Chapter Text
It was on a particularly rainy day in the year 1978 when they had their first of many run-ins. The yearly world meeting had finally come to a close and one by one, each nation proceeded to rise from their seat and leave the meeting room. Others stayed behind to converse with other nations in terms of either business matters or friendly chit-chat. One of the nations left in the large room was Japan, who was finishing packing up all her notes. She was in a small rush to leave as she was on a tight schedule to attend another important meeting with her boss back home.
As she was making her way out of the meeting room, she hoped that her taxi wouldn’t arrive too late due to the heavy rain. As she reached the exit door, Japan suddenly heard a low voice call out behind her.
“¡Disculpe, señorita Japón!”
(“Excuse me, miss Japan!”)
Upon hearing her name being called, Japan turned around to see a man of average height with tanned skin and dark hair tied into a short ponytail, walking towards her. Japan recognized him to be the nation of Mexico, who seemed to be holding an umbrella in his left hand. Her umbrella. ‘あっ!’ Japan mentally exclaimed as her face became slightly red from the embarrassment of forgetting her own umbrella. So careless. As Mexico walked up to her, Japan couldn’t help but observe his appearance and wondered when he had started wearing a ponytail. Was it just her or had he gotten taller since the last time they socialized?
“¿Creo que este paraguas te pertenece?”
(“I think this umbrella belongs to you?”)
Mexico’s voice snapped Japan out of her observation and she looked up to see him standing before her with a calm and expectant look on his face. His left arm outstretched holding her umbrella for her to take.
“ あっ! そうです! ありがとうございます。”
(“Oh, yes! Thank you.”)
Japan thanked the other nation as she grabbed her umbrella from his hand and lightly bowed to him with a small smile. He returned the gesture with a polite smile of his own before they parted ways. As Japan walked off, she couldn’t help but reflect over his appearance and how much of it has changed since the last time she had interacted with him. While Japan has seen Mexico multiple times before at meetings or business trades, this was the first time where she was able to stop and truly observe the nation’s appearance more closely. She wondered when exactly he changed his hair style and if he might have actually grown a bit taller since the last time they met. When he stood in front of her to return her umbrella, he seemed to carry this strong and unwavering stance that was at a state of ease and tranquility. Like a tree, calm yet unrelenting.
Japan paused her train of thoughts upon seeing her boss waiting by the exit to the building with a few bodyguards by his side. They both exited the building towards the awaiting taxi before them as one of the bodyguards held up Japan’s umbrella over them as they walked down the stairs towards the taxi. Upon entering the taxi, Japan looked out the window to see Mexico and his boss in the distance, rushing towards their own taxi as they both held up their briefcases over their heads. They both seemed to laugh it off upon entering the taxi but Japan thought of how troubling that must have been. Did he forget his umbrella?
Japan was once more snapped out of her thoughts upon hearing her boss ask if she was alright, noting her silence. Japan quickly regained her senses and reassured her boss that she was fine before discussing the negotiations made at the meeting with her boss as the taxi drove off towards the airport.
———
The next yearly world meeting took place in Tokyo, Japan. Unfortunately for Mexico, the meeting just had to take place during Japan’s rainier seasons and no one had bothered to let him (or possibly any other nation for that matter) know beforehand, forcing him to have to use his briefcase as his own shield against the rain once more as he rushed into the meeting building. As he sat in his designated seat, he noticed that he wasn’t the only nation partially drenched as a few others were drenched as well while some others were lucky enough to bring a spare umbrella just in case.
He reached out to grab a nearby pen, only to reach someone else’s hand. Startled, Mexico looked to his right to see Japan sitting next to him with her arm outstretched for the pen as both their hands rested on top of each other. They both quickly drew back their hands and apologized to each other. As they did, Mexico couldn’t help but admire the cute blush on Japan’s cheeks as she repeatedly apologized. He was aware of the nation’s social expectations concerning manners and respect, which he greatly respected considering his country also deeply prided itself on respect as well.
The meeting began shortly afterwards and, as usual, the room was soon filled with chaos as the other countries threw insults and arguments at each other while some of the other, more mature, countries could only watch in despair at the scene around them. Germany, as usual, tried to settle things down by shouting at everyone to calm down, while France and England continued to argue back and forth like always, and America laughed while boasting about some new idea that would solve all the world's problems or something like that. Mexico just sat in his seat while observing the chaos around him with bored eyes, while occasionally throwing back an insult at America for whatever he had to say to him. What an exhausting neighbor he had to deal with.
At some point, he noticed Japan getting up from her seat to walk out of the room, probably to escape the ongoing chaos of the meeting for a bit, he assumed. With that thought in mind, he decided to join her as he could use a break as well. With that, he stood up from his seat and followed after Japan out of the room.
———
Japan stood by the water dispenser in the nearby coffee room. She blankly looked towards the rainy landscape through the nearby window, while holding a cup of water. She mulled over the lack of any progress being made towards reaching any solution or course of action to take concerning whatever global issue or event was being discussed this time in the current meeting. If the other nations would only argue with each other constantly, then what was the point of these meetings in the first place? Japan tried not to think so negatively about it but it was getting to be a challenge with each yearly meeting.
“¿Algo te esta molestando?”
(“Is something bothering you?”)
Japan nearly jumped from the unexpected break in her thinking and looked leftwards to see Mexico standing next to her, offering her a gentle smile while holding his own cup of water.
“Lo siento. ¿Te asusté?” He asked upon noticing Japan’s startled expression.
(“I’m sorry. Did I scare you?”)
“あっ! いいえ 大丈夫です。”
(“Oh, not at all. I’m fine.”)
Japan offered him a reassuring smile that seemed fragile and shaky compared to his calmer one.
“ただ、ミーティングのことを考えていただけでず。”
(“I was just thinking about the meeting.”)
“¿También te ponen de los nervios?
(“They get on your nerves too huh?”)
“まあ、そんなことみたい。” Japan replied with an awkward laugh.
(“Well, It seems so.”)
“Es difícil creer que esos tontos inmaduros alguna vez fueron imperios imparables.” (“It’s hard to believe those immature fools were once unstoppable empires.”) Mexico stated as he nudged his head in the direction of the meeting room.
“ ははは、まあ結構恥ずかしいですね。” Japan agreed with a small blush.
(“Hahaha, it is quite embarrassing indeed.”)
A moment of silence passed between the two nations. The longer they stayed quiet, the heavier the awkward atmosphere around them grew until Japan felt she could suffocate. They could distinctly hear the muffled shouts coming from the meeting room. She looked at the heavily pouring view from the window once more and remembered that Mexico had arrived without an umbrella earlier.
“あの、私が間違っていたらすみませんですけどかさをもっていないのですか?”
(“Excuse me if I’m wrong, but do you not have an umbrella with you?”)
Japan shyly asked as she struggled to hide her growing blush from Mexico.
“¿Casa? ¿Por qué arrastraría mi propia casa hasta aquí desde mi pa—”
(“A house? Why would I bring my own house all the way here from my own country—“)
Mexico abruptly paused as an expression of sudden realization came to him. He then began to lightly laugh to himself before explaining to Japan his previous confusion.
“Lo siento, yo olvido eso ‘Casa’ se refiere a sombrilla en Japón. En mi país, se refiere a una casa.”
(“Sorry, I forgot that the word ‘Casa’ refers to an umbrella in Japan. In my country, it refers to a house.”)
Japan briefly paused before she slowly began to laugh as well. The two countries continued laughing for a few more moments before they calmed down, clearing the room of its previously awkward atmosphere.
(“You know, I was actually thinking about running over to that small convenience store I saw down the street to buy an umbrella. Now, I have been to your country many times before, but I don’t think I ever got to stop and really explored much of it. Would you like to join me as my personal guide?”) Mexico asked with a hopeful smile.
(“Sabes, en realidad estaba pensando en correr a esa pequeña tienda de conveniencia que vi en la calle para comprar un paraguas. Ahora, he estado en tu país muchas veces antes, pero no creo que alguna vez pude detenerme y realmente exploré mucho de eso. ¿Le gustaría unirse a mí como mi guía personal?”)
Japan gave a surprised face and considered her options. It wouldn’t seem right to just up and leave when they were still in the middle of a meeting. Yet it would also seem rude to decline Mexico’s offer, especially considering the fact that he has never really toured around her country before. Then again, if they were to both leave, she was sure their bosses wouldn’t be too happy to hear about it and lead to future problems between them. But he is being so nice to her and she really didn’t want to upset him—
(“¿Estás bien señorita Japón?”)
(“Are you alright miss Japan?”)
Japan snaps out of her piling thoughts as Mexico’s familiar deep voice brings her back to the present. She takes in his concerned look and speaks before she can stop herself.
(“I would be happy to join you!”) she blurts out with a flustered blush.
(“よろしくお願いします!”)
With that, Mexico chuckles before he walks over to the nearby trash bin to throw away his now empty water cup. He looks back at her with that ever present relaxed smile of his.
(“Well then, lead the way my guide.”) (“Bueno, entonces, guía el camino mi guía ".) He playfully states as he allows Japan to walk out of the door first.
Japan offers him a shy smile as she walks towards the open door, with Mexico soon following right behind her. The two countries soon walk side by side out of the building and into the pouring streets as they continue their earlier awkward discussion. Though, despite the heavy rain and boring conversation between them, Japan felt less nervous the more she continued to talk with the mysterious yet charming country that was Mexico.