Chapter 12

Howarang's tale

Don't you think you've drunk too much already?" Xiaoyu asked taking away the sixth cup of beer from Howarang's reach.

"Hey! Give me that!" Howarang tried to get up from the wooden chair of the pub but his strenght failed and his effort ended in a deep sigh. "Aaaahhh... Whatever! I did that because I like her. They are great for each other. Yap! They are. The person I love and the person I hate."

"Howarang... Get over it! Damn it!" Xiaoyu replied. Why does he always has to think about Julia? "Can't you see they are in looooove? There's nothing you can do!"

"Maybe you're right... But Jin?! Sheesh! I mean, what does he has that I don't? Oh, I know, It's his stupid haircut!"

"Hey! You're not making any sense and you're being selfish. Can't you see she chose Jin? Forget them why don't you?" Xiaoyu yelled and Howarang looked at her with mad eyes. Xiaoyu got up and stretched her hand to him. "Come on, let's get out of here. And don't look at me like that. You know I'm right!"

" Yeah... But she was the first woman I ever loved. It's hard to forget..." Howarang got up and, following Xiaoyu who waved at Christie and Steve, they left for the cold night. Several minutes were passed in silence between the two of them as they walked. Xiaoyu sometimes looked at him but he kept looking to the ground like he was thinking of something and didn't want to be interrupted so Xiaoyu couldn't start a decent conversation, scared of his reaction.

Why is this so hard for you? A voice asked in Howarang's head. He stared at the cloudy sky for a while and breathed heavily the cold air. It started raining hard so they had to run faster to under a porch of one house. Xiaoyu, Howarang noticed, was shivering and was completely wet. He took his jacket off and put it on her shoulders. She looked at him and smiled thankful.

"You know Xia...? Can I call you Xia? Because, Xia is a funny name for you! Xia! Hey Xia! What's up Xia? How are you Xia?" Howarang giggled to an angry Xiaoyu who thought the new nickname wasn't funny at all.

"Believe me, you'll start calling me Xia and I'll start calling you Boomerang. So, what do you think? It's a funny name for you!" Xiaoyu said laughing.

She is beautiful when she laughs. Howarang thought looking attentively at the Chinese girl. He noticed her dark hair tied in two pony tails looked really great on her. Her brown eyes were sweet and gentle. "Ok ok ok, I won't call you Xia... I was just kidding."

"Guess it won't stop raining so soon... Do you want to come to my house? We are near from here." Xiaoyu asked. They both looked at the rain falling and started running. Carefully so they wouldn't fall, step after step they ran till they arrived at the girls house. Suddenly the words Julia said the other day echoed in Howarang's head. "So you can realise and appreciate what you have in front of your nose." He looked at Xiaoyu opening the entrance door. Could it be?

"Finally! I will get some towels, go to the living room and wait for me there!" Xiaoyu said cheerful as always.

"Yeah? Wich living room? You have three!"

"Eheh! The one with the stereo!" Xiaoyu answered from the bathroom.

"Wich one? You have two."

"Just get into one of them, it doesn't matter!"

Xiaoyu, minutes later, handed one blue soft towel for Howarang to clean his wet clothes and his body and lighted the fire.

"Do you want to listen something?" Howarang asked turning on the stereo. "Let's see, some cd's here... Woo, maybe this one!"

When you walk away You don't hear me say, please Oh baby, don't go Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight It's hard to let it go

"Julia... loves this song..." Xiaoyu said getting up. They sit on the dark blue couch. Stupid! I shouldn't have said that! She said angryly to herself.

You're giving me too many things Lately, you're all I need You smiled at me and said,

"Yeah... But Julia is not here now." Howarang said picking Xiaoyu's hand. The girl blushed and felt uneasy close to Howarang.

Don't get me wrong I love you But does that mean I have to meet your father? When we are older you'll understand What I meant when I said "No", I don't think life is quite that simple

"Eheheheheh... Do you want to drink something? I mean... Apart from the beers you've drunk back then, but if you want a... a... a... What's the name? A... Orange juice! Or maybe some... some tea, or even water! Anything! So... Do you want something? To... Drink?" C'mon! Why are you acting like that? Just because he picked your hand and he is, he is... Woooo my God! My face must be reaaaly red because I'm feeling my cheeks so hot. I hope he didn't notice. And the song is not helping!!!!! She thought.

When you walk away You don't hear me say, please Oh baby, don't go Simple and clean is the way that you're making me feel tonight It's hard to let it go

"Hum... No! Don't worry, I'm fine, thank you." Howarang said smiling lightly. I never realised before... Xiaoyu is realy a nice person... She is really a good friend. He thought. Wow! I'm confused!

The daily things that keep us all busy Are confusing me That's when you came to me and said,

"Of course you are! Yeah... Hum, is... is it me or it's really hot in here?" Xiaoyu said waving her hand in front of her face.

Wish I could prove I love you But does that mean I have to walk on water? When we are older you'll understand It's enough when I say so And maybe some things are that simple

"Yeah, it's hot! It must be the fire... in the fire place." Howarang said pointing at the fire Xiaoyu lighted. She truly is beautiful... And funny...! He said to himself.

Hold me
Whatever lies beyond this morning
Is a little later on
Regardless of warnings the future doesn't scare me at all
Nothing's like before

***

"Thank you for bringing me home." Julia said and kissed Jin tenderly. He looked at her with his brown eyes full of mistery, the eyes that make Julia almost stop breathing. "See you tomorrow, then!" They waved a goodbye and Jin left watched by Julia.

"Wow! Am I interupting something?" Julia said opening the dark brown wooden door of the living room where Xiaoyu and Howarang were holding hands on the couch. Howarang quickly got up and scratched his head.

"Hum... No! I was just leaving. How was you're night? Fine, ok... I'll leave now. Bye Xia... oyu." He said and with that he kissed Xiaoyu on the cheek and smiled at Julia.

"Juuuuliaa... We were so close..." Xiaoyu said nervously.

"I'm sorry... I didn't know you two were here." Julia apologized feeling bad about the interruption she made.

"No... I'm glad you entered because I was almost fainting. I don't know what happened to me. Normally, I don't act like that with men, but with him... Ooowww I was so nervous." Xiaoyu explained sighing fastly.

"I know what's that!" Julia said smiling. "It's called... Love!"

"Me?! In love... Hum... I like it!" Xiaoyu said jumping.

****

"Hi!" Howarang said entering through Jin's house.

"Why don't you ever ask if you can come in?!" Jin asked agressively to the Korean.

"I never asked you before, so I'm not starting now! Hi Steve! So, what are you guys doing?"

"Oh, guys stuff...!" Steve said shuffling a pack of cards.

"I see... Guys stuff. Playing cards. Ok! CAN I join you?" Howarang asked looking at Jin who smiled and nodded. "Who's up to some poker?"

"Ok! Fine with me!" Steve said getting up from the brown leather sofa. "I'll pick the peanuts!"

"Peanuts?! For what?" Howarang asked.

"Well, unless you want to play with money!"

"Peanuts to bet in poker? Are you insane??? We're playing with real money! Peanuts... Pfuit!" Howarang laughed.

"I'm telling you guys, I'm really lucky in poker games sooo be careful with me if you want to play with money!" Steve said making his way back to the sofa in front of the small glass table.

"We'll see about that!" Jin said removing two candles from the table. "Ok, here we go! You can deal the cards now!"

Things are getting better for Howarang and Ling, huh? Well! Next chapter will be here really soon, so stay tunned! (Ok... Not funny, not funny...) Next chapter: Forbidden looks. Keep reviewing! *******