I'm so sorry to keep you all waiting. I kept going through this chapter and redoing it, and I found that this version would suit best. Get ready, because a lot more characters are going to be introduced!
Disclaimer: Axis Powers Hetalia does not belong to me.

The Swiss Bank executive did not tolerate tardiness.

Unfortunately, since the matter at hand was urgent, for now he would make an exception.

The two women seated across from his metallic office desk were clothed in black, both with their gaze set at his green eyes. To the left was a Belorussian woman-Natalya, he recalled. A beauty, but her piercing gaze could crack a mirror. Her eyes were like ice, and her look matched it perfectly. To the right was an Asian woman, with a much softer appeal than the other. Her shoulder-length chocolate brown hair was tied in a neat ponytail, and her lips pressed in a thin, serious line.

He noticed the ring on her left hand finger. His eyebrows narrowed slightly. She was brave, to have taken the risk of a life as such, all the while being devoted to another.

"Well then, to get straight to the point, you won't actually be doing something directly for me. " Natalya pursed her lips, and moved her gaze to the window. The city was bustling as ever, with the traffic hardly moving twelve stories below. How correct had he been to take the liberty of ordering soundproof windows for every room in the building. That didn't mean he oversaw the extra cost on the bill.

"My acquaintance in Tokyo needs extra security personnel for his business." Yao straightened her posture, her eyes sparkling with newfound interest. Had he said something that caught her attention?

"What business?"

"Honda International." Her plump lips parted for a second, then closed. He leaned back, the springs of the personalized leather chair creaked, barely audible. But when you were part of ILV, every sound, every movement mattered. Natalya returned her gaze to the Swiss man.

"Mr. Zwingli, which executive in particular would ask for an American-based group to handle his affairs? They are in Asia. Surely they have well-trained assassins and bodyguards who can do the job just as well, or-" Yao stuttered. He frowned.

"Wang, you should be honored. Honda International is one of the world's leading companies, period. It invests in billion-dollar oil refineries, and creates technology that is currently leading the way to the next century. It holds a title that almost matches Jones Corp." Folding his hands in a businesslike manner, he scrutinized the Asian woman's expression. Chocolate-brown orbs were deep in thought, as if remembering a hint of the past. Delicate ivory fingers clutching the fabric of the black skirt. Lips pressing against another.

There could only be one conclusion, he decided.

"You have a connection to Honda, I assume?" Her head bolted upward, mouth parted to speak.

"I-I believe so. It's just that so many people in Japan take the surname Honda, and I-" She leaned forward.

"Well, the Honda I am speaking of does have the appearance of a common Japanese male. His first name is Kiku." Yao's jaw dropped.

"Yes, I know him." Indeed, she and Kiku had a long history. Her mind floated across the course of time, recalling all those times they had played together, with him being the quiet, attentive one and her smiling and speaking freely-

"Mr. Zwingli, if I may ask, exactly what are the details of this mission?" Natalya broke in, and Yao snapped herself from her thoughts.
His hand moved across the tabletop, knocking down a small brown frame which stood on the left-hand corner. It was a photo of his younger sister, Lilli, who was still attending World Academy High. Using his peripheral vision, he stole a glance from the clock at the opposite corner. According to the schedule, it was lunchtime. Ah! What was he doing? In a swift jerk of his hand he swept the yellow folder towards him, carefully opening it.

"The Yakuza have been infiltrating the building at night, destroying security cameras and murdering the guards. Only a few survived, and were admitted to the hospital, from where they explained their witness. Well-armed and silent, they had illegal weapons on their hands, as they attempted destroying the door to a file storage room. Since your organization holds skilled women of elite characteristics in combat, he and I decided that you would be the ones to guard it." He scanned through the documents, translated from Japanese to English for his convenience.

"Your flight for Tokyo has been scheduled at five A.M. tomorrow morning. For the remainder of the time you have here, I suggest you gather your best weapons and make arrangements to cancel any appointments you have in the next five weeks." Yao bit her lip.

How would she explain this to Ivan? Her eyes fell upon Natalya, whose expression seemed to read her mind. We'll talk about it later, she said without a move of her lips.
For the years they had worked side by side, both women were at the point of being able to read each other's face without speaking a word.

"Very well then, Mr. Zwingli." Yao kept her eye contact with the Swiss, returning the professional smirk she had mastered through all this time.

"The Yakuza will be brought down to their knees."

"Vanya, guess what? Natalya and I won sweepstakes to go on a five-week shopping spree in Tokyo!" Yao threw her hands up in the air, hoping that he would fall for her facade. Ivan was surprised, for she wasn't really the type that spent hours in a mall.

"Are you sure you'll have fun without me? I can't take any days off this week, because a lot of things are happening in work. Promise that you'll be safe, da?" She smiled, and threw her arms around him.

"I promise." He smiled, returning her embrace, but a little too tightly.

"Vanya, I can't breathe!" She wheezed. Hesitantly, he let go. Ivan pulled on the collar of his gray turtleneck, wondering if this really was the best idea. He had witnessed her strength even before they began their relationship. From woks to fists, Yao was a strong woman. But he still wasn't sure if she could be out there, alone.

"I don't want you to get hurt, da!" He pouted childishly. She sighed.

"Vanya, every day I come home just fine. There's nothing to worry about. Back then, I learned kung-fu from my mother, so I'm perfectly guarded!" She took a stance, crossing her arms and lifting her leg. The Russian man grinned, suppressing his giggles. Yao frowned as he began to laugh, and placed her foot down, hands on her hips.

"You really think I can't take care of myself?" His laughter stopped short when he saw the fire blazing in her eyes.

"Ah, ha! It's just that I realized something." Her face softened, and her arms fell to her sides.

"What would that be?" Yawning, she headed towards the closet. The rain fell softly outside, gently tapping on the roof of the apartment. It would be a good idea to sleep.

"Just that my Yao is perfect in whatever she does, da!" The Chinese woman paused as she pulled on her silk night bottoms. Her lips upturned.
She wondered if Ivan would continue to think that way if he ever learned of her secret.

"You're perfect in every way, Ivan." The words came out in a slow mutter, but still caught his ear as he was brushing his teeth. Yao knew for a fact that this was true. His childishness, his intimidating aura, his playful remarks and affectionate touch-it was all too perfect. Supposedly, it was his flaws that made him the one she devoted herself to as a wife.

He put down the cup and stared at his reflection in the water. Perfect? Selling weapons and illegal drugs were far from what a normal man would do. As a matter of fact, they were far from what a good man would do. Weapons, that destroyed places, that destroyed people, that destroyed life. Chemicals that changed a person's mind and led to addiction and craving.

If she ever knew who he really was, Yao would find him far from perfect.

They always said she made them happy.

Mei was a persistent girl, who kept asking questions until she was satisfied on the truth of their answer. Her mother, her father, her best friend, her other friends.

"There's nothing wrong with you at all, Mei. You're completely fine."
Then why...why did he always leave her alone?
"Honda-San is a very busy man. Young ladies like you, high-class or not, shouldn't get in the way." The receptionist lady flung her hair and glared at her with contempt. Mei frowned. Was she jealous? She looked a good few years ahead of Kiku's age, and Kiku himself said that he wasn't the type to be interested in women.

Still, he still fell for her.

And Mei couldn't have been happier.

Been, as the main word.

Now, everything seemed like a K-Drama. Like the ones her friend Yong Soo starred in, where it was a fairytale at the start then a tragedy in the end. Luckily enough, Kiku hadn't said anything yet about breaking up. No, she didn't know if she could ever have the strength to hear those words again. She heard them too much, too often. Despite what everyone said, they would always contradict it.

Even though they said she was perfect in every way, they lied and left her in the end.

To be perfect...doesn't that mean that you're irresistible? Being a small child, she hadn't understood why her mother kept abandoning her in the middle of the mansion, even when she couldn't walk that well. She couldn't understand why her father never spoke to her in person, only in letters, (which she threw away after a few times reading it over. It wasn't the truth. It was just to keep her occupied with thoughts about how he actually cared for her as a daughter. Mei told herself that he didn't care, ever since she broke her leg and never even sent a card.)

That's why she was standing here, in the lobby of Honda International Building, in front of the same spiteful receptionist woman, who didn't pay her any attention and was glancing over a clipboard.

"I want to see him again." The woman laughed.

"Of course you do. Crazy girl, he'll never-" The Taiwanese girl gritted her teeth and slammed her ivory hands against the metal desk.

"I AM WANG MEI, THE DAUGHTER OF PREMIER WANG ZHOU AND I WILL SEE HIM!" She screamed. Everyone in the lobby turned their heads towards the pretty, yet angered youth and the terrified lady.
"Yes, right away Wang-San." The woman stuttered, self conscious as she sensed numerous eyes falling upon her and muttering about her poor service.

Mei smiled.

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