**All fictional names and characters are not mine. :")
Chapter 2 : Back at One
No one replied to her statement, everyone just stood there, stuck in their own thoughts. Hwoarang was obviously angry, Xiaoyu surprised and confused, and Jin on his emotionless state.
"Never thought I'd actually see you again, Hwoarang" Jin replied.
"What are you doing here?" Hwoarang asked straight to the point.
"That's none of your business." Jin answered.
With eyes as cold as ever; Jin glanced at Xiaoyu. She displayed no dismay or whatsoever. One thing she learned during the time she truly loved the man; it is impossible to reach him no matter how hard you try. But then he was right in front of her. A part of her wanted to welcome him back, hug him tight and maybe jump on his arms. But another made her stay on where she stood and let him not affect her. 'The old Xiaoyu who fell in love with Jin is gone…' she thought to herself. Jin realized then that he was not welcome. He merely gave a greeting nod to Xiaoyu as he let out a breath.
"Well, I think my purpose is gone as well." He mumbled under his breath. "Miharu, thanks for the invite but I think I better leave."
"Oh, well, as you like, Jin. Feel free to…" Miharu stopped as she got a hold of her tongue. Obviously, she doesn't own the apartment for herself; she needed Xiaoyu's approval to invite other people since she's a co-owner. "Visit us… Right, Xiao?"
"No, I don't think he has something or rather someone to go back to' Hwoarang cut off.
Jin glared at Hwoarang openly. "I'll see you some time soon, Xiaoyu." He said as he took his leave.
Miharu closed the door shut and let out a sigh. "Over protective Hwoarang is harsh!"
"Serves him right!" he replied.
Time passed even more as the three had dinner together, Xiaoyu still spacing out. Hwoarang left at two in the morning, assuring Xiaoyu he'd do everything if she wants Jin out of her sight. Of course, xiaoyu shook her head and just grimaced at him.
The bell rang suggesting for the classes to end. The students packed their things and each left in groups. Xiaoyu's phone then rang out of the blue. It was Mrs. Law.
"Hi, Mrs. Law" she greeted.
"Hello, darling. I just wanted to tell you that Forest is free this afternoon so he will be taking your shift. But you can still come if you want to. You know you're always welcome."
"Oh, well alright then. I'll just take the day off. Thank you, Mrs. Law!"
"Yes, bye dear!"
"Well, someone looks happy!" Miharu commented.
"Mrs. Law just gave me a day off. Of course I'll be happy!"
"So, just asking… What are you planning to do with him?"
"What?"
"Well, Jin's over there. I think he has been there since class started."
Xiaoyu glanced over to where Miharu pointed and found Jin looking at her intently. He was wearing his white long sleeves with its upper buttons open and black pants. He looks as charming as ever, a head turner even after the years he's been gone. Xiaoyu admired the sight before turning her head over to Miharu who caught her smiling.
"Go talk to him, Xiao." Miharu said as she pushed Xiaoyu towards the male's direction.
She gulped before taking a step forward.
"H-Hey" she greeted nervously.
"Hey" he greeted back.
"Well… How've you been?"
"Have been training hard, travelled around the area for the past week."
"I see..."
"I can see you've been well. Hwoarang must be good to you, huh?"
"Uhm, yeah…"
For a second, Xiaoyu felt nostalgic. It felt as if Jin was back to his old self, the one she met years ago at Heihachi's mansion.
"I see… Never thought you'd be into him, though"
"What? I'm not…"
"Hey, it's fine. Hwoarang seems to have improved over the years, anyway."
"We're not together, you know. He just happened to be my brother from another set of parents!"
Jin merely smiled at how Xiaoyu eased in front of him, compared to the Xiaoyu he saw last night. In a way, he missed her; her smile, funny Japanese accent, how she tries hard to learn English, her jokes, and even the part which tries so bad to get his attention. He always noticed her; it's just that other things occupied his mind as well. He knew it wasn't safe to be with anyone with him having the devil gene. So he forfeited the last tournament where Hwoarang won.
"So, have you found the cure?"
"No, not yet"
"Oh…"
"I found a way to control it, just like how Kazuya has his controlled."
"You're fine without the cure, then?"
"On the safer side, I think I prefer to fid it."
"Jin"
"Yeah?"
"You just never change, do you?"
"I guess so"
Xiaoyu smiled at him sweetly as she felt everything coming back to where it once was; her feelings still intact. It was as if he never left, or at least forgiven for leaving without a word. This made him smile as well. He had no one except his mother's remaining memories when Xiaoyu came to be by his side. At some point, he thought Heihachi did one thing right; that is accepting the girl in the Tournament and letting her live with them in the mansion.
"Uh-oh! Mrs. Uriah's class! I totally forgot about the time!" Xiaoyu yelped.
"Well, you better go, then."
"Just when I was about to have fun…"
Jin merely smiled at the girl.
"Wait, are you going to leave again?"
"Xiaoyu…"
"I just wanted to be ready for once… Just in case you vanish into thin air like you always do."
Jin let a small sigh out of his lungs, and shook his head. "I'm not leaving, I just didn't want you to miss out on your class."
"Oh" was all she could say, surprised that he actually answered what she prayed for. "Well… Can I come with you?"
Jin smiled slightly at the pleading girl with puppy-dog-eyes. "No, I promised Miharu I won't take you in any kind of trouble."
"Fine, then" she said as she turned her back on him and marched her way to the waiting Miharu at the nearby bench. "You better keep your word on not leaving, Jin!" she called out.
"That turned out well" Miharu teased.
"Funny, Miharu!" she smiled.
"Seriously though, I thought you were going to bawl your eyes at him!"
"I thought so, too. But it felt different… Like were back to where we started."
"Hwoarang seemed to hate the idea, though."
"Huh?"
"Well, he was here earlier. He was about to surprise you but he saw Jin here and decided to leave instead."