I don't own Tekken.

Miss Sweetness: Don't worry; I know you'll write another one as good as the previous! Just don't quit!

Krappkarmin: Take it easy…It's not finished yet. There are still 3 more chapters…I hope you like this one! Thanks for the review…about the T5 story…I'm still starting…

Chapter 47

Step by Step

EAST-OSAKA

2nd AUGUST 2013

Hwoarang took about half an hour to arrive to his home. He was really anxious to meet his friends again. It was almost six o'clock when he arrived. Some Tsunamis were leaving the house to the pub. No one was expecting to see him, so it was almost a shock.

'Hey…when did you arrive?' -asked Roomax.

'Just now…'

'We were wondering what you were doing…'

Eijiro and Mouse heard so much noise that they decided to check what was happening.

'Hey…can I breathe?' -Hwoarang asked because he was surrounded by his friends.

'Roomax? What's wrong?' -asked Eijiro who couldn't see Hwoarang.

'Hwoarang is back!'

'What?' -Eijiro asked confused.

'He's back…isn't it great?'

Eijiro walked through the crowd and then he saw Hwoarang right in front him. He closed his eyes to be sure it wasn't a dream and it wasn't. Then he hugged Hwoarang.

'Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?' -asked Hwoarang pushing away from Eijiro.

'Sorry…I just…'

'I always knew Eijiro was a bit weird!' -said Ryo.

'Shut up!' -yelled Eijiro. -'Lets go inside!'

Hwoarang was opening the door when Julia appeared. She wanted to know why everyone was making so much noise. Her heart stopped as soon as she saw him. At first she thought she was only dreaming, after all, he was dead, right?

A few seconds passed and for her it seemed hours. Then she started crying and she hugged him to be sure he was real.

Except for Eijiro, the others started applauding.

Julia blushed and she let him go.

In the living room, everyone was expecting Hwoarang's words. Eijiro started with the questions.

'And Jin?'

'Jin's in Tokyo…I guess…'

'So he's alright?'

'Sure!'

'Hey…guys…lets go celebrate Hwoarang's return!' -suggested One. -'Lets go to the pub! Lets drink until we blow up!'

The Tsunamis started leaving the house, but Hwoarang stayed behind.

'Aren't you coming?' -One asked.

'I'll be there later…'-he said looking to Julia. He wanted to talk to her first.

'Ok…I understand…'

When there was only Eijiro and Julia, Hwoarang started talking.

'This was close…'-he said.

'Where were you?' -asked Julia.

'In the caves…'

'But no one found you…there were rescue teams, and they didn't…'-started Eijiro.

'We managed to find a way out!'

'Are you alright?' -asked Julia.

'Yes. I'm fine…My arm still hurts…'-he said looking to the bandage on his arm. -'I was in surgery and so was Kazama…we were shot before we fell on the lake. But we are alright. Lee helped us!'

'You were alive all this time!' -said Eijiro.

'Yes…'

Hwoarang told them everything that had happened to him and Jin.

'You were so lucky.'-said Eijiro.

'Lee told us that the police is investigating the case…'

'Thanks to Wulong, the police didn't ask us anything.'-said Julia.

'What did you tell the others?'-Hwoarang asked Eijiro.

'We told them that you and Kazama were preparing your fight.'-explained Eijiro.

'And they believed?'

'Yes. Well I'm going now…I'm glad you're back and alive…'-Eijiro said.

'Thanks…me too!'

'He was worried about you…'-said Julia after Eijiro leave.

'And you?'

'A bit…'

'I thought you were back in America…'

'I decided to stay a while! I'm glad I did! Actually I didn't even warn my parents that I'm alright!'

'They must be worried! But I'm glad you're here!'

'Hey…you bastard!' -yelled Baek. He was drunk. - 'You're not dead! Where were you, you stupid bastard?'

'Hey…Baek…I didn't know you were here!'

'They told me you were back! I thought they were joking…but it was true! Oh…did I interrupt anything?'

'No!' -answered Julia.

'Good. Now tell me what happened!'

'You're drunk!' -Hwoarang said. -'I'll tell you tomorrow!'

'But I want to hear your heroic deeds!'

'I think you can't handle it tonight!'

Baek fell on the couch and started snoring.

'I knew it!'

'Always the same old Baek!' -announced Julia smiling. It was the first time she was able to smile in many days.

Hwoarang was back and now she felt alive again.

TOKYO

Jin was in Tokyo again. The city where he had been so unhappy. He was going to Ling's apartment but he stopped on his way to admire the Mishima mansion.

No one was living there, so it seemed. The place seemed abandoned. The last five generations of Mishimas had been raised in that mansion. Jin was happy to be free from that house. His childhood was far from happy in that big luxurious house. And so had been his father and Lee, who never saw happiness in there. In the other side of that street was the Mishima Mausoleum. Jin pushed the black gate and walked in. The fake graves of Heihachi and Kazuya were still there. All those years he had believed that both his father and grandfather were dead.

Jin couldn't stop feeling hurt and ashamed of his Mishima blood. His grandfather was a monster; gladly he was dead once and for all. His father wasn't that bad. Kazuya had been a liar but he did it all for Jun's love, so Jin had forgiven him. Kazuya was a victim, just like him.

Jin was feeling so angry that with two punches he destroyed Heihachi and Kazuya's graves, and then he left without looking back.

He had left the Mishima Empire for Lee to control, and he didn't care what Lee could do with the money. With Exa sleeping, Lee was the rightful heir.

He was now at Ling's door. Jin was thinking about her reaction when the door opened and someone screamed. It wasn't Ling, it was Yuu.

'Jin? What the hell!'

'Hi, Yuu…'

'Are you alive?'

'I'm not a ghost, if that's what you think…'

'We thought you were dead!'

'Well, I figured that!'

'Why didn't you call?'

'Is Ling here?'

'No…sorry, she left…'

'To China?'

'No. She didn't tell me…but come on in…I want to know everything.'

Jin told Yuu what had happened to him and Hwoarang.

'Wow…what a story!'

'So, where's Ling?'

'She didn't tell me where she's was going…

'Ok…so you don't have any idea where she is?'

'No, but I'm sure she's not back in China.'

'She can be anywhere…I guess I'll have to keep on looking…'

'What are you going to do now?'

'I'm going to search for Ling!'

'You can stay here tonight…maybe you remember somewhere where she can be.'

'Thanks…I will!'

TOKYO

3rd AUGUST 2013

Jin woke up with a strange feeling. It was like he knew where Ling was. He had no choice but to go and see if he was right. So he was leaving Tokyo again.

'Do you really think she's in Kyushu?' -asked Yuu.

'Yes, but I can be wrong.'

'Well, it's worth to try…you have to start looking somewhere, right?'

'Yes. Don't you tell anyone, ok?'

'Sure. I won't…'

'Thanks…Take care…'

'You too!'

'Oh…and you should do something.'

'What?'

'About Miharu.'

'It's not what you think…'

'Yes it is! It's quite obvious! You're a good friend Yuu…don't let anyone tell you the opposite!'

EAST-OSAKA

4th AUGUST 2013

After his return, Hwoarang was feeling quite confused. Baek was enjoying his company, especially because he had almost lost control when he thought Hwoarang was dead. The Tsunamis were back to normal.

Roomax, who was now working on the Osaka Hospital, was at home to take care of their leader, since Hwoarang wasn't totally recovered.

He was forbidden to practice, which was very boring for him. In the meanwhile his new problem was emotional, and that was new to him, so things were a bit confused.

Hwoarang was always feeling nervous when Julia was around him, he had tried to talk to her, but it was no use.

Julia was also fighting with a dilemma, she had promised Lao that she would go back home after that tournament and she didn't want to go. First she wanted to say to Hwoarang what her true feelings were.

EAST-OSAKA

7th AUGUST 2013

Except for his friends, Hwoarang had never needed anyone by his side to feel happy. He had always thought like a leader and he had no time to think about girls or relationships. Of course he liked to see pretty girls and sometimes to make a move on them, but he had never dated for more than two days and he wasn't used to romantic speeches, but for the last couple of days, Julia was all he could think off.

Love was such an obnoxious word for him. And the thought of being in love was starting to sound ridiculous on his mind. Besides he had never been with a girl and he didn't want to ask for no one's advice that would make him sound stupid.

For him Julia wasn't just a girl, it was the girl he wanted to be with, but how could he say that?

For Julia, things were just as complicated. Back home she was a popular girl. During High School, she had been asked out by many guys, but she had refused them all.

She had a huge crush for a boy, two years older than her, but she was too shy to speak with him, so he ended up with another girl, she was so disappointed that she had vowed not to fall in love again. Now things were different, she wasn't a young girl anymore, she had grown up and that wasn't just a School crush.

Her sister had told her once that she would only fall in love with a guy when she found someone who she didn't see has an enemy. Someone who could protect her, and with him she should feel safe.

The first time she ever felt that way, was with Hwoarang. Thinking of it, Julia had realised that she had fallen in love with him since the first time she had seen him.

During the two weeks that Hwoarang was missing, she had experienced a huge pain, something horrible that had made her wish she was dead too.

The problem now was how to give the first step.

YAMAGUCHI

8th AUGUST 2013

Jin had two more days ahead of him until he arrived in Kyushu. He was tired; he had passed five days in a train, so he had decided to stop to rest for one day. He had thought about many things while travelling. It was hard to let the past go, especially when he could remember so many things.

He was still feeling guilty over his parents' death, but he knew that nothing could bring them back.

He felt so happy when he saw both his parents together, and fighting to protect him. But, now Jin knew that in life he had only experienced two things: fights and disappointments.

The bad feelings had disappeared when he had met Ling. She was someone unique and pure. She had given him the hope he had never had.

It was hard for him to believe that someone like Ling would fall in love with someone like him. He wasn't worth of her affection, but even so he wanted to know where she was. That was the difference between him and his grandfather. Heihachi had never cared for anyone but himself, but Jin wasn't like that. For that he should thank his mother, who was the most caring person he had ever met.

Maybe it wasn't Heihachi's total fault, maybe Heihachi's parents had neglected him too, and that had made him a very bitter person. But that was no excuse for what he did.

Fortunately, Jin had found good friends, and in that moment Jin couldn't help to think about Hwoarang, Steve, Julia, Christie, Miharu and Yuu. They had helped him and he had never done anything to deserve it.

In a small hotel room, Jin watched the ocean, where he would be pretty soon, on a boat for Kyushu. There he was hoping to find someone very important for him. He would show that he was different from the Mishimas, he cared for other people. And now he realised that he was in love with Ling, and that was something he couldn't ignore anymore.