Irish Gal: Well, with Jina, all I have to do is close my eyes and these scenarios just come up in my head with this couple. It's so easy for me to write them. I have so many more ideas with Jina that I've not even covered half of them yet. They tug at my heartstrings too, so much feels with this couple. So much.
I want those Jin and Nina funko pop dolls now! Send me yours? I wanted to steal them off the Bandai Namco office shelf when I saw it there. They were side by side too so it would have made for an easy swoop. Thanks for your support!
Starlight: Thanks. In regards to your first comment to me on one of my fics, I never said Nina was an INTJ. She shows strong sensor traits and hardly any intuitive traits in canon. Another INFP claimed that she was ISTJ. I want to know how you got INTJ for Nina.
A/N: This chapter was one of my favorite ones to write because I've had this idea for so long and it is very special to me.
Oh and Eun-Seo, one of my OC's faceclaim is actress Jun Ji-Hyun. Did a random search for a Korean actress in her 40's many weeks ago who was close to how I envisioned Eun-Seo to look like. I don't know much about the actress but shockingly she also portrayed a bride during a shootout scene and acted like an assassin in there like Nina in T7. Didn't know that until today! Now she seems like the perfect choice to play Nina's oldtime bestie.
Chapter Eighteen
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During the drive to the ziplining centre, all Jin could think about was Nina's assassin dream and his Devil secret. It makes him feel guilty that as soon as she had her dream, she let him know about it and he hadn't hinted to her about having the Devil gene. Even after a man was attacked and sent to the hospital. He sips on his Lucozade as Nina drives, lost in his thoughts, building up the liquid courage through the journey.
He feels bad for trying to shoo away her worry over her dream this morning so she could have fun. He second guessed himself and wanted to make up for it. She deserves the truth and a chance to talk about hers.
Nina notices the raven haired man in the passenger seat seeming so forlorn as she was driving. He didn't say anything to her until they reach the parking lot and she parks Julia's car. Instead of heading out as soon as the car engine was shut off, she unbuckles her belt and remains in the car to give him the chance to share what was troubling him. Her ears were available for Jin.
"Nina, there's something I need to tell you."
His tone is soft, deep and filled with so much worry. She decides to pick a tone just as soft but instead of worry, hers would be filled with care and concern. She relaxes herself too.
"Tell me."
He breathes in deeply, gathering more courage to reveal such a shocking news. The blonde is looking so relaxed and it helped him mirror her.
"I was the one who attacked Doctor Bosconovitch."
Her cerulean eyes widen at this revelation. Nina says nothing and allows him to continue.
"I have the devil gene. At times, when certain emotions get the best of me, I turn into Devil. When it happens, I have no idea what is happening. I'm put to sleep while this other entity takes over my body. The devil took over me and attacked the doctor."
She remembers visiting the comatose man in hospital and that sudden outburst. How could she forget when the old man's arm shot up, pointing at the ceiling and screaming 'devil' ? However it is hard to reconcile that scene and Jin Kazama, a man whom she was so close with. Even when one of her memories included one of Kazuya Mishima turning into a purple Devil. Even when logic pointed out that Devil could reside in Jin too. No matter what, it was still so hard to reconcile the two. Jin Kazama and the Devil.
"How did you know you attacked Doctor Bosconovitch?" She asks him.
"It told me I did and showed me flashbacks. It sometimes communicates with me like that."
"How long have you know about the devil gene?"
"Since the end of the third King of Iron Fist tournament. After when Heihachi betrayed me."
Shoot. That was a shocker. Yet her face remains blank. She thinks of her next logical question.
"Why did it attack Doctor Bosconovitch?"
"For fun." He reveals morbidly.
The devil could decide to attack her for fun too.
"I'm going to be honest. I didn't tell you before because I didn't want to drive you away. I was selfish. I wanted you close." He admits. "If you feel disappointed in me right now, you can say so."
If she no longer wanted to spend time with him, he'd accept that too. He felt guilt in hiding this from her and despite his poor timing, it feels good to finally let her know about this.
Nina idly picks up the drink from Jin's hands, surprising him while she uncaps his bottle, brings it to her mouth and sips on his drink. It is a subtle action with a hidden meaning. All Jin has to do is to interpret it in that singular way as he normally did. That one absolute truth. One that would hopefully calm his nerves. Maybe there'd be a bonus of putting a smile on his face. Perhaps on hers too. She feels his eyes on her as she looks out the windshield and takes a swig of the cool energy drink.
When the blonde takes his drink without asking, it surprising but he doesn't mind. Infact, it just reminds him on how close they were to be able to do that.
Wait…what? She isn't mad at him?
She isn't mad at him.
There is a small smile on his lips as he observes her drinking. The content look on her face when she quenches her thirst is an image etched in his mind. He feels his emotions stirring again. Her love for him made him develop self-love. Her love made him feel as if he was worth loving. They were best friends, companions and equals.
The blonde woman caps the bottle and returns the drink in his hands.
"Thank you, for coming clean with me. Now let's get going. We're going to be late." Nina tells him, finally allowing her eyes to roam over him.
To say she wasn't confused and anxious was a lie. However, since they came all the way up here to zipline, it would be a shame to not go. Since they came so far from being strangers to close friends, it would be a shame to part ways. She had no desire to run away from him. Devil or no devil.
Nina gives him a small reassuring smile when she notices his look of concern. Of course she needed time to process this truth but that could be done later, when the information was filed away and ready to be processed alone. In silence.
Right now all she wants was to do what they came out to do.
She opens the car door and steps out.
Once they are on the top and the staff straps them onto the line, their heads turn to each other as if silently communicating to each other to remain calm and enjoy the ride ahead. They are doing this together. She even was tempted to reach out and hold his hand for some odd reason.
After they were pushed out, the wind whips around their faces as the exhilaration of the speed they were going at gets to them. He takes his time in looking at the greenery below, the trees and the ground which made him feel as if he was forest bathing. In a long time, he feels so free and as if he was going back to a time without hardship and pain. The time before his mother was killed by Ogre. Knowing that Nina is beside him in this moment just made it very better. He glances at the blonde beside him. She is with him.
With him.
Jin then decides, that after this he was going to ask her a question that was going to change the course of both their lives.
He is going to go in for the kill.
Kazuya Mishima is alive.
No one knew that apart from the man himself, Rory, owner of G Corp and some subordinates sworn to secrecy. As for the wife, she was kept in the dark. Eun had to be. After all, he never fully trusted the woman he married.
"My uncle pulled you out from the volcano and nursed you to health. He made me promise to take care of you." Rory says to Kazuya, it wasn't for the first time but saying that again seems to calm the angry Mishima down.
His mood swings were coming more frequent these days. Rory had no compassion for the devil man but a promise was a promise so he kept him around. He guessed the Devil gene study was a dead-end anyway but because Kazuya was a powerful being and making sure that he felt he owed Rory was a good thing.
Because Rory complied a list of Nina Williams' enemies and had them slotted into their respective roles, ready to attack. It would start after six months. On the death day of his father. He'd start that anniversary with a bang. Poetic justice.
Kazuya may have never sought revenge from the blonde but it just added to the beauty of his game. The Devil man who once defeated Nina Williams got to defeat her one more time if everything else failed. Plus it helped that Rory was in touch with Anna Williams who knew ways of dealing with Kazuya Mishima and Nina Williams.
"I am not to my full potential." Kazuya growls. "The devil power…half of it is missing."
Half. More like most of it. He feels like a fucking ancient shell.
The past two decades felt like it flew by so quick. Endless studies, tests and whatnot he had endured because he was obsessed with mastering the devil gene. He wanted to gain back what was lost but it never came back and he didn't even know why.
Rory had a good guess why. Kazuya had no idea that he had a son. Would revealing this information to the man be useful? A sudden beep on his machine took his attention. He saw his wife hanging outside the door of the hallway which led to this secret lab. He huffed. She wasn't supposed to be snooping around.
Eun-Seo smiles when the door finally opened and her husband steps out. She looks over his shoulder.
"Who are you hiding behind there?"
"My mistress." Rory lies and folds his arms. "What is it?"
She rolls her eyes. Her ginger haired husband was acting very suspicious lately and he had no idea she could be very sneaky.
"Kazuya Mishima. They've told me that he's here." She answers.
She had her ways of extracting information and Eun would never forget her assassin ways. Ever. Rory may never come clean with her but his people weren't so loyal to him after all. She was slightly hurt though. Her eyes meet his dark blue ones, hoping that they'd make him spit out the truth. If he could see her pain and feel guilt…
Rory might not have trusted her but he did somewhat care about her, after all they were married for so long. She is not safe around Kazuya. He didn't need her to be seen as his weakness.
"I'm here to give you one last chance, Rory." She warns. "Our marriage isn't a joke to me. That night you whisked me off to Mumbai and danced the night away with me at a club was the same night Kazuya defeated Nina. Was it a coincidence?"
Of course. That too was orchestrated. With Anna Williams tipping him off, he took Eun's mind off and kept her away from the Nina business. He danced with her, became her love and her rock when news of Nina's "passing" hit her. He made Eun feel that he was all she had.
"I have nothing to do with that." He says flatly. "Explain to me what good it would do me if I took you out of the same city your friend was in the night she got defeated?"
Eun-Seo has no answer. All she knew was that if she was there, she would help Nina because that's what they did. Look out for one another. Her husband is right. Nina being defeated would not benefit him.
Rory never told her the real reason. About how the assassin killed his father right in front of him. He was so stunned and traumatised. Maybe that's why she spared him. She thought he was too frightened to say anything. He was a young teenage boy at that time. Just two or three years younger than the blonde.
"Why are you keeping Kazuya Mishima alive? Kill him." Eun-Seo said. "For what he did to my friend."
"I won't because there is a greater purpose." He said, watching his wife pout for a moment. Those full lips were so irresistible and he caught himself slipping.
"How long will you keep him as a lab rat?" She huffs. "For another decade?"
"Eun. Stop. Stop it." He lifts up a hand. "It's not your business. He's G-Corp's property."
"Bullshit." Eun-Seo snaps at the Irish American man.
Her pouting like that reminded him why he fell for her against his wishes in the first place. He hated that it brought out a side to him he didn't want. But alas, his heart won that battle.
"My love. I love you with all my heart…," He said lovingly and went to caress her cheek. "Nae sarang, Jinsimeuro Saranghae." He says, fully knowing that it was her weakness when he spoke romantically in Korean to her.
She swallows. He never spoke to her like that in so many years. So many fucking years. Her heart skips a beat. Suddenly offering her that affection again was like a kick to her heart which felt like it stopped beating for years.
But it wasn't enough. Sadly. Even those words wouldn't convince her that their marriage could be saved.
"I am sorry that I've not been the best husband. I've been drowning in work." He says forlornly. "But we can't fight, my love. We have to be a team."
She takes his hand in hers and nodded with a bittersweet smile. "You do what you have to do." She tells him and then kisses him.
They part. He still didn't fully trust her but she was calm now. He tamed her fire.
"Will you be okay?"
She nods. "I just felt so far from you that I…..," She drifts off and then released his hand. She could no longer call him 'my love'. Maybe there was never any love in their marriage at all.
He was going to do what he wanted and Eun decided she was going to do the same. It wasn't part of their plan but she was sick of it. She was going to do what she had to do. He had no idea that she met Nina behind his back and was going to continue doing so.
"I'll go home now and wait for you." She says softly, hiding her pain.
"My love." He utters to her before she left. "Nae sarang."
He sighs in relief before going back into the lab. She is safe now. Kazuya was still there and glares at him with his bi colored eyes.
"I'm going to leave." Kazuya declares.
"No wait!"
Kazuya grabs the ginger Irishman by the throat. "Why?" He growls, sending a shiver down Rory's spine.
For a moment, he thinks that Kazuya was going to do it. Snap his neck and destroy his entire game. His eyes went wide and whatever came to his mind in that moment, he just blurts it out.
"I …..k-know why y-you….lost h-half ….y-your devil power!"
The Japanese man's eyes stretches a bit but he never released Rory's neck. However, he stops pressing so hard.
"Y-your s-son. You have a son!"
"What?!" Kazuya snaps. "Is this some kind of sick joke?!"
It was a random conclusion, he wasn't entirely sure that was the case but anything was better than nothing, Rory presumed.
"Five years ago, a boy turned up at the Mishima Estate. Your father trained him. He is your son."
Kazuya's mind races. He never slept around, never partook in those types of medical samples and even if by some chance these sick doctors forcibly extracted his sperm, he'd know wouldn't he?
"I even know his name." Rory chokes. "I'll help….you find him but just…just… let me go and stay."
Kazuya huffs and releases the man's neck. He watches him cough and rub his neck.
"Name?" He growls.
"Jin…Jin Kazama." Rory utters. He had underestimated Kazuya's strength.
Kazama.
Hearing that name again made Kazuya's world crash. No.
She….
Taking off his captain's hat and tossing it on the nearby seat, Jin made his way towards the back of the yacht. Jin approaches the beautiful blonde as she leans against the edge of the yacht, completely relaxed. He smiles when he sees his reflection on the lenses of her shiny sunglasses. A picture perfect moment.
He couldn't read her eyes but the smirk appearing on her face tells him that she was happy he joined her at the back of the boat. Behind her the water was gushing as their boat traverses over the ocean. He keeps a slight distance between them as he now leans against the edge, he was going to bask a little more in this moment and in their shared comfortable silence before he popped the question. To say he was nervous as hell was an understatement.
The tip that the Korean woman left on the table that day at work was put to good use. She found a cheque too which covered the cost to charter a small private yacht for some time along with the necessary crew. It was a large sum of money and despite her reservations, Nina went ahead and used it anyway so she and Jin could have a good time together.
Ah, the sun and breeze on her skin, being out here surrounded in vast blue waters made her feel so free. Jin was with her. This was like her version of heaven. This was perfection. She doesn't remember if she ever liked feeling the warmth on her skin but she does now. She would never give this up for anything else. Infact, she wishes time could stopped so that this moment could be lived again and again. If anything ominous was on the horizon, it would be stopped.
To get rid of her fear of drowning since waking up from the cold sleep, Nina aimed to do many things. Swimming was one of them. Another one was hiring a luxury boat and spending some time on the ocean. It was something she had entertained since setting foot in this hot country. She didn't have enough money to do that then. It was just the two of them on the deck and a couple of crew members- whom treated her and Jin with the utmost respect didn't bother them too much.
She was decked up in a halterneck dress which matched her eyes and Jin was now in his relaxed attire- a crisp clean white shirt and a pair of beach pants. His shirt was completely unbuttoned too, giving her a glorious sight of his washboard abs. He looked absolutely delicious. She lightly bites her bottom lip at times whenever she saw him like that. Especially in their hotel room and in their bed. It took her willpower not to just go ahead and give him a touch, a rub and a kiss. Whenever he caught her looking or not, Nina did her best not to ogle him and give herself away. It was hard work. Keeping her eyes on his and not wandering off there.
Jin's bangs move wildly as the ocean breeze dances around them. They both were completely locked into each other's gazes. She had a feeling it would be windy on the ocean so she had her hair up in a tight bun to avoid getting smacked in the face with her own hair. It was no longer so short but not that long just yet.
"I wonder how you'd look with longer hair." He finally broke the silence.
Her lips curved into a smirk. "I might let it grow out for you."
There was a shift in his eyes due to the soft tone she took added with the words of promise. Nina revelled in his gaze, feeling that warm fuzzy feeling creep over her again.
Jin might have appeared serene but there is something else in them that she can't quite pinpoint. It was a look Nina hadn't seen before. She loves the fact that her Kazama wasn't easy; he is a challenge, an enigma and he kept her on her toes and interested. Always. She loves challenges and it was from him that she learnt that about herself. Maybe she was too.
"You seem like you want to say something to me." Nina remarks, observing him very closely.
He couldn't read her eyes yet and it wouldn't be fair if they were concealed from him any longer. She takes off her shades, allowing him to see her crystal blue eyes and to offer him some comfort.
Now the time came. He took in a deep breath. She holds out her hand for him. Jin takes it and closes the distance between them.
"We've been friends for quite some time now, Nina." He says. "Friends like each other but I just don't like you as a friend."
She frowns. He didn't like her? What?
He was very much aware that like him, she enjoyed challenges so he figured why not make this a little challenging for her to figure out with some wordplay? Jin lets her confusion go on for a little longer. Her eyes meet his and they ask him for clarification.
"There's more liking each other as a friend." He says slowly, watching her hang off on every word. "There's something between us." He adds firmly, with a resolute look in his eyes.
Us.
Her mind just zeroes in on that one word. A small word with such a big meaning.
Jin cups her cheek with one hand and caresses her like she was his great love. Time feels like it stopped. The warmth of his hand against her cheek does her in. How could she not desire him?
She would trade her heart for his. A fair deal.
Nina says nothing and simply stares at her Jin. Her blue eyes were now soft as they slowly look at him left and right, as if trying to get a good read on his rum eyes. He never hinted so strongly to her before. It was always these innocent little touches which were unexpected and interesting. Her mind goes back to memories of the occasional hand touching, smiles, playful jibes and other things that could suggest an interest more than mere friendship. Neither of them had the courage to take the plunge before.
"Don't you also want so much more?" He asks her sonorously.
So Much More.
That's what he wants. More than friendship.
Oddly enough, she is considering it. To be so much more with him.
It's what she wants.
To their bright and beautiful future. Together.
When he doesn't get anything but silence, he withdraws his hand from her face and mutters a quiet apology. He lowers his eyes so he didn't see her being broken out of her trance and yearning for his touch again. Jin just put her on the spot and it wasn't his intention to make Nina uncomfortable. His heartbeats are booming so hard in his ears that it left room for nothing else. He takes a step back, putting distance between them again.
Once again, Nina suddenly extends her hand to him. She watches in anticipation as Jin slowly takes it with confusion in his eyes. Again, the warmth of his hand finally snaps her and with force, she pulls him towards her to close the distance. Their bodies collide and immediately his hands went to her hips to steady her. Nina cups his face and gives him a gentle caress. She looks at him like he was beyond her dreams, beyond something she could even imagine and beyond her expectations.
Nina's eyes narrow slightly and briefly when his ones meet them. It's like a subtle invitation, a challenge and a consent.
These blue eyes tell him this; Every time she was with him, when they were together, she was so happy. How could he not realize this? Stunned, he loses himself in her eyes. Unable to look away, unable to speak.
She lets her hand linger against his cheek for some more time before wrapping her arms around his shoulders, bringing them closer than ever and embracing him in a heartfelt hug.
A hug that lasts a little longer than it should.
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A/N; Ah, those boat trips are amazing. Jina was due for one.