A/N: Edited a little, because I felt that the ending paragraphs with Xiao and Jin were a little bit 'tacked on'. So I've made that scene a bit longer. Reviewers, I love you. Your comments make my day, so please keep them coming. And don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything about the chapter you don't like. I'm always open to suggestions for improvement! Right, on with the show.

Chapter 19: Together

"So, which one do you think, Xiao?"

Miharu's holding up two shirts, and I turn my attention away from a pink, flowery dress to look, then blink, mildly confused.

"Which one? They look the same to me."

"They're different." Miharu sighs, shoving one of them into my hands. "This one is plain, see? The one you're holding is different." She points. "Look. Lacy hem."

"Oh, yeah." I trace my finger over the edge of the lace, noticing loose threads. It's unraveling. Hm, remind me not to buy anything from this shop again without checking it over. Miharu's still waiting for an answer, and I hand her the shirt back.

"Well then, I say the plain one."

Her face falls a little.

"Why?"

I shrug, nodding my head a tad in time with the music blaring through the shop.

"Not too fussy."

Miharu and I are on our mandatory shopping expedition, something we do every weekend without fail - whether we have the cash for new clothes or not. It gives us chance to talk girl stuff without Hwoarang's 'helpful' interjections, or his complaining. Also, it means I get chance to have my weekly fix of mocha. De-caff, of course. Damned migraines. Mind you, like Hwo's said a couple of times before, it's probably a good thing that I react badly to caffeine. I can get hyperactive enough as it is.

"I liked the other one." Miharu mutters, making a face.

"Well then get the other one."

"Xiao, you know I hate when you do this." she says warningly.

"If you like the lacy one, Miharu, buy it."

"But you said the plain one."

"Well, I like the plain one."

"Well I like the lace one!"

I raise my eyebrows.

"So buy it."

She lets out a little scream of frustration, stamping her foot, then snatches the shirt out of my hands and thrusts it back on the rack, along with the lace one. Glaring at me, she grabs a blue tee.

"I'll buy this one!"

"The lace one was better..."

She turns slowly to face me, a murderous expression on her face, and I smile, barely managing not to burst into laughter. Not the best idea when you've already wound someone up as best you can, but I can see amusement dancing in her eyes, so I think I'm safe from her wrath for now. She'll probably think up a way to get her own back on me later, anyway. She always does.

"When's the tournament due to start?" Miharu spots a denim skirt nearby "Ooh, cute."

"A week on Monday." And then I stop, suddenly feeling a little bit nervous. "I didn't think it was so soon..."

"You're worried?"

"Sort of."

"Why?"

I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know."

"Yes you do." Miharu accuses. Nothing escapes her. We've known each other too long.

"I guess I'm worried that I'll..." I trail off, studying my fingernails. They need filing.

"You'll what?"

"What if I don't make it past the first round?" I ask slowly. "What if I lose my first match? What would people think? I'm scared I'll let everyone down."

A grin spreads over Miharu's face and she carries on flipping through hangers to find the skirt in her size.

"Well, someone has to lose." She finds what she's looking for and adds it to the armful of clothes she has already, and I try to figure out whether she's teasing me or whether she hasn't finished talking yet. She opens her mouth to carry on, answering my question.

"But come on, Xiao. You, crashing out early? Not gonna happen, chick."

I smile slightly, picking up a white hoodie and examining it, and suddenly feeling much better. It makes me happy to know that Miharu has faith in me. She's the only one who's had no doubts - back when I first got the invitation, everyone else tried to talk me out of it some way or another. Jin said it was too dangerous, Hwoarang spent an hour-long phone conversation trying to persuade me not to enter (I think he was just scared of the competition, though.) and Grandfather, in typical Grandfather fashion, just mumbled and wandered off into the garden. When I told Miharu, I was half expecting the same type of thing from her. I should have known better. She was totally excited about the whole thing, and said she couldn't wait to see me kick some Mishima butt as revenge for school, and for that bronze abomination (otherwise known as Heihachi's statue) in the middle of the courtyard. I wouldn't go as far as to say I'll really get the chance, but it means a lot that Miharu believes I can.

"You really think so?"

"I know so." She assures me, scrunching her nose at an item of clothing I suspect is supposed to be a crochet top. It's not really too obvious whether I'm right or not.

"So, what will you do if you have to fight Jin?" she asks lightly.

"Erm, kick his ass?"

"Are you sure?" she singsongs. "Are you sure you won't just give him an ere-"

"Shut up!" I squeal, turning away from her. I knew I shouldn't have said anything about the other day.

Miharu cackles, picking up a studded belt, and then deciding against it.

"Have you got everything you want?"

I ignore her, still embarrassed about what she's just said.

"Come on, Xiao, I was kidding!"

"Hn, whatever. Next time, I'll keep it to myself."

"So there'll be a next time?"

Damn. I'm digging myself a hole by arguing with her. I opt to give her the silent treatment for the rest of the day. It lasts about five minutes.

The next day, I'm wandering around the school (searching out a working snack machine) when Jin walks up to me. That's another great thing about free lessons, the fact that you can hang around with your not-boyfriend and have a meaningful conversation. Ah, vending machine at twelve 'o' clock. Sugar high, here I come.

"What are you buying?" Jin asks, walking past me to lean against the wall next to the machine and stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"Chocolate."

"I had a feeling you would be." He sounds amused, and I kneel down to grab it.

"Chocolate's good for you." I say indignantly. "It releases endorphins and stuff."

"Does it, now?" he asks, and I frown at him. His voice seems to have this tone of mockery to it today, like he's only putting up with me for his own entertainment, and I don't like how insecure it makes me feel. I've felt this way before, back when we first met, and I hated it then. Mind you, I've been in a bad mood since I got up, so I might just be taking the tone in his voice the wrong way. In fact, there's probably not a tone to it at all. I decide that now's a good a time as any to do what Miharu and I agreed on yesterday.

See, when we got to the nearest cafe, I complained at her for fifteen minutes about Jin and his mixed signals, before we decided that asking him what was going on would be a good idea. Miharu said that if nothing else, it'd make me feel more at ease around Jin, knowing exactly where I stood. I did ponder asking Hwoarang for his guy opinion, but then decided not to. Hwoarang isn't known for giving good advice.

"Jin, what are we?"

Ugh. That was so soap opera.

He looks surprised, and I mentally kick myself for the way I worded the question. And also, I wonder why he looks so surprised. Is he really so taken aback that I'm confused about where I stand? Is that really so unbelievable? He's not exactly made things clear. At least, I don't think he has. Maybe he's under the impression that we're on the same wavelength. Heh.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean..." I look at the floor, heat rising to my face. "Are we...uh...together?"

"Well, we're in the same vicinity..."

"Jin, you know what I mean."

"You want to be together? Like, a couple?" I hate how bewildered he sounds.

"Do you?"

"Um, sure. I mean, uh, if you want."

I raise my eyes to glare at him.

"Well isn't that reassuring?"

"Well..." he trails off, raising a brow. "Aren't we okay as we are?"

As we are? So basically, he means 'Isn't it fine for me to alternate giving as many mixed signals as I like with kissing you to death, without actually having to do any couple-type things like calling you or even acknowledging your existence unless I want something?' Adjusting the strap of my bag, I give him the coldest look I can muster, then turn to walk away.

"Yes, fine. That's fine. I'm going."

And he catches my hand, pulling me backwards and into his arms. I can feel his warm body against me, his arms wrapped around my waist, pinning me in place. Something that would usually have me melting at his feet, but today only serves to make me angrier. What does he think, that he can say anything he wants, and that holding me will make me forget? Bzzt, wrong!

"Xiao, I'm joking." He tells me, sounding amused as I try to wriggle out of his grip, scowling.

"No you're not. You've got no intention of actually dating me, have you? I'm just a - "

"Don't start." he tells me, still with that annoying amusement in his voice. "You're not 'just' anything, Xiao. Really."

I manage to calm down a little, but keep a stony glare firmly in place.

"Then why be like that about it?" I snap.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to these types of situations." And he does look ashamed…

"I find that hard to believe." I grumble, but don't move to leave just yet. "I don't understand you sometimes."

Doesn't mean I don't want you to kiss me though.

…I did not just think that.

"Same to you."

"Well, I guess we fit then, don't we?"

"Seems like it." he laughs.

Then he kisses me, and even though I'm supposed to be playing hard to get, I don't pull away. The above hard-to-get thing kind of went out of the window when I asked him if we were together, anyway. But still, he didn't really answer my question. I'll just have to make sure later.