Disclaimer:I own nothing, but maybe Hong Kong's thoughts on the Eyebrow curse...blah...blah..blah...
I knew I couldn't really be loved. And yet I…I still…
"Oh, Hong Kong. You're such a good little brother!" China said smiling at me as I gave him the Chinese characters I worked all day on. They had to be perfect.
我愛我的哥哥
I made a small smile. He liked it. He really liked it.
"Why are you crying older brother China?" I asked worried. He shouldn't be crying. "The war is over. No one will die anymore." I said softly. I frowned as he just cried more.
"I'm sorry….But I did something bad." China said softly.
I pouted. "Older brother can't do something bad. He's good. Not bad!" I said sternly.
China made a small smile. "Right. I can never do anything bad."
I stared in shock at the man in front of me. E-England? I turned around even more shocked to see China walking away from me. "Older Brother!" I called, but he didn't even look back at me.
I was about to run to catch up, but England's hand gently pulled me back. "I'm sorry. But the war ended because China gave you to me. I'm sorry, but you won't see China that much anymore."
No, No! NO! NOOOO! I fell to my knees. Why, why did he do this? Didn't he love me? Wasn't he suppose to protect me?
No tears fell from my eyes. How could I cry? I understand now. I'm not important. I'm not a country, I'm not even a human. I'm not going to have political powers or any real power. I'm just land. Just land that can be passed around. I'm nothing. I'm only land.
I'm only Hong Kong…
I slowly sat down on England's couch. Today was the day the 100 year least on me ends. I'm going to be given back to China today. I moaned softly. How could I even think England would be different?
I stared at the room in front of me. How long would I stay here? A week? A year? Who knows?
"Hong Kong?"
"Mmm?" I asked not turning to look at England. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. He doesn't care about me. Just the land, just the power he will receive from me. Not me for a person. Just the power I hold.
"Well, if it's okay with you. I'd like to know your human name?"
My ears perked up at this. China never asked for my human name before. He just called me little brother or Hong Kong if I was in trouble. No one ever asked for my human name before. "Li" I said softly.
"L-ee?" England tried out. I smiled softly (making sure he couldn't see it). He wasn't good at speaking Chinese, but…
"Yes." I said in a monotone of voice.
I watched from the corner of my eyes as England smiled brightly. "Good, Well then, Li…my human name is Arthur Kirkland. I hope you enjoy it here. If you need anything just ask, okay?" I nodded slowly. He was very kind.
"LI!" England screamed as another bunch of my firecrackers went off.
I looked up at England who was blushing and glaring at me half-heartily. I tilted my head playing as if I didn't know what he was yelling about.
"You need to quit lighting these bloody firecrackers! They scare the living daylights out of me!"
I looked down. "Just take them all away from me. That will make me stop." I said softly not daring look England in the eyes.
"I won't do that."
My eyes quickly moved to England's face. He had a small smile on his face. I didn't show my confusion and England laughed softly.
"Those firecracker things are really all you have left of your home before you came to my home. I refuse to take precious memories away from you. I may have taken you from China, but you grew on me. I really care about you Li. You should know that by now. I would never ever do anything to hurt you. Understand?"
I slowly nodded. He cares about me? Really? As a person? As Li? Not Hong Kong? I looked into those deep green eyes and knew. He does care about me. For me.
"Good. But I'll still scold you for scaring me." England laughed a little. "But I guess that's the price to pay for living with me."
I glanced around the living room. I may never come here again. I may never see England again. I gently put my head in my hands. I don't even have anything to really remember him by. We don't even look alike. So I can't look into the mirror and remember this place like I did to remember China. God, I'm so stupid.
I heard the door open up and England walked into the room. I looked him in the eyes. He looked away from my stare. "I'm sorry." He answered softly. "But….at least you'll be with China again. Remember when that's all you ever asked for to go see China. Now you'll get to see him every day."
"And you?" I questioned.
"Not as much, but I'll finish as much as I can." England said sitting down next to me on the couch.
"One every year, like China….maybe longer." I answered softly.
"I'm sorry." England said again.
I felt tears fall from my eyes. How many years has it been since I had cried. Right, when China was crying and saying he was a bad person. I quickly raised myself. But this isn't the same! At least when I looked in the mirror when I first came here I saw China smiling at me. Telling me everything was alright, but I look nothing like England! I won't ever see his smiling face when I need it!
"Li…It's going to be alright." England said as he stood up as well. His hand was coming in contact with my shoulder, but I backed away from the touch. I turned to England staring him straight in the eyes.
"How do you know! This isn't like when I left China for you! Now whenever I look into the mirror I won't ever get the same feeling of comfort as I did before! I look like China! Whenever I looked into the mirror I saw his smiling face! We look nothing alike! How can I look into the mirror and see your reinsuring face when I need it!"
"Li…" England tried to put a hand on my shoulders again, but I didn't let him.
"No! No…." I backed away. "I have to leave….China's waiting for me at the airport. Good-bye." I said running away from England. From the warmth. No one could truly love me. I am just land. Just Hong Kong.
"Ready to go, Hong Kong?" China asked from his plane seat. I nodded my tears had tried a long time ago. I looked out the window most of the way. Neither of us speaking. But that was okay. I didn't want to speak anyway.
England sat down on his kitchen chair; tea in front of him. England looked up when a soft bell sound could be heard. England smiled at the small fairy. "Don't worry…I'll be alright…I'll just stiff up a lip….but…" The English gentleman looked down at his hands. "Li cried….I had never seen him cry….no matter how rough things got or how much I scolded him….he never….and he didn't even….what should I do?"
England face palmed in defeat, but glanced at the small fairy trying to tell him something.
Use…..your…magic…to…..give…that…..boy…..something….that….you….have…..so….when….he….
…..looks…in….to….the….mirror….he….sees….a….part….of….you…..
England sighed softly. Like what?
Suddenly a light bulb went off in his head. China would kill him later, but if it made Li happy he'd do it.
Slowly I woke-up from my new-old bed. I walked into the kitchen to see China already cooking. Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan, and some other Asian countries sat at the table. They all turned to me. "Welcome…Hoooo…" Everyone started, but stopped and gawked at me.
"Wait?" I asked.
China then turned to me and dropped his spoon and wok. "AIYA!" China ran up to me and stared at me in shock. I backed away a little. What? Did I have something on my face? "I KILL ENGLAND! I MURDER HIM, ARU! MY LITTLE BROTHER! CURSED BY THAT MONSTER!"
Slowly I left letting China go on his rant alone with the other Asian countries. Slowly I sneaked into the bathroom and locked the door. My eyes moved to the mirror. My eyebrows….I had bushy eyebrows like….
"Li…I truly care about you….I would do anything to make you happy, okay?" England said smiling down at me. "You mean a lot to me."
I allowed a small smile on my lips.
Gǎnxiè nín. Wǒ ài nǐ zhème dà niánjì de dìdì yà sè.
I am Hong Kong. But England cares for me as just Li. Li Wang.
-Aftermath-
England backed away from the receiving end of the phone. China wouldn't stop yelling. Maybe he didn't choose the best plan he could.
England ears perked a little as the yelling stopped. He heard a soft "Qǐng gēgē... ... Wǒ huì píngjìng de qù zhàogù tā... Xiànzài qù pào chá hē, qǐng. Wǒ hěn hǎo." And then a "Hǎo ba... Dàn rúguǒ nǐ xūyào wǒ de hūhuàn!"
"Hello? England are you still there?" Hong Kong asked softly.
"Ah! Yes, I am." England said. "Li, I'm sorry…I just wanted to…."
"Arthur…." Hong Kong said silencing England in the process. "Gǎnxiè nín…Thank-you…You will never know how happy you have made me. I am also sorry for my other siblings. I hope they are not giving you a rough time."
England smiled brightly. "No…as long as you are happy…no matter what anyone says about what I did it won't matter. I did it for you…My little Hong Kong…not for anyone else….just you, Li."
I forced a smile away from my face. "Thank-you…until next time.
"Until next time….good-bye."
"Good-bye." Hong Kong said as he hung up. A few minutes later Hong Kong was in the bathroom happy tears and a smile on his face.
Even far apart My love for you will always seem so close. I love you Older Brother. For you see me as me and no one else. I will love you forever.
The End
我愛我的哥哥=I love my older brother
Gǎnxiè nín. Wǒ ài nǐ zhème dà niánjì de dìdì yà sè.= Thank-you. I love you so much older brother Arthur.
Qǐng gēgē... ... Wǒ huì píngjìng de qù zhàogù tā... Xiànzài qù pào chá hē, qǐng. Wǒ hěn hǎo.= Please older brother...calm...I'll take care of it...now go make some tea, please. I'm fine.
Hǎo ba... Dàn rúguǒ nǐ xūyào wǒ de hūhuàn! =okay...but if you need me call!
Gǎnxiè nín. = Thank-you