curled up under a heavy blanket in his room. Korea is about the last person he wants to see.

finds him and frowns. He wanted to be all excited and happy and drag him around.... but he didn't have the heart for it. Maybe he should

just cuddle his brother. "Kiku!" he says, coming over to him. "You're going to have a heat stroke under there.

pulls the blankets around him closer. "It's fine," he mumbles from beneath the covers.

comes over and pats the blankets. "Kiku it won't be fine when I have to take you to the hospital."

stays still. "I won't need to go...." he denies, though he knows it is really hot under there. Summer was the worst tiem for this.

already pulling the covers away. "You'll overheat. if You want to stay warm, you should take a bath in your hot springs.

tries to cling to them uselessly. Yong Soo had been away so long, why couldn't he have just stayed that way? >A< "I don't want a bath.

"

frowns. "You can come to the bath. No curling up under the covers and giving yourself a fever.

reluctantly sits up, trying to fix his face before Yong Soo notices. "I-I don't need it.."

shakes his head. "You need it. Come on Kiku. I'm your brother. I know."

stares in the other direction. "You know nothing."

picks him up and shakes his head. "I do know Kiku. And we're getting in the spring."

flusters at that, trying to push himself away from Yong Soo. "P-put me down...!"

smiles and shakes his head. "If you keep struggling I might drop you so hold still."

"Fine, drop me. I deserve it." he says, smaking Yong Soo on the back.

smiles at this and shakes his head. "You can't help it if that Dutch dude is kissin' people. I knew he was no good."

bristles at that, smacking him again. "This is your fault too you know! T-those awful things we did when I d-drunk..!" Clearly he still

blamed himself.

blinks at this and tilts his head, struggling to remember what he meant. "... What...? Oh I kinda remember that. It's different though. You

were drunk. Wasn't that guy just macking on his sister?" He frowns. "Stop smacking my back, Kiku that hurts."

lets out an exasperated noise when Yong Soo admits he only kind of remembered, now struggling to get away again. "I-it's not different!

I-I betrayed him..." he hiccups, trying to hold back tears. ".....I should have d-done something earlier..!" he decides, finally managing to

escape Yong Soo's arms and stumbling for where he had stashed his tanto away so many years ago.

just goes with him, shaking his head. He doesn't realize that there's a tanto in there. "Or you know, just broke it off. Clearly you guys

weren't hapy."

pulls out the wooden box, moving quick to get the blade out and poised before Yong Soo could interfere. "Be quiet, I loved him! We were

very happy!" he says, obvious denial in his last sentence, since he logically knew they hadn't been.

gasps and moves toward him. "Put the tanto down Kiku. You're being ridiculous. Love comes and goes. You know that." He looks a bit frantic

though. He knows that Kiku is capable of violence both toward him and toward himself.

got his kimono top down, revealing his chest and stomach, blade wavering slightly as he aimed it at himself. He would do it if Yong Soo

didn't stop him. "You wouldn't understand!" he answers, thinking Yong to be too young to know of a love that had lasted this long.

waits until Kiku's eyes aren't on him to grab his wrists. "I do understand you silly man. Of course I do. Nothing to stab yourself over."

jerks his hands back when Yong Soo grabs him, inflicting only enough damage to draw blood but not enough to actually harm. He looks up at

him, obviously distraught. "I-I had one chance... I-I blew it...."

snatches the blade away and throws it. "One chance at what Kiku??? You have plenty of chances now to do whatever the hell you want." D:

states down at his hands, examining them and ignoring the cut. "T-to be happy with him..." he answers weakly, feeling a little worn out

now. He wasn't used to so much excitement anymore.

sighs and pulls his brother into his arms again. "Sometimes you can't be happy with another person. You two weren't made for that sort of

thing huh?"

doesn't resist, but he doesn't hug back either. "P-perhaps...." he mopes, resting his head against his chest.

holds him closer and sighs. "It's like" He hums. "Trying to eat ketchup in ramen. Some things just don't make a pleasant combination."

makes a face at the analogy. "...d-don't compare us to ramen and ketchup..." is all he can come back with.

laughs at this and rubs his hair. "It's a good comparison!"

frowns and shoos his hand away. "N-no..."

pulls him close again. "You're my brother Kiku. I'm looking out for you okay?"

sighs. =3= "I don't need to be looked after...." he huffs.

rubs his back. "But you're my brother. I have to look out for you."

shakes his head. "No, you should go away." He insists... though clearly he had just demonstrated that he couldn't be left alone.

shakes his head. "Nope. We're going to get in your hot spring."

frowns and shakes his head again. "N-no, Yong Soo..."

nods and pulls him to his feet. "We are. Let's go."

stumbles to his feet, finally thinking about the cut and putting his hand over it in a too-late attempt to save his clothes. "Y-Yong Soo..."

smiles at this and shakes his head. "Naw, let's go. It'll be good for you."

frowns still, reluctantly following him. "Hmm." ><

smiles at this and keeps dragging him along. "Let's get in the spring. It'll calm you down."

huffs, stumbling after him. He has a feeling he's being patronized now.

being friendly! He pulls him out to the spring.

sighs, following along without much hesitation anymore.

pulls him to the spring and starts to pull off his clothes. "Take your clothes of Kiku or I'll take them off for you."

flushes a little, turning his to Yong Soo before huffily starting to undress. >//3//>

laughs. After all this time and still so embarrassed. He's undressed now but waiting for Kiku to get iin so the guy doesn't bolt. =w=

glances over at him and sighs when he notices he's being watched, reluctantly heading into the spring first. -3-

smiles at this and follows after him. He slides into the water. "Feeling better yet?"

sighs, slipping into a seat. "...no," he denies.

smiles at this and shakes his head. "Relax."

frowns, looking away from him and just not replying.

smiles and shakes his head, letting him have the silence that he seems to want.

sinks lower into the water, up to his mouth submerged, looking for some peace. -3-

smiles at this and shakes his head. =w=

does not appreciate the patronizing though. ><

happy that Kiku isn't trying to kill himself anymore, is all.

sighs. He still felt down about this.

sighs a little. "Kiku. I'm sorry."

hesitates a moment, before slowly looking over at him curiously.

shrugs. "I'm sorry that you hurt."

stays silent a moment, before sighing a little. "....i-it is not your fault.." he mumbles.

shakes his head and shrugs. "Still sorry."

"Thank you..." he mumbles.

smiles a little. "No problem."

goes quiet again, staring across the water. He still blamed himself of course, but he realizes Yong Soo didn't play the biggest role in

his failure.

looks with him, glad that he was a lot calmer now.

exactly as he had expected... an old man who calms down with a warm bath.

hums and runs his hand through his hair.

sighs, being quiet now.

takes a deep breath of the warm air, trying to enjoy the strange atmosphere.

sinks under the water for a moment.

lets him, though making sure that he isn't trying to drown himself.

just blows bubbles for a moment, not even sure what he himself was doing. The sound of everything distorted under the water was

comforting though.

done that before himself and he finds it funny that Kiki is dooing it.

comes up after a moment too long underwater, gasping for a breath.

smiles at this and sighs. "I was about to come in after you."

pushes his hair back from his face. "...s-sorry..." he mumbled.

smiles at this and shakes his head. "It's okay now."

just nods a little, leaning back against the edge again. If his lungs hadn't needed air, he would have stayed under much longer.

smiles at this and leans back. "It's always nice out here."

hums softly. "Especially on nights like this...."

nods a little. "Yes, that's true."

hums in response, just going quiet again.

smiles. He's glad that Kiku isn't, like, crying or something. That would be weird.

never wants to cry in front of him. The would just be embarrassing.

it would just be... awkward to see the older nation cry.

not going to cry. >>

that's for the best =A=

couldn't handle another blow to his pride anyways.

hums and enjoys the water.