Chapter 5
Saying farewell / Friends?
"Here's the turkey!!!!!!" Nina said carrying the tray of the lasting turkey to the center of the table.
"What, again?!" Paul asked in a sick voice.
"Well, I'm not going to waste the turkey I cooked!" Nina replied angryly.
"Well I'm not eating turkey again!" Paul insisted.
"So, you can always don't eat! Now who wants the last leg?" Nina asked smiling.
"Oh, I want the leg!" Steve Fox rushed. "You know Nina, I love the food you make."
"Thank you, Steve, how nice of you! It's a pit that not everybody is like you." Nina replied giving a fury look at Paul who rolled his eyes.
***
"Xiaoyu, thank you very much for the adorable Christmas!" Christie said giving a hug to Xiaoyu.
"I'll miss you guys, be sure to come to visit me again sometime ok?" Xiaoyu asked. Christie nodded and left Xiaoyu's house with Nina, Steve and Paul who said their farewells to Xiaoyu and Julia.
"Bye Xiaoyu, Julia..." Said Lei Wulong. And he too left to catch the airplane to China.
"This Christmas was really great, I will remember it forever, goodbye!" Yoshimitsu said.
"Bye, Yoshi!" Xiaoyu said watching her friends leave her house. "It was nice having you here!!"
"Is... Is it clear?" Came a shaken voice from behind the two girls.
"Yes Law, Yoshimitsu left already." Julia informed.
"Ahh." Law sighed. "I can go now, Thanks Xiaoyu."
"Panda!!!! Goodbye!" Xiaoyu said with tears in her eyes. Panda roared sadly and left Xiaoyu's house running fast.
"Guess... it's our turn to say goodbye..." Howarang said in a low voice.
"Please don't go..." Xiaoyu asked in sigh.
"I have to, but I'll be near... I have a house here, in Okinawa, too..." Howarang said. "And it's time to go back."
"Yeah Xiaoyu don't worry, we'll be near. You know where my house is, don't you? So, since Julia is staying in Japan, living with you, make sure you two pass there when you want to." Jin said.
"Sure! Same with you" Julia said smiling. Jin said goodbye and left Xiaoyu's house.
"It's cold outside, I'm going inside." Xiaoyu said and she quickly left Howarang with Julia.
"Hum... Julia, I want to ask you something..." Howarang started.
"Go ahead!" Julia said.
"What are you doing tomorrow evening?"
"Well, nothing..." Julia answered calmly.
"I know a place where we can spend some great time talking, you know, it's a coffee shop. Do you want to come with me? Tomorrow?"
"Howarang, I don't know..."
"Please, It's just to talk, after all we are friends aren't we?" Howarang began.
"Well, I don't know, you saw me only wearing a bath towel...." Julia said with a smile.
"Aaaahhh... Well... You said me to forget about it..." Howarang said also with a smile.
"I did, didn't I?"
"But now that you mention it-
"Howarang!" Julia laughed. "Ok, I'll go with you tomorrow."
"Really? Thanks, I'll get you at five o'clock, ok?" Howarang invited. Julia nodded, and giving a long kiss on her cheek, Howarang left. Smiling, Julia went back inside to find Xiaoyu lost in her thoughts.
"Is something wrong?" Julia asked noticing Xiaoyu's sad face.
"Huh? Oh it's nothing, really." Xiaoyu lied.
"Come on, I know it's not "nothing"! You can tell me..." Julia insisted.
"Just drop it, ok?" Xiaoyu said in a mad voice.
"I'm sorry..." Julia apologized
"No... I'm sorry... I just want to stay alone right now..." Xiaoyu said leaving Julia alone.
***
"Are you ready?" Howarang asked.
"Yes, we can go now!" Julia said smiling. They walked for about ten minutes, talking and laughing all the way to the coffee shop where they ordered two cups of cofffee.
"So, how's Xiaoyu? I didn't see her when I arrived at her house. She didn't appear to say hello..." Howarang asked concerned.
"I don't know what's wrong with her... She's kind of in a bad mood. She is not talking much, she isn't as energetic as she's used to, I don't understand what's going on..." Julia explained.
"Maybe she's just sad because all our friends went back to their lives in different countries. Maybe she is just missing them." Howarang tried.
"They only left yesterday! No, something is bothering her, she won't tell me, but I have to find it out, I want to help her, you know?" Julia confessed.
"You always try to help people..." Howarang said in a low voice.
"What does that mean? Isn't that good?" Julia asked interested.
"No, well, yes it is. But, she might be confused about something and wants to figure it out by herself. Sometimes it's good for people to be alone and not depending on other people help." Howarang said.
"Maybe... Howarang! I didn't know you give advice to people!" Julia joked.
"Don't spread it around, ok?" Howarang said making suspicious expressions.
"Don't worry about that, I won't tell anybody." Julia said with a laugh. "Howarang...? Are you leaving? Or are you staying here in Japan?"
"Are you kidding me? I love it here in Japan! Why? Do you think you would get rid of me like that? No way girl!" Howarang said smiling.
"I didn't mean that! I was wondering if you were going back to Korea, that's all..." Julia started. "It's just that I've lost so many friends like that... They always leave and they never write or say something and now that I'm getting along so well with you, I didn't want you to leave too..."
"Julia, I'm not going anywhere, I promise I won't leave you." Howarang promised taking Julia's hand.
"Thanks. Hum... I think I should go back now, Xiaoyu is all alone in that huge house..." Julia said.
"Ok, I'll take you there!" Howarang offered. Julia nodded finishing her coffee.
***
"Xiaoyu? Can I come in?" Julia asked knocking at Xiaoyu's room door. From inside, Julia just heard a whisper.
"Xiaoyu?" Julia called entering in the room.
"Hi..." Xiaoyu said in a low voice.
"Ling! Are you feeling well?"
"Yes, I'm fine don't worry." Xiaoyu said.
"So, why are you in bed? We didn't eat dinner yet..." Julia asked worried.
"I'm not hungry." Xiaoyu replied quickly.
"Xiaoyu, I know something's wrong. Now I want you to tell me what is it!"
"How was your date with Howarang?" Was the answer Xiaoyu gave.
"Date? That wasn't a date! I just went out with him to drink some coffee... We went just and only as friends, not more than that." Julia explained.
"Really?" Xiaoyu asked sitting on the bed. Julia nodded.
"Julia, I'm starving! What's for dinner?" Xiaoyu asked smiling.
"Well... I don't know... What about pizza?" Julia suggested.
"Yes! Pizza!" Xiaoyu laughed.
***
"Hi! We're here to see Jin! It's Julia and Xiaoyu." Julia said to the porter of Jin's mansion. The porter nodded and openned the big green gates.
"Wow! Jin must be really rich!" Xiaoyu exclaimed looking around the house.
"Two days without seeing me and you're missing me already!" Jin said coming from other room.
"Don't push your luck." Julia said.
"Ok." Jin agreeded imediatly.
"We came to see you!" Xiaoyu said.
"I can see that. So do you want to drink something?" Jin asked.
"I would like a pepsi please." Julia asked.
"I prefer orange juice." Xiaoyu said. Jin nodded and left the room coming back two minutes later with the drinks. The girls thanked him and sat on the expensive couches of Jin's living room. They talked for hours not noticing the time passing by.
"Julia! It's getting late, we should get back don't you think?" Xiaoyu said looking at her watch.
"You can have dinner here, if you like." Jin suggested.
"No, we must go back, thanks anyway." Julia said grateful. Jin lead them to the door and they said goodbye. It was dark at that hour, so the girls hurried their walk but they didn't notice that they were being followed. They turned in a corner of one deserted street when three men pushed them to the floor.
"What do we have here?" One man asked smiling at the girls who didn't thought that was too funny. From behind the girls three other men appeard surrounding them.
"Leave us alone!" Screamed Xiaoyu getting in her pose to fight along with Julia.
"Oh, two courage women! What a luck." One other man said.
"C'mon we just want to have fun!" Said another man and he touched Julia's arm who pulled it away.
"Don't touch me!" She said.
"Ah shut up!" Said the first man aproaching Julia who kicked him hard in the stomach causing the man to fall on the ground.
"You bitch!" the man said hardly. "Get them!"
The other men headed towards the two girls and a huge fight started. Julia punched a man on the face and that man kicked her on the knee making her scream. Xiaoyu kicked one other man on the leg using her chinese technique. But the men were stronger and the girls were getting tired and hurt. There were now four men on the ground. Julia was bleeding dangerously from her right arm due to a knife that one man used on her and Xiaoyu could feel her left hand broken. Pushed against the wall, Julia hit with her head on the cold wall making her lose her conscience. ***
When she opened her eyes, she was back at her room in Xiaoyu's house. Looking at her right side of the bed she felt a presence. It was Howarang sleeping with his head on her bed and the rest of his body on the floor. She tried to move but the pain in her body was too much to bare, but she couldn't stay there without knowing how Xiaoyu was. With great effort she got out of her bed and limping she headed to the door, but she was almost opening the door when she heard Howarang.
"Julia, where are you going? You're hurt! You must rest."
"I have to see Xiaoyu." Julia said. She noticed it was already morning.
"Xiaoyu is fine. To tell you the truth, she is better than you. Now go back to bed."
"What happened? How did I end up here?" Julia asked confused.
"By chance, I came to visit you and Xiaoyu, but you weren't home so I was turning home when I saw what was happening between you, Xiaoyu and the other men. You were lucky I was passing by." Howarang explained.
"Thank you so much." Julia said. "If it wasn't for you then, I don't know..." Julia said with tears rolling down her cheeks. Howarang hugged her.
"It's ok now. I'm here." Howarang said. Julia cried feeling Howarang's embrance.
"Here's the turkey!!!!!!" Nina said carrying the tray of the lasting turkey to the center of the table.
"What, again?!" Paul asked in a sick voice.
"Well, I'm not going to waste the turkey I cooked!" Nina replied angryly.
"Well I'm not eating turkey again!" Paul insisted.
"So, you can always don't eat! Now who wants the last leg?" Nina asked smiling.
"Oh, I want the leg!" Steve Fox rushed. "You know Nina, I love the food you make."
"Thank you, Steve, how nice of you! It's a pit that not everybody is like you." Nina replied giving a fury look at Paul who rolled his eyes.
***
"Xiaoyu, thank you very much for the adorable Christmas!" Christie said giving a hug to Xiaoyu.
"I'll miss you guys, be sure to come to visit me again sometime ok?" Xiaoyu asked. Christie nodded and left Xiaoyu's house with Nina, Steve and Paul who said their farewells to Xiaoyu and Julia.
"Bye Xiaoyu, Julia..." Said Lei Wulong. And he too left to catch the airplane to China.
"This Christmas was really great, I will remember it forever, goodbye!" Yoshimitsu said.
"Bye, Yoshi!" Xiaoyu said watching her friends leave her house. "It was nice having you here!!"
"Is... Is it clear?" Came a shaken voice from behind the two girls.
"Yes Law, Yoshimitsu left already." Julia informed.
"Ahh." Law sighed. "I can go now, Thanks Xiaoyu."
"Panda!!!! Goodbye!" Xiaoyu said with tears in her eyes. Panda roared sadly and left Xiaoyu's house running fast.
"Guess... it's our turn to say goodbye..." Howarang said in a low voice.
"Please don't go..." Xiaoyu asked in sigh.
"I have to, but I'll be near... I have a house here, in Okinawa, too..." Howarang said. "And it's time to go back."
"Yeah Xiaoyu don't worry, we'll be near. You know where my house is, don't you? So, since Julia is staying in Japan, living with you, make sure you two pass there when you want to." Jin said.
"Sure! Same with you" Julia said smiling. Jin said goodbye and left Xiaoyu's house.
"It's cold outside, I'm going inside." Xiaoyu said and she quickly left Howarang with Julia.
"Hum... Julia, I want to ask you something..." Howarang started.
"Go ahead!" Julia said.
"What are you doing tomorrow evening?"
"Well, nothing..." Julia answered calmly.
"I know a place where we can spend some great time talking, you know, it's a coffee shop. Do you want to come with me? Tomorrow?"
"Howarang, I don't know..."
"Please, It's just to talk, after all we are friends aren't we?" Howarang began.
"Well, I don't know, you saw me only wearing a bath towel...." Julia said with a smile.
"Aaaahhh... Well... You said me to forget about it..." Howarang said also with a smile.
"I did, didn't I?"
"But now that you mention it-
"Howarang!" Julia laughed. "Ok, I'll go with you tomorrow."
"Really? Thanks, I'll get you at five o'clock, ok?" Howarang invited. Julia nodded, and giving a long kiss on her cheek, Howarang left. Smiling, Julia went back inside to find Xiaoyu lost in her thoughts.
"Is something wrong?" Julia asked noticing Xiaoyu's sad face.
"Huh? Oh it's nothing, really." Xiaoyu lied.
"Come on, I know it's not "nothing"! You can tell me..." Julia insisted.
"Just drop it, ok?" Xiaoyu said in a mad voice.
"I'm sorry..." Julia apologized
"No... I'm sorry... I just want to stay alone right now..." Xiaoyu said leaving Julia alone.
***
"Are you ready?" Howarang asked.
"Yes, we can go now!" Julia said smiling. They walked for about ten minutes, talking and laughing all the way to the coffee shop where they ordered two cups of cofffee.
"So, how's Xiaoyu? I didn't see her when I arrived at her house. She didn't appear to say hello..." Howarang asked concerned.
"I don't know what's wrong with her... She's kind of in a bad mood. She is not talking much, she isn't as energetic as she's used to, I don't understand what's going on..." Julia explained.
"Maybe she's just sad because all our friends went back to their lives in different countries. Maybe she is just missing them." Howarang tried.
"They only left yesterday! No, something is bothering her, she won't tell me, but I have to find it out, I want to help her, you know?" Julia confessed.
"You always try to help people..." Howarang said in a low voice.
"What does that mean? Isn't that good?" Julia asked interested.
"No, well, yes it is. But, she might be confused about something and wants to figure it out by herself. Sometimes it's good for people to be alone and not depending on other people help." Howarang said.
"Maybe... Howarang! I didn't know you give advice to people!" Julia joked.
"Don't spread it around, ok?" Howarang said making suspicious expressions.
"Don't worry about that, I won't tell anybody." Julia said with a laugh. "Howarang...? Are you leaving? Or are you staying here in Japan?"
"Are you kidding me? I love it here in Japan! Why? Do you think you would get rid of me like that? No way girl!" Howarang said smiling.
"I didn't mean that! I was wondering if you were going back to Korea, that's all..." Julia started. "It's just that I've lost so many friends like that... They always leave and they never write or say something and now that I'm getting along so well with you, I didn't want you to leave too..."
"Julia, I'm not going anywhere, I promise I won't leave you." Howarang promised taking Julia's hand.
"Thanks. Hum... I think I should go back now, Xiaoyu is all alone in that huge house..." Julia said.
"Ok, I'll take you there!" Howarang offered. Julia nodded finishing her coffee.
***
"Xiaoyu? Can I come in?" Julia asked knocking at Xiaoyu's room door. From inside, Julia just heard a whisper.
"Xiaoyu?" Julia called entering in the room.
"Hi..." Xiaoyu said in a low voice.
"Ling! Are you feeling well?"
"Yes, I'm fine don't worry." Xiaoyu said.
"So, why are you in bed? We didn't eat dinner yet..." Julia asked worried.
"I'm not hungry." Xiaoyu replied quickly.
"Xiaoyu, I know something's wrong. Now I want you to tell me what is it!"
"How was your date with Howarang?" Was the answer Xiaoyu gave.
"Date? That wasn't a date! I just went out with him to drink some coffee... We went just and only as friends, not more than that." Julia explained.
"Really?" Xiaoyu asked sitting on the bed. Julia nodded.
"Julia, I'm starving! What's for dinner?" Xiaoyu asked smiling.
"Well... I don't know... What about pizza?" Julia suggested.
"Yes! Pizza!" Xiaoyu laughed.
***
"Hi! We're here to see Jin! It's Julia and Xiaoyu." Julia said to the porter of Jin's mansion. The porter nodded and openned the big green gates.
"Wow! Jin must be really rich!" Xiaoyu exclaimed looking around the house.
"Two days without seeing me and you're missing me already!" Jin said coming from other room.
"Don't push your luck." Julia said.
"Ok." Jin agreeded imediatly.
"We came to see you!" Xiaoyu said.
"I can see that. So do you want to drink something?" Jin asked.
"I would like a pepsi please." Julia asked.
"I prefer orange juice." Xiaoyu said. Jin nodded and left the room coming back two minutes later with the drinks. The girls thanked him and sat on the expensive couches of Jin's living room. They talked for hours not noticing the time passing by.
"Julia! It's getting late, we should get back don't you think?" Xiaoyu said looking at her watch.
"You can have dinner here, if you like." Jin suggested.
"No, we must go back, thanks anyway." Julia said grateful. Jin lead them to the door and they said goodbye. It was dark at that hour, so the girls hurried their walk but they didn't notice that they were being followed. They turned in a corner of one deserted street when three men pushed them to the floor.
"What do we have here?" One man asked smiling at the girls who didn't thought that was too funny. From behind the girls three other men appeard surrounding them.
"Leave us alone!" Screamed Xiaoyu getting in her pose to fight along with Julia.
"Oh, two courage women! What a luck." One other man said.
"C'mon we just want to have fun!" Said another man and he touched Julia's arm who pulled it away.
"Don't touch me!" She said.
"Ah shut up!" Said the first man aproaching Julia who kicked him hard in the stomach causing the man to fall on the ground.
"You bitch!" the man said hardly. "Get them!"
The other men headed towards the two girls and a huge fight started. Julia punched a man on the face and that man kicked her on the knee making her scream. Xiaoyu kicked one other man on the leg using her chinese technique. But the men were stronger and the girls were getting tired and hurt. There were now four men on the ground. Julia was bleeding dangerously from her right arm due to a knife that one man used on her and Xiaoyu could feel her left hand broken. Pushed against the wall, Julia hit with her head on the cold wall making her lose her conscience. ***
When she opened her eyes, she was back at her room in Xiaoyu's house. Looking at her right side of the bed she felt a presence. It was Howarang sleeping with his head on her bed and the rest of his body on the floor. She tried to move but the pain in her body was too much to bare, but she couldn't stay there without knowing how Xiaoyu was. With great effort she got out of her bed and limping she headed to the door, but she was almost opening the door when she heard Howarang.
"Julia, where are you going? You're hurt! You must rest."
"I have to see Xiaoyu." Julia said. She noticed it was already morning.
"Xiaoyu is fine. To tell you the truth, she is better than you. Now go back to bed."
"What happened? How did I end up here?" Julia asked confused.
"By chance, I came to visit you and Xiaoyu, but you weren't home so I was turning home when I saw what was happening between you, Xiaoyu and the other men. You were lucky I was passing by." Howarang explained.
"Thank you so much." Julia said. "If it wasn't for you then, I don't know..." Julia said with tears rolling down her cheeks. Howarang hugged her.
"It's ok now. I'm here." Howarang said. Julia cried feeling Howarang's embrance.
