Warring Pyongyang // Reader x Countryhumans

Semi-Sweet

Y/N hummed, skipping downstairs. Despite the tensions from yesterday, she was in a good mood. Though maybe she was overcompensating for the vibes from breakfast that morning. They were all pretending that the conversation hadn't happened, but not well.

All except for China, who was as unruffled as ever, and Krim, who didn't know what had happened.

Korea was taking her on a date! Well, more or less. Actually, he was delivering several reports to his Supreme Leader, now also named the General Secretary of the United Korean SSR. And he had said, "We could get a drink, or something."

She had dressed in her white jacket, along with a scarlet blouse, black pants, and red and gold-tasselled scarf.

"Oh good," Korea said upon noticing her, tearing away from Nipponia, who was chattering about anime that could be considered to have Communist themes. "Time to go."

"Have fun!" Nipponia waved cheerfully. "We'll talk about this another time."

"We will," Korea called back. "And we most definitely won't."

It was warmer today, though that wasn't saying much. They hadn't had much snowfall for the past few days, but right now light flakes were falling from the sky, re-coating the streets with a fine layer of powder.

"Pyongyang is so pretty," Y/N marvelled. She meant it, too. The way the snow looked on the tiles of Kim Il-sung Square, and on the twisting pastel-coloured buildings looked near magical. It also helped that there were no garish Christmas decorations cluttering the storefronts.

"So are you." Korea put an arm around her shoulders as she blushed. He was wearing one of his signature black button-downs over his military-issue pants, looking unbothered by the frigid North Korean weather.

They only had to head to the Worker's Party Headquarters across the Square. Y/N had never been inside it before, but was satisfied to see that the inside was just as grand as the outside.

The white walls were covered in banners of the Juche ideology, and several North Korean flags, still in the old style. The entire building was pervaded with the same hush that she had experienced in every government building that she had ever been in.

The woman behind the counter nodded them through, past the many black-suited men with guns. Y/N didn't get nervous as she once might have- she knew they were on their side. And if they were here to protect the Supreme Leader, then they must be trustworthy indeed.

They met him on the Third Floor, coming out of a dark room.

Y/N kept her gaze on the ground as the Supreme Leader and Korea greeted each other. She had never really been this close to the man before, and it made her slightly nervous, her brain still remembering the rumours about him.

She bowed to him after the Countryhuman. "It's an honour."

"Look at me," the man commanded, and she nervously lifted her head. He examined her critically for a moment, then broke out into a smile, eyes scrunching up. "I wasn't sure about you, with your American status, but I'm glad to see that you're one of us now. We haven't formally met."

He held his hand out, and in a moment of pure panic-driven remembrance, Y/N clasped it with her right hand, using her left hand to hold her arm as she did, in a traditional Korean greeting between two businesspeople.

"I'm F/N L/N, General," she said, trying to keep her tone respectful.

The Supreme Leader introduced himself back, as if a single person within the borders of United Korea didn't know who he was.

"Thank you for all you do for our republic," he said, not faltering the word.

"Thank you as well." Y/N dipped her head again, hoping that was the correct response.

By the way that his eyes scrunched, she assumed that it was.

"That went well," Korea said as they walked away. "North and I kept meaning to bring you to the Supreme Leader. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to be nervous."

'I wonder how my life would be like if I had met him first.' She had meant to be brought to the Supreme Leader on her first day here, but he had been busy, and they had brought her to North instead. Sure, the man had seemed nice, now, but how would he have treated a pathetic, crying waif like her?

It was funny how sure she had been that her life was going to be over when she had been told that she was going to be taken to North. But it had actually been the beginning.

"Is something wrong?" the republic asked as they left the Worker's Party Headquarters.

"No." She shook her head, smiling. "I was just thinking how glad I am to have met you." She took his hand, leaning into his warm body.

"How glad are you?" he asked her, smirking.

"Very glad." Y/N reached up to peck him on the cheek, but he turned his face, catching her mouth instead.

She smiled into his lips, content.

"Come on." He held onto her waist, guiding her across the Square. "Let's go get something warm to drink."

They got hot cocoa at Kumrung Café, the waitress letting them take the mugs with the promise of returning them. She didn't give them a time limit, either not caring or not brave enough. From her expression, Y/N thought that it was probably the former.

Y/N sipped it as they crossed the bridge, the pale winter sunlight glinting off of the slate grey water. It wasn't as rich as Western hot chocolate, but it had the benefit of not being overly sweet.

"Good?" Korea asked her. She had gotten hers with whipped cream, but his was plain.

"Mm." She nodded, swiping up a bit of cream, dabbling it on his face where his nose would be, if he had one.

Korea gently flicked her in the side of the head, swiping the white stuff from his face to lick it. "Sweet." He made a face at her, making her laugh.

"Let's just walk around," the republic suggested, glancing at the sky. "I don't want to go back yet."

Y/N nodded happily. "As long as it's just walking," she said reproachfully.

"No running. I promise." Korea took her hand in his, and they roamed through the winter streets, letting their hot cocoa and skin contact keep each other warm.

The sun was starting to set when they headed back to Kumrung Café, dropping off their mugs, and picking up sandwiches. They decided to eat them by the riverbank, dusting off the cement.

"You still have some cream on your face," Y/N said, pointing to him.

"Ssi-bal," Korea swore. "And you let me walk around like that?" He swiped at his face. "Where is it?"

Y/N unwrapped her scarf, throwing it over his head. "Riiiight-" She used the sides of the scarf to pull him closer. "Here." She kissed him on the lips, lingering. The Countryhuman's mouth still tasted like the semi-sweet cocoa and cream.

"You are disgustingly sweet," he muttered when they sat down, cheeks red on red.

Y/N leaned her head on Korea's shoulder, after coaxing him to eat his entire sandwich.

They watched the pale sky rapidly darken, until only a slim band of faded orange light lit up the sky behind them, casting black shadows on the water. Lights started going on in windows across the river, people in each of them.

Korea was silent as water lapped at the frozen edges below them. "I would do anything for you, you know." His voice was raw, vulnerable as he said it.

"I know," Y/N murmured back. "And I would do anything for you."

They sat together, in the light of the setting sun, as snow fell around them, whipped around by a cold wind. And night set on the Taedong River, and Pyongyang.