Before you start reading, if you have no idea what June Fourth is, or Tiananmen Massacre is, go to wiki, go to youtube. Today is the 25th year after June Fourth, and in light of recent relations between China and Hong Kong, this short fic was inspired.
This time, this year, it's only Hong Kong who's there with China. The square was exceptionally empty, with only a few good-natured Chinese around. The authorities patrolled around in twos and threes, stopping everyone that tried to enter the square. A pat-down with a menacing gun gained entrance, but of course, China passed by the authorities quickly, pulling Hong Kong along.
"There weren't so many of them last year." Hong Kong commented quietly, in mandarin. "Is it so, aruka? Last year Taiwan was here too, wasn't she? Too bad she fell sick." China said cheerfully. (1)
Hong Kong could only blame his stupidity for not pulling the same excuse as his sister. "Yes, she fell sick." he replied. The two walked in silence in the near-empty square, staring at the portrait of China's old boss. "I'm glad you could make it," China said, "Now is a time for family reunion aru!"
"Sure," Hong Kong smiled back, "Family reunion is good. Some mothers can't even go to their sons' graves, right?"
China's smile faltered a bit. "Ding doesn't need to go to her son's grave, she's happy to be not in Beijing, right?"
"Her son died so young," Hong Kong said wistfully, "And she's already been to his grave every year in the past. Makes sense that she would choose to not to go there the 25th year after he was shot dead, right?"
"Stop it, Hong Kong," China snapped, "They can hear you."
"Oops. Sorry. Forgot China runs on different laws." Hong Kong replied, turning his head away. The PRC flag fluttered in the wind against the blue sky. "A stable China makes a strong China, aruka? Hong Kong you are also benefiting from China's wealth, aruka!"
China placed a friendly hand on Hong Kong's shoulder, squeezing him. "Y... yeah... The influx of people are helping our retail... yeah..." (2)
"Great!" China said happily, "I love to help out aru!"
China's hand stayed on Hong Kong's shoulder, steering him closer to Tiananmen. The monument arched over the two of them, causing Hong Kong to stifle at Charman Mao's smiling face. China started to hum his anthem softly.
"I really want to go back, you know," China suddenly said, now putting both hands on Hong Kong's shoulders just as he had done when Hong Kong was still a kid, "Go back to when everyone of you were living with me."
"I suppose so." Hong Kong said absentmindedly. He really didn't want to think about politics and sovereignty, not in the state that his people was in. (3)
"Back before everything was so messy, aru." China sighed.
China suddenly wrapped his arms completely around Hong Kong, putting his head on top of the younger nation's. "Stay the night," China said warmly, "There's no rush to go back to your place."
Hong Kong could feel his former guardian's warmth around him, China's long hair brushing his cheek. It was almost like when he was small, oblivious and ignorant to his own people. But now, he was more accustomed to England's head pats, China's chin dug into his skull. Firmly he slipped out of his mother nation's embrace. "I have a gathering to attend." (4)
China's face fell. "The one with the candlelights, lauding an incident that never happened?" he said icily. Hong Kong walked further and further away from his mother nation, the authorities looking at him in suspicion. "Yeah, that one." he muttered in cantonese. China didn't hear.
(1): Earlier in Taiwan, the government tried to pass an economic agreement with China, but Taiwanese students and the public took over the Legislative and Executive Yuan in protest. This was called the Sunflower Student Movement.
(2): The HKSAR government has allowed people from rich cities in China to come to Hong Kong by land multiple times a day, freely. This has encouraged a massive influx of Chinese tourists per day, causing most Hong Kong retailers to turn to luxury businesses to meet their needs. In the process, many small shops and cheap restaurants are forced to close down, and Hong Kong people are finding it harder and harder to find places that serve Hong Kong people primarily.
(3): In Hong Kong the political situation is polarized, with the pro-government people being completely pro-government and the radicals being completely radical, because a compromise would mean breaking the fundamentals of both parties.
(4): An annual gathering in Hong Kong every 4th of June, tens and thousands of Hong Kong people attend the candlelight vigil to remember the massacre. The organisers have been trying for years to invite the victims of the 4th of June massacre to come, but the HK authorities have forbade them to enter Hong Kong. The vigil itself is very touching, there are clips up in youtube.