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"It's My Life" This ain't a song for the broken-hearted Yun robed his body with his filthy clothes - the only pair he had on his back at the moment. It's funny - he never realized how quiet it was without Yang. Without that calming presence nearby to nag at him, rattling on about what grandmother and grandfather said what was best. It's not really that Yang was noisy. On the contrary, he was ear-gratingly silent. It's just that without Yang around, Yun had no one to talk to besides himself. He slumped his cap over his eyes, grinning widely. No silent prayer for faith departed The chinese youth tossed the towel on a stray chair. He couldn't stay in one place for long, he has his town to protect and gangs to fight off, being the town's defender and all. As for Yang, Yun'll just have to wait for Makoto to return. As much as Yun cared for his brother, he could only do so much. And I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd "I might as well go home," Yun shrugged to himself. He was already missing his skateboard and he needed a fresh pair of clothes. So what if the old man kicked him out of the house? It's not as if he was going to stay for long - old man Gen would appreciate having less Yun merchandise in the household. If he gets caught... so much the better. He slipped the window open and perched on the sill. Take the door out? Nah, too boring. Why would a raving misbehaver be so dull as to simply walk out the door? He looked down. Not many people were in the area. Good, then he wouldn't run a high risk of landing on someone's head. You're gonna hear my voice
"The Storming White Dragon's coming down for action!" It's my life
Yun leapt out the window and landed right in front of a group of ladies. They held their guard up, startled. Yun landed in a crouching position, then stood straight and grinned. The ladies gave him a shocked, even aghast look, but Yun continued to grin back. He tipped his cap and bowed. "Sorry to disturb you ladies." he said grandly, still grinning. True that such an abrupt first gesture would give others the wrong impression. But something about his smile was contagious, making the ladies smile along. Kissing the back of one of the ladies' hands, he went his own way. He ran along the roads, arms outstretched, even gliding as he reminisced the feeling of his skateboard. Passerbys, whether they knew what he did or not, stared at him. He stared right back with his charming wide grin. Harsh feelings fail to pierce that smile. Or do they? It's my life
In a matter of minutes, Yun was home. He peered the surroundings, then inside the window. Old man Gen was nowhere to be found. So far so good. He climbed one of the support beams that held the porch cover and onto the roof. His agile body carried him over to his bedroom window on the other end of the house. Luckily, the window was open. Yun swung inside. His room was the same as how he left it - a pig sty. He figured old man Gen didn't want to shame himself in Yun's territory. Yun quickly disrobed his dirty garments in place for some fresh ones. Beside his bed was his trusty skateboard, of which he kicked under his arm. Yun gave a sidelong glance to his door. Down the hall was his ailing grandmother. He wondered how he was, and wanted to see her. On the other hand, should the old man catch him, he'll never hear the end of it. Yun shrugged. Screw the old man. The young man had every right to see his grandmother. With defiance, Yun marched down the hall. Just before he reached his grandmother's room, a stern voice called out to him. Yun wasn't sure what was said, but what he saw was his angry grandfather Gen. This is for the ones who stood their ground
"What are you doing here? I ordered you specifically to get out of my sight!" Gen snapped. Yun scratched the back of his neck, lowering his head slightly with a sheepish grin. Sometimes the best way to answer anger is with a cool head. "Yo, gramps, I just dropped on by to see my grandma, s'all. You just happened to see me as you came up the stairs." Before Gen retorted, Yun cut him off, looking towards the door. "Face it, gramps. Gran ain't gonna live for much longer. She should have the privilege of seeing her grandsons alive and well before she kicks off." Gen furrowed his eyebrows. Insolent, disobedient, rude child, with a strong heart. The old man grunted and said no more. Yun understood the silent gesture - a trait from learning to interpret his silent brother - and entered the room. Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake
Grandmother Lee sat in an upright position, reading a book. As Yun entered, she turned and smiled - as well as she could in her weak disposition. Placing the book beside her, she beckoned for her grandson to come closer. "Good afternoon, Yun," she said slowly, "I am glad to see you are well." Yun bowed, then sat by the bed. "Good to see you're well, gran." he said with a cheerful grin. "You are still as cheerful as ever. Where is Yang? He is always with you." Yun frowned for the briefest of seconds. He couldn't tell her that Yang was kidnapped and missing now for 4 days. She didn't need the unnecessary grief - they were his burdens. "Yang stepped out for a bit. He'll be back." Grandmother Lee nodded ever so slowly. She looked upwards, wistfully. "Your brother cares for you very much. He looks up to you. You set a good example for him." She reached out a shaky hand to reach under Yun's cap and brush a stray lock of hair. "Your grandfather told me of what you and Yang have done. I am not mad. I... I am very grateful to you. But..." she lowered her hand, "this old woman has not much life to live. I want you and your brother to be happy. You have a heart of gold - and are this town's pride and joy. I am very proud of you." She lay back and closed her eyes. "Before I die, I want to see Yang one last time. Yun... There is a matter about Yang I want to discuss with you..." It's my life
A few minutes passed. Gen, impatiently wanting Yun out the house as soon as possible, barged into the room. He opened his mouth to speak, but wasted his breath - all that remained was the grandmother asleep in bed and an open window. From the distance he heard the sounds of a skateboard and wild cheering fade into the distance. I just want to live while I'm alive The phone rang. Gen stayed in place, not answering. The answering machine took up that job. In the silent house, the voices seemed to resonate louder than usual. "Yooooo....you reached the home of the Yunster, the Yang-man, and good old Grandma Lee. Leave a message or waste tape." *BEEP* Heavy breathing heaved on the other end. Even from there, Gen could tell the voice was digitally altered. "Go to the back of the Red Phoenix cafe. Its manager is hiring the mafia to do away with any competition, including yours. What you do with the mafia is up to you." With a click, the message ended. The answering machine halted. This was definitely a message for Yun and Yang. Defending justice was up their alley, not the old man's. But the twins were separated and gone. What they did was none of his business. It's my life
"Gen..." the sickly voice whispered from behind the door. "Have you told Yun and Yang...of their origins?" "...Why do you bring this up now?" Gen frumped. "The mention of the mafia recalled a memory." she replied. "They are the ones responsible for killing Yun and Yang's mother... Their father escaped leaving the two on the streets to die. You were hired by the Chinese Mafia to assassinate them, but instead you took them in, allowing the boys to call you 'grandfather'. But did you ever tell them that they are your blood kin?" Gen was silent for a moment. "They need not know such trivial matters." "Now suppose Yun were to confront the mafia and they recognize him?" Grandmother Lee continued. "They could finish the job that you started. Yun is a skilled fighter, but he is only human - no match for more numbers with guns." "None of my concern!" Gen snapped. "You don't know me too well, woman. I am too deep into the underground world - part of the underground world, even. Forcibly rescuing a disowned.... 'grandson' is not a good enough excuse to assassinate my own 'colleagues'." "Father told me all the stories about you!" resounded the screams of Makoto Rindou. "You killed for money! You wove yourself so deep into the underworld that even *Bison* never bothered you much! Even now, you just admitted you *set up* that tournament to catch Yun and Yang - and you have the *gall* to say *they* brought dishonour on the family when all they were doing was earning money and testing their skills! Damn good ones too! Sounds more to me like what they were doing there was pulling the family reputation *up* a few notches after what had been done to it by a certain hypocritical, broken-down jealous former KILLER!" The words of Makoto Rindou still rang in his mind. Stubborn girl, just as stubborn as her father. Perhaps even more. It's no wonder she made quick friends with the Twin Dragons - their personalities go hand in hand. Even though Gen was convinced he's right, deep down he felt young Makoto had a point. "I suppose it's worth taking a look. However, I have no intentions of soiling my hands today." Gen muttered. What he didn't say was that he was still recovering from the earlier beating from Makoto. Like grandpa said
Gen took his time arriving at the Red Phoenix Cafe. Haste makes waste, and Gen was certainly not going to attract further attention by running. Recklessness was for the youth, not for him. Sure enough, when he arrived, he saw two men in black discreetly slip through the back door. Gen recognized them as the Chinese Mafia. What they were doing was none of the old man's business, but it was worth a look anyway. He leaned his ear on the door. He heard and sensed no one. So far so good. 'This reminds me of the days when I was young.' he thought to himself, then hid behind the corner as more men exited. He looked over the edge and saw a group of mafia, along with a more casually dressed man, walk on by. The casual dresser had to be the owner of this cafe. "All I want you to do is to enter each restaurant around town and cause a little mayhem. Perhaps say they left a fallen body part in their food. Or charging prices at ridiculous rates. I don't know how you do so, but prove that their restaurants are nothing but frauds. And make sure that no one finds out you're sent by me. Soon, I will be the only restaurant around town." 'Foolish, that man is an amateur.' Gen silently berated with a shake of his head. He turned to leave. However, one goon spotted the assassin out of the corner of his eye. "Hey, there's some old man over there." he informed his colleagues. The others turned to look. "You cad," spat another, "that's Gen the Assassin Fist. What is he doing in Hong Kong?" "You don't know? He was sent to Hong Kong to assassinate Lee's twin sons. But that was 17 years ago. What is he still doing here?" "I get it." A fourth cocked his gun. "You've heard the stories of the Twin Dragons, right? Their fighting style is almost exactly like the old man's. Gen didn't assassinate the boys after all. He raised them." "That's fine and well," said the restaurant owner who knew not nor cared not about the Twin Dragons, "but right now you work for me. You do as I bid you, otherwise it will be your heads. Now go and do as I tell you." The mafia grumbled and dispersed. It was a rule among them to do as they were ordered to. That was their job. However, between the ones that were there was a mutual agreement to get rid of Gen. The shop owner never said to not chase after Gen before doing their duties. Though the old man had long ran off, some of the men in black spotted him and dashed off. Better stand tall when they're calling you out
Gen made no wasted haste. He kept his calm and simply kept on walking. As expected, the goons surrounded him in the middle of the alleyway. The area was not too narrow of width. Perfect to execute his - "Maximum Spider" - as one of his arcade-loving insolent grandsons would say. "Do you have a problem?" Gen asked. It's my life
"Nah..." grinned one of the mafia goons, aiming a loaded gun at Gen's head. "We're just gonna punish you for not finishing your 17 year old job. Remember the Twin Dragons? You were supposed to kill them, not let 'em live. We'll give you one more chance. Kill them within the next 24 yours and we'll clear your records. If not, we'll wipe you out here and now." Gen furrowed his brows. "Your offers do not tempt me." "Then I'm sorry, but you're gonna die." Before his finger even twitched for the trigger, Gen ducked and lunged forward at amazing speed with what seemed to be one spearhand strike. The old man reappeared behind the goon. A few seconds passed, then the mafia hitman twitched repeatedly and fell over from repeated knifehand stabs. Zan Ei - the move from which Yang derivated into Raishin Mahhaken. "I have no business with you." Gen muttered, dusting his hands. "Let me be." "Not a chance, old man!" Between the loud bustle from the streets, some heard the smacks and grunts of a fight in a nearby alleyway. No one payed too much attention - fights happen nearly every day. And besides, it wasn't Yun fighting, no need to watch. Gen once again dusted off his hands. The mafia hitmen lay in a neat unconscious pile around the walls. What the old man couldn't sense - or sense too late - was a lone hitman aim a gun at his head. I just want to live while I'm alive The bullet never came. Gen turned around upon hearing a loud, smacking noise and an, "ugh!" It turned out that he was hit in the jaw by a fierce Zesho Hohou. Yun smacked the thug again with a backfist, sending him into the wall. The twin dragon grinned widely. "You really need practice, old man." The old warrior growled. "Ignorant boy, what did I tell you about..." "Look, gramps," Yun interrupted, "I may not have a family to come home to anymore, but I still have a home. This village is my home. It's my duty - no, my privelege to protect it. You can't take that away from me. You have a home to go to, don't 'cha? Go home." With a grin, wink and a tip of his cap, Yun skateboarded off. It's my life
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