Author's Notes: Prepare for an emotional roller coaster ride.
If this is your first time reading Obsession, please read The Chronicles of Obsession: Innocence first then you can start on this. For the people who already read Innocence... welcome back! As always, please read and review. I know that this saga is quite different from the first and you will realize it with the first four paragraphs, but I hope you still like it. But, don't worry there will be some cheerful memories. Thanks for your support!
The Chronicles of Obsession: Desire
Chapter 1 - Hiding
The Korean remained in silence, thumbing through the pictures slowly, watching the photographs coming to life as he tried to refrain himself from remembering every passion, scent, and texture he felt that time... But with every new picture he saw, a familiar emotion, feeling grew inside of him. He stopped at the photograph... of when the Japanese and himself were engaged so deeply with each other. As he thought more about that day, it seemed that in that very moment, their two souls intertwined into one. The Korean lightly gazed his thumb over Jin's face, feeling that same delicate skin he loved so much.
"Together... forever, huh?" The Korean asked coldly. Ling turned silent at the mention of those lifeless words and shuffled quietly at the end of her phone.
"Yes..." Ling finally forced herself to say, trying to believe with all of her heart, "Always together... forever." She whispered softly. Hwoarang glanced once more over the photograph, holding it firmly in his two hands. The picture began to crinkle by the pressure of his cringing hands and cried until his fingers loosened their grip. A faint smile appeared on the Korean's face as his eyes closed, binding themselves in the darkness.
"It was fun while it lasted." The Korean retorted calmly and ripped the photograph in half. The girl winced a groan upon hearing the shredded picture. Hwoarang took one last look at the two torn pieces of paper before tossing them carelessly into the shadows of his room.
"He still loves you, Hwoarang." The girl cried gently over the phone. Hwoarang sighed an unconvinced laugh and shook his head softly, breathing a deep sigh.
"It doesn't matter anymore." The Korean told himself, fumbling for the cigarettes pack in his pocket. The saddened girl remained still as the Korean delicately slipped one cigarette out of its case. In a few moments, Hwoarang's zippo lighted the cigarette and clamped it shut with a sharp snap.
"People come and go," The Korean said casually as he carefully sat on the pile of overlapping blankets that laid on his bed.
"People who met each other are fated to part, whether it be tomorrow or a few decades." Hwoarang concluded, taking a deep breath of his cigarette. Smoke swirled around his presence as the Korean exhaled the fumes slowly, wrapping himself in the aroma. While Hwoarang enveloped in the vapor, he propped up his right leg and rested his cigarette hand on the knee.
"But..." Ling replied softly, "A true friend... loved one always remain... even after they're gone." She stated quietly, wincing at every word that came from her lips. Hwoarang felt his face change into a blank slate and glanced at the wavering fumes from his cigarette. Her words were ignored by the force of the Korean's mind, pushing them aside as if they never were spoken. He had no intention of listening to such nonsense.
"He still loves you." The girl continued. Hwoarang's eyes narrowed slightly with anger.
"That's enough, Ling." The Korean demanded sternly, closing his eyes firmly.
"But I know..." Ling couldn't bear it any longer despite the consequences, "I know he still loves you, Hwoarang." The Korean's eye clenched shut even tighter at repeated words
"I said that's enough." The Korean whispered harshly.
"No, it's not! Jin still lov-" The girl pleaded, screaming with all her feelings and emotions. But in a click of a button, Ling was silenced from the Korean's world. Hwoarang sat there for a few seconds, trying to enjoy the sound of nothing... but failed. His nails scratched against the phone as his grip grew fiercer until he threw the phone into a wall. In seconds, the phone shattered apart and scattered along the floor. Deep, fierce breaths passed through the air, trying to suppress the Korean's growing temper. After some time had passed the Korean felt his breathing return to normal and let out one more tired sigh.
The Korean's eyes drifted slowly open, reacquainting himself with the world. He gazed tiredly at the waves of the smoke, which hypnotized him gradually into a drowsy state. Then suddenly, the Korean's right hand twitched, causing a ripple in the flowing fumes. Hwoarang glanced wide-eyed for a moment, at the hand resting on his leg that held the cigarette. He tilted his hand slightly, studying his palm with a confused look. And then, the Korean caught himself looking to the right and his eyes grew bigger, realizing why his hand moved. The Korean tossed his head the other direction and flicked the cigarette away furiously.
Hwoarang collapsed on his bad and pulled his arms over his head, blocking everything from his sight. As the Korean begged for peace, he quietly slipped into a deep sleep, hoping there would be some sort of serenity there.
Hwoarang staggered as he tried to remain standing in his state, but the aching was starting burning into his every thought. He clenched a hand to his left side, hoping the pain would subside. The Korean's right arm hung lifelessly at his side while blood trickled from the gashes across his body. Then, he felt the warm liquid in his throat again and covered his mouth as he began to cough violently. Blood stained the Korean's hand and dripped from his lips. But none of that matter to him now, the one thing that was driving him was the person who was walking away.
"KAZAMA!" Hwoarang roared, despite the agony he felt ripping through his chest. The Japanese stopped in his tracks at the mention of his name and stood with his back turned to the Korean. A growl passed through the Korean's clenched teeth as he forced himself to stand straight.
"I'm not finished with you!!" The Korean shouted with anger. Jin didn't flinch from his stance and turned his head slightly over his shoulder.
"I broke several of your ribs, dislocated your shoulder, and sprained your wrist. I doubt you can continue." The Japanese stated coldly. The Korean snarled violently and slammed his foot a step forward.
"Fuck you, Kazama!" Hwoarang screamed with all the hatred that was raging through his body. The Korean suddenly felt the price of using all his strength in those words and let out a distressing cry, feeling the pain stabbing into his ribs. In one controlled bellow, the Korean forced himself to face the Japanese and growled, taking another fierce step forward.
"I don't give a fuck if I was going to die right now, I AM NOT FINISHED WITH YOU!!" The Korean yelled as he took another tormenting step forward. Suddenly, the Japanese glared angrily from the corner of his eye and whipped around to the Korean.
"FINE. We'll finish this here." The Japanese declared, striding towards the Korean. Hwoarang eyes flared in shock and anger as he tried to stand in his stance. However, blood clogged his throat and the suffering began to consume his mind. The Korean hunched over and coughed, trying to get a taste of clean air. The Korean glanced up, through his faded red strands of hair at the pacing Japanese.
Fuck, he uttered in his mind. He had no chance to defend himself this time round and sighed painfully as he closed his eyes, accepting his fate. The Korean listened intently to the strong striding steps coming closer and closer to him, his eyebrows arching more with every step. Just then, dainty footsteps shuffled quickly across the dirt and slid to a stop in front of the Korean. Puzzled, Hwoarang opened his eyes to see Ling standing with her legs firmly stretched a shoulder length's apart and her arms held out.
"Ling..." Hwoarang managed to say. Ling stood determined in front of the Japanese, blocking his path.
"Stand aside." The Japanese commanded, staring down at the Chinese girl.
"NO! I won't you hurt him anymore!" Ling shouted, not budging from her position. Jin closed his eyes irritably and exhaled a frustrated sigh.
"This is what the Korean wanted and so I'm giving it to him." Jin retorted and gripped the Chinese girl's shirt into his hands, dragged her to the side like a rag doll. The Japanese lifted the girl easily into the air and narrowed his eyes coldly at her as she tried to pull herself out of his hand.
"Ling!" The Korean cried. Hwoarang tightened his hand fiercely against his side as he rushed up to the Japanese and fell to his knees, crumbling before Jin.
"Finish me off!" The Korean begged, hunching over his aching body, "Just leave her alone!" Hwoarang felts his knees trembling, but he remained defenseless at the Japanese. Ling was all he had left, and that occupied his thoughts more than anything. If he lost her as well... he would be alone, with no one to understand him or to cry with him. The Korean let out a long sigh, awaiting his torture, but the Japanese only sneered at him and released Ling from his clutches.
"Pathetic." The Japanese stated and walked away. When Hwoarang didn't sense any danger, he attempted to pull himself to his feet, but the dark liquid began to drown him. The Korean collapsed to all fours and gasped for air, spraying blood on the ground. Ling rushed to his side and tried to hold him up.
"Hwoarang!" Ling cried, "Hang in there!" The Korean inhaled in a raspy breath and glanced deliriously around him at the crowds of the people. People's faces began to merge into one another's, creating a blurred picture for the Korean's eyes. He saw the medics running towards from the corner of his eye, but even they seemed like a smear on the world's canvas. Hwoarang's face was pulled into girl's hand and tried to drag his attention away from the hazed images.
"Hwoarang!" Ling yelled with tears filling up in her eyes. The Korean gasped another coarse breath as he felt his broken ribs scratch against his lungs. He looked up at Ling in a daze, trying to focus on her face. He gazed at her with bloodshot eyes and lowered his head tiredly.
"I don't think we can cry each other to sleep tonight..." The Korean said faintly before slipping into complete darkness. Ling grasped the Korean closer to her as she his strength left him and watched helplessly as the emotions slipped from his face. The girl sobbed against the Korean's shoulder and screamed a sorrow cry.
"HWOARANG!!!"