(1)

"Yo!"

Kiku glanced up from his phone. The brown-haired boy was dressed in a loose black T-shirt and a pair of dark frayed jeans. His cap covered his unkempt bangs. Dragging his rather small luggage, he waved at the Japanese.

"Kon'nichiwa, Kaoru-kun." A faint smiled sprawled across Kiku's face as he stood up and walked towards his guest. "I was starting to worry if your flight has been delayed."

"It has actually," Leon shrugged. Kiku offered to take the handbags. The Cantonese boy shook his head.

"Where's Yong Soo?" Kiku asked curiously, finally noticing that another guest was missing.

"Um, him," Leon rolled his eyes and grunted. "That guy got overexcited about crashing your place he actually tripped down the stairs and now he's, like, being hospitalised. I bet he's croaking at the moment."

Kiku raised his eyebrows and stifled a chuckle. "Crashing my place, huh? Interesting."

"What an idiot," Leon grumbled as they walked towards the exit. "I don't want to waste the ticket so yea, I'm here alone. Hope you don't mind."

"Of course, I don't. You're always welcome here."

"I can see a lot of my people are sightseeing in your place." Leon scanned the surrounding. Already, he could catch a bunch of Cantonese-speaking tourists in every corner. "Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa seem to be their favourites."

"Indeed," Kiku nodded.

"I hope they are not causing much trouble like teacher's people," Leon said.

"Don't worry. They are doing fine," Kiku assured and led the boy to a car parking nearby. He opened the door and gestured Leon to hop in. The suited driver came out to take Leon's luggage.

As soon as the engine started, Leon relaxed himself and scooted closer the window.

"Tired?"

"Yea," the Cantonese boy said. "So, what's the plan?"

"We'll first head back to my place and have you settle down. We'll have dinner first and let's see if you want to walk around the market, provided that you're not too tired, of course."

"I'll see," Leon replied monotonously and glanced outside the car window.

The air was cool and the car became silent at once. Kiku turned to the other side and stared hollowly ahead.

"So what about tomorrow?" Leon asked after some minutes.

"Would you like to visit Kyoto?" Kiku said. "It's up to you. I can always accommodate."

"You sound like you don't want me here," Leon guffawed, finally turning to face his brother. "You must be pretty busy these days. I can always think of my own itinerary."

"Kaoru-kun, you know that's not true," Kiku blinked back. "I just don't want to arrange something you don't like."

"As if you're pleasing a customer," Leon snickered. "Japanese people do have a way with superficial stuff, don't they? I like how you package things and beautify them. My people are crazy about fancy stuff. Guess this is why they love to travel to your place so often."

"It's been a while since you dropped by," Kiku said.

"Yea, been a while," Leon nodded and stared at the scenery outside again. "Been a bit busy. Don't get me wrong though. I do wish to visit more often but really, work disallows me. You probably understand that more than I do."

"Hai," Kiku echoed.

And even if they did meet each other, it was usually at one of Yao's annual family gatherings or world summits. It had been so long since they dealt with each other alone. Just the two of them.

Kiku didn't know what to say. He got a call from Yong Soo earlier in the week. The Korean wanted to visit his place on a non-diplomatic basis and requested a free ten-day tour. Kiku was inclined to refuse with the excuse of over-packed schedule. Yong Soo, being the annoying and tenacious guy he usually was, kept bugging his brother until he said, 'yes'. What Kiku didn't expect was that Leon would also tag along.

"Your place hasn't changed much."

They stood in front of his garden. Leon recognised the bridge, the pond and the cherry trees in the corners. The Japanese couldn't help staring at the other's back, which seemed to have grown so much over the past few decades. Remnants of memories swarmed in his head.

Leon turned and chuckled, "It hasn't changed at all since I last lived here."

Kiku blanched. The boy before his eyes grew smaller and smaller, his body shrinking back to that delicate skeleton he was once forced to take under his roof.

There was no use crying. The defeated colony propped himself up on the ground. However many times he was made to collapse, he forced himself up and faced the enemy. Matthew had offered his assistance. He remembered fighting alongside him in the front. The Canadian had tried his best to defend him. Even Indian's soldiers were there to lend an extra hand. Arthur's troops never succeeded in protecting him. The British was ravaged in the war. Caught up in so many destructions and atrocities at that time he simply couldn't shield Hong Kong anymore.

They surrendered before Christmas. Arthur said he could no longer keep him. He didn't mean to fail him. The man's tattered and frustrated look was etched on his mind. He accompanied him to Kiku's side. Reluctantly, Arthur shoved him forward, biting his bottom lip. He didn't shed a single tear. The boy was merely a teen in human years then. There was so much going on in the city. The air reeked of gunpowder and putrefying flesh. Corpses scattered everywhere. The reservoir was sabotaged. People drawing their last breaths. Children's whimpering. Women's shrieking.

He resisted. He tried to put up a fight, but what was he to stand against the Imperial Japan? It was doom from the start but he held that tiny bit of faith to himself. Coming face to face with his tormentor whom he once addressed as 'brother', he found himself tongue-tied. He couldn't even beseech for mercy.

Kiku shoved the limping boy forward. The garden was covered in snow. His dripping blood formed a stunning contrast with the natural white sheet. He grunted when Kiku clasped his neck and spun him around. "Look carefully, recognise everything in sight because this is where you are going to live from now on."

"Let me go!" The boy wiggled out of his grasp and stumbled back. "Don't touch me with your filthy hands!"

"And may I remind you," Kiku snarled, "you are no longer a colony of the British Empire. You're now taken as a territory of Imperial Japan. You shall abide by my laws and authority. Should there be any more rebellion, you know the consequences."

"No," he had declined his fate at first. "I don't belong to Imperial Japan."

The blow landed harder than he thought. Testing Kiku's patience might not be the best option. Blood filled his gum. Leon panted and glared at Kiku. The man was dressed in his proud white military uniform. His eyes were dull, menacing. His words were unwavering. He struck the boy with the back of his katana.

"Know your place." His voice was coarse and low. "From now on, abandon all the roles that horrendous British man has given you. You will start everything anew. Speak in my language. Dress in my clothes. Do things my way. Clear?"

"And if I object?" The teenage boy cocked one of his eyebrows and smirked. Kiku narrowed his eyes and kicked Leon right in the face. Blood seeped through the boy's lips.

"Really, I would wish to refrain from exerting so much violence on you but you've proven yourself to be difficult, much like someone," Kiku squatted down and grabbed the boy's chin. Leon groaned, "You won't win the war, Kiku…"

Smack!

"You're just a small country," Leon laughed, "and your dream is so big it's almost ridiculous-"

Kiku growled and punched the boy repeatedly until all that was left was a puddle of crimson liquid.

"Listen well, Kaoru, don't think that because we were once brothers I would go easy on you. You know my rules. Obey them or I'll be sure to make your life a living hell."

"It already is a hell," the boy blurted out before coughing up more blood. The final blow sent him into complete darkness.

(2)

"Oishi~ is that how you say it?" Leon mimicked, holding up a piece of raw salmon with his chopsticks.

"Hai," Kiku nodded and gestured to the dishes on the table. "Please help yourself. We have a lot more to come."

"Cool, and I know what this one is called." Leon thought for a moment and pointed to the fried batter in the sizzling griddle, "Okonomiyaki."

"You still keep the accent pretty well."

"Sure, you did train me quite hard back then," Leon laughed and munched an egg sushi.

He had tried to memorise the strokes and imitate the accents. Kiku slapped him hard across the face. He fell onto the mat. The brush dropped to the floor. His cheek seared.

"I don't understand why you're still speaking English and Cantonese." Kiku shook his head in exasperation. "You're only allowed to write in Japanese!"

"Didn't-" Leon rose up rubbing his swollen cheek and glared at Kiku. "Katakana and hiragana originate from Chinese hanji characters?"

The Japanese man squinted and clenched his fists. The boy continued, "Technically speaking, your language got inspiration from teacher's language. Even your culture was heavily influenced by his. Why shouldn't I be using Chinese then?"

Smack!

Blood sputtered to the ground, soaking the kimono he was forced to wear every day. Kiku yanked him up by his bang and crushed his head against the table. Blood oozed through the slit. Leon grunted.

"And don't call me Kaoru, my name is Wang Jia Long," Leon smirked. "Or Leon-"

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!" Kiku had lost it. Countless times the boy had protested against him. "You've displayed your rebellion quite enough, Kaoru!"

He kept banging the head against the table until more blood was drawn on the wounds. The Cantonese boy groaned. His dark blue kimono was stained in scarlet. Like his glimmering orbs.

"You weren't like this before," he piped up. Kiku released him. The boy fell to the ground and whimpered. "When we were still living at teacher's place, we used to play together. You would catch cicada for me in summer and show me all your interesting inventions. You used to share your snacks with me and Yong Soo, tuck us to bed with bedtime stories and make food for us. When we sat together as a family, we never argued or fought. What's…happened to you?"

"We're not a family," Kiku stated coldly and stood up. "We've never been one. Yong Soo's land will soon be seized as well. Both of you belong to the mighty Imperial Japan!"

"You're blinded by ambitions, and one day you will fall, just like you deserve to-"

The boy screeched. The blade cut deep into his arm.

"One more word and I'll stitch your mouth." Kiku sheathed back his katana. "Don't take me for a fool."

(3)

"Hey, hey, like, help me take a picture at that shrine, okay?" Leon beamed and handed Kiku a camera. "Don't drop it. It's my babe!"

Kiku took the camera and held it up. The Cantonese boy jogged towards the red-roofed shrine with much ado. The kimono prevented him from taking big steps.

Snap!

"You look great in kimono." The words slipped from his lips and Kiku didn't regret it. Even now, he still genuinely believed that the Cantonese boy looked good in Japanese clothing.

"Really?" Leon chuckled and looked at the photo. "Gonna, like, show this to Yong Soo. He'll be whining because he's missing all this fun!"

"Let's walk further ahead. There's a temple on the mountain." Kiku smiled and pointed to the enormous construction situated elegantly on the hill. "We can pick some charms."

"Do you have a charm that safeguards prosperity or simply lets me earn more money?" Leon asked.

"Of course, there is," Kiku giggled. "And you haven't changed a bit."

"I mean, seriously, last time I visited Mei and she commented on my writing on the sky lanterns. Can you believe that? Some people actually wish for stupid stuff like romance when they can wish for more money!" Leon shook his head in dismay. "What's there more important than a thriving economy!"

"Isn't there something else you want to wish for?" Kiku asked. "We've got a lot of charms for health, friendship, love and family."

"Nah, I don't need those kinds of things," Leon waved his hand in the air almost instantly. "I won't need them anyway. Plus, my health lies within my economy. The rest is just…well…never mind."

Kiku stared at Leon. It had been a while since he last spotted a subtle smile on that expressionless face. Of course, aside from Arthur, he did a number on extorting those essential emotions from the kid.

"Stop crying." Kiku kicked the stomach hard. The sight of tears bugged him to no end. "I thought I've made it clear not to demonstrate any of those disgusting gestures in front of me! No smiling! No crying! No objection!"

"Please…let me take a rest," the boy pleaded. They had been training for five consecutive hours. He couldn't break any more woods or deliver any more strikes. His stomach growled. He wanted food but Kiku wouldn't give him any unless he was satisfied with his performance.

"No, in a war there is no rest until the goal is achieved. I am very disappointed with your performance today, Kaoru."

"I'm hungry," Leon looked up. His face was scrawny and pale. He held his flat stomach with imploring eyes, hoping that at least he could get a measly bowl of rice. Kiku wouldn't give him anything other than rice and porridge. When the Japanese was in a merry mood, he might get lucky with some fish and vegetables. "You can't, like, expect me to fight you in a state of famine, right?"

The punch formed a lump on his head. The boy groaned and rolled on the floor. He had been practising so much to bring Kiku down, but every time he lifted his fist to strike or his feet to kick, Kiku would dodge and retaliate ten times harder.

"I have absolutely no idea what Arthur's been teaching you." Kiku shook his head disdainfully. "No wonder you've ended up so useless. Feeble. Pathetic."

"At least, he's been teaching me better stuff than you do," Leon mocked and got stomped on the chest.

"You don't talk back to me, remember? And please bear it in mind, you're nobody but a piece of detained terrain. Arthur got you from Yao because he wanted to make the best use of your land. The stuff he taught you was to help him benefit from you in the future. You think someone really does care about you? No. So don't even think of begging or reasoning. I don't buy those tactics. I do what I please. You're not getting anything to eat if I want you to starve."

Even if he knew Kiku's words stood half percent of the truth, Leon couldn't help crying. He would wish to believe that he did belong somewhere, that Yao hadn't lost him, that Arthur had done a better job protecting him, and that Kiku hadn't been so brutally honest with him.

It hurt. Every joint of his body.

"No, don't…" He frowned. The katana glimmered in the light. He put his arms up in defence.

"I told you, Kaoru, if you don't fight back, you're just going to be beaten. That's the way wars run. Either you strike or be struck. And this is the hardest part of the training you have to confront. Get up now or I am going to slash you."

"Please, stop it!" the boy yelped and forced himself to stand up on his broken legs. Kiku struck. The blade got caught in between the boy's hands. Blood trickled down Leon's arms. The youngster whined in agony. His hands trembled. The blade slid deeper and lower. He let go. It delved deep into his body, missing the chest by an inch.

"Tomorrow, when your body recovers, we'll continue with the training," Kiku turned on his heels. The body lay motionless on the ground.

(4)

The scar had faded but it was there. Kiku stared at the faint mark on the left side of Leon's muscled stomach. It might be just one out of many. Every nation had scars. Some had more than others. Kiku himself bore plenty of them. Two larger ones were ingrained on him when Hiroshima and Nagasaki got bombed.

"See something you like?" Leon teased and tapped his abs, slouching against the rim of the hot spring.

Kiku blushed and looked away.

"I actually forgot to thank you."

Leon closed his eyes, relishing in the comforting warm water. "All those trainings you did with me back then actually got me tougher. Like they always say, what doesn't kill you make you stronger."

Kiku didn't say anything. He wasn't sure if Leon was being sarcastic or genuine. He never got to comprehend the boy wholly. He had his way with speaking, having learnt a couple of black humour from Arthur and inheriting the sharp tongue from Yao.

"I'm honest." Leon opened his eyes and stared at Kiku. "Sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up. Kinda ruin the atmosphere, I guess?"

"No, it's alright," Kiku said. "I like things clearer between us. I accept what I've done. The mistake I've made. We all have to get over it at some point. But I do owe you an apology."

"You have already apologised years ago," Leon said. "And it obviously doesn't bother me as much as it does to teacher. Looks like things are still kinda sour between you two."

"There's always something hard to change." Kiku glanced down at the bottom of the spring. "We all need time."

"True," Leon nodded. "Maybe time does go faster on my side."

He remembered the softness and fragility of the body in his arms. The boy was a head shorter than him then. Given the constant starvation and gruelling training, his body had reduced to a mere living skeleton. The colour drained from his hair and his eyes. His skin was pallid, directly attached to the bones. Kiku pinned him down and ripped open the kimono. The boy had not the strength to struggle. He wouldn't even talk back at Kiku anymore. He had gradually adapted to Kiku's style. If more spiteful words and taunting would eventually bring him more suffrage, why shouldn't he submit himself and get it over with? He was fed up with putting up a fight. No one would come to him anyway. He was alone. Had always been.

Kiku's hands were rough. He never spared him a second to adjust to his forceful foreplay. His lips were parted involuntarily by Kiku's prodding tongue. The kiss was fierce and graceless. Never was there any preparation. Sometimes, he got hard from Kiku's sensual strokes. Sometimes, he never got aroused at all. The only one basking in the pleasure was Kiku, as he proudly sabotaged him from behind. He had seen Kiku's soldiers do it to women at his place. The atrocity went on when he became Kiku's underling. His possession, he claimed.

Around that time Leon began to wonder what kind of a twisted mind the Japanese possessed. He wasn't at all surprised when the country came out with the most luscious and perverted industries much later on.

Blood dripped down his thighs. Kiku liked it raw and dry. It added on to the excitement. The sight of blood aroused him. But not Leon. The boy squirmed beneath the hovering figure. He bit his tongue so hard it began to bleed. In no way would he moan in front of Kiku. He never moaned for him.

The visits grew more frequent when Kiku was stressed or when some invasions didn't go well. Leon would usually comply because he received more food after their copulation. Hunger did unimaginable things to his dignity. He felt low to fall prey to Kiku's tricks.

When it did get pleasuring in one of those rare nights, he would make the best out of it. Wrapping his legs around that waist, he burrowed his face into Kiku's shoulder. The sensation of being needed urgently convinced him that he was, at least, useful to some extent. Unlike what Kiku had said.

(5)

"I didn't know you like that egg." Kiku stared at the languid expression of the keychain.

"I think you call it gudetama," Leon laughed and juggled the keychain.

"Yes, we do," Kiku chuckled.

"It kinda gets popular at my place. We've got a café featuring it. Your products are getting sold crazy in my city. Doesn't it look adorable? It looks so laid back and carefree."

"Is that why you like it?"

"Yea, if I can lie down all day and do nothing without the government pestering me, it's gotta be a paradise." Leon joked and sat down at the table. Hundreds of manga and video games stacked on the desk.

"These are the stuff you requested earlier," Kiku said. "I hope you can squeeze them all into your luggage."

"Like, don't worry about it. I'll just ask for the shipping later. Wow, you've got a whole collection of it! Great! Brilliant! Thanks a lot!" Leon quickly grabbed a manga, flipped it open and started reading it.

"I just…didn't realise you like so many of my things." Kiku propped his chin in his palm.

"Oh, I love your culture, my people do." Leon shrugged. His eyes fixated on the page. "And they love Yong Soo's drama a lot. Damn it. I don't know what they see in those melodrama things. But well, I do enjoy quite a number of them even though the plots are probably cliches. I can never draw like you though. I did try, but I guess I'm still better at making money than developing arts industry."

"You're doing fine. You have your unique style, Kaoru-kun," Kiku smiled.

"You'll send me the copies once they release the new episode, right?"

"Of course."

"Perfect! And I'll tell you a secret." Leon looked up from the book and sneered, "Even though he tries hard to hide it, Yong Soo actually enjoys your manga a hell lot more than I do."

Kiku laughed.

He remembered when he handed him back to Arthur. It rained. His wounds were deep. His bandages were soaked red. Hiroshima and Nagasaki were gone. Everything gone. He lost. Just like Leon had said, he fell. Plummeted right from the top. Dreams shattered. Ambitions reduced to humiliation.

He didn't want to let go of that hand, even though they had only spent three years and eight months together. He thought he would always be his property.

"Kaoru," he whispered.

The boy didn't turn back. His shadow got smaller and smaller. He was back in Arthur's arms. He brought the pain with him. But never had he once shed a tear.

(6)

"Thanks for taking me to Kyoto and Nara. Love those deer by the way. Oh and the Universal Studio. Haven't got that thing yet at my place. Maybe I should discuss with Alfred and build one to boost my tourism!" Leon chuckled, "I think I'm going broke with all the shopping. Your stuff is so tempting."

"You can always take them for free," Kiku smiled.

"Nah, that won't be good. There're a couple of things I've bought for Yong Soo anyway. I'll charge him more."

"That's wicked, Kaoru-kun." Kiku pouted, "It's very wrong to resell my stuff and earn profits for yourself."

"Just kidding," Leon laughed and walked over to the gate. "Well then, I'm off. Sayonara~"

"Wait-"

Leon turned around and stiffened.

The shorter male wrapped his arms gently around him. Kiku's hair smelled of cherry blossoms. He leaned slightly against Leon's chest, his eyes shaded by his bangs.

"Do come again when you're free," Kiku cooed. "You haven't even visited Okinawa, Kyushu and Fukuoka."

"Sure," Leon nodded and patted his back. "See ya later at the world meeting, bro."

"Sayonara, otouto."

Kiku smiled faintly and watched until the other boy disappeared into the gate.