Finding Love (China x Female Reader x Japan)

An Old Chapter of Life

Night had fallen, yet I was surrounded by pink everywhere. The fluttering Cherry Blossoms formed a canopy overhead, separating me from the night sky. I couldn't see the moon behind them but the bright moonlight made the petals emit a warm glow of their own. I looked around in awe. The falling blossoms carrassed my face as I closed my eyes and took in the soft feeling.

"(Y/n)..."

I heard a faint voice calling my name. However, I did not move. I was mesmerized by the view in front of me.

"(Y/n)...? (Y/n)!"

Suddenly, my eyes went wide open. I turned and saw Yao staring at me.

"W‐Where are we?" I asked.
"We're almost at Japan's house, aru. You dozed off during the drive," he said.

I looked around me. We were still in the cab. I looked out of the window and saw we had arrived in the residential area. Modern concrete and traditional Japanese houses passed by as we drove along. The locality was peaceful with a few occasional cars on the road. We passed by a park for children built on the roadside where kids were playing.

A few minutes later, our cab stopped in front of a house with a wooden gate. "We're here," Ludwig announced.

I looked out at the gate. The anxious feeling returned once again.

I was going to meet Kiku again. But...will I still be able to look him in the eye? After everything, will we still become friends again?

Friend...At least I can have him for a friend...

We stepped off the car with our luggages and waited for the other two cars to arrive. It was strange that we all started together yet the others haven't reached yet.

"I think we should call them," I suggested.
"Good idea," Ludwig said as he took out his phone.

I looked around the neighborhood. Houses stood on either side of the road. They were simple yet had a pretty good architecture. Kiku's house was the only traditional one in this block.

I watched an old lady come out from the opposite house with a reusable shopping bag with her. She noticed me and gave me a slight bow. I bowed back to her, smiling.

Ludwig turned to us. "They will be here in any minute now,"

Soon, two cars arrived and the other countries came out.

"We're sorry for being late but someone needed a hamburger urgently," Arthur said, eyeing Alfred.
"I was hungry, okay!" Alfred whined.
"Whatever."

"Now that everyone is here, let's go inside, aru," Yao said.

We were about to take our things and open the gate when the elderly woman whom I saw earlier, came to us.

"Dareka ni ai ni kimashita ka?" She spoke in Japanese.

We all looked at each other, not being able to understand what she just said. Arthur stepped forward. "We're sorry but we can't understan‐ "

"Have you come here to meet someone?" she said, this time in English but with an accent.

"Umm, yes. We're here to meet Kiku," I told her.
"Kiku? Ah, do you mean Mr. Japan?" she asked.
"Yes, that's him," Arthur said.

"I am sorry but he isn't here right now. He has gone to the market," the elderly said.

We frowned. So as long as Kiku doesn't come, we have to stand here and wait for him. The lady seemed to understand our situation. She looked over at our luggages.

"You all seem to have come from afar. Would you like to come at my place to have some rest?" she offered.

"Oh, no. It's alright, ma'am. We don't want to bother you." I shook my head.
"It isn't a bother at all. This is the least I can do for Mr. Japan who has done so much for us," she said in a motherly tone.

We all glanced at each other and decided to take the offer.

"Thank you very much." We bowed in unison.

She gave us a warm smile and led us to her house. The interior was just as how I imagined a normal Japanese house to be. We left our shoes at the entranceway and walked inside.

We sat on the floor‐cushion in front of the low table in the living room. I looked around. There were traditional dolls and and wall‐hangings adorning the place.

"My granddaughter is at her school right now," she said while putting the teacups on the table. She was even kind enough to bring rice‐crackers to go with the tea. We thanked her for her courtesy.

She sat in front of us on the cushion and put something on the table with her aged fingers.

It was an old photograph.

"Mr. Japan has done a lot for my family. Many years ago, when our economy wasn't going as smooth, he worked hard to bring prosperity and advancement. Everyone gained a better life because of him, even my family," the elderly said with a distant look on her face.

Alfred took the photograph and showed it to us. It was an old black and white family photograph. I recognized the young woman in the front was this old lady. And then, standing at the very end was him. Kiku.

He had that same serene smile like now. But back then, it was even more radiant. Maybe because he was in his own country back then. Or maybe because he was with the people he loved.

Looking at Kiku like this, I realized how everyone ages and ultimately dies while countries still live on. They have to bear so much seeing their loved ones leave them.

"However," she continued. "This time when he came back, he looked rather depressed. When I asked him, he replied that it was work."

Kiku...he was lying. To everyone.

The lady suddenly saw something through the glass window behind us. "Mr. Japan came back."

We instantly turned around. Although the hedges in the garden blocked the body, we could see the top of someone's head over them.

"Please wait, let me get him," the woman rose from her seat and headed outside.

We sat there in silence. We could hear a faint conversation from outside. Soon the conversation became louder and nearer and we realized that Kiku has entered the house.

"Hai, anata no otomodachitachi wa kokoni imasu."
"Eh? Watashi no tomo‐ "

Kiku stopped as he saw us. We stood up from our place and faced him. His eyes took in everyone's face, then landed on me and widened.

"E‐Everyone..."