Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken.

Chapter 7 – Steve or Jin? Maybe Hwoarang…

In the next morning, Julia took Jin and a very sleepy Steve for a walk around Phoenix. Hwoarang was sleeping and they didn't wake him up, plus Julia didn't know what to say to him, so it was easier that way. Phoenix was a noisy town, there was people walking around in a hurry, ready to go to work or school. Jin and Steve were used to all that because they both lived in huge cities like Phoenix. Nevertheless, they saw many interesting things, and they all ended up by having lunch in a famous restaurant.

Hwoarang had lunch with Julia's mother and after that he went to a quiet place. He passed the garden and saw a nice place surrounded by trees, there was also a small lake.

When Julia and the others arrived, Michelle told them that Lao was on his way home from Seattle.

Julia wasn't very happy because she knew that her father was going to demand an answer from her.

From her bedroom's window, Julia saw Hwoarang and she decided to go check on him.

-'Can't you read?'-she asked sitting down next to him on the grass. Hwoarang was lying there in silence.

-'Yes, I can…why?'

-There's a note saying that this place is forbidden…'

-'It's such a nice place, what's wrong about coming here?'-Hwoarang asked.

-'It's a long story…'-Julia sighed. She had decided to ignore the events of the previous night.

-'Bring it on!'

-'Why?'

-'Because I want to know!'

-'Ok…when I was a little girl…I used to come here many times with my friends. We loved this place, it's was really cool to swim in the lake and climb up the trees.'

-'So you used to have some fun, huh?'

-'Yes, why?'

-'I thought you were always reading and studying…'

-'Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you!'-she said pouting.

-'Don't be like that…go on with the story…'

-'My father didn't like to see me doing those things; he used to say that I was behaving like a boy and that I should act more like a girl. So, one day he prevented us to come here. He said that the lake waters were contaminated and this place was isolated. I found out later that he was lying.'

-'Did you forgive him?'

-'Of course, he's my father!'

-'But he lied to you!'

-'I know…but I guess it was for my own good.'

-'Is this for your own good too?'

-'What?'

-'This wedding! I may not be the smartest guy on earth, but I can see that you're unhappy with this wedding thing.'

-'It's not that I'm sad…it's just that I think I'm too young…'

-'And you're right! People shouldn't do things that they don't want to do.'

-'But if I don't do this he'll never forgive me. My sister did what he ask her to do, she married Mario and she's happy!'

-'Will you be happy with Jin or Steve?'

Julia looked at him and she didn't answer.

-'You'll never be happy with someone that you don't love! You should say that to your father! We're living in the twentieth first century not the Middle Age.'

-'I don't want to let him down.'

-'In that case, I'm sorry for you…you'll be prisoner of your own destiny. From where I come from…we choose our own destiny!'

-'What if I choose you?'

-'Me? You don't want to choose me…you know nothing about me and you know that I'm not like Steve or Jin…'

-'Then why are you here?'

Hwoarang didn't answer that because they both heard voices from the garden. Lao and his oldest daughter were back.

Lao was waiting for Julia in his office. Last night his wife had told him about Hwoarang and Jin's fight and Lao wasn't happy with Hwoarang's actions. It seemed that Lie Hai Kwan's son was not like his father used to say. In that moment, Lao wasn't too worried because he was almost sure that Julia had chosen Jin. But he wanted to know his daughter's choice for sure.

-'Hi honey!'-Lao greeted.

-'Hi dad…I presume everything went well in Seattle.'

-'Yes of course! But tell me have you given it some thought?'

-'About the wedding?'

-'Yes…'

-'I didn't decide yet…'

-'Why not? Your mother told me that you and Jin are always together and that you make a cute couple. Jin's a fine young man, I would like him by my side and I'm sure he wouldn't let you down.'

-'I…don't love Jin…'

-'He's a Mishima…do you know the kind of power his grandfather has all over the world?'

-'Yes, I know but we're just friends.'

-'If you like him as a friend, I'm sure you can love him one day!'

-'I'm sorry dad…but I can't.'

-'Why not?'

-'Because…Jin loves another girl.'

-'Did he say that?'

-'No…but I know.'

Lao sat down on his red chair and sighed. Then he got up and looked outside the window.

-'In that case you better choose Steve Fox.'

-'What?'

-'Yon Kwan is out of the question!'

-'I don't love Steve…sorry…'

-'Then learn how to love him.'

-'How can you say that?'

-'Why are you giving me all these troubles? With your sister was so easy!'

-'She loved Mario…'

-'Please, Julia…just choose Steve.'

-'Fine…I'll think about it, if you agree in letting Jin return to Japan soon.'

-'Ok it's a deal.'

-'Good.'

-'Oh by the way…tomorrow night I'm going to give a party…it's more like a family dinner. Your grandparents are coming…all the family will be here. It's a good opportunity to announce your choice.'

Julia watched her father with a sad look on her face and left. She didn't want to marry Steve, and she doubted that Steve wanted to marry her too. But how could she change her father's mind?

It was in that precise moment that Julia noticed that she was falling in love with Hwoarang. She thought about her marriage with Jin or Steve and she couldn't stand the idea, but with Hwoarang…maybe things could work out. That was probably her only way out: to tell Lao that she was in love with Hwoarang, and to tell Hwoarang her true feelings for him. Both tasks were not easy, and Julia was fully aware of that.