The Edge Of Darkness

Tick Tock

Suggested listening: Rei Kondoh - Iron Fist

The morning after, Jin and Eun-Jung were back at the hospital. Hwoarang was already under surgery for his lung, when a bunch of flowers was delivered to his room. They were lilies. Jin stormed into the place and read the note.

Get on your... feet soon. Or not. HM

The Japanese was furious. He trashed the flowers and threw them away, while Eun-Jung watched in shock. She wasn't used to seeing him lose his temper like that.

-Papa...?

-Sorry, hime. You shouldn't see me in this condition. But there's a limit to my patience, and we're well over it not.

-Explain it to me. I'm not understanding, papa. I'm confused.

-Heihachi sent funeral flowers to your papa. He then wrote this note.- he handed it to Eun-Jung. -You were right. He crashed his foot on purpouse, hoping he'll never walk properly again, let alone fight. I'm going to make him pay, when the last part of the treatment is done...

-But you need papa for it. And he's too weak. You can't ask him to give you his blood. And I have the Devil Gene in me, you need pure blood, I can't help.

Jin suddenly realised Eun-Jung was right. He was stuck for a long while. He couldn't be Devil Jin for weeks, or months, probably. It wouldn't be a surprised if the old shit knew that too and beating Hwoarang so bad was all part of his plan. He clenched his fists in frustration.

-I will... I will wait.

-Or you can let me...

-NO. You have done enough. You're strong, I'll give you that, but this is my fight, and I couldn't stand it if you got hurt as well.

-You... you haven't got it, have you?

-What?

-My Devil. She said to me she's stronger than Devil Kazuya was. I don't want to prove it alright, but... it probably matches yours, if not outmatches it completely. The way it was made, it rendered it extremely powerful. I may be the strongest Devil which ever lived.

Jin was quite stunned by how Eun-Jung was talking about her Devil, by the amount of information she had, and by the fact that, by all means, she was right. Kazuya was never really able to outsmart and defeat Heihachi. If it weren't for Hwoarang, the old man would be dead by now instead. Her razor wings alone were a weapon Devil Jin did not possess, and put him in a position of inferiority. He was bigger, but slower, supposedly stronger... but was he?

While these thoughts haunted his head, Hwoarang was released from the operating theatre and back to his room. One of the surgeons went straight to Jin.

-Mr. Kazama-Seong?

-Yes.

-The surgery was a success. His lung is now fully operational again. In a couple of days, we will operate on his foot.

-Will he be able to fight again? He's a professional fighter. It's his life.

-It's hard to say. He will need a long recovery period just to walk without crutches, but if he does everything by the book and the surgery goes a hundred percent right, he may be able to fight again. In months, maybe a year or more.

-Then the surgery will go a hundred percent right, Doctor, won't it?- Jin was as intimidating as he was gloomy.

-O-of course, Mr. Kazama-Seong. We will have the best team available.