ROSES IN MAY

byKasama Kim

Theme: #1 – look over here

Disclaimer: I don't own Tekken – it's still NAMCO…

It was another sunday when Miharu was almost bored to death and had one of her most outstanding ideas to waste her little free time: she decided to take a trip to the Tokyo Horse racetrack. Naturally, Jin was not excited about her idea and after having a tiny little argument about "what the hell else to do, man?" he finally gave in. He didn't know she had such an affection about horses but as usual he didn't want to make her freak out on him.

When they arrived there, the access-road was stuffed with vehicles and the parking lot was crowded, not to mention the queue of people waiting to buy their tickets.

"Oh wow, what a crowd!" Miharu cheered but Jin raised an eyebrow. "I oughta go in there?" he asked startled. "Oh come on, don't be such a sissy. Remember the crowd at the tournament and imagine this is just another installment. Jin, you'll survive it, believe me." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to the entrance where she bought tickets and a prgramm – Jin just drifted behind her and a subtle feeling of claustrophobia creeped up from his subconscience into his mind.

"Oh here, see! Now I know why there are so many people today! It's the Keio Hai Spring Cup for 4 years old Thoroughbreds today! That's a Grade 2 International race! And Roses In May starts! God, I need to get to the cashiers desk and bid on him!"

That was enough for Jin to finally lose his temper. "Miharu! Stop it! You drive me crazy!" He was standing there stiffly, breathing heavily, fighting down the murderous feeling that raised up violently and made him get a serious headache. Miharu backed up with her eyes full of fear when she realized the color of his eyes rapidly changing from deep brown to ice blue. The people around didn't seem to realize anything and as a passing by man accidentialy jostled Jin, he stumbled forward, crashed into Miharu and both of them tumbled to the floor. Blinking dazedly, Jin finally rolled off his girlfriend and kneeled on the floor, suddenly laughing manically. Miharu took the chance to get up and waited for Jin to gain control over himself again. "Everything okay?" she asked him, when he had stopped laughing.

"I could have killed all these people now." He said silently but still smiled.

"Bids on the fourth race end in five minutes!" came an announcement over the loudspeakers.

"Oh, that's the Cup race! Jin, please!" Miharu begged. "I want to bed on Roses In May."

"Then hurry." He said and went over to the show ring where the horses for the next race were already lead in. Jin looked at the animals, still wondering why Miharu was that excited about them. He thought they were okay, though his mother had had a very special relation to animals. She had always told him to honor animals and he did, but he didn't fall in love with them like Miharu did. This was something of a special realtionship about girls and horses he didn't understand.

"Hey, Jin, look over here, that's Roses In May!" Miharu pointed out on a big black stallion with braided mane who was determined trying to tear the reins from his jockeys' hands. He looked like a nice horse but, well, this was the girls – horses – thing. "Looks nice." Jin said restrainedly and suddenly took a step back as the stallion passed by, snorting him in the face just as if he was saying: "Hey, boy, I'm the absolutely greatest, got it?"

The horses were lead to the turf track and Miharu hurried to get a good place at the finish line tribune. Jin was standing behind her and watched as she fought to get forward to the rails.

The horses cantered to the start and were put into the starting machine.

And then they started. The formerly silent crowd started screaming and cheering, people calling the name of the horses they had bid on, jumping up from their seats with their faces in a burning red color, shaking their fists and screaming a little louder. They became a moving mass, one giant pulsating figure of whirling colors and overwhelming smells and pointly increasing noise, showing where the horses were. Jin stayed in his place but became curious about the black horse with that shining white star on his forehead. The stallion was second to some bully chestnut when they came along the last curve before the finishing straight, Roses In May on the outside, drifting out of the curve a little and losing ground to the chestnut, when a tiny bay mare tried to break through on the far inside but didn't make it to catch up with the chestnut who tried to increase speed. Miharu jumped like crazy and screamed the name of the horse who managed to go nose on nose with the chestnut. And like this they passed the finish line, the bay mare third. The announcer remained silent and so did the crowd, as the horses cantered by and calmed down after the hot race. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a photofinish. Please wait for the result…"

Silence settled at the Racetrack, only some whispers were heard, an almost holy ambience arised. The people waited for the result… the bay mare was third, her name was Canterbury Nikitaa, but who was first? Roses In May or that ugly chestnut Brilliante Nougatin? Miharu started to crumple up the program when there was the final announcement: "Ladies and Gentlemen, savor with me… the winner of the Keio Hai Cup 2005… ROSES IN MAY!"

The people were going crazy, screaming, cheering, some even crying, dozens of people streamed to the cashiers desks to claim their money.

Miharu stood there, looking down to the turf, where a groom was leading the black stallion to a small place where he was awarded Sring Cup winner with a beautiful laurel wreath made of flowers and a blanket with the stroke "Keio Hai Spring Cup Champion 2005" in big golden letters on it. The owners were standing there, smiling, and held up the big golden cup, the trainer was there, the jockey up on the horse and the groom holding the stallion at a lead chain while the horse was trying to tear the rains out of the jockeys' hands again. Photos were taken and then they lead the horse back to the stable.

"Miharu?" Jin watched his girlfriend who was still looking down to the track.

"Hm?" She looked at him, grinning happily. "I did it, Jin. Isn't that crazy?"

"What did you do?" he asked, also grinning though he didn't have the slightest idea what she was talking about.

"Well, I bet all the money I had with me on only this horse…" she said and smiled brightly. "And at the current quote of 17 that makes…1.011.500 Yen." She still smiled while Jin stared at her with his mouth wide open. "Seems like I'll pay for the dinner today, okay?" Miharu teased and hugged Jin, then seriously kissed him with her arms wrapped around his neck.

"You know what, Mi? Guess you should bet on horses more often." Jin smirked then kissed her again.

"So now, let's go get MY money, hun." Miharu said and stormed off to the cashiers desks with Jin following on her heels.