Chasing Liberty // Countryhumans North Korea fanfiction

Pride and Prerogative

     “So I don’t think I have to tell you twice, but if you move a finger in a way I don’t like, you know I’m going to shoot you dead?”

    Kangwon smiled at America, not flinching from the barrel of the pistol only an inch away from his face. The bore was the same shade of black as the Countryhuman's aviators.

    “Seems reasonable.”

     “Good, good.” The pistol was withdrawn, but the American didn’t holster it, instead swinging it around his finger by the trigger guard. Korea would have told him not to play with weapons. “Glad you’re a sensible man, unlike those crazy broads you’re related to.”

     Kangwon could have pointed out that any ‘crazy’ way that his fellow imprisoned provinces were acting in was most likely brought on by the psychological pressure of having millions of their people being murdered while they were trapped in a prison, their wills taken away from them. But he would continue to deal with America how he had been instead.

     He smiled amicably, neither nodding nor disagreeing. America stared at him, maybe waiting for a retort. Kangwon stared back, waiting, not interested in indulging his desire for banter that would probably be abrasive.

     “Anyway,” the country said after a moment. “Since you’re a sensible fella, I’m guessing you know why you’re here.”

     He raised a brow, and Kangwon answered, “Because our army retook Wonsan.”

     “Winner winner, chicken dinner!” America cried, briefly enthused before his voice returned to normal. “So the question is, what to do with you now that we can’t count on you being a good little nurse?”

       Kangwon had figured that was what this would be about. He was just disappointed South wasn’t here. Even though America probably would have stopped them from having a conversation, he might have been able to tell him about Gangwon’s imprisonment, if he was fast.

    “Shouldn’t South be here for this?” he asked, no longer restricted from saying the moniker. “If he’s in charge, he should probably be the one to decide what to do with me.”

     “You’d just love that, wouldn’t you?” America clicked his tongue. “The perfect chance to strike! that you’ve finally been waiting for.”

    He had half-lunged at Kangwon on the word ‘strike.’ The province couldn’t tell if he was just being dramatic, like it was clear he loved doing, or trying to provoke him into lashing out in self-defense.

       Obviously Kangwon wasn’t going to do that. He wasn’t suicidal, and he also wasn’t looking to deprive the Americans of their country’s spirit by killing their Countryhuman. All he wanted was for the American to go home and focus on his own people.

     He just hoped that America wouldn’t just shoot him, then claim he had attacked first. Pattern of behaviour, and all.

     “I would never hurt my own country.” Kangwon leaned back on his palms. “Either half.”

      “Yeah, because you’re not going to get the chance, like I just said.” America crossed his arms, still idly spinning the pistol.

     The safety wasn't on.

     “So what are you planning to do with me?” Kangwon asked congenially.

     The foreign country tapped the barrel of his gun on his chin, lips pursed in exaggerated thought. “Well, I was thinking of locking you up in here. Bar the windows, lock the door, the whole shebang. That sound good to you?”