Found; the story of Little China; Big Japan

It had been nearly six weeks since Japan had found his 'little' big brother. A lot had changed between him and China since the first day they had met. It was not a sadness or regret that lied inside him, instead, it was a feeling that this event had given him in promise of a new beginning. Yes, a new beginning…for the both of them.

"Brother…?" The shying voice of little China came from behind him.

"What is it…?" He asked with a tone he found unbelievably calm. "I guess it just comes with being a 'parent'."He thought as he pictured the same voice his old Aniki used to use when speaking with him.

"My back…" He stated softly, trying to hide his pain. "…it hurts, aru."

A troubled look came over Kiku's face, "Your back? Here…let me see,"

The taller nation got up from his seat on the porch overlooking the viewing garden and helped the boy peel off the back of his kimono. As soon as Japan's eyes met the giant gash that had been laid across the child's back, he nearly fell back. The scar seemed more than just a 'little bit' familiar to him.

"No…" He doubted the truth. "It couldn't be…"

But it seemed that his brother broke before he could. "I'm sorry, Japan! I promise I didn't do it to myself, aru! I swear! I….I don't even know how it got there, aru! It just appeared…and I thought that if I showed you I would be punished..and…and…" Tears welled up in the boy's eyes. "And I'm sorry!"

Out of all the things that little China had said to him in the past few weeks, this was the most burdening.

"No…" Kiku promised with a regretful sigh. "You will not be punished."

Yao took in a quick breath of air, glad he was safe. "So then…what will you do aru?"

Japan gently ran his fingers across the skin just above the scar, greeted by the boy with a wince.

"It hurts?"

"Y-yes, aru…" China tried to hold himself from complaining, a trait he and Japan had always shared.

Kiku could hardly stand to look at the scar that had been sworn into his brother's back. Any other nation would ask the child what happened and wonder how in the world a boy such as him could receive such a hefty burden. But Japan didn't need to know what happened, he very well knew already. Nor did he need to ask how China got it. Those years were burned in Kiku's memories as well as the scar was in his brother's back.

"Brother…?" The child innocent voice broke through Japan's thoughts. "Is something wrong, aru?"

Japan couldn't take it anymore. His lip quivered at the sound of China's soft voice and the puddle of tears that had built itself up under his eyes was beginning to slip.

"I…" He paused, realizing how shaky his voice sounding, before finishing his sentence. "Don't worry about me…It's you we should be caring for right now."

He was glad he was standing behind the boy, with the child having no view of the taller nation's eyes.

"Well," He made an attempt to dry off his face with the edge of his kimono. "…if it does…ah, hurt, then why don't we go the sink and run some water over you."

The smaller nation nodded with a smile, having no idea what emotional bullets were being shot at his brother, who had no choice but to take them as they came, with a smile of course.

Part 2 next~