(Japan x England)

"I'm sorry. Mr. Honda is currently not here right now."

The maid apologetically bowed her head to Arthur as she explained that Kiku had just recently gone out to the lake near by.

"No it's my fault. I'm the one that is terribly late to the promised arrival time. I'd forgotten that England was nine hours behind Japan and completely failed to calculate the time I would be here," Arthur explained.

"Shall I go get Mr. Kiku?" asked the maid.

"It's alright. As I gentleman, I will personally go get him."

Arthur hurried his way to the lake and searched for Kiku. He searched and even called for Kiku, but he could not find him at all. It took Arthur a while to realize the small boat that had drifted to the shore.

"Kiku?"

Arthur peered into the boat to see a sleeping Kiku. Kiku's short black hair gently swayed in the breeze and his upper body moved up and down to his breathing. He had huddled himself in his brown haori (traditional Japanese kimono-like jacket) and used his messenger bag as a pillow.

"Wake up, Kiku," Arthur whispered. But secretly Arthur wanted to keep staring at how lovely Kiku looked surrounded by the autumn leaves.

"Are you really asleep?" Arthur asked.

Kiku didn't reply.

"… I love you."

Suddenly Kiku shot up into a sitting position and looked at Arthur with scarlet colored cheeks.

"W-W-What?"

"So you were awake."

"Stop casually saying such things!"

"Can't I tell my lover that I love him?" Arthur asked slyly.

"Y-You can. It's just… um…"

"Don't you have anything to say to me too?"

Arthur grinned as he leaned his face near Kiku's. He knew that Kiku loved him, yet not once had Kiku actually told Arthur that he loved him. Kiku would always be too embarrassed and try to avoid the subject. But Arthur would always accept that Kiku needed his own space and time.

"I'm just kidding. It's okay. You can always take your time," Arthur said as he petted Kiku's head.

"Arthur… I love you."

Arthur's time stopped for a moment. Once he was able to consume what had just happened he turned to Kiku and asked, "Did you say something?"

"I said that I love you, Arthur," Kiku repeated. "I thought you weren't going to come today. Just thinking about that made me very lonely. It felt like you were going to leave me again. That's why I had to tell you. I love you Arthur. So please don't leave me."

Suddenly tears started to pour down Kiku's cheeks. Arthur hadn't realized how worrisome Kiku was about being apart and how their past had hurt him a lot.

"Kiku," Arthur said as he wiped Kiku's tears with his hands. "I won't ever leave you again. So don't cry."

"Really?"

"Yes. I won't ever leave you and I don't intend to ever let go of you either."

It was always wars that tore countries apart. But it was also wars that united a country. Kiku had always loved Arthur. But he had also loved his country.

For his country? Or for the person he loves?

Always torn between choices, Kiku had lost his sense to see things that he had been able to see before. Being a country, being loved, loving, he had always never felt happy in his life due to the choices that tormented him.

But now it was different.

"Arthur…Watashi wa shiawase desu," Kiku said as he smiled.

"W-Wait. What does that mean?" asked Arthur.

Kiku flushed his cheeks as he made a sly but gentle grin.

"It's a secret."