Japan had to be careful. Everyone was still fighting in the peninsula. He looked around to make sure nothing dangerous was around.

"Is that Japan…?" A quiet and whispered voice came from behind him.

Japan knew this voice. He turned around and bowed. "Yes. Hello Gaya."

Gaya softly smiled. Even though she was much older than Japan, she always seemed younger. "Hello Japan. What are you doing here?" Before meeting Gaya, Japan thought he himself was quiet. However, Gaya also spoke softly and was barely audible at times.

"I was just visiting. I wanted to know how things are going." He straightened himself in response.

"How sweet." She smiled. "Everything is ok… For now…" Her eyes flickered pain, yet she smiled. With the fan in her hand, she covered her mouth and coughed. Her body was bent so she faced away from Japan and head towards the ground.

"Gaya…" Japan waited for her to stop coughing. "Are you ok?" Gaya might be weaker compared to her siblings, but coughing excessively was unusual.

When the coughing quieted, Gaya shook her head. "No…" Sadness crossed her face. "Silla got mad at me…" She opened her mouth to say more, but nothing came out.

Silla being mad at Gaya seemed impossible. The two sisters were the only girls in the family and were very close. Silla loved her sister and would never let Gaya be harmed. While trying to understand the situation, Gaya cleared her throat and continued.

"Well…" She searched for the right words. "I helped Baekjae in a war against Silla…" Japan choked on his own breath. "So, Silla got mad at me and invaded my kingdom." Her head sunk. "So now, my kingdom is no longer alive."

Japan tried to digest everything. It seemed very strange for someone like Gaya to go into war, especially a war against her sister. After thinking for a few minutes, Japan looked at Gaya. "Gaya…"

She looked up. Her eyes were a little moist. "Yes…?"

Japan drew his katana. "I would like to have a match with you." He stood angular of Gaya.

Gaya blinked a few times then nodded. "I accept." She bowed and flicked her wrist. The white fan in her hand opened in a flash. Soon, the sadness in her eyes disappeared. A fierce fire seemed to grow inside of her. "You may start Japan." A new confidence emerged from her.

Japan quickly took a step forward and slashed the katana at her. It moved from the top left to the bottom right. Gaya flicked her wrist to the left and the fan closed. She stopped the katana from continuing its path. Japan tried to push the fan away, but Gaya stayed strong. In a sudden burst, Gaya pushed the katana away. The force was enough to make Japan spin around.

With the movement of pushing the katana away, Gaya spun as well. Her footing was light and on her toes. Her skirt elegantly flowed in the wind. Gaya planted herself with grace. Delicately moving her arm with the, fan in her hand, in front of her. With a flick of her wrist, the fan opened up. She aligned her arm straight in front of her face.

"One. Your footing is incorrect."

Japan looked down to see his legs crisscrossed in front of him. Without much thought, he took a step forward and thrusted the katana at her. Gaya quickly spun her fan on her finger. It hit the katana and fell from Japan's hands.

"Two. You have your back to me."

Japan jumped a little and turned around. Gaya was now behind him. How did she do that? Japan had no time to figure out the answer. In a swift movement Gaya spun the fan and it hit Japan's arm.

When he opened his eyes, Japan realized he was lying on the ground. Gaya was kneeling next to him. The fan covered her mouth and her eyes had sorry written on them.

"Three. You let me win." The passion and strength from before was now gone. Her usual whispered voice took over.

What had happened? Japan looked at her. Trying to search what just happened.

"I'm sorry Japan… I didn't mean to hit you that hard…"

Japan shook his head and sat up. Gaya definitely had the strength to be on her own. Why did she hide it?

"It's ok Gaya." He got up and put his katana back into his holster. "I do have one question."

Gaya nodded and waited.

"Where did you learn to do that?" Her movement was so graceful and light. As if she could glide on the wind.

Gaya laughed a little and folded the fan. "I taught myself. Goguryeo told me that I had to learn to defend myself. So I did." She smiled proudly.

Of course Goguryeo would tell her that she had to defend herself. He was always protecting them. Especially Gaya and Silla since they were the only females in the family. That's what he treasured. Family.

The two talked for a while and night soon fell.

The peninsula had many mountains. Gaya pointed to one and the two walked to the top. Every once in a while Gaya would stop and have a cough attack. Each one became progressively worse.

"We made it." Japan was relived. He looked around the land. Every star seemed to be visible that night. The moon gently glowed on the land and the grass shined. "Gaya…" Japan turned around to find Gaya slowly coming up to him. She covered her mouth with the fan. It was hard to make out what she looked like at the moment. The faint glow of the moon shone on her face. "You should rest." Japan motioned to the ground. Gaya weakly nodded and the two sat down next to each other.

Everything was still for a while. They didn't speak, but watched the land.

Suddenly a large fire not too far away came up. A few blasts from horns came up. Japan looked into the valley the fire was coming from.

"There she goes again…" Gaya sighed and got up to get a better look.

"What's going on?" Japan followed. The two walked to the downward slope in order to get a better view.

"Silla… She's getting ready to invade Baekjae's kingdom. She's been training late every night." She sighed again. "Silla is always trying to prove that she's strong. That she can surpass Goguryeo."

Japan nodded. He watched Silla come out onto to field. She was dressed in her military uniform. Several men stood at attention. She nodded at them and smiled.

Horses galloping came from the distance. The two looked over to see China leading a group of men. The horses came to a stop at the edge of the training grounds.

"She actually called him over… What a fool…" Even with those words, Gaya said them quietly and with kindness.

"What's going on?"

"Silla plans to take down Baekjae and then Goguryeo. To prove that she's strong." She sighed heavily. "I didn't think she go and ask China to help her."

Down in the valley, China jumped off his horse and greeted Silla. They talked and walked into to Silla's house.

Something felt weird inside Japan. She could have asked him. Maybe he wasn't strong enough. Or maybe it's because she knew China 2,000 years before he was born. Or maybe…

His thoughts were interrupted when Gaya cleared her throat. "Japan…" She hesitated and looked at him. Japan didn't realize he was staring at Silla's house. He looked over at Gaya. "Um… Japan… Do you like Silla?"

Something felt weird inside him when she asked that question. Her eyes were big and curious. She looked into his eyes trying to read his thoughts. He opened his mouth to say something then closed it.

"Because if you do…" Gaya seemed to struggle on what to say next. Japan patiently waited. She took a breath. "Because if you do… Then stop."

It felt like Gaya had just slapped him across the face. "W… w… why?"

"Because… Silla doesn't want to be a girl."

Japan was at a loss of words. Was that even possible?

Gaya sighed and nodded her head. "It's that hard to believe. In fact, things might have been better if Silla and I were born as boys."

"H… How so?"

"Well… Before we all split up, Silla and I were kind of put last. The old kings would congratulate Goguryeo, Baekjae, Balhae, and Taebong before recognizing us." Sadness filled Gaya's eyes. "Silla got tired of that. So she left to show that she could be strong and powerful."

Everything started to make sense. Women were never equal to men. So why did she want to be equal? Men and women had different duties. It's ridiculous for someone like Silla to have the desire of strength and power.

Gaya rested her head on her knees. The soft light glistened in her eyes, as if she was crying. "Maybe… Maybe one day… Silla will realize she doesn't need to be strong and powerful." Satisfied, Gaya smiled a little and nodded. "Yes… One day she'll learn she doesn't need to be like Goguryeo. She's perfect the way she is." Looking up at the sky Gaya called out to the gods. "I pray that Silla will one day bloom into a beautiful woman. No one will be able to compare to her beauty." Gaya smiled from ear to ear.

"How about you Gaya?" Her prayer touched Japan, however it seemed a little strange.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you pray that you will become a beautiful woman?"

A sullen look fell on Gaya's face. "It's too late for me. I'm running out of time. I give all of my wishes to Silla."

What did that mean? Gaya was strong herself and very capable to be on her own.

Down in the valley, Silla's door slid open. "Are you sure this will work aru?"

"Positive. They won't see it coming." The two bowed and China mounted on his horse. His men followed and left. Silla sighed and went back into the house.

Gaya got up and brushed her skirt. "I should go back… Silla will wonder where I am." Japan nodded and followed. They walked down the hill into the valley.

When they reached the house Gaya turned to Japan. "Remember, don't fall in love. Maybe in the future you can."

The door slid open at that moment. "Gaya!" Silla stood at the door. She was in a dark blue hanbok. "Hurry up. The rice is getting cold. I even made kimchi!"

"Silla… When did you cut your hair?" Gaya frowned and bit her bottom lip a little.

"Don't worry! It's not much. You can still make a braid. It's just shorter. Now stop worrying and come inside!" With that the door slid closed.

"Good night Gaya." Japan bowed and Gaya returned it.

XXX

The year was 562 B.C. A week after Japan talked with Gaya, she died.

As a refresher:

This is during the Three Kingdoms Time Period. In 562 B.C. Silla annexed the Gaya kingdom because they assisted Baekjae in a war against them. Therefore the death of Gaya.

For the longest time in World History, women have always been considered less compared to men. Which is why I decided that Silla would have been fed up with it. She wanted a chance to prove herself. One of many reasons why I used fem!korea for this story. Coincidently, in history the kingdom Silla was the first to be established and break off from the united peninsula.