Hey again! I'm really, really sorry that I haven't posted in forever... But I was sort of busy and didn't have inspiration and my writing deteriorated and this chapter is so, so bad.

Still, I'd really appreciate it if you read it. :)

"Hey." The addressed turned at the voice, startled.

"Yes?"

"You're Taiwan, right?" Of course she is. Every nation knew every other nation; that was a given. Prussia had only called that out as a courtesy. Taiwan knew too. Her liquid brown eyes stared into him.

"Yes," she conceded amusedly. "Can I help you?"

"I was hoping we could go somewhere after the meeting." He was interested about her, after all. Prussia had seen her around through the course of history. There was the Sino-German Cooperation, as well as that time he and West had gone over to Japan's house during the war… not to mention those earliest days when he had overheard Spain, Portugal, and the Netherlands talking about some island that they had once occupied. And Prussia had never known an Asian on a personal basis, so…

"Why?" Her question was full of innocent curiosity. But he knew that there was an underlying wiliness to it, if what he gathered about China's sly ways was accurate. He scrabbled around for an answer.

"To… discuss German-Taiwanese relations, of course! Wes—My brother," he corrected hastily; the more formality he used the less suspicious he would seem,"asked me to speak with you." If West ever found out about this little white lie he would go berserk. Of course Prussia knew he wasn't supposed to muck around in national affairs like this, but he would clear it up… as soon as he figured out how to. Taiwan crooked an eyebrow. To his relief, however, she merely replied,

"Alright. Where should we meet?"

"Here, in the lobby. I'll take you to eat somewhere."

"…Sounds good. I'll see you then!" She left, and Prussia rejoiced. I'm awesome, to have been able to handle that so smoothly! Just like a little bird, kesesese… He sauntered back into the conference hall five minutes late. As usual, no one noticed. He went over to his seat beside his brother, wishing that he had been allowed to bring Gilbird. It would have been a little less lonely.

All throughout the meeting, he stole glances over at the East Asian part of the table. Taiwan was there, diligently taking notes. She was the quietest one in the group. The rest were shouting over her, under her, even through her. It was like she wasn't even there. They were alike, Prussia realized, in that neither of them were really recognized. He was only the eastern portion of Germany, she the little island off the Asian mainland. The difference was that he fought to be acknowledged and she just took in the bitterness. He wondered what it felt like, to have never experienced the thrill of nationhood running up and down one's being. It must be a dreary existence, he decided, as he looked over at her once again. He unfortunately caught the attention of China. The man squinted at him suspiciously. Prussia just smirked slightly and saluted him. China turned away, no doubt passing off his strange antics as an enigmatic trait of "those odd foreigners, aiyaa."

None too soon, the summit concluded. After England had had his last laugh (after which France chuckled out of earshot), everyone was free to go. Prussia waved off Germany's concern about his activities and made his way to the lobby.

She was already there.

Taiwan was observing the extravagant paintings and such on the walls (no matter what he said, England was still one to show off). Her back was to Prussia, her arms at her sides. Her position, framed against the stark white wall of the lobby, served to make her seem solitary and alone. The other nation felt uncomfortable. He walked over to her, standing slightly behind her.

"England's a pretty ostentatious guy, eh?" His voice made her start. She whipped around.

"Ah, I'm sorry; I was looking at the paintings. I didn't notice you there." Her softly accented English fluttered into his ears. He wondered if he should continue speaking in German or switch to English or Chinese. Well, his Mandarin wasn't great, so…

"That's alright. Shall we go?" She smiled at him. He wasn't sure if it was one of consent or if it was because of his heavily-accented English. Damn those mysterious Asians.

"Where are we going?"

"I saw a tavern across the road." She pursed her lips but said,

"That's fine." They walked there side by side. The servers inside looked up excitedly as they entered. They were ushered to a small table in the back, a private place without any other people to hear them talk. Their orders were quickly taken and they were left to themselves. The two looked at each other. Taiwan gave a small grin.

"I saw you looking at our part of the table during the conference."

"…Yeah." Prussia rubbed his head sheepishly. "China caught me."

"I know. The look on his face was priceless." Her tranquil gaze remained level. "You didn't bring me here to talk about relations between our countries, did you?" He had suspected that she knew all along, but he didn't know what to say.

"No, I didn't. I…" What was it that he wanted to do again?

"Well, let's just talk." He nodded gratefully for her intervention in his befuddled thoughts. Prussia scrutinized her. Taiwan was so small, so young… how was she able to figure out a weathered old nation like him so easily? He hated how he was at a loss for words. Thankfully, their food came. His companion eyed her plate dubiously. She poked at it. Prussia chuckled.

"Seems that we forgot about the reputation of England's food."

"I should have remembered," Taiwan lamented. "He offered me some once."

"Me too! I almost died after eating what he cooked." They laughed genially. The words flowed easily now.

"I don't think I've ever really talked to you before," Taiwan told him. She nibbled at the thing on her fork, winced, then put it down. "In fact, I've never seen you outside of meetings."

"I've seen you around." Prussia looked into her eyes. They were endless, hypnotizing. "During the Sino-German Cooperation. China was at the main meetings, but I saw you at the side." She seemed surprised.

"Is that so?"

"And there was that time when we went to Japan's house during World War II. I saw you there as well." He remembered that she was dressed in a richly patterned kimono. Her hair had been intricately arranged, adorned with golden combs tipped with pearls. Japan had treated his model colony well, though he had isolated her.

"Oh! I'm sorry that I've never noticed you before, even though we had met several times." This apologetic statement made Prussia recall his musings during the meeting.

"It seems that neither of us is really noticed. We're always in the background, you and me." She furrowed her brow.

"Why is that?" Her inquiry reminded Prussia that for all her enigmatic mien, Taiwan was still very young. She was unaware of many things in the world.

"Well, our situations are different," he explained, settling comfortably into the topic. "Me, I'm just part of Germany. West is the main face of our country, so no one really bothers with me." He must have displayed too much bitterness in his tone because Taiwan looked at him pityingly. "Anyway," he continued, clearing his throat," you're different. You're stuck in a difficult political situation. You're not acknowledged because some people don't want to antagonize you or China." He added in hastily, "Some can't afford to." She looked a little sad at that. Then, she gazed at him again, her face back to that sympathetic expression.

"For all my opinion is worth," Taiwan told him, shyly even, "I admire you, Mr. Prussia." A tentative smile slipped out. Prussia was confused.

"Thanks, I guess," he muttered. Then he grinned as well. Taiwan's eyes reflected his image. He saw himself in them, smiling genuinely. "Like I said, we're sort of alike."

"It seems like it," she agreed. The rest of the time at the tavern was spent in silence. Nevertheless, it was a comfortable silence that allowed them to bask in a mutual glow of gladness.

When they parted after promising to meet again in the future, both felt more content. There was someone else in the world who understood what they each felt. For that, they would continue to work hard.

Perhaps then they would someday be recognized.

How was it? By the way, I'm putting Prussia in as the Eastern part of Germany, so as to keep him in the G8. Of which I will finish writing with Taiwan so I can get onto the others (like Spain 3).