The Forgotten War

Chapter Six

"Here, it's a present."

"For me? Oh....thank you, sir...."

America handed me a brown-paper package, and I could instantly tell by the feel of it that it was clothing. We were both sitting, cross legged, on the grassy bank of the large koi pond.
The package was light in my hands.
I looked at it for a few seconds, and then looked back up at America.

"Thank you." I said again.

He shrugged, smiling. "For what it's worth, you'll look less like a girl, Korea."

I was glad that the lack of efficient light hid the flush of colour in my cheeks.
So I really do look like a girl. North wasn't kidding, then.

I held the package carefully and placed it in my lap. Judging from the comment, it was probably a suit of some kind, like the one America was wearing.

I smiled politely. I probably won't be wearing this for a while. I don't particularly fancy western clothing.

"I hope it fits." he added.
I nodded. "Me too."
"If not, just let me know, Korea."

"South." I suddenly said.

"What?"

"My name. It isn't just Korea anymore. It's South Korea. So as not to upset my brother, just call me South." I realised how demanding my tone of voice had been, so I quickly added a soft, "Please?"

America blinked at me, then smiled. "Sure. If that's what you want."

I breathed a sigh of relief, and bowed my head. "Thank you, sir."

I suddenly noticed the moon, and smiled.

"The moon is really bright this evening, isn't it sir?"
"Yeah, it is."

We both sat in silence, staring up at it.

"By the way, what does 'hyeong' mean?" America asked suddenly.

I glanced at him. "Well, if you're a boy, that's the title you'd use to address your older brother, or any boy a little older than you."

"Ohhh. So that's why North called you that?"

He heard that? I thought he was already outside.

I nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Speaking of your brother, how come he didn't want to come outside with us?"
America asked casually.

Because he hates you, and thinks that you're a 'western devil'...?

"He's not good with strangers. He prefers speaking with people he knows well." I said.
"Like China?"
"Yes."

America nodded slowly.
"And Russia?"

I turned to him and frowned. "No, why?"

"No reason. I just noticed that he seemed to be speaking with Russia a lot."

"Oh...well, he does know Russia. But I didn't think that he knew him that well."

"Sounds like you don't know a lot of things about your brother."

It didn't sound like he meant it as an insult. It sounded more like a random observation. I chose to ignore it, and didn't respond.

Neither of us spoke.

"I have a younger brother too." America said, breaking the silence.

I raised my eyebrows. "Really? How much younger?"
America looked upwards in concentration. "Um...a hundred years or something. I'm not sure."

I nodded. A hundred years? That wasn't much difference then.

"His name's Canada."

I smiled. That was such a nice name.

"He sorta looks like me; glasses, and blond hair. But his eyes look a little violet, compared to mine."
I suddenly noticed the colour of America's eyes for the first time. They were a startling blue, unlike any other colour I had seen. They seemed to pierce through the darkness.
A little like Russia's eyes.....the piercing part, at least.

"What does he like? Your brother," I asked.

"Well...he likes maple syrup and pancakes."

Maple syrup?

I tilted my head. "I've never tried maple syrup before."
America looked at me, smiling. "Don't tell him that. He'll beat you up with a hockey stick."
I frowned. "Hockey stick?"

"Yeah. Not a pleasant experience, trust me."

We both laughed. "But he's kind most of the time." America added.

"Canada sounds nice." I said.
"He is. Although, he can be a little too nice, sometimes." America chuckled softly.
"When you move in, I'll formally introduce you to him."

I was about to smile and say that I would like that when I froze.
"What? What did you say?"
"Hm? Oh. I said I'd introduce you to Canada."
"No...I meant before that."

There was a moment of silence.

"I said, he's too nice sometimes."

Another moment of silence.

I shifted uncomfortably.
"What do you mean...when I move in?"
America laughed.
"Oh! That. Right, um, about that..." His nervous laughter didn't comfort me at all.
"Um...dude, I'm sorry."

My eyes widened.
"Sorry for what?"

He had stopped laughing, and his eyes weren't meeting mine.

"I didn't want to tell you...you were having such a good time inside...but..."

But? But what?

"We had a meeting today...France, China, USSR, Britain and I..."
"Yes, sir?"
"And we discussed the 38th parallel..."
"Sir,"

They were going to help us recover from colonisation. They would get Japan to compensate for everything that he'd done to us.

There was another long moment of silence.

"I got you."
He said softly.
He got me?
Suddenly a cold feeling crept over me. I prayed that I misunderstood him.

"I got you," he said again, looking back up at the moon, his glasses glinting in the light.

"But Russia got your brother."