Chapter 16: How Do You Like Me Now?
Half asleep, I rolled over in bed to come nose to nose with Jin Kazama sleeping beside me. I blinked my eyes a few times, slowly coming to realization that I was in the same bed as my boss. I shot my eyes opened with sheer panic, sitting up on the bed looking down at Jin. I patted my body to confirm that I wasn't naked. I sighed in a relief feeling my top and pyjama pants with my underwear still intact. I peeped underneath the covers to see that Jin was topless but with pants on. I laughed to myself. We only shared a bed, we didn't do anything more.
I froze when Jin eye's shot opened, meeting with mine. He reclined, bending on his elbow with his head resting on his hand.
"Good morning." Jin said casually, expecting me on the other side of his bed.
"Morning, Mr. Kazama." I smiled awkwardly.
"no need to address me as Mr. Kazama, Viola. You can call me Jin,"
"Jin, Did we..." I gestured with my hands to hint if we had sexual relations. "You know..."
"No." Jin said steadily, lifting his feet off the bed to the floor.
Jin pushed himself off the bed and put his dressing gown which had the Zaibatsu logo embroidered on it.
"You got a bit tipsy last night. You only asked me to spoon with you."
My eyes widened in disbelief over the fact that I asked Jin to spoon with me. I must have been one depressed drunk last night.
"Wait...You kissed me last night." I thought out loud, remembering the kiss we shared the previous night.
"Yes, I did kiss you." Jin affirmed that the kiss did indeed happen.
"But... Why?" I got to my feet, getting out of the bed and inching towards Jin, eagerly waiting for his explanation. "Do you..." I stopped, deciding it wouldn't be such a good idea to ask him if he had feelings for me.
"I was caught in the heat of the moment." Jin attempted to assure me but his cold eyes implied differently.
I quietly complied with his reasoning for the kiss. It probably was in the heat of the moment but it still didn't make sense. He had no reason to spoon with me when I asked him, but he did anyway. There is something more to it and I was curious to know his real intentions.
"You should get yourself ready to accompany Mercy for her next round match. She will be facing someone you will be very much interested in meeting." Jin created a diversion for me, resting his hand on my shoulder, giving me a sly grin.
"Really, like who?" I raised my eyebrow, now curious in who Jin is insinuating.
Mercy and I made our way to the Noh Theatre for her next round in the tournament. I was eager to see her opponent, since Jin insisted that I should meet this said person. I spotted a man sitting legs crossed, meditating in the main room of the theatre with his back turned to us. From what I could tell, this man had a young-adult build with red hair and wore a white martial arts outfit.
The red-head man diligently got to his feet and turned to face us. His eyes instantly connected with mine, and his face softened at the sight of me.
"Viola...You're...Alive." The man spoke with such astonishment.
"Who are you?" I callously responded. I had no idea who this man was and how he knew my name.
"What do you mean?" He let out a pompous laugh like this was some joke. "I'm Hwoarang, the man who rocked your world."
This made perfect sense - this is the Hwoarang, and Jin wanted me to confront this man. This is why Jin was so mum on who I was going to meet, he wanted me to figure it out on my own.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Hwoarang." I pulled a face in disgust when he winked my way.
"No need for bashfulness, Viola. Don't act like you didn't enjoy it." Hwoarang beamed, advancing towards my body to touch my skin.
"You are prohibited from touching Miss Rose." Mercy intervened, outstretching her arm to protect me from Hwoarang's body contact.
"Says who, you fat bitch." Hwoarang maliciously snapped at Mercy.
"...From the orders of Kazama, Jin." Mercy told him point-blank, unmoved by his insult about her weight.
Hwoarang's face dropped over hearing the name of his rival. "You're working for Kazama?" His voice bellowed in disbelief.
"Why is it your business?" I crossed my arms over my chest impartial of his outburst.
"You used me for a stepping stone so you could fuck Kazama?" Hwoarang pressed his hands over his face and ran them through his shoulder length red hair in frustration.
"Mr. Kazama and Miss. Rose have a strictly professional relationship." Mercy attempted to rectify Hwoarang's belief.
"I don't ever recall ever sleeping with you, and if we actually did, it probably wasn't worthwhile since I have no recollection of it all." I added in, with a coy smile upon my face.
"You little slut." Hwoarang muttered, shoving Mercy down to the floor to get to me. He slammed me hard against the nearby wall, with his forearm over my neck and his other arm grabbing on my wrist so I couldn't move.
"Get your hands off me." I squirmed in protest.
Hwoarang pressed his weight on to my body and then fiercely kissed me on the lips. I tried to evade the kiss but his grip was too strong. I closed my eyes, fearful, with tears watering down as he continued kissing me with such intensity. This man is violating me so he could simply prove me wrong. His hands roamed around my body, slipping one hand underneath my tank top. I yelped, feeling him clasp the skin of my bare breast.
The pressure of Hwoarang on my body lifted when Mercy yanked him by the hair and swung him across the room with her strength. I collapsed on the floor to catch my breath and gain composure. I got on to my knees, watching Mercy beating Hwoarang down with a series of punches to his head.
"Kick his ass." I shouted hoarsely in support of my bodyguard.
Hwoarang's slid from underneath, promptly getting to his feet and proceeded with high to mid kicks to Mercy. Mercy fought back, gripping on to Hwoarang's neck and hoisting him up and then slamming him down to the ground. Hwoarang got up quickly, feeling winded up the slam. The two circled around each other, until Hwoarang charged at Mercy with rapid motions of his taekwondo kicks. Mercy returned with backhand chops and lariats knocking him down few times. I watched them fight back and forth, showcasing the combination of strength and speed.
Mercy's resiliency started to fade, Hwoarang's vast range of kicks were becoming too much for her. I continuously banged my hands on the on the floor to encourage Mercy to fight. With one last high kick, Hwoarang knocked Mercy in the head making her spin up into the air before she fell on to the ground. I swore out loud, seeing my bodyguard knocked out from the impact of the kick. I was upset - this isn't the outcome I wanted. I crawled over to Mercy to check on her. She fluttered her eyes opened, somewhat disoriented but she seemed like she would be alright.
"I'm sorry, Viola." I could feel Hwoarang hovering over me with a pang of regret in his voice.
Without giving him eye contact, I stood up and slapped him hard across the face. I could never forgive him for what he did, even though he outright apologized to me just now.
"Tell your boyfriend, devil or not that I'll be finishing this once and for all."Hwoarang clutched on to his face, giving me a warning as he backed away.
"Don't you worry about Hwoarang, he isn't worth your time." Jin stroked the strands of my hair while I sat on his lap with my head resting on his chest in a melancholic state.
After helping Mercy, I returned to the Zaibatsu and told Jin how Hwoarang violated me. I was thankful for Mercy, if she wasn't there to save me, it would have gone much further than it did. I could never forgive Hwoarang for forcing himself on me, even if I magically remembered what we had in the past.
"He is the absolute worst. I hope he gets what's coming to him." I said with dire.
A familiar voice emitting from the projection screen on Jin's desk diverted me from my state of mind. Jin had been watching through the eyes of Alisa Bosconovitch, an android servant, following the adventures of Rebel leader, named Lars Alexandersson. It also became known that Lars is the illegitimate son of Heihachi Mishima. I darted my eyes to see a silver-haired man speaking to Lars – It was my father.
I lifted my head off Jin's chest, intently watching Lee on the screen. He offered to help Lars on his campaign to stop Jin Kazama, but was turned down. Lee would be interrupted by a phone call and informed Lars to help 'her'. I got a glimpse of the vital information that Lee handed to Lars about this friend of his. A picture and the name caught my eye, Julia Chang – The name seemed so familiar to me, I felt I knew who she was. The notion gave me a brand new insight - I wanted to see my father again.
"I think it's time I pay daddy a visit." I murmured to myself looking up at Jin with a mischievous grin.