A Bittersweet Victory.
A/N: My FanFiction is like Formula 1, there are always going to be long phases where nothing happens for months ^^ Sorry about that. Anyway, a quick little one shot I've dreamt up, hope you like it!
Why was it I couldn't get close to anyone? I found myself asking that, as well as hearing everyone else ask me. The truth was, though, that I was close to someone, and though I like to think of Taiwan as a little sister most of the time and South Korea as an older brother to me, I worry that I don't show it enough. You see, my most prominent regret from when I actually had a brother, is that I never showed clearly enough that I cared for him. That's why he's not here and possibly the only reason I'm still here.
It was around 1954. I found the young boy wandering the streets of Saigon, shortly after I, in collaboration with the Viet Minh, had begun to gain control back from the French colonists in the north. My government had been recently established in Hanoi, but I wanted a united land. So it was to my shock, that I found this child, looking almost like a smaller version of me, only with considerably shorter hair and a large grin on his face. He realised what we meant to each other before I did, before giving me a huge smile and a hug "Cháo! You're North aren't you?!" Like a child would be, he was very excited to meet his older sister for the first time, which makes me wish I'd at least smiled at him and not been so uneasy, we might have actually formed some kind of relationship. "I'm your little brother, south Vietnam!" he said happily, which would explain that, despite being alone in a busy city street, he looked quite neat and well.
After a stunned silence, I replied "W-wow….s-south…." I must have sounded so unimpressed to see him, certainly not fitting for the joyful introduction I'd just received "I'm glad to meet you South…" I tried to sound polite, but in the back of my mind was the worry that me now only being North Vietnam only meant one thing, the land would remain divided unless I acted just right.
"You're a little young to be alone in Saigon aren't you? How about I look after you up in Hanoi, then we can be a well working republic together?" I offered, trying to show some intent to look after him and raise him, but it seemed from his reply like I'd been beaten to it, which hurt a lot.
"No thank you, North. Mr America and Mr France are already giving me all the money and care I need!" My heart stopped at that point. Knowing that he was the reason that France still had a foothold in my lands and a puppet for America to interfere, like he did with Korea, made me fear for him and his innocence.
"B-but your people must want to be able to rule themselves, not be ruled by France, right?" I asked politely, trying to gauge the situation.
"My bosses said we need to get rid of the reds before we care about people, though…" he replied, looking confused, but his words pretty much sent me over the edge.
"The people are what make your country though! It's because of America and France that we're separated so much." Great job, your chance to make a decent impression and talk to your younger brother, possibly get him to actually like you and you go full socialist on him? I spoke with such passion that even he, as young a child as he was, could pick up on it.
"So, you're a red? B-but I can't fight my sister…." He said, breaking up before I started patting his head gently and whispering.
"We don't have to fight. Just as long as you don't want to fight me…" He nodded and clutched onto the sleeves of my ao dai. At that, I let go gently and spoke softly "I hope you thrive as a well-mannered, peaceful nation." He nodded and smiled "Bye north! Have a good trip to Hanoi!"
I thought I was onto something, that he'd listened to my words and I wouldn't have to worry. But sadly, I was wrong. By the late 50s, discontent amongst his citizens had grown and protests rang out in the face of clear signs of his corrupt leaders. As his leaders changed, time and time again, all of them corrupt military regimes supported by the meddling Americans, his situation looked increasingly unstable while the Viet Cong and I saw an opportunity for reunification. We made our move but as you probably know, we were interrupted by America and his overwhelming need to destroy any trace of left-wing activity when and wherever it arose. Of course, in his weakened and childish state, South fell for America's propaganda about me like a domino, so before long, his heart and mind sided with America. While painful and disappointing for me, it wasn't surprising. Everyone listened to America when he shouted loud enough.
Then followed the war that I'm synonymous with. I needn't bore you with all the details of that until we get to 30th April 1975, the liberation of Saigon to me, but the "fall" of Saigon to pretty much everyone else, which sadly includes my brother. As I and a few troops entered the city as a unit, not far from a government building and a fleeing US helicopter, I saw a figure limping along a street. Concerned, I sent the rest of my unit off on a scouting mission while I approached the figure. A slightly closer look told me that it was a beaten and worn young boy and an even closer look confirmed my worst fears, causing me to run towards him and hold him tightly in my arms to keep him from stumbling over.
"South….I'm sorry….I should have been a better sister but….I couldn't take on America directly, s-so it took too long…." As I spoke, my voice got softer and more gentle before he interrupted, wheezing
"It's okay North…I was wrong to believe him when he said you'd take over the world if you'd won…b-but I was stupid…" I picked him up and took him to the nearest guerrilla medic, who was happy to help once I'd explained the situation. Sadly, the lack of equipment meant we could only get so far and as the Viet Cong pushed further into Saigon, I could see his condition worsening, to the point at which my medic allowed us our goodbyes…
"South, I didn't want to do this to you. It's all my fault for not acting quickly enough and I hope you'll forgive me for cutting your life so short…" He barely lifted his finger up to my lips, before dropping it quickly down to his side and speaking.
"Allow me this last wish…I wish for you to never stop being the great country you are now. America told me you beat Japan and China because of "red" power while you were weaker than them…but you beat them and him because you're strong and you don't brag about it…" He smiled at me, with made me shed a small tear at the fact that I couldn't do the same, but I looked at his eyes and facial expression and he certainly understood. "You're a really cool sister…and the one to unite our lands…but I'll always support you in the next world."
As his eyes started to close, I leant down and hugged him for the final time and whispered "Thank you…I refuse to deny you your wish…"
Even to this day, almost 40 years later, I blame myself for not being personable towards him. I was cold and dismissive, far too focussed on my goal to unite the land. My blatant disregard for him was probably what would cause his premature demise and left him to America. But he didn't see it that way. He wanted me to be his stronger older sister and I planned to accomplish that. Maybe he willingly wanted to concede his lands but was prevented from doing so by America? Maybe he didn't want to admit defeat until it was too late. Now, that is unimportant. I'll be a quietly strong, yet peaceful nation like you wanted. Đối với một vương Việt Nam Cộng Hòa.1
1 For a united Republic of Vietnam (I think. Somehow I'm none too confident in my Vietnamese.)
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. I know it's a bit sad of a story to be uploaded on Christmas Day, but I like to buck the trend and when I eventually get a chance to upload something, I'm not going to let the date stop me. Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all.