Im Yong Soo closed his eyes as the lid of his coffin slid over the last faint glimpse of light, sealing him darkness. He listened as the nails were hammered in and silence filled the wooden box. The personified South Korea could feel everything around him; the softness of his burial robes, the hardness of he coffin, the stillness of the air, and the silence wrapping him in an eternal hold. He was gone, never to awake from this slumber.
Images of his family passed through his mind. China's smiling face as he slaved over his wok to feed them. Japan cleaning in his maid outfit. Hong Kong running towards them after England's rule on him ended. Thailand's wise eyes as he listened to everything Yong Soo had to say. Vietnam's soft laughter when he slipped in the river. Taiwan's warm hugs every time he saw her.
The Korean's hand shot up to his heart, fisting the cloth there, as his breathing came out harsher. Would they miss him? Kiet might, but the others always seemed to push him away. His family was always torn one way or another. They might not come but other would…maybe.
Alfred was a good friend. He would come, but Yong Soo wouldn't want to see the bright American sad…he had seen enough of the serious and depressed Alfred during the Korean War. It would be best if no one came. A brief flash of another face entered his mind, Lars Holland.
Would his newest friend come? They had gotten closer since the last world meeting when Ivan knocked him into Lars when trying to escape his little sister. The two had talked over the phone and exchanged different things from their lands. Lars planned to visit him sometime, but the date slipped his mind.
Yong Soo opened his eyes, staring at the lid of the simple wooden coffin. He had done things in the past he wished he hadn't, just like everyone else. Hesitantly, the personified South Korea reached towards the coffin lid, softly touching the cool wood. He already wrote down everything he wanted to tell everyone in his eulogy he wrote before dawning his robes. All the things he wanted to tell the people he loved but never could.
He would told Yao that he hated him for always paying more attention to Kiku, but he also loved him for all those times he took care of him. He'd finally tell Kiet thanks for always supporting him. He'd apologize to Kiku for all those times he groped him. He would tell Long, yes Vash likes her back now that he didn't have the Swiss's gun trained on him at the hint of telling his sister. He'd tell Hong Kong that he wasn't fooling everyone with his cool attitude. He would tell Mei that she was beautiful, always was and always will be.
That's what he wanted to tell his family. Im Yong Soo smiled softly and closed his eyes, letting his hand fall to rest on his stomach. Would it also be too much to ask for his family to get along for just one day? Just to play Mahjong and eat traditional dishes and to drink to their health. He wanted them to be together and smile in happiness and have their eyes light up with laughter.
Lars frowned as he checked his wrist watch and mentally added hours to it fro the time change from the Netherlands to Korea. He told Yong Soo that he was visiting today, but the bubbly Korean was absent from his home. The personified nation of the Netherlands had a hard time finding it from the airport, but it was much easier to locate the other place Im Yong Soo could be at this hour, work. The Netherlander looked up as the door opened and the South Korean president stepped out, smiling warmly.
"An nyoung ha seh yo! It's nice to finally meet you. Yong Soo has told me so much about you." Lars smiled back, but was puzzled why the mention nation wasn't with his boss.
"I'm honored. I've heard many things about this land. Yong Soo was supposed to be at the airport to pick me up but he wasn't." The personified nation of the Netherlands said, only to earn a horrified look from the president.
"Forgive me. We've been extremely busy as of late and Yong Soo has been working diligently. I'm sure he didn't mean to not be there. You may wait in his office until he returns. He left in a hurry a few hours ago and should be back any moment." The president said then started to lead Lars to Im Yong Soo's personal office.
It only took a few seconds before the Netherlander found himself bored from spinning in the office chair. His hand shot out to spot the spin. Lars's eyesight blurred for a heartbeat before he spotted an opened planner. Normally, the blond would respect others privacy, but Yong Soo's planner was already open.
There was one thing written down for today and it seemed important. It was written it a bright indigo that stood out from the other days in black and it was circled numerous times. A time was right under it and it was well past that. Lars didn't know what could have been so important, seeing as he knew very few phrases in Korean, and they were just that, phrases not how to spell them in Korean.
Grabbing the planner the Netherlander left the office. He'd find out what was so important. Lars tucked the planner in his large pocket and dug out a cigarette and lighter from the other. He lit it once outside the building not caring about his luggage, they'd watch it. His green eyes flicked to the nearby signs then he started walking.
It wasn't too long before Lars found the building after matching up the Korean. The blond walked up to the woman at the front desk, who smiling politely at him. He scrambled to pronounce his Korean right but the woman seemed to take pity on him after his sixth attempt on trying to get it to sound remotely translatable.
"Speak English?" She asked with a thick accent. Lars sighed and nodded.
"Yes, I'm looking for Im Yong Soo, has he been here?" The woman glanced at something on her lap and nodded.
"Yes, he's in session now though." If she spoke any more Lars didn't hear it as someone opened a door and walked out of a nearby room. What little he saw of that room made his heart hammer faster. He saw a photo of Im Yong Soo smiling warmly surrounded by flowers, at the head of a coffin. "You can't go in there!" The woman half yelled half whispered as the Netherlander entered the room.
He stared at the coffin with a verity of expressions. Lars didn't understand. South Korea was fine, so Im Yong Soo should be perfectly fine as well not in a coffin. The personified nation of the Netherlands was blinded as the once off lights came on. A man walked out and stood at a podium and spoke in Korean and like a bad horror movie the lids of all the coffins moved.
Im Yong Soo sat up after removing the lid of his coffin. One hand still held onto the lid and the other rubbed at his tears. He looked up as he went to stand only to freeze. Staring down at him in relief was Lars Holland. "Lars? What are you doing here?" The Korean asked as he stood and stepped out of the coffin. Without warning he found the European's arms wrapped around him.
"I thought…" Whatever he was about to say he decided against it as Lars released Yong Soo. "What is this place?"
"It's called The Coffin Academy. You can see what it's like to die; it gives you a better view on life." Yong Soo paused and Lars swore that the look of confusion on his face was mimicked in his curl. "What are you doing here?"
"It's the twenty-fourth." Lars said. It took a moment for the date to register in the Korean's head and went it did the Netherlander didn't expect Im Yong Soo to bow with his forehead on the ground.
"I'm sorry Lars, please forgive me." He said, not noticing that they were drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Lars knelt down and placed a hand on the personified South Korea's shoulder.
"It's alright. This was obviously important to you." Lars said as the Korean's eyes met his.
"I promise to make it up to you. Right after this I'll make you some Bulgogi." The personified Netherlands smiled and helped Yong Soo to his feet.
"I'd like that."