Breaking Glass
(6 August 1945)
A lone figure staggered through the ruins of Hiroshima, tracing her thin fingers on the surface of the rubble. A frustrated look crossed the woman's face. She held on to her left arm which was hanging limply from her shoulder, cursing under her breath in Japanese.
That wasn't the only injury on her body. Her dark military uniform was torn, blood seeping through the dark fabric. Cuts and wounds adorned her pale skin.
Panting heavily, she staggered away from the ruins and to a relief shelter for the survivors of the atomic bombing. Her heart ached when she saw her people, weak and helpless, crying for their loved ones.
Despite her injuries, she still staggered forward to give a hand to her people.
"Ms. Sakura..." said a voice. The woman stopped wrapping an injured's arm looked up. Her brown eyes caught sight of her General's eyes. "America asked us to surrender... Or he mentioned that a rain of ruin will fall on us..."
Feeling her blood boil, the woman stood up with determination. "No. I will not surrender easily. I am the Empire of Japan," said Japan, wheezing slightly. The atomic bomb had taken quite a toll on her body, but her stubbornness and her high ego refused to surrender.
Japan went forward to her boss. "Tell those westerners across the Pacific Ocean..." she began before she pressed a paper crane into the palm of her General."I have no intention on surrendering..."
(7 August 1945)
America paced in the Allies meeting room, yelling loud curses. The Allies eyed him curiously before England spoke up.
"America... What happened to Japan after you dropped 'Little Boy' on Hiroshima?"
That's when America slammed a letter onto the table. "'Little Boy' caused plenty of damage alright... But-" America cut himself off to throw the letter to England. "Japan won't surrender!"
"I've heard that Japan is a stubborn person and with a high ego," began England as he read through the letter. "But I didn't expect her to put her people in danger for her pride."
America was seething in anger. "If she doesn't surrender, the Pacific War will go on! We've already wiped those Axis in Europe off the face of the Earth, but we still have to get Japan to surrender!"
At his seat, China raised his hand and stuttered nervously, knowing that he'll put his sister's life in danger. "W-we can still drop 'Fat Man' on her since she doesn't want to surrender aru..."
There. He had just killed Japan...
"I've already thought of that," said America. "I'm sending 'Fat Man' over to Nagasaki."
China gulped nervously. There was a pain at his chest as he imagined Japan lying dead after the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. He felt slightly guilty and wished that he could help her.
It was America's last speech which made him run from to conference room to Japan immediately.
"I'll continue dropping atomic bombs on her until she surrenders..."
"If she does not now accept our terms, she may expect a rain of ruin from the air, the like of which has never been seen on this earth. Behind this air attack will follow sea and land forces in such numbers and power as she has not yet seen and with the fighting skill of which she is already well aware..."
xxxxx
The ruins of Hiroshima were a big shock to China. He had never seen anything as terrible as what laid before his eyes. His heart ached at the sight and he felt guilty.
Walking until he found a refugee camp, China went in, hoping to obtain some information. But before he could step in, someone crashed into him.
Just before he was about to yell at the person who knocked him down, his golden eyes met a lifeless pair brown eyes.
"J-Japan..."
Knowing who the person was, Japan lifted herself from him and gave him a look of disgust. She prepared to leave but China stopped her by grabbing her left wrist. A hiss of pain came from Japan as she used her boot to kick him square on the face.
China fell back in shock. Just before Japan prepared to leave again, he rose to his feet and held onto her shoulders. "Japan, I have to warn you about the attack America is about to launch on you aru!"
Japan gave China a long hard glare before unsheathing her katana and pointed it at China. "You..." she wheezed."You... are... one... of... Them..."
"I know aru!" yelled China. "But his next attack may wipe your entire existence off this earth aru! Please! Listen to me aru! Surrender now!"
"Why... should... I... listen... to... you?" asked Japan through her teeth. "I... will... not... surrender..."
At her words, China thought that it was useless trying to get through Japan. He desperately tried to think of a way to save Japan. But unfortunately, Japan had other ideas.
"Leave... my... land..." she wheezed."I... do... not... need... an... enemy... here..."
China was taken aback by her words. Finally, he gave in. "You brought this upon yourself Japan aru..." He looked down at the medical supplies in his hands and passed them to Japan, who immediately refused them. "Please Japan... Let me help you aru..." he begged her.
"You... are... against... me..." wheezed Japan angrily.
China tried to pull his sister into his embrace, but she scooted away, hissing in anger. "Japan..." China sighed. "I may be in the forces against you aru... But you're still my sister aru! I'm trying to help you!"
When Japan didn't respond, China sighed and left the medical supplies on the floor near Japan. "I brought more aru. I've sent a ship to your harbour." With that, he turned and left Japan to return to his home.
After China left, Japan let out a low growl before picking up the medical supplies and returning to the refugee camp.
(9 August 1945)
"Japan, there are American planes coming towards us again," said a soldier.
"How... many... are... there?" asked Japan.
"It's a small number, but they're American planes. Should we-" Before he could finish, Japan interrupted him. "Leave... them... alone..." she commanded."We... have... more... important... matters..."
The soldier saluted her before leaving. It was all fine until Japan gave a blood-curling scream and fell onto the ground, making everyone snap their heads towards her.
"N-Nagasaki..." she gasped.
Just then, another soldier ran into the meeting room. "The Americans dropped another atomic bomb on Nagasaki!"
Japan sucked in a pained breath. When Hiroshima was bombed, she still could endure the pain. But now, she felt as if her body was torn into two.
Her generals rushed to her side and begged her to surrender. Even with the pain, her stubbornness demanded that she refuse to surrender.
xxxxx
Again, the Allies were having another meeting. America was already annoyed with Japan's stubbornness and had threatened her. The ever stubborn nation still refused to surrender even though she was already badly injured and had a huge risk of being crippled for the rest of her life.
"I've bombed two of her cities, yet she doesn't want to surrender!" yelled America. "I'm threatening to bomb Tokyo but she's still as stubborn as ever!"
The rest of the Allies kept quiet, not knowing what to say.
"Honestly! I wonder what do you even see in her!" America yelled, pointing and accusing finger towards England.
"I just needed a friend when I came out from my splendid isolation wanker!" England yelled back in protest. Soon, both England and America were at each others' necks while shooting insults at each other.
China sat at his seat with his face in his hands. He was worried sick about Japan. England and America's pointless squabble just made things worse.
"China is sad да?" asked a childish voice. China looked up only to catch sight of those frightening purple eyes of the great Russia.
"It's nothing Russia. Leave me alone aru," he said dryly.
After letting out a 'kolkolkolkol', Russia decided to mind his own business and left China alone.
"Japan... When will you learn to let go of your contempt for power?"
xxxxx
"Japan, your stubbornness must be stopped. The Soviet Union has declared war against us." Japan looked up from her Emperor's conditions of surrender to Emperor Hirohito himself. Even though she still kept her high ego and refused to surrender, nothing can be done against her Emperor's wishes. With a heavy heart, Japan nodded her head and signed the conditions.
(10 August 1945)
China slowly looked up and glanced at Japan, who was sitting limply in a wheelchair. His heart broke at the sight of his sister, unable to move or even speak without pain. As if she sensed that China was looking at her, Japan gave China a hard glare, as if saying that it was his entire fault.
When America finally entered the room and sat across Japan, she nodded towards her General to begin.
"I, the Empire of Japan, will accept the terms set by the Allied Forces and sign the four conditions of surrender only under one condition, that the declaration does not compromise any demand which prejudices the prerogatives of His Majesty as a Sovereign ruler."
America was feeling impatient and quickly signed the conditions, passing it to the Allies to do the same. England and France signed without hesitation, glad that the war will finally be over. Russia gave Japan a 'kolkolkol' before doing the same as his fellow Allies.
Finally, the conditions arrived in front of China. He raised his head to glance at Japan. She tried to avoid gazing into his eyes or even look at him signing the conditions, knowing that her heart would break if she saw him signing. China tried to keep all his emotions in and signed.
With her General's help, Japan managed to grip hold of the pen and shakily signed the conditions. She signed slowly, as if trying to save the last few seconds of her ego. But still, nothing can change her fate, she had to surrender...
(14 August 1945)
Time seemed to have stopped for Japan since the signing of the conditions. The Allies had paid her no mercy, even her own brother. The pain in her heart was greater than any physical injuries on her body...
Her emotions were in no better condition when Emperor Hirohito's capitulation announcement was broadcasted to the entire nation. She finally broke down when she listened to his every word, her entire ego came crashing down
"The enemy now possess a new and terrible weapon with the power to destroy many innocent lives and do incalculable damage. Should we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction of human civilization. Such being the case, how are We to save the millions of Our subjects, or to atone Ourselves before the hallowed spirits of Our Imperial Ancestors? This is the reason why We have ordered the acceptance of the provisions of the Joint Declaration of the Powers."
Finally, Japan broke down and cried.
xxxxx
Once again, China ventured into Japan's border after the end of the Pacific War. It was quite a while since he saw his sister; since he had civil wars in his country due to communism, but he had it all sorted out and rose as the People's Republic of China.
"Sakura..." he called softly to his sister who was sitting under a sakura tree, enjoying the peace and serene surroundings. Seeing that his sister didn't respond, China switched to call his sister in his native tongue. "樱..."
At the sound of China's voice, Japan turned her head towards him. "耀..." she gasped. "You... you came back..."
Pulling his sister into his embrace, China finally allowed his tears to fall. "I'm sorry, I should have come earlier aru."
Japan wasn't really expecting a hug from China. It relived the old memories she tried to forget... The memories of her childhood... The memories of the time she spent with China... At those memories, Japan began to feel tears trickling down her cheeks. She was at fault, not her brother...
"Yao... I'm sorry... Gomen nasai..." she apologized. "I shouldn't have hated you... I shouldn't have blamed you... The war... was my entire fault..."
"Sakura... You have suffered enough aru... Dry your tears..." said China. "That's all the past now... We have to stay strong for what the future holds... There's no telling what the future holds..."
The two siblings held each other under the sakura trees, slowly letting their long-kept emotions out while the sakura petals danced around them.