The memory flashed back in, showing Yao walking through a small playground. He looked around ten years old now. His trusty panda, still somehow looking the same as when he first met Greece with it, was hanging loosely from his left hand. Around him, several other children ran around and played.
He was alone, and he slowly trudged over to the slide, where no kids were. He sat in the wood chips beneath it, revealing a small book of sewn bamboo pages and a charcoal pen from his coat.
He flipped it open and scribbled a drawing, and as Kiku and Xiao looked closer, they could make out two distinct people in the messy drawing.
A woman and a child with a ponytail held hands, and Yao had a heart drawn in the top center of the page.
However, Yao was so into the drawing that he didn't notice three shadows walking over to him.
Suddenly, the book he held was ripped from his hands. Yao yelped in surprise and anger, looking up to see three human boys in front of him.
The one with his notebook had brown hair and blue eyes. His other companions stood at his sides. One smirked down at Yao, his green eyes gleaming and blonde hair blowing in the slight breeze. The third also smirked at Yao, and he rocked back and forth on his heels and toes. He had black hair, with amber eyes.
"Hey!" Yao yelped, standing up. "What do you think you're doing?"
The little boy's hands shook, revealing that he was actually a lot more scared than his tone let off. The blue-eyed boy snickered and flipped the notebook back to Yao, shaking it a bit.
"Aww, were you drawing your mommy?" He teased, and held the book higher as Yao ran up to snatch it back.
"Give it back," Yao ground out.
The blue-eyes boy acted as if he was in thought. "Uhm... how about no?"
He shoved Yao back, who landed on his butt hard. "Jason, give it back now!" He shouted from the ground.
Jason blinked his blue eyes, which flickered with malice. "Alright then, if you're so desperate."
He held the thin papers in his hands, before smirking at Yao. Yao's eyes widened in realization as he scrambled to his feet.
Kiku grimaced as he watched Jason rip the papers in half, and let the pieces flutter to the ground. Kiku noticed the tears forming in Yao's eyes, and so did the bullies.
"Awww, is she gonna cry?" The blond boy beside Jason asked. Yao flinched at the boy's words, but his eyes glared daggers at the three.
"I think so, Dylan!" The black haired boy responded. The three took a step forward simultaneously, and Yao stepped back, still holding his panda.
"What's that?" Jason asked, pointing at the panda.
Yao gritted his teeth and stepped back. "Mine. And you aren't going to touch it."
"She won't share with us, Jason!" The black haired boy chimed.
"I am not a girl," Yao growled. His voice held a hidden threat as well.
Jason continued to smile as he walked closer, successfully pinning Yao to the back of the slide they were still under. "That's just what your mommy let you believe," he said, voice low.
Yao's eyes widened and a single tear slid down his cheek. "No! I am a boy! My mom would never lie to me, and besides, why would your opinions matter to me?"
Yao began to continue, before a small fist connected with his stomach. He whimpered out a protest as Jason stepped back, now scowling at Yao.
"You don't even have a mom, she just felt bad for you and took you in." Jason said, eyes showing that he knew just how toxic he was being.
Yao's eyes brimmed with tears, and several let loose and slid down his cheeks. Jason saw this and continued. "She's not your mom, but she let you believe she was. She lied to you about that."
Jason paused, letting the words sink in. He bent down, and grabbed Yao's chin, jerking his face up to meet his blue eyes. "So why wouldn't she lie to you about you being a girl?"
Yao's eyes flashed with pain, and a small sob escaped his throat. Jason still held his chin, smiling devilishly down at the small nation. And then Yao's eyes hardened, and the fire of unimaginable anger replaced the sadness.
A small fist connected with Jason's jaw, and taking Jason's moment of shock to his advantage, Yao also kicked him in the gut. Jason stumbled back, and Yao jumped to his feet.
Dylan came at him, and Yao easily dodged to the side, kicking out a leg. As Dylan fell, Yao was caught off guard by the black haired boy's swinging fist.
He was caught across the face, and for a second, Kiku could see the dazed look in his eyes. The black-haired kid kicked Yao in the side, and the small boy tumbled to the ground.
"Ha! Good job, Alex!" Jason walked up beside Alex, glaring down at Yao, who was standing up. Jason walked forward, slammed his foot down on Yao's back.
Yao shrieked, moving a hand around to wrap around Jason's foot. He rolled, sending Jason to the ground as well.
"Why you," Jason snarled, searching the ground for anything near him. His eyes landed on a small stick, and he grabbed it.
Jason rolled over again, now straddling Yao, stick held high above his head. Yao saw this and grabbed a hold of Jason's wrist, keeping him from lunging with the stick.
Jason growled and his eyes flickered over to Dylan and Alex. "Come help me, guys!"
The two boys nodded and ran over to Yao, each grabbing his arms and holding them away from Jason. Yao screamed and flailed, struggling to get away from the boys.
Jason laughed darkly, stick still raised in the air. "No one's coming to save you," he said. "Because no one cares about you."
Yao's eyes widened as Jason slammed the stick down, and it nailed him across the cheek. Yao cried out in pain, as blood began to deep down his cheek.
Jason tossed the bloodied stick into the bushes several feet away from them. He smiled down at Yao, who was still being restrained by Dylan and Alex.
Despite the tears and blood pouring from his face, Yao's eyes remained strong. He continued to struggle, and Jason seemed to finally have had enough.
He stood up and brought a foot back, kicking Yao in the ribs. Yao once again cried out, still not gaining the attention of any adults.
"Let him go," Jason ordered the other two boys. Following their leader's orders, they released Yao's arms. Instantly, he brought them to his face, running over the open gash.
He winced, but sat up. Jason glared back down at Yao.
Kiku looked closer as Yao's hand remained over the gash on his cheek. The blood seemed to slowly stop flowing, and Yao soon brought his hand away from his face.
The once open and bleeding cut was a mere scrape now. Kiku had known nations could heal fast, but this was record timing!
Jason's eyes widened. "But how?"
Beside him, Alex gasped. "She's a demon!" He pointed about accusing finger at Yao.
Yao didn't say anything, his face remaining neutral. He rose from the ground, watching the three boys take a few steps back. He blinked slowly, meeting Jason's eyes calmly. "You're afraid of me?" He asked simply, cocking his head sideways.
"What? N-no!" He stepped forward, threateningly. Yao didn't move, expression remaining cold and calculating.
"Oh? So you aren't gonna flinch when I do this?" Yao remained still, before lunging at Jason and stopping mere inches from him. Jason stepped back quickly, eyes returning a glare as soon as he realized what Yao had done.
"So you're the tough guy, now?" Jason asked. "Demon girl's a tough guy now!"
Yao stepped back, moving his hands to his sides. His panda was on the ground a few feet behind him.
"Everyone's gonna hate you," Jason sneered. "When they find out what you've done to me, they're gonna hate you."
"What I've done to you?" Yao asked, frowning.
Jason smiles and nodded innocently. "Yeah! When they find out I was so horribly attacked by the demon boy! When they see the bruises all over me, and none on you!"
Yao blinked in shock, stepping back. "No, they won't hate me."
"You sure about that?" Jason asked. "Because I'm pretty sure they already do."
"Yeah, just look how no one wants to talk to you!" Alex chimed.
"Or sit with you," Dylan added.
Jason straightened and crossed his arms. Yao took several steps back, picking up his panda. Jason watched, and suddenly cried out in a feigned anguish.
"Teacher! Teacher! Yao hit me, please hurry!" He cupped his hands around his mouth, shouting in the direction of the school. Yao looked over to see several students look back in their direction. He also didn't miss the teacher making her way over.
Jason continued to shout. "Please hurry! He's gonna beat me up!"
Finally he stopped, turning back to Yao. "You see what happens when you mess with me?"
Without waiting for a response, Jason continued. "You may be paying a price now, but I swear I'll make your life a living hell, you demon. Not that you aren't used to it."
Yao whipped his head around as a teacher finally approached the scene. Without thinking, the small nation turned and ran, as fast as his little legs could carry him.
Ran off the school ground, down the street, and away from the boys.
The memory faded out and back in to show Yao sitting at home, sobbing into Greece's arms.
"Momma, do you hate me?" Yao finally looked up and asked. The broken look in his eyes tore Kiku's heart in half.
Greece's eyes widened. "No, baby. I could never hate you. Don't believe a word that those boys said to you."
There was silence for a moment, before Yao looked down at his hands. "Why did you lie to me?"
"I beg your pardon?" Greece asked, taken aback.
Yao sadly looked at Greece, eyes brimmed with fresh tears. "You aren't my momma."
Greece's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, her own emerald eyes shining with tears. "No, no, honey, you've got it wrong."
She pulled Yao back into a hug, taking out his hair. "A mom doesn't have to be someone who bore the child herself, sweetheart. A mom can be anyone who takes care of their children, and loves them to the moon and back."
She ran a gentle hand through Yao's hair, and Kiku could see how the boy relaxed substantially. "B-But they told me that I'm not your son," Yao paused, voice wavering. "They told me that you lie to me. That I'm not even a real boy."
Greece tightened her grip on Yao's waist. "Don't you ever believe that. Not now, not ever."
Yao just continued to sob into Greece's chest. She continued to play with his long hair, and watched as his eyes slowly began to flutter shut.
Suddenly, the soft tune of her voice filled the room.
"I remember tears streaming down your face when I said 'I'll never let you go'." She held Yao closed, running her long fingers through his hair.
"When all those shadows almost killed your light.
I remember you said 'don't leave me here alone'.
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight." Yao seemed to have calmed down, slowly breathing as he listened to the song. His tears had stopped, leaving behind a mess of tear stains on his face.
"Just close your eyes, the sun is going down.
You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now.
Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound."
And with that, the memory swept out from Kiku and Xiao once more.