"Well, what HAS happened then?" Hwoarang probed reluctantly.
"Jin and his lies have happened! He SWORE he didn't know who Heihachi Mishima was and has been stringing me along ever since," Julia's voice sounded bitter, "And Heihachi has only turned out to be his damn grandfather; sworn enemy of my people - I'll never let him get away with what he's done to my Mother!" Julia's eyes flashed angrily as the barrage of angry words left her mouth.
Hwoarang took a step or two back. Sure, the Red Indian was hot but she also had a flaring temper to match. "Well, it's not like he's had another girl or something," Hwoarang tried to search for helpful things to say.
Julia just glared at him.
"Geez, just trying to look for the positive," he held up his hands in defence.
"Yeah, sorry," muttered Julia absentmindedly. "God, I wish Ling Xiaoyu had never been born," she said at length, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.
Hwoarang just nodded in agreement, not really wanting to travel down this road of conversation. But Julia went ahead anyway, knowing full well she was treading on a sore subject. "So, you can tell me now, can't you?" she searched his face, "What does she know?"
Hwoarang avoided her stare. "I told you not to ask."
"Well, I guess I'm either deaf or stupid because I just did," Julia grinned, then her jovial expression turned serious, "Please, Hwoarang. I can help you. Ling has ruined everything here for me - I won't let her do it to anyone else."
"Okay, fine. She knows that I . . ." Hwoarang paused for dramatic effect, " . . . am afraid of the dark so I sleep with the lights on!"
Julia shoved him lightly. "The TRUTH this time," she crossed her arms. Hwoarang sighed. Man, this chick was bossy.
"You won't like it," he warned her, his cat-like eyes flickered around them in search of any prying eyes or eavesdroppers.
"I don't have to like it. I just have to know," Julia placed a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. "You can trust me," she said more gently.
As Hwoarang opened his mouth to let the painful truth befall the Native American's ears, a shout sounded out. "Julia!" it was Jin. As soon as he spotted whom Julia was with and how she was touching him, his face became a picture of hurt and fury. Although she was innocent of any convictions, Julia drew her hand away from Hwoarang's shoulder immediately, knowing that they looked dishonourable. "What do you want Jin?" Julia was surprised to hear her voice sounding so calm. "To speak with you," came the cold answer. Julia's eyes met Hwoarang's, informing him that she'd only be a few minutes; he nodded in reply. As soon as they were out of earshot of Hwoarang, Julia decided she would speak first. "I have nothing to say to you," her cool demeanour covered the fact that she was still hurt at his lies and deceit.
"Well, I have something to say to you," Jin looked at her intently. "I didn't tell you I was Heihachi's grandson because I knew this is how you'd react," Jin shook his head and laughed bitterly, "They say 'Once a Mishima, always a Mishima.' But I wanted to prove I was different from them; my father and grandfather - I have heard of the things they have done in their lives, but that does not mean I am a part of what goes on." Julia crossed her arms, bit her lip, and turned away.
"Julia, I had nothing to do with your Mother's disappearance and I didn't know my grandfather played a part either," Jin pulled her arm, making her look directly at him, as he continued, "I've followed my Mother's path my whole life and I mean to carry on her name always." Jin's eyes clouded over with melancholy at the thought of Jun. "Anyway," he said quickly, "I came to find you to tell you this and here you are with HIM."
" 'Him' meaning Hwoarang, correct?" Julia narrowed her eyes, not liking Jin's tone.
"You know how I feel about him. He's scum, Julia. You can't trust him," Jin glared past her at the distant redheaded Korean youth.
"I think I'm old enough to choose my own friends, Jin," Julia's eyes had turned stormy, she frowned at Jin, "He's had a pretty tough time of it too."
"Fine. This is at your own risk, Julia," Jin's gaze was of pure ice, freezing Julia to her core. She had never seen him like this - cold, resentful, piercing.
"A risk that I am willing to take," she glared back at him, titling her chin with equal defiance. Jin crossed his arms over his toned muscular chest and strode away, after throwing one final glare. Julia sighed, feeling her heart shatter, as she watched him storm away. She turned back round. Hwoarang had vanished.
Hwoarang cursed silently. Lacking the patience to wait for Julia as she finished her little lover's tiff had made him walk on. He couldn't believe he had actually found himself about to reveal the secret he had guarded with his life at the flick of some glossy hair and a bat of pretty eyes. He slipped into his dojang, needing to rid himself of pent up agitation and tension. Practising the National Korean Martial Art of Tae Kwon Do was the only way to do this. He slipped into his training clothes and adopted a stance. Through his eyes, a vision of his teacher stood before him. Baek Doo San was stern of face, powerful of movement and alert of senses around him. Hwoarang felt a devastating sorrow befall his heart, but he bowed with honour as he had done at the start of many a training session. In his mind's eye, he saw Master Baek bow in return; adopting a similar stance as Hwoarang. Closing his eyes in intense concentration, Hwoarang began to spar with his teacher. Every movement he made was fluid, stealthy yet proud and boastful. Caught up in his reverie, he did not notice a second person had slipped quietly into the room and stood, observing him. As Hwoarang's kicks grew more powerful, the image of his teacher grew weaker. He couldn't keep hold of Baek in his head. "Please, don't leave me again," he whispered mournfully, as his teacher dissolved right in front of his eyes.
"Wow, Hwoarang, that was great," a voice sounded behind him, startling Hwoarang with a jump, "It looked like you were actually fighting someone in front of you." He spun round to face Julia. "Ugh, how did you get in?" he sighed, irate.
"Door was open," she shrugged. He cursed inwardly, chiding himself for being so absentminded; anyone could've walked in - Jin being one. Not that Hwoarang was afraid of him; maybe afraid of what the Japanese youth might find out . . . He jumped again as he felt Julia's cool hand on his shoulder. "You can tell me now," she said.
"No. I can't trust anyone with this," Hwoarang shrugged her hand off his shoulder and turned his back on her.
Julia sighed, crossing her arms. "Hwoarang. I'm trying to help you - you can't keep this up forever."
"Watch me," Hwoarang said stubbornly. "Look, why don't you attend Mishima Industrial High with me?" Julia suggested, an idea forming in her head, "I could use the company and you look like you could too."
Hwoarang scoffed. "You must be out of your mind to think that I'd attend the same school Kazama and that bitch go to."
"But if I can prove you can trust me, will you agree to tell me?" Julia pleaded, searching his eyes for a trace of relent.
"Fine, okay," Hwoarang threw his hands up in exasperation, "You win."
"So, you also agree to attend classes with me?" Julia had a grin of mirth playing upon her lips. She couldn't imagine Hwoarang in a classroom; he didn't look that much of a scholar.
"Yes," he sighed again, groaning, "I should learn how to say 'no' to girls." He shook his head at Julia's grinning face; what had he just let himself in for?
"Jin and his lies have happened! He SWORE he didn't know who Heihachi Mishima was and has been stringing me along ever since," Julia's voice sounded bitter, "And Heihachi has only turned out to be his damn grandfather; sworn enemy of my people - I'll never let him get away with what he's done to my Mother!" Julia's eyes flashed angrily as the barrage of angry words left her mouth.
Hwoarang took a step or two back. Sure, the Red Indian was hot but she also had a flaring temper to match. "Well, it's not like he's had another girl or something," Hwoarang tried to search for helpful things to say.
Julia just glared at him.
"Geez, just trying to look for the positive," he held up his hands in defence.
"Yeah, sorry," muttered Julia absentmindedly. "God, I wish Ling Xiaoyu had never been born," she said at length, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.
Hwoarang just nodded in agreement, not really wanting to travel down this road of conversation. But Julia went ahead anyway, knowing full well she was treading on a sore subject. "So, you can tell me now, can't you?" she searched his face, "What does she know?"
Hwoarang avoided her stare. "I told you not to ask."
"Well, I guess I'm either deaf or stupid because I just did," Julia grinned, then her jovial expression turned serious, "Please, Hwoarang. I can help you. Ling has ruined everything here for me - I won't let her do it to anyone else."
"Okay, fine. She knows that I . . ." Hwoarang paused for dramatic effect, " . . . am afraid of the dark so I sleep with the lights on!"
Julia shoved him lightly. "The TRUTH this time," she crossed her arms. Hwoarang sighed. Man, this chick was bossy.
"You won't like it," he warned her, his cat-like eyes flickered around them in search of any prying eyes or eavesdroppers.
"I don't have to like it. I just have to know," Julia placed a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. "You can trust me," she said more gently.
As Hwoarang opened his mouth to let the painful truth befall the Native American's ears, a shout sounded out. "Julia!" it was Jin. As soon as he spotted whom Julia was with and how she was touching him, his face became a picture of hurt and fury. Although she was innocent of any convictions, Julia drew her hand away from Hwoarang's shoulder immediately, knowing that they looked dishonourable. "What do you want Jin?" Julia was surprised to hear her voice sounding so calm. "To speak with you," came the cold answer. Julia's eyes met Hwoarang's, informing him that she'd only be a few minutes; he nodded in reply. As soon as they were out of earshot of Hwoarang, Julia decided she would speak first. "I have nothing to say to you," her cool demeanour covered the fact that she was still hurt at his lies and deceit.
"Well, I have something to say to you," Jin looked at her intently. "I didn't tell you I was Heihachi's grandson because I knew this is how you'd react," Jin shook his head and laughed bitterly, "They say 'Once a Mishima, always a Mishima.' But I wanted to prove I was different from them; my father and grandfather - I have heard of the things they have done in their lives, but that does not mean I am a part of what goes on." Julia crossed her arms, bit her lip, and turned away.
"Julia, I had nothing to do with your Mother's disappearance and I didn't know my grandfather played a part either," Jin pulled her arm, making her look directly at him, as he continued, "I've followed my Mother's path my whole life and I mean to carry on her name always." Jin's eyes clouded over with melancholy at the thought of Jun. "Anyway," he said quickly, "I came to find you to tell you this and here you are with HIM."
" 'Him' meaning Hwoarang, correct?" Julia narrowed her eyes, not liking Jin's tone.
"You know how I feel about him. He's scum, Julia. You can't trust him," Jin glared past her at the distant redheaded Korean youth.
"I think I'm old enough to choose my own friends, Jin," Julia's eyes had turned stormy, she frowned at Jin, "He's had a pretty tough time of it too."
"Fine. This is at your own risk, Julia," Jin's gaze was of pure ice, freezing Julia to her core. She had never seen him like this - cold, resentful, piercing.
"A risk that I am willing to take," she glared back at him, titling her chin with equal defiance. Jin crossed his arms over his toned muscular chest and strode away, after throwing one final glare. Julia sighed, feeling her heart shatter, as she watched him storm away. She turned back round. Hwoarang had vanished.
Hwoarang cursed silently. Lacking the patience to wait for Julia as she finished her little lover's tiff had made him walk on. He couldn't believe he had actually found himself about to reveal the secret he had guarded with his life at the flick of some glossy hair and a bat of pretty eyes. He slipped into his dojang, needing to rid himself of pent up agitation and tension. Practising the National Korean Martial Art of Tae Kwon Do was the only way to do this. He slipped into his training clothes and adopted a stance. Through his eyes, a vision of his teacher stood before him. Baek Doo San was stern of face, powerful of movement and alert of senses around him. Hwoarang felt a devastating sorrow befall his heart, but he bowed with honour as he had done at the start of many a training session. In his mind's eye, he saw Master Baek bow in return; adopting a similar stance as Hwoarang. Closing his eyes in intense concentration, Hwoarang began to spar with his teacher. Every movement he made was fluid, stealthy yet proud and boastful. Caught up in his reverie, he did not notice a second person had slipped quietly into the room and stood, observing him. As Hwoarang's kicks grew more powerful, the image of his teacher grew weaker. He couldn't keep hold of Baek in his head. "Please, don't leave me again," he whispered mournfully, as his teacher dissolved right in front of his eyes.
"Wow, Hwoarang, that was great," a voice sounded behind him, startling Hwoarang with a jump, "It looked like you were actually fighting someone in front of you." He spun round to face Julia. "Ugh, how did you get in?" he sighed, irate.
"Door was open," she shrugged. He cursed inwardly, chiding himself for being so absentminded; anyone could've walked in - Jin being one. Not that Hwoarang was afraid of him; maybe afraid of what the Japanese youth might find out . . . He jumped again as he felt Julia's cool hand on his shoulder. "You can tell me now," she said.
"No. I can't trust anyone with this," Hwoarang shrugged her hand off his shoulder and turned his back on her.
Julia sighed, crossing her arms. "Hwoarang. I'm trying to help you - you can't keep this up forever."
"Watch me," Hwoarang said stubbornly. "Look, why don't you attend Mishima Industrial High with me?" Julia suggested, an idea forming in her head, "I could use the company and you look like you could too."
Hwoarang scoffed. "You must be out of your mind to think that I'd attend the same school Kazama and that bitch go to."
"But if I can prove you can trust me, will you agree to tell me?" Julia pleaded, searching his eyes for a trace of relent.
"Fine, okay," Hwoarang threw his hands up in exasperation, "You win."
"So, you also agree to attend classes with me?" Julia had a grin of mirth playing upon her lips. She couldn't imagine Hwoarang in a classroom; he didn't look that much of a scholar.
"Yes," he sighed again, groaning, "I should learn how to say 'no' to girls." He shook his head at Julia's grinning face; what had he just let himself in for?