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

[imoutos]

It's nice to be able to talk about someone like that, right..? To have someone who can make you feel all happy and warm inside..

[ yes, she's probably thinking about Koyomi.. it's enough to distract her from the issue with Japan for a little while. ]

[naicha]

_{[ It's not helping in Taiwan's case. ]}

Mm. I'm glad that I met him, hehe. Even if the first time we met wasn't all that pleasant...

[imoutos]

.. Eh? [ She looks a little curious. ] Do you mean you had a not so great first meeting..?

[naicha]

Ah, wait! That was the second meeting. Hehe, when we first met... I was so little back then! And Japan looked so young. He didn't look too different from the way he does now, though! Come to think of it, I didn't really pay much attention to that. It's a funny story! I guess he wanted to be friends or something like that, 'cause he wrote me a letter and brought it to me, you know? But I didn't know how to read back then, so he went through all that fancy stuff for nothing and sailed back home, hahaha!

_{[ She hums quietly, unsure if she should continue. Their next encounter is an event she remembers more clearly. ]}

[imoutos]

[ She listens, almost slightly content to just immerse herself in this for now and forget about what happened to Japan. When Taiwan finishes, she giggles a bit. ]

That's a slightly funny story.. Poor Japan-san, though, that he came all the way over there for nothing.

[naicha]

But he never gave up, you know! _{[ That's right, this next part was going to be sad for her. ]} He never...

Mm... a lot of things happened, and I ended up living with him for a while. _{[ She walks away from Nadeko to the other end of the shelf and starts arranging books there. ]}

[imoutos]

In that case, he must have been trying really hard for Taiwan-san, if he never gave up and even let you live with him..

[ She idly stares at her a little before putting some books on the shelf. ]

[naicha]

_{[ She lets out a small sigh. ]}

It wasn't a good thing. _{[ She makes a book teeter and totter on the edge of the shelf before pulling it out of its place. ]} ... But it wasn't a bad thing either...

[imoutos]

Not a good thing nor a bad thing? [ She frowns a little to herself as she slowly switches two books around. ]

But weren't you happy to get that much attention from Japan-san..?

[naicha]

_{[ Japan paid more attention to her more than China ever did before he let her go. Was she happy? Perhaps. But there were so many memories about it that made his stay more unpleasant. ]}

Too much of anything can be bad. _{[ A smile works its way on her face. There's a long pause before she decides to speak up again. ]}

It took years before I could leave, you know. I was very happy. I could finally move on my own! _{[ Her voice grows quiet. ]} But I was also sad... There was no one there to help me anymore.

[imoutos]

W.. well, I can't really say anything like this since I'm still young, but.. that's probably how a lot of people feel when they move away from the parents or people they care about, right..?

[naicha]

<sub>[ Stop it Nadeko stop it. She wipes her nose and curls up into a ball on the spot.

... No, she's just putting this book back... ]</sub>

It's hard if you don't have much friends at first. I know a lot of people now, though, so I'm okay.

_{[ Yes, that's what she's been trying to tell everyone for the past 12 or so hours, because it's completely true. Really. R...eally... ]}

[imoutos]

[ she's sorry taiwan.. ;u; ]

... [ She doesn't want to pry. She feels like she shouldn't pry, and yet.. it would be sad if Taiwan would have to suffer alone, right? Yes, that would definitely be too sad, so.. ]

Hmm, it's okay right, Taiwan-san? You still have me here too. It's not a lot, but..

[naicha]

Mm. _{[ nods! ]} I have Nadeko. And Homura. The three of us have each other. _{[ It sounds like she's reassuring herself. She picks up another book and hugs it. ]}

I don't like being sad. Teacher and Japan say sadness isn't something bad, but I don't know... I'm really awful at hiding it. _{[ chuckles ]}

[imoutos]

I-if I'm allowed to say this much, I think a smile suits Taiwan-san the best, but..

[ She's staring at the cover of a book somewhat intensely, if not just to avoid having to look directly at Taiwan. ]

It's okay to be a little sad once in a while too, even for Taiwan-san. It's sad if you would just have to deal with that on your own..

[naicha]

I'll be okay! I'm used to it, you know. People coming and going. _{[ Laughs bitterly. ]} Hah, but a nation left this time, so it's a little different, I guess! He'll come back for sure - he always does. You know your history, don't you? He'll come back, so I'll be okay. Hehe, if he didn't come back, he'd never forgive himself. I'll be okay. I'm just... sad. _{[ She's smiling as if it's nothing. ]}

This is my problem, so no one else has to worry about it. _{[ No other family has to worry about it. ]}

[imoutos]

No.. It's all our problem together, right, Taiwan-san..? All of us cared for Japan-san, even if it wasn't maybe as much as you did, but.. still..

[ She grabs the book she's holding a bit tighter. ]

Japan-san was really, really good to me, so.. I wish I could at least have said 'thank you' to him before he came like this.. So it's my problem a little bit as well, right? So Taiwan-san should just have the problem together with us..

[naicha]

_{[ Taiwan blinks at Nadeko. Of course, she had been so fixated on the loss of her family that she had forgotten the other one she still had. It wasn't the same, but the feelings were there, the kindness was there. She puts her book down and pulls Nadeko in for a warm hug. ]}

You're right. Japan was good to you, so you became family. Families share their problems with each other... That's how they get through them, hehe. Nadeko... you're a really good kid. When we see him again, we'll definitely say thank you, okay? _{[ She hugs her tighter. ]} I just didn't want you to worry. You've got a lot more to think about, don't you?

[imoutos]

[ She gasps maybe just a little in surprise when she's pulled into the hug, but.. well, it's nice and cozy and warm, so why would she complain? Instead she just closes her eyes, shaking her head a little. ]

N-no.. It's okay, Taiwan-san. If sharing your worries with me makes you feel happy, then.. I don't mind at all.

[naicha]

_{[ Just let her dig her head into Nadeko's shoulder for the next five seconds and smile. ]}

Just don't push yourself too hard...

_{[ She feels much better than she did a while ago, so she pulls away. ]}

Hey, are you free this evening?

[imoutos]

A.. ah, well, it's not like I have many other people to talk to or things to do here, so.. [ forever in the 'go home club' of school, yes. ]

If Taiwan-san needs me for anything, I'm definitely free.

[naicha]

Great! Then, _{[ takes both of nadeko's hands in hers ]} I'll make a really big dinner tonight! For just the three of us! _{[ The number got smaller again... ]} It'll be super delicious, and you don't even have to feel and about having seconds!

_{[ She's doing this because food makes everyone feel better. ]}

[imoutos]

That sounds great.. [ She sounds maybe a little relieved, and she tries to smile warmly, nodding a little. ] I'd love to eat some of Taiwan-san's delicious dinner.. It's sure to be very, very yummy.