Chapter 2

A/N: Not going to say much, but I appreciate the feedback I'm getting from this already. It motivates me a lot. :)

This chapter is basically a retell of the previous from China's perspective. I've tried my best to extend the length.

China's POV

"Jǐ diǎn le...? [What time is it?] Aiyaah... do these meetings have to always turn out like this, aru...? " I muttered to myself, as I admired the curtains hanging by the large windows along the walls. For a Frenchman, he could really decorate properly. But one thing he couldn't do was run a meeting.

After finally examining probably every single feature of the elegant curtains, I turned my head back across the large meeting table. Out of curiosity, I looked up at Kiku. He was usually in the same boat as me in these situations. The Japanese man was already glancing up at me (with his head on the table), so I gave him a warm smile. As if caught completely off guard, he quickly turned away, his cheeks tinted a slight pink. I chuckled to myself.

"He's so cute when he does that, aru. Or maybe he's just cute all the time.." I commented with a huge smile on my face. Though we never talked properly, I always felt like we were so close.

. . .

As all of the nations filed out of the spacious meeting room, I couldn't help but go out of my way to talk with Kiku for a bit. He is one of the only people I enjoy being around, after all. I placed my hand on his shoulder and gently pulled him closer.

"Hey Rìběn!~" I greeted playfully. He shuffled away from me, swatting my hand away.

"Y-Yes? P-Please do not call me that...It's e-embarrasing.." he responded nervously. I cocked my head to the side in confusion.

"Eh? Is something wrong, aru?" I questioned. It was strange for Kiku to be flustered, but I didn't pay it much thought. People have their strange days.

"N-No, it's nothing, really... just.. try not to call me that when there are so many other people around." I shrugged it off, as we continued to walk and made casual conversation.

. . .

6 days later..

I slipped on my silk, green robe that I always neglected to wear. I was finally home though, and any comfortable Chinese clothes would suffice. I casually walked out of my room, and returned to the pile of paperwork sitting on my work desk. I sighed as I took a seat and began to fill out the papers. It was so boring..

A few minutes later, the boring work finally got to me. Tired and in need of something else to do, I stood up from my desk. However, I did not stay standing for long.

Suddenly, a piercing pain shot through my stomach. I fell onto my knees with a loud thump while clutching my aching area, trying my hardest to suppress a scream. Though I tried my best to ignore it, it kept on raging. Burning. It felt like my stomach was turned into a pit of fire, slowly eating away at the rest of my body. An internal explosion that was bound to release some time. As if things couldn't get worse, as I fell I knocked my wooden desk with my head, probably brusing it, and scattering papers all over the floor.

A single drop of sweat fell from my forehead and landed on my white pants. Another few followed. I watched them soak into the soft fabric and create a small splatter. At that point, it hit me. Frantically, I pulled my hands away from my stomach, and examined it. My eyes widened at the sight.

Usually, if another country was waging war or something along those lines, immense pain would be felt, but no wound would open until it got really bad. If it was something like a bomb or huge ambush, then a wound would already be present at the moment of pain.

In the inflicted area, my green robe had been stained red. Tinted by my own blood. I lifted up the fabric covering my stomach, to reveal several gashes across my skin. It almost looked like a star, if there wasn't blood pooling from it's outline. I quickly covered it back up, knowing that I could not reach a bandage in that state. I examined my hands, and as I suspected, there was crimson liquid completely coating them. It was almost dripping. Luckily, I had seen enough blood in my lifetime, and wasn't disturbed by it at all. Instead, I decided to try and do something to help the wound.

I pulled my arms up, and tried to haul myself off the ground by gripping onto the nearby wooden table. My bloody hands slipped on the documents already atop the desk, and created several handprints. Saving my documents was the last thing on my mind though.

"C-Come on... you're a s-strong na-nation, aru...!"

Despite the rapid shaking of my legs and throbbing pain, I forced myself to finally stand up. Using my left over strength, I wobbled over to my medicine cabanet which was conveniently close by.

I swung the old door open, and quickly scanned the rows of medicine and packages. My blurry vision made nothing to help. Just as I spotted a bandage roll and reached for it, my legs gave way. I tumbled towards the ground, with my head landing first. A small buzzing sound rang through my ears, as my eyelids slowly closed, and I fell unconscious.

. . .

I awoke some time later with a soft beam of light shining in my face- something very rare in China. Without rubbing my eyes to clear my vision, I tried my best to look around and make out where I was. To my disappointment, I was still on the floor of my Beijing residence, lying in a pool of what I assumed was my own blood. I attempted to whisper a prayer in Chinese, but my throat blocked up immediately. As I coughed, a spill of blood dripped from my mouth, adding to the already large pile on the ground. My throat felt like it had been filled with the thick liquid, so in an attempt to clear it, I kept on coughing and spluttering everywhere. It eventually became an unconscious habit.

I turned my attention back to the glaring sunlight that was adding to the blur of the world I already saw. Though my head pounded, I recalled the events of before collapsing. 'It was evening- I was sure of it- so what's with the sunlight, aru..?' I thought. I desperately tried to think of a possible conclusion, but my head was too fuzzy. It was impossible to concentrate.

For an unknown reason, though my head was spinning, several different nations who could've attacked popped into my mind. However, I'd rejected most of the possibilities.

'Russia.. No, although he wants to control me aru, this isn't one of his strategies. Of all the possible events, any of them could of easily affected him too, aru. We aren't that far, sadly..

England?.. Though he hates me, I doubt he would plan an attack as random as this, aru. He usually has to have something set him off to drive him to do something of this nature, aru.

Japan..! W-why him..? I really hope it wasn't him, of all people, aru. He wouldn't hurt me this bad... right? I trust him.. even though I hate being slightly biased aru, I can't throw suspicion onto him.

America! I guess he doesn't seem like the type to attack aru, but considering the damage he did to Kiku all that time ago... haven't we been fighting recently anyway, aru? That childish bastard..!... I know it's too early for judgement but-'

BOOM!

Right before my eyes, and in an instant, half of my (expensive) house exploded, sending shards and large plates of the walls, furniture and whatever else flying. Fortunately, I was no where near the dangerous area, but many parts of debris flew past me, missing me by pure centimetres. I began to feel so worthless- so small- compared to the rest of the world.

I rested my head onto my scratched arms, giving my neck a chance to recover. Even though my head was down, I began to smell something strange, stressing how strong it was. Soon enough, panic struck through me again, though my still actions did not show it. Smoke. There was a fire already. I wasn't sure if it was the brightness of the flames, or the sun itself, but a light flashed in my eyes. Instinctively I shut my eyelids closed, entering a world of peace.

Thinking about more peaceful events and things (or people) I loved seemed to clear the dark cloud restricting my head from thinking properly. With a clear mind, I began to piece some left over information together.

'Light..? It must be morning already then, aru. Wait.. morning.. I have another world meeting to attend, don't I aru? As if I'm going anywhere in this state, aru. Hell, I apparently can't even walk 4 metres without falling..'

From that point, I began to run through several prayers in my head, hoping that someone would find me. Hoping that someone would help me. Wishing with all my might that this wasn't going to be my last days.

If only someone cared.

A/N: Sad conclusion is sad, huh? Well, there's the next chapter, and the one following will be the next day at the meeting. From Japan's POV of course. Please don't forget to leave a review, give some criticism, spelling corrections, and please tell me if any Chinese or Japanese is wrong. I would really appreciate it, and I'm sure you would love a chapter or few in return.