The Edge Of Darkness

The Blood Talon

Suggested listening: Marilyn Manson - The Fight Song

The little fireplace in front of the sofa was crackling as the auburn autumn leaves cascaded out of the window. The place was cozy and warm, and the family was enjoying some Shakespeare read aloud by Eun-Jung with her soft, delicate voice. Hwoarang didn't even care for The Bard's words, but he could listen to his daughter all day and night and never get tired of her sounding. Jin was the one paying more attention to what was actually being read, reminiscing what he himself had studied at the Mishima Polytechnical High School not so many years before.

-...and this is my favourite passage: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet". Isn't it neat? I love it.

-It is, hime. There's a reason Shakespeare is so widely studied worldwide.

-What do you think, papa Hwoarang?

-That you, by any other name, would still be my gongju. Come here, I want to hug you so badly.

The redhead's foot wasn't in a cast anymore and he didn't need crutches either, but he still was a little limping and certainly far from fighting. He was seeing a physiotherapist religiously, dead set in returning into a dojang as soon as he could. But he knew he would have to give things time, even though patience wasn't his strong suit. The odds, however, seemed to be in his favour in the end, and seemingly Heihachi hadn't put an end to his fighting career. Just a long stop.

It was during the long, sweet embrace between Hwoarang and Eun-Jung that a loud crash interrupted the peaceful family moment. Jin immediately stood up, and the sound of a bike speeding away left little to his imagination. A rock with a note tied on it was standing in the middle of the room, in the middle of the crashed window's shards of glass.

-It's in Korean. I can't read it. Here.

Hwoarang took it and read it aloud; there was rage in his eye and in his voice.

-"This is a warning, Blood Talon, we're coming for you. Next time, what crashes the window will set the house on fire. That, or we meet tomorrow in Harajuku, 10 PM. Come alone".

-You can't go. You can't even ride your bike.

-I can, it just hurts.

-You're thinking of going? Are you out of your mind? They will fucking kill you.

-If they wanted to kill me, we'd be all dead already. They want to talk. Alone.

-In Harajuku?!

-That's where they're staying, I suppose. Jin, I have to do this. I can't put you guys at risk.

-And risking your life is much better?

-What am I supposed to do? If you come with me and you go Devil on them, you'll slaughter them all, and that's not how I want to deal with this. Good guys or bad guys, they used to be my crew, and they stood up for me more times than I can count. They don't deserve to die like that. Jin, please, trust me. Trust me on this.

-I don't like it.

-I'm not asking you to like it. I'm asking you to trust me. There's a difference.

Jin sighed. -I trust you. You have me on speed dial, if anything goes sideways...

-...I'll call you. Promise.

-I don't know why I'm letting you do this folly.

-Because you know I would do it anyway. You're not my mother.

-Right. Well, better call it a day, and tomorrow I'll have the window fixed. Good night, hime.

-Good night, papas. Stay safe, please, papa Hwoarang.- she hugged him tight.