All I want for Christmas is… Part 9

December ???…. Location…UNKNOWN

Ryu's eyes slowly opened… He was still lying on the floor from when he collasped, but this was not his home in Japan.

Rising to his feet, he examined his surroundings. The room was rather small, with little furnishings around positioned around the room.

The slight sting of recall hit him. This was Chun li's apartment in Hong Kong. 'How did I end up here?' he wondered.

Hearing the ruffling noise, he walked towards the source of the noise. The door leading to her bedroom was opened, and he could see Chun li humming happily as she packed her travel bags.

Ryu tried to call out to her, but not a sound escaped his lips. Closing the bag, she walked towards the doorway and brushed right past him without so much as a glance.

'She can't see me.' He thought. ' Or does not want to see me.'

He watched as she set her bags by the door and went about the room checking to make sure everything was in order.

A loud knock at the door sent her sprinting towards it with a look of glee on her beautiful face. Ryu stood mesmerized unable to do anything but watch.

She opened the door and embraced the young Chinese man that was at the door. Ryu felt his heart pang with envy as he returned the embrace.

"Are you all packed my flower?" the man asked.

"Yes, just finished a few minutes ago." Chun li replied.

"I still can't believe that your rich American friend is flying us to Aspen to stay with them for Christmas."

"Ken always treats his friends as if they are family. This will be a wonderful Christmas!" She said kissing him on the cheek.

The man looked at her serious for a second. "Will that guy be there as well?"

"Who?… Ryu?… Who cares. He never has time for his friends. He will be off training to perfect his precious fight. Ryu won't be there… he never is." She answered.

Ryu felt a sharp sting of pain that he felt all to the center of his being from hearing her words. 'The words are all true' he thought to himself. 'All too true.'

"I've wasted most of my life trying to love a man who is incapable of love. That part of my life is closed." She said as she stroked the side of his face. " I have opened a new chapter of my life when I met you. You are the one I only love."

The two kissed long and passionately for a time before they reluctantly broke. "We're gonna be late for the flight if we do not leave now.'' He said picking up her bags.

The started to walk out the door, when Ryu spotted the broken rose he had sat at the base of the door. With out so much as a glance, she stepped on the head of the rose and crushed it under her foot as he closed and locked the door.

Ryu stood in the center of the room with his head hung low.

To be continued…