audio/action Sad China is Sad

[gochuugoku]

[There's sounds of China playing his bamboo flute. No specific song, just a couple of notes. However, some of the notes begin to fail. There's a tremble in them until they come out as nothing more than a raspy sound. Unseen by others, China takes his flute away from his lips.]

I never got to tell her what I wanted I say.

[If anyone wants to run into him, he's sitting on a tree branch within Discedo's Horizon Park.]

Comments

(frozen comment) [Action] 1/?

[gochuugoku]

T-Taiwan...! [He takes a deep breath. He puts a hand on her shoulder and speaks more calmly.]

I don't know what happened. I returned home, then I completely forgot about Fortuna and all that had transpired. When I returned, I still remembered nothing until weeks later. Many people tell who have also gone home and come back tell me that they too forgot while they were home, but they remembered upon returning to Fortuna. That's why they also tell me that my case is strange. Either people remember or they don't. They are shaded either in "black or white" as Yuuko put it, not "grey" like me.

In one of my memories that I recall from here, I also thought that what happened here didn't matter if we were just going to forgot once we returned home, but Marco managed to convince me that it still does matter. If things did not matter here, than that would mean his relationship with Kiku didn't matter [Yes, he knows about this.], which would also mean my relationship with Stocking didn't matter. I... loved her, so it does matter, at least to me.

(frozen comment) [Action] 2/?

[gochuugoku]

And you seriously don't think I've been trying to talk to Kiku about this? I have, many times, but whenever I try to get to the point something always comes up for him. One time, I was so close, I had gotten him inside, made us tea, began with casual conversation, but just as we were getting serious, he thanked me for the tea and left. I have not had any contact with him ever since and you know he hasn't been on the network lately. I haven't run into him on walks either, no matter how many times I have gone out.

My point is, I am trying, Taiwan. I know thanks to the memory visions that I am not--how do they say?--"off the hook" either. Why do you think I am trying to make amends for the things I've done? I'm aware that I'll probably never do enough to make up for what I did, but I can at least try.

(frozen comment) [Action] 3/3

[gochuugoku]

Look... [He begins to stroke her hair in the same manner he did when she was little, the way he would always do it when he tried to comfort her when she was upset.] I am sorry for yelling at you. I'm just so frustrated with everything, and confused, and Stocking's departure has only made me more frustrated... and sad.

...It was wrong of me to take it all out on you. Please forgive me. [He's looking down now and his eyes seemed slightly glassy.]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

["For what you do," she almost shoots back, but bites her lip. He does make a good point, and whether what happened here was entirely real or not didn't discount the feelings and actions by any means. And... she has been far more comfortable, here with him, with almost everyone else they've met. She leans unconsciously into the petting, shifting a little closer to him.]

I didn't...really mean to yell like that... [She says it haltingly, anger and sadness and embarrassment all wound up together in a tangle] I didn't mean... [what I said] So you have to forgive me too.

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

I do.

[He embraces her.]

You know, Marco also told me that we should take advantage of the perks here while it lasts. See, here we can be the human part of our selves instead of the Nation. Of course, we shouldn't completely neglect our responsibilities as Nations, but we are more free here. No politicians breathing down our necks and no governments to tell us who we can and can't like.

I don't have to be defensive against my own family here.

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

[She makes an effort and cuddles back in closer to him. Thinking like that was exactly the reason she was able to get through the last six months, to be able to focus on all the good memories she had of her siblings. While she knows that they are all subject to the wills of their people she can't help feeling a little torn by all the back-and-forth that has been going on in recent years. And all of his tension and anger about not remembering what had happened had spilled over and...]

Right! You don't.

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

I wonder if Kiku knows that too... [His mind can't help but drift back to him.] I could be wrong, but I am getting the feeling that he does not know.

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

Well... You know how he is. He takes everything very seriously. [Not that you don't, bro, but um. Shinatty-chan? Enough said.]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

It would help to make me feel less nervous if he did not.

[He sighs and pulls away from her.]

I will talk to him once I am feeling better. [He looks back at the pendant in his hand.]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

Well...these things... they take time, you know...?

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

[He nods his head, melancholy once again, though not as much as before.]

Yes, I do.

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

[He certainly has good reason to...but Taiwan just tilts her head to give him a little kiss on the cheek, meant to be comforting]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

[He recoils in startled surprise at first, placing his hand on the cheek where she just kissed him, but he soon smiles gently at her, keeping his hand on his cheek.]

Thank you...

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

I-it's not really anything...

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

Is that so? Well, to me it's something more. [His smile grows. It had been too long since they were able to bond in such a way.]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

Y-yeah well...don't get too used to it... [But she is inwardly pleased all the same...]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

[He just chuckles and pats her head.]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

Though um... [shifting a little, not quite comfortable] If you ever need to talk...

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

[The patting stops.]

I come to you, or any of the family?

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

W-well, I guess you can come to me, I don't know if I can speak for the rest of the family...

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

I know I can come to you, or Hong Kong, or Macau. Japan... I still have to tell him that I remember.

Besides, you know he doesn't really like getting into such conversations. [He moves his ponytail off his shoulders, which, unknown to him, reveals a faded red mark on his neck.]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

Yeah... [She sighs a bit, shifting uncomfortably, and her eyes catch a glimpse of something on his neck. She blinks, and then looks even more uncomfortable. Was that a-...? It seemed really rude to bring it up]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

[He glances towards the horizon before he begins to carefully climb down, not noticing the look she was giving him. Shoot, he didn't even know that the mark was still there.]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[meilihua]

Hey, you're just going to leave like that? [How to get down...]

(frozen comment) [Action]

[gochuugoku]

[He stops on one of the branches, looking up at her.]

I thought you were right behind me. Do you need help?