief moment, she considered turning and flee. But she eventually collected all her courage and marched in the building…

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TBC...