Chapter 11
Forgiving
Julia walked through Jin's house, calling softly for him, but he didn't appear, it was when she was ready to leave, that she heard someone's voice coming from Jin's trainning room. Julia changed her direction, to see if it was Jin talking. Openning carefully the door she peeped into the room. Her eyes almost jumped when she saw who was talking to Jin.
"I love you because you're my grandson you know that! And now, that I need your help, I don't want you to refuse helping me." Heihachi, Jin's grandfather, said. Jin was in silence staring at the floor and squeezing his fists. Julia didn't need to hear anymore. Shocked she backed away hitting on a table with her back, causing one blue porcelane vase fell onto the floor.
"Who's there?!" Julia heard Heihachi's strong voice. She started running away from Jin's house. Jin called her, running after his girlfriend but it was no use.
"Don't follow me!" Julia yelled.
"Please Julia! It's not what you think it is! Please, stop! Julia!" Jin begged not giving up following her.
"Don't follow me!" She repeated running faster. Tears started falling from her eyes making it difficult for her to see where she was going. Jin was still running after her. She could hear his voice calling. Tripping over one rock, she fell to the ground and staied there with her hands covering her face, crying like she never cried before.
"Julia..." She heard Jin. He touched her shoulder and she pulled back quickly. "At least let me explain..."
"Explain what!?" She shot.
"He wanted me to catch you... Now, look at me... Do you think I would help him? Do you think I would hurt you, or do anything terrible to you? Julia... You know I hate him." Jin asked.
"Why does he wants to catch me?" Julia asked wondering if she could trust him or not.
"I don't know... We didn't talk much."
"Jin... Just leave me alone." Julia said getting up. "Please, leave me alone."
"Julia, believe in me!"
"I just need to stay alone right now..." She turned her back at him and started running again, not knowing where to go or what to do.
I wish I could believe in him... I do believe in him, but I'm so confused right now... What can I do? What will be the right thing to do? He seemed sincere... His eyes seemed to be telling the truth... Julia thought walking down the streets. Arriving at one park, she sat on one bench and watched the sunset. I believe in him, yes, he wouldn't do anything to me... Because he loves me and I love him. Heihachi... That's the only one person in who I must never trust. It's not Jin's fault... but Heihachi. I must speak with Jin. But not right now.
***
"Where were you?! We were very worried about you!" Xiaoyu said. "Jin is been calling every five minutes!"
"I'm tired..." And with that, Julia passed by Xioayu worried face and Christie. Laying on her bed, all she could think about was Jin. Someone knocked on the door. She didn't bother answering, so the door just opened and Howarang appeared.
"Hey girl... Don't even try to tell me to leave, because I won't!" He started sitting next to Julia. "So... You want to tell me what happened?"
"Not really..."
"Hum... I see... And why is that?"
"I don't want to speak about it, ok?" Julia said with tears rolling down her face.
"Was it Jin?" Howarang asked. Julia remained in silence looking at the white ceiling above her. "So it was Jin... I warned him! I'll break his face! I swer I will."
"No... It's not Jin's fault... It's Heihachi's." Julia whispered.
"Heihachi?!" Howarang asked not believing in what he heard his friend say.
"I heard him talking with Jin... Telling... Telling him that he was needing his help and he couldn't refuse helping him." Julia explained hardly. "Jin told me that he wouldn't do such a thing... And I believe in him. I know Jin would never hurt me."
"You really think you can trust Jin after this?"
"Howarang... I love him! I trust him already... Believing that he could help his grandfather when he told me he would never do it, it would mean that I didn't trust him, that I didn't love him when I know I do!" Julia confessed. "I just need to sleep right now, ok? Tomorrow, I'll speak with Jin..."
"I don't feel like leaving you here on your own." Howarang said laying on the bed next to Julia who sat imediatly away from him.
"Howarang, I don't think you should be here..." Julia felt her cheeks hot.
"Why not?" The handsome Korean asked making himself confortable on the bed.
"Because, I need to be alone right now..." Julia thought about Xiaoyu, what if she enters in Julia's room and sees her with Howarang like that? She couln't bare it. They were friends, that's true, but she wouldn't like to see Jin laying next to Xiaoyu and Christie on one bed. "Please Howarang..." But she was interrupted by a loud noise on the corridor. Soon, the door opened and Jin appeared to find Julia and Howarang on the bed. He looked at them for one moment and left closing the door behind him, without saying a word.
"Jin! Wait!" She screamed running after him. "Please stop!" He turned and she could almost swear she had seen one flame in his right eye. His face was motionless. "We were just talking..."
"Do you believe in me?" He asked in a deep strong voice that made Julia shiver. She looked away. "Do you believe in me or not?"
"Of course I believe in you!" She yelled bursting into tears.
"Then... I believe in you too." Jin said removing Julia's fringe from her brown eyes.
"So, is everything fine between us?" Julia asked cleaning her wet eyes.
"I don't know... I need some time." Jin whispered on her ear.
"What do you mean some time?" Julia felt her voice vanishing as she spoke.
"Don't worry..." He kissed her forehead tenderly and left. Julia stood there, staring at the place where Jin had been. Tears rolling down her face, her hands shaking. Why Jin?
***
"You heard?" She finally moved from where she was to find Howarang looking at her. He nodded. "Then... I need to ask you something."
"Sure. Anything."
"I want you to move away from me." Julia requested looking determined, causing the Korean to look at her in disbelief.
"You must be kidding me!" He said but she looked at him seriously. "Why? No! I won't do it! Why? Tell me, why?"
"Don't ask me why! I... I don't know how to answer..."She looked at the floor avoiding his eyes. "Please, do me this favour! Stay as far as you can get from me..."
"What are you saying!? It's because of Jin, isn't it? You can't do that to me! I thought we were friends!"
"We are friends, but... Please don't make it more difficult than it is" I'm sorry. She thought between the tears that kept falling.
"No Julia! I can't... I-
"Please. This is hard for me too, but that's how it's going to be from now on." Julia interrupted putting one finger on his lips. She could see Howarang's eyes filled with tears wanting to fall, but he held them with all his strenght realising how hard it was for him.
"I won't move away from you..." He finally said, his voice shaking.
"Please, It's the better thing to do for the three of us." Julia sighed.
"Better?! There's nothing better in that for me!"He wondered what she meant when she said that.
"So you can realise and appreciate what you have in front of your nose." Julia said thinking about Xiaoyu.
"Julia... No."
"I'm begging you."
"Fine if that makes you happy..." He said giving up.
It doesn't make me happy, but I'm doing it because of Jin... I'm sorry... Julika thought.
"But first, I have to do something that if I don't do it right now I will regreat it forever." With that, Howarang grabbed Julia by the waist and pulled her close to him. Pressing his lips into Julia's, making their tongues "dance", they kissed. Howarang parted from their kiss and left the house with one last look over Julia's puzzled face.
***
The other day in college, Jin didn't meet Julia like they were used to meet. It seemed to her that Jin was avoiding her just like Howarang was, and that made her feel totally down. She watched Jin talking with his friends, looking at her sometimes but quickly looking away. Howarang was with Xiaoyu but he didn't dare to look at her. She noticed that Xiaoyu was next to him, asking him stuff be he just looked at her in complete silence.
Flashback
"Bye Jin, Steve and Howarang." Michelle said. The boys waved a goodbye smiling. Michelle left leaving Julia with a sigh of sadness. Jin put his arms around her waist and she hugged him back.
"It's ok..." Jin whispered.
"Promise you won't leave me..." Julia whispered in his ear.
"Don't worry, I won't leave you." Jin said.
"Promise it to me." Julia said.
"I promise." Jin said. Thank you Jin for being here with me. I wish this moment would never end.
***
"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.
End of flashback
"Is something wrong?" She heard Christie ask from behind.
"Everything is wrong..." Was the answer Julia gave her preocupied friend. Julia smiled effortly and walked to her lesson.
At the end of the classes, Xiaoyu came to speak ith Julia.
"I don't know what's wrong between you, Howarang and Jin but you are going to tell me, aren't you?" Xiaoyu asked breaking the silence between the two girls. Julia said nothing. "Aren't you?!"
"Jin and I... Had a fight." Julia said although it wasn't true. She just felt she didn't want to talk about it.
"Julia! You can tell me the truth!" Xiaoyu insisted. "I know you too well! And I know it's not that! So... the-truth-now, please."
***
"So, Jin, do you want to... I don't know, go out? Maybe a pub or something like that? Huh? What do you say? Huh?" Steve asked cheerful to a serious and thoughtful Jin.
"I'm not in the mood to go out... Sorry." Jin muttered thinking about Julia. He couldn't have fun right now, not in the middle of the situation he was passing through.
"Hey man... Wish I could help you. But, ah c'mon. You just spent two days without Julia and you are like that. Women! Can't live without them and can't live with them. But I know that everything will be fine for you, don't worry. So... You sure you don't want to go out? 'Cos it's a beautiful night to party!" Steve insisted knowing that it was useless. Minutes later Howarang knocked on the door for Jin's own surprise.
"Get your coats! We're going out tonight!" He called.
"I won't go anywhere!!!!!" Jin yelled from the couch. Howarang approached him and grabbed his arm forcing Jin to get up. "No! I thought you didn't like me!"
"And I don't! In fact, I hate you Kazama! But I'm not staying home tonight and neither are you two. So move your butts and get out of this damn house!" Howarang yelled.
Walking, or being dragged, down the streets Jin could only think about Julia. What would she think if she knew he was having fun when they were having some problems in their relationship? It was then, that he heard Julia's voice telling Xiaoyu and Christie that she wanted to go back. Julia noticed the boys too and the love birds looked at each other.
"Hey! Where on Earth are you going?!" Jin asked noticing his friends leaving him behind with Julia.
"Where do you think we're going?! Have fun of course!" Steve replied. "Bye!"
"Jin..." Julia started avoiding his deep brown eyes.
"They did it on purpose! I can't believe it!" Jin wondered out loud.
"If you want to, I can go. Obviously, this wasn't a good idea." Julia said.
"No please. Stay. I'm sorry." Jin asked feeling guilty. He looked at her for some long moments and in silence Julia started smiling remembering the good memories she had had with him. Getting close, Jin touched Julia's soft hand, making the girl shiver lightly. "Will you ever forgive me?"
"I forgave you right in the moment I missed you..." Julia wanted to ask him the reason why he had told her he needed time but she felt that it didn't matter, it would only spoil everything. Under a cherry tree from the park where they were, Jin kissed the innocents but wise lips of Julia.
Hi! It's me again! I hope you're enjoying! Don't miss the next chapter: Howarang's tale!!!!! Thank you for the reviews.
Forgiving
Julia walked through Jin's house, calling softly for him, but he didn't appear, it was when she was ready to leave, that she heard someone's voice coming from Jin's trainning room. Julia changed her direction, to see if it was Jin talking. Openning carefully the door she peeped into the room. Her eyes almost jumped when she saw who was talking to Jin.
"I love you because you're my grandson you know that! And now, that I need your help, I don't want you to refuse helping me." Heihachi, Jin's grandfather, said. Jin was in silence staring at the floor and squeezing his fists. Julia didn't need to hear anymore. Shocked she backed away hitting on a table with her back, causing one blue porcelane vase fell onto the floor.
"Who's there?!" Julia heard Heihachi's strong voice. She started running away from Jin's house. Jin called her, running after his girlfriend but it was no use.
"Don't follow me!" Julia yelled.
"Please Julia! It's not what you think it is! Please, stop! Julia!" Jin begged not giving up following her.
"Don't follow me!" She repeated running faster. Tears started falling from her eyes making it difficult for her to see where she was going. Jin was still running after her. She could hear his voice calling. Tripping over one rock, she fell to the ground and staied there with her hands covering her face, crying like she never cried before.
"Julia..." She heard Jin. He touched her shoulder and she pulled back quickly. "At least let me explain..."
"Explain what!?" She shot.
"He wanted me to catch you... Now, look at me... Do you think I would help him? Do you think I would hurt you, or do anything terrible to you? Julia... You know I hate him." Jin asked.
"Why does he wants to catch me?" Julia asked wondering if she could trust him or not.
"I don't know... We didn't talk much."
"Jin... Just leave me alone." Julia said getting up. "Please, leave me alone."
"Julia, believe in me!"
"I just need to stay alone right now..." She turned her back at him and started running again, not knowing where to go or what to do.
I wish I could believe in him... I do believe in him, but I'm so confused right now... What can I do? What will be the right thing to do? He seemed sincere... His eyes seemed to be telling the truth... Julia thought walking down the streets. Arriving at one park, she sat on one bench and watched the sunset. I believe in him, yes, he wouldn't do anything to me... Because he loves me and I love him. Heihachi... That's the only one person in who I must never trust. It's not Jin's fault... but Heihachi. I must speak with Jin. But not right now.
***
"Where were you?! We were very worried about you!" Xiaoyu said. "Jin is been calling every five minutes!"
"I'm tired..." And with that, Julia passed by Xioayu worried face and Christie. Laying on her bed, all she could think about was Jin. Someone knocked on the door. She didn't bother answering, so the door just opened and Howarang appeared.
"Hey girl... Don't even try to tell me to leave, because I won't!" He started sitting next to Julia. "So... You want to tell me what happened?"
"Not really..."
"Hum... I see... And why is that?"
"I don't want to speak about it, ok?" Julia said with tears rolling down her face.
"Was it Jin?" Howarang asked. Julia remained in silence looking at the white ceiling above her. "So it was Jin... I warned him! I'll break his face! I swer I will."
"No... It's not Jin's fault... It's Heihachi's." Julia whispered.
"Heihachi?!" Howarang asked not believing in what he heard his friend say.
"I heard him talking with Jin... Telling... Telling him that he was needing his help and he couldn't refuse helping him." Julia explained hardly. "Jin told me that he wouldn't do such a thing... And I believe in him. I know Jin would never hurt me."
"You really think you can trust Jin after this?"
"Howarang... I love him! I trust him already... Believing that he could help his grandfather when he told me he would never do it, it would mean that I didn't trust him, that I didn't love him when I know I do!" Julia confessed. "I just need to sleep right now, ok? Tomorrow, I'll speak with Jin..."
"I don't feel like leaving you here on your own." Howarang said laying on the bed next to Julia who sat imediatly away from him.
"Howarang, I don't think you should be here..." Julia felt her cheeks hot.
"Why not?" The handsome Korean asked making himself confortable on the bed.
"Because, I need to be alone right now..." Julia thought about Xiaoyu, what if she enters in Julia's room and sees her with Howarang like that? She couln't bare it. They were friends, that's true, but she wouldn't like to see Jin laying next to Xiaoyu and Christie on one bed. "Please Howarang..." But she was interrupted by a loud noise on the corridor. Soon, the door opened and Jin appeared to find Julia and Howarang on the bed. He looked at them for one moment and left closing the door behind him, without saying a word.
"Jin! Wait!" She screamed running after him. "Please stop!" He turned and she could almost swear she had seen one flame in his right eye. His face was motionless. "We were just talking..."
"Do you believe in me?" He asked in a deep strong voice that made Julia shiver. She looked away. "Do you believe in me or not?"
"Of course I believe in you!" She yelled bursting into tears.
"Then... I believe in you too." Jin said removing Julia's fringe from her brown eyes.
"So, is everything fine between us?" Julia asked cleaning her wet eyes.
"I don't know... I need some time." Jin whispered on her ear.
"What do you mean some time?" Julia felt her voice vanishing as she spoke.
"Don't worry..." He kissed her forehead tenderly and left. Julia stood there, staring at the place where Jin had been. Tears rolling down her face, her hands shaking. Why Jin?
***
"You heard?" She finally moved from where she was to find Howarang looking at her. He nodded. "Then... I need to ask you something."
"Sure. Anything."
"I want you to move away from me." Julia requested looking determined, causing the Korean to look at her in disbelief.
"You must be kidding me!" He said but she looked at him seriously. "Why? No! I won't do it! Why? Tell me, why?"
"Don't ask me why! I... I don't know how to answer..."She looked at the floor avoiding his eyes. "Please, do me this favour! Stay as far as you can get from me..."
"What are you saying!? It's because of Jin, isn't it? You can't do that to me! I thought we were friends!"
"We are friends, but... Please don't make it more difficult than it is" I'm sorry. She thought between the tears that kept falling.
"No Julia! I can't... I-
"Please. This is hard for me too, but that's how it's going to be from now on." Julia interrupted putting one finger on his lips. She could see Howarang's eyes filled with tears wanting to fall, but he held them with all his strenght realising how hard it was for him.
"I won't move away from you..." He finally said, his voice shaking.
"Please, It's the better thing to do for the three of us." Julia sighed.
"Better?! There's nothing better in that for me!"He wondered what she meant when she said that.
"So you can realise and appreciate what you have in front of your nose." Julia said thinking about Xiaoyu.
"Julia... No."
"I'm begging you."
"Fine if that makes you happy..." He said giving up.
It doesn't make me happy, but I'm doing it because of Jin... I'm sorry... Julika thought.
"But first, I have to do something that if I don't do it right now I will regreat it forever." With that, Howarang grabbed Julia by the waist and pulled her close to him. Pressing his lips into Julia's, making their tongues "dance", they kissed. Howarang parted from their kiss and left the house with one last look over Julia's puzzled face.
***
The other day in college, Jin didn't meet Julia like they were used to meet. It seemed to her that Jin was avoiding her just like Howarang was, and that made her feel totally down. She watched Jin talking with his friends, looking at her sometimes but quickly looking away. Howarang was with Xiaoyu but he didn't dare to look at her. She noticed that Xiaoyu was next to him, asking him stuff be he just looked at her in complete silence.
Flashback
"Bye Jin, Steve and Howarang." Michelle said. The boys waved a goodbye smiling. Michelle left leaving Julia with a sigh of sadness. Jin put his arms around her waist and she hugged him back.
"It's ok..." Jin whispered.
"Promise you won't leave me..." Julia whispered in his ear.
"Don't worry, I won't leave you." Jin said.
"Promise it to me." Julia said.
"I promise." Jin said. Thank you Jin for being here with me. I wish this moment would never end.
***
"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.
End of flashback
"Is something wrong?" She heard Christie ask from behind.
"Everything is wrong..." Was the answer Julia gave her preocupied friend. Julia smiled effortly and walked to her lesson.
At the end of the classes, Xiaoyu came to speak ith Julia.
"I don't know what's wrong between you, Howarang and Jin but you are going to tell me, aren't you?" Xiaoyu asked breaking the silence between the two girls. Julia said nothing. "Aren't you?!"
"Jin and I... Had a fight." Julia said although it wasn't true. She just felt she didn't want to talk about it.
"Julia! You can tell me the truth!" Xiaoyu insisted. "I know you too well! And I know it's not that! So... the-truth-now, please."
***
"So, Jin, do you want to... I don't know, go out? Maybe a pub or something like that? Huh? What do you say? Huh?" Steve asked cheerful to a serious and thoughtful Jin.
"I'm not in the mood to go out... Sorry." Jin muttered thinking about Julia. He couldn't have fun right now, not in the middle of the situation he was passing through.
"Hey man... Wish I could help you. But, ah c'mon. You just spent two days without Julia and you are like that. Women! Can't live without them and can't live with them. But I know that everything will be fine for you, don't worry. So... You sure you don't want to go out? 'Cos it's a beautiful night to party!" Steve insisted knowing that it was useless. Minutes later Howarang knocked on the door for Jin's own surprise.
"Get your coats! We're going out tonight!" He called.
"I won't go anywhere!!!!!" Jin yelled from the couch. Howarang approached him and grabbed his arm forcing Jin to get up. "No! I thought you didn't like me!"
"And I don't! In fact, I hate you Kazama! But I'm not staying home tonight and neither are you two. So move your butts and get out of this damn house!" Howarang yelled.
Walking, or being dragged, down the streets Jin could only think about Julia. What would she think if she knew he was having fun when they were having some problems in their relationship? It was then, that he heard Julia's voice telling Xiaoyu and Christie that she wanted to go back. Julia noticed the boys too and the love birds looked at each other.
"Hey! Where on Earth are you going?!" Jin asked noticing his friends leaving him behind with Julia.
"Where do you think we're going?! Have fun of course!" Steve replied. "Bye!"
"Jin..." Julia started avoiding his deep brown eyes.
"They did it on purpose! I can't believe it!" Jin wondered out loud.
"If you want to, I can go. Obviously, this wasn't a good idea." Julia said.
"No please. Stay. I'm sorry." Jin asked feeling guilty. He looked at her for some long moments and in silence Julia started smiling remembering the good memories she had had with him. Getting close, Jin touched Julia's soft hand, making the girl shiver lightly. "Will you ever forgive me?"
"I forgave you right in the moment I missed you..." Julia wanted to ask him the reason why he had told her he needed time but she felt that it didn't matter, it would only spoil everything. Under a cherry tree from the park where they were, Jin kissed the innocents but wise lips of Julia.
Hi! It's me again! I hope you're enjoying! Don't miss the next chapter: Howarang's tale!!!!! Thank you for the reviews.
