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Half a Millennium

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TWO/FIFTY

siblings

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The second child is bright and smart. Like Nihon, he has black hair and black eyes; like Nihon, he is eager to please. However, that is the extent of their similarities. Korea (as China has taken to calling him) is loud and brash and blunt and a huge of bundle of nothing-but-trouble. At least, that is what Nihon thinks of his new brother.

China, on the other hand, couldn't be more delighted to have another child to take of and teach and tutor and hope-to-achieve-happiness-with as well. As if Nihon could never be enough.

Korea is cheerful and warm, something he knows he will never be. China can twirl him about for all his worth and laugh and giggle and joke with him without any reciprocation or indication of joy. Nihon will smile, will talk, will maybe even laugh, but his reactions cannot hold a candle to either of his brothers.

When China tells a joke, Korea will clutch his stomach and fall to the floor laughing.

When China is teaching the two of them (or reiterating something Nihon already knows but Korea has ignored), Korea will be (loudly, enthusiastically) completing the assignment.

When China is in the mood for affection (be it a warm embrace or a feather-light brush of sleeves), it is Nihon who will turn away for shame and Korea who will boldly return the elder's actions and words.

One day (soon, soon, it is coming) he knows that Korea will push him out of the picture. For what reason, he cannot fathom: he is still but a child and China will be forever naïve. But it matters not to the little voice who is whispering in the dark and the shadows and the rough breezes of the summer air. Neither of the children like sharing (whether it be papers, brushes, or beds) and they're certainly too young to call a truce in the name of the elder-brother figure of their life.

Korea smiles and Nihon understands: this is war.

He's read about it and talked about it and even thought about it at times, but he has never considered taking part in one. China had always abhorred violence for reasons unknown and before, his entire existence was bent around making the other one stay.

Before Korea, there had never been any real need for conflict: simply Nihon and China, China and Nihon; two countries-come-people who lived in and around and near the same forest. Now, now he understands why China has hated wars so much.

It's over before it starts; Korea has more power than his - insipid, stupid, weak, unguarded - face will reveal and Nihon is all-too-easily overpowered. The other boy has him not only disarmed but on his back on the ground as well and he hates himself for being so miserably helpless. He's lost, he knows; he's lost China's attention to Korea.

Now it's Korea's guard that's down and Nihon jumps back on his feet, weary-and-exhausted but more than ready to strike and have certain victory and-

And China walks into the tea room-turned-sparring ground and shrieks.

With speed and elegance and downright-anger unmatched, he has both members of his makeshift family on the floor without arms and without pride.

"What were the two of you thinking, aru?" Korea's face is sullen while Nihon's is devoid of emotion - like usual. "Korea, I know you're always so brash and impulsive but Nihon! I expected more from you! You know you're the older one, aru!" Korea is also smarter than the 'older one' would like to give him credit for as the other boy immediately senses a chance of redemption.

"China-hyung! Nihon tried to attack me, da-ze!" The 'younger' of the two bounds up and away, running forward to clutch about China's legs and burrowing a (inevitably smirking) face in the folds of his dress.

"Did you really?" China is rightfully suspicious. Nihon is devastated; doesn't know what to say. It is the truth, simply not the whole truth and - and China looks like he hates him right now. On the floor, he nods, solemnly, wishing he couldn't see the complete and utter disappointment drawn over his beloved elder brother's face.

"I..." China looks at a loss for words; Korea hugs about his legs tighter, "I am so tired..." and he ends weakly, uncertain of how to deal with the large confrontation. Nihon watches as the other simply leaves the scene, taking only enough time to gingerly slide himself out of Korea's grasp.

"China-hyung will be all mine, just wait and see!" Korea declares loudly before flouncing out of the room.

Nihon does not know that he will see neither of them for weeks to come after this encounter, choosing to climb to his knees and raise his hands to his face.

His cheeks are dry, though his chest hurts.

It is the first time he realizes that China might have lied to him, the first time he understands how painful it can be.

He hurts (all over, completely and utterly) and yet - and yet - the tears are not coming.

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Lonely again. It was something he had been so used to for so many days, years, centuries, perhaps. But suddenly, the feeling of being alone (of being lonely) was not half as comforting as it first was.

And he knows the reason for his new change-of-view all-too-well: China.

He's lost the war against Korea, lost another against China (though it was a battle within hearts not hells), and now, Korea (as the rightful victor) has chosen for Nihon to cut off all ties with China. China has not visited him yet (it's been weeks? months? years?) but even through the dense foliage of the forest, he can hear the two of them, their different laughs mingling.

Nihon has his own people now, people like those of China and Korea. They do not know of his existence, all except for the Emperor, another something that is a reminder of China and all that he has done to-and-for Nihon. The Emperor is the only member of his country to see him; the others pretend that he is speaking to some holy deity of the like - God, his emperor jokes. Jokes.

Grimace; grim smile as he reads into the irony of the description.

'God' has been bested by his younger brother.

'God' has sent the entire country into forced isolation, into complete and utter loneliness, because...?

'God' is not a god, is not a person, and hates - hates - hates being a country.

But more than anything, Nihon hates being able to only talk to one person. Because that person isn't China. The stench of defeat hangs about and makes a good home for itself with the feeling of absolute loneliness.

He's sick of it right now, sick of the 'consultants' quiet chuckles behind long sleeves ('the Emperor is talking to God again, oh, what a wonderous Emperor we have, much better than the one China has') and his own Emperor's greed and lack of initiative ('yes, yes, God says that we should raise the taxes once more. I believe that God would like me to have another delightful wife and more heavenly children.'). He wants out of this and the strong force of loyalty (yet another thing China has bestowed upon him) is the only thing that binds him here.

The thought keeps him alive, but only barely.

It's too soon and too obvious. He's going to crash, it's not a question, just a matter of time.

Yes, he'll crash, and then fall, and then others will be able to see him.

The Emperor lets loose a shout for help as he struggles to keep the now-touchable young-country from hitting the floor. Servants and waiters and consultants all come rushing over, everyone is talking all at once, but Nihon cannot hear, cannot see any of that. All that is in his eyes is the graceful flow of robes, that kind-gentle-smile, those cheerful eyes and...

Better times.

"Nii-san..." he weakly cries out, hands grasping for that so-far-away immortal frame.

Voices are all around him, words flying through and in and out of his ears his heart hurts.

"Who's nii-san?"

"Who is the child? How dare he be touching the hands of our Emperor!"

"Back away from him!"

"Nii-san is Chuugoku! He wants to see him!"

"What? Ridiculous! We're in a time of difficulty with Korea, they won't let us take a child-"

"Who is the child? Emperor, please get your revered hands off him!"

"We are taking this child to see his older brother. It is God's will. We leave when the sun rises," and as simple as that, the Emperor has made his move, taking Nihon in his arms and murmuring sentiments of goodwill towards the never-aging child. Said child clutches at his chest, clutches at his heart. There's a human sort of desperation - it hurts.

More voices, sunlight and shade and they are out of the house and into the forest and-

"What? There is no way we'll let someone of your kind into the house of our lord!"

"We feel that-"

"Nihon!" the world spins slower. It dances to a stop as the smell of plum blossoms drifts through the air and he feels himself being lifted up by graceful, flowing sleeves and gentle but firm arms.

When he wakes the next time, China is shushing Korea and chiding the younger about 'not disturbing elders' and 'not taking up so much of one person's time'. Then he whirls and catches Nihon's opened eyes.

"Nihon," China murmurs, softly, as he did when he found the young boy in the center of the forest, "I'm glad you're alright. You should come to me immediately if you're ever feeling unwell-aru."

"China-nii..." he feels his throat constrict and tears threaten to well up, "I'm...I'm..."

"Shh, shh, it's okay," China smooths the short-chopped-locks away from his forehead, "I'll stay with you," he uses his hand to keep the black hair from Nihon's forehead, pressing a warm kiss to the fevered, sweaty head.

Korea huffs in the background; China chastises him without menace.

"Welcome back," his impetuous younger sibling says in Chinese - a compromise of sorts.

Nihon snorts, laughs, and then doubles over coughing. China fusses over him and Korea reciting well-wishes in his own language. Nihon can't really make out the larger portion of them, but he nods absent-mindedly all the same. After a while, he drifts to sleep, muscles giving way to exhaustion.

Home, he thinks, and his heart stops hurting.

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brief history lesson(2) The first known conflict between China and Japan happened when Korea was still split into Three Kingdoms and the "five" of them were involved in a war with each other (c. 660 AD). China sided with two-thirds of Korea while Japan was with the other third. For simplicity's sake, I kept Korea sane (that is, only one Korea). Japan was the obvious loser of the conflict and was isolated from Asia (and China) for some time after the conflict due to the treaty stipulations of one of the Korean Kingdoms' (Silla) involvement. After the war with Korea, there were still a couple Japanese tradesmen who managed to get past Korea's offensive systems and continue trade with China (c. 700 [AD is going to be assumed from here on out]). It is in this piece of history that I decided to have China and Japan 'make-up' for a short time. Keep in mind though that before the Opium Wars, China maintained relatively good relations with Japan (as well as the rest of the Asian countries).

notations - The kiss on forehead is a bit of headcanon on my side. It's a running gag with my Japan/China fanfictions, hahaha.

...so yeah.