Beginning Anew
Chapter 7: Silence
Riiiiing!
Jin woke up, rolled over, and turned his alarm off. 5 a.m...the sun was just rising-making the sky look orangeish-pink. The Japanese yawned and rolled out of bed. He dressed in a pair of blank 'n' white flame pants and walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a yogurt cup from the fridge and put some bread in the toaster. Jin glanced up at the second level. Hwoarang's door was still shut. Jin sighed and ate his breakfast in silence.
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"Your stance is still too low, Jin. Stand tall but be strong." Elisa said.
Jin complied with his teacher's orders, heightening his stance.
"Wake up..." Elisa smiled, "Your head is somewhere other than Karate this morning."
"S-sorry..." Jin mumbled.
Elisa smiled softly again, circling Jin. She kicked his feet apart and nodded. "See? A wide and tall stance is best for grounding yourself."
Jin nodded.
"I want you to bring that handsome bodyguard of yours in tomorrow."
Jin almost fell over. "H-hwoarang...!?"
"Yes. I need to teach you how to use your opponents hits against them. I'm getting too old to take very many hits and Drina is still too young and inexperienced. I think your bodyguard can handle it."
Jin only nodded in response, tensing his shaking legs. [Yeah. I'm sure Hwoarang would love to pound on me right about now...]
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It was noon when Jin returned from training. Hwoarang's shoes were still by the door and his bedroom door was still closed. Jin toed his shoes off and headed for the stairs. He climbed the stairs to the second level and gently knocked on Hwoarang's door.
"Hwo? You awake? Can we talk...? Please...?"
No answer. Jin sighed and knocked again, a bit louder in case Hwoarang was asleep.
"Please Hwo. Are you awake? I need to talk to you..."
Still no answer. Jin grabbed onto the knob and turned. To his surprise the knob turned. Hwoarang's door wasn't locked. Maybe Hwoarang wasn't to pissed after all. A smile crept onto Jin's handsome features and he pushed the door open. His smile faded instantly. Everything...everything he bought for Hwoarang was neatly piled on the man's mattress. Clothes, CDs, bed sheets, pillows, the discman. On the floor in front of the mattress was a shoe box full of bills and an envelope. Jin bent down and picked the envelope up. He ripped it open and unfolded the note tucked inside: "Thanks for nothing. Asshole." was written on the note in Hwoarang's spidery handwriting. Jin tossed the note aside and picked up the box of bills. "You can still take this shit back." Was written on a note inside the box of bills. Jin's heart skipped a beat and he dropped the shoe box. It felt like his stomach was tying itself in knots.
Then it dawned on him. Those shoes at the front door where ones he bought for Hwoarang. The Japanese frantically sifted through the clothes on the bed. Sure enough, Hwoarang's grey shirt, leather pants, and goggles were the only things that were gone. Everything he bought for Hwoarang was there...folded neatly on the mattress. The fighter looked up to see the pictures they had taken in the photo booth taped to the wall. Hwoarang had cut himself out of all three pictures, leaving Jin by himself. Jin stumbled back, falling onto his backside. He brought his knees to his chest, resting his forehead on them.
THE END!
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