Peck on the Cheek

"I'm horrible at soccer and you know it." Singapore said.

"Weeelll...you're not entirely good and familiar with the rules and stuff. But I guess you're okay." America was saying, looking at the young colony who was crouching on the ground with the ball in her hands.

Hong Kong watched from his view under the tree as the younger colony and older nation continue talking (and occasionally bickering) about some stuff he didn't really bother to listen.

"AMERICAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! YOU BLOODY GIT! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BLOODY TEA THIS TIME?!" came the angry scream of England.

The three looked up in surprise. America rolled his eyes. "What did I do to his damn tea this time, I wonder." He said sarcastically, before bolting back into the house. Series of yells (that obviously came from England) was heard.

Singapore shrugged while Hong Kong resumed his reading on the book he brought outside. Hong Kong couldn't help but look over his book, though, to watch with interest as the girl dribbled the ball - to him, quite expertly - in her pinafore dress.

She was doing some fine amateur moves when she suddenly tripped over the ball and her skirt and fell flat on her face.

Hong Kong nearly dropped his book in alarm and instantly got up just as the younger colony was pushing herself onto her knees. To the Chinese's alarm, the left cheek of Singapore was badly scratched and was bleeding a bit. Her hands and knees were scratched, but it wasn't as bad as her cheek. To Hong Kong's surprise, she began sniffling.

"Hong Kong, are you okay?" Japan bent down towards his younger brother worriedly. Standing over him was his other brother Korea.

Hong Kong's only reply was a sniff.

"What had you been doing to him, Korea?!" Taiwan said in horror as she ran over.

"Nothing! I was just playing tag with him, because tag originated from me, da ze!" Korea defended himself. "Then he tripped and fell onto his face."

Japan shook his head at the nation then turned back to look at the little boy whose cheek was badly wounded. "It's not serious, just a bad scratch." He said, relieved, after taking a closer look.

"Ooh...Hong Kong...don't cry...!" Taiwan said, as she watched tears slowly slid down Hong Kong's cheeks.

"I'm...I'm not..." Hong Kong sniffled.

"What's going on?" Everyone looked up at the sound of their eldest brother, China, who was running over to them.

"Korea and Hong Kong were playing when Hong Kong tripped and fell," Japan told him, giving him some space to examine the young boy.

"Hong Kong! Are you alright?" China instantly knelt down.

Hong Kong sniffed.

"Korea! Don't be so rough with your little brother!" China added.

Before Korea could protest, however, Japan said calmly, "It wasn't his fault, aniki. Besides, the wound isn't serious."

China just stared at Hong Kong in concern. Hong Kong was already crying. He couldn't help it. It felt so painful.

"Don't cry, Hong Kong," China said gently. He picked the small boy up and lightly pecked him on the cheek. "It shouldn't hurt now."

"How is that suppose to work, da ze?" Korea said doubtfully, and was silenced by Taiwan who sharply nudged him.

Hong Kong sniffed again as China wrapped him in his arms comfortingly. "Come on, let's get that cheek checked before it gets infected."

As they all walked back, Korea yelled, "Woooo! I want aniki to kiss me too!" "Shut up!"

"It...it hurts." Singapore sniffed.

"It shouldn't," Hong Kong told her. "It's not that bad."

Singapore only wiped her eyes vigorously with her sleeves. Hong Kong placed a gentle hand on her smaller head.

Hong Kong lowered his gaze then slowly leaned forward to lightly give her a peck on the cheek. Then he hastily withdraw in embarrassment.

"Wh..what was that?" Singapore blinked at him in surprise.

Hong Kong coughed. "A-aniki always did that whenever I, or we, got hurt. He said it wouldn't hurt afterwards."

Singapore blinked at him then ducked her head. "It doesn't hurt that much now."

"Uhhh, probably because it only hurts for the first few seconds."

"Sure." Singapore didn't look entirely convinced but she smiled at the older colony.

. . .

"HOLY-!" Singapore cut herself off just in time before saying aloud a bad word. She got up and lifted a hand and gingerly touched her cheek. She flinched. She was so clumsy. She shouldn't have ran after those pesky children.

Her hands were scratched, but not as bad as her cheek. It was bleeding a little, and it hurt to even move her face.

"Ah..." Singapore could feel her own eyes blurring up. Shit. She was such a baby. Crying so easily. She's a grown up, damn it! Small tears coursed down her cheeks, and when a salty tear came in contact with her wound, she winced again.

Hong Kong, who had watched in amusement as Singapore ran after the children, hurried over to her. "Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.

Singapore wiped her face with her sleeve, matting it with blood. "Uuggh, I'm fine." She slowly got to her feet.

Hong Kong held her hands and shoulder to help her get up, and when she did, he noticed the faint traces of wetness in her eyes. "Are you...crying?" He couldn't help but smile.

"I'm not!" Singapore protested, wincing again as a sharp pain stabbed her cheek from her wound. "J-just, got some stuff in my eyes when I fell."

"Okay, okay," Hong Kong shrugged. He watched as the young nation sniffled, twitch her nose and gingerly touch her bloody cheek and flinch again.

After staring at her intently for a few seconds, he lowered his gaze for a bit before leaning forward and gently kissing her on her cheek.

Singapore instantly jerked her head up, startled. "Wha-what was that for?"

Hong Kong coughed. "I did that before and you didn't protest that much."

Singapore stared at Hong Kong. Then she remembered.

"Well, that was then! And you shouldn't really do something like that in public. If my or your superiors saw this, they might or might not dislike it." Singapore said, looking away before stalking off, trying to look dignified.

Hong Kong stared at her before running after her. "You still need to get that cheek checked though, before it gets infected."

"I know!"