Chapter 7
"And you have your choices, and these are what make man great. His ladder to the stars."
-Timshel, Mumford & Sons
Shanghai, China- January, 2011
The business world truly was an exceptionally boring place.
Yao leafed through the thick folder on his desk, flipping the pages with his fingers. His face was a mask of utter boredom, and he fidgeted in his chair as he skimmed over document after inane document.
Figures, figures, costs, stocks, shares, trades, etc. etc. etc. It was always the same thing after boring thing. Yao sighed and leaned his cheek on his fist as his eyes roamed over a report, internalizing the information with a single quick sweep.
He had thought that emerging from the shadows instead of retreating back into them would have eliminated the threat of tedium. Stopped him from having to crouch and wait like a rat. Avoided the boredom of staying still. The boredom of not being in a competition, of not using his wits to manipulate and challenge others.
When the war between himself and England had 'ended' (or rather, been called to a mutual armistice), there had been a moment where Yao had had no idea what to do with himself. How to spend his time, where to cast his gaze now that his biggest obstacle was indisposed. What to do with his vast cunning and ruthless followers now that there was no Englishman to crush.
The idea of…coming out, so to speak, was one that had intrigued him. His sudden plan of revealing himself instead of retreating back into the darkness had been one that no one else had quite understood. The reason the ongoing feud between himself and England was being called to a close was because they had been compromised. Because their eternal existence and murderous affairs had been discovered and almost made public. The threat to both families had overshadowed any threat they posed to one another and a ceasefire of sorts had been called so that they would no longer draw attention to themselves.
England had withdrawn completely. China's actions had left his company in tatters anyways, and the threat of exposure had made it necessary for him to completely retract from Russia, which had been his only chance to regain what he had lost.
Yao had won.
That round at least.
But England's retreat into the shadows had left China with a rather large dilemma. Boredom. All of a sudden, the feud that had been taking place for almost seventy years had hit a ceasefire and there was nothing for Yao to do but twiddle his fingers.
The idea had hit him when he had been contemplating how there was nothing left that he could do to oppose England. He had control over the underground throughout Asia and through most of Russia. With England in hiding, he could attempt to expand into Western Europe. But Western Europe wasn't on his schedule for another decade or two, and Yao was really picky about keeping things on schedule. He hated disorder, because disorder bred imperfection in work. And all of Yao's plans had to be perfect.
Then an idea had hit him. He wanted to oppose England. He loved doing that more than anything else. So why not oppose England by doing…the opposite of him?
Arthur Kirkland and the Kirkland Company were fading into the shadows. Why didn't Wang Yao step out into the light?
The idea had intrigued him, not just because of the opposition to England, but because it was something new and exciting. He had never, in his long life, been in the light before. He had always operated from the shadows. Always been in the darkness. He'd been raised in the Yakuza and raised others the same way. He'd been a manipulative cut-throat pretty much from birth and had dominated underground organization after underground organization. But never once had he stepped out into the light. Even when he had played around with politics in Post World War II Europe, he'd always been behind the scenes. The puppeteer behind the curtain. Never revealing himself.
Quite frankly, he had always preferred it that way. You could get so much more done in the shadows than you could in the light. But the opportunity to step out from behind the curtain, to do something completely opposite to England, to hide himself by revealing himself…the idea had been too delicious to pass up.
The Russians were looking for an underground shady business, a Chinese mafia of sorts. They were looking for underhanded dealings and subterfuge. They were not looking for a respectable Chinese company that just happened to buy out some businesses in Russia.
Taking over a company was different from taking over underground organizations, like he was accustomed to, and it had been surprisingly fun. It had been something new, something exciting. He'd been amused by all the posturing, bigotry and blatant lies in the business world. Yao should have learned from his dealings with Arthur, but the similarities between the 'respectable' world and his own life in the shadows were so numerous he often couldn't help but laugh.
Yes, the entire thing had been quite fun at first. New things always are. But fifteen or so years later, Yao was getting somewhat tired of the somewhat repetitious office routine. He longed to visit Kiku, who was currently running the underground portion of their business. Or perhaps Vietnam, though he knew she wouldn't appreciate the intrusion into her regime.
More than anything else however, he wanted England. He wasn't satisfied with how things ended between them. The man was a constant irritation, a thorn in his side that wouldn't go away, but Yao wasn't content with him having just disappeared. If their war was going to end, it was going to end with Arthur Kirkland on his knees, begging for mercy with all of his accursed family tortured and maimed around him and his glorious empire in tatters at his feet.
The empire was already in tatters. But England and his family had scattered. Yao had heard nothing from them in ten years.
But then, he had.
England, foolish, foolish England, had stepped out of the shadows. Attempted to resurrect his fallen company, and succeeded to an extent. Yao had watched with amusement. The company was still so weak, so feeble. It would be almost too easy to knock it back down. Either the new, respectable business way, or the old-fashioned way. Sabotage. It wouldn't take much out of his Hello Kitty fund to plant a bomb in a factory or two.
But he hadn't. He'd let Arthur be. Kiku had pressed it. He hadn't wanted Yao to do anything to compromise his current 'business' image. Wang Yao was now a well-known name and a well-known face. However, this wouldn't last much longer. Changing his hairstyle and his suits wouldn't be enough to continue accounting for his lack of aging. He could blame it on his Asian health for another year or two perhaps, but then he would have to make Wang Yao disappear.
And that would be when he'd strike.
Or, at least, that had been his original plan.
But then came the news of Arthur Kirkland, that impertinent little upstart, moving into Russia already. When his company was just barely getting up off the ground…The sheer gall of it made his laugh. To use some of the slang floating around this new decade, Arthur had balls.
It had appeared that England had deemed fifteen years as long enough of an armistice and was ready to play again. And China was ready for him. His underground roots were still strong. His presence in the business world was growing and he practically owned the entire Eastern Hemisphere. England's control over the Western World had crumbled and disappeared. He'd have to work hard to build it back up again and China would have destroyed him before it could have happened. But it seemed England wasn't wasting any time rebuilding his former empire. He was going straight for the man who had taken it from him. For China.
And that suited Yao just fine. It was unexpected and it might cause the game to end earlier than he had hoped, but it was still amusing, and still certain to be fun.
Because he now had the opportunity to crush England once and for all.
Tokyo, Japan- February 1925
"Congratulations, Yao-nii."
Yao turned as he heard the greeting come from behind him. His crisp, black and white hakama swirled slightly and the high, traditional ponytail whipped through the air. He smiled widely as he saw Kiku and the Japanese boy smiled back in response before bowing to his friend. Yao returned the bow, the smile never leaving his face as he straightened.
"Arigatou, Kiku-kun," he replied with a slight smirk, regarding his 'younger brother' in a fond manner, "I couldn't have done it without you."
Kiku's cheeks flushed and he looked down modestly. "N-no," he stammered, "That is not true. It is due to the hard work you put into our family. That is why you have been given such a large honour." Yao gave Kiku a strange look and then smiled darkly.
It was true. Yao had accomplished a ridiculous amount in his short time in the family. The boy was smart and creative and his methods of getting what he- or what the family- needed were both terrifying and ingenious. Whether it was using his innocent looks to deceive people into letting their guard down, or using complex and devious plans to suck people into a web that they couldn't escape from. Several wealthy families in the area were now indebted to the Honda family due to Yao's manipulation and trickery. The number of bribes and benefits that had to be handed out in order to keep people in the area quiet was lessening, as families and people began paying them instead to keep themselves and their secrets safe.
"Blackmail, aru," Yao had explained when Kiku had asked him about it, "Why should we pay them to keep the police out of our business? They're the ones benefiting. With us in the area, there is less of a likelihood of petty crime and random murders. What's more, we bring wealth. They are more deadweight than anything, and all their money comes from the businesses that we control. I don't know what those old men were thinking, aru, not to have realized this sooner. With the amount of control we have, we could bankrupt those rich idiots at anytime. And with the amount of people we have, we could make any one of their family members 'disappear' at any moment." The Chinese youth had then smiled and given Kiku a knowing look. "This is how the Italians do it, aru. And they've done pretty well by it thus far. As idiotic as they may seem, you can learn a lot from Westerners. You can learn a lot from anyone, aru. Providing you know what to look for. Remember that."
And Kiku had.
Kiku remembered everything that Yao told him, even the strange things. The things he didn't agree with. The things he didn't understand. He remembered them all because to him, Yao was always some strange and exotic creature. An all-knowing deity, much like the gods and spirits in the old stories. He seemed filled with boundless wisdom and his ascent in the Honda family at such a young age never seemed less than mystical. And everything he said seemed to have some deeper meaning. Some life lesson that Kiku would need to internalize in order to fit into Yao's strange and complex world. Lessons. His life was full of them. From the moment he met Yao onwards.
"Kiku, I know you don't think you have any need to learn how to fight at the moment. I know you're still a child. But should this place be attacked, do you think anyone's going to spare the son of the Wakagashira just because he's a child? And what's more, don't you think you'll be that much more powerful in the future if you start now? Dig the well before you are thirsty, Kiku. You'll benefit more from it in the end."
"Just because you're upset that I scolded you, doesn't mean you had any right to lash out at me like that. In the future remember that if you are patient in one moment of anger you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. Also, I'm stronger than you, aru."
"I don't care if you think it's difficult. I want you to do what I just did, aru. Kung Fu is complicated, but it isn't. Just do it. I can't simply tell you what to do. You hear and you forget, you see and you remember, you do and you understand."
"You've internalized everything that everyone around you has said, aru. You believe the adults around you unconditionally and intend to follow their way of life completely. And Kiku, that is the stupidest thing you could ever do. A wise man makes his own decisions, an ignorant man follows the public opinion. Especially when the public consists of stuffy and stupid old men, aru."
"Don't make that face, aru. Mandarin is very similar to Japanese, in a way. If I learned Japanese, you can learn Mandarin. Besides, the sooner you learn Mandarin the more time you'll have on English. But you'll learn neither if you don't start. The journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."
"I know you dislike the changes I've brought to your life, but trust me you'll appreciate it in the end. You were heading down a very singular path. The exact same path as your father. Don't you want to do more, aru? See more? Be more? You won't be if you keep trying to match your footsteps directly into your Father's. If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end where we are headed. And you don't want to go where you're headed. Trust me, it's too boring a life for you. You'll be much better off with me."
The past three years had been an interesting and hectic time for Kiku. Wang Yao was nothing sort of a whirlwind of wonder and knowledge. Kiku had learned more in that time than he had in all the years before. He had begun learning Kung Fu and some swordplay, as well as Mandarin. When he was ten his Father had instructors begin teaching him Karate, and while Kiku found learning two different style confusing, Yao saw it as an amazing opportunity for Kiku to make a unique fighting style and pushed him harder. Yao was always pushing Kiku harder and the younger boy honestly didn't know the purpose in it. Yao was successful all on his own. He was powerful and knowledgeable and capable of almost anything it seemed. So why did he spend so much time on Kiku? It had never made sense.
And now, Yao had progressed even further. Had taken yet another huge step forward. At the young age of thirteen, he'd been given control of his own faction of the Yakuza.
"It is a large honour indeed," agreed Yao, still looking at Kiku oddly, "But, my work had very little to do with it, aru. I could plant a seed in every square inch of your father's garden, and I would not advance any further in rank. You see," Yao's smirk deepened and Kiku felt a slight chill at the dark look in the boy's amber eyes.
"It is all who you are planting the seeds for."
Kiku's eyebrows creased in confusion, but the feeling was soon replaced by discomfort and embarrassment as Yao grabbed his hand tightly and began leading him out to the courtyard, laughing. Kiku's cheeks flushed and he protested feebly, extremely cognizant of the disapproving looks they were receiving from some of the adults in the area.
Wang Yao…he seemed to thrive on physical contact. He was always, always, touching Kiku. Instead of just showing Kiku how to draw the characters, he had to guide Kiku's hand through the stroke order. When Yao began teaching Kiku Kung Fu, he always corrected Kiku by moving his limbs. Instead of just telling Kiku the proper stance to take, he would always take it upon himself to Kiku's arms, legs, and any other part of his body into the correct position. And whenever they went anywhere together, Yao would always insist on taking Kiku's hand. Like he was doing now.
And it always made Kiku very uncomfortable.
"A-ah! Y-yao-san, onegai-,"
"Oh hush, Kiku! This is a happy time, right? Be happy with me, aru!"
A smile bloomed unbidden on Kiku's face at Yao's jovial tone of voice and he relaxed, allowing himself to be led across the courtyard and to a section of property mostly hidden behind the vast house.
"Yao-san, should you really have left? Everyone is inside for you," commented Kiku as the two boys slowed to a brisk walk.
"That may be, aru," replied Yao, still holding tight to his adoptive brother's hand, "But that does not mean I have to remain inside for everyone. In fact, I'd rather not. I'd much prefer being out here with you,"
A blush dusted Kiku's cheeks as Yao turned his head and gave him a wide smile, and he smiled tentatively back.
Despite his strange ways, his incessant need for contact, the strict way in which he instructed Kiku, and his slight know-it-all tendencies, Kiku had become quite fond of Wang Yao. He still felt strongly that Yao was a completely separate creature from him, one that went above and beyond what a normal human child should be, but he really…liked him. Not just because of all his lessons and all the help he gave. But because he was nice, and funny, and interesting to listen to. And because he spoke with Kiku, and did not just bow and say, "Kon'nichi wa, Bocchan," like everyone else did. He didn't just peer at him through squinty eyes, ask how his lessons were going, tell him to stay out of the way, and dismiss him like his father did. He spoke with Kiku, and listened to Kiku, and was always there for Kiku.
Despite the otherwordly-ness that Yao possessed, Kiku truly considered him be his big brother.
"See Kiku-kun? Isn't this much nicer then being inside with all of those stuffy adults?" asked Yao as he pulled Kiku into the shade of some sakura trees, all-growing closely together in some lonely corner of the courtyard.
"Hai, this is nice," agreed Kiku, admiring the way the branches of the tree crossed together and reached up into the sky. Even when their limbs were bare, the sakura trees were beautiful. Kiku stopped, tilting his head further back and squinting his eyes against the brightness of the sky, still shining with light even as the sun began its descent. Wisps of clouds streaked across it, died dark orange and red, with a soft wind dispelling and twisting them. The branches of the sakura trees stretched upwards, dark and vibrant against the backdrop of the sky, still majestic and beautiful despite the bareness of their limbs.
"Kiku-kun?"
Kiku's head snapped down and his eyes blinked owlishly. His vision blurred for a second before returning to normal and he rubbed the back of his arm across his eyes. Blinking again, he lifted his head and stared across to where Yao's voice had come from. The older boy stood a few feet away, leaning against one of the trees with his arms folded across his chest. His eyes were directed towards Kiku and narrowed, looking surprisingly flinty, like chips of amber. Kiku froze as he met Yao's gaze and a chill swept down his spine.
"Yao-nii?" he began tentatively, swallowing thickly, "Is…is something the matter?" Yao continued staring at Kiku for a few more seconds, during which the Japanese boy felt his breath catch in his throat and a thrill of fear sweep through him. Was Yao upset with him? Had he done something? Should he bow until his head was at his knees and apologize-
"Nothing is the matter, aru," replied Yao, ending the tense silence with a secretive smile. "I was merely deep in thought. As were you, staring out into space as you were."
Kiku's cheeks flushed and he lowered his head in embarrassment. One of Yao's life lessons was to always be on the alert, and to never let your guard down or become unaware of your surroundings. By allowing himself to be so enamored by the tree and the sky, Kiku had closed off his other senses and become distant from what was taking place around him. Yao must have noticed, as he always did, and was now upset with him.
"Gomenasai!" apologized Kiku, tilting his body forward into a bow. Yao smiled wanly. "You recognized your own mistake, aru," he said, eyes flickering with that odd golden light, "That's nothing to apologize for."
With that, Yao let out a little sigh and slid down to the snow-dusted ground, unmindful of the way his hakama bunched underneath him or the cold seeping into his bottom. Kiku's eyes narrowed in confusion and then widened. Yao currently had an expression on his face that Kiku had never seen before. His brow was creased with worry and concentration and he was gnawing at his bottom lip. His hands clung tightly to the bunched up cloth hanging loosely from his legs and his gaze was down, eyes tight and pensive.
Kiku was paralyzed. He'd never seen Yao in such a…worried state. The boy always seemed so sure of himself, so confident in everything he did. It was something that contributed to the supernatural persona Kiku had of him. But now, Kiku was getting a glimpse of Yao that he had never before been offered. A glimpse of Yao with worry etched into his face. A glimpse of Yao showing real, human emotion.
Yao shifted slightly, pressing his lips into a thin line and leaning further back against the tree. The movement snapped Kiku out of his revelry, and the eleven-year-old hurried over to where his big brother sat, his large shoes flip-flopping against the ground as he went. Yao didn't look up and Kiku stood hesitantly beside him for a few awkward seconds before slowly lowering himself down into a kneeling position.
"Yao-nii?" he began hesitantly, tilting his head down to try and meet his brother's gaze. "Yao-nii, are you alright?"
There was silence and then, slowly, Yao lifted his head and met Kiku's eyes with his own. The normally cunning and knowledgeable gold-brown orbs were narrowed and awash with something unidentifiable. His whole face seemed unhappy, and his posture was stiff and tense.
"Kiku..." began Yao in a low voice, keeping his eyes matched to Kiku's, "I…I am faced with a dilemma, aru. A number of dilemmas actually, but one particularly pressing one."
Kiku's own brow creased n confusion and he struggled to continue to hold Yao's gaze.
Nii-san had a problem? But wasn't his specialty solving problems? Coming up with ideas and plans? Was there one that was stumping him? It didn't seem likely as Yao was well, Yao. But it did seem like he was...was he asking Kiku for advice?
All these thoughts ran through Kiku's head and the boy swallowed once before continuing to sit in silence. Not so much from Yao's teachings as from his own experience, Kiku had learned that in situations where you didn't know exactly what was going on or what was expected of you, it was best to simply refrain from speaking and observe.
The silence stretched for a few more uncomfortable seconds with neither boy breaking the other's gaze. Suddenly, Yao jerked forward, scurrying until his nose was a hairsbreadth from Kiku's. The Japanese boy's eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat, his vision suddenly filled with pools of gold-brown and the feeling of Yao's breath on his lips. Kiku couldn't move, couldn't breathe. His entire body was frozen and all he could see were Yao's eyes and all he could feel was the other boy's body so close to his.
Yao was the only one who ever got this close to Kiku. And even in their sparring, this was the closest he'd ever gotten without moving after a moment. It was a direct invasion of Kiku's much coveted personal space bubble and the Japanese boy was having trouble focusing on anything else.
"Kiku," said Yao softly, not moving back or relinquishing his gaze, "What would you say if I told you…"
Kiku forced himself to push back his own discomfort and pay attention to Yao's words. It was clear that something was bothering his niisan and as a dutiful and honourable younger brother, Kiku would have to help Yao the way Yao had always-
"…that I was scared, aru?"
Kiku blinked, and then blinked again. His face contorted into an expression of confusion and then shock.
Yao. Wang Yao. Fearless, intelligent, charismatic, cunning, and all-powerful Wang Yao. His oniisan who seemed to know everything about the world and the people in it.
Was scared?
Kiku was paralyzed once more and before he could gather his thoughts and muster a reply, Yao spoke again.
"I'm scared, aru," continued the Chinese boy, his eyes finally drifting away from Kiku's, "Because everything is going so well."
Kiku's brow furrowed, and his paralysis and shock gave way to confusion. That wasn't the correct reason for having fear. In fact, it seemed to be the exact opposite of something that you would be afraid of.
"Yao-nii…" began Kiku hesitantly, taking the moment to shift backwards and finally put some much needed distance between himself and the other boy, "I don't understand…"
Something flickered in Yao's eyes and he gave a tight smile. "No…I don't make much sense, do I?" he chuckled darkly, sitting back on his feet. "I'm strange…a strange boy. I always have been. Tell me Kiku, what kind of five-year-old sells his newly-deceased yeye's jewelry for passage on a ship to Japan? What kind of five year old even realizes that Japan's a better place to be than China in present times? What kind of six-year-old picks up Kung Fu in a back alley from a discarded and denied old man who'd rather screw him than teach him? What kind of eight-year-old gives a Yakuza gang information on a trap by a rival group in order to gain entrance and protection? What kind of child moves quickly through the ranks of a deeply hierarchical and corrupted family? What kind of child understands enough to do that? What kind of thirteen-year-old gains control of their own faction of the Yakuza?" Yao finished his rant with a shout, breathing heavily as he sat with his eyes boring intensely into Kiku's.
The Japanese boy was stunned. He'd never, in the three years that he had known him, seen Yao lose his composure. Nor had he ever seen…a human side to Yao. When Kiku had first met the Chinese boy, he had wondered some of the same things that Yao had just asked. How could a child of ten be so prominent? So powerful? So knowledgeable? But in the way that children tend to, Kiku had just come to accept it. It was just the way Yao was. He was not a normal child. He was more than that. Beyond that. He was something far superior and mystical than a normal human being. He was Yao.
"The kind of child that is Wang Yao," answered Kiku, his voice strong and clear, "That is the kind of child that does all these things. The kind of child that is more than a child, more than a person. The child that will grow to be more than a man. Wang Yao. That is you, Nii-san."
Yao stared at Kiku, a genuinely shocked expression on his face. Kiku felt heat rise in his cheeks and he finally broke the other boy's gaze, dropping his eyes down to stare at the ground. Had he really just said that out loud? What happened to keeping his opinions to himself and refraining from speaking?
"Kiku-kun…"
Kiku swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before forcing himself to look up. Yao's eyes were still on him, but they weren't filled with worry and pensiveness, as they had been moments before. Now, once again, they were deep and knowledgeable and filled with cunning and unreadable thoughts and flickers of amusement in their depths. Kiku almost breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his entire body relax at the sight of his brother back to normal.
"Thank you," continued Yao, dipping his head in a slight bow, "Thank you for your kind words, Kiku-kun. They truly mean a lot to me. Thank you."
Kiku's cheeks burned a brighter red and he returned the bow, once again lowering his eyes. "I-it was nothing Yao-nii. You are my brother," he stammered, feeling warmth swell in his chest from the abundant thanks. He lifted his head and once again matched his eyes with the older boy's. "But I am wondering," he began tentatively, his eyes searching but wary, "What exactly caused-,"
"It's beautiful out, isn't it, aru?" said Yao sharply, cutting off Kiku's statement, "A nice day. It will be an early spring, don't you think?" His eyes had that flinty look in them again as he stared at his younger brother, the look on his face just daring Kiku to say something. As it were, the abrupt interruption and the blatant changing of subjects had somewhat stunned Kiku into not replying, and the Japanese boy sat blankly, not saying a word.
Yao-nii doesn't want to say what brought that about…he thought, quailing under the harsh look his brother's eyes had once again taken, I suppose it upsets him…
Kiku was both disturbed and intrigued by this new human side to the brother he had previously seen as nothing short of a mystical creature, but he didn't want to pry, nor did he wish to make Yao uncomfortable. To be honest, the entire matter was making him uncomfortable. Seeing a vulnerable side of the unshakeable rock in his life was disquieting and there was a large part of Kiku that just wanted to put the entire event behind them.
"…Hai," said Kiku, nodding his head slightly, "I too believe that it will be an early spring."
Yao smiled widely at the answer and the last vestiges of tenseness and worry disappeared from his body.
"Indeed, aru!" he chirped cheerfully, "Perhaps these trees will be lined with blossoms before the month is over."
Kiku smiled dutifully, willing himself to do as Yao clearly wanted him to and forget the entire first half of their conversation.
"I hope so," continued Yao, pouting and leaning one cheek on the palm of his hand, "If they bloom to late I might miss them, aru."
This statement startled Kiku and he stared at his brother in surprise and confusion. "I don't understand," he said, tilting his head to the side, "Why might you miss them?"
Yao smiled and his eyes twinkled with an excited light that Kiku had come to recognize as the light that came when something exceptionally good or beneficial happened. Now he was really curious.
"You see, aru," began Yao, once again moving forward and leaning his body towards Kiku, "My promotion came with a job of sorts. An excursion. Quite frankly, I think the Oyabun just wants to show me off." He grinned and let out a short laugh. Kiku squirmed uncomfortably and attempted to shift backwards without making it too obvious. "Yao-nii, please tell me what's going on," he muttered, beginning to feel the slightest bit of irritation.
Yao laughed again and then smirked, making it clear that he had noticed Kiku's retreat by moving forward again. The younger boy flushed and didn't even bother trying to conceal the way he scurried backwards.
"What's happening," said Yao, watching Kiku's backwards retreat be halted by a tree with amusement, "Is that I'm going to Korea."
Kiku blinked, pushing aside his escape as he stared at his older brother without comprehension.
"Korea?" he repeated.
"Korea," concurred Yao. "The Oyabun has a meeting with some of his benefactors there. They, in the fashion of old, lazy rich men, do not wish to come here to meet us. And as they are rich and beneficial to our family's dealings in Korea, the Oyabun is going to meet them."
Yao smiled and scurried forward, scooting over so that he was sitting beside Kiku, their sides touching. Kiku didn't move, both because he was still trapped by the tree and because he was hanging onto Yao's words.
"There are a number of reasons I could be being asked along," continued Yao, staring pensively into space, "I'm interested to see what exactly it is that he wants me to do. I'm sure it's something fun, aru."
Yao grinned, a slightly manic grin, and Kiku felt a chill run down his spine. He pushed the momentary feeling aside and smiled up at his brother.
"Congratulations Yao-nii," he said, dipping his head in a slight bow, "When are you leaving?"
"We are leaving soon, aru," replied Yao, "By early March. And Kiku, don't think I'm leaving you here. The trip to Korea will take far too long, and I don't know how long I'll be there. I can't have you missing out on so much training time. I'll come back and you'll have completely forgotten Mandarin, aru! No, no, you're definitely coming with me."
Kiku's mouth went dry and it hung open limply, the Japanese boy blinking owlishly as he tried to digest his brother's words.
"C-coming with you?" he stammered, face devoid of all previous colour, "I…what?"
Yao smirked, apparently amused by Kiku's reaction, "Exactly as I said, aru. I hinted at that around some important people, and they'll be sure to address the matter with the Oyabun. Your Father won't have much to say about it either way and if the Oyabun says it, then it shall come to pass." The smirk fell to a darker look, though the boy's lips still twisted upwards into a smile.
"I want you with me, aru. You're my beloved little brother. You're coming with me to Korea, regardless of what anyone decides."
Before Kiku could truly process the words or be spooked by them, Yao was grinning widely again.
"Say, Kiku," began Yao, looking at his brother with contemplative eyes, "What you said about me being more than human and becoming more than a mere man…"
Kiku flushed and looked down. "Th-that….that is…I…."
"I like it," interrupted Yao, staring up into the sky with an intense look in his eyes, "I like it very much, aru. Wang Yao…more than human. If I'm more than human, why should I remain content with a human name?" The thirteen-year-old tilted his head to the side. "Something representing more than mere humanity. Knowledge, eternity, more than human, and yet, human."
He stared up at the sky for a few more long minutes. Beside him, Kiku fidgeted uncomfortably, feeling as if the conversation had taken a strange and uncomfortable turn. He hadn't really thought about what he had said to Yao earlier, just that he didn't like seeing Yao upset and that he had never really seen Yao as a 'normal' child. But it seemed that the other had read far into his words…
"Kiku-kun," said Yao finally after an extended silence, "What do you think about calling me China?"
Gyeongseong, Korea- April 1925
It was dirty.
That was the primary opinion that Kiku had of Korea.
The streets were dirty, the buildings were dirty, the people were dirty…
He didn't like it.
The dirtiest thing of all, however, had to be the looks he was getting. Walking down the street with Yao, his long coat billowing behind him and his too-large western-style pants dragging in the filth of the street, all Kiku could feel were the dagger-like glares of the people he was passing by.
Not all of them. The numerous Japanese military men or nobles that he passed all nodded politely as he walked and some of the women gave him small smiles, which he returned. But the locals, the Koreans, all glared at him. The street was a busy one, filled with businessmen and people rushing here and there, but it was also filled with the poor, the dirty people that came underfoot and spat at him. Spat at him because they wouldn't dare do that to a member of the military or a noble for fear of repercussions. But here he was, a young Japanese boy with no guard or protection in sight save for a Chinese teenager who didn't seem to be paying anything much attention. He was a prime target for the hate of these beaten down people.
Quite frankly, Kiku was disgusted with the whole situation. It had been fifteen years since Japan had annexed Korea and still there was such disrespect? The large military presence didn't seem to have done anything to crush the rebellious spirit of the Koreans. Kiku had been there for only a fortnight, and already he had seemed at least ten riots break out in the city. They had been minor and had been completely crushed, but the fact that they had started in the first place upset him. Why couldn't they just accept defeat? It's not like their country truly had anything to offer. They should content and happy to be part of the Japanese empire and serve their glorious emperor.
Kiku stopped abruptly and recoiled as a glob of spit landed at his feet, spray landing on his bare toes. He hissed in displeasure and stared in anger in the direction the projectile had come from.
Not to far from him sat an old woman. Her hair was scraggly and hang loose around her shoulders and her still open mouth was missing teeth. She glared at Kiku for a few seconds before launching into a stream of Korean curses.
Kiku found himself shrinking back and hurrying forward to catch up with Yao.
He really hated Korea.
What was more was that Yao had seemed extremely distant since they had come here. He hadn't paid Kiku much attention, other than continuing his brief Mandarin lessons at the end of the day and sporadically attacking him to check his reaction time and skills. Other than that, Yao spent each and every day locked up in a room with the Oyabun, his officials, and whatever person they were meeting with that day. They were staying in the house of one such benefactor, and while the house was large and spacious, it wasn't as nice as the Honda home and after only a few days Kiku found himself becoming homesick. It didn't help that he spent most of every day stuck in a room by himself, practicing Mandarin or going through Karate, Kung Fu, and swordplay. Kiku was getting quite good at the sword, and he longed to try out a real katana, rather than the dull practice swords that he was forced to use now. He'd hoped that Yao would think he was good enough to advance him…but Yao had practically been too busy to spare him a glance…
Except for today. Today, there was a break in negotiations and Yao had offered to show Kiku around Gyeongseong, the capital of Korea. The Chinese boy had gone on several excursions himself, as their hosts had shown him and their entire party around, but Kiku had yet to experience the city.
And now, he was wishing it had stayed that way.
Kiku winced as a young man wearing ratty clothes began yelling at him as he passed by. He looked forward to where Yao walked before him, hoping that his big brother would turn around, defend him, do something, but Yao continued to walk forward seemingly oblivious to his dank surroundings and to Kiku's plight.
The Japanese boy felt stirrings of anger begin to churn in his belly. Why had Yao brought him here if he was just going to ignore him? What was the purpose? Why did he have to endure being spat, cursed, and yelled at while Yao walked with his head in the clouds, breaking his own rule of vigilance?
Kiku's lips pressed into a hard line and his hands clenched into fists as he hurried after his brother, squaring his shoulders and ignoring the angry shouts of the young man.
Just ignore him, just ignore him…chanted Kiku in his head. There's nothing to be afraid of, they're just jealous because they're inferior and are too stupid to see how wonderful it is to be part of our glorious empire…
As if he had heard Kiku's thoughts, the young man suddenly leapt to his feet and charged at him. Kiku whirled around immediately, eyes wide and his hear pounding as he saw a heavy stick being raised over him…
Suddenly, the man doubled over, dropping the stick and clutching his stomach. A foot crashed into the side of his face and he flew backwards.
"Filth," spat Yao, lowering his leg to the ground and glaring at the man, "Kkojora!"
Kiku stared at his brother in surprise and wonder. So Yao had been paying attention? And had he just spoken Korean?
The boy's attention was diverted as there was a collective shout from the Japanese populace in the area and a horde of men, both military and otherwise, leapt at Kiku's attacker. The last thing Kiku saw was the man's expression morph into one of horror and fear before he disappeared under flying fists and thrusting boots. The neighbouring Koreans shouted in protest and began attempting to pull the men off and fight. They were easily swatted away and beaten down, most of them being old or women. The majority of the young men had been carted off to work camps years before.
Kiku felt a churning in his stomach at the sight of the people being so thoroughly and viciously being beaten down, but at the same time he felt as if justice was being served. Now, maybe they would finally realize that it was pointless to resist. Pointless to spit on some random Japanese passerby. They were beaten and always would be. It was time the Koreans accepted it.
"You could have fought him off."
Kiku blinked, ripped from his thoughts as Yao's voice came from beside him. He tore his eyes away from the one-sided scuffle in the street and brought his eyes up to meet his Chinese brother's. Yao's eyes had a look of disapproval in them and Kiku started in surprise.
"P-pardon?" stammered Kiku, surprised by the displeased look Yao was giving him. What had he done? Yao was talking to him for what felt like the first time all day and it was because he was upset with him?
"That man," replied Yao, "You froze when he jumped at you, but you could have fought him off. Or do you think you're learning Kung Fu and Karate for fun, aru?"
Kiku wilted under the stern tone and displeased tone that Yao's voice had taken and he lowered his gaze. It was true. He'd been learning Kung Fu for three years and Karate for one. He knew enough to disable a man, let alone defend himself from some wretched vagabond's clumsy attack. It was shameful that he had frozen and not fended off the man himself, instead relying on Yao to do it for him.
"Gomennasai," he said lowly, shuffling his feet and hunching in on himself. He hated messing up like this. He wanted so much to be as amazing as Yao was at everything. He wanted to rise up through the ranks of the Yakuza and surpass even his Father, as Yao said he would be able to if he worked hard. He wanted to be at Yao's side as the boy ascended through the ranks, not be left behind because he wasn't strong enough and made foolish mistakes.
"Don't apologize," said Yao sharply, "Just correct your mistake. Apologies mean nothing if you don't learn from the experience."
Kiku swallowed thickly and nodded, "Yes, Niisan." His eyes once again fell to the ground and he remained still and silent. An uncomfortably tight feeling was in his chest and there was an odd stinging behind his eyes. Why was he so upset? Yes Yao had been ignoring him. Yes, just when Yao had begun paying attention to him again he had displeased him. Yes, he was in a country that seemed to hate him out of petty spite, but that was no excuse for…
Kiku heard a sigh from above him and he raised his gaze slightly, only to see Yao's hand traveling towards him at a fast speed. His eyes widened and then scrunched shut in anticipation. He should have contained his troublesome emotions better, now Yao was going to hi-
Kiku's thoughts fizzled out and his eyes flew open as Yao's arm wrapped around his shoulders and pulled him into his chest. The other arm wrapped around the other side as Yao squeezed Kiku tightly. The younger boy was completely limp, not comprehending what was going on. Was this some sort of sumo hold? Was Yao trying to constrict him as a form of punishment? Kiku's thoughts were a confused whirlwind as he stood with his body pressed against Yao's and his head resting on the older boy's shoulder.
"I apologize Kiku," said Yao softly, surprising the other boy, "I forget that you're still young, and not warped and strange like me. I'm not always the best niisan, am I? I'm sorry, I'll try and do better."
It was then Kiku realized that Yao was hugging him. And apologizing. Both of them shocking in their own right. The boy was so flabbergasted that he couldn't think of anything to say, or anything to do other than stay limp in his brother's arms. The closeness was beginning to get to him though and his discomfort was steadily rising. The situation was rectified when Yao suddenly relinquished his hold and pushed Kiku the side roughly, rushing forward as he did.
The Japanese boy struggled to keep his balance, his arms wind milling frantically, but he collapsed onto his bottom, a disgruntled look on his face as he angrily turned towards his brother.
Kiku blinked.
Yao was currently standing with an amused look on his face. In his hand was a young Korean boy, held aloft by the collar of his dirty and too-big hanbok. The boy was struggling wildly, limbs flailing as he attempted to wriggle out of Yao's hold.
"Struggling will get you nowhere, little thief," said Yao, amusement clear in his voice, "Didn't expect me to turn around so quickly did you?"
Kiku stood up, eyes narrowed in confusion. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened, or where the child had come from, or what Yao was saying. He had spoken in Korean, a language that Kiku did not know a single word of. After all, they were supposed to speak Japanese in Korea now, nothing else.
This little boy apparently didn't know that.
"Stupid invaders!" hissed the boy, still struggling wildly, "Just go back to your own country already! Get out of ours!"
Yao's amused expression never faded and his grip on the boy tightened. "You seem to have mistaken me for a Japanese, which I'm not, though I do live in Japan. However, you can't have more than six years. What do you know about invasion? The annexation occurred before you were born."
The boy scowled and threw a short-reaching punch. "I still know what's going on! You came and took what wasn't yours!"
Yao pursed his lips, eyes losing their amused light. "You don't listen do you? I told you I'm not Japanese. Or do you not even know who it is that's invaded you?"
The boy faltered for a moment before scowling heavily. "I know it was the Japanese. Stupid slanted-eyes shark-eating bowl-heads. I just didn't know there were people not Korean or Japanese," he answered, eyes burning. Then, the intense look in his eyes faded, if begrudgingly, and was replaced by a more questioning, curious look. "What are you?"
Yao suppressed the urge to laugh at the sudden shift in the boy's disposition and his childish ignorance. "I'm-," Yao froze, eyes twinkling with some sudden thought. A smile twisted his lips upwards and he turned his head to the side to give a still-confused Kiku a sly look. He then returned his gaze to the boy still dangling from his hand and said, with absolute conviction, "I'm China, aru."
"China?" repeated the boy. "I've heard of China. Japan is mean to China too. Wait, isn't China a country?"
Yao smiled slyly, shrugging, "Maybe. That doesn't change the fact that I am China, aru."
The boy seemed to be considering the information, no longer struggling or yelling wildly. He shifted his dark brown eyes away from Yao and peered over the boy's shoulder to where Kiku was standing in silent confusion. As their eyes met both boys frowned simultaneously and the Korean boy quickly returned his gaze to Yao.
"Is he Japan?" asked the boy, the frown turning into a deep scowl. Actual surprise lit up Yao's face and he turned around to look at Kiku. The Japanese boy shifted uncomfortably and shot a glare at the Korean, clearly recognizing that something had been said about him, before sending a questioning gaze to Yao.
"What is he saying?" he asked, becoming increasingly irritated. Yao didn't say anything, still looking contemplatively at his younger brother. Without replying, he turned back towards the captive boy in his hand with a small smile on his face.
"Yes," he affirmed, nodding his head slightly, "He is Japan."
The boy made a displeased noise and folded his arms across his chest. "Why is China with Japan? Japan is mean to China like Japan is mean to Korea. Japan is mean to everyone. I hate Japan."
"Japan and China are brothers," answered Yao, "And always will be, despite their arguments."
The boy pouted, but seemed to accept the answer, giving Kiku another glare over Yao's shoulder before once again matching his eyes to the Chinese boy's. "And Korea is also China's brother?"
Yao was startled again. He really hadn't expected these kinds of questions when he had told the boy that he was China. He had just…been testing the name out. But he was amused all the same, and actually enjoying the conversation. Even if he felt the slightest prickles of regret at talking in front of Kiku in a language he didn't understand.
"Yes, I suppose Korea is also China's brother. And Japan's too. All of Asia is a family," answered Yao, wondering how long the strange conversation would continue. The boy, skinny as he was, was pretty heavy to be holding up with one hand.
At Yao's answer, the Korean made a face, huffing indignantly. "I don't want to be Japan's brother!" he shouted, waving his arms about frantically, "Japan is mean."
Yao raised an eyebrow, "I don't recall saying anything about you being Japan's brother."
"Yes you did," countered the boy, "You said Korea is Japan's brother too. I'm Korea."
For the third time in five minutes, Yao was genuinely surprised. Now that was something he really didn't expect to hear. Unceremoniously, Yao dropped the Korean boy to the ground. The boy stumbled a bit as he landed, but then looked up, smiling as he stood in front of the shocked Chinese youth.
"What makes you think you are Korea?" growled Yao, folding his arms across his chest.
"What makes you think you're China?" shot back the youth, a cocky grin on his face. Yao's eyes narrowed and the boy let out a short laugh. Kiku stepped forward, clearly not liking that the little Korean seemed to be laughing at them.
"Don't mock your elders," snapped Yao, "What's your name?" The boy clapped his hands together, eyes twinkling merrily. "My name is Korea! Which is a country, but also me! I don't like Japan and my brother is China. I am Korea!" The boy then turned towards Kiku, hands clenched into fists at his side and his gaze burning.
"You are Japan!" he shouted loudly, pointing a finger at the Japanese boy, whose eyes narrowed in anger, "And one day, I'll kick you out of here! I'll beat you, and you won't hurt us ever again! I am Korea and one day I'll be stronger than you!"
Kiku's normally impassive face morphed into an expression of anger and he began moving threateningly towards the little boy.
"I don't know what you just said," he growled, "But I'll not have some dirty little Korean speak badly of me or point his finger at me rudely," Fear flickered in the boy's eyes, but he didn't retreat as Kiku advanced towards him, eyes thunderous and expression dark.
"Matte, Kiku-kun."
Kiku stopped and stared at Yao in confusion as the Chinese boy stepped between the Japanese one and the Korean.
"Korea, hm?" he mused aloud, crouching down so that he was at eye-level with the young boy, "I'm not sure you fully understand what that name entails."
Both 'Korea' and Kiku wore matching expressions of confusion. Kiku, because he wasn't sure exactly what Yao was talking about, and 'Korea' because Yao had switched to Japanese.
"I…understand…," said the young boy with great difficulty, "Country…uh…responsibility," he huffed, switching to Korean as he gave up on exercising what little Japanese he knew.
Kiku felt a small amount of satisfaction at hearing the little Korean speaking Japanese. After all, that was what all the Koreans should be speaking. They were just too stubborn to submit to it.
Yao also seemed pleased that the boy knew some Japanese, smiling widely at him.
"Don't speak Japanese anymore," commanded the little boy grumpily "It's how the bowlheads speak when they kick me. I don't like it."
"But you'll learn it anyway," said Yao cheerfully, "Along with Mandarin and English."
Not giving the boy a chance to respond to his comment, Yao stood up and turned back towards Kiku.
"We're leaving now!" he said loudly, "Let's head back to the estate."
Kiku suppressed a sigh of relief and nodded, shooting another glare at the impertinent Korean boy as he did.
Koreans…he thought to himself, turning away from the boy and beginning to walk forward with a triumphant smirk on his face. Let them stew in this dirty city. Rude little boys like him won't last long.
"Leaving?" repeated 'Korea', staring up at Yao with a somewhat upset expression on his face. "You're going now, China?"
Yao felt a thrill go through him at being addressed by his other name and he smiled down at the boy.
"I am. I have no more reason to stay here in the street. Surely you don't want to continue squatting in filth, Korea. Don't you want to become strong enough to surpass Japan? He's stronger than you, so you'll have to work hard."
Korea blinked, and then smiled. "Korea is going with China?"
Yao held out his hand towards the child, who took it enthusiastically. Kiku, who had stopped and turned to see what was taking Yao so long, stared at the proceedings with an expression of utter shock.
"Let's go Korea, Japan. Follow big brother China!" chirped Yao cheerfully, skipping forward to grab Kiku's hand as he pulled Korea along behind him.
"Wh-what?" stammered the Japanese youth, "Y-Yao-nii, you're not making any sense…"
"China-hyung!" cheered Korea, running to keep up with the older boys' long strides. "I'll work hard to surpass Japan! I'll be the best little brother ever!"
Yao smiled to himself, ignoring the strange looks he was getting from passerbys.
This…he thought to himself happily, pulling along his newly-named brothers.
I believe this is the start of a powerful new family…
/
Lol, you guys really wanted your Asia. XDD So here it is! To be honest, I'm worried it won't be as awesome as you're hoping...but I like this chapter, so I hope you do to!
I hope you guys are all paying attention to the dates! We're not continuing from where last chapter left off, but going back a few years to cover what's being going down in Asia. Back and forth timeline guys. XD
Also, I thought I'd mention, the first direct confrontation between England and China is still a bit down the line. Neither of them are quite in a position yet to be waging war with another teenager half way around the world. XD
I always found how cuddly China was to be a little odd. Aren't East Asians supposed to be all 'hands off'? Aha, anyways, Yao's just kind of crazy and his touchy-feeliness is a mixture of finding amusement in how freaked out Kiku gets and actually enjoying getting close to him.
Oh, and here's your first real glimpse of Dark!Japan. Imperialistic and supremacist. :/ Really hope I'm not treading on any toes with this, but yeah, there's going to be some serious animosity between him and Korea.
Do tell me your thoughts on this chapter! :3 We'll be sticking with Asia for the chapter 8 and 9 as well. X3
Oh yeah! And I posted a oneshot. It's for the Hetalia Valentine's exchange on LJ. X3 The pairing is England/Fem!China, which is a little odd I guess but meh.
xoxo, natcat5 ;p
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Chapter 8: Just how far are you willing to go for me? How much would you do just because I asked you to? What if I asked you to do something bad? What if I asked you to kill someone?
