Authors note: Slight AU. China has four beautiful children, and a dear friend named Arthur Kirkland.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia...if I did I'm afraid Ivan's scarf isn't the only thing he won't be allowed to keep.

Hetalia: Axis Powers;

One-shot: Why Korea is the way he is.

The day was bright – warmer then it had been – obvious signs of the English summer approaching. Two men sat outside on a newly built, wooden patio, taking tea with one another, sat on the garden furniture provided. The air was filled with the happy giggling and the occasionally surprised scream of four dark-haired children, as they played together in the garden of their host. Sighing, relaxing back into his chair, revelling in the feeling of the breeze brushing by him, slowly, the tallest – and by far the eldest of the guests present at the countryside manor, turned to his blond friend, and host, with a small reserved, but distinctly pleased smile "Thank you again for inviting us over to your home for the summer, Arthur. The children really needed it, aru."

Returning the smile, the Englishman nodded once "It's alright. You've said thank you enough time already Yao, besides –" Arthur paused, fixing the Chinaman with a meaningful gaze "You all needed it."

Sometimes, Yao wished he was completely obtuse.

Looking down at his lap, cradling his tea cup in two hands, Yao frowned "Yes," he said simply "I suppose we did." Arthur said nothing after that, hardly needing to be told that the Chinaman was lost in thought. It was a shame. Yao had four brilliant children – Kong, his eldest son. Tai his only daughter, and second eldest child, Kiku, his second son and third child, and finally, Yong Soo – the youngest, and as it appeared, the freest spirit of the lot of them.

Turning back to Yao, briefly, Arthur found the Chinaman watching his children as they played together; Kong giving Yong Soo a piggy-back ride, whilst Tai attempted to coax Kiku into a game of tag. Yao smiled, eyes falling on his youngest as he placed his hands over his elder brothers eyes and Kiku was finally swayed into playing with his sister when she attacked him with affectionate kisses on the cheek, making him blush in embarrassment – he was always such a shy child. It was a trait, (Yao was reluctant to admit) he got him his father.

"What are you thinking, yao?" Arthur asked, finally. The curiosity had been eating ta him since he had laid eyes on the wistful expression on his dear friend's face.

Yao said nothing for a moment, and simply pulled his lips into a tense line, in a failed attempt to frown when Kong walked into a tree, due to his little brother's mischievous behaviour – it was a failed attempt, simply because Yao had to keep from laughing, as he knew his son would not be pleased with him if he did. "Just that Yong Soo looks like his mother, aru." Yao finally replied, a note of pride in his tone.

Slowly, Arthur turned, fixing eyes eyes on the laughing form of the youngest Wang. He still clung to his brother, desperately, as the eldest tried to shake him off, obviously annoyed he had been walked into a tree. The Englishman nodded in confirmation "He does." It was true. His eyes were darker then Yao's, much more open and telling – the bright smile on his face and his playful disposition was also something that belonged to his mother.

It was a shame really, Arthur thought, as he watched Yong Soo jump off his brother back and run, full-speed into Kiku's back, tackling the other to the ground and shouting a muffled word which sounded distinctly like 'Breasts', that the children's mother had been taken away from them. It was not a slowly process either. Yao's wife had suddenly become ill one day, and had, over the course of a few years, simply wasted away.

"Yong Soo!" The Chinaman suddenly shouted, startling Arthur into reality once more. It was then, he noticed, that his ebony-haired friend was blushing "D-don't say words like that, aru!" Of course, the child ignored him.

Laughing, Arthur shook his head, placing his teacup on the table "Relax. It is his birthday today, you know. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to ruin his mood before his surprise gets here."

Nodding, Yao sighed, sitting back in his chair, giving up on disciplining his children for now "I know, aru. I just don't understand it..."

"Understand what?" Arthur questioned, arching a brow.

"Yong Soo was too young to remember his mother when she died. And the other children were all quite subdued and well-behaved, even before she...fell ill, aru." Arthur frowned. He didn't see a problem with that assessment – if his mother was the calming influence around the house, wouldn't it make sense if Yong Soo was a little more rowdy then the others?

"Then...that makes sense." Arthur voiced somewhat hesitantly, somewhat confused by Yao's chest-fallen behaviour.

"No, it doesn't, aru." Yao shook his hand, waving a hand in a dismissive manner "I'm calm. I'm always calm, why can't-" Yao paused.

Arthur stared, smirking softly at the suited man that had just rounded the corner of his house. The figure in the suit waved wordlessly at the pair, shoulder's broad and strong.

"KITTY-CHAAAAAAAAAN~!" Yao practically squealed, raising from his chair and rushing over to the tall figure on the cat suit and jumping him, smiling widely and hugging the large fluffy figure tightly as he was tackled to the ground "You're so cute, aru~!"

Arthur chuckled softly as Yao continued to assault the suited figure with affection, and shook his head "And he wonders why Yong Soo is the way he is..."

Yao affection for the fluffy creature only seemed to falter when it started to shake with laughter, which sounded suspiciously like 'kolkolkolkolkol'.

(A/N: Okay! I really hope that wasn't terrible. It's my first Hetalia fic, technically. I'm working on a multi-chapter one, but who knows when that'll be up. This is just something I randomly thought up one day. Please be nice, aru.

I don't know what Hong Kong and Taiwan's human names are, so I just substituted part of their country's name for their humans ones. If anyone knows them, please feel free to tell me :D

Three guesses who the person in the Hello Kitty suit was xD)