Dreaming Alone
-Chapter 9-
Destiny's Way

Julia was pacing backwards and forwards, her jeans creasing in wait for the unpredictable Jin Kazama.

"Senórita!" came the voice of Kazama. He tapped her from behind and reported the timings.
"The bus will take fifteen minutes to leave, so if you want to eat something then do so."

Julia was hoping he'd offer his Cadbury's dairy milk bar- but oh no, instead he took a big chunk out of it himself. She folded her arms and threw him a
murderous glare. (Which went unnoticed by the busily chomping Jin)

"No, I'm not hungry," she answered sharply.

"Ok," Jin shrugged.

They were touring around and decided to take some photographs for their friends. Jin struck a pose, exaggerating the guy from Matrix , and Julia
couldn't help bursting into peals of laughter. Jin's eyes softened at the laughing figure in front of him.

"Heh, if she doesn't narrow her eyes and be so uptight- she actually looks pretty. Not the gorgeous pretty, but more like...beautiful..." Jin smiled
gazing at her. His amber eyes snapped from their reverie as the bus roared into view.

The journey was uneventful until bus left them at the destined station.

Julia requested Jin for a cup of tea and Jin merely agreed.

"Hey Senórita! Your tea!" Jin called, balancing two dainty porcelain cups in his hands. He handed the left cup to her as Julia put down her pen and
received it with a thank you.

"Do you need a postcard to send home?" Julia inquired him, leaving through each design she had bought.

"Postcard? My home?" Jin snorted. "If a postcard reaches my home, dad will think I'm dead or something!"

Julia managed a smile and laughed a little. "When have you ever been serious?"

"Till know...never," Jin scoffed. Then his face went into slight thought. "And if ever I do- then only one time..."

"When?"

Jin looked almost coy when he gave his next answer. "When I fall in love."

Julia looked almost gob smacked, then laughed.
"Don't tell me that a guy like you has never fallen in love?"

"Affairs many, but not love..." Jin answered. "Because I've never found such girl."

Julia threw him a pleasant smile. "What type of girl would you like?"

Jin's cup almost reached his mouth, then he took it back down. "Shall I tell you?"

With a nod from Julia, his amber orbs took a glazed look.

"Such a girl...that when you see her once, all your wishes and dreams come true."

"How sweet!" Julia laughed.

"It hasn't happened yet, but now I think some unseen stranger is calling me from beyond the clouds!" Jin sighed, his eyes turning to the unclear sky.
"I don't know when these clouds will clear and I will get to see her face."

Julia turned her gaze away from Jin, why was his speech and dreams so alike to hers? She remembered her naive diary entries and her little poems.

"Did it ever happen to you?" Jin asked her with a smile.

"No," Julia answered automatically. "I mean...there is no room for unseen strangers to enter my dreams- my marriage is already arranged."

Jin's face froze slightly, then he put on a forced grin for her sake- it challenged the elasticity of his jaw.

"Where does he live? Arizona?" Jin managed to ask in his eager fashion.

"No, Korean," came the quiet reply.

"What does he look like?" Jin inquired, prodding her in the arms. "Tall, dark and handsome?"

"I don't know...I've never seen him." Julia answered managing a strained smile.

"Eh...you mean to tell me...that you will marry someone you haven't seen before?" Jin inquired, shock couldn't even enter the fully opened eyes.

Julia gave another smile. "And it's not necessary. My dad has seen him, he is his friends son."

"But you're going to spend your entire life with such a man that you don't know...never met...who is a total stranger for you?" Jin asked her softly,
his gaze never leaving her face.

"That's what happens from our family."

Jin nodded, his lips didn't know what to say other than-

"And you're happy with this decision?"

Julia turned to face him, masking all her emotions from him but unable to think of an answer. A horn sounded, and mingled within that was Julia's sigh
of relief.

"The train is coming."

Jin just looked as she swept towards the train, and after several moments he too, followed behind her.

***

Julia was animatedly chatting with Xiaoyu as the whole group were re-united. Paul had taken a fancy to Nina whilst Anna had admired Law's naive
nature. It was strange though, neither of Paul's or Anna's subjects of infatuation were responding. Nina was with concealed relief at Julia's return
whilst Law was concerned about the silent Jin but he didn't disturb his friends' changed persona.

"Do you remember this?" Julia giggled, as Xiaoyu smirked whilst looking at the photograph.

"Do you want this photograph?" Paul inquired of Nina.
"No. Got it."

"So-o Law, where is your restaurant exactly?" Anna asked him flirtatiously.
"Chinatown," he replied quickly, but was glancing at Jin.

However, Jin's eyes were flitting through a photograph until his fingers rested upon a photo when he handed the rose to Julia. Sure it was fake and
he'd ran off, but the photo was magnificent. Both had eye contact and their hands were upon that rose which unified them, he couldn't help but
smile.

"Julia, the photo's are awesome! Send me copies of all of them!" Xiaoyu laughed.

Julia nodded, offering her a smile.

"And send me the wedding photo's as well!" Xiaoyu added. This got Jin's interest in the conversation that was going around him.

"What do you mean wedding photo's, aren't you going to come?" Julia asked Xiaoyu, her face falling.

"Never! Who will go that far," Xiaoyu giggled.

"Come on Xiaoyu, you have to come!" Julia pleaded.

"Of course I'm coming, I was just kidding!" Xiaoyu smirked. "Anyways I have to see your groom, don't know which idiot you're getting married to!"

The whole group burst into laughter as Julia managed a weak smile. Jin gave his unusual shy smile at no-one in particular then got the attention of
the filing Julia.

"Excuse me, this fell." He handed the photograph that he'd chosen over to her.

"Thanks," Julia smiled, putting it away with the rest.

"Excuse me Law...I'll be back soon." Jin murmured and left his seat.

He didn't return when the train was at a halt once more- these Europe trains always seemed to be at a halt where Jin was.

***

Julia was quietly reading 'The Amber Spyglass', she was upto the part where Lyra was in the suburbs of the dead when she heard music. It wasn't
disturbing, it was a small hopeful yet hopeless melody at the same time. It was the tinkling of the banjo that persuaded her to leave her seat and
book to check who was the musician.
Her ears led her to Jin Kazama who was looking lost into the lake in the middle of the scenic bridge. She tossed her plaits and then tapped him to get
his attention. His eyes seemed glassy and his face was stony.

"What's the matter? Why are you looking at me like that?" Julia's brows furrowed at his facial expression.

"I want to say something, Julia..." Jin's Adams apple was stuck in his throat and no matter how he swallowed, it was hard to say this.

"Say it," Julia nodded.


"I've fallen in love with you." Jin finally told her, his amber eyes piercing hers.

Julia's jaw fell, she didn't know what to feel. Shock was the first and her eyes went wide.

"I love you Julia," he repeated.

Julia scanned his eyes for any trace of falseness, she hadn't known and she didn't know what to say at this news.

Jin stared at her face once more then broke into peals of laughter. Julia rolled her eyes.

"You thought I was telling the truth, didn't you?" Jin laughed. "You should've seen your face!"

Julia turned her gaze to the floor.

"It's amazing Julia, you've known me for so many days but you still haven't figured me out!" Jin laughed. "Remember I said that I've never been
serious?"
He laughed as Julia shook her head.

Her eyebrows knotted together and she hugged herself in shame, or longing?

"You're just too much!" she told him angrily.

"Heh, I don't do this love thing," Jin informed her. "I mean, I don't even know why some men want to spend their whole lives with one girl- I mean
there are so many beautiful women in the world. Some have nice eyes, other have nice hair..." he trailed on.

"All you men are like that," Julia retorted flatly.

"Well we're like that- but you...you're one step ahead of us..." Jin's eyes stuck onto hers again.
"You're going to spend your entire life with a man who's face you've never even seen- wow...this is real love."

Jin was wondering what snide comment would come next, but Julia simply wouldn't face him.

"H-hey Julia...forget this..." Jin said, clicking his fingers to her face so she would at least meet his eyes.
"Just imagine for one minute that you fell in love with someone. Like on this trip- anyone...say me, ok, you fell in love with me- and I loved you back
as well. Then what would you do?"

Julia turned to face him with fiery eyes- a fire that burned out and rekindled once more.

"Would you go back and marry that stranger, or would you have the courage to love me?" Jin asked her, trying to read her very soul.

Julia gulped inwardly, these questions were tricky.

"What would you do?"

A sigh of relief escaped from Julia's lips as the horn of the train sounded saving her once more.

"I don't want to miss the train again," Julia informed him, turning to leave.

"But I want to miss this train again and again," Jin told her retreating figure.

Julia turned at his comment, "what?"

"Nothing," Jin gave her a smile.

His eyes watched her back as she made her way to the train.

"Jin deary, if she turns around then that means she loves you...turn..."

Julia hadn't turned.

"...Turn..."

Still walking.

"...Turn..."

She smiled at him as she stepped into the train, and Jin smiled at himself too. His banjo seemed to be playing with a bit more gist all throughout the
journey.

***

The team were all saying their farewells and then it only left the two at the airport- one would be heading to Japan, and the other to Arizona. Julia
Chang and Jin Kazama.

"Well, this is it..." Julia broke the silent smiles that they were throwing at each other. "One month flew by and I didn't even know how it went- thank
you...for everything- friends?"

She extended her hand to him, he shook it without a word. Then she was wondering whether to leave, when he run his rucksack- it was the cowbell.

"Thanks," Julia smirked.

"It's alright."

She turned to leave again- but turned around. "Oh Jin, you didn't give me your address- I'll send you my wedding card invitation- you'll come wont
you?"

Jin just smiled and shook his head- more to destiny than her. "No, I wont come."

With final wave he, swept off down to his flight- leaving Julia standing at his retreating form. A sudden thought of helplessness came to her, a sudden sense of loss and longing- what was this emotion?

"I don't know what's happened to my heart
It was there, just a minute ago...
And now
It's lost..."

She picked up her suitcase and turned to leave also, but not without turning back around to see the Jin-free airport. The flight was strange, the escalators and the whole journey back was full of strange thoughts- it was as if time had gone too fast, she wondered what she had left behind and checked in her luggage but everything seemed to be there- so what had she lost?

As she came over to her house, her mother and father ran over to greet their daughter- one month for them had been very different to Julia's month.
She went out once more to shut the porch light and what she saw amazed her- it was Jin...but no...it was a mirage. He was simply standing there and then gave her a sincere smile- waved and walked into a distant world.

"I don't know what's happened to my heart
It was there, just a minute ago...
And now
It's lost..."

That was what she had left behind. Her heart was left with Jin.