Chapter 29: Resolution

Remember when I said I'd give Jin a taste of his own medicine and ignore his matches? Well, that seems to be another one of those Jin-based decisions that lasted precisely two seconds. Because here I am, standing in the crowd as he and Anna Williams battle. They're fighting in an industrial style area that's full of scaffolding and doesn't look quite finished yet. I'm hiding behind a concrete pillar, because I don't want him to know I'm there. God, I'm so pathetic.

Soon though, all thoughts of pathetic-ness go flying out the window. I forgot how smoothly Jin fights. He moves as though he knows exactly what's coming. So I just stare, transfixed, as he deftly palms Anna's hand away and counters with an elbow to her face. She cries out, putting her hands to her mouth as she stumbles backwards, but recovers smartly and delivers a double slap as her counter move. She hits her mark, catching Jin around the face, and he shakes his head a little, dodging her follow-up kick just in time. Her spike heel grazes his cheek. I don't know how the hell she manages to fight in those things. I can't even survive half a day of shopping in heels with Miharu without having to put something more comfortable on. Mind you, the rest of Anna's outfit isn't much better. Come on, who wears a floor length silk dress to fight in? It's the same red dress she was wearing when she told me how she didn't want to smash my face in, or something.

Jin's outfit is a little more suitable. He's wearing the loose fitting trousers with the fire up the side that he wore during our little match back home. His chest is bare again, and I am so not staring at that taut stomach, and the way those trousers hang low on his hips. Not in the slightest. Not. At. All.

Anna leaps into a flying kick, but Jin blocks her attack with crossed forearms, then grabs her before she can recover. He twists her arm and flips her over his shoulder, the same throw he used on me during our little spar. I really have to stop thinking about that. She lands heavily and doesn't recover straight away, and I cringe. I know how that feels. The seconds tick by, Jin standing over her. He moves forward hesitantly to see if she's still conscious. Anna makes no move to get up. Surely that throw wasn't powerful enough to knock her out? Mind you, she did look really tired, and I'm not sure how long the fight had been going on before I turned up.

Jin leans over her, and her eyes snap open. She quickly sweeps his legs from under him and then gets to her feet, jamming her foot into his chest. Jin grunts in pain as she digs her heel in as hard as she can, a nasty smile on her face. Her smile doesn't stay there for long though, because Jin's as quick as lightning, grabbing her leg with both hands and throwing her off. He scrambles to his feet, and Anna runs straight at him with a frustrated cry. She's lost her temper, and it's her downfall. She brings back her fist to strike – and Jin grabs her hand, kicks her left leg out from under her and slams his elbow into the back of her head. She crumples face first to the ground, and this time it really is over.

"Jin Kazama wins!"

I stay behind my pillar, torn between wanting to go over there to tell him that he did a great job, and not wanting to get hurt again. Eventually, as other competitors offer their congratulations, I make my decision.

I step out from behind the pillar and walk away.

As soon as I get back to the hotel courtyard, I feel tears stinging my eyes. I don't know why, maybe it's PMS or something. Or maybe it's the fact that my ribs, no, my whole upper body, is killing me. Or maybe because my legs are aching. Either way, I'm sick of feeling miserable. This isn't me.

Digging out my phone, I speed dial Miharu. She can always talk some sense into me, it's like she knows exactly what to say to make things okay. The phone rings three times before it's answered. That's quick for Miharu. She usually puts her phone in her bag pocket, forgets which one it's in, and then ends up throwing bus tickets and sweets all over the place when she gets a call.

"Hello?"

"Er, is Miharu there?"

"Oh, sorry Xiao, she's not home." It's her brother. I used to have the biggest crush on him a couple of years ago. Every time he talked to me, I'd go all tingly.

"Okay. Never mind."

"D'you want me to tell her to call you?"

"…No, it's okay. I'll call later."

He wishes me luck in the tournament and hangs up, and I trudge into the hotel lobby, roughly wiping the tears from my eyes. For a moment, I consider looking for Hwoarang, who always knows what inappropriate joke to make to cheer me up, but I stop myself. I have to start relying on myself more. I'm being stupid. Here I am, participating in the most famous martial arts tournament in the world, and all I can do is angst over being too much of a coward to talk to some guy? This is yet another example of me being a ridiculous person.

I go up the stairs, through the sun drenched hallway towards my room, slightly cheered up by the idea of a nice long shower and some chocolate, but... it looks like I'll have to put that on hold for now. My door's already unlocked, and when I go in, Jin's standing in front of the window, the sun blazing behind him. I freeze in the doorway as he puts down the photo frame he was holding (it's a picture of me, Hwo and Miharu from last summer) and turns to face me. He must have come straight from his fight, because he's still wearing the same clothes.

There are so many things I want to ask him, but the only thing that comes out of my mouth is "Wh-why are you here?"

He smiles.

"I was waiting for you."