Chapter Text
“Kiku, I’m going to need you to go to the United States for me,” Japan’s foreign minister nonchalantly said.
Kiku and his foreign minister were sitting in a small room, sipping tea. The curtains were slightly closed, giving the room the just right amount of light. The atmosphere was really nice. The tea had been just made, the table was set, everything was in its place. But, this statement from the foreign minister disrupted the tone.
“Well, er, I’m not sure if you’re aware,” Kiku sighed, his hand quivering under the table. “But I don’t understand English— No, I apologise, I do know English, but rather, I don’t believe it to be sufficient. I understand that English that is now, bitterly, the global language of trade and, it’s quite shameful to not know the language after all my years as a nation, and, sorry, I’m pretty sure I can make it happen if I put my mind to, learning the language that is, and—”
“You can make it happen? Then I’ll leave it to you, Kiku.”
“Huh? Right, of course. Leave it to me.” Tears formed in Kiku’s eyes.
“Mei, please help me, I can’t do this, isn’t English weirdly hard to learn? If only I was in my youth again…” Kiku pleaded over the phone.
“It’s fine, dihiya~!” Mei reassured Kiku over the phone. “You’ve got this.”
“No, it’s not. Why do I, of all people, have to go to America?” Despite Mei’s reassurance, Kiku’s sobbing didn’t die down.
“Ah, um, Kiku, don’t you know the really strong, blond guy down in America? He could help you, no?”
“Th-That guy…? I guess…”
“Right, they say the best way to learn a language is to get a lover who speaks the language!”
“Mei, what do you mean by that?”
Mei was lying on her bed, kicking her feet while talking to Kiku. If she had a phone cord, she would probably be twirling it too. For the lack of a cord, Mei decided to twirl her hair instead.
“I said what I said.” And a conspicuous beep sounded on the other end.
Kiku let out a big sigh. Did he really have to do this? It’d be way easier if he could just stay at home. But he can’t, he already promised he would do it. Why is being a country so difficult?
Wiping his tears, Kiku stood up. “I should probably start packing for his trip to the United States,” he thought. He wasn’t exactly too happy about this.