It is not impossible for a country to have two personifications- just look at the twin brothers of Italy. They aren't the only ones though. I should know. After all, I raised Kiku and Takeshi, though their story isn't quite as fortunate.

Kiku isn't the only child I found that day in the bamboo grove. There was a second. A bold, mischievous child who'd apparently gone off to find something for he and his brother to eat when I discovered Kiku. He talked all the way home, informing me that his name was Takeshi and Kiku was his twin brother, but he was most definitely the eldest, while Kiku walked at my side silently.

In some ways, they were polar opposites. Takeshi was adventurous, but often insensitive while Kiku was reserved and considered things from every perspective. Takeshi wore his expressions openly, going from cheerful to furious in the blink of an eye. Kiku hid everything behind a mask of impassiveness and refused to open up unless on his own accord. As I watched them grow up however, I noticed that there were certain things that both of them possessed. A steely determination and virtually unbendable pride. Despite their stark differences, there was a little bit of themselves in each other.

They were inseparable. Kiku followed Takeshi everywhere, hanging onto his every word with wide, sienna brown eyes. It didn't matter that Takeshi constantly mistreated him- scolding him for dropping his rice, yelling at him to stand up for himself, blaming him for endless reasons. He just wanted to be with his brother. At first I didn't take notice. I assumed it was a sibling thing and eventually Kiku would realize he needs to be his own person. But no matter how far he was pushed away, Kiku wouldn't abandon his brother.

China~

A/N: This was supposed to be a one-shot, but now it's a short story ┐(- ヮ -)┌

I chose the name Takeshi because I thought it was much more suitable than Kuro. (Kuro isn't a popular human name in Japan and plus...I just think it's odd to name someone 'black' xD) Takeshi means brave warrior if I remember correctly and I liked the sound of it ^^