Author's Note: A lot of angst, violence, Kimchiburger mentioned. It's Korea's birthday, people! It's also independence Day here in Korea, celebrating the end of Japanese Oppression. Sorry for being angsty, but if you abhor violence, move to the next chapter. There's more fluff.

"Hello from the other side, I must have called a thousand times, to tell you I'm sorry for breaking your heart, but it doesn't matter, it clearly doesn't tear you apart."-Adele, Hello.

She was moody. Yao noticed it, when he entered the house. He stared at the calendar for a full minute and realized why. "What's the matter with her?" Leon whispered. "Don't you know? It's her birthday tomorrow!" Mei whispered back-a little too loudly. "I heard you." Ha Yeon snapped back.

Yao sighed. Birthdays were a little...difficult for the twins. Their parents had died on their third birthday, and it was on their last birthday that Kiku...no more thought of that incident.

Anyways, as the day loomed closer they became sensitive and unhappy. It was worse than the girls and their periods. Well, but they had plenty of reason to be grumpy. Birthdays to the twins would bring nothing but sorrow and bad memories.

The twins' bad moods seemed to seep into the house. As dinner was served, Kiku made the mistake of spilling his soy sauce-right on Ha Eung's shirt. "Watch it, will you?" The boy growled menacingly. "I'm sorry." Kiku's apology turned things from bad to worse. "You have a lot to be sorry for, don't you?" Ha Eung snarled at him, driving his knife into his meat with too much force. "Do we have to talk about that?"

That was the last thing Kiku should have said. "You always never apologize for things that matter." That came from the black haired girl, who was sitting next to Yao. "Yeon-ah, please." Yao tried to calm his sister.

"I don't get the big deal with you two. Why are you always so miserable when it comes to birthdays?" Yao gave Leon a look. "Leon Wang, don't." But Ha Eung had enough. Exams, along with the usual cold shouldering he received, had taken their toll from the boy. As the family stared at him, he slammed his fork into his dish. The dish cracked, and the fork fell to the floor.

"Our parents died on our birthday, you fool. Is that a good explanation? Or do you want one that contains Kiku beating us up for three years, and how it all stopped on our last birthday?" Leon gulped.

Surprisingly, it was Mei that spoke. "Ha Eung, we know you two deserve an apology, and we're sorry for...for not helping out." Ha Eung stood. "I don't want your miserable apologies. I want his." And with that, he left the table.

"Apologize, Kiku. It doesn't matter if we apologize for you." Mei spoke, her voice soft. "I apologized after I returned from counseling." Kiku studied his spoon. "Well, you must take us for fools. You didn't mean any of it. You pretend now that none of your crazy behavior existed. If we believe that crap, that would be stupid." Ha Yeon gave the Japanese boy a glare.

"Calm down." At Yao's words, the girl turned around to stare at him. "He doesn't have any problems apologizing to you, and he was so cruel to us. Why can't he lower his pride-he doesn't even deserve it-and say he's sorry?" Yao couldn't answer. "I'm going." She picked up her food and took it into the kitchen. Moments later, she was back, heading to the front door. "Where are you going?" Yao called out, worried. "To someone who cares!" She was gone, with the wind. "All of you. Leave." Yao didn't want to see his siblings for now. "But..." "Kiku, you will stay. You and I have to talk." Kiku muttered something about past mistakes. "You-don't even think about spouting excuses." Yao had decided. This was enough. He knew that the time had come for Kiku to apologize-sincerely.

"Alfred, it's Yeon." Matthew stood next to the door. They had been eating dinner, Francis, Alfred, Arthur, and Matthew when the bell rang. Alfred had a bad feeling as he went to the door. The moment the door opened, a small figure threw itself on him. It was Yeon, with her heels and her bag. That much he knew. It was awful. She was crying. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was gulping in a ton of air every time she seemed to speak. "I...Hate...Him...He...He..." Alfred patted her on the back, as Arthur and Francis looked at their visitor. "Call Yao, will you?" Francis sighed, looking at his boyfriend. "Why?" "I think she's in no condition to go home." Arthur nodded. The Kirklands knew who he was.

When Yao turned seventeen, the presidents of his parents' company had died, leaving their children. It had been unspoken that the Wang family take them, to be their guardians. It was unsaid that the Wangs would take over their business.

Yao had understood that he wasn't supposed to harbor any emotions for them. They were a tool for his parents to get the company. When he had helped his parents bring the three-year-olds home, he had expected Kiku looking jealous and Mei looking glum. He had not expected himself to thaw to them so easily. In fact, it would have been impossible not to love them. It had been the good days, the golden times, Kiku writing calligraphy, Mei picking flowers, Ha Eung with his plastic soldiers, Ha Yeon with her laugh, running into everyone.

Then it all stopped.

His parents passed away. Yao was expected to fill in their post. He went to work everyday, tired, stressed. At least he could always look forward to his siblings and their happy faces. That was why he had refused to believe their happiness was crumbling.

"Fighting?" "I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Kiku's head was bowed. "I told you that was a last resort!" "They were mocking me!" Yao gaped. "Honda Kiku, you will not..." "That's why you're weak." Kiku glared at him. "What did you say?" "You are weak, older brother. You are mocked by everyone." And with that he left Yao to stare at the Times; Young President of Asia Corp Unable to Deal with Crisis.

"Oppa." Her voice brought him back to earth. "What is it?" He kept his voice calm. "Why is he so angry? " "He was just..." "He's always angry." Ha Yeon sat next to him, studying the floor. "Yeon-ah, I want you to remember that fighting is a last resort. You or your brother are not to fight. Do you understand?" The girl nodded. Her voice was small, almost faltering as she spoke. "What if..." "What?" Ha Yeon smiled. "Nothing, oppa." How false her smile had been. How foolish he had been.

"Ha Yeon is at our house." The Englishman's voice informed him of his sister's whereabouts. "Tell her to come home, it's late." There was a pause. "I think it's a bad idea." Arthur Kirkland seemed to swallow. "Ma chère, is that Wang Yao? Can I talk to him?" That was the annoying Frenchman, Francis Bonnefoy. Yao knew he was expected to answer. "Yes. But he better be quick about it, I have a brother to scold." The telephone seemed to be passed to Francis.

"Bonjour?" "Yes, what?" "I think mademoiselle should stay today, monsieur." Yao scoffed. "She'll do no such thing." "Well, I understand your concern, but she keeps crying. And I think if she goes back, she'll fight with..." "Yes. I get the idea." Yao felt horrible. He was a stupid older brother. If he had noticed earlier, then Ha Eung wouldn't have become a psychopath. Ha Yeon would have remained his sweet summer child.

"Tell her she can stay." Francis seemed to pass the phone to someone. "Hey, Wang." It was Arthur. "What?" "Tell Leon...Tell Leon to come and visit sometime." "Yes, I'll tell him. And Kirkland?" "What?" "Tell Yeon I'm sorry for being a stupid older brother." Again, that uncomfortable silence. "Yes." Arthur Kirkland hung up.

"Oni-san." Kiku sat across from Yao, who had just ended his call. "She doesn't feel like coming home." Yao spat at him. "I..." "You what? You were just trying to help them? You were being a good older brother?" Yao glared at him, and Kiku felt like a seven year old, being scolded for a mistake. "I didn't mean to hurt them!" He blurted out.

Wang Yao was renowned for being cold in the world of business. He was also famous for his death stare, which he gave to the companies that challenged him. The stare he gave Kiku was his finest. "You didn't mean to?" Kiku quaked under his glare. "Alfred Jones found lacerations on Ha Yeon's wrist! Ha Eung went to the hospital because he had a broken rib! And that's what you call help?"

He had really meant well. After seeing Yao suffer, he knew that he had to grow strong. So he did. He made friends with Ludwig and Feliciano Vargas. He grew to be one of the most feared and most loved in the school from just Wang Yao's nerdy brother. He knew the twins needed to survive like him. He was just giving them a hand up. They needed help. It was a pity they wouldn't just listen to him like Mei. He had to punish them, but they didn't have to go all dramatic.

"They weren't listening to me!" "Well, perhaps they didn't need your help!" Kiku couldn't understand. "I made them famous and powerful!" "By what, violence? Look what became of them!" Kiku flinched. Ha Eung never smiled. And about Ha Yeon...

"I..." "You broke them, Kiku. They had so much, and you stole three years from them." Yao stood. "Apologize to them if you want to. I won't force you." And for the first time in a long while, Kiku felt shame.

"Better?" Ha Yeon nodded. Alfred handed her the Kleenex. "Thanks." Her voice was hoarse. "What happened?" He finally mustered the courage to ask her, but when he did, he immediately felt awful. "We were eating dinner. Kiku spilled soy sauce on Ha Eung's shirt and apologized." "And?" "Ha Eung was upset. He got angry...And I got angry." Now she sounded a bit embarrassed."Why?" Alfred was preparing himself for an emotional outburst. "Because...because he can apologize for a small thing like spilling soy sauce, and he won't apologize for being mean!"

If anyone said that Ha Yeon was overreacting, they were fools. He knew just how cruel the Japanese boy could be. It had been a hot day, so hot that his ice cream had melted and was dribbling down his hand. Alfred was hurrying back home for Kleenex and his basketball. The others would be waiting for him. Boy, they would lecture him for being late. He never knew he wouldn't make it to that game.

"Hey!" It was a girl, standing by the edge of a railing. Alfred knew that it was too dangerous. He was the hero of the basketball team. He had to save her before she killed herself accidently. The girl ignored him completely when he shouted at her to get down. Frustrating. He glared at the figure as he ran toward her. She slowly turned, staring at him. She had enchanting chocolate colored eyes, and her face was-wait. Something was wrong. She had a bloody lip, and there were tearmarks. The girl stepped backward, and Alfred, who had finally gotten to the railing, instinctively grabbed hold of her, and threw her on the ground-basically, her topping him.

"Are you insane? Why won't you listen, geez-" "Why couldn't you leave me alone?" Great, she was crying. "Look, I saved your miserable life! Some gratitude would be nice." As he got up, he could see something else that disturbed him. There were cuts on her wrist. "Hey, are you okay?" All right, she was suicidal. "Hey! Do you need help or anything?" She didn't answer him, and he felt like a fool. He turned, ready to go. "Yes." It was a quavering voice, but he turned. Something-at that time he called it his heroic side, but now it was more like destiny-told him this girl was in big trouble.

It turned out that this suicidal character was actually named Lee Ha Yeon, with a sister and three brothers. She was proud of her oldest brother, who was off on a seminar to China. She loved her twin brother. But her other brother-the git. He had been hitting her. She had tried to make him stop, but had failed. The twins were weaker than him, and the constant violence had sent her nearly to her death.

"Did you try telling, you know-your big bro?" She shook her head. "He-he's already having a hard time without me to add on it." So she was sacrificing. "Well, how about the authorities?" "No!" For a tiny girl, she was sure loud. "It...it's going to ruin our family...And Yao oppa's going to be blamed because of Kiku-" She clapped her hands to her mouth in horror as Alfred pieced two and two together. He knew of the CEO of Asia Corp. His cousin Arthur disliked the man-Wang Yao. So that was her oldest brother. No wonder she hadn't been telling anyone. It would wreck havoc for the guy. And if she was talking about Kiku-" Is it Kiku Honda?" She didn't say yes, but she didn't say no. "Oh." Alfred knew Kiku. He was well-known, liked, in the gang nicknamed The Axis. As a matter of fact, the school was split in two groups. The Axis lead by Honda Kiku, Ludwig, Feliciano Vargas, and The Allies, of which he lead. So, Honda Kiku was hurting his own family. "He seemed to be in good terms with your other sister." She sighed. "He was always fond of her. And besides, she was close to him." "What a bastard." Alfred was feeling murderous as he studied this girl. Although she had done a good job with covering her wounds-wiping her bloody lip from before with her napkin-there were some cuts on her neck, and he was sure that would only be the beginning. "I'll kill him." "Don't. If Kiku finds out I told..." "He won't." Alfred stood, ready to leave. "Bye, Lee." "It's Yeon." And that was a beginning of a very perilous friendship.

Ha Eung stared at the wall. "Ha Eung?" It was Mei. "Go to your favorite brother. Leave me in peace." He didn't want to have a talk. He wasn't his sister, who went crying off to just about anyone. He had heard Yao telling Kiku off in Kiku's room. He had to, for he lived next door to the psychopath. Mei didn't seem to care. She walked right on him, in the middle of his memory lane trip. "Oh, I...I didn't mean to.." She, Mei Wang, had seen him, the ultimate psycho crying.

Staring at the blankness of the wall wouldn't work for stalling his tears anymore. Ha Eung wiped his tears off angrily. "What do you want? If you want to defend Kiku, then leave." "I...I just wanted to hear." "Hear what?" "Your story." That was new. Sure, everyone had seen their wounds, but no one had asked him about it. "It was awful." "Is that it?" "No. We didn't need his help, we just wanted to keep our small group of friends, and be peaceful." They had never wanted to stand out. "And so when Kiku offered to help, we were, well, half and half." It wasn't like they were going to lose anything.

"But he started to take over-" It began from the smallest, asking to borrow stuff. They had argued, but Kiku was helping them with making new connections, being more popular-it seemed fair, that is, until Kiku started using them as his personal servants.

"He kept on wanting. There was no end. He wanted us to shine his shoes, to do his science homework, to do this, to do that-" Ah, yes. He could remember his indignance along with Ha Yeon's. Our parents were aristocrats. Do you think they would want to see us groveling?

"And whenever we protested, he would hit us." It had begun with a slap. A verbal argument, and at the end, his cheek was burning. It had grown more and more brutal. Whenever things grew difficult for the older boy, they would quake for fear.

"We were basically his slaves." Yes, they were. Yao never knew. He himself had not wanted to tell hyung, and so had Ha Yeon. They would cry or get angry in their seperate rooms, and text each other about the unfairness of it all. They would go to school, where Kiku's friends Ludwig and Feliciano would tell them that they were lucky, and they would lie through their teeth.

"It got worse. When Yao-hyung left for that seminar in China, well-you know about that." Mei had had it easy compared to them. She was Kiku's favorite. She remained oblivious amidst it all. But even she had found out.

"I started to buy knives from that time. I thought he was going to kill us." Yes, they all had. Kiku's school career wasn't working out. There was the other group-the Allies, and Kiku got pissed off because of it. Whenever he returned home, he would yell at them, throw random objects and threaten to kill them. Usually they all ran for it. Mostly Ha Yeon would end up crying. It was almost always her or him. "And he almost did." Mei spoke silently. "Yes, he almost did." Ha Eung grimaced. That had been the last fight. The one on his birthday.

"Today's our birthday." Ha Yeon had announced. She had seemed brighter, something about a new friend. "Yes, it is." And it was also the day Yao would come home. "Well, I invited someone." "Who is it?" Ha Eung asked her casually. "Alfred Jones." Ha Eung was shocked beyond words. "Why?" "He is a fucking Ally! What do you think Kiku's going to do?" "Yao's coming home. What do you think he can do?" That was the reason of her bliss. Well, he couldn't blame her. He couldn't wait for the violence to end.

It's her birthday, and she's invited her friend for dinner. Her older brother is coming home. She can ignore the looks some of the other students are giving her, possibly because she has a bruise on her leg. Ha Yeon is happy. As she passes a crowd of students, she catches words like Honda Kiku and Alfred Jones. "What is it?" She asks someone. "Well, seems like Honda and Jones had a fight." Somebody answers. Her heart is pounding. "And?" "Good for Jones, he won." She manages to keep her face calm. If Alfred wins Kiku enough to deflate his head, then he might return to normal. That's what they call wishful thinking. When she returns home, she expects to see Yao-oppa. She is not expecting him.

"Well, little sister." She gulps. "Yes?" "I heard something at school." "About what?" "Alfred Jones. Is he coming to dinner?" So he knew. "Yao's coming back." She tries to keep her voice calm. "So what? You think I can't hit you?" He slaps her hard enough to make her go reeling. "Please, don't.." He ignores her, as he kicks her on the shin.

There is a shout. "Son of a dog!" Ha Eung is there, pushing Kiku away from her, and hitting him on his proud face. But Kiku is always stronger, and her brother is on the floor, writhing, in pain. She hears something crack. "You dare attack me?" Kiku is fuming, as he chokes her brother.

"Leave him alone!" She tries to make him stop, but he won't. He doesn't know when to stop. There is only one person who can make him. Ha Yeon staggers to her feet, throws open the front door, and goes running. She doesn't care that her shoe is missing. She needs to run to someone who can help her. That's when she runs into someone. "I'm so sorry, sir.."

The man she bumps into gapes at her. "Lass, what.." She recognizes him as Alfred's cousin. "Alfred..." And he is there, looking furious, staring at the damage done. "Alfred, he..he's going to kill Ha Eung...He's crazy..." "Fuck that bastard." Alfred Jones marches her towards her house, and she can see a car parked in the lot. Yao's. There is shouting. As they enter, this is what they see.

Broken glass is everywhere. Ha Eung is there, on the floor, in pain. Mei is crying, calling the ambulance. Yao has Kiku in a death grip, by the collar. "Your own brother! This is a disgrace!" Kiku shoves Yao's hand away, and that is where Alfred jumps in. He practically throws himself on Kiku, punching every bit of the boy he can find. Arthur puts a hand over her eyes, muttering something about mental well-being. "They're your family!" Alfred's furious from the look of it.

"Stop it! Who are you?" "Someone who feels the need to kick his ass." Alfred ignores Yao and continues his assault. Even by the sounds of it, she can see Kiku Honda is breaking. "If you ever hurt them-or mess with me again-you will end up as a pile of meat." That is his last words before Alfred F. Jones hits Kiku squarely on the chest. They can hear the ambulance in the silence that follows. Arthur has stopped shielding her eyes. "It's over, Yeon. He won't ever hurt you again." Alfred is panting as he draws her into a hug. It's her birthday, and she has finally gained freedom. It's August 15th, and she and Ha Eung are sixteen now. They are free. "What the..." It's a dream, and Ha Yeon wakes at August 15th, with tears in her eyes, Alfred by her side. She's seventeen.

Names, ages, jobs of countries

Alfred F. Jones/17/America/Student

Arthur Kirkland/30/England/Lawyer

Matthew W. Jones/17/Canada/Student

Ha-Yeon Lee/17/South Korea/Student

Ha-Eung Lee/17/North Korea/Student

Honda Kiku/18/Japan/Student

Mei Wang/17/Taiwan/Student

Leon Wang/16/Hong Kong/Student

Yao Wang/30/China/CEO of Asia Corp.

Francis Bonnefoy/30/France/Model

All right, I warned you guys about this. But sorry again. Korea's Birthday is kind of a sad day in Korea, so I had to show you the sadness before I could actually show you the fluff. I am really sorry you had to see all the Violence/Suicidal SK/NK Tearing Up/Upset China.

Please don't be too offended if you are Japanese...I don't have anything personal against Japan, but I needed this chapter. I wanted to make it into one chapter, but this turned out too long-agh...Which means this will be split in TWO.

This chapter(ANGST) plus the next chapter

(FLUFF/HUMOR/FAMILY/ROMANCE) will be Korea's Birthday Special.

I promise you the other Asians will all have their birthday chapters, and again, I apologize for all the angst.