The Way We Were

(A/N): Another chapter to add yet again! This chapter is a two-part chapter, and there fore, will be continued in another chapter. If that makes any sense to you at all. I hope it does. Oh, X, Julia is not going to be a playerette. Sure, it may sound like it now, and for the next few chapters, but she isn't. Ha, It's just, well you know women, they like to explore their feelings and for the moment, she sees Hworang as only a friend. Watch as the story unfolds and I'm sure any misconceptions should be cleared up. P.S. ALL OF YOU!!! THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL! Lol!!!

Chapter 4: Carnival Night Part 1

The morning was a fresh one; everyone in school was bustling about, preparing for the big night ahead of them. The fair was already in place and the students were preparing for the upcoming fest. Xiaoyu and her friends were running through the different booths, help setting things up. The sun was high and bright, which brought the mood of cheerfulness throughout the students. Xiaoyu turned her gaze over to Jin to see him standing there by a tent, not doing much. She smiled and began pacing towards him, but before she got to him, a young woman appeared next to Jin. Xiaoyu took a few steps back looking to the woman. She sighed and then looked away, walking back to her friends.

Jin looked over to Yumi, the transfer student from Yokohama. She seemed like a nice person to him, and he had no problems with her. Yumi stood a bit taller then Xiaoyu, and had long black hair and brown eyes. She was the perfect student who always got straight A's and did whatever she was told. She was pretty popular for being new about a week ago, and had her eyes set on Jin.

"So Jin Kazama," she spoke in a soft, gentle voice, "are you going to the carnival?" Xiaoyu turned her head to glance at Yumi and Jin, canceling all other conversations out. Jin looked to Yumi then nodded to her leaning against the tent once again.

"Yep, that's my plan." Yumi smiled and leaned next to him, looking over to his side. She was very interested in him, and had no problem showing it either.

"Really? I am too. Maybe we could go together?" Xiaoyu roamed over to Jin and then pulled his sleeve to his school uniform.

"Well Yumi, Jin and I are already going together." She smiled brightly and then watched Yumi put on a very pathetic "feel sorry for me" act. Yumi pouted her lips and then looked down, making Jin feel really bad.

"Oh, I see, you already have someone to go to the fair with." Jin placed his hand on her shoulder then smiled.

"Hey, that's alright. We can all go together." Yumi then cheered up and hugged him tightly, as Jin fell back a bit not having expected that. Xiaoyu looked over to the two and sighed. She didn't admit it to herself, but she was indeed jealous. She walked away and Jin looked over to her, feeling even guiltier. By the way Xiaoyu walked away, Jin could tell he did something wrong. He slowly inched away from Yumi then smiled, "I'll be just a second." He ran over to Xiaoyu and took her by the arm. "Hey Xiao, what's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Xiaoyu looked over to him, giving him one of the sweetest smiles she ever gave.

"No, not at all. Why would you say that?" Jin released her arm and looked to the ground.

"I don't know. You just looked really sad after what I said. Do you not want to go to the carnival with me still?" Xiaoyu quickly shook her head.

"No, no! Don't say that, of course I do." Jin nodded to her, hugging her for reassurance. Julia began walking towards Jin and Xiaoyu. Jin decided that he would just take a walk around, and he would see Xiaoyu later on. Julia walked over to Xiaoyu with Kojiro beside her. "Hey Jules, hey Kojiro. What's up?" She asked. "How are you guys?" Kojiro wrapped his arms around Julia's waist and smiled leaning against her.

"We're fine Xiao," Julia said as she looked around. "Doesn't this place look great? I can't wait till tonight! Everything will seem perfect!" Kojiro smiled and held Julia close to him as Julia kissed him softly. Xiaoyu nodded and sighed,

"Yeah, perfect." She said in a low whisper. Julia could tell something was wrong and she placed her arms around Xiaoyu's shoulder.

"Hey Xiao, you sound bummed, what's wrong?" Xiaoyu shook her head and then began walking to a booth, helping her fellow classmates set it up. Julia and Kojiro followed and helped her, so they could all talk. "Come on Xiao, tell us." Xiaoyu placed a few things where they belong and her eyes glanced back to where Jin was, just roaming about by himself. She sighed and then looked over to Julia.

"Well, I can't say that you would understand..."

"Just try me!"

"Ok...well, you know how...when you think you've met someone perfect, and you want nothing more to be with him?" Julia nodded her head, smiling, holding onto Kojiro's hand. Xiaoyu smiled lightly and looked back to the objects in her hand. "Well, I like this guy, but...I'm not sure if he likes me. I'm not even sure if I could really be that close to him." Julia laughed and then took Xiaoyu by the shoulder.

"Here, this is something we girls need to talk about privately." She laughed and then took Xiaoyu over by the side of the school. Kojiro watched Julia leave as he walke to a few of his friend's group.

"So, what are you gunna do Ko?" One of the guys asked. Kojiro looked to him and ran his fingers through his hair suave like and placed his hand back in his back pocket.

"I don't know you guys. I love Julia, I really do, but I think she's a lot happier with that red headed Korean." Everyone laughed except for Kojiro. He shook his head and then looked over to his friends. "Tonight, we're going to the carnival. We're going to talk and get all this straightened out."

The bell rang and lunchtime had come soon enough. All the students ran inside the cafeteria, except for a select few who decided to stay out. Xiaoyu had searched around for Julia, but saw her and Kojiro at their own table. She quickly looked about and saw Yumi sitting with a group of her friends. She had not seen Jin with them yet.

"Hello," came a voice from behind her. She jumped and saw Jin standing behind her with a calm and cool composure.

"Jin! You scared the shit out of me!" She exclaimed. Jin laughed and leaned over to her.

"Oh, I'm sorry about that Xiao. I didn't mean it." She couldn't stay mad at him; he just had something about him that no matter what he did, she couldn't stay mad.

"It's alright Jin," she said and then took his hand, walking with him to one of the benches. Jin looked down at her, holding his hand. A smile clearly came across his face as he walked side by side against her. Yumi looked over to them both, holding hands. She was overly jealous and had to do something to stop their relationship from going any further. She brought her friends close to her as they began plotting something.

Jin and Xiaoyu sat next to each other on the bench, eating their lunch. Xiaoyu smiled as she opened her pink handkerchief and looked to her delicious chicken curry. She offered Jin some, which he proudly took.

"Hey, Xiao, can I ask you something?" He asked, finishing his meal.

"Yeah, sure Jin. What is it?"

"Are you mad at me...because I invited Yumi to come along?" Xiaoyu shook her head quickly.

"No Jin. I already told you, I'm not mad at all." Jin heard it from her own voice, she said she wasn't mad, but he had a feeling he upset her somehow. He looked back into her eyes and smiled placing his arm around her.

"You're not lying to me are you?" She shook her head no and smiled. Jin laughed and then started tickling her around her waist, making her squirm about.

"Jin!!! Noooo!!!" she screamed laughing. Jin laughed as well and kept tickling her and she slipped from his grasp landing on the ground. Yumi walked by the door and saw them. Her eyes glared to Xiaoyu as she sneered and looked to her groupies.

"Hey guys, as soon as this bell rings, Xiaoyu always goes to the bathroom. Let's meet her there and give her a nice greeting, shall we?" They snickered and began heading out into the bathroom.

The bell had rung five minutes later, and both Jin and Xiaoyu got ready for their next class. As Xiaoyu entered the hall passed the bathroom, Yumi grabbed Xiao by her shoulder and smiled pulling her into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. She looked around wondering what they had planned.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" She yelled pushing them off her. They kept pushing her back to them and into one of the stalls. Yumi looked down at Xiaoyu and laughed.

"Pathetic girl, you should have just left Jin alone, but no...you want him, you have to fight me!" She pulled Xiaoyu's hair tight, bending her back. Xiaoyu looked to her and winced. Yumi snapped her fingers and then two men stood beside her, pinning Xiaoyu to the wall. As she squirmed and tried to set herself free, She found her resistance diminishing. "Will you leave Jin alone?" She asked.

"No! Jin is a good friend of mine and I will not leave him alone just because you..." before she could finish, One of the boys slapped her hard across the face and the other punched her.

"Then I am proud to say, that you will not live to experience such happiness again..." She turned away and the girls left in a group. The two boys began ripping and tearing at Xiaoyu's clothes. Tears streamed down her cheek as blood dripped from her mouth.

"No! Please, stop this!" Her vision was beginning to become blurry, when she had felt that she was going to pass out. She fell back, hitting her head on the brick wall and everything turned black.

Jin sat in class, a bit worried because Xiaoyu did not show up, when she was usually never late for class. He sat there looking at the clock, watching each minute go by so slowly. He shook his leg in anxiety and stress. Running his fingers through his bangs, they slowly fell back into place in front of his eyes. The bell rang again and Jin ran out of the class and bumped into Yumi.

"Yumi! Have you seen Xiaoyu!?" He asked, worry was definitely in his voice. Yumi shook her head giving Jin a sweet innocent smile.

"I'm sorry hun, I was at a meeting during class for the newspaper staff." Jin nodded.

"Thanks for trying at least." He ran passed her and then looked through all of the doors that Xiaoyu might have been in. Julia had stood there by Yumi and then looked to Jin who was running the other way. She walked over to Yumi and then crossed her arms.

"Hey Bitch!" She yelled walking over to her. Yumi slowly turned her gaze over to Julia. "There was no newspaper meeting. I'm head of the staff. Where's Xiao!?"

School had ended already and most of the students rushed home to prepare for the fest. Jin stood by the wall near the entrance waiting for Xiaoyu to come out. He had waited ten minutes already and she still had not shown. He was beginning to become worried over her. He wanted to wait a bit more, but at last, it seemed most of everybody had already left.

"Did she already leave?...no way. I would have noticed. She would have at least greeted me. Maybe she left early," he thought aloud. He slowly walked down the steps. Reaching the last and final step, he saw a shadow over cast him and looked back. His eyes fell upon Xiaoyu. She was holding onto crutches and looked a mess. Her hair was only in one pigtail, her clothes were torn and had blood on it, blood dripped down her leg and her forehead, and she had a black eye. Jin rushed over to her and embraced her tightly. "XIAO!" he yelled her name as he held her. Xiaoyu looked and felt empty. "What happened to you?" She didn't answer, just simply looked away. "Please, tell me. I want to help, but I can't if you don't tell me anything!" Yet again, there was no answer from her. Finally, she spoke.

"Jin," she whispered, "you...should go to the fair with Yumi...she did want to go with you anyway." He couldn't believe what she was saying.

"Yes I know but we had already pre-arranged to go."

"She wants to go with..." Jin took her steadily by the arms and locked gazes with her.

"Ling Xiaoyu!" he said in a firm voice, catching her attention, "you and I are going to the fair tonight...just us. I am picking you up in three hours, seven o clock. Be ready." She was surprised in that, since Jin seemed like a quiet person. She nodded as he helped her down the stairs. "I want you to be able to talk to me, I want to know what happened to you. Will you tell me tonight?"

"Maybe..."

"That's better than nothing." He walked with her on the way to her apartment, and then made sure she made it in safely. "Seven o'clock, remember." She nodded and head and made her way into her room. Seeing she was safe inside, Jin headed to his house. He set his stuff down and headed to the shower. He sat there, letting the steam fill the bathroom for a moment, the warm water hitting his head as he thought. "Xiao, you need to tell me what's bothering you. Tonight, I'll find out."

(A/N): ok, so this chappy took longer then expected, that's only because I'm working on a manga, and another story I have to write for creative writing. I hope you guys will enjoy these few chapters. I don't wanna give too much away, lets just say lots of Xiaoyinness!!! preview for next chapter:: Jin comes to pick up Xiaoyu and they try to have a good time at the carnival. Together it seems that all the bad fades away, but when Xiaoyu spots Yumi, things get a bit ugly. She tells Jin that she has to stop seeing him because someone else likes him, and Jin doesn't take too lightly to that. He takes Xiaoyu away from all the hassle where the two of them stand near the water fountain and he tells her his feelings...n.n I'll leave the rest to your imagination. That's in Chapter 4, Carnival Night Part 2