Bittersweet Enemies
Chapter 1
I laugh when I think about it really. Well, about how Jin and I first met and all that. I'm laughing right now actually, with Jin asleep at my side drowning with me in bed of cool, black satin sheets. He mumbles something very incoherent and throws a lazy arm over his head so that it accidentally bumps up against the mahogany wooden backing, all before he rolls over and pushed his massive, not to mention heavy, naked chest against my bare, right shoulder. Looking up at the plain cream-colored ceiling with my gentle lover at my side, I can recall that day very well...
"Jin Kazama? So that's what, Japanese?" I grin as he leans against the brick alley wall near where I sit up against it on the sidewalk. I noticed right away he's got a few inches, both vertically and horizontally, on me, and his fighting presence was to me like water is to a man whose buried up to his neck in sand and has been waiting there for quite a long time. I hadn't fought any one worthy of my, to put it humbly, supreme self, since...well, since never. (Of course, I'm not including my dearly departed Master Baek Doo San...He's...well, let's just say...that's different.)
The alley was well lit, considering, though across from where we stood, stood another wide brick building with a small dusty through street that ran through the middle lined with two thin little broken sidewalks.
This Jin, in a puffy yellow wind breaker and black leather pants, chuckled and nodded.
"Hwoarang, yes? So that would be...Korean, wouldn't it?" His voice was deep, low like all those Japanese men with the beautiful faces and then surprise everyone with their deep, seductive voices. This certain Japanese man's voice was full of sarcasm and it was very obvious that he was mocking me.
Now, being the laid back kinda guy that I am, I grinned wider and stood to lean my back against the wall and look up at all the clotheslines that hung between the two buildings overhead.
"Yep, it means flowering youth or something else equally as embarrassing that I probably shouldn't be telling people."
I heard Jin chuckle again, glancing at him from the corner of my left eye before I slipped my hands into my tight jean pockets and sighed.
"You don't go to that bar often, do you? Not many people mess with that Brokovitz guy. He has a lot of...big...friends."
Jin frowned and shot a curious, somewhat reprimanding glance.
"Hey, I ain't at all afraid of taking on him and his merry band of dorks all at once," I added quickly, glancing away, "But I don't think I can block bullets and I don't really feel like testing that theory any time soon. Living is something I've gotten used to these last 19 years, thanks."
Jin's jacket hissed as he crossed his arms over his chest, he looked down at the sidewalk as he kick a rock into the street.
"No, today was my first time at that particular place," he explained calmly, "I was actually just following you."
I pushed myself up from the wall and turned to face him. Though I'm not certain, I can only guess what kind of stupid, confused look I had on my face.
"... Huh?" God, I'm an idiot.
Jin laughed and shrugged nonchalantly, "Well, I must admit that I noticed your brawl earlier this morning. It doesn't take a martial arts master to realize you had ample amount of talent and that our opponents were way out of their league. As a martial artist myself, I felt a need to confront someone of your stature..."
"You followed me so you could pick a fight with me!?"
Jin raised his hands in front of him defensively as I leaned forward on my worn sneaker covered toes.
"I'm not sure at all why I followed you, really. I just wanted to get closer, talk to you. Don't you ever feel the urge to get to know a person?"
I laughed in his face. I didn't mean to...it just kinda slipped out and then exploded. I had to pull my hands up over my mouth to quiet myself and I nearly doubled over onto the pavement before I got my breathing under control.
"What!?" Jin nearly broke out of his cool act. He looked a mix between offended and utterly confused.
I stuttered, tried to get myself back, then giggled wildly again. By the time I settled down, I could sense Jin's growing curiosity. Suddenly, I became alarmingly serious.
"Jin, you don't get to know people here. You run away from people here."
"What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed the people I hang around? The places I haunt? The people I talk to are judging how fast it will take to cut my eyes out before they even bother to ask what gang I'm from."
My amber eyes burn into his, "Why would I want to get to know those kinds of people, Jin?"
"You've lived here all your life?"
I grinned again, though it was a bit more sinister than the last. "Yep. Miscreant born and raised."
"I want to get to know you, Hwoarang." Jin kept his dark stare steady, "Come with me for a little while and let me get to know you."
Just then a sleek, luxurious, black car pulled in to the mouth of the alley and screeched to a stop. A man in a black tie and suit stepped out form the driver's side as three others dressed exactly like him emerged from the back.
"Master Jin, your grandfather is calling."