二十二 ❀

[naicha]

✿ action 1
<sub>[ When the cherry blossoms disappear, Taiwan holds her breath. Japan always adored things that come and go so easily. Now he was one, too. She should've known better than to expect this the least. Watching his figure put on his coat and walk out the door, Taiwan knows it's not him. And stay out! Taiwan thinks as she slams the door shut. She feels like flicking his drone on the forehead for his remarks. "Be a good wife and make him dinner?" Ooh, the nerve! ... This makes her miss the real Japan already. Hm? What? She's not going to cry, that's silly. Even so, no matter how many times she's learned how to stand on her own, she can't help but feel abandoned. It's okay, though. Not that it hasn't happened before.

At the cafe, it's business as usual. Employees will find that there are no costumes for them to wear, though, if they don't already bring their own. Behind the counter isn't Japan typing away on his computer, but Taiwan, accounting everything by hand. She lifts her head up whenever a customer passes by. ]</sub>

Welcome!

_{[ With no makeup masking her troubled state, Taiwan quickly ducks back into her work again. She isn't even eating anything. She does try her best to put a smile on her face, though. Look! It's as if nothing happened at all. ]}

✿ action 2
_{[ Two siblings are walking around town together, but there's something odd about their dynamic today. ]}

And he was like, "Ah, is that so." And then I was like, "Yes! Yes, it is so!" Ooh, but I tried and tried and he still wouldn't let me and I was so mad that I could... _{[ p-punches her palm ]} hit him...! But I didn't 'cause I'd feel a little bad, you know. Oh! I was gonna say sorry for calling him a stupidhead today, but when I woke up and checked on him, all his stuff was gone! Just like that. It's not fair, you know, I mean- _{[ She waits for a witty, candid response, but nothing. Her voice is full of anger. ]} Hey! _{[ Then worry. ]} Hey, say something...

_{[ It goes on like this until Hong Kong's drone arrives at work. Very upset with this turn of events, Taiwan starts her walk home looking a little glum. She's not exactly looking where she's going, so she might bump into you, a drone or a pole. A detour she makes to the elementary school's playground is where others may find her hanging upside down on the monkey bars. ]}

✿ phone/action for 1245 williams road

Hello... Um, _{[ There's the sound of Taiwan wiping her face with her sleeve. ]} um! _{[ She takes in a deep breath. ]} Japan's... gone and stuff. If anyone wants to hit him, you don't have to, 'cause I already did. If anyone's worried about the cafe, I'm taking over, you know! I mean, until he comes back...

Ahaha, I feel a little dizzy! I think I'll go lie down now.

_{[ But she can't stay still! After the call, she'll be around the house, arranging all the clothes they have by color and sorting the records and books alphabetically. ]}

Comments

1

[forever-cheery.livejournal.com]

[Aurora wanders into the cafe, looking around curiously, wondering what sort of place this is. She walks up to the counter and gives Taiwan a smile.]

Hi! Um, what is this place?

[naicha]

_{[ Taiwan jolts up, startled. ]}

Eh? This place? What? Uh... This place... _{[ She pauses as if she's trying to remember. ]} is a cafe...

[ household action ]

[imoutos]

[ Nadeko has more or less been watching Taiwan throughout the house silently for a while, wondering whether she should bother her or not. It's pretty obvious that they are all distraught about what happened to Japan, so Nadeko figures maybe she should just keep to herself, maybe that should be better, but.. watching Taiwan like this without helping is actually a little bit painful. So after taking a deep breath and putting up her best normal-looking face, she walks up to Taiwan when she's sorting books. ]

Ah, Taiwan-san.. Good afternoon.

[naicha]

Hi, Nadeko!

_{[ She faces Nadeko with smile before sorting books again. Her smile looks the same as always, but there is something about it that makes it seem different. ]}

How was school?

1

[beamiracle.livejournal.com]

[It's been a while, so Lion stops by the cafe to visit Japan. Perhaps Taiwan is there as well, Lion thinks, and he's right. But Japan isn't there, and Lion can't help but find that odd. Unless...

No, Lion won't think about that right now. Instead, he goes up to Taiwan and gives her a little bow in greeting.]

Hello, Taiwan-san.

[naicha]

Huh? _{[ Someone is talking to her? ]} Hello, Lion! Are you looking for a seat? _{[ That's not her job right now, though, so she calls for another waitress to do the job. By flailing her arms. ]} Oh! Show Mr. Lion to a table, please!

2

[ralschild.livejournal.com]

[Kyoko's going to look at Taiwan a little funny, before shaking her head and moving closer]

That isn't good for your head you know? You'll make yourself dizzy if you hang upside down too long.

[naicha]

_{[ Taiwan looks ahead with narrow eyes. She doesn't feel so good... ]}

I don't care, you know! I can fall and break my head and get sent to the hospital and have a loving reunion with my family. Ah, that's right! I don't have a family 'cause they're droned. Oh, Macau's alright though, but I don't see him a lot, I wonder what happened to him...

[encored]

[watches her walk into a pole.... but such a stunning display of grace surely isn't abnormal for Taiwan so it obviously isn't something to worry about!!

or it wouldn't be something to worry about if he hadn't watched them walk part of the way down to the bank together, and he's already well aware that Hong Kong is droned. so he'll quietly approach her, intent on providing some amount of comfort.]

You haven't enough brain cells to spare to be doing that. [yep]

[naicha]

_{[ spins around and - wow Charles go away!! She'll ignore that. ]}

He'll wake up soon, I know he will!

_{[ Now, she doesn't want to ask this question because she's afraid of getting the answer she doesn't want to hear, but... ]}

His stuff is still at your house, right?

1

[hontobakabaka.livejournal.com]

[Ruri is in for work at her usual time after school and notices the lack of costumes, so she fixes her school clothes a bit and looks at Taiwan]

Miss Taiwan, are you all right?

[naicha]

Hm? Ruri? Ah, I'm fine. Today is just a really good day for work, you know! _{[ fistpumps! nothing wrong with her, nope ]} I've got sooo much energy...

[shoulda-toined.livejournal.com]

(Bugs shows up for work in costume, as he always does, and he immediately realizes what's going on. He goes to the counter and pats Taiwan on the shoulder.)

[naicha]

H-hm? _{[ She slowly looks up. ]}

Oh, Bugs. _{[ She's seen him around in that costume, but that doesn't make it any less funny. She genuinely smiles a little, but only after rubbing her eyes. ]} Hehe, what's up?

[Playground]

[coolbowtie.livejournal.com]

[And the Doctor is there suddenly. Sitting underneath her and and looking up at her. He looks somber and he doesn't say anything.

He's guessed what happened.]

[naicha]

_{[ Taiwan is surprised! She's never too exhausted to show it. But she doesn't say anything else - there's something that's bothering her. ]}

... Hey, do you think it's true? What we saw in the dairy last March...

phone

[welljustwatchme.livejournal.com]

[Oh dear. Canada's not sure exactly what to do, but Taiwan sounds so sad that she can't do nothing. There'll be the clanking of her mixing bowl being pulled from the cupboard, followed by all the baking supplies, as she's on the phone.]

Oh, Taiwan, I'm sorry, sweetheart. Umm, is this a bad time to ask where you live?

[naicha]

Uh, 1245 Williams Road... Why is Canada asking? _{[ She has no clue, really. The noises in the background could be anything. ]}

[Action 2]

[zombee-slayer.livejournal.com]

[He stared down at her as she bumped into him, uniform having fresh stains from the zombie invasion]

Watch where you're going.

[naicha]

Ooh... _{[ Usually, she'd have some sort of sassy comeback, but nah. She ignores him and wipes her face as she tries to walk past. ]}

2

[ryougi]

[Lalala walking like always except wait what is this thing that she just bumped into. Looking down and it's... someone she vaguely recognizes......

Oh right it's Taiwan.]

You should probably watch where you're going.

[naicha]

<sub>[ She remembers you, you are horrible!!!

Shiki, what are you talking about? She always watches where she's going, you know! Maybe you should wear a pair of glasses. I bet they'd make you look cute, too, hehe.

... is what she would say. Instead, she nods her head. ]</sub>

Sorry.

Phone

[moemoetentacles.livejournal.com]

What do you mean gone? He's not allowed to leave!

[naicha]

_[laughs] Yeah, that's what I said...

1

[gonnamarrydaddy.livejournal.com]

[Yuna's finally gotten around to coming in here to ask for a job. Not particularly well-acquainted with Japan in the first place, she finds Taiwan there balancing the books.]

Hey there! Is this the cafe?

[naicha]

Wah! _{[ That startles Taiwan, making her draw a line across half the page. Now she has to start all over... ]}

Um, yes... _{[ She straightens herself up. ]} Yes, it is!

2

[volcanoes]

[Iceland wasn't really paying attention until he saw Taiwan run into a pole.]

Uh, are you okay?

[naicha]

Ow... _{[ She holds that bump on her forehead with both hands. ]} Yeah, I'm fine!

_{[ Normally, she'd strike up a conversation, but this time, she tries to avoid him altogether. With her hands still on her head. ]}

Action 1: Cafe

[prpl_assistant]

(The cafe is a good break from the normalcy of Mayfield. Which is why you can find Miss Pauling there, taking a seat at one of the stalls. However, she notes the lack of costumes, and the lack of enthusiasm that one of the workers here had the last time she came around.

It's not really her place to ask though, so she'll just wait for her turn to order.)

[naicha]

_{[ Taiwan sees that a customer hasn't been attended to yet, so she takes it upon herself to do the job. She's clearly out of it, though. After stumbling over nothing and a couple of apologies, she makes it to Miss Pauling's table. ]}

Hello! Ah, _{[ She hurriedly tucks her hair behind her ear. ]} your order, miss?

action; house

[timeresets.livejournal.com]

_{[Homura watches Taiwan, feeling bad she can't do anything about the situation, but still wanting to at least try to be of some help.]}

Taiwan-san...?

[naicha]

Homura! _{[ The enthusiasm is forced. She lifts a sweater up. ]} Hey, do you think this is red or orange?

action 2

[piechemist]

_{[Rorona teaches at the elementary school now that she's an adult, but aside from that, it's Rorona. Upon seeing Taiwan in the playground, she'll head on over.]}

Taiwan? What're you doing here?

[naicha]

Making myself dizzy so I can forget stuff.

_{[ She sounds a little faint. ]}

1

[brotherseyes.livejournal.com]

[Nina gives a sad smile and a tiny wave to Taiwan as she approaches the cafe. She's seen Japan's drone and she wanted to see how his friends and employees were doing.]

Hi.

[naicha]

Hello, Nina. _{[ She returns the sad smile with her own. ]} A table for one? Did you bring someone along?