Saudade | CountryHumans RusAme

The Promises, 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐋𝐔𝐃𝐄

"Who's that?" Russia whispers into China's ear. There is a boy, sitting on the couches by the windowsill, with hair and eyes as black as obsidian. He carries himself like a mystery, sparing no glance to anything except for the autumn tree leaves that blow in the distance, past the glass of the panes.

China peers with his head tilted to scrutinize him better. "I feel like I've known him before. But I can't remember from where or when. I think he's the Representative of... North... North Korea?"

"You're right," comes a voice from the distance. The pair had met Germany a few weeks before the grand opening of Global High and quickly formed an alliance; his intelligence was unparalleled. "South Korea's brother. Not like we have to care about him though," he says, looking to the other side of the common space where the aforementioned is laughing loudly with his friends. The Representatives of America, Japan, Poland; they all linger around him like sticky honey on hands.

China follows his eyes to the same place. He finds a weird type of resentment in him for them, even though they didn't really do much to him yet. Like an inherent dislike that he's not quite sure where it came from. But he'll harbor it. He's a Representative and the honor is to follow his preordained global relationships.

North Korea, on the other hand, looks like an ally. A friend. He walks over to where the boy is sitting.

"Hi," China offers, holding out a hand.

North narrows his eyes and the expression on his face looks deadly. "What do you want?"

"Do you want to come sit with us?" China asks, then cringes internally for how childish that sounds.

North Korea's eyes soften slightly. He looks too taken aback for him to maintain that anger on his face. "Why?" he asks, with a pause before he says it.

"You look like you could be a good ally."

"Is it the way I look? The way I dress?"

"No, gut feeling."

A sigh. Another moment of silence. Then— "Alright."

And from there were the beginnings of a bond. Simple, isn't it?

★

"This is your place?" North looks astonished.

"Yeah," China grins. It's just the two of them today. Germany has classes and Russia didn't reply to any of their messages.

"It's so... red. In a good way, of course," North corrects. "It's just you here?"

"Yeah. There are no direct parental links to me and any of the dynasty Representatives. No one really had wars for occupation of my country and was old enough to take custody. They can be my aunts and uncles and cousins, I suppose... but I don't know. I'm new to this life too."

"It must be lonely."

"It is. Russia and Germany come around a lot. You should too."

"You'd let me?'

"Yeah."

"Wow. Thank you," North says sheepishly. "I'd like to get out of my house sometimes."

"Who's there?"

"Just me and my brother. Who's a pain in the ass. He thinks he's so cool now just because he's someone in America's inner circle. They call each other best friends now. I hate him but sometimes I wish it was different. That we wouldn't sit in silence and split apart to eat our own meals."