"You know what's weird... How come there are so many movies from the 90s of gladiator style matches in China? I mean what's up with that? Was it true? If so, was it a regional problem or something like that?" Serbia asks her companion nonchalantly. China looks pale. His jaw is almost touching the floor. "When I said, are there any questions, I meant about the grammar, words, proverbs etc", he adds after shaking his shock away.
"Oh... no, not really", she replies. They both sit in the blank space. "Okay then... you will see it is very easy to learn my language. Here is the book with basic kanji", he says calm giving her an elementary school book. Reluctantly, she accepts, nearly having a stroke seeing the characters inside.
"I don't know. These look good on tattoos, but I don't think it's a very practical writing system" she says trying to be polite.
China smiles nervous but is not discouraged. "There's logic in it, I assure you", he says. Serbia makes a face, tilting the book and squinting.
"Okay, maybe this is too advanced for the first lesson. How about we try with this. Listen and repeat", he said and inhaled. "mā, má, mǎ, mà, ma, mā..."
As he is talking, she blankly stares into the distance. "It sounds like a bunch of short sounds stringed together. So unlike any European language I'm used to..." she thinks as her mind tries to make sense of it all.
China still continues. "Well..." he looks at her in anticipation. She grabs her head and screams. The book falls on the floor.
He patiently waits for her to finish. After an awkward silence, he gives her back the book. "Okay... Let's try again" he says patient, with his best encouraging smile.
She stares at him annoyed.