Encounter with the Devil
E1sky

Chapter 8
What in the World was Happening

Days had passed after her last encounter with Devil Jin. Lili followed her initial plan, taking rest for the meantime, she spend the last few days in salons, spas, shoppings… shoppings… and shopping if she's not in school. She doesn't even need to go out street-fighting to satisfy her little cravings. The school itself can be their battle ground, she and Asuka Kazama. They could easily meet nowadays. Today was just another day, a new day. Or better say… a whole new day.

Criiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!

The clock digitally rings indicating that morning has come. Half asleep and with eyes still closed Lili lift up her head and try to reach for the nightstand beside her bed where the clock should be. She wasn't sure if she had touched something, but the clock had stopped ringing and that was enough to make her go back sleeping. She cuddled the teddy bear beside her instinctively and she feels it comforted her. Wait! Strange things that were happening were slowly entering her senses.

Her teddy bear was not as chubby as before, was not as soft as before, it has unique warmth like of a living body, and most of all it embraces her with a gentle arm and even slid a hand affectionately on her hair. Several thoughts fused in her mind, and that's when she snapped.

Her eyes flung open and she pushed her supposedly big teddy bear in the instant. Then "aaaaaaahhhh!" she screamed as she saw Jin Kazama in her bed. She instinctively move out of the bed and take steps backward away from the bed as her feet touches the floor, with perplexed eyes still nailed at Jin.

Jin moved out of the bed to follow her, but her uneasy reaction halted him and he remained standing on the side of the bed. Lili was shaking out of confusion. She was looking at him from head to toe back-and-forth as though it was just by now that he really registers in her mind. Then "aaaaaaahhhh!" really realizing it, she had to released another irresistible scream before hastily asking "What the hell are you doing in my room!"

"Lili, what are you talking about?" Jin answered. He looks as confused as her, but not of the strange situation, but because of her strange actions. He doesn't know why she was acting that way.

That's when Lili squinted. She looked around and realized that it wasn't her room, it wasn't her bed, and it wasn't her pajamas she was wearing. The place feels familiar, but she knows she hadn't been there before. It's a totally different place. Confusions were multiplying rapidly, not one thing on the room could ease a bit of it. "Where am I?" she imperatively asked Jin, finally taking back her look at him.

"Huh? …in our room." Jin answered with his forehead wrinkled. He was as confused as her, shocked of why she was acting that way.

"What the hell are you talking about! What do you mean in our room!" Lili screamed, not getting any better. She goes back squinting around. Questions like 'Where am I?', 'How do I get here?', When did I get here?', Why Jin is here?', and many others race in her already baffled mind. Each demands immediate answer that they all remained unanswered, causing her to tremble and fear the situation.

She spotted a teddy bear that she recognized as a gift from her father, but the presence of it doesn't give any explanations related to the situation. She turned to survey the other side of the room. And she saw something that forced both her jaw to drop and her eye brows to pull. That was the most stunning thing that she had ever seen.

It was a large picture frame hanging on the wall. On it was an image of Jin Kazama in his finest tuxedo. His arms were tenderly wrapped around the hips of a woman wearing a glamorous wedding gown in front of him. The woman has blonde hair, blue eyes, and creamy complexion. It's easier to say that she totally looks like Lili. No! She was really her.

Lili stood speechless in front of the huge unbelievably terrible portrait. She can't believe her eyes. The emotion and confusion that was colliding inside her was unbearable. Her shaking body was like loosing its balance. Her mind was battling what her eyes were conveying.

Her mind was flooded with so much thought that it turned blank. She was completely stunned to all her senses. She can't feel anything on her skin. Her tongue can't utter a single word. Her ears were blocked to every slightest sound. Her nose seems stop breathing. And her eyes blurred that it seems it can see no more.

Whether she voluntary or did her head bowed, probably because she was drowned in her thoughts. She didn't notice when Jin came to her front. He cupped her face with both hands on the side of her cheeks. He gently lifted her face up to meet his eyes. As he did he saw her eyes were in rapid slight motion, sign of great confusion and distress. He wasn't even sure if she could see him. He himself began to tremble. "Lili, what's wrong honey?" he asked very much concerned.

Lili didn't answer. He wasn't sure if she heard him. But then her eyes steadied. It lingered on him for a moment before she could push him away and take steps backward at the same time, getting away from him.

"Don't touch me!" she squealed.

"Lili… honey it's me." Jin pleaded, now really troubled.

It was the second time she heard him addressed her that way, and it nags in the back of her mind. She's still in deep valley of confusion, but now she wouldn't want to ask anything to him.

"You…" she spoke as though she was crying. Her voice was filled with melancholy. "You always do me wrong!"

With that said, she desperately attacked Jin. But she was in no rhythm, not even in accurate way of fighting. She was beating her fists on his chest like a helpless child, afraid of what was happening.

Jin called her name again and again trying to calm her down. He grabbed her arm to stop her from beating him. But then she started to kick. Jin pulled her closer. He ended up cuddling her, locking her arms by his arms and her legs by their proximity. But even in that position Lili was struggling to beat him. "Let me go." She yelled. And she keeps struggling until they heard panicked knocks on the door.

"Mommy! Daddy! What is happening? Are you okay?" A worried voice of a young girl came from the other side of the door. Lili had stopped struggling when she heard it. It was another stunning sound for her.

"Ah… yes sweetie we're okay." Jin answered, still holding her.

"May I come in?"

"Just wait for us to come out okay. Marleen, take her." Jin ordered to someone he assumed to be there.

"Yes sir." An older female voice, probably the girl's nanny, took his command.

"Daddy I want to come in!" The girl pleaded, now few steps away from the door. And that was the last thing they heard from her.

Jin take back his concern to Lili. She was now silent, not moving but not stiff. She suffered another emotional shock. The portrait gave her a hint of what was happening, but it never told her how it happened, and when. Besides it was just so hard to believe what it tells and the possibility regarding the identity of the child on the other side of the door was troubling to her.

Lili was not moving like a doll. Jin lowered down and placed an arm behind his knees. Then he carefully lifted her up. Jin carried her gently to the bed as though she would break. He let her sat at the edge of the bed, and then he lowered down and kneels in front of her to meet her bowed face.

"Lili, please tell me what's wrong?" He pleaded again, now very much worried.

"Why did the calendar is seven years advance? A why do I have a wedding portrait? I'm only sixteen!" She trailed. Her voice was more calm now or weaker rather.

Jin glanced at the calendar and portrait at his back before answering. "We got married four years ago when you were eighteen." He answered softly. His face shows his wondering and worried.

"No! I hate you! Why would I marry you?"

Jin couldn't answer the question. It's now his turn to be stunned. It struck a nerve on him. He didn't know how to explain that.

"Is it possible that…you have amnesia?" He asked, skipping her question.

Now it's Lili who couldn't answer. Anyway how could she answer that? She couldn't say yes. She couldn't say no.

"I think we've better check for the hospital." Jin picked up his own question, standing up. "But we'll have our breakfast first."

"I'm not hungry."

"Lili-"

"I said no! Leave me alone!"

Jin was no way to argue with her. Without a word to say, he leaves the room with heartfelt sadness. That was the best he can do, though it breaks his heart. It breaks his heart that he needs to let her go through the distress alone. It breaks his heart that he became a worthless husband that he couldn't ease even the slightest pain his wife was suffering. It breaks his heart to see her suddenly hating him all over again after all those years they've shared, it simply breaks his heart.

Jin had still brought Lili to the hospital owned by the Zaibatsu, probably one of the world's best. Lili had agreed to come with him thinking that it somehow would help. They enter the lobby; she was walking behind Jin who was leading the way. All the doctors, nurses, and other employees who see them momentarily bowed their head as they passed, like everybody knows them as superiors.

They headed to a neat and quiet room where four doctors had interrogated Lili; a psychiatrist, a psychologist, a brain specialist particularly in amnesia cases, a psychic and other specialist on the field regarding memory. They asked her questions like "What was the last thing you remember?", "Is there pain in your head?", "Is there something ringing in your mind?", things as such that she thinks was absurd and only goes on circles. It irritated her especially they were addressing her as Mrs. Kazama. In the end, she yelled at them to stop.

After that, all what can they say is that she had a special case of selected amnesia, that she forget everything happened for the past six years, that her memory was trapped to her sixteen year old self. Anyone of those doesn't help her a bit. They only reinforced Jin's theory. With all the advancest technology they have, they can't tell her how it happened; they can't explain why this terrible thing happened to her.

They exited the hospital getting nothing. She didn't know what to do next, nor is there such anything else she could do. Jin opened the door of the car for her. But she didn't enter. She stares at the inside of the car, and without warning she runs. She ran away from him.

Jin had no time to be shock. He rushed to catch up with her. It wasn't safe to let her alone in her current state.

Taking many curves and with the aid of thick pedestrians blocking the way, Lili had easily lost Jin. Running without a definite destination, she had arrived in front of a restaurant which flags the name "AsukaLili". She can't believe that there is such restaurant that would combined her name with Asuka. Curious, she entered.

The first employee to notice her was surprised. Then she led her to a table, so exclusive that it seems it wasn't part of the dining anymore. A while later, a waitress served a White Strawberry cake on her table. She was about to say "I didn't order anything" but it was the waitress who spoke up first. "Miss Kazama is still on her way, but she promised to meet you as soon as she arrived."

Lili doesn't know what she's talking about. The waitress leaved her and she didn't bother to ask anymore. Strange things like that seem normal since morning. Somehow she was amazed they know one of her favorite cake.

After she had taken up few slices of her cake, she spotted Jin going on his way to her. He was accompanied by a waiter leading him to her. She stands up, and run, going to the ladies room. Again, she was amazed that her feet know where the ladies room is.

Jin rushed after her, but of course, he wouldn't enter the ladies room. Lili entered a cubicle, and inevitably overheard two waitresses gossiping on the toilet.

"You know what! Mr and Mrs Kazama didn't arrive together. I think they have an LQ"

"Yes, and I can't believe it! They're a lovely couple."

"Oh my gosh! Do you think Jin Kazama would consider me if they had a break-up?"

"You're so mean to wish for that!"

In just a minute, Jin had already loosened up all his patience waiting. He desperately entered the ladies room. He saw the two waitresses. Instead of being annoyed that there's a man in that particular room, one of them yanked at him, squealing; can't believe to finally meet Jin Kazama in person face to face. Lili used that opportunity. She sneered at them before running away.

"Is that Mrs Kazama?" The other waitress asked no one in particular. Then Jin had to yank off the waitress and follows the woman the other waitress was talking about.

Lili was following her instinct. She doesn't know how far did she go but she arrived at an area enclosed by high colorful walls. It is wholly painted with joyfull and pretty things of all sorts. She followed the trail of walls till she reached a wide majestic gate. On top of it was an arch which bears the title "Xiaoyu Wonderpark".

A great number of people of all ages were continually entering the park. Its wide gate looks narrow by the fullness of it. At first Lili wants to enter the park but she didn't want to bother herself shoving off the crowd towards the gate. She was sure Jin was on his way.

Instead, she takes a curve on the adjacent street. Then she entered a suspicious building. Its car park was full of luxury cars and vehicles with media logos of different networks. As she enters the lobby, she was surprise to see her image all over the place. A poster of her was scattered all over the place.

Again that was another thing to surprise her. She couldn't remember anything what those posters are. But it seems after receiving back to back revelations, things doesn't affect her anymore. It seems her heart had temporarily lost its ability to release emotions. Everything that was happening was like illusions that reduce her to a dull puppet.

It was a product launch of a cosmetic company. A press conference was taking place at the center of the lobby. When Lili joined the onlookers, the company manager was already making announcements that their top model/endorser, Emilie Kazama, wasn't able to come.

A small woman accidentally bumps at Lili's back. "Sorry…sorry!" she hastily apologized. And she squealed at the top of her lungs when Lili turned to her. "Aaaaahhhh! Emilie Kazama is Heeere!"

They all turned to her and she was force to step backwards as they flooded at her till her back reached the wall. She was surrounded, assaulted by press for ambush interview. Their persistent asking was like bustling of thousand bees and the camera flashes from everywhere was like lightning for her.

Lili couldn't understand anyone of them or anything why is this happening. A little more and she would yell at them. But before she could do that, she felt an arm rested on her shoulder. It was Jin's. She didn't know how he got to her amidst the crowd, but it somehow relieves her that she was now on his side.

"Mr Kazama we all thought Mrs Kazama won't come, but now she's here, and even you as well." A reporter demands an explanation.

"You know AsukaLili is not far from here. We go there and decided to drop by here. We just drop by so we wouldn't take further questions."

The crowd begins to bustle again as Jin finished his sentence. With that, Lili stepped forward silencing them at once. "One Question!" She said to a female reporter on the very front.

Given that special opportunity, the reporter gave her best shot. "Mrs Kazama is it true that your three days pregnant?"

Lili almost laugh. 'What does she say, three days pregnant?' She was also surprise as well with the possibility that she's pregnant. But her face doesn't show any reaction. Surprising revelations seems ordinary since morning.

She didn't answer. The question was lightyears away from expected. She was a make-up endorser 'why does the question has no connection to beauty?'

"Um…three days is too early to make such confirmation." Jin caught it up.

"But Mr Kazama, it was almost half a year ago when MZC released the pregnancy test device that can detect pregnancy as early as two days, and it was proven effective." One reporter justified the question.

"Yes but…it isn't perfect. Still, it is time who would give the accurate confirmation, and we'll promise to let you know as soon as possible." Jin ended. The reporter bustled again but he started shoving the people on their side to have their way. Security personnel also help them to make their way toward a black limo waiting for them.

The moment they entered the car, Lili shove off Jin's hands on her shoulders that was there since he came to her side. They traveled going home and all that time Lili didn't spoke out a single word. Jin can't tell what was on her mind or what does she feeling. He doesn't even dare to disturbed her silence. But one time he saw her hand resting on her belly.

The sun had already set when they arrived home. The day was tiring and filled with so much confusion. Lili didn't wait for anything. She came out the car and entered the house going directly to her room. Jin followed and tried to catch up with her, but a maid blocked his way and says something important that he needed to stop and listen.

Lili proceeded upstairs. But before she could go into the room, a child gladly caught her legs.

"Get away from me!" Lili pushed her off.

The child looks frightened at her mother. Paying no attention to her, Lili had a glimpse down below at the receiving area. She took the small vase displayed on a small table near them and hand it to the child.

"Can you throw this thing down there?" Lili told the child. The girl nodded and took the vase. Then she leaned on the railings and stood on the tip of her toes to be able to throw the vase downward, not knowing Jin was there.

Like what Lili had plotted, the vase fell on Jin's head. The maid that was talking with him was startled.

"I'm sorry daddy!" The child was terribly sorry when she saw that she hurt her father. But when she saw Lili laughing, she joined her. Jin would even take a hundred vases falling on his head for that mother and daughter moment. This was the first time of the day he smiled.

The child came at Lili and yanked at her for the second time. But Lili pushed her away that she fell down on the floor. Then she entered the room and banged the door at her, not minding what she feels.

Lili straightway got to the bed and sat at the center of it. It was her bed, but of course it was also Jin's. With that in mind, she realized that there's no place left in the world that she can call her own. Everything on her was invaded.

"Riiiiiing!"

The phone rested beside the clock rung. Lili picked it up. "Hello"

"Hello… Mrs Kazama, can I talk with Jin?" The voice of Nina came from the other end of the line.

"Jin-", Lili was cut off as Jin entered the room. She threw the phone like a stone going for his head. But Jin managed to grab it. "Hello"

"Hello Jin, I'm sorry for bothering you. I know you had cancelled all your appointments today but we have an emergency. We need you here-"

"Nina please I-"

"Go!" Lili cut Jin off. "Go on. I'm much better without you."

Again, Jin was no way to argue with her. He'd better take her at her words. Taking the jacket he had just taken off, he leaves the room.

Today he was reduced from his mighty self to a battered husband without anybody noticing it, even he himself. He was battered emotionally and bit physically. But with this present dilemma, he would do everything to win his wife back.

Now Lili was left alone in the room, at last. Getting in mind all the breaking revelations she had learned in just a twelve hour period, she try to understand what was really happening, but couldn't. It was so impossible.

'What in the world was happening? I was just sixteen yesterday, and now I'm twenty-two. I can't believe I lost six precious years of my life that easily. Suddenly I had a daughter. Suddenly I've become a mother. Suddenly I am married, and with all the people in the world, to the man I hated most. Can you imagine how does it feel? Oh my gosh. I lost everything. I'm tough, I know I'm tough. But just now . . . I want to cry.'