DISCLAIMER: Me don’t own Tekken, k?

Faded Rivalry

Chapter 2 - Painful Situations

By Prosopopeia

"So Anon, were you born here in Japan?" Jin asked while analyzing the table. His counterpart had finally ended his turn and he gladly took up his shot, determined to catch up.

Hwoarang shook his head and leaned against the table in a casual manner. "No I was born in K--" he stopped in mid-sentence before wracking his mind.

A disgruntled look crossed Hwoarang’s face as Jin raised an eyebrow. "K? What kind of country is that?" he asked half in humor half mocking. The redhead shook his head quickly. "No…no…um, I was born in…Kansas!" he blurted out before his face sagged.

But the Japanese youth found it quite intriguing as he took a break from his turn, eyeing Hwoarang curiously. "Kansas? Where’s that?" he asked, cocking his head to the side. Even Hwoarang found his curiosity amusing as he chuckled lightly.

"Eh…it’s in America," he answered.

Jin’s face brightened at the thought of a foreigner. "So you’re from America? That’s amazing," he replied enthusiastically. He eyed the redhead carefully before thinking to himself.

The Korean youth nodded and looked at the pool table dazedly. "Yeah…" he murmured to himself. New York wasn’t his hometown, but he had spent a good number of years of his life there during his more rebellious stages. The thought brought a slight smirk to his lips. The streets in New York were always a challenge to run on.

Jin, who had began to play again, paused at the look on his opponent’s face. "What’s the matter? You don’t like…errm…K-Kan-sas??" he asked, stuttering on the name of the state. Hwoarang looked up at him in surprise and shook his head, smiling slightly. "No! It’s just that umm…I really never went there…?" he explained, not sure of what to say. It seemed he was making more of a fool as he went on. He eyed Jin carefully.

Jin looked puzzled as he arched an eyebrow. "Oh…?" he remarked. This Anon fellow was strange. He was always beating around the bush, never giving him a straight answer. It was aggravating, yet amusing at the same time. He didn’t know which was more.

Hwoarang nodded quickly, looking at the floor nervously. "I was born there…but I moved when I was really young and I don’t remember ever being there!" he explained, looking up at Jin with a nervous laugh.

Hwoarang couldn’t stop the grin from crossing his face as he stared at the thoughtful Jin, who nodded. "I see…" he murmured in fascination. It seemed Anon traveled quite a bit. From America to Japan was quite a long trip. He smiled to himself.

Hwoarang nodded quickly and glanced at his watch and blanched.

He plastered a fake smile on his face and looked up at Jin sweetly. "Um…I better get going now…it’s getting late," he remarked, trying his best not to scowl. He did not like playing the innocent role.

Jin nodded understandingly. "Yeah it is. Technically I should leave, too," he wondered aloud before suddenly looking at Hwoarang excitedly. "Hey, why don’t I walk you home?" he suggested, smiling brightly.

The Korean fighter looked alarmed for a second.

"What?!"

Jin raised an eyebrow at the boy’s sudden outburst. "What?" he replied questionably. He didn’t see anything wrong with walking a new friend home. Perhaps Anon was one of those untrusting folks, he thought in confusion.

Hwoarang shook his head and started backing away. "You really don’t need to!" he exclaimed, inwardly cursing at Jin.

The Japanese boy stared at him for a moment before smiled. "But I insist! It’s dangerous out at this time you know," he replied, looking concerned. If Anon was new to the city, then he would be in for one hell of a time.

"Oh…I can take care of myself…"

Jin frowned and quickly blocked the exit. "Are you sure…?" he asked, still insistent on his offer. If Anon ended up in the front page of tomorrow newspaper, he didn’t want to feel the guilt of being the one who left him to venture out for himself.

Hwoarang let out a cry of aggravation before pushing Jin out of his way. "Yes! Now you just let me go home!" he exclaimed, his voice almost becoming venomous. He quickly tried to calm down his impatience and he rolled his eyes at the look Jin was giving him.

"Uhh…okay…if you insist…"

The Blood Talon sighed in relief and tried his best to smile at Jin. "I do! I do! I’ll be fine" he exclaimed, beginning to walk away, pushing his hands into his pockets. Jin turned around suddenly and grabbed Hwoarang’s arm, stopping him.

"All right then. But can I see you again, though?" he asked hopefully. He was usually never his open to people he just met, but there was something about Anon that made him feel comfortable despite the boy’s obvious mysteriousness.

Hwoarang stiffened, but didn’t turn around to face his rival. "Uhh…I don’t think that’s a good idea," he muttered under his breath.

Jin tilted his head to the side and let go of Hwoarang’s arm. "Why?" he asked innocently, his tone so sweet that Hwoarang couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty for his hasty answer.

"Um…"

Jin smiled and placed his hands on his hips, a look of determination on his face. He wasn’t about to lose this fight. "Look, we can meet up here again at the same time tomorrow! That is unless you have something to do," he suggested, trying to catch Hwoarang’s gaze, but the redhead kept dodging his eyes.

"No, I have nothing to do tomorrow…"

Jin smiled brightly and relaxed his posture. "Good then! See you tomorrow," he called as he turned and walked away before Hwoarang could say anything to change his decision. He smiled at the fact that he won the battle.

Hwoarang watched Jin walk away completely stunned.

He looked up at the sky at raised his arms above his head in desperation.

Jin woke up with a start the next morning at ten in the morning due to his alarm clock. He quickly rolled over and slammed his palm against the annoying contraction for a little more sleep. After more tossing and kicks, he finally swung his legs over the side as he couldn’t seem to fall asleep again. Running his hand through his messy hair, he stood up and stretched and then presumed in making his bed. He still wore a stoical expression on his face as he stared at his alarm clock, which now lied flat down on the floor.

He glared at it angrily and pointed a finger at it.

"You! If you hadn’t gone off, I would still be sleeping!" he snapped before realizing what he was doing. He shook his head and held a hand over his forehead in exasperation.

Why am I yelling at an alarm clock? Hell, I was the one who set it up! Totally forgot it was Saturday…

Then, heading to his drawer, he pulled a pair of black denim jeans and a plain white shirt that had scrawled on the front "TV Bum." He went over to the bathroom and took his toothbrush, squeezing the toothpaste over it as he began his morning ritual. Staring at the mirror in a daze he wondered what his foreign friend was doing.

"Itai! Why is everything against me today?!" Hwoarang exclaimed as he burnt himself with an iron. He held his index finger tightly and glared at the iron and then decided that there was no longer any need for it as he pulled the plug out of its socket.

"First my alarm clock malfunctions and I wake up at ten instead of nine and then I find that the refrigerator is void of any eligible food and now this cursed iron!" snapped Hwoarang to no one in particular.

Grabbing his shirt, he hastily pulled it over his head and began heading to the kitchen barefooted. He looked through his empty shelves before finally an age-old box of cereal. Without even glancing it, he pulled it off out of its place and began pouring its contents into an empty bowl. He sat down grumpily on the table and ate the cereal with out any milk and began recalling the night before.

And tonight I have to go to the pool hall again. What the hell was I thinking?! I shouldn’t have hidden myself! Then I wouldn’t be in this situation right now!! God, this is too depressing to think about. How did the great Blood Talon reduce himself to this??

Hwoarang crunched on the plain corn flakes with even more force as he gazed hard into the wall, almost as if he was trying to burn a whole through it.

The thought of him actually pitying his rival only fueled Hwoarang’s need to eat even faster until he nearly choked in a flake. Coughing, he still stared straight at the wall as if in a trance.

And with that last thought, he finished his bowl of cereal.

Despite being one of the top fighters of the city, Jin still often liked to do the simple things in life such as taking a morning jog. It was not only good for him, but also a refreshing way to get him out of the foggy daze he was in ever since he woke up. Now if only he could tie his shoes properly. Every few loops, his fingers would suddenly slip and then his knot would be ruined. He nearly threw his sneakers up against the wall in frustration. Finally, after his fifth time trying, he got the knot and stood up straight in satisfaction.

"Well, now I can finally jog, though doing that was a good exercise in itself," he muttered under his breath as he left his apartment and began running down the stairs until he reached outside. There, he started jogging up the sidewalk, releasing all his thoughts. One in particular stuck out clearly. How easy it was to run down brick sidewalks than it was when he trained with his mother in the wilderness. He smiled fondly at the thought.

But his thoughts were cut off as he suddenly turned the corner, abruptly colliding into someone hard. He felt the air knocked out of him as he fell to the ground.

The redhead sat up painfully as he silently cursed himself and the son of a bitch that collided with him. He winced when he touched the side of his head and he could already feel a bump developing. Looking around dazedly, he tried to find the person he crashed into. Suddenly a ring stung clearly through his mind as he realized it was someone calling him.

"Hwoarang?"

The Korean youth frowned slightly as he tried to put the voice together with the image forming in his head slowly. Looking up suddenly, he winced and eyes widened in utter horror at the person standing before him. His head started pounding even more and he found his vision suddenly blurring. One clear thought still rang through his mind, though.

That son of a gun…

And then he collapsed.

The initial accident was already more than enough to knock Jin out of his daze, but finding out that the culprit of the accident was none other than Hwoarang himself was what finally did it for him. What was more surprising, though, was actually watching his rival look up at him in what looked like fear at first, but that quickly vanished as he suddenly dropped to the ground like a rag doll.

"What the…?"

It was all he could do but stare. Finally Jin looked over Hwoarang and felt the bump on the side of his head. He shook his head and hissed when he saw the bump beginning to swell. Thinking quickly, he lifted Hwoarang over his shoulder and shifted slightly to a more comfortable position. He eyed his rival before finally deciding on bringing him back to his apartment. As he began walking back, he ignored the strange glances from people.

When his apartment building came into view, he kicked the door open and headed towards the elevator. Despite Hwoarang’s light frame, he wasn’t going to climb up seven flights of stairs with him on his back. He waited impatiently as the elevator made its trip downwards and once again he looked at the limp figure he was supporting. He never would have imagined he would be helping Hwoarang on his own free will. It was almost laughable except for the fact that the redhead did seem to be hurt. If there was anything Jin knew about him, it was that he was a proud fighter and he would never collapse like that unless he really didn’t have a say on it.

Finally the elevator came and he quickly stepped in pressing the button that was his floor. He waited patiently, shifting Hwoarang’s body over occasionally. When the elevator lurched to his stop, he walked off and headed straight towards his apartment and turning the knob. Fortunately he hadn’t locked it, but then again the thought of burglars never occurred in his mind.

Setting Hwoarang gently on the couch, he pulled a blanket over him while he went to get some ice for his injury.

Jin frowned at the thought as he placed the ice on Hwoarang’s head. The fighter flinched slightly and Jin couldn’t help but stare deeply into the face of his patient.

Shaking his head suddenly at the last thought, the Japanese youth settled down on a chair beside Hwoarang and opened up a book lying on his table and started reading, though he was still keeping an ever-constant vigil over Hwoarang.

It was quite a few hours later before Hwoarang slowly opened his eyes painfully.

"Ugh…where am I?"

That one questions managed to echo painfully throughout his skull as he sat up slowly, slipping the ice pack off of his forehead to look around. His eyes spotted Jin sleeping in the seat beside him and that was enough to make jump to his feet in shock, a decision he immediately regretted as the throbbing in his head tripled. His hand flew to the right side of his head, trying to soothe the pain he looked up at Jin cautiously. He sighed in relief at the sight of the fighter sleeping soundly.

Walking past Jin slowly, he didn’t realize his right foot had slipped under the rug until it was too late and he was falling before he could even think.

"Argg!!" was his strangled cry when he fell.

Jin woke up suddenly.

"What…? I didn’t do it!"

The Japanese youth looked around him in a panic and sighed in relief to see that he was still in his apartment and in one piece.

I was only dreaming…phew! But what woke me up?

Jin stared all across the room in confusion as he scratched his head.

Jin stared at the vacant couch and noticed the blankets and ice pack on the floor. Frowning, he then turned behind him slowly when he heard a low groan. Looking down on a bewildered and injured Hwoarang, he almost laughed.

Hwoarang had just started coming out of his sleep just in time to be stared at like some kind of exhibit by his rival and groaned to himself.

What was worse was when Jin spoke to him. He felt like a hundred needles was being stuck into his head like a pincushion.

"Uhh…nice to see you’re awake Hwoarang…you need any help?"

And it was just a helpful question.

Hwoarang looked at Jin’s outstretched hand and after a minute of hesitation, took it. Inwardly, he cursed to himself at showing such a display of weakness and humility.

"Yeah…thanks," he mumbled grumpily as Jin stood him up easily. "No problem," Jin said humorously, eyes glinting with barely controlled laughter.

Is this the so-called Blood Talon now?? I wonder what his biker friends would think of him now if they saw him…

Hwoarang’s face dropped and he instantly grabbed his hand away from Jin’s grip in disgust. He shuddered in silent rage. Why does he have to see me like this? He looked up at the ceiling.

"WHY?!"

Jin arched an eyebrow at Hwoarang’s outburst and instinctively took a step back. "Why what Hwoarang?" he asked quietly, staring at his red-haired counterpart strangely for a second.

Hwoarang quickly turned to Jin and started turning red in embarrassment. What is wrong with me?? I can’t be acting like a fool when he’s around! Stupid Hwoarang!! Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Umm…nothing…you didn’t hear anything come from me!" he quickly replied, waving his hands to dismiss the entire thing. He ignored the tension building up in his head and covered his pain by sighing.

This time both Jin’s eyebrows went up in a mixture of amusement and sympathy. "Uhh, right, Hwoarang. Whatever you say," he remarked with a smirk as the redhead stared at him with cold eyes.

"Well I’m going now, Kaz—Jin! Thanks for your hospitality. But I have to go!" Hwoarang suddenly exclaimed as the pain in his head returned full throttle. He turned to leave before freezing in his spot as if something was holding him back. He felt an almost nauseating feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Jin…?" he muttered between clenched teeth as fogginess entered hid mind. The Japanese youth walked up obediently behind Hwoarang. "Yeah?" he asked as he stared at the back of the boy’s head.

Hwoarang felt his knees buckle as he replied, "Hold out your arms." And with that he collapsed dead away into Jin’s outstretched arms.

Jin picked up Hwoarang and laid him back on the couch, placing the blankets and ice pack on him again.

I knew he got up to fast. He still needs rest. Jin looked down at Hwoarang in a mixture of admiration and wonder. So beautiful. The thought entered his mind immediately as he stared at the resting redhead. Despite his obnoxious attitude, there was a certain draw Hwoarang had that Jin couldn’t escape no matter how hard he tried. Perhaps that was why he didn’t kick Hwoarang out after he woke up. No, he humored the Korean boy, and enjoyed it at that. He looked at his hands thoughtfully.

He smiled to himself as he took up his place in his chair as caretaker once again.

I could get used to that.

TBC

Well, well, well, here’s the revision to chapter two now! Okay, so I got part one and two done… Now I have to put up part three and then the rest of the whole damn story. I realized I actually had a finished chapter four and incomplete chapter five when I was searching through my files. I never knew that! Though, I don’t think I’m going to stick to those. I’m probably going to end up rewriting those parts. Sigh, when will this story be done?? -_-;;

Look out for part three!! I’ll get to that in due time!

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