Thanks for the kind reviews peeps. They motivate me to update once in a while lol.

Guest - Thanks for the motivation. It's fun writing a Nina who has no idea who she was before and this gives room to explore what she might have been like without the life of an assassin but feels like she has to hide for her own safety. Add Jin to that mix who is also in hiding and they become two peas in a pod. The Jin x Nina pair is a joy to write for me. :D I find it easy to imagine them in different scenarios other than the boss and bodyguard situation T6 presented us with. They just feel so natural and realistic to me as friends/ a couple.

Legend Saint-14 - I am honoured that you read this at night. Thank you.

Inthesky- I'm glad you like the bond between Jin and Nina in my fic. Jin and Nina so easy to write seeing as their enneagrams are complementary (Jin is a 4 and Nina is a 3) and yes, it even surprises me that this fic was written 10 years ago when I was new to the Tekken fanfic world. Thanks to the lockdown, I've had time for this story. Guess I couldn't outgrow Jin x Nina and it still holds a special place in my heart.

*Chapter Seven*

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"I'm not sure if I like discos but it wouldn't hurt to try." Nina said, handing Jin a flyer from her bag.

He looks at the flyer. She observes the Japanese man's expressions.

"Don't worry Jin, it'll be a bit dark and no one will recognise you. And if you're really worried, you can always wear a bandanna and shades."

"You're so spontaneous its amusing."

"Julia advised me to get out of my comfort zone so here I am…" Nina shrugs. "She said if I keep to myself I won't get any memory back."

"I think you loved swimming before." Jin pointed out, "You can't help yourself when you visit me."

As she holds his gaze, there's a cocky look in his eyes. It was the first time he spoke to her like that. Usually, she'd bring a towel and slippers with her before she went swimming but today she wanted to see if Jin would do the honors. He didn't disappoint. He waited for her under a big umbrella and with a clean dry towel. Such a gentleman he was.

Then he let her use his shower. With good water pressure.

It was so tempting to just live with him sometimes. However, she wasn't sure if he had the devil problem like his father. Jin never confirmed anything but she had a small doubt. So far, she hadn't seen anything suspicious.

"I like who you are Kazama but I hope when I find me, you'll like who I am." Nina confesses as she pats her hair dry. She hopes she liked her past self. Anna never said much about the kind of person she was. It was almost as if the little sister was ashamed of her…

"I like who you are now." Jin says slowly, meeting her gaze.

Nina gasps a little but forces herself to remain calm.

"And who am I now?" She challenges coyly.

She almost got lost in those deep dark eyes of his.

"Someone who gives good advice and fights good." His eyes smile with mischief.

Nina looks away before she was tempted to do something she wasn't ready for. Jin was bemused by her reaction. He hadn't seen her so nervous before. Maybe he should choose the right words. He wasn't the best at expressing himself.

"Is that all?" She mocks disappointment. For some reason, she wanted to hear more.

Jin observed the beautiful blonde and while he knew he wasn't good at reading people via their faces, he felt the energy in the room shift. Nina was nervous and he silently blamed himself for not keeping her at ease. She shivers and he is tempted to wrap his arms around her so she could have some of his warmth. Maybe she wouldn't like him doing that. So he settles for another way to comfort her instead.

"Should I explain why I want a friend like you?" Jin's voice was soft and deep. Nina closes her eyes, letting the sound of his voice replay in her mind again. That was one voice she never wanted to forget. She was getting carried away…

Should I explain why I want a friend like you?

Truth be told it was a mystery why he thought he wanted someone like her. She was a broken woman from some experiment and wasn't wholesome like him, Julia and everyone else.

However if they carried on this conversation, she would drown in such feels and it was scary. Something told her she wasn't used to feeling like this. Jitters under her skin and feeling as if she couldn't stand still. It was important for her to go away in reflect on this in private.

Nina shakes her head. "Save that conversation for another day. I want to see how a bandanna looks like on you."

She pulls out one she brought for him and drapes it over his head.

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The selection of mocktails left him almost indecisive. Yes he previously worked in a bar and handled all types of drinks including liquor but never cared to know much about them. When Jin stayed with Heihachi, alcohol was forbidden and his mother also detested such drinks so he was raised with only putting in fresh drinks and food in his body. He wouldn't touch alcohol out of respect to his mother and he was glad Nina wasn't forcing him. He hated being forced to do things. Hated being mocked because he wasn't a regular man or whatever that meant.

Looking at the drinks menu with Nina, it felt so foreign to him.

He wasn't sure what these types of drinks were.

"Pina Colada is sweet and creamy." Nina told him. " And mojito is sour and fizzy." Nina explained looking at the menu with interest.

Her excitement rubbed off on him and he eyes the pictures of the tempting drinks.

"We can have as many as we want and we don't have to worry about getting drunk." Nina muses out loud.

Nina felt like she was in heaven when she realized there was more than just her favourites in the menu and almost forgot Jin was with her until she felt his hand reach over and give a slight squeeze to her shoulder. Her eyes immediately go to her shoulder to see his fingers gently brushing her as he pulled away. Then she looks at him. He must have not realized what he had just done as he was still ogling the menu. Jin's touch still lingers on her and she forces her attention back to the drinks.

The trance music pounded against Jin's ears as he shifted on the barstool. The atmosphere was both foreign and thrilling to him.

"What about the Virgin Cube Libre?" Jin asked, pointing at the name of the drink. He was certain his pronunciation of the drink was wrong but Nina didn't mention it.

"Oh that is such a fine one Jin. The rush to your head it does is incredible."

He watches Nina close her eyes in bliss as if she had forgot he was there.

"I want that one then."

They ordered, went to their assigned table on the upper floor and their drinks arrived after a few minutes. Jin took off his shades and began drinking. Nina wasn't wrong about the drinks. When he took his first sip, a rush of ecstasy ran through him, going to his head. The taste of sweetness lingers on his tongue and he revels in it. As the music pulsed in the background, both of them took their time in savouring their drinks and remaining together in silence. Occasionally his eyes would wonder at her direction. She wore a glittery silver dress and her knees poked out from under the hem. Her bare legs looked just as smooth as they did when he caught her coming out of the swimming pool. Were they as soft as they looked? Jin almost choked on his drink when Nina crosses her legs. His eyes look upward and met hers.

He feels his cheek flush in hot shame but there was something in her eyes that didn't allow him to look away.

Nina found it odd that he was checking out her legs and instead of feeling angry about it, she let him observe them for a while before crossing her legs. It was flattering that someone like Jin could find her attractive. It fed her ego and after their eyes were locked together for while, she's the first to look away. What was she expecting him to do?

This was weird.

The reason why they were here was because she needed to recover her memories. If he was distracting her, he'd apologise. Her curled hair bounces when she turns away and then gives him a sidelong stare. Jin finished his drink.

Here they were, two of them in disguise trying to act like normal people. The daring misfits. The thought makes him smirk.

"You know, when in Japan, I got such stares." Nina broke the silence. "Only thing was the Japs whispered Gaijin whenever I was around."

"Don't worry, you're no outsider to me."

"Hmm good to know. I certainly don't miss the stares." She admitted, shooting him a small smile. Being in Brisbane was a pleasant change although she felt a strange pull to Japan. After all, it was her "home" for the past several years.

Jin looks over the railings which overlook the dancefloor. Jin wondered if he should ask Nina to dance but then noticed bodies writhing against each other.

Nina follows his gaze to the dancefloor and a faint sense of déjà vu. A memory of her sitting at a bar with legs crossed watching people dance flashes before her eyes. The current crowd moves fluidly and there's a face. An Asian woman with an aged face and long hair. She was looking straight at Nina . Who was this? A Tekken force member? Or one of Anna's lackey?

Nina puts her empty glass down and stands up. The woman takes a step back. Nina takes one step towards the stairs and this makes the woman turn around and flee.

"What's wrong Nina?"

Nina spun around to Jin, relieved he was still here.

"Nothing, it's probably nothing." Nina answered. Perhaps she was just imagining things. Wouldn't be the first time.

"Did you have another Gaijin moment?" Jin teased, looking endearing in that bandana.

"Hah, very funny." She rolled her eyes.

Jin hadn't noticed it so Nina decided to forget about the matter.

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