A/N: Thank you so much for your continued support while I write! I love reading everyone's reviews and thoughts on the story! I'm glad you're liking it so far!

Disclaimer: Characters are owned by Namco/Bandai

Over the past few days Jin had struggled with himself over if he should continue to pursue Xiaoyu or not. It had been a long struggle, calls never being answered, e-mails that were never replied to. He sat at the edge of his bed, running his fingers through raven black strands of hair, wondering just why she wouldn't come see him. Jin had usually tried pushing her away when she did come chasing after him, and it was all for this illusion that he was putting her in danger, that if she were around him, she would be miserable. Now, he had seen her happy, he had seen her standing there at the side of that other man, and smiling, and now, Jin was beginning to see how miserable he had become. Everyone and everything seemed to change around him. The Mishima Zaibatsu had been less heard of, as if it were destroyed from the inside, wiping itself off the face of the earth, though Jin believed someone had to had acquired it. It was rumored that his Uncle, Lars, had taken over and tried to undo the damage that was already done by Jin's own hands. G-Corp went silent, probably into hiding though it was rumored that the Zaibatsu had overcome them and destroyed all they worked on, and the disappearance of Kazuya and Heihachi went announced.

It was unlikely they were dead, however, what did happen Jin could only guess, right now he saw nor heard any word about them. Hworang opened a dojo with Baek, the two of them working together in Japan helping kids learn the traditions of their martial arts. Jin hadn't said word to his old rival, he didn't make contact with him, but he could see how much he had changed and actually grown up. He was focused, he had purpose, there was nothing else to hold him back in life.

'It appears that everyone's happier now that you're not around,' a voice that was dark and sinister sounding echoed through his head. Jin turned to look left and right, seeing no one in sight, his eyes were sharp, expecting to see someone there, someone ready to attack him. Jin's fist tightened at his side, waiting and ready. 'Don't waste you're time looking for me, you know where I am.' Jin turned to his side, moving quickly and saw a figure wearing a black hoodie with the hood up and black and white track pants. The figure looked down, a shadow casting on it's face, only showing cold and uncaring eyes. They pierced through Jin like daggers, before he lift his face up and looked over at the startled Jin.

"Who...are you?!" Jin demanded an answer from the one who stood in front of him, arms crossed under his chest and grinning mockingly at him. The figure only laughed, taking a step closer to Jin.

'You insult me Jin, how can you not remember me? Maybe you don't want to, but surely you know who I am, after all...' He removed the hood from him, showing off his face, the face which made Jin cold as stone. He was looking into the eyes of what haunted him all this time. 'I am the one you looked in the mirror, cursing under your breath. I am the one who caused the world to go at war, to awaken Azael. I am the one who pushed everything you love out of the way to selfishly claim what is best for everyone. I believe I can take credit for telling Xiaoyu that I never cared for her...or shall I say...we?' Jin stared with disbelief in his eyes, panting and feeling his body shiver at the sight of what was before him. It was himself, though what he had seen just, did not look as he would imagine himself to look, this looked more like a monster to him. This was the side of Jin that he hated, the side of him that was cold and calculating, uncaring about others as long as he got what he needed. 'That's right, I am you. Everything you see now, is because of me, because of your cold hearted ways, the things you made me say and do, you only brought me into a more corporeal form and you have no one else to blame but yourself.'

"NO!" Jin screamed, thrusting his arm out forward and hit nothing. His fist connected with nothing but the air around him, casting him into silence, swearing he was going mad. There was no one there, it was as if he had not seen anything at all, or anyone. Maybe his conscience was getting the best of him, or maybe he was going insane. Jin had become cold, he was uncaring and had been a jerk to the one person who meant more to him than his own life. He crashed into the wall, hands smacking against it, forcing himself to keep elevated, gripping terms with himself. He deserved her hate, all of it, and yet he could not allow it to go so soon. Jin wanted to believe there was some reconciliation for his sins, that there was something that could save him from this hell of being alone for eternity. Maybe there was a reason he lived through it all, to return back here for some reason. Either way, he knew he just had to see her once, to get an answer, to get out an apology to her, so even if she did reject him, he could at least tell her such. Jin sent out one last e-mail to her, it was his last chance, his last hope to try and talk to the girl he had wronged so badly.


"I don't understand you at all, you waited for this moment for so long, and now you're rejecting it!" An exaggerated Miharu flung her arms up in the air, pacing back and forth, trying to come to grips with what was being said by her best friend. She was breathing heavily, this was effecting her directly, seeing her friend suffer like this. "Please tell me you've just jumped off the deep end here and you need my help to bring you back to shore." Miharu turned to look at Xiaoyu in the face, noticing the distraught gaze in her eyes as she cast them down, staring at her feet that swung back and forth just above the ground on the swing she sat at. Miharu sat beside her, gripping the chains with her hand, swaying back and forth slowly while keeping her eyes up at the sky. "Maybe we should get some icecream hmm?"

"I can't," Xiaoyu mumbled under her breath, eyes continued to stare at her shoes and the ground.

"Why not? You love going out to get sweets." Miharu added.

"I'm going out with Shinji later on tonight... he planned to take me into the city."

"Oh," Miharu said with a defeated sigh, her gaze shifting back towards the street across from them. "Hey Xiao, can you answer something to me and be honest ok?" Miharu usually knew that Xiaoyu was an honest person, she never kept many secrets, and even the ones she did, she didn't keep from her for long. She turned to look at Xiaoyu, offering a smile, but Xiao just nodded, uttering some kind of noise that seemed to be accepting the request. "Are...you happy with Shinji?" There was silence the moment she asked such a question, expecting something horrible to come of it. However, nothing did, in fact, Xiaoyu stayed silent for the most part. Finally, she stood up, brushing off her skirt and looked to Miharu with a smile.

"What kind of question is that silly? Shinji has been really nice to me, he's done a lot for me and...he's been there for me when I needed him." She never answered the question, averting it completely, looking down to her phone. "Eek! I've got to go or I'll be late! I'll see you later ok Mi, I'll be sure to text you all about how the date went!" Xiaoyu smiled and ran off in the opposite direction. She continued to run, not looking back, daring not to turn back at all. Her heart raced in her chest, pounding and storming against her ribcage with such vigor, believing she would fall flat on her face with how she ran. She wasn't sure where she was going, she hadn't paid attention, realizing that her apartment was the opposite way, Xiaoyu just continued to run as fast as her feet would carry her.

*Later*

Twisting and turning the bracelet on her arm, fixing her pigtails, Xiaoyu did her best to add the finishing touches to her clothes. The nights could get a bit cool, so she went with a longer pink dress and a white jacket over it. Xiaoyu's eyes wandered over to her laptop that sat on the desk, then held her purse tightly against her. She was nervous about tonight, so many mixed emotions swam through her and she just didn't know what to think anymore. There was a buzz from the intercom, alerting her that her date was there. She brushed out her hair one last time, inhaling deeply and exhaling.

The night was special, walking around with Shinji, forgetting about the things that stressed her out, however, standing beside him, she felt somewhat out of place. He seemed to be having a blast, laughing and taking her hand, the two of them running about without a care, and though Xiaoyu seemed to be laughing and having fun, her eyes just seemed to betray such things. It was easy to tell that there was a lot on her mind, many things that could not be said. Why couldn't this be perfect? All of this felt like it was a delusion, just a trick of the mind to keep her heart safe from the hurt she felt. Despite the many things they did together, Xiaoyu wished that she could just admit that she was happy, that she was enjoying her time with Shinji. It didn't matter however, as long as she was there beside him, she could go on like this forever, she could continue to stay at his side as they write their own love song.

"Xiaoyu, I've...wanted to say something very important to you that's been on my mind for so long." Shinji said, taking Xiaoyu to a spot which meant a lot to him. The central park in downtown Tokyo was a place that many people went to together, couples especially this time of year. Xiaoyu swallowed hard, her breathing heavy, eyes shifting away from his own as he took hold of her hands in his own, his thumbs caressing the backs of her hand. "This is the spot I met you at, when I found you all alone, upset about your friend who passed away. You never told me who they were, but, I know they were close to you. This was the spot you changed my whole life at, talking to me, confiding in me. You know, it's funny, I really liked you a lot in school, but you seemed to have your head in the clouds with some other guy." Shinji scratched the back of his head, blushing hard while he confessed all these things. Xiaoyu shook under herself, closing her eyes as he continued to speak. Why...didn't he seem to understand anything? Why didn't she understand anything?

"Shinji...I-"

"I love you Xiao," he said, his voice soft, honest, and full of care and concern. Those words, those simple four words she had longed to hear, to have spoken to her. Tears stung her eyes, she breathed heavier, shaking against herself. She could taste the saltiness of each droplet as it rolled down her cheeks, touching her lips and strolled down her chin before each tear fell to the ground below.

"Don't...say that!" She whimpered, covering her ears with her fingers, "don't say such things if they aren't true!"

"It is true Xiaoyu!" Shinji protested, reaching over and held her hands, he was so gentle with her, so caring and warm. Xiaoyu turned her head away from him, and he could see that she was crying. Shinji believed that she must have loved him back, and leaned in gently with his fingers tilting her head to the side, red splashed across his face from how badly he was blushing. Xiaoyu stood there, waiting...nervously expecting his kiss.

'No! This...this is wrong! Why is he staying here after all this?! Doesn't...he see me?!' Thoughts plagued her mind at a thousand miles an hour, racing fast along her brain, shocking her body before their lips ever met as she tugged herself away. He looked shocked, hurt almost, but mainly shocked. She didn't know what she wanted at this point in time, but believed now was a better chance for her to get some rest. She reached over, and set his hands at his side, looking up at him with a broken smile, but a smile none the less.

"I should...go home now. I'm sorry, please don't take it personally, I just...I've been through...I just feel really tired." She heaved a heavy sigh, looking away, turning her eyes from him. "If you hate me I understand."

"I could never hate you," he said with a victorious smile, kissing her forehead before brushing her shoulder softly. "We'll meet again soon ok?" She gave a nod and a polite wave, bowing her head to excuse herself before leaving off, allowing Shinji to walk the other way.


If he had not seen it with his own eyes, Jin would not have believed what he had just witnessed. He had hoped to see her once more, once again so close in his grasp, and yet she was not alone. They looked so happy together, walking side by side, smiling and laughing without a care in the world, without anyone to stop them. Then, there was the ultimate confession, and watching Xiaoyu tear up, crying as she heard such words being spoken by another man, it crushed him. His whole world felt as if it had all fallen apart. All noise was blocked out, all the lights were dim and color turned to black except for the two of them. His heart dropped to the pit of his stomach, and he could not bear to watch any of it any longer.

Why did he bother coming? Why did Jin even care anymore, to see Xiaoyu who clearly had not wanted anything more to do with him? She was so into that other man, and it was by his own wish that he drove her away into his arms. Jin moved away from the tree he stood, casting himself back into the shadows, hearing that internal voice laugh at him for even attempting this. He was warned that things were this way because of his own actions, and was warned that he wouldn't like it. Jin walked away, not sure how far he was going or just where he was going, but he found himself walking. She would not come to see him, she made her decision and cut Jin out of her life.

"It was for the best anyway," he said to no one but himself, almost expecting someone to tell him otherwise. The gentle breeze swayed against the trees, brushing along his hair that tickled over his eyes. He leaned his arms over the railing of a bridge that crossed over a small river, watching the moonlight dance across the water as the petals gently fell and caused ripples. He honestly had no one else to blame, he wished this on her, to find happiness, laughing at her for believing he cared about her. Jin sulked, his head falling forward into his hands as he hunched over the bridge. "I...I did care! I...do care about you! I'm sorry I said all those things, it was selfish! Now...I've lost the one person who cares for me... There really is nothing worth coming back to." Jin continued to stare off at the water, at his own reflection who stared coldly back up at him. He hated what he saw, who he saw. The only time Jin could ever recall actually liking who he was, is when she was around. Silence filled the air, nothing but the sounds of nature around him. He missed his mother at times like this, he dearly missed his old life.

"I...thought you were dead," came a voice from behind him, so soft and timid, almost afraid to speak. Jin paused, his ears twitched, his body stiffened at the familiarity of such a voice. Slowly his eyes shift to look out of his peripheral vision, turning his head even more slowly until he could just barely see someone standing behind him. His deep rich eyes resonated, shaking with disbelief, mouth drying up without a single word to say, and his torso turned just slightly, so that he could see who it was in full view, still, completely in shock that this was even happening. Her body stood behind him, the wind kissing against her flesh, fluttering the folds of her skirt and her hair, the moon illuminating her skin like a goddess.

"...Xiao..."

End of chapter 4! I hope you like! R&R!

P.S. Megumi- Lie. That song fits so well with Xiaoyu!