At the meeting on the next day, US felt many stares at himself. Most were not amazed, France smirking and winking thumbs up to him, UK face-palming, Hungary trying but barely being able to keep her excitement to herself, China looked like in shock while mumbling something about his ruined family, Taiwan openly glaring at him.
"How. Could. You!" – the Asian female growled.
"Me?"
"Of course! Who else?!"
"Uh… What did I do anyway?"
"YOU DISGRACED ASIAN FAMILY ARU!" –China shouted, furiously, raising from his chair with his mighty wok on his hands, just not being able to attack the American because Russia grabbed his waist just in time.
"I WHAT?! Of course I didn't do that!"
"Da~? So how do you explain that?" –Russia pointed to the projection screen.
There was an image of a post on the internet, from last night, of him hugging Korea, with the subtitle 'I do not know how to feel about that.' signed by Japan.
"Oh, that…"
"So, you confess!" – Taiwan pointed an accusing finger to him.
"Confess what?"
"What do you mean with 'confess what'?!That you and Korea are…"
"We are what da ze?" – a curious Korean head popped in from the door.
"KOREA!" – China, who was struggling to be released by Russian arms, finally managed to be freed and ran to his brother– "Tell them you didn't do that, yoroshi! He forced you, aru? You wouldn't…! I didn't raise you like that aru!"
"What is happening da ze?" – Korea asked US.
"Do I know?"
"Just look behind you, ve~!" –Italia pointed out, lively as ever.
"Oh… that explains the flash, it was Japan on camera freak mode da ze!"
"So, you confess?!" – Taiwan demanded.
"Confess… being buddies?" – America asked.
"No, you git!"
"Well, judging by Korea's arm seemly unnatural position, I might say that it was either resulted from a quick unplanned move or from struggling." – analyzed Estonia.
"That explains why Korea's face is all red, aru…"
"If Korea was having some kind of fight with US, can somebody explain his 'romantic scene performing' expression there?!" –Taiwan questioned – "Poor Japan!"
"Ah, l'amour et la guerre c'est tout la meme choise." – France blinked to UK, who blushed and shouted for him to shut up.
"Aw, leave them alone… preferably alone in a room with cameras. They look so cute together!" – Hungary commented, dreamily – "I mean, Korea looks like such a helpless troubled uke while America holding him with his confident reassuring smile is the perfect supportive seme for him."
"Do we look like that?" – US asked Korea, who just shrugged.
"I don't think that's the question, but how wrong it is." – Germany stated.
"Explain the image, yoroshi!"
The accused ones looked at each other, confused, and started to tell the previous day's events.
"Well, Korea and his boss came at my house for a meeting with my boss and me yesterday."
"So, after the meeting, I stayed there because my boss said it was good for us to strengthen our relations da ze."
"Yeah, then we had fun with each other the whole afternoon."
"It was really nice, we should do that more often da ze~!"
"Sure, we're so doing it again! Anyway, when the night fell, I told him to sleep with me."
"I told him I didn't want family issues to originate in Korea. But listening to Korea doesn't originate in US."
"Then, we started fighting about that old bag."
"US just wouldn't let the old bag go, even if I told him that he had to do that da ze."
"Hey, to think about that, the old bag was actually very strong, most would just break apart, but it resisted bravely."
"Strong brave old bags originated in Korea!" – the Asian half-smiled.
"Stop that 'old bag' thing! It's offensive!" – Taiwan hissed.
"Why? An old bag is an old bag." –US blinked, confused.
"Yes, as much as I love it and I went through a lot carrying that old bag on my back and historical importance originated in Korea, I can't deny that the old bag is an old bag da ze."
"Hey, Korea! Old bags that originated in Korea have feelings anyway?"
"Not that I know da ze~ But I'll try to treat them better, just in case."
"Of course said old bag have feelings, it's just that he doesn't show them off, he keeps to himself."
"Does the old bag have gender?"
"How should I know da ze? Hey, Taiwan, how do you know the old bag is a male?"
"WHAT?!" – she slammed her hands on her desk, furious.
"Why are you so mad, it's just an old bag!"
"Maybe feeling emotional connections with old bags originated in Taiwan."
"Hey, you know you're older than him!"
"Well, of course I am, but what does it have to do with…"
"STOP THIS!" – German growled, calling their attention – "Keep the focus on your story!"
"Right… Anyway, I just wanted him to sleep with me, like we always did!"
"I said I can't just do it anymore da ze!"
"So the old bag brought Korea to the hero!"
"Then, Japan's camera flashed as he took that photo da ze."
"Yeah, that's what happened… that and Korea beating the hero with no reason and running away with the old bag."
"I knew aru! It's not Korea's fault, he was forced!"
"I don't know… it sounded as he was quite collaborative at first." – UK commented – "And it doesn't look like he is currently having any major issue with that super developed idiotic brat…"
"… Who you raised, mon chèr."
"Shut up, frog!"
"Why would I have problems with America-ssi?"
"Yeah, we always did this kind of stuff, nobody ever cared."
There was an awkward silence.
"And you know where the old bag is now?!" – Taiwan demanded.
"Uh… at home? I mean, I just don't carry it around every single place I go da ze."
"Yes, he's at home, not here, where he should be! He isolated himself!"
"Well, eventually he'll come out, right?" – US shrugged off.
A few more awkwardly silent moments.
"Why don't we have a break and return in half an hour to discuss the other issues of this meeting?" – Germany proposed.
"E~! Why? The bickering is so fun to watch, da~?"
Everybody else shivered and agreed about the break, fleeing from the room.
"… America-ssi?"
"Yeah?"
"I didn't know that such a popular old bag originated in Korea!"
"You tell me! Anyway, have you seen Japan? He just disappeared yesterday when you left and won't answer my text messages. I don't even know why he went to my house yesterday."
"Oh, he does that a lot. Discussing matters openly don't originate in Japan. He's probably at home and won't respond to any kind of contact attempt, but he'll come out eventually da ze."
"Right… Hey, let's lunch?"
"I'm on da ze~"
Note:
Japanese often avoid discussing and confronting directly when they have complains and just keep a polite smile…then, report the complains to hierarchically higher people and his acquaintances.
I read here and there (mainly on English teachers abroad blogs) that Koreans tend to be more open to discussion and like to speak up more than Japanese (who think it is unacceptable to raise hands or butt-in during classes)
Translations:
l'amour et la guerre c'est tout la meme choise (French) Love and war are the same thing
mon chèr (French) my darling/dear – when referring to males
What about a corporative comedy? Coming soon: East Corp
"Calm down da~ I bet your boss won't even realize if you take a couple of minutes longer." – I smiled innocently – "Besides, we can drink your tea together da~!"
