-Updated.

*Chapter Three*

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Over the course of the next several days, Jin and Nina had attended many business meetings, conferences and courses to lean how the Zaibatsu worked. It was something new for the two of them and any other new employee Jin had recruited. The last tournament ended a couple of weeks ago and in that time Jin planned his moves and decided which companies he'd bankrupt to set things in motion.

The world didn't know him yet and he needed to craft a persona for them to see. No one should see the real Jin. That Jin had to be locked away somewhere safe. The long leather coat he wore gave him an old soul vibe and had a level of badassery to it that even he couldn't resist wearing it. A small pin with his insignia was attached to his lapel. That mark was sent off to the design team to print on every pen, badge, flag and other zaibatsu merchandise so Jin could leave his mark on the world.

Growing up, he'd never though he'd want to leave a legacy and particularly a bad one at that. He wondered if people looked at it after his departure, would they realize the sad story behind his twisted fate? That he never asked for this sorrow but it asked for him. A few months ago he hadn't just heard Jinpachi's demon call out to him but another evil being named Azazel.

He looked over at the crowd in the snow, as tanks rolled out from cargo planes and the bitter frost bit his skin. This was a new experience for him but it felt empowering when they all salute him back, that honor that once his grandfather had felt…it wasn't enough to take away his pain but no matter.

These people would serve him and play their part.

His eyes found the blonde amongst a sea of dark haired soldiers. He'd never forget the first time they met. When she tried to kill him and he was vulnerable. He wouldn't forget crouching over her form after he freed her from Ogre's control, checking to see if she was alive. Jin still remembered her waking up with a gasp and him running back a little.

He wondered if she remembered it all.

Her face turned towards him in the cold but her eyes are shielded behind the shades.

After attending a mandatory event which involved dining in a huge hall. Jin did his best to have his own table as he really didn't want to talk with anyone. Nina was with him and not even she could stop businessmen from approaching him. They weren't threats to him that's why but they were insipid. Their conversations were meaningless. Sooner or later, he'd strip their businesses from them anyway.

"I don't know how a bastard will help the Zaibatsu. I mean look at him. His mother, a loose woman bedded a man without marrying him. Got pregnant and raised him without his father."

"His mother is a disgrace." Another voice added.

Jin seethed, his fingers pressed into the wine glass he was holding until it cracked. Nina snapped her head toward the sound and saw his bleeding hand. Immediately the conversations around the table ceased. He stood up and left the table. They wasted no time in gossiping again. Nina grabbed her clutch bag and left the table too, hurrying after her boss.

She found him alone in the lobby. He wasn't even attempting to sort his wound out. With a sigh, she gently took hold of his arm and led him to a sofa in the lobby. Getting out her mini first aid kit, she silently began to dress his wound.

"I'm fine." Jin finally said. "Let it bleed."

The pain might keep Devil at bay.

She was about to tell him to shut up but then remembered he was her boss. Instead of replying, she defied him by carrying on bandaging his wound. Jin just let her do it. He wasn't in the mood to argue much.

"You're just a bodyguard. You're not my nurse." He reminded her.

Jin did not want her getting close to him at all. He was afraid of it. It would be easier if she just remained professional. He knew he sounded like a hypocrite. Just several days he had sparred with her and elicited a chemistry on purpose just to feel. Just to feel. It worked.

She scoffed. "Looks like I'll have to protect you from yourself."

There was a moment of silence between them. He pondered on what she meant by that. Save him from himself? Protect him from the Devil she had no idea about. If she saw the devil, she'd never want to protect him. However as she finished patching him up, he couldn't remain angry at her. She did help him after. It was a selfless act. The Ice Maiden had actually done something selfless. But why?

"You let their words get to you." Nina said, breaking the silence. "Perhaps you need to grow a thick skin."

"How will I do that?" He challenged her.

He wasn't that sensitive but whenever he spent long periods of time away from people and then suddenly joined society again, their nasty gossiping about him always cut him. He was always reminded by how disgusting society was. Being isolated kept him away from all of that.

"Easy, by ignoring toxic talk."

She made it sound so easy.

His pulse increased and his breathing became ragged. This was the opposite reaction of what she wanted from him. Nina slowly placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Breathe…calm down…and just breathe…," The blonde instructed in a gentle tone

He looked at her, slightly stunned. Breathe. So he did. Inhale and exhale deeply. The feel of her hand on his shoulder was oddly comforting to him at the moment and so was her voice as she reminded him to breathe.

"Thank you for helping me." He said quietly. "I apologize for my rudeness."

She gave a tiny smile and nodded. "It's okay. All is forgiven, Mr Kazama."

Nina was pleased at least now he was listening to her. She wondered how the days forward would be for them both.

She went to the Zaibatsu café for a quick lunch. The barista arrived and left the food on her table. Nina was on the phone to the security team and quickly thanked the waitress before she hurried away. It's only when she put her phone away, she noticed that it's someone else's order on her table.

There was chocolate tart with a scoop of ice-cream and a strawberry lemonade on the tray. Telltale signs of an emotional person or someone going through a turbulant time.

Nina began scanning the area for the waitress but she seemed to be busy. The coconut ice-cream was going to melt if someone didn't claim their order right away. She hated getting up once she was super cosy but there was no choice. Just as she was about to rise, she stopped as she noticed someone approaching from the corner of her eyes.

A man arrived at her table. It was Eddy Gordo. He placed a tray on her table.

"I think our orders must have gotten mixed up." He said politely. His eyes flicked over to the coconut ice-cream.

"Oh, yes. Thanks." Nina said and pushed the tray towards him. "I didn't touch it either."

"Same. Yours is untouched." He said sincerely.

She looked at hers.

"Take a seat." Nina offered. It was the least she could do after all he did return her order in pristine condition. Her tea was piping hot and the sandwich wasn't nibbled. The bottle of ice cold water wasn't opened either. Plus Eddy did not have any sleazy vibes which she certainly appreciated.

Eddy was surprised. It was hard to hang out with people since he started working here. He took a seat at Nina's table. This was Jin Kazama's bodyguard. Someone at a higher level than himself. He had to watch his mouth.

"Thanks." Eddy said, picking up his spoon.

The man didn't seem like anyone to be suspicious of. Nina was sure he was not traitor material. She was good at reading people because she wasn't one to form bonds. Strangers were so easy to read and right now this man's body language told her that he wasn't really comfortable working here. She met him a few days ago when Jin formally introduced them. Before that, she saw the man participate in the tournaments but never had a match against him. To her, he was that dancy guy whose bright outfit was an eyesore. What did Jin see in this guy? He didn't fit in the Zaibatsu at all.

"So you're an icecream fan huh?" Nina said, picking up on the man's slight discomfort. Maybe if she made small talk, the awkwardness would go away.

He nodded. "They make the ice-cream here so amazing. You should try some."

He felt like a child saying that but the in-house ice-cream was something he took comfort in as his life suddenly became so stressful. He had no idea what he was doing here in a role he hadn't earned. His favorite flavor always reminded him of home, of simpler times.

She took a sip of her tea. Ice-cream. She wasn't much of a sweet tooth girl.

"If you can guess what flavor I'd usually go for, I may give it a try."

Oh man. He really didn't want to offend her. It was obvious that this woman wasn't much of a sweet tooth person. He was tempted to say she didn't like any sort of ice-cream but then again, he didn't know her. He'd take the middle road and offer a generous answer.

"You look like you'd avoid the overly sweet ones. Lemon, Chantilly, Hazelnut and Mint is something you'd go for."

"Not bad." She smirked a little.

Eddy breathed a sigh of relief. Figuring that this woman was giving him the green light to make small talk, he decided to ask her a question he'd been dying to ask a fellow colleague.

"If you don't mind, could I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"Why do you think a man like Jin Kazama needs a bodyguard?"

That question often arose in her head since he hired her. She never asked Jin why. She didn't care to ask back then. A job was a job and this was a well paid one. After getting a little comfortable in her new role, curiosity did strike her here and there. Oddly.

"Only he can answer that." Nina shrugged.

Eddy just wanted to understand the motives of his boss better. Why he hired Nina, himself and what the fuck was going on. Jin had him training men for hours and half the time, Eddy didn't know what he was doing. He had to research shit on the internet and if he wasn't under surveillance like everyone else, he would have asked his street friends around for tips. Word on the street was that Bruce Irvin was a master at training soldiers so quickly and if Eddy was competing with that...

He sighed.

"You look a little lost there, Gordo. You okay?"

A woman- Jin's secretary walked over to their table. She was still dressed in jewels and a fancy dress. This woman was allergic to uniforms, it seemed. She smirked at them before tapping Eddy on the shoulder, sporting her manicured nails. She didn't bother apologizing for interrupting them. Unlike the other employees, this woman was a rebel.

Eddy looked up at her. Her mocha hand rested on his shoulder and with the other hand, she began twirling her curly hair, batting her eyelids at him.

"Mr Gordo, there's a zesty little woman asking for you in the reception. Says she knows you." She informed him smoothly and a tad seductively.

"Who?" Eddy asked.

"She goes by the name Christie Monteiro. She makes so much rukus I swear to God. She must have been a singer in her past life." The woman said dramatically. "Is she your bae?"

"Christie...," He muttered, sadness in his eyes. "Where is she?"

"By God, I was going to send her to my hometown in Hawaii because the poor girl needed a vacation. I told her you were here. She's waiting for you in the lobby."

Eddy looked conflicted. Nina just sat there, quietly observing the whole thing. So the man hadn't told his girlfriend what he was up to. Seems like he was in deeper shit than she thought. But it wasn't her business so she carried on eating her lunch.

"Please tell her that I'm not here." Eddy told the woman. "Please." He pleaded.

"Okay. As you wish Mr Gordo. I will try my best to convince Christie." She said dramatically before removing her hand from his shoulder. She gave Nina a look with a huff before strutting away from their table, heels clacking loudly on the floor as she went. Nina rolled her eyes.

"You're chummy with the secretary." She said to Eddy, phrasing it as a statement and not a question.

"She's been the only one who has been nice to me up until now." Eddy replied. "And no, I'm not chummy with her."

"Wonder if you asked her why our boss needs a bodyguard?" She forced a small chuckle. "I'm sure she'd give you a whole essay on why."

Surprisingly, Eddy chuckled back.

Jin found the blonde in his office before him. She was wearing a colour block pencil dress that showed off her legs. Her hair was tied up in her usual ponytail. She looked so immaculate and those clothes suited her better than the skin-tight strappy jumpsuits he found her wearing in tournaments. Jin glanced at her for a second. There was no expression on her face. Giving up on reading her, he decided to head for his chair. He caught a whiff of expensive perfume when he passed her.

"I'm surprised you're here. Usually no one is allowed here without permission." He said to her as he took his seat.

"I'm your personal bodyguard, Mr Kazama, of course I'm allowed up here." She replied coolly.

He said nothing. It pissed her off a little. Did this man really have the social skills of a hermit?

Nina pressed something on her phone and his phone buzzed.

"I have a gift for you, Mr Kazama. Check your phone."

He hesitated, hoping she'd explain but when she doesn't, Jin checked his phone. She sent him a video and he watched it.

There were four employees having a secret discussion about spying on Jin for Heihachi's sake. Jin clenched his jaw. Luckily they were not close employees but the feel of betrayal burns his blood. Breathe.

He made himself breathe. To keep the devil at bay.

And not to freak his unaware bodyguard out.

"You don't need to thank me. I just thought you should know the truth." Nina said, observing his peculiar reaction. He was breathing deeply again.

She was no snitch but traitors didn't deserve any favours and it was crucial that the young mogul knew who was doing their job and who wasn't. Also he deserved a chance in running the Zaibatsu without having Heihachi's lackeys sabotage it. After all, Jin earnt it.

"I'm going to thank you anyway." Jin replied. "Thank you."

"It confirms that Heihachi Mishima is alive in case you're wondering." There is a glint of humor in her eyes. "That old timer is a one stubborn cockroach."

This elicited a dark laugh from Jin. He could imagine the old fart being stuck in an explosion but crawling out unscathed from burnt remains. His sour face spitting out a piece of charcoal lodged in his mouth. He hated that evil man so much. The filth.

Nina grinned seeing him laugh like that, it was unexpected and a pleasant welcome from the brooding expression of his. Before she got too comfortable though, she decided to leave.

"Alright, I'm off now so I will see you when I'm needed." Nina said and turned around.

"Wait!" Jin called her back, a little louder than expected and it surprised him.

She stopped in her tracks and raised a brow at him. Jin offered her a seat. He really wanted to thank her for her loyalty. He wasn't sure if he could trust her a hundred percent after her rejecting to help him earlier but today she proved that indeed she was a true professional.

When Nina sat down, Jin sighed in relief. "I want to tell you why I hired you."

"To protect you." She quickly stated as a matter of fact. "Or is there something else?"

"I'm going to have to do things that will change everything. There will be chaos. I predict a war will start, a big one because of what I'm about to do." Jin blurted out. "I have to do this and restore the balance."

"The balance of what? I'm sorry, you lost me." She confessed. Who started a war to restore balance? Zealots.

"Does it matter? You've killed before. You're getting paid handsomely to do this." He said darkly.

Nina folded her arms. He was right. She worked for clients more ruthless than him. Nina suspected that deep down this man was a softie at heart and he was putting up a facade. Whatever his reasons were, it meant that he was making a big sacrifice. Still she felt a little apprehensive. This guy had his whole life ahead of him yet he chose to pursue an idealistic mission to which neither of them were sure would achieve the desired result. One thing was for sure though, this Jin Kazama wasn't like the other two Mishimas. He was a different case. Unpredictable.

Nina isn't sure whether to be relieved or not.

"Are you sure you want to throw away your life for this?"

"I don't care about my life." Jin huffed, folding his arms.

Well, at least he was honest.

"Let me get this straight, you want me to protect someone who doesn't give a damn about their life?"

What she didn't say hung in the air. Jin leans forward and intertwines his fingers together.

"You need to keep me safe until the war reaches its climax."

"I could be protecting you for a very long time then."

If he was offering her consistent employment, much longer than the contract then she was all game. But she knew he was hiding something and wasn't giving her the full information. His face said it all. In time, she'd figure it out though. She trusted her intelligence.

"Don't tell me something like a war makes you queasy."

"It does." She admitted. "I've never seen myself as a war monger."

Well, she could add it to her resume, she thought darkly.

He was surprised. A cold blooded assassin not liking the sound of war was strange indeed.

"Tell me one thing, why do you kill people? For money right?"

She answered him with a silent look. Jin shrugged and then continues.

"It's not going to be their blood on your hands. It's mine. I'll be the one responsible."

That's not what she was worried about. She had plenty of people's bloods on her hands so what was the matter if she had some more on it? Protecting him was basically the same as getting those people killed. She'd be standing with him. Supporting his cause.

The blonde observed the Japanese man. He may have a cold expression on his face now but there still was an air of vulnerability around him and she wasn't sure if he could stomach such a consequence. If she had what he had, she wouldn't throw her life away. He had a silver spoon and wanted to dispose of it. Nina still couldn't wrap her head around his plans. He wanted to fight big corporations and ignite a war that would claim millions of lives including his own because he wanted to destroy the Zaibatsu and others like it. In time these systems would be rebuilt and the came cycle of corruption would just start over again. There was always going to be evil in the world. His sacrifice would be in vain.

But who was she to point this out? He wouldn't listen anyway. She had a job, a well paid one and that was the only thing that should matter to her. There was no time for complications.

Her father told her never to take someone's else's monkey on her shoulder. She'd heed that advice.

"I have faith in your abilities. Don't you have faith in yours?" Jin said softly.

Nina met his dark eyes. How sweet. He was attempting to sway her. But those words were nice to hear. So honest. She leaned forward.

"A job is a job." She replied, "Don't worry, I'm not running off."

Jin nodded.

"But I will ask something from you though." Nina said.

He sat up.

"You haven't held a welcoming banquet yet. Every Mishima who has taken over the Zaibatsu has held one."

Jin frowned. "You want a party?"

Nina slighlty tilted her head to the side and smirked.

"You didn't think I was all work and no play did you?"

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