Chapter 2:

Family

Jin fell to his knees. The gleaming sunlight shining down seemed to give her an aura of golden-white glow. She was so beautiful to him and his father, although he'd never know that, or would he? Jun walked gracefully out of the cool water and towards Jin. He couldn't believe what was happening. He was sure it was a trick.

"Jin...." She whispered. Jun touched his face and pushed his bangs gently back before kissing him on his forehead. Jin reached out to her and hugged her around her waist. Jun wrapped her arms around him.

"Mother...." Jin felt his tears staining his face and her dress. Jun bent down further and hugged him closer. She held him as he buried his face in her shoulder and she smiled sadly at the happiness of being with him and the pain he must have gone through without her.

"Shh..." Jun stroked his hair. Jin felt another pair of arms wrap around him and his mother. Looking up, Jin realized those strong arms belonged to none other than his father, Kazuya Mishima.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Hwoarang tossed and turned. A cold sweat of fear and torture pouring down his body and soaking his hair. Hwoarang suddenly awoke to the yellow sunlight bringing a new day. He breathed heavily and shook his head before going into the bathroom. After he got dressed, he walked down stairs and out into the garden. The calmness of the small pond and its surroundings reminded Hwoarang of the large cherry-blossom tree that had been there for years. He sighed...

Flashback: 17 years ago....…………………………..

"HWOARANG!" Baek's voice boomed. He had been looking for them for well over an hour. Little Kazi and Hwoarang giggled.

"Shh..." Hwoarang said trying not to laugh at the same time. They were in the garden, specifically, the cherry-blossom tree, or as the Japanese called it, Sakura.

"KAZIYA!" His voice came again. He walked or rather stomped through the path and came upon the tree. He noticed a red hair poking through the leaves and smirked, quite evilly for someone who is supposed to be noble and serious. He suddenly kicked the tree gently on its trunk near the branches, making them rattle. Hwoarang fell head first out of the tree and was hanging by his foot, which Kazi had caught.

"Heh....heh...." The chibi Hwoarang laughed nervously as Baek raised an eyebrow. Suddenly, they both fell out of the tree heads first onto the ground and Baek burst in to a fit of laughter.

"Ow..." Kazi whined. Hwoarang sat up as Kazi crawled off of him. Baek laughed and watched.

"Papa?!" Hwoarang's voice squeaked; Baek laughed again.

"Don't worry Little Talon, you two will be alright with a few extra weeks of training." Hwoarang and Kazi's little chibi eyes grew wide.

"WHAT?!" Kazi and Hwoarang said in unison.

"B-But, Papa!" Kazi pleaded.

"Just messing with you!" Baek laughed. Kazi and Hwoarang turned red in embarrassment....

End Flashback…………………………………

Hwoarang chuckled at his sudden memory. He smiled at the tree and moved onward through the Korean garden. As he approached the dojo, he heard someone inside. Silently, he walked towards the door and slid it open. Without looking he ran, jumped and attacked with a high kick. The person caught his foot and flipped him onto his back before he caught a glimpse of their face. Hwoarang flinched in pain and opened his eyes. His heart stopped. Hwoarang's eyes grew wide in utter surprise and a kind of scared horror.

"B-B-Baek?!" Hwoarang chocked out. The long brown haired man smiled back at him.

"You've gotten good, Hwoarang. Or should I say, Army Talon?" He teased.

"T-T-This c-can't be happening! Y-Y-You're-"

"Dead? Yes. Yes I was." Baek responded simply letting Hwoarang's leg go. Hwoarang scuffled to his feet and backed up.

"Is-is this r-real???" He asked, falling to his knees. Baek nodded and motioned for him to get up, just slightly annoyed.

"Come-on. Get up." Hwoarang did as he was told and Baek fell into stance. "Come-on."

"Master-" Hwoarang tried to reason and comprehend what had just happened all at once.

"Ah-Come-on, are you scared?" Baek provoked Hwoarang. He jumped and kicked Hwoarang in his shoulder. Hwoarang slid back and fell into stance as well. Hwoarang ran and slid close to the floor and making a sweep with his left leg. Baek jumped over it and went for Hwoarang's head. Hwoarang blocked and grabbed his leg. Baek smiled and used Hwoarang's strength against him. He twisted and bent his leg to let his upper body be upside-down and knocked Hwoarang's right foot out of it's grip on the floor, making Hwoarang loose his grip and fall to the floor. Hwoarang jumped back up and smiled,

"How come you never taught me that?" Baek cocked his head.

"You weren't and aren't ready."

"We'll see about that." Hwoarang charged swiftly at him, jumping into a blindingly fast high kick. Baek blocked it and grasped his ankle before Hwoarang's feet touched the ground. He twisted Hwoarang's body and onto his back. He had Hwoarang's leg in a position that he could break it easily, if he wanted to. Hwoarang looked up, tears in his amber brown eyes.

"Papa..." Hwoarang smiled, his happy tears falling from his face. Baek smiled at his title and let him go. "Papa." Hwoarang hugged him, feeling like a small child again.

"Hwoarang. My son." Baek said smiling down at him.