TEKKEN 8

Chapter III: Hwoarang [Part I]

Forty-eight hours.

It has been forty-eight hours since the Zaibatsu team sent the requests out the selected five people, and only two accepted. As anyone could tell by just his face alone, this did not settle well with Jin Kazama. With gritted teeth and a tightened grip on his pen, he stared at the view of the pouring rain and winds.

He said it before and he will say it again: he won't take 'no' as an answer, not when time is of the essence.

His team continuously asked him about what he is going to do about this dilemma, which annoyed the hell out of him. He never thought that those three, especially Hwoarang and Asuka, would not just decline, but completely ignore his request.

He admits, while he was tied up in the global war, Azazel, and the search for the Devil gene's cure, he made it a routine to turn a blind eye to those who cared about him. Especially, Xiaoyu. He constantly told himself it was for her own good, but he knew that nothing in the world would stop her from wanting to see him. It was pointless to try to keep himself distanced from her, knowing that she would find everyway possible to at least speak to him.

If she had such a strong determination to be near him, why not have her work at the Mishima Zaibatsu? It's a win-win for both him and her.

He was attempting to do the same for Hwoarang, Asuka, and Lili. Jin was fully aware of the rematch between him and the Blood Talon. He at least expected for Hwoarang to bust through his office door and demand a rematch, or for Asuka to try to beat him up.

Yet, no red-headed punk.

No loud cousin.

Not even Lili, who he predicted would theaten him to help restore her father's oil fields. Not the princess, either.

He should just drag them all here by their hair, but he believed he shouldn't have to.

Jin picked up the telephone after hearing it ring twice. Without needing to hear the voice, he knew it was Xiaoyu, who took her secretary position back from her substitute. "Jin, he's here!" She shouted excitedly into the phone, piercing his right ear. "Who? Hwoarang?" Xiaoyu noticed the fraction of hope in his voice.

"Yup! I'll send him up, okay?"

"Yes, thank you, Xia-Miss Ling." He quickly corrected himself, but he could feel Xiaoyu grinning from the phone.

He hung up, and folded his arms as he sat back into his chair. His mouth curved the slightest, feeling an amount of satisfaction as his office door was eventually knocked on.

"Come in, Hwoarang."

The said man opened the door, revealing himself in all of his dripping wet glory. Hwoarang wore a scowl on his face, along with a suit you would wear to a formal event or even a funeral. His hair was no longer fiery auburn as Jin remembered. It was black, with the exception of a steak of its familiar color. His eyepatch covered his right eye.

He was angry as he walked over to his rival.

"What the hell do you want, Kazama? Eh? What the fuck was so important that you wanted me to come to you like a little bitch--?"

"Calm yourself, Hwoarang." Jin told the furious young man, but his words were useless. "Honestly, Jin. How the hell do you expect me to feel right now?" Hwoarang grabbed the other man's collar, capturing the attention of the soldiers in room, but Jin simply held up his hand.