Author's Note: Two different stories are in this chapter, but they're relatively similar, so they were mushed together.

Chapter 3:

This isn't just for reciting words of love...

No one could ever figure out exactly why there were two representatives for Italy. Supposedly, it was because they were ruled separately very early on in their history. But the why didn't matter. What mattered was how the world would deal with it.

It became apparent why North and South Korea were different people when Korea divided itself in two. But both halves have always sought unity again, and soon, their dreams were to come true.

Italy Veneziano ran up the steps of his home, humming and smiling in his normal happy and clueless way. He burst through the doors, dropping his groceries on the kitchen counter, and skipped into the living room.

"Ve, Romano, where are you? I bought some more tomatoes!" Italy called out, thinking that his brother was sure to come out at the mention of his favorite food. But no one responded.

"Ve, Romano? Fratello, where are you?" Italy started wandering around the house, searching for his missing brother. "I thought you said you were going to stay home today, did you go out-" He was cut off as he tripped over something in the hallway.

He looked back, and say his brother sprawled out on the floor, unconscious. "Ve, ROMANO!"

South Korea was pouting. What for, no one but him really knew. He was always like this after a diplomatic visit to or from China or Japan. But all that was about to change.

A brave government official walked into the room to break the news to his country. "South Korea, your brother has contacted us about uniting the countries again."

Korea went right on pouting. "So what? He's always said that, yet he won't ever acknowledge that my government is better! He won't even agree that Koreans originated in me! You know we won't get anywhere!"

The official smiled. "Ahh, but this is where things get interesting. Your brother has agreed to compromise."

Korea bolted up. "What? Aniki said that?"

"Um, yes..." the official responded, not sure how to react to his nation referring to his brother in Japanese.

"THAT'S WONDERFUL! YAAAY!" Korea started dancing through the room, sporadically yelling in Japanese. The bewildered government official could only watch.

"Ve, ROMANO! ROMANO, WAKE UP!"

Tears streamed down Italy's face as he shook his brother, trying to get him to wake up. It was no use. "No, no, no... Romano, stop scaring me!"

Fearing the worst, Italy felt his brother's wrist for a pulse. It was there, but so very very faint. Italy's heart beat faster, as if to compensate for his brother's not working enough. He staggered to his feet and lunged for his phone, dialing for an ambulance.

Korea could hardly contain his joy at the prospect of seeing his brother again. The moment North Korea walked out of the plane, he pounced.

"ANIKI!"

North Korea was almost crushed under the enthusiasm of his younger brother.

"Ow, get off me, South! And why are you addressing me in Japanese?"

"Don't you like Japan?"

"That's not the point! You should use your own language when in your own home!"

"Alright. Sorry."

North Korea could tell his younger brother was not really apologetic, but he also knew that it was the best he would get. He sighed.

"South, let's just head in to the meeting room, OK?"

"Of course! This way!" Korea practically pranced into the building.

A tearful Italy trailed behind as a team of doctors and nurses as they rushed Romano into the emergency room. A nurse blocked Italy as he tried to follow.

"Sir, we cannot allow you in right now."

"But I have to go in!"

"Sir, I'm truly sorry, but it's against hospital policy-"

"LET ME IN! My brother is dying!" With a sob, Italy used his influence as a nation to push past the shocked nurse and into the room.

"Well, that was a productive meeting..." North Korea mused as he dropped down on a bench outside the meeting room, next to his brother. They had just about reached a compromise when the meeting ended. Their bosses had agreed to meet again in two days time to finish discussions and officially unite the countries.

"Haha, productive meetings originated in me, da ze!" South Korea's enthusiasm was unbounded. "Soon we'll be together again!"

"Yes, soon..." North Korea looked out of a nearby window. If things proceeded as they had this morning, he and his brother would soon be reunited into one country again. He should be glad for it. But North Korea had heard stories of what had happened at Germany's reunification, 60 years ago. Would the same happen to him and South?

He turned around to voice his concerns to his younger brother.

"South..."

"What is it, da ze? You look pale! Did you know that paleness originated in South Korea?" South Korea started rambling, preventing North Korea from getting a word in anywhere. But even if South Korea had let him speak, North Korea wouldn't have. He was struck by how innocent and happy his brother was, and promised to himself that he would not ruin his brother's joy.

Instead, he decided to ask South Korea to visit his home.

"Hey, South, how long has it been since you've seen my half of the country?"

"Hm? 105 years, da ze! Since after Japan left."

"Exactly. It's about time for you to come visit. And I haven't been to your half since this stupid demilitarized zone went up. Let's tour Korea together, OK?

"Yeah, great idea! We can go right now! They're not going to start the meeting again until the day after tomorrow, anyway, so we have all the time we need!" South Korea jumped up, babbling on about everything they would see.

North Korea followed, a light smile on his lips. He would miss his brother. No, he mustn't think that way! He shook his head, trying to convince himself that nothing would change, as he followed his brother out of the meeting hall.

"Ve, Romano... can you hear me? Talk to me!" Italy stood at his brother's bedside, clutching Romano's hand. "Please wake up! Don't leave me!"

Italy could feel Romano slipping away, just like he had once felt Prussia falling. But this time, it was more personal. This was his brother, his other half, the South Italy to his North. He could feel as Romano's hold on the people in the southern half of the Italian peninsula was weakening. But that was not all he could feel. Not even close.

Romano's people were being transferred to Italy.

He could feel their joys and sorrows, their loves and their fears, almost as clearly as he could feel those of his own people. He could sense the forests, the animals, the plants, on his brother's land. He could feel his country urging him to become all of Italy.

He refused.

He pushed back, burying the feelings behind a mental wall. He shook Romano. "Fratello, wake up!" he sobbed. "Stop trying to give me your land!"

But Romano remained still.

"ROMANO! PLEASE!" Italy fell to the ground, sobbing, soaking his clothes with his tears.

North Korea stood on his side of the border, looking across into his younger brother's eyes. It was finally time for them to be reunited again. He tore his eyes away just as his boss began moving forward, and followed.

South Korea could hardly contain his excitement as he followed his boss out to where the table had been set up for the official signing of the reunification documents. He stood next to his brother as their bosses shook hands and exchanged the necessary pleasantries. North Korea squeezed his brother's hand.

South Korea began to ramble on and on about what he had in mind for them when they could finally go home, together, only pausing when his boss ordered him to sign something or the other. North Korea watched in amusement. South Korea had been alive since the 300's BC, and yet he still acted so young. He was over 2000 years old! But North Korea knew he would do anything to keep his brother so happy and carefree.

Finally, it was time to unify the country. The brothers joined hands as their bosses leaned down to sign the document.

South Korea's boss signed the document, and handed it over to North Korea's boss as South Korea grinned to his brother.

North Korea smiled back as his boss, too, signed the paper.

Then he collapsed.

Italy had not left Romano's bedside for more than a week. He would barely take any food, and slept in fitful bursts only when he was too exhausted to stay awake any longer. But Romano's condition did not change at all. So Italy waited.

When Romano finally woke up, Italy was ecstatic. His brother was going to get better! "Ve, Romano! Fratello, you're awake! Have some pasta! Or would you rather have pizza? Oh! I brought some tomatoes, too, Spain gave them to me, would you like those?"

But Romano didn't respond. Instead he just stared at Italy. Italy fidgeted.

"Ve... Romano, you're scaring me..." He began to pull foods out of his bag. "Here have a taste of thi-"

"Italy." Romano's forceful word stopped Italy in the middle of his movements.

"Si, fratello?" Italy turned around to meet Romano's stare.

"Why aren't you taking it?"

"What are you talking about, fratello, taking wha-"

"You know what. Why aren't you taking South Italy?"

"Romano..."

"DAMMIT ITALY! WHY WON'T YOU TAKE IT?" Romano finally burst. "THE LONGER YOU REFUSE IT, THE LONGER YOU DRAG ME INTO THIS, YOU BASTARD! YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN BETTER AT EVERYTHING! EVERYONE FAVORED YOU! THE WORLD FAVORS YOU, WANTS TO GIVE YOU ITALY, AND WHAT DO YOU DO? YOU REFUSE TO TAKE IT! WHY... why are you so damned good, Italy?" He broke down into sobs. "Why won't you let me die peacefully? Italy, why?"

Italy sat there, stunned at his brother's sudden outburst. Romano never yelled at Italy like that. "Romano..."

"Take it, Italy."

"No, Romano, I can't, you'll die!"

"Just take it."

"No, I-"

"TAKE IT, FELICIANO!"

Italy flinched. The nations, especially Romano, never, ever used each other's human names unless the situation was special. The only times it was deemed acceptable was when families did it at home, when mass destruction was occurring, or...

Or when a nation was dying.

"No, no, no..." Italy knew now that Romano wasn't getting better. "No, Romano, don't..."

And that was when Romano's composure finally slipped. "Fratello, I don't want to die, but I can't hang on much longer. I'm scared... I want to eat pasta with you again, at our favorite spot. I want too see Spain again, or Austria. I'd even settle for Germany or France. I just... Don't ignore me like they all used to... Don't leave me..."

Italy found himself hugging and comforting his sobbing brother. "Ve, fratello, I'll never leave you. I promise."

Romano smiled through his tears. "Why are you so damn good, Feliciano?"

"Because, Lovino, one of us has to be." Italy pulled back a little. "Do you have to go?"

"Yes. As soon as you accept Italy." Romano placed a hand over Italy's heart. "Do you accept?"

"...Will it make you happy, fratello?"

"It will make me very happy. Please say yes."

"Then... yes."

A wave of energy seemed to rush from Romano's hand into Italy's heart, joining with him. Romano sighed and sagged a little.

"You were... the best... little brother..."

South Korea rushed to catch his brother as he fell. Shocked, their bosses only stared dumbly until South Korea yelled at them to go get help. Everyone panicked, thinking that something horrible must have happened in North Korea to cause the nation to collapse like he did. Government officials ran around, trying to figure out what was happening or following South Korea's orders, given from his spot on the ground next to his brother.

Then North Korea spoke. "Everyone... stop."

All motion ceased for a few seconds. Then everyone began to yell at once, demanding to know what was going on, until South Korea stood up and yelled.

"Everyone SHUT UP!"

He immediately bent back down again, picking his brother up and laying him on a hospital bed that someone had procured, and ordering the people around him in a way that showed his true age of over 2000 years old.

"Hyeong, what happened?" South Korea asked as soon as he was done giving his orders.

North Korea grimaced. "The unification happened. I feared it would come to this..."

South Korea was confused. "What do you mean?"

North Korea looked at him pointedly. "Remember Germany?"

"Germany? What does he have to do- oh. Oh, no..." Realization dawned on his face. "No, please tell me it's not true..."

"I had hoped it wouldn't be, but it looks like that is not the case..."

"Hyeong... I'll think of some way to fix this. I won't allow this! What if we burned the documents, now? That way we won't be unified anymore-"

"It won't work, and you know it." North Korea sighed. "South..."

But South Korea wasn't listening. He was trying to tear the unification papers apart, tears streaming down his face. North Korea gently reached over and took them out of his brother's hands.

"Im Yong Soo, listen to me. Don't do it. Let our people become one again. Please, this was our dream."

"But... If you die, I'll be alone!"

"I'm sure that's not the case. You have Japan, and China, and Taiwan and Hong Kong and Thailand and Vietnam and-"

"B-But none of them are my brother!"

North Korea raised an eyebrow. "They are, Yong Soo. They are your - our - family. They love us."

"But... still..."

"Listen, I don't have much time left. Please tell China I'm sorry for being such a needy, dependent little brother. And... tell the others that I'm truly sorry I closed myself off from them. Also... please take good care of my people... namdongsaeng."

"Hyeong..." South Korea was drawn into a hug.

"You were... the best... little brother..."

"... Please... Don't forget me..."

And with those words, the older nation faded away, leaving the younger sobbing next to the empty bed.

South Italy (Italy Romano) - united with North Italy (Italy Veneziano) - gone

Democratic People's Republic of Korea - united with South Korea - gone

Author's Note: So, some of this stuff needs a bit of explaining.

The section at the end right there happened in both Italy and Korea, hence the ambiguity

This is supposed to take place in 2050, which is 105 years after the end of the Japanese occupation of Korea (in 1945). Hence South Korea saying "since after Japan left."

I based the Koreas' ages on when a government(ish thing) arose in the country. This would place North Korea's birth at around 2000 BC (just slightly younger than China), when Gojoseon was founded, and South Korea's at around 300 BC, when the Jin state was founded.

Some translations:

Fratello = brother (but you knew that, right?)

Hyeong = older brother

Namdongsaeng = younger brother