Sky's the Limit

by Ephraim Nephilim

My Say: I don't really know what I'm going to be writing here, but for all I know it's going this is a one-shot involving Asuka and Hwoarang! Hooray one-shots! Anyway, after thinking for a while, "Hey, why don't I make this a compilation of Asukarang one-shots?" You read it right folks, each story with their own unique plot. Ooh, yeah, with endless chapters (refer to the title) — until I'm fed up!

Abstract: Finally, it's time for the Mishima High's annual School Festival… everyone, get ready! Oh, Asuka and Hwoarang… together? The tomboy hyperactive chick and that cute hottie (the girls prefer) soccer team captain, Hwoarang! Oh my… do read the story, and thank you for reading.

Copyrights & Disclaimer: Sky's the Limit is just a compilation of fictional stories written by fanatic, Ephraim, using characters, places, etc based on Tekken. Tekken (characters, story, etc) & related trademarks copyrighted to Namco Co. Ltd. And so therefore I do not own Tekken. Quotes featured in this story are copyrighted to their respective writers. Story inspired by Tsukuba Sakura's After the Festival.

I. Lonely No More

Aah, a beautiful day blesses the student of Mishima High for it's their annual School Festival. Everyone seems to be busier than ever, a crowd of guys painting their posters for the class poster contest there, a group of girls yelling cheers over here— a sight to be remembered by High School students indeed.

"Hey, Hwoarang, you think you can get us an extra paintbrush? We need to finish this already; festival's going to start in a few hours." Jin said as he carried a pail of paint to the site where they're finishing the poster.

"Sure! Be back in a flash." Hwoarang jogged towards the main school building where their classroom is, and where their equipments are.

On the other hand, the girls are also busy with their own gigs, "Asuka! Where is she?" Xiaoyu called out.

"Coming," A young feisty Asuka jogs toward the pack of girls, "These pom-poms can really be annoying when you're in a hurry— oops."

During the haste, she accidentally bumps Hwoarang, "Sorry!" Asuka apologizes and Hwoarang hurries off to the building, his voice echoing "It's alright!"

Asuka releases a heavy sigh and drops the multi-colored pom-poms on the ground, putting her hands on her waist; her "victory" gesture. The girls proceed to their practice but, "Aw, great!" Xiaoyu yells.

Asuka rolls her eyes, guessing it'd be some more work, "Lacking pom-poms, are we?" Asuka asked Xiaoyu with a gloomy face, "Don't worry, I'll get it."

"That's a good girl. Hurry back!" Xiaoyu said.

As Asuka walked toward the main building, she saw the boy's hard work, the poster; a big blue poster with a painting of sushi on it. A sushi? Man, for one festival, it sure takes out the blood, sweat and … Asuka thought as she reached the classroom, 2-1, she opened the door and to her surprise she finds Hwoarang sleeping on tables being aligned next to each other. "Oops, hmm, it's the guy I just bumped outside." She told herself in a whisper.

Let friendship creep gently to a height;

If it rushes to it, it may soon run itself out of breath.

-Fuller

Why is he sleeping on the tables? Is he sick, or maybe… nah, hmm, thoughts filled Asuka's mind. She waited, and waited, staring at his sweet face at slumber. She sat down on the floor and wonders what was she supposed to do… Darn short-term-memory loss, she thought and saw a pom-pom on the teacher's table, at the same time, Hwoarang was waking up. Hmm, a festival's never complete without excitement, Asuka thought it'd be fun to scare Hwoarang as he woke up, and so she did.

"Boo!" Asuka stretched her mouth the widest she can as she pulled her eye bags down.

"SAY WHAT!" Hwoarang shouted as he saw Asuka's hideous face. "Huff, puff, huff, puff. You…"

"Sorry, I ran out of things to do. Besides, you also crept me out as I entered this room!" Asuka said filled with spirit.

"Well, I was still sleepy as I got to here. Anyway… you're Asuka Kazama, the cousin of Jin?"

Asuka nodded, "Hwoarang, right, oh, you work for the poster don't you? Look at the paint on your face and arms…"

Hwoarang nodded and got off the tables as they walked toward the window, "Speaking of the poster, where's that paintbrush?"

"Here! Man, you guys so did a great job with that sushi— makes me want to eat some maki!" Asuka said and looked at Hwoarang with a gentle smile on her face.

Hwoarang blushed for a second and arranged the jumbled words on his head, "Really think so? Thanks. The sushi idea was actually my group's idea… but hey, everybody agreed with it anyway."

The two smiled at each other, unfortunately, the class had to disturb them. "Woohoo! Let's go guys!" the whole class said in unison.

"Let's go peeps! Go class 2! Woohoo!" Asuka cheered as they exited the classroom.

Like, where does she get all that energy? Hwoarang thought.

The ladies cheered as the guys played, the teachers and the whole class celebrated as their classes won. Everyone was enjoying themselves. There were games in store for everyone, even the boys had to cheer for the girls as they competed for their cheer dance competition.

Sure was a fun day at school.

And finally, the final event, the relay race! Hwoarang, Jin, and…

"Alright! Go Hwoarang! Go, Jin! And go—" Hwoarang blushed as his name was called, and by all people, by Asuka.

"Hey, we're lacking a runner for the race— pick one fast!" Kazuya shouted at his class.

"Asuka, go— you're fast yourself. Go!" Xiaoyu pushed Asuka to the oval where the race will take place.

"Hey, I was supposed to—" Asuka ended up the first runner for the relay, "…cheer. Aw."

Ready.

Steady.

Get set…

Bang…

… And there goes the runners, Asuka seemed to have the lead… followed by Steve, Christie, and some 2 other students. Good, you're doing just… Asuka thought and slipped as she made a turn, "Asuka!" Hwoarang called out, …darn bad, girl! Darn it, Asuka thought and continued running.

"Oh no, Sir Kazuya's team ain't gonna be happy, Asuka just slipped and the rest of the racers are passing already. Good, Asuka recovered, but to no avail. She was able to pass it to Hwoarang, but they're in last place still." The announcer narrated.

"Don't worry, Jin and I will handle it." Hwoarang said as he grabbed the baton from Asuka.

Asuka couldn't say a word, only thing she could do was follow Hwoarang with her eyes. Go for it, she thought and clenched her fist. The cheers and yells of different classes echoed behind her.

"Wow! Hwoarang is as fast as the speed of light, folks. Look at him go. He regained their place, now they're leading— oh, oh, he passed it to Jin!" the announcer narrated.

"Go class 2!" "Go Jin!" "Take home the bacon, baby!" Everybody cheered as class 2 won the race, win or lose, the fun never ended.

Asuka's eyes widened and a big smile appeared on her face. She rushed to Hwoarang and glomped on him. "Hwoarang, congratulations! Man, without you…" Asuka congratulated as Hwoarang turned red.

"Um, Asuka… you're quite heavy and your chest is pressing—" Hwoarang said and Asuka backed up as class 2 surrounded Hwoarang, Asuka fading out of the scene.

"Sor… sorry." Asuka's word could barely be heard.

It's finally night time, around 8:30 pm, class 2 gathers in front of the bonfire behind the school building, everyone's oh-so happy with delight. But not everyone, Asuka was at the back, alone, trying to enjoy herself. She smiled at everyone's happiness and turned back, only to see Hwoarang walk towards her. She turned back to the cheery class and looked down as she remembered the events of this afternoon.

"Fun day we had huh," Hwoarang started and tapped Asuka's shoulder, "to think, everyone still has the energy to celebrate, they've been like that 2 hours already. What a day." he looked at Asuka with a gentle smile.

Asuka looked at Hwoarang who was standing beside her and smiled. The two sat in front of the bonfire and chatted.

"Hey, why do you have to burn the your poster too. It won third place. And all the…" Asuka said as she stared at the embers of the bonfire.

"It's okay, the bonfire is being fueled by the beauty of the poster anyway. Cheer up." Hwoarang said.

Asuka stood up and looked at Hwoarang sitting down, "I never expected you to say such ardent words."

Our words have wings, but fly not where we would.

G. Eliot

Hwoarang blushes once again and uttered, "Asuka—"

But Jin interrupted, "Hwoarang! C'mon, don't feel dead yet, dance!" Jin drags Hwoarang towards the area where everyone else is dancing.

"Aw man, didn't you see me run during the relay? My legs don't even want to stand up. Cut me some slack. I'm tired and I haven't changed!"

"Alright, guess it's gets late too, go, get change! We're leaving soon." Jin said.

Everyone else went home while the rest are going to be riding in the train, namely Jin, Asuka, Xiaoyu, Christie, Hwoarang, Steve and some other people. Lucky for them, they were able to catch up with the last train.

The girls are sleeping while the guys are wide awake. The ladies are sitting right across the guys, "Look at the girls sleep, it's not like they did all the hard work. Hah, hah!" Steve said.

"Hey, Jin, Asuka's you're cousin right?" Haru asked Jin.

"Yeah, but her stop's in Tokyo and I mine's in Kawaguchi." Jin answered with a yawn.

"Yawn. Hey, I used to like her, but, man, she's so…" Haru said.

"…Full of life? Energetic? Lively?" Hwoarang added.

"Well, yeah. Quite a tomboy if you ask me. Too bad, tomboys aren't my type." Haru said with a laugh.

Hearing that, Hwoarang "accidentally" hits Haru on the right cheek as the train stopped. "HEY!" Haru shouted rubbing his right cheek.

Love rules without a sword; love binds without a cord.

- Proverb

"Sorry man, train's fault." Hwoarang defended himself.

"Next stop, Kawaguchi station." Words came out of the speaker.

"Everybody, wake up!" the guys said as they wake the girls up.

As they arrive in Kawaguchi station, everybody gets off except for Hwoarang and Asuka, "Hey, take care of my cousin, make sure she gets home okay, your stop's at Tokyo right?" Jin said as he exited the train.

"Sure, no problem." Hwoarang replied.

Hwoarang transferred seats and sat beside Asuka, as the train rattled, Asuka's head ended up on Hwoarang's shoulder. You're different Asuka… Yawn, crap, I'm so sleepy. Hwoarang thought and not a second later dozed off.

About an hour has passed and, "Excuse me, excuse me, but please, wake up!" a guy in uniform who seems to be the conductor of the train woke Hwoarang and Asuka up.

"Whaaaaaat?" Hwoarang and Asuka shouted in unison.

"Sorry, about missing your stop. You should be more… um, careful next time. Tokyo's not that far, you're just in Ofuna." the conductor apologized.

"Great, better call my parents." Asuka said and headed to the phone booth.

"Yeah, hi mom. I'll be sleeping over at Xiao's. Sure. Okay. G'night." Asuka said over the telephone.

"So, you're cool? You know we have to wait…" Hwoarang started.

"I know. Well, my parents are at least. And hey, what the heck, we'll just have to wait a few hours till the first train arrives first thing tomorrow."

Hwoarang looked and apologized, "Sorry, I" Asuka raised a brow and smiled, "It's alright, it's both our faults."

"I always enjoyed festivals. But they always end." Asuka said with a sad mask covering her face.

"Wipe that mask away, the festival's just getting started…" Hwoarang cheered Asuka up by turning on the drinking fountain— water… everywhere!

The two played with water till Asuka turned in clumsy-mode. She accidentally aimed the water of the drinking fountain at Hwoarang…

"Brr, what the? Hey! Asuka!" Hwoarang called out. Asuka ran to the jungle-gym and sat on the top-most part.

"Catch me first!" Asuka shouted.

Hwoarang ran to the jungle-gym and looked up at Asuka.

"Hey, the paint's coming off! You should thank me." Asuka said with another smile.

"Is it?" Hwoarang touched his right cheek, "it is, see?" Asuka said and touched his left cheek and rubbed the paint off…

The two stared at each other while Asuka's hand was still on his cheek. It's only obvious to the naked eye that the two are saying "I love you" through their eyes. As the moon highlights their climax…

…was a kiss the finale of their own little festival?

Only they can tell.

The train has finally arrived, and the two walked together toward the train.

"You know what, this has been the only festival that I wasn't able to feel loneliness as it ended." Asuka said.

"Well, every after the festival, something begins anew." Hwoarang said.

A man's eyes are only mirrors in which

You see what you want to see.

-D. Dix

Chapter End.

A/N: I'm no wiz when it comes to romantic stories with happy or tear-jerking endings… but I think this one's a start. But I have to say frankly that the story has been greatly inspired by Tsukuba. Man, she's good. But anyway, I had my fun when I wrote this, let me hear your part of the story! R&R, thanks a lot!

P.S It is for you to decide whether they kissed or not, but they did stare at each other that seemed to be like an "I love you" or confession moment. Hah hah!

N.B Haru is a name I made up so there'd be at least a variety of characters and not just Rang and Asuka.