Breathe Into Me

Can I really trust Jin? Is he really the same person I remember?

"Jin," I whispered. "We're gonna get you outta here, okay? We're gonna get you home."

I wasn't sure if he could respond, but I knew that he could hear me clearly. I pulled him to his feet, with Kazuya's help. Jack came near us and allowed us to put Jin on his back. Alisa helped Lars to his feet and carried him over to us.

"Lars needs medical attention," She said, alarmed. "There are too many wounds for his body to heal them all at once."

"I'll…I'll be alright," Lars said, refusing. "We just need to…get Jin to Jun as fast as possible."

"If you can be healed now," I began. "Then I'll do it. Lars, don't fight me on this."

"Wait a minute," Kazuya said. "If you can heal people, then how come you can't heal Jin? He needs it more than Lars does."

I looked at my hands, and they were glowing white. I don't think my powers are advanced enough to take care of Jin's wounds.

"I don't think that my powers can handle his wounds," I said. "But I'll give it a shot."

My hands started glowing brightly as I touched Jin's bleeding back. After a few seconds, his back and devil markings were healed. I breathed a sigh of relief and made my way back to Lars.

"Come on Lars," I said. "Let me heal you."

He didn't argue this time; he allowed me to run my hands over the wounds his sustained. They healed about a minute later, but he looked a little pale in the face. I'll deal with that when we get back to Jun's house.

"Alright, now that we have Jin, let's get going." I jumped on Jack's back with Alisa, leaving Kazuya and Lars to follow us on foot.

Jack started sprinting down the corridor, and when he reached the main entrance, we all flew up into the sky. Of course, Lars and Kazuya glided.

Hmm…I started thinking to myself. Anna and Nina shouldn't bother us anymore. But something's bugging me; and it's not only Jin's sudden loss of control over his devil. It's the hatred he bears against Lars. Why…? Why does he hate him so…?

I pondered this question considerably; even as we came towards Jun's house. Jack came to a stop and landed on the ground. I knocked on the door.

"Jun, are you in there?" I said softly. "We have Jin."

I heard the door unlock and then slowly open. Jun stood in the doorway, completely relieved.

"Is Jin alright?" She asked. "Is he conscious…?"

I shook my head in despair as Jun grabbed Jin's unconscious body and took him inside. Alisa, Jack, and Kazuya followed, but Lars stayed outside with me.

"Xiaoyu, you don't have to feel guilty," He said. "It wasn't his fault. It was the devil, alright?"

I felt tears run down my face as my head dipped down. It still felt like it was my fault, but…I had nothing to be guilty over.

"I can't stop this feeling that it is my fault," I said. "I feel like…I didn't bother to look for him. I just left him to suffer…"

Lars hugged me and sighed a little. He felt a little cold to me, but the wind was blowing.

"It wasn't your fault," He growled. "Stop saying that…he's here now, so that guilt route you're taking can end right now."

I couldn't stop my tears from flowing; I felt so guilty, but there was nothing to be guilty about. Jin's here, so…can we rest easy now?

"Lars, I…I can't stop feeling so messed up behind this…we don't even know if Jin's the same person any-ah!"

I felt Lars jerk me and shake me roughly. I couldn't even look at him as I kept trembling in his arms.

"You don't know how I feel," I murmured. "You just don't…for two years, you two were gone, leaving me depressed. Did you even think of us when you left?"

"…How could you say that I didn't care? I came back for you guys, didn't I?"

You did come back…but what were you doing over the course of two years? No one just disappears without warning like you did. There has to be something you don't want me to know, and I'm gonna find out what.

"You left to follow Jin, right?" I asked. "But I don't think that's the whole story. Tell me everything that happened during the course of the two years."

"That's not for you to know, Xiaoyu. It's better left unknown."

"Tell me, please! I just wanna know."

Lars let me go and sighed. I was angry with him, but I also knew that he had his reasons for not telling.

"I'm sorry, but I can't…please understand why, okay?"

He didn't walk back in the house, but into the woods instead. I walked up the stairs and went inside the house, where Asuka and Hwoarang greeted me.

"Hi Xiao," Asuka said. "Are you okay?"

"I'll be fine," I said. "Is Jin awake yet?"

"No, he's still unconscious. Who knows how long before he wakes up…?"

"So…" Hwoarang began. "Who wants to go to the waterfall?"

"Not now," Asuka said, playfully hitting him. "We'll go tomorrow, alright?"

I laughed at both of them; they're so childish sometimes. Wait…I'm being a hypocrite again…

"Xiaoyu, where is Lars? Did he go somewhere?"

I looked up at Alisa; she looked a little worried by something.

"Yeah," I said. "He went into the woods."

I asked for Alisa to follow me, and she did. We both walked outside on the porch.

"Alisa, I have to ask you something; what did you two do over the two years you were gone?"

"Um…after I nursed him back to health, we continued to look after Jin. When we found him, he could barely stay in his human form for long periods of time. Before we lost him again, Jin told us that we should not actually meet you until your prom. But overall, Xiaoyu…"

She laid a hand on my shoulder and lowered her voice to a whisper. "He loves you; he will never let you be in danger like you were two years ago. He told that to Jin, and he respected that; but he also said that he would not come between you and him, either. He understands your love for Jin, regardless of what he feels for you."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing; Lars knew I loved Jin, but he loves me too. I guess it's too late to say it's a love triangle.

Determined to hear what he had to say, I rushed into the woods. Alisa yelled my name, but didn't follow me. I want to know how he feels from his own mouth…he said he cared for me, but now he loves me…oh yeah; this time, I'm not leaving him until he tells me everything he's thinking.

Whoa; that was a mouthful. But I hope you all enjoyed it, because this is far from over!

(It's a random scene!)

Xiaoyu: Alisa, what time is it?

Alisa: It is currently 10:00. Is there something wrong?

Xiaoyu: No, I just wanted- *Looks at her door* Hwoarang…

Hwoarang: *Walks into the room, drinking water* what up?

Xiaoyu: How long have you been standing at the doorway?

Hwoarang: Uh… *Looks at his watch* since its 10:00 right now, I'd say…10 minutes.

Xiaoyu and Alisa: *Sighs* Asuka!

Asuka: *Comes in and grabs Hwoarang* you've got some heavy lifting to do! *Drags him out*

Hwoarang: *Grumbling* I don't wanna lift up stuff…

Xiaoyu: *Giggles* okay, so...

Lars and Jin: *Barges in* Hello!

Xiaoyu: Would it kill you two to knock?

Lars and Jin: *Faking death gurgles and falling to the floor, holding their chests*

Alisa and Xiaoyu: O_O -_- *Sighs* Of course…

Asuka: Lars, Jin! You two have stuff to do! Come down here, please!

Jin: *Faking a girl voice* Jin and Lars aren't here right now! They can take a message, though! *Makes a beeping noise*

Asuka: If you two don't get down here, I'm gonna dish out pain that you've never felt before!

Lars and Jin: *Sarcastic* Ooh, we're so scared!

Asuka: THAT'S IT! *Stomping up stairs*

Lars and Jin: *Snickering*

Xiaoyu and Alisa: Guys… *Points behind them* look at her hands…

Lars and Jin: *Turns around and looks at Asuka's hands* Oh my…

Lars: Well… *Pushes Jin forward* Later! *Jumps out window*

Jin: *Still looking at Asuka's hands* SHE'S GOT LOADED BOXING GLOVES! *Gets tackled and the sound of broken bones and flesh ripping can be heard* AHHHHH; UNCLE, UNCLE! THE PAIIIIN!

Lars: *Peeping into the window* O_O

Xiaoyu and Alisa: O_O Ouch…

That's the end of this chapter! See ya later, peeps.