Prologue

After a long day of harvesting tomatoes, a young Italian boy and a tired Spanish man sat down and gazed at the sky, painted with gold and pinks and purples, blended into a masterpiece. Spain had set the question aside for a time like this, when Romano was actually quiet.

"Romano, though you're too young to go now, will you make me a promise?"

"Why would I make a promise to you, jerk?"

"Heh... That's cute. Can... you promise me that one day you'll come to a festival in Spain? They're really fun and-"

"Why would I want to come to YOUR stupid festival? I can have my own!"

"But Romano, they're fun-"

"Mine will be more fun than yours! Vaffanculo!"

" -and you'll have a good ti-"

"FINE! I'll come to your stupid festival, but not before making my own."

"...Do you promise?"

"Fine. I promise...jerk."

Spain picked the small Italian boy up and hugged him, grinning from ear to ear. "Oh~ You'll have so much fun! Too bad you're not old enough now, but you'll love it! I promise!"

"Yeah, sure. I'm hungry. It's dinner time."

"Ah? Then let's go eat." The Spanish man laughed the whole way back home, beaming.

Yet Romano hadn't come to one since.