Chapter Three
*This chapter mentions North Korea, who isn't really a character. I just decided to make him one.
China was sprinting down the sidewalk, dark hair tangling behind his shoulders in the wind. Maybe he had booked a flight that he hadn't expected to land as late as it had, and maybe he hadn't read the times correctly because he had been too lazy to properly translate it off the site he had found the ticket on.
Oh well. Too late for that now.
He still had to get to Japan's, whom he knew lived somewhere in the outskirts of Tokyo, where the flight had landed. He had taken a bus from the train station to as close as it would get to Japan's address, since the younger country was hosting the meeting at his house instead of one of his government buildings. As soon as he had stumbled off the bus China had been sprinting and would soon arrive, even if he looked a little crazy as he ran through the neighborhood.
Finally he saw the house, the fence surrounding it only slightly hid the yellow-ish walls and Japanese style windows.
Regaining his composure, the personification took in a few gasps of air as he stopped at the door. Raising a fist and lightly knocking on the wood, quietly calling out to the people inside, China gently brushed his hair behind his ears.
"K-Kiku..." He took another deep breath, "I'm here aru, sorry I'm late..."
He heard a few pattering footsteps from inside the house before the door handle turned, making a creaking noise as it did so.
When Japan opened the front door, he bowed to China, even though he looked a little stiff as he did so.
"Yao, I'm glad you could make it," said the younger nation, standing up a moment later, now done with his greeting, "Even if you are quite late."
China pretended not to have heard Japan's comment as he smiled awkwardly, forcing a laugh, "Ah, ha ha, well, I wasn't going to miss a meeting even if I was..." he trailed off at the end, stopping himself from telling Japan what he had been thinking about all morning.
"What?" inquired Japan, tilting his head to the side slightly as he let China into the house.
"Nothing aru," China said with another forced laugh, "just tired this morning,"
He took his shoes off, as was Japan's custom, and padded into the living area where the other nations were gathered.
"Oh China you're here!" exclaimed America, "I was wondering if you had finally collapsed under that communism of yours!"
China blushed as America continued, "It's never too late to convert you know!"
The young nation laughed in an almost maniacal way as China rushed to his seat beside Russia and sat down in embarrassment. He had heard that statement way too many times from way too many nations and just as many religions.
"America!" England hissed, "Stop it! We have to continue with the meeting and you aren't helping."
France snorted slightly and patted England on the back, whispering something that made the latter country blush almost as red as China. In the back of the room, New Zealand, who was sitting with Australia, spoke up.
"Wait everyone, look at Japan,"
At his word Japan cleared his throat at the head of the table and the other countries quieted, looking at their host incredulously.
"I hate to interrupt but..." Japan said softly, "we have other matters to discuss."
His words were final and as the small Asian country sat down the nations who had spoken tried not to look sheepish, all except for New Zealand, who never ceased to look like a sheep. A moment of awkward apologies took up the small pause that was wasted for the meeting to get back on track, but after that it was back to world hunger and finances. China's attention strayed from the words of the country's around him as he stared out the window, resting his chin on his hand.
Everyone was accounted for, even some of the micronations whom Australia and the Nordic five had brought. Everyone but North Korea.
No one had seen the country in years, not after he had been locked in his land, not even allowed to participate in the government. South Korea sat next to Taiwan, Seychelles with Canada were on folding chairs in a corner, everyone who was needed was there. Except North Korea.
It wasn't fair, he had been raised in the same house as all the other Asian countries, by China no less, but he still couldn't be here. It was cruel and wrong, and he hadn't done anything personally to deserve it.
But even as he thought, China was knocked out of his little world by an unexpected voice.
"Yao, hey, Yao!" it was quiet, but still commanding in a way.
"Hm?" China jumped slightly as he tuned to his right, hair hitting the nation who had spoken to him in the face,
As he quietly apologized, frantically brushing his hair behind his ears again, Russia also spoke for a second time. "Nyet, Nyet, it's alright, I was just going to tell you that you have a some blood on your cheek,"
China was surprised by the cold country's words but still wiped his cheek with the back of his hand, seeing that it did indeed have something on it, but he didn't know if it was blood or not. "O-oh, thank you Russia, I didn't notice aru,"
Russia laughed quietly, "And that," he gestured to the Asian nation's hair, "is tangled, I noticed when you hit me with it,"
"Sorry about that aru," China blushed, "I didn't have time to comb it this morning, I was hoping that no one would notice,"
"Russia! China!" Germany's yell surprised them both, so they whipped around to face the nation who had called them out.
"Yes?" Asked Russia after realizing he wasn't in danger, "What is it Germany?"
Germany pointed his chin towards America, "He was talking, and he didn't want to be interrupted, so we would appreciate it if you would listen too,"
Russia made a soft noise that might have been a laugh before leaning back in his chair again, "Alright, I'll listen."
China bit his lip, nodding in agreement as he put his hands in his lap stiffly, embarrassed to be caught talking to such a country. He wouldn't have minded if he had been talking to England or some other sensible nation, even though they were still enemies. Russia was just so indescribably... insane perhaps? Threatening? Maybe there wasn't a word for it.
"As I was SAYING," the American laughed, "I think that Russia should apologize to me for the Cold War, even though I'm totally over that by now, since it has been a few months,"
Russia's smile widened as his purple eyes narrowed, "and why should I do that? You caused me just as much pain as I caused you, and I thought we had agreed that we were over this?"
China, completely skipping over Cuba who was fuming in the background, noticed that Vietnam looked annoyed, probably thinking about how much she had suffered in the recent war, but he quickly looked away again and continued to stare at the arguing countries.
"I never said anything like that," America was saying, "I have to always be ready to fight since I'm the HERO and I need to protect my people,"
"Oh I have nothing against fighting," Russia laughed, "I would just rather if you recognize my win in the Space Race,"
"Win? Maybe, but I did it better so that doesn't count! As I said, I'm the-"
China stood, slamming his hands on the table top, for a moment sounding as he had in the past as an empire, "Enough!"
Both silenced as they looked at China in surprise, neither having expected the usually quiet personification to yell.
"Enough," China said again, quieter this time, "Stop. Both of you."
Taking a shaky breath, China looked at the stunned country's around him, "I'm sure we have all lost a lot. Maybe some of us more than others..." he stumbled a bit on his words as he lifted his hands again, purposefully avoiding his stomach as he did so, "It's not like none of us have suffered, even Sealand aru,"
He gestured to the micronation, who looked delighted to be noticed.
"Even the smallest of us have had battles and fires, so stop fighting over such pointless wars of the past and act like the adults you are,"
He stepped back from the table, swallowing hard before pushing his chair in and stalking out of the room. Once out the door he stopped, glancing back into the room and seeing that everyone was staring.
He swore in exasperation before turning and continuing down the hallway. Behind him he could hear the nation's talking, some quietly, some loudly.
Sealand was asking his adoptive dads if they had heard him get mentioned, which of course they had. America was saying that China was being dramatic, Russia muttered something, but China couldn't tell what. Japan quietly told the rest of the room that China was probably having a bad day, based on what he had been told at the door. Canada also said something, then Cuba repeated it, but that didn't matter.
China just wanted to get away from there.
After his anger had cooled down he was starting to feel embarrassed for his actions. Why did he yell at them? The only world superpower and a nation who was getting ready to be a superpower again? To be fair, China was also poised to become a superpower, and it wasn't likely that Russia or America would be able to coordinate an attack on him for personal reasons. It had been done, but it was rare.
Gods, his leaders were going to be pissed.
All throughout history the country had struggled with idea differences between himself personally and the way his government affected his country. This happened with every personification, it was normal. China had been here since around 8000 BCE, back before he was a large nation, back when it was just settlers.
Back then, there hadn't been a government to boss him around and he had just lived as more of a human, only trying to survive. It had only been in 2696 BCE when he was first recognized as more than that crazy twenty something year old at the edge of town who didn't age. After that he had occasionally been called for by his emperors, but only when they needed help.
None of them had really ever cared about him as a person, since he wasn't truly human.
Since much of the ancient times had been filled with battle and pain he usually stayed at home unless there was war or other important business to attend to. Other than that he took up hobbies, like medicine making and for a little while even carpentry and woodworking. Even cooking had been a habit he started when he had nothing to do other than agonize over how much power struggles freaking hurt.
He was drawn out of his thoughts by footsteps behind him.
"China."
This voice was commanding in a not quite intimidating way. China knew it too well, this was England. He had never been scared of England, had never truly been afraid of the other countries either, it was only the threat of disappearing that had kept him from rebelling sooner when they had lived together.
"China."
This time the word was slightly more threatening, so China turned around to face the European country.
"你想要什么? What the fuck do you want?" China was angry enough to add the English swear word in his translation, but not angry at England, he was just mad. Mad at himself, mad at the world.
"Well," scoffed England, obviously taken aback by China's comment, "I was going to ask you if something was wrong, but I suppose I do not have to…"
China bit his lip, "Sorry." He said shortly, feeling strange talking to a current enemy in this way, "I should have let you talk, go on ahen."
England leaned against the wall where China was standing, turning his side to the Asian nation. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back before finally speaking again, "I know I'm still your enemy-"
"I'm aware aru,"
England shot him an annoyed look before closing his eyes again and continuing in his speech, "I know that we have been enemies many times throughout history and, don't get me wrong, I still hate you,"
"Thanks," China muttered as he too leaned against the wall next to England.
"But," England continued, "on a personal level this recent, uh, outburst, should I say, is a little upsetting. I obviously do not care much," the blond nation added the end part quickly and a bit rushed, as if he had to get it off his chest.
China swallowed and nodded as England turned to him, "so you want me to explain?"
"No not necessarily," England said as he turned his head to face China, "although that would be nice,"
"Unfortunately," China said in a sort of clipped way, "I can't tell anyone about my motives, especially you, ahen,"
England looked slightly insulted as China said this, the British nation's eyes narrowing as the other spoke.
"I do not have anything against you as a person, as I am not scared of you, but our leaders simply do not get along. Besides, the event that influenced this was far in the past, ahen, do not worry yourself."
The words were meant to sound final but England was clearly not impressed.
"What do you mean 'far in the past'? I know I'm not that old of a nation compared to a lot of the rest of you but I think I deserve to know,"
"Aiyyaa, Maybe you think you do," China hissed, "But this is incredibly personal and it was back in the Han dynasty, you were nowhere near alive back in BCE,"
England didn't have a response to that.
"Now if you would excuse me I will be going now," China said, standing up straight from the wall. Where he would be going he had no clue, since they were currently in Japan's modest house which wasn't easy to get lost in.
Beside him England sighed, "Have it your way, but don't expect me to help if you suddenly need it. I'll leave that to your family,"
China froze and quietly whispered, "my family hates me. They wouldn't help."
"I'm sure they would if you would have raised them properly," England shot back.
As the European spoke China's hands curled into small fists, "It's not my fault that you ruined Hong Kong, or that Japan attacked me. Please don't mention my family again aru,"
"Oh does it have to do with your family?"
"I…" China stopped himself, this was a pointless argument. He couldn't explain what about his family he regretted, there was no way that England would understand what he had lost. Even worse, maybe he would blame him for it.
Noticing the Asian nation's silence, England realized his mistake and reached out to put a hand on his arm, "Hey, it's okay. I am sure that they don't hate you for any of that,"
China's arms shook as he tried to keep in the uncontrolled tears in his eyes, England still thought that they were talking about his siblings. He was sure now that England wouldn't understand, it was impossible for an outsider. In all of history he had only ever told the old medicine woman about it and she had died long ago, bringing his dirty secret with her.
"China please, listen to me, it's not all your fault,"
That line was too much. With a heart-wrenching sob, China started forward. Of course England didn't know what the other personification felt like he was being told. He had tried to comfort himself so many times and didn't want to hear that empty phrase ever again.
England was slightly taken aback and called out after China as he ran down the hallway again, turning a corner and disappearing from sight.
The Asian nation found refuge in the bathroom, and cowered next to the sink as he tried to get rid of his tears. Choked hiccups of agonized and uncontrolled sobbing assaulted his throat, making it hard to breath. Hands messily swept through his hair, stumbling over his nose and ears as his knees bent awkwardly in the tight space. He knocked over a plunger as he struggled to sit down, swearing in a language that he didn't care to identify.
It felt almost dirty to give into his emotions like that.
He was supposed to be happy, maybe a little dense, but able to hide his true feelings. All of the nations knew that. It was who he had been since the 9000s and he hadn't changed yet, all he had to do was pretend he was happy, even if at times he could be an absolute warlord of god-like strength. Obviously now was not one of those times.
He just wanted to lie down and die.
