Disclaimer: I still don't own Tekken.
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The shadows danced across the ceiling, as the electric fan cut through the smoky light of the bar. A noisy group of businessmen cheered on one of their buddies singing at the karaoke machine in one corner, and various groups of friends chatted away at different tables around the room. A man dressed in a dark suit watched as the young couple headed for the door, and then, at a nod from the blond, followed them out.
Julia had made sure to tell Steve she would be back soon, the warning in her voice unmissable. She wasn't going to take any chances with Hwoarang. They stepped through the door into the cool night air, Hwoarang leading her to stand against the wall, a small distance from the entrance to the bar, which was continually being used. The glow from a streetlight above their heads glinted off his red hair, and cast dark shadows on his features. Julia kept the distance between them a little wider than she usually would with a friend, and Hwoarang chuckled at her wariness.
"You don't have to worry so much, I'm not going to try anything, ok." He smiled softly at her, his tone more serious than she had expected. She glared harshly at him, narrowing her eyes. Hwoarang sighed deeply, shaking his head. She was going to be hard work, but he'd always liked a challenge. Tugging his hair back, he continued. "Look, I'm sorry about the other night. I didn't mean to act like that. I've just got a short fuse, y'know?" Julia's stare remained blank and cold, so he struggled on. "I'm not a bad guy, honestly. I was only trying to help… I know I didn't do very well, but we can't all be perfect." His plan worked, and she took the bait, her expression turning from offensive to defensive in an instance.
His innocent gaze made her feel twitchy and irritated. "Oh, you're Mr. Nice Guy all of a sudden? Then why would you want to help me, when I'm such a bad girl?" She folded her arms across her chest and jutted her chin out at him.
Hwoarang fought to keep a smile from creeping onto his lips. He shrugged, replying simply, "You needed help."
Julia stood silently for a moment, confused by his words. And why was he looking at her like that? She couldn't decide if his nice guy act was genuine or if he were mocking her. His searching eyes looked serious, but a smile seemed to dance intermittently over his features, and she felt he was laughing at her.
"So?" He leant towards her, drawing her eyes to meet his.
"Huh?" Julia looked up at him, puzzled.
"So do you forgive me?" The smile that he bared looked sincere, rather than mocking, making Julia more unsure of what to think of him.
"I suppose so…" She answered, hesitantly. "As long as you don't do anything like that again." Her warning tone was firm and direct, but his smile still broadened considerably. At least he was making progress with her this time, and her hostility made her all the more attractive.
The conversation was soon interrupted by a small group of rowdy biker-types exiting the bar, clearly having downed a fair amount of alcohol.
"Hey Kerrang!" The first one jeered in their direction. "This place blows! We're heading down town for a bit of fun. You coming?"
"Yeah, you can bring your little girlfriend along, Kerrang!" A second one cackled. They'd obviously noticed Steve's earlier greeting. He lurched over to them and leered at Julia. "I bet you'd like a bit of fun." One slurred, breathing clouds of foul beer-breath at her. She stepped back, a look of disgust crossing her face. The sounds of them gunning their bike engines filled the car park, and Hwoarang was torn between saving face, and sticking with his friends, or staying with Julia. He was tempted to take the drunk's advice, and invite her along, but they were again disturbed.
"Excuse me, Miss Chang. " The man said. He was smartly dressed and she recognised him as one of Steve's minders. She'd noticed them lurking in the background several times when she'd met Steve, and they had driven them to the bar, but they'd never spoken to her before. "Mr. Fox has enquired as to your whereabouts." The bodyguard looked disdainfully at Hwoarang, who looked back, rather disgruntled. The drunk sniggered at the man, lurching his way back over to his friends.
Julia seemed uncertain how to react to the minder's intervention, and Hwoarang chose to make things easier for her. "I'll be heading out then." He nodded his head at her, ignoring the guard. "See you around." He flashed her a wide grin and squeezed her shoulder as he walked past, jogging over to the gang, and leaping on his own bike.
She watched him until the guard placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Miss Chang." He addressed her, gently steering her back inside the bar. She returned to Steve's table unaccompanied, and he grinned when he saw her. "Have a nice time?" He enquired, winking conspiratorially.
"Hm…" Julia grunted, dismissively. After another ten minutes she stood, telling Steve she was tired, and was going to return to the hotel. He looked uncomfortable, caught between the desire to stay and continue trying it on with Sally, and his obligation to accompany Julia back to the hotel. "It's ok, I can get a taxi back." She told him, but he still appeared uneasy.
"I should come with you." He stressed, frowning.
"Really, it's fine!" She said, moving away from the table before he could get up. "Enjoy yourself, I'll see you around." She waved, making her way across the room.
Back in her hotel room, Julia held the phone awkwardly under her chin as she pulled a brush through her tangled hair. "No mother, I promised Xiaoyu I'd go to the end of tournament ceremony, so I can't get an earlier flight." Her mother's voice crackled down the phone line, complaining about wasting G Corporation's money on a hotel room, when she could be back home by now. "I miss you too, mother." She yawned. Her mother had called about ten seconds after she'd got back, and she'd been forced to spend half an hour explaining who Steve was, and what relationship she had with him. Then she'd been interrogated about her break-in at the Mishima Zaibatsu HQ. Although her mother had agreed that it was a worthy cause, she was still just as over-protective and worried about her daughter as any mother, and her questioning made Julia weary.
Julia thanked the spirits that she had avoided mentioning Hwoarang, as she really didn't know how she would handle that line of questioning. She felt guilty lying to her mother, but it was only a small omission really. "Ok, I'll see you on Saturday. I love you too, goodnight. All right, good morning. Yes… Goodbye!"
She flopped back onto the bed, having finally been able to hang up the phone. After a quick shower, she snuggled down under the bed sheets, and tiredness soon overcame her thoughts of Hwoarang, and she quietly drifted off to sleep. For the first time that week, she managed to sleep soundly, untroubled by the demon of her dreams.
