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Chapter 20 – Warnings
20th APRIL
When Jin woke up, only Yoshimitsu was in the hotel, everyone else was watching the first fight of the tournament.
-'You are Jin Kazama, aren't you?'-Yoshimitsu asked.
Jin looked at him and nodded. He didn't know how to react in front of that weird man. He didn't know Yoshimitsu very well and since he had seen him with Heihachi, he knew he had to be cautious because Yoshimitsu could be working for his grandfather.
-'You should be careful…'-Yoshimitsu continued.
-'What do you mean?'
-'Your life might be in danger.'
-'My life? What are you talking about?'
-'I think you know…'
-'Heihachi?'
-'It's not only Heihachi…I think you should know that.'
-'I guess I'm a popular guy, huh?'
-'Be careful with your enemies Jin Kazama…but don't turn down your friends' help, it might be fatal to you.'
Jin shrugged.
-'Aren't you going to see the fight?'-Jin asked.
-'No…I know she'll win.'
-'Where are they fighting, anyway?'
-'Leave the hotel and go east…walk into the forest and you'll find a torii. Next to the torii there's an arena. Everyone is gathered there, so you just need to follow the screams.'
-Thanks.'
Jin left, but Yoshimitsu's words were still in his mind. There were more people who wanted him dead. But who? Heihachi was one of them, for sure, but who were the others?
When Jin entered the forest to go and check the fight, someone appeared and made him stop. It was Julia.
-'Your grandfather made a very good speech yesterday.'-she said.
-'That's his speciality.'
-'I didn't see you there.'
-'I went to his room.'
-'Really? Did you find something about my mother?'
-'Not exactly, but I think Heihachi has a base or a HQ in this island.'
-'I haven't seen any buildings, except the ones near the hotel.'
-'That's because you didn't bother looking further. Yesterday I saw the Tekkenshu arriving in a jeep. The airplane doesn't carry cars…so I guess they have a HQ somewhere in the forest…'
-'Do you think my mother is there?'
-'Maybe. My fight is only in two days, so I have time to check it out.'
-'How?'
-'I'll think something out, don't worry…'
-'So…you do believe me, right?'
-'I thought about it…I don't know why someone would bother making up such a weird story.'
-'I didn't make this up!'
-'I believe in you for now…but I want your word in that you and your mother are going to help me, once we set her free…'
-'You have my word, Kazama. I will help you, I promise.'
Julia and Jin were suddenly interrupted by steps. They both turned around and saw Hwoarang arriving.
-'So…Pigtails isn't enough for you huh?'-he inquired in an innocent voice.
-'Leave her out of this.'-Jin said sharply.
-'What are you doing here?'-Julia asked.
-'I heard voices…did you know that stealing your friend's boyfriend it's a sign of dishonesty? Not to mention a sin…'
-'I'm not stealing anything, you idiot!'-Julia declared.
-'I'm surprised with you, Kazama…cheating on Pigtails…the poor girl will be devastated. Maybe I should go and comfort her…'
-'You won't go near her, did you hear me?'-Jin threatened.
-'You're not my father!'
-'Come on guys…quit that!'-Julia said. She was worried that a simple argument could start a violent fight between them. Hwoarang and Jin were staring at each other with such ferocity that Julia could see the sparks coming out of their eyes.
-'What do you say if we forget about the tournament and fight right now to set the scores?'-Hwoarang challenged.
-'No!'-Julia opposed.
-'Easy…Chang…I promise I won't hurt him…much.'-Hwoarang said.
-'You think you can beat me?'-Jin asked surprised.
-'Of course I can!'-Hwoarang assured.
-'I've been training…'-Jin warned.
-'You were not the only one. Since we fought, I haven't done anything else but practice. You said we would fight again, and I came here to prove that I'm stronger than you!'
-'You can't beat me! I'll always be one step ahead!'
-'The Hell you will! Prepare yourself Kazama!'
Hwoarang took his fighting stance and waited for Jin to do the same. He wanted that fight more than anything else and he was ready to take Jin right there. He would prove that he was the best fighter.
-'Kazama…don't hear him, he's just trying to annoy you. Just ignore him and go…'-Julia said.
-'Look Chang…I'm being ignored since I was born…so shut up and let us fight.'-Hwoarang spat.
Julia looked at him, she didn't know if she was sorry for him or if she was angry because he was being a complete asshole.
-'Chang is right…the rules don't allow us to fight before the matches. We can be disqualified.'
-'No one needs to know.'-Hwoarang suggested.
-'We'll fight in the tournament.'-Jin said.
-'We fight now or I'm going to tell Pigtails that you were having a private chat with Miss Nature in the middle of the forest away from everyone's sight!'
Jin grabbed Hwoarang's collarbone and their eyes met once again.
-'If you do that, I'm going to kill you! She has nothing to do with this and things will remain this way!'
-'Let go!'-Hwoarang pushed Jin and he released him.
In that moment Jin saw Ling returning from the arena. The screams had ceased, so the fight was probably over.
-'We'll talk later…'-he said to Julia and left to meet Ling.
Ling was surprised to see him there but she accepted his invitation to have a drink with him, and she didn't notice Julia and Hwoarang.
-'Damn it! That bastard!'-Hwoarang cursed.
-'He did the right thing! You have to fight in the tournament!'
-'You need to learn to keep your mouth shut!'
-'And you need to learn to control your temper!'
-'I hope your conscience lets you sleep at night…'
-'What?'
-'You pretended to be Pigtails' friend just to seduce her boyfriend…and I thought you were a decent girl…'
-'There is nothing between me and Jin Kazama.'
-'Really? Then why were you talking in here, hiding from the rest of us?'
-'It's complicated and personal…'
-'Just admit it.'
-'Look I don't have to give you satisfactions. Just leave us alone!'
-'Not until I fight with that loser.'
-'You're such a child…that's the most stupid motive to be in a tournament. You just want to kick ass, right?'
-'They invented martial arts tournaments for that purpose, you know?'
-'Fine.'
After their drink, Ling and Jin went to her room, where Ling told him almost all the details about Nina and Bryan's fight. It had been quite a match. Bryan almost won, but in the end Nina had some really nice moves and she managed to knock him out.
-'She's a hell of a fighter. It's said that she entered in the previous tournaments.'-Ling said sitting down on her bed.
-'Your fight is this afternoon, isn't it?'-Jin asked.
Ling remained in the bed and she looked at him. She knew what he was about to say.
-'You need to be careful!'-Jin warned.
-'I know, you keep telling me that.'
-'That's because I know that you're not ready.'
-'How can you tell? You haven't seen my latest practices!'
-'I know, but…'
-'You left us, remember? You didn't see the progresses I made because you were too busy running away and playing hide and seek.'
-'Is that what you think I was doing?'
-'What else could it be?'
-'Look…I know I said this before, but I need you to trust me.'
-'Trust you?'
-'Yes. I don't want you to be in any danger.'
-'What danger?'
-'Do you promise to trust me?'
-'But why?'
-'Because if you're really my friend, you'll understand that I have my motives to act like this.'
-'Ok…I trust you. You know that.'
-'In that case…be careful and stay alert. Heihachi might not be the nice old guy you think he is and don't trust him.'
-'You have to tell me why…'
-'It's complicated…and I'm putting you in danger by telling you this. The only thing you must know is that it's not safe to be with me and that's why I'm doing this.'
-'Doing what?'
-'Saying goodbye…'
-'What?'
-'I can't be around you and I can't be with other people. There are people after me and I don't want to put you in danger.'
-'What people?'
-'Please, Xiaoyu…don't ask questions…just be careful and once the tournament is over go back to China.'
-'So, you're basically saying that you don't want to be my friend.'
-'No…I'm saying that in this moment I can't be anyone's friend…besides I have problems to solve and I need time to deal with that, ok?'
-'And that's why you're saying goodbye?'
-'Yes.'
Jin turned around to leave and noticed Ling's tears. He couldn't take his word back. It was safer for her this way.
-'Julia and Miharu were right…'-Ling said before he could leave.-'You're not a good friend…a real friend would ask for help and would never say goodbye.'
-'I'm sorry, Xiaoyu…take care…'
Jin closed the door and left. Now that he had made her suffer like that, he knew that she would never forgive him, so there was no point to think about a possible friendship.
From that moment, Jin was ready to deal with his curse and his family problems once and for all.
A/Note: A torii is sort of a gate; they are located mostly near the shrines.
