Japan was praying, praying so hard that the voice he had just heard did not belong to the person he thought it belonged to.

"Oi, stupid fratello! Look at me! Where the hell have you been?"

Clearly, luck was not on Japan's side.

He slowly, almost robotically, turned his head to look at the owner of the voice.

"V-veeehhh... Hi fratello..." Japan winced as the words came out of his mouth.

A very angry looking Romano was coming towards them, with a smiling Spaniard trailing behind him.

"Rom- Lovi, use human names when you're shouting in public~! Remember?"

"Shut up, bastard! Veneziano doesn't even sound like a country name!" Romano snapped, a bit quieter this time after seeing some ladies stare at them.

"Where did you go, idiota?! All you left us was a damned note saying some bullsh-"

Romano stopped himself when he noticed some pretty women staring at him.

"Saying some nonsense about wanting to go sightseeing at the hamburger bastard's place! The hell?!"

"Ah, f-fratello-"

"Don't 'ah fratello' me, stupido! You said you'd be the one to cook dinner after the meeting, dammit! And then this tomato bastard had to go and get me drunk, and when we wake up with a stupid hangover, what do we get? A half-assed note and no food on the table!"

From the corner of his eye, Japan could see Italy look more and more upset. The Italian actually seemed like he wanted to reach out and hug his brother, which would only certainly make the situation more awkward.

"I'm really sorry-"

"Damn right you should be! You weren't answering your phone! We had no clue where the hell you had wandered off to! Not- not like I was worried, though!"

Japan bit his lip as he recalled that Italy's phone had run out of battery sometime around the second day they had set up camp.

"Hey, Romano, don't be too hard on him~! I mean, it's not all bad, right? You had me for company-"

"SHUT YOUR FACE, BASTARD!"

"Ahhh, Romano! Don't be so cruel to me~"

"Shut it! Why the hell are we even talking about this?!" Romano paused for a moment, before turning his attention to Japan.

"You're coming with me, stupid fratello!"

"W-wait," Japan started, eyes wide. He did not want to have to pretend to be Italy in front of the Italian's own family. It just felt... wrong. And what if England still wanted to talk to him about something magic-related...

"You'd even rather hang out with the tea bastard instead of me! Dammit, all I wanted was for you to cook some food for us, bastard!"

"Eh~ Italy, I really missed your cuteness! Maybe you could spend a bit of time with Romano and I?" Spain asked hopefully, a huge smile on his face.

England rolled his eyes, but Italy looked like he was about to cry.

"Chigi! All I wanted to do was teach some of that hamburger bastard's chefs how to make real Italian food, and now I find you here, and you don't even want to spend time with us! W-well, have it your way, stupid fratello!"

Japan really didn't want to go, he really did not want to act anymore... but he made the mistake of looking at Italy's pleading eyes and he sighed.

"Besides, he reasoned with himself, "I was going to have to face them at some point..."

"I'm really sorry~! S-sure! Let's go~!

Italy watched as Romano led out Japan out the door, cursing at him all the way, with Spain cooing over how they would have so much fun together and how he'd get some tomato juice and churros for all of them.

Italy really felt like crying. He wanted to have fun with his family too...

But... at least Japan would have fun, right? ... Right?

England seemed to notice his companion's growing distress, because he turned to him and sighed.

"Oi, don't start crying now." he said, but it wasn't harsh. "I'm guessing you miss your brother, right?"

Italy looked up at England tentatively. He was being nice... it was kind of new. Most of the time, England just got mad at him for crying a lot, but now...

"Don't go all sappy on me now, lad." England huffed, but his eyes were soft. "I don't want you to make a scene here! And besides..."

The Englishman sighed.

"I just know what it feels like to miss someone too, that's all."

There was a strange monotone in his voice, but Italy didn't really know what it meant. Huh... he really wished he could read the atmosphere...

"Not like you would know a thing I'm talking about." England snorted. "You've always got a mountain of people saying you're cute and following you around."

Italy was really starting to get confused. Was England sad or angry at him...?

"Hey, say something! Have you gone deaf or-"

England was cut off by the hug that Italy gave him.

"Veh~ don't be sad or mad or whatever you're feeling anymore!" Italy smiled. "You're really scary when you're mad, but now you're creeping me out because you sound sad. So just be happy, please? You're being so nice to me and Japan, so please smile? You deserve to be happy too!"

England looked at him as if he had completely lost his mind, before he slowly started chuckling.

"I suppose you're right, mate." England smiled, just a little, but it was enough for Italy.

"Bye then, England! I'm gonna go play wth Pochi instead! Thanks for being nice and not making me eat your food!" The Italian waved cheerfully, and England absently watched him walk away.

Huh... that Italy sure was something. But England didn't need his gratitude, he needed to sort this mess out so that the magical world would be balanced again... then maybe he wouldn't feel so lonely. His fairy friends hid it well, but England could see that they were being affected in some way by this magical disturbance.

Hm... maybe that was the reason he was being all soft today. The hug was sort of nice though... bloody hell, now he was starting to get all sappy!

Then the blonde suddenly realized something.

"THAT WANKER LEFT ME TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING!"

It was already dinner time at Italy's house when Japan set the several bowls of different types of pasta down on the table, trying to keep the smile on his face even though he was so tired he felt he would collapse. How did Italy always manage to cook so much food so quickly?

Japan quickly hopped into his seat as both Spain and Romano eyed the food hungrily.

"Wow, this looks great, Italy~!" Spain praised, taking a moment to stare at all the food in awe.

Romano didn't hesitate, he quickly scooped up some food from a bowl of carbonara, then began to munch quickly.

Before he promptly spat the food out.

"Wh-what the hell was that?!" Romano asked, in a daze, throwing Japan an almost concerned look.

"I would expect this crap from the Americano, but not from you, stupid fratello! This tastes nothing like how you cook! Who the hell are you and what have you done with Veneziano?!"

Japan almost choked himself. He was going to get exposed because of pasta? Did the way he cooked pasta just really taste that different?

Spain must have interpreted Japan's flabbergasted silence as sadness, because he took the lead.

"Romano, maybe Italy's just having an off day? Are you sick, Italy? Now that I think about it, you were really quiet on the way back here."

Romano seemed to have come to the same conclusion as well.

"Dammit, what were you doing that caused this?! Idiot! Now I'm going to have to cook for you instead!"

"If you want, I'll cook some Spanish cuisine-"

"But I want something Italian, bastard! So I'll be cooking!"

"N-no thanks! I'm fine-" Japan tried to protest, but he was quickly shot down by Romano.

"Like hell you're fine! You can cook way better than me, and now you mess up when you're cooking pasta? As if! When was the last time you took a siesta?! Just sleep until you're better or something, bastard!"

There was something that sounded like real worry beneath the snarky tone, and the Japanese nation decided that getting others worried for him was not something he wanted to hear anymore.

"Veh, I guess you're right. I feel sorta tired. I'm just gonna go rest now, okay?"

"That's okay, Italy~!"

"Bastard! I'm only going to cook because I'm hungry and what you made tastes horrible!"

No matter what Romano said, it was obvious he actually did care for his brother. The all too familiar feeling of guilt panged inside of Japan's chest as he knew he shouldn't be the one receiving all this kindness. Italy deserved to be with his family, not him.

Japan smiled as widely as he possibly could. "Thanks, fratello."

Japan was kneeling on the floor in his usual way, admiring the sketches the Italian had been piling up in a box under his bed.

Most of them were pasta (as to be expected), but others were sketches of Venice, or portraits of his brother and Spain. Others were of Germany, and Japan was rather touched when he saw one of himself. If there was one thing Italy could do better than anyone else, it was draw.

And then of course, Italy's charging cellphone had to ring and Japan almost jumped into the air. Narrowly avoiding hitting his head on the side of the bed, he glanced at the caller, suprised to see 'China' flashing on the screen.

A small frown gracing his lips, he pressed 'open', then put the phone up to his ear.

"Ch-china?"

"Oh, Italy?" the Chinese man sounded slightly out of breath, which caused Japan's frown to deepen.

"Um, yes. What is it?" the younger man asked, more than just a little suspicious about why China would call 'Italy' the same day he was asking 'Japan' about why he was crying.

China must've picked up on his tone, because he replied, "Calm down aru, I just wanted to invite you over for dinner. Tomorrow, maybe?"

A... dinner invitation? From China, of all people? What for?

"I'll have lots of pasta for you, aru!"

If Japan had actually been Italy, he probably would've said yes no questions asked. However, since he was most certainly not Italy, he felt the need to prod more.

"Ah, wow! That's sounds so yummy~ but um, why?"

He thought he heard China snort. "Why? Why not? I just want to thank you in person, that's all. Besides, you did look after Japan while I was out... right?" there was an innocently questioning sort of tone in the other man's voice that caused Japan to narrow his eyes.

So that was China's game? He wanted to try asking 'Italy' about what happened to 'Japan' while China wasn't around. Honestly, it was a nice gesture, but Japan couldn't fully appreciate it at all.

However, it would be so rude if he declined... but that wasn't the issue here!

Wait... Maybe he could turn this situation around to his favor. China would not expect Italy to intentionally lie, but Japan certainly could. If the Chinese man asked about what had happened, he could just say that 'Japan' didn't actually cry and nothing extremely terrible happened. It was just a little white lie, it would barely affect China at all.

And maybe he could try finding out if China had been the one to make the wish...?

"Italy? What happened, aru?"

"Oh, um, I'd love to come, China! Veh~"

"That's good to hear. Come tomorrow at 7pm sharp, my country's time. You'll finally get to taste what real Chinese cooking tastes like, not the sad excuses of cuisine that America makes."

Japan couldn't deny that China was an extremely talented chef, and a tiny part of him that he didn't even know existed was strangely hungry and excited for the promise of China's homemade cooking.

"That's great~ thanks, China! I have to go now, bye!"

"Wait-!"

Instead of prolonging the awkward conversation he decided to just hang up there and then.

"It's okay to be rude it's okay to be rude it's okay to be rude..."

Japan buried his head in his hands. He felt so tired... and he was. He just wanted to be back in his own skin; he didn't want to be entangled into so much complications.

"Why do I have to get into these things...?"

His little monologue was interrupted by the door creaking open.

"Oi, fratello? Don't go to sleep yet, dammit. I've got your food here."

Japan tried to look as happy as possible. "Oh, hi fratello! Thanks for the food! You can go now, I'll be fine here!"

"You trying to send me away, bastard?" Romano huffed, setting the food tray down on a table.

"No, no of course not-"

"Whatever. You can clean this up when you're done. Stupid fratello."

Japan watched as Romano shuffled out of the room. He bit his lip, he didn't want Romano thinking that Italy just wanted to keep leaving him to go with someone else, but he had already said yes to China's invitation. Japan really hadn't wanted to strain the Italy brothers' relationship, so maybe he could do things... slightly more right this time around.

"Veh, Romano,"

The Southern Italian grumpily looked back at him.

"I really am sorry for leaving without telling you. But, um, something came up and I have to leave again tomorrow, I have to go to China's place-"

"WHAT?! You just got back, dammit! Fine then, do what you want! Just go on and leave, I don't need you here!"

"Romano, please... I'm really very sorry, I simply..."

"Nevermind. You can go if you want to, I'll be fine right here!"

There was some hurt laced in the younger man's voice, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

Japan averted his gaze, and when he spoke his tone was almost pleading, "Please don't think that Ita- I don't care about you."

There was a short silence, before Romano muttered, "Get some rest, idiota. You're saying stupid things again."

"Rom-"

"I said shut up and go to sleep! If you want to go to that old man's place you better not be delirious, or else I won't play caretaker for you anymore!"

He stomped out, but there was a ghost of a smile on his lips.

Japan sighed, a very slight smile on his lips. It was obvious that no matter how much they fought (with Romano doing most of the fighting and Italy mainly just being oblivious) the two Italians cared deeply for each other. They were brothers, through and through.

Japan slumped as his thoughts drifted back to China calling him "brother". No matter how many times China said so, Japan knew they could never really have that sort of relationship, especially not after...

He shook his head, he couldn't be thinking about that, not now. He still had to pay the older man a visit the next day, and he had to get closer to figuring out who the wisher was.

"Why me?" he wondered in his mind. "What sort of lesson could I possibly need to learn?"

Well, thinking about that now wouldn't help him. He really did need some rest at the moment, especially after all the sleep-deprived nights he had spent formulating plans.

Climbing into Italy's bed, he slowly closed his eyes, wondering about what was happening to his two pets back at home. Surely Pochi was getting along well with his cat...

But after a few seconds, he could no longer think about his pets, because he fell fast asleep, his face for once looking as innocent and carefree as the person he was pretending to be.

Hello to all the wonderful readers out there, I am really sorry for not updating for one whole month! Things have been a bit busy, but here's the next chapter! A big plate of virtual pasta to all the people who reviewed, favorited, followed, or even just read this. Please tell your thoughts on this chapter!