Destiny part 9 - Someone to love

"-Xianghua. They're coming back," Kilik whispered.

Seung Mina and Hwang were approching them. They didn't say a word, though, as if they were waiting for some explanation.

"-Did you notice ?" Kilik said, looking up to the sky. "The clouds have disappeared. It's like nothing had happened at all..."

"... And what about that sword," Hwang finally asked. "It's very precious, isn't it. It's probably what protected us against Inferno. That thing has saved our lives."

" - It's my own sword, which transformed into this," Xianghua answered softly. "I feel like it had to end this way. Now, I understand why Mother told me... to continue fighting. She said it was my destiny. I'm sure she knew what would happen..."

Kilik was looking at Hwang and Seung Mina, a questioning look on his face, as though he was afraid of how they would react. Surprisingly enough, they looked very calm, but serious.

"The power of that sword," began Hwang, "Could save thousands of lives... I think it's the sword I, I mean *we* have been searching for all this time. It has the power to save our beloved country..."

Xianghua was holding her new sword tightly against her chest.

"- I'm sorry, Hwang, but... I'm not giving it to you, if that's what you mean," she whispered. "I can't."

Hwang didn't look surprised. He knew that would happen.

"- May I ask, how do you intend to use this, now that Inferno had been defeated ?" he asked.

"- I... I'm not sure," Xianghua answered. "But it's Mother's legacy. And I wouldn't give it up to anyone. It's not that I don't trust you, but... I believe I should keep it."

"OK," Hwang said, seriously as ever. "So, we'll be going. I suppose we don't have anything to do here anymore."

He slowly began walking away.

Seung Mina looked at him with an exasperated look.

"But Hwang, wait !" she shouted, but he didn't listen. She turned back to Xianghua and Kilik.

"- Why did you say that ? I promise we would return it to you. Don't you want to save more people's lives ? Our country's in war..."

Xianghua looked silently at Seung Mina. It seemed like she didn't want to change her mind. It was her sword, after all.

" - But Xianghua ! We've come all this way together, we fought together... You don't forget that don't you !"

" - I'm sorry, Mina. You'll always be a good friend of mine, you know. You both have courage, strength and determination. But, would you really give it to me if this sword was yours ?..."

Seung Mina didn't answer immediately, surprised. She knew Xianghua enough and she assumed that she had her reasons... But it would have been so great it she'd been able to come back home with the legendary Soul Calibur... Maybe it was being selfish to think that, but at least her father would recognize her skills if she did. She sighed. She was really disappointed... Xianghua noticed the sad look on her face, like she was about to cry.

"Well... then... Good-bye," she finally said, a tear running down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, Mina," Xianghua added. "But I think that you and Hwang are strong enough. You probably don't need it. If you follow your heart, nothing can stop you... That's what my mother used to say..."

But Mina was already gone.

* * *

"It's dawn, Mina. You should come back inside, it's cold out there."

"- Let me alone, ok."

Several hours after they said goodbye to their friends, they were already on the boat that would bring them back to Korea. Mina felt empty inside. What did she come here for, then ? Her goal was to find the legendary sword and bring it back. And she failed. She would always remain a troublesome little girl for her father, if she didn't manage to prove that she deserves the same respect as a man.

"-Mina," Hwang repeated. "I know you're disappointed and so am I. But crying won't change anything."

"- I'm _not_ crying !" Mina screamed in anger, turning around and seeing Hwang approaching. "Who do you think I am."

Hwang couldn't help smiling. "Ok," he said. "I know. I'm just saying that we can't do anything about it so you should come back inside before you catch a cold. I don't want to carry you for the rest of the journey."

Mina frowned and was about to scream again, but she managed to control herself and just gave him a bad look.

Hwang laughed. "I was just joking, Mina. Don't look at me like that."

Mina sighed. "How can you joke at times like this... You should be depressed too. Your mission was to bring back Soul Calibur. It's even worse."

Hwang's smile vanished. "Ok. Of course I've failed. But I think that I'll just say that Soul Calibur was an evil sword, and that it can't be used to save people. After all, part of it is true."

"-That's a good idea..." Mina said, but the tone of her voiced showed she wasn't really convinced.

"-Mina, I know that you wanted to prove your skills. But the fact that you're still alive today is a proof. It proves that you're strong. And I know you are now, I'll tell them."

Mina was looking at him, a bit surprised.

"I'm sorry, Mina," Hwang said, putting his warm hand of her left shoulder.

Mina looked up at him for a few seconds. "You've changed, she said."

"Me ?"

"-Yeah... I remember, before... I thought you were so selfish, and cold. You didn't want to listen to me."

"-I didn't know you hated me that much," he answered a bit surprised. Mina smiled at him.

"-I can't believe that the man is front of me is the same as then," Mina whispered, "trying to comfort me, to understand me, and above all, telling that I'm strong..."

"-Mina... You're crying...."

"-I'm not crying," she said sobbing, tears rolling down her cheeks. "But you're blushing."

"-Huh ? Me ?" Hwang muttered. "No-not at all..."

Mina laughed, her face wet. "You're as stubborn as me..."

"- I-I just... To see you cry... Makes me... strange."

Mina's hands grabbed Hwang's shoulders and pulled him close to her. She paused for a few seconds to see his surprised face.

Then she pulled him closer and kissed him softly... She felt his strong arms, against her body. She wanted to stay that way forever...

A few seconds later, they broke the kiss. Mina was still in Hwang's arms. Thay looked at each other and blushed at the same time.

"Hwang," Mina whispered. "I... I feel better, that way... "

"- I remember, last time..." Hwang said. "Last time we kissed. Everything was different."

"- Last time... I wanted to forget... But I remember that feeling. Tonight, it was much softer."

"- Maybe this time, I will be able to say it to you."

"- To say what..."

"- To say I love you, Mina."

Mina looked at him in amazement, then she smiled, a dreamy look on her face.

"I love you too, Hwang... Damn, if I somebody told be that before, I would have killed him."

Hwang smiled. "I've lost a sword, but I have someone to love. It wasn't a bad journey at all..." His hand on her waist, he pulled her closer, giving her a passionate kiss.

Now, they could come back home... No matter what would happen, no matter what people would say...

* * *

When they came back home, Seung Han Myong was so relieved to find his only daughter alive that he didn't think of a punishment. Unfortunately, he thought that it was only thanks to Hwang that she was unharmed, which Seung Mina couldn't accept. Hwang made his best to explain about the fact he wasn't always there to help her, but Seung Han Myong wasn't really convinced.

"Don't worry Mina," Hwang said to her, "You'll inherit the dojo someday. Then you'll probably become the master of the Seung style and they will have to recognize you as their master."

Mina sighed. "Well, my father is not about to die sometime soon... He's so full of life (sometimes a bit too much)..."

"- Maybe you'll inherit it before, like... when you marry..." He blushed.

"- Hwang !! Is that a proposal ?" Mina screamed happily. "Wow ! Already ?"

"- Well... erm... I..." Mina was already gone.

So before he had the time to ask for it properly, every inhabitant of the village knew about it.

No matter how hard you try, sometimes you will fail. You learn from the hard times, not from the good ones. That's what Hwang and Seung Mina had learned during their journey. They didn't bring back the Sword of Salvation... But the Sword of Salvation was only a way to hide the truth : they didn't believe in themselves and tried to count on something "magic" to resolve their problems, which is not a good way to think...

From this moment on, Seung Mina didn't try to prove anything to her father. She knew that Hwang believed in her, and that's what she needed. She thought that if she believed in her own skills, that people would respect her someday. That's something she wouldn't have learned if she never decided to leave home... She had grown up, she was now stronger, but inside, only one thing changed : there was someone in her heart.

And that the way it ends...

The end

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

So that's all folks ! I hope you liked my story. Hwang & Mina forever ! You're all invited for the marriage. ;) An be there on time (16th century).

Special thanks to my reviewers. Thank you ! You're the best ! Thanks to my little sister for her cool ideas. Bye bye ! For another fic, maybe !