It had been a week since Chun Li last saw Wei. They had a long talk. She believed that she needed to see him to convince herself that she was ready to move on. It felt good to see him again, knowing that he had been successful in life. All he lacked was a mate. Chun Li had been surprised when Wei told her that he still had feelings for her. Perhaps it was because there was no finale when they parted. Chun Li felt somewhat guilty that she didn’t feel the same. He’d be a perfect husband. He was able to support a mate, financially and emotionally. He had been a wonderful boyfriend-outgoing, and compassionate.

She sighed. But he’s not Ryu, she said to herself.

“You look upset,” came a voice.

Chun Li looked up and smiled briefly at her business partner and longtime classmate, Min. “No…just thinking.”

“About what?”

“My lack of a love life.”

Min laughed. “Something you and I both share.”

Chun Li looked up. “How so?”

Min sat across from her, placing a bowl of a meat mixture and a packet of won ton rolls on the table. The two women began preparing won tons for the soup that was usually bought at the restaurant.

Min was Chun Li’s age. She was the funniest and kindest person Chun Li knew. When they were younger, they would play together. So Chun Li would alternate between playing with Min…or bothering Fei Long. When they were younger, Min enjoyed watching Chun Li kick Fei Long off a swing, or push him off the slide when he really only wanted a push down the slide. As they got older, Min developed a crush on Fei Long. But she never said anything.

“Chun Li, you know me. I’m too shy to say anything.”

“I don’t want to say anything, because he doesn’t want to hear it,” Chun Li sighed.

“Things have a way of working out for you,” Min responded.

“How so?”

“That Bison thing…your relationship with Wei…”

“Wei and I are over. I…I guess that a part of me will always love him. He was almost my fiance, and those are deep feelings I had. When you love someone like that, he takes away a part of you that you can never get back.”

“And Ryu?”

“He has always been there for me when I needed him. That’s one of the reasons I fell in love with him. I keep telling myself that he doesn’t feel the same. Yet…it doesn’t stop how I feel…”

“Have you ever asked him how he felt about you?” Min asked.

Chun Li shook her head. “I…I can’t…”

“Don’t blame you. Wouldn’t you be better off knowing?”

“No.”

Min laughed. “Okay, okay. But if he’s not the one, then someone else is.”

“I just have to find him.”

Min shrugged. “Never said it would be easy.”

The next day, Chun Li was about to head out of the house when Ryu came out of the kitchen. He seemed surprised to see her.

“I thought you were working,” he said.

Chun Li looked away. “No…I took today off. I’m going to…”

Ryu frowned slightly. “Are you all right?”

She nodded, feinging a smile. “Yeah…I just get…weird on this day…”

Ryu tilted his head to one side, studying her. “And why is that?”

“Well…today is the day that my father had a memorial service many years ago.”

“I see…”

Chun Li sighed. She usually went to her father’s memorial when it was that occasion, or when she was troubled. Today, it was both. She didn’t know what to do about Ryu. Yet, she knew that visiting her father would help and provide some answers.

“Would you like some company?” Ryu asked.

“No. I don’t want to impose on you. Thanks for offering, though.”

She quickly left. Ryu watched her walk away. Reaching a quick decision, Ryu got dressed and followed her.

Chun Li looked around the memorial yard. It was the most peaceful place that she had ever been in. Chun Li moved through the yard, searching for her father’s memorial. After finding it, she set the bouquet of flowers down and kneeled, her hands clasped together.

Father, she thought. Every day that passes I miss you even more. I need you here to advise and support me. I don’t know what to do. I know that I want to raise a family, but it’s hard when the one I want for my husband doesn’t want a wife. What am I going to do? I know that if it doesn’t work out with him, I’ll have to find someone else. I don’t think I’ll love anyone the way I love this man. She felt several tears slip down her cheeks.

As Chun Li kneeled quietly, her eyes closed, a small breeze teased her long hair and fluttered along her clothes. It was soothing. She could almost hear her father’s response. ‘Not to worry, little one. You will know what to do in time.’

Chun Li sensed a presence in the yard. As soon as she opened her eyes, someone kneeled beside her, his hands clasped in front of his chest. Ryu, she thought. What are you doing here? He looked at the memorial stone, unable to read the Chinese lettering. Then he looked at her and smiled reassuringly. He then closed his eyes and bowed his head. Chun Li smiled softly. I guess you’re right, Father. I’ll just have to be patient. But no matter what happens, I know that he will always be there for me. She paid respects to her father for quite some time.

When she felt that she was ready, she stood up. Ryu rose from his kneeling position. Her back was turned to him, her head bowed in thought. I just have to give it some time, she thought. Eventually, I’ll know if Ryu and I have a future together or not…

Ryu thought that she was upset or crying. He remained quiet, uncertain on how to comfort her. She turned around and smiled at him.

“Are you hungry?” she asked.

“I…” he faltered. Inside, he was surprised at her sudden change of mood.

“My treat,” she responded.

“Very well. Where are we going to eat? I’m hungry.”

Laughing, she took his hand and dragged him. He stumbled slightly but followed as best as he could. Chun Li, he thought. You have experienced much pain. I wish I could help you. I just hope that one day you’ll be happy-the way your father would have wanted it. He glanced at her lovely, smiling face. Perhaps you are already on your way, he thought.

The two ate lunch together at a nearby restaurant. Chun Li seemed to be in a better mood, but she was unusually quiet. After their meal, the two started to walk to Chun Li’s home when she took a detour. To Ryu’s surprise, she led him to a playground. Ryu looked around. He had never been to one, although he had seen many in his travels. Sometimes he would watch the young children play together. He never experienced that in his childhood. There wasn’t any playground near Gouken’s dojo. Besides, he had enjoyed playing in the forest when he was younger. This playground had two swing sets, a jungle gym, a slide, and a merry-go-round. Chun Li went over to the swings for older children and sat down. Ryu walked over to her and leaned against the support beam of the swing set.

Chun Li looked around her, absorbing the sight and smell of this one familiar place. She didn’t plan on coming here. She didn’t think she remembered where it was. But this place had been burned to memory in the recesses of her mind.

She looks sad, he thought, studying her intently. Thoughtful…Yet serene at the same time. He remained silent.

“My father and I used to come here a lot,” she finally sad. “When I was a little girl…”

He said nothing.

“When I was little, we came here at least once a week. We would get here early on Saturday mornings so I’d have the swing all to myself…” she said softly. “And when I could push myself on the swing, my father would sit next to me and swing. He used to push me so high…”

“What about when you grew older?”

Chun Li smiled, and Ryu saw some mischief sparkle in her eyes. “When I was a teenager, we came here once a month and he’d still push me or swing beside me.”

“You two had a very close relationship.”

“It’s different when your parent is your biological one. They are your flesh and blood,” Chun Li said. “I’m not saying that Gouken was a bad parent…he just raised you…differently.”

“He taught me all I needed to know about life,” Ryu said calmly.

Chun Li detected a little defensiveness. “A parent just doesn’t teach, they do.”

“What do you mean?”

“My father and I spent a lot of quality time together. We’d go to playgrounds, parks…He’d read me stories, tuck me in at night…he was both father and mother. He taught me what I needed to know about being a good person, but he knew that in order to learn about life…I’d have to experience it. That included everything-friendship, hate, love…”

“Sensei…never taught me about love. He felt it was unnecessary. The fight was all.”

“Even though you and Ken were raised by him…Ken seemed to have gotten along just fine in that department.”

“He has a different philosophy when it comes to the fight,” Ryu answered simply.

“I remember when I first started dating…Father told me that love is a very important thing in life. It is worth living for and dying for.”

He lifted his brows. “I can’t imagine why. Love makes a person foolish.”

She looked at him squarely. “If a man was about to shoot your son in the chest, what would you do? Eliminating the fact that you could possibly get the gun out of his hand, would you push your son out of the way and possibly get hit, or would you let him shoot your son?”

“I see your point.”

“I’m not talking about just romantic love. Many people have died in this world for love of children, parents, country…” Chun Li smiled. “You know, Ken is very lucky. He has two people to love and live for. Eliza and Mel are very special to him. When you love someone the way Ken loves those two, it fills an empty void in your life. It makes you cherish every day that you share with them.”

“Do all people in love feel this way?” Ryu asked. “I have never felt that a void is in my life because I lack a mate.”

“Well, there are nuns and priests who love their divine superior being, not a human person. But being in love is a great feeling…I…was in love a long time ago…”

Ryu’s eyes widened. “When?”

“In college.” Chun Li smiled. “We were thinking of getting married.”

“If you loved this man so much, why didn’t you marry him?” Ryu inquired.

Chun Li sighed. “Because…Bison killed my father. I went to Interpol, and I left him.”

“What happened?”

“He understood. He told me that I could take as long as I needed to avenge Father’s death. And when that was done…to see him…”

“But…Bison died several years ago. Why are you two not married?”

Chun Li sighed. “Things changed over time. I don’t love him anymore. We still talk…but…I don’t feel that way about him anymore. A relationship has to be nurtured in order for it to be healthy. Sometimes…I wonder if I lost my chance of happiness due to my quest for revenge.”

She only partially told the truth. She couldn’t just tell him that she was in love with him…especially now that she knew that he had reservations about love. But she never regretted meeting him.

“You shouldn’t reflect on matters that might have been. You should focus on the present,” Ryu instructed.

He moved behind her. Taking the chains of the swing in both of his hands, he pulled the swing and Chun Li with it. He released it, causing her to swing forward. Chun Li laughed and bent her legs as she began to swing back. Ryu moved out of the way and sat leaned against the suppport beam again. He watched her propel herself back and forth. She returned to her cheerful self again.

By the time they left the playground, it was getting dark. She had not said much, but neither did he. But he stayed with her the entire time. To her, that was what mattered the most.