Chapter 28

Neither of the two said anything as they drove in silence. Leifang settled for looking out of the window, trying to gather her thoughts. She glanced over to Jann Lee who stared simply ahead, keeping his eyes on the road.

It was a...nice car. Not expensive looking, but not cheap either. It suited him.

She found herself wondering if he bought it with the money he made in the tournament.

Turning her gaze back out of the window she watched the streets pass by, not recognizing the part of they city they were driving into, only knowing that they were heading south.

Unconsciously she turned on the radio, just to have something fill out the silence, giving the young man a shrug of her shoulders as he shot a look at her.

They continued on that way until Jann Lee stopped the car in front of a five story apartment building, turning the car to drive into the garage. After getting out of the car he lead her to the elevator, which they rode up, then into his apartment.

"You want something to drink?" he asked, throwing his jacket onto the sofa in the middle of what she supposed was the living room.

"No, thank you." she said and looked around the apartment. It was neater than she thought, at first glance.

"Suit yourself." he said and grabbed a glass from the cabinet and poured himself a drink. Leifang looked around more, finding a room about as large as the living room full of training equipment, a punching bag amongst others things. Was it just her imagination or was there a picture of that DOATEC oil rig worker on it?

Looking further she also found a trumpet lying around.

"So what did you want to talk about?" he sat down on the sofa and Leifang did so as well. He took a sip of his drink when Leifang finally said what she wanted to say.

"I loved you, you know?" his answer to that was simply spitting out the drink he just took, coughing and wiping his lips with the back of his right hand.

"The hell? Where did that come from?!" he asked throwing her a glare, but she continued unfazed.

"Back when you rescued me those years ago I was furious, but I was also glad that you helped me, sorry if I never came out and just said that, and from that day on I just wanted to surpass you. But over time I realized that I wanted to not only defeat you, but to become a part of your world," she looked at him. "To be with you."

Jann Lee could only look at her strangely, obviously not knowing what to say or do right now.

"But not anymore. I've realized that this thing," she waved her hand between them. "Will never go beyond what we already are. So I decided that it would be better to find some closure on the matter and...move on."

For a moment none of them said anything until he broke the silence, clearing his throat. "I really don't know what to say. But it's good that you want to stop hassl-I mean move on." he put the glass on the table standing beside the sofa. "Why the change of heart though?"

"Hitomi and I kissed each other." she said simply.

Jann Lee blinked at her. "Come again?"

She repeated what she said.

"Wow." he said, crossing his arms and looking straight ahead. "Good for you? So you're together now or what?"

"No we aren't. I'm still thinking of what I should do. I want to remain friends first and foremost, but if she wants to try it out then I'd like that too." It felt kind of weird, opening up to him like that. But in a way he was one of the few people she could talk to about it. Because for better or worse he wouldn't judge her because of something so trivial as sexuality.

"So you want to leave the choice completely to her and just simply go with it either way? Is that what you're saying?"

"I told you I'm not-"

"Not sure, yeah yeah," he shook his head. "Can't believe I'm actually having this talk at all, and with you of all people."

She glared at him and he simply went on. "The way you're going it sounds like you're too afraid to make a real choice here. You don't realize that this is a do or die choice, right? Either you commit to something fully or you might not at all."

"I..." she put her head in her hands. "I don't even know how she really feels about all this. It could have just been a mistake, a mistake that opened my eyes, but a mistake none the less. And what if I choose wrong and our friendship will be forever ruined?!"

"Goddammit you still sound like that spoiled brat from eight years ago." he muttered and got up, pacing around the room. "So if she wants to, you say 'Ok, sounds like fun!' and then you shag up for a while until she notices that you're only in it half-assed and then what?"

He turned to her. "Tch. You even lack the focus in things like this."

Leifang turned her gaze down. This had been so much more simple in her mind. She simply had wanted to say her piece and move on, but now he was filling her with doubt about her other decision regarding her friend. And the worst thing was that it was true, the way things were it would have only been Hitomi's choice but not hers.

Did she actually WANT this, or would it only be the more comfortable choice?

Closing her eyes she saw the smiling face of her friend, making her heart skip a beat. She couldn't deny that she saw the German differently now. More passionately. And the thought of her left her lips all tingly.

Would she actually be able to kiss her under normal conditions? She wasn't sure if she was ready for it.

But did she want to be with her?

REALLY with her?

"No wonder you lost in all those years." Jann Lee's words cut deep inside her, making her grit her teeth and wanting to beat him up. But they also made her open her eyes.

She missed Hitomi so much, as a friend and, she realized, as more than that. She could see herself with her in all those things that couples did, maybe not right now, but if Hitomi was patient with her...

Leifang turned her gaze towards Jann Lee, glaring as she stood up. "Fight me."

"What?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Fight me one last time. I'll show you my focus!"

He simply smirked at her. "Now you're talking."

She would defeat him and after that her new life would start, together with Hitomi.

They stood in the middle of the training room, far away from the equipment. Jann Lee had pulled off his shirt and tie, leaving his toned upper body free.

Months ago it would have excited her to see him that way. Not anymore.

Both of them did some warm up katas before facing each other. Jann Lee's face was a mask of control, simply scowling at her and not giving away anything. But she had fought him enough times to know a few things about him, that he was actually looking forward to this.

After completing her final kata she moved into position, standing sideways while facing him, moving her arms in graceful, slow motions.

"Are you ready to lose?" she asked simply, to which Jann Lee only answered by moving towards her. He aimed three quick punches at her face and Leifang moved her arms to block each of them, but was caught off guard by the fourth, much more forceful punch hitting her against the chest, throwing her back.

Momentarily caught off guard she ground her heels into the floor to come to a halt. The young man simply moved towards her in his dance like movements, always changing his position so that he wouldn't become easy prey to a counter attack by her.

She watched his movements as he came towards her and was prepared when he took a jump at her, bringing his fist down towards her head. Dodging to the side she grabbed his arm as he missed her, twisting it and pushing him back, leaving him open for her attack.

She slammed the back of her left hand against his chest, used his distraction to smack her right fist across his face and immediately changed the direction, using the force to push the palm against his face, making stumble a bit.

Not stopping she grabbed his arm, pulled him forward a little so that he was completely open and did a cartwheel backwards, hitting him with her heels directly in the face, launching him in the air.

She watched as he landed hard on the floor, but she knew he was okay. He was made of sturdier stuff. He got up again almost immediately, wiping the back of his hand across his lips.

"Now this is what I'm talking about." he dashed at her and kicked out his leg towards her three times, which she dodged every time, her arms moving fluidly with every move she did, and calmly ducked under his next punch driving her fist into his gut.

Jann Lee remained unfazed though, pushed her arm away and punched his fist into her gut in turn, knocking her to the ground where she slid back backwards a bit. She managed to roll to the side just in time as his right foot was coming down directly towards her face.

She quickly got to her knees and pushed forward, slamming right into him with her whole body, forcing him on the floor, and used the momentum to roll herself over him, landing on her feet, standing up straight.

Moving backward she tried to put some space between them. She dashed forward when he struggled to his feet, kicking out her left leg to hit him directly in the face and turned around in the same motion, swinging her other leg in a high arc down upon him. But before she could land a strike he had grabbed her ankle and kicked out her left leg from under her, striking her with his knee into the face as she fell.

Leifang felt herself being lifted up by her arm and placed back onto her feet. A flurry of punches struck her in the chest, pushing her back a little and when the punches stopped Jann Lee kicked her hard against the temple.

Something warm ran down her lips. Lifting her hand to it she saw that it was blood.

She sniffed once, trying to stop the blood from dripping out of her nose and narrowed her eyes, watching the bouncer. Clenching her fists she took a deep breath calming herself, letting the teaching of Tai Chi guide her, and waited for his next move.

She didn't have to wait long.

He charged at her, feigning a high kick but aimed it downward quickly.

But she was quicker. Before his foot could hit her she threw her fist forward in a quick jab directly into his abdomen. Then she grabbed his left arm, lifted it high and pushed her right heel against his torso. Letting go of his arm she struck him into the chest with her left palm.

Leifang left him no time to recover, punched him hard in the chest, grabbed his arm again and moved behind him so that they were back to back, slamming her elbow against him. She then kneeled slightly and used all of her strength to push him away with her shoulder.

Jann Lee got up from the floor, breathing heavily. As soon as he was back on his feet he started closing in on her, always staying in motion, moving from side to side.

And she remained where she was, simply watching.

Her arms moved up when his strike came, deflecting the blow and pushing his fist to the side. She did the same with the next jab, and with the kick he aimed at her mid section.

Leifang was about to strike back when Jann Lee suddenly jumped back, moving around her again. Her gaze fell on his feet, the way he moved. Her thoughts turned back to the finale of the tournament, his fight against Hitomi. He had done the same before...

With a gasp she barely managed to prepare herself as Jann Lee jumped towards her with his fierce air kick that had managed to beat Hitomi. Everything seemed to slow down for the Chinese as she dashed forward, straight ahead towards the man, ducking a little and lifting her arms, catching him right out of the air and throwing him back first into the ground.

Letting go she quickly moved to the side and lifted her right leg into a perfect 90° angle before swinging her foot downward like a hammer, striking Jann Lee into the stomach.

He didn't get up again, only lying there, breathing hard. After a few moments he lifted himself up onto his elbows.

"Good show," he said hoarsely. "You win. This time."

Leifang moved out of her fighting position, standing straight and placed her palm over her fist, bowing to him before turning on her heel and starting to walk towards the door.

"Hey," he called after her. "Never lose that focus, then you can manage anything. Give Hitomi my regards when you see her."

Leifang couldn't help the smile that came to her lips, which had to look weird with the blood running down her nose, and simply nodded. Jann Lee let himself simply slump back to the floor.

After closing the apartment door behind her she leaned with the back against it. She couldn't stop the two tears that were running down her face. "Good bye." she whispered.

After a few more moments of remaining like this she headed out of the apartment, wiping away the blood with her fingers and pulled out her cellphone.

She quickly picked the number she wanted to call and held it against her ear.

"Yes, it's me." she said after the other person picked up. "Yes, I know how late it is, Mother. Could you please get father?"

She walked down the streets, hailing a cab. "To the airport." she told him.

"I've made a decision." she told her mother on the other line.

She had made her choice and her heart didn't tell her that it was wrong.

And if she wasn't wrong, then she had to be right.

Have I ever told you guys that I seriously SUCK playing Leifang and Jann Lee. Shows pretty well I think. Gotta make that up with a better fight scene down the road.

But to the important part: Having Leifang gain some kind of closure with him was the obvious thing to do and since their relationship was always based on fighting it made sense for them to have one final fight. But hey, who knew that you could have a heart to heart with the guy?

Well, that's it for this week. See you around. :)