"Do I have to wear this?," Vietnam asked unhappy about the whole thing. She looked at herself in the mirror. The dress was dark purple on the silky skirt part and white with sequence on the top. Taiwan had picked it out for her. The dresses skirt was long and flowing. The top was strapless and Vietnam felt somewhat naked. Why did she have to wear this again? It was so weird! She would have rather been in her usual Áo Dài. Sure it was still in the sense a dress, but it was traditional and not like...this. Taiwan had been gracious in letting Vietnam wear flats opposed to Taiwan's originail proposal of heels. Vietnam's long dark hair hung at her sides. She played with it, putting strands in front and then pushing them back behind. Taiwan had insisted upon doing Vietnam's makeup. Vietnam had agreed after hours of her sister's pleading on the one condition that she wouldn't do much. Taiwan had stuck with the agreement. Vietnam wore light pink lip gloss and minimal black mascara. Nothing more. Taiwan had left Vietnam's natural beauty in tact.

Taiwan looked at her sister shocked,"Of course you do! We're going to a ball! All the world's nations will be there. Are you worried about how you look? You look beautiful!" Taiwan wore a light pink strapless dress of a diffrent design than her sister's. The entire dress was one solid color and materail, except for the silk black belt that went around her waist. The hem was flowy as well, but was poofier than Vietnam's. Taiwan wore pink heels with fake flowers on the back straps. Her hair was pulled into a side ponytail and a single pink flower sat in her hair as well. Taiwan wore minimal pink eyeshadow, pink lipstick, and light pink blush.

"It's not how I look that worries me it's...actually yes. It's how I look because I look like a girly idiot!," Vietnam let out giving her sister glares through the mirror.

"Don't be silly, Viet! Everyone will be wearing dresses," Taiwan said happily as she began to imagine the rest of the nations outfits.

"All except the men...," Vietnam said,"I would rather be in a suit."

"Well, all the female nations will be in a dress...and maybe France...," Taiwan said ignoring Vietnam's suit comment.

France? Did she really need to bring that pervert into this conversation? Vietnam stepped away from the mirror angily,"Let's just get this over with, okay?"

Taiwan and Vietnam arrived in Venice, Italy half an hour late to the ball. Taiwan had been freaking out the entire ride over about how they'll think that they're bad party guests. Vietnam, on the other hand, smiled and thought,'At least now I get to spend less time in this dress.' The two nations approached the grand entry hall. The full moon reflected on the white marble that shaped the huge structure with gold adornments in many places. Ivy and flowers wrapped around columns in full bloom. When they entered the structure, grand marble staircases candesened to three diffrent floors above the main ballroom the girls currently stood in. Elegant drapes hung from pure clear glass windows. On the dancefloor diffrent colored skirts spun with thier black and white suited counterparts. Servants stood in maid outfits and tuxedoes waiting on the nations. From above nations could be seen chatting as they watched thier friends dance. The house was so big that it made the 170 nations that supposedly had shown up, seem like simple citizens.

Taiwan was soon approached by Japan, who wore a simple white tuxedo, close to what he usually wore. Vietnam thought to herself,'He was allowed to wear what he always does...'

"It is so great you girls could make it,"Japan started politely,"You both look lovely."

"Thank you," Taiwan replied oblivious to the bright red blush she had on her face,"You look very handsome as well."

Japan extended a hand,"Would you like to dance, Miss Taiwan?"

Taiwan eagerly responded,"Yes!" And off they went onto the dance floor. Vietnam rolled her eyes. What would she do here? She left the couple and stood against a wall watching the diffrent nations dance. This was so boring. She shouldn't have come. She would be the only nation that didn't show up, but it's not like this ball was mandatory. It was held every year to promote world peace, but if one nation didn't come usually they weren't missed unless it was one of the louder nations like America or Prussia.

Vietnam sighed out of boredom and decided to explore the Venice Opera House in search of something interesting to do. She went up to the second story and silently moved past couples and friends. There was a large open glass door that revealed an ivy-covered balcony drenched in pristine moonlight. Vietnam decided to go there and look over the Italian city for a while. After all...when would she be here again? She made her way to the balcony and leaned against the railing taking in the city lights and natural beauty. Above bright stars twinkled magically. A light breeze blew her long hair to the side and she relaxed forgetting about the dress and boredom.

She soon heard footsteps behind and turned to see who it was. North Korea wore a black suit with a light blue tie. He went next to her and kneeled against the railing as well looking at the city.

Without turning to her he said,"Well you look like a girl tonight."

"What is that supposed to mean!," Vietnam asked defensively.

North Korea shrugged and continued to look out at the city,"I guess it means you look pretty..."

Vietnam blushed and looked down. 'Stop blushing,'she told herself,'You're going to look just like Taiwan.'

"Italy has such a beautiful city, don't you think?," North Korea asked watching the small people walk through the city. Some stopped to look in to the Opera House to see what was happening inside, oblivious to the what the "people" were.

"It is," Vietnam admitted as her face faded back to her normal color.

"I was looking for you tonight,"North Korea began,"What took you so long to get here?"

Vietnam leaned away from the railing and gestured to her dress with a smile,"What do you think?"

North Korea looked her over and stopped leaning against the railing as well,"I was so bored without you here. South Korea went off with Hong Kong someplace and after that I was sooo bored. I tried to hang out with Romano because I thought we would be able to relate since we're both twins, but no he just ran away from me. I'm not that bad am I?"

Vietnam giggled,"Well it depends what you mean by bad. I mean you're not much to look at."

"Hey! I gave you a compliment today! You can't do that!," North Korea said hiding the fact that he knew she was joking with him.

"I just did," Vietnam smirked.

"Oh? You did?," North Korea smiled and grabbed Vietnam's bare shoulders playfully,"Wanna take it back?"

She smiled,"Not really."

Vietnam let North Korea back her into the railing. She giggled as her hair hung over Venice. One of North Korea's hands had traveled to her waist to ensure she wouldn't fall. The other hand was placed on her back. Vietnam had stopped giggling once she realized how close North Korea was to her. There bodies practicly touched and North Korea's face was so close to her own. Vietnam let her eyes drop to the floor as her face became bright red. North Korea soon realized that too and he began to blush as well.

He wanted to kiss her so badly. It would be the perfect opprotunity. She looked so beautiful. He always thought she was beautiful, but tonight her beauty was diffrent from any other nation or human he had ever seen. The moonlight reflected her perfect features. Her eyes trapped in the light and the beams danced in her brown eyes. The blush on her face gave her a look of insecurity and innocence she had never let show before. It showed a seprate side of her. She always looked so strong. Like she would never let anyone in, but now...she seemed reachable. Like she would let him kiss her when usually she would slap him. He moved in closer. Longing to taste her glossy virgin lips.

She looked up at him. He was going to kiss her! This would be it! She had been secretly waiting for this for a long time. Her heart pounded in her ears and her hands tightened thier grip around the railing. She closed her eyes as his lips met with hers. Sparks flew. She was sure she could hear fireworks behind them and cheering from the crowd below. The crowd and fireworks were all her imagination, but what a wonderful imagination it was. The kiss was as real as life itself. She felt as if he had just given her undescribable strength. He gently held her and she moved her hand to his back, feeling more comfortable as the kiss continued.

"Um...," a female voice rang out in the balcony making itself known. Vietnam and North Korea instantly pulled away and were on the opposite sides of the balcony within a second.

"Am I interrupting something?," Taiwan giggled.

"N-No...aren't you supposed to be with Japan?," Vietnam asked stumbling over her words.

"I was with Japan, but then China came and told me to get you. I didn't know you were busy," Taiwan said as she suppressed a giggle.

"F-fine," Vietnam said calming down from the events of the last few seconds. She walked away with Taiwan, not looking at North Korea. She was too worried what he would look like and too embarresed at being walked in on by Taiwan.

She had become weak in North Korea's arms...

...something she had said she would do for no one.