[FIC] Ill Wishes, Well Wishes, and the Stuff in Between
Title: Ill Wishes, Well Wishes, and the Stuff in Between
Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia
Word Count: 4100+
Characters/Pairings: China, HK, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and OC!North Korea
Rating: PG13 because North Korea swears a lot apparently
Summary: This is how they prepare for the new year in the Wang household.
Notes: Unbeta-ed, instructions on how to kill a chicken, human names used, random OCs. Please forgive my headcanon. References are unashamedly made to other events that take place in this universe. This is how the Chinese celebrate the new year. Also, Happy Lunar New Year. I wish you health, happiness and prosperity. :)
Cast of Characters:
China ... Wang Yao
Hong Kong ... Howard "Howe" Kingsley Wang
Taiwan ... Mei Feng (I'm sorry, I haven't figure out a last name for her yet)
Japan ... Honda Kiku
South Korea ... Im Yong Soo
North Korea ... Im Seung Min
Vietnam ... Vahn Lien
Thailand ... Mookjai Tai
The New Year is the most important holiday of the year for most Asian people. People always made a lot of preparations for the new year, including cleaning, cooking, and decorating. Everyone had different ways of preparing for the new year, and this was how they did it in the Wang Clan:
"Big Brother, I just wiped that down," Yong Soo said as Yao ignored him and continued to collect the dust on the bookshelf with his damp rag.
"We need to sweep out all the bad luck from the year," Yao said determinedly as he went over the bookshelf that Yong Soo abandoned not a moment ago.
"But I just did!"
"It's because you didn't do a very good job," Lien answered in Yao's stead as she walked by with another load of laundry.
"Why do you always say bad things about me, Beautiful?" Yong Soo pouted as he dropped his rag into the bucket of dirty water.
"Because you call me things like that," Lien called back as she disappeared down the hall and to the laundry room.
"But you are! She's hot, isn't she, Big brother?" Yong Soo demanded at Yao's back. "I mean, you have to be blind to not see it, right? Big Brother?"
Slowly, Yao turned around and gave Yong Soo a resigned look, "Lien is a very pretty girl. Now leave her alone and go get a new bucket of water."
"Maybe she'll go out with me this year," Yong Soo said cheerfully as he picked up the red bucket filled with murky water.
"Who will go out with you?" Mei Feng asked, lugging the vacuum cleaner into the living room.
"Vahn Lien," Howe answered, announcing his presence as he went through the living room with a bag of garbage before going out the front door.
Mei Feng snorted as she unlooped the extension cord. "Don't even think about it."
"But the Feng Shui master said that my love life will leap forward this year!" Yong Soo told Mei Feng as he followed Howe outside.
"Why does that guy believe in Feng Shui?" Mei Feng muttered plugging in the vacuum cleaner. "They're all lies anyway."
"Feng Shui doesn't lie," Yao said sagely to which Mei Feng rolled her eyes and turned on the vacuum to drown out whatever else Yao had to say.
*
Elsewhere in the an extremely reputable hair salon in the heart of Hong Kong, a young Korean man with long and tangled hair found himself being restrained by his companions who had rather unceremoniously tied him up and deposited him in chair. "Let me go, you Bastards! I'm going to torch your fucking apartments!"
One of the men, the one with glasses and a very stylish hairdo clicked his tongue, "Come on, Seung Min, it's not that bad. You'll look less angry with a hair cut."
"Fuck you! I like the way I look!" Seung Min spat back as Tai who shrugged.
"Yeah well, Big Brother thinks you look like a delinquent, so you need to change your image before the new year."
"I kill for a living!" Seung Min exclaimed incredulously, causing the hairstylist to drop his mouth in horror. "I don't need to change my image!"
Tai laughed nervously and beamed at the hairstylist, "He's kidding, I promise."
"No, I'm not," Seung Min barked at the stylist, glaring at the man with promise. "If you dare to come near me with those scissors in your hands, I swear to God that you won't live to see tomorrow."
That was when Kiku decided to intervene. He stepped up to the hairstylist and bowed, "I apologize for this child's behavior. Please proceed."
"Why do I have to cut my hair? I'm not Chinese! I don't believe in this luck crap," Seung Min tried again. For a brief moment, he thought he saw the opportune moment to stand and run, but Kiku was quick and pulled him back down on the salon chair.
"Big Brother said that everyone was supposed to get a hair cut because symbolizes a fresh start. You are not an exception no matter what you think," Kiku said sternly, his hand gripped tightly on Seung Min's shoulder. "So please cooperate and we can all leave sooner."
"You didn't cut your hair, so why do I have to cut mine?" Seung Min demanded, still struggling against his bonds and Kiku's firm grip.
"I just did," Kiku explained to both Seung Min and Tai's disbelief because it did not look any different from when they stepped into the building.
"You're lying," Seung Min accused.
"I'll leave him to you," Kiku told the stylist, completely ignoring Seung Min.
"Stop, mother fucker!"
*
The poor hen had no idea what was in store for her when Mei Feng bought her from the store. All she knew was that she was taken from her cage from the other hens and placed in a paper bag. For all of one day, she lived inside a dark paper bag with air holes. She clucked and clucked, but figured that there was little she could do. Besides, her new owners would probably free her soon.
And then Yao tore open the bag and stared down at the chicken. The hen blinked her beady eyes at the light, and without noticing what was happening, Yao picked her up.
"What a big chicken," Yao said, staring at the animal in his hands.
And then he turned the chicken upside down to stun it and tied its claws together with a string of twine. Once the string was secured and the chicken could not run away, Yao took the butcher knife he had on the floor and placed the blade edge at the chicken's throat.
"Oh god, Big Brother don't do it!"
Silence rang as Yao ran the knife over the neck of the hen and held it upside down to bleed it out it's last clucks.
That was the scene that Yong Soo walked in upon. Horror over took the Korean man as he watched blood dripped from the neck of the still floundering chicken into a white, porcelain bowl. When he regained the little composure he had left, Yong Soo tripped over the plants by the door as he tried to flee back into the Wang house.
"Oh, Yong Soo, good timing," Yao smiled as he caught the last of the blood in the bowl. Standing, he held the chicken out to Yong Soo and smiled, "Can you take this to the kitchen and give it to Lien?"
Too horrified to even think, Yong Soo took the now dead chicken and mechanically walked back into the house. He moved through the living room and into the kitchen where Lien was hovering over a pot of boiling water. The woman blinked at him when he came in.
"Is that the chicken? Give it to me," Lien said taking the hen from Yong Soo before dropping it into the pot. She stepped away from the stove and went to fetch a pair of tongs when she caught Yong Soo still staring at the pot. "Putting it in hot water makes plucking the feathers easier."
"I am not going to eat that," Yong Soo said decisively, shaking his head. "No fucking way."
Shooting a tired look at Yong Soo, Lien asked evenly, "And why not?"
"Because Big Brother killed it!"
"So?"
"Big Brother doesn't kill!"
"Why would you think something stupid like that?"
"Because he's Big Brother!"
"Yong Soo, think for a moment," Lien said, looking him in the eye to make sure he was paying attention, "Big Brother is a Triad leader. We are gangsters. Some of us, your brother especially, kill for a living. What are the chances that Big Brother has not killed before?"
Yong Soo gaped for a moment, as if he were deliberating. After a moment, he exclaimed aghast, "But I've never seen it before!"
Lien shot him a pitiful look before she poked at the chicken in the pot.
"My image of Big Brother is ruined forever," Yong Soo moaned dramatically, as he buried his face in his hands. "I should have gone shopping with Mei Feng and Howe."
"I take it now is not the right time to tell you that you haven't washed your hands yet."
Yong Soo squawked before running off to the bathroom, leaving Lien to laugh at his expense.
*
"Let's see," Mei Feng said, thinking out loud, "We got the pomelo, the mandarins, new years candy, chocolate coins, new years candy tray imported from Vietnam of all places; do you think we should get some pistachios? It's a wordplay for happiness right? I like pistachios, do you think anyone else would eat them?"
"Hm," Howe grunted absently as he looked around the bustling outdoor market. A large number of housewives were running around, looking for the best deals and doing the last of their new year's shopping.
"Ah! Isn't that Auntie Fong?" Mei Feng said suddenly, pointing at a 60 something year old woman with burgundy hair. "You were six the last time we saw her; let's go say hi!"
"Wha-wait," Howe began to protest but Mei Feng seized Howe's arm and dragged him over to the obviously aging woman. "But the pistachios?"
Auntie Fong recognized Mei Feng almost immediately because Mei Feng apparently didn't really change except for losing her baby fat from her teenage years.
"This is Yan? Wow, you really grew tall. You're taller than that no good brother of your's was anyway," Auntie Fong said looking like she wanted to pinch his cheeks. "I remember when you were to my waist. I don't know what happened to the time. Where did you move to? Does your no good brother still run that disgraceful bar?"
Howe blinked because he didn't remember the woman talking so much; but, that was many years ago. "Uhm..."
"We live on the outskirts of Hong Kong, in one of those houses on the mountains. Well, Yao-ge and Howe does because he wanted a big house. I have an apartment in the city though," Mei Feng immediately explained sensing Howe's distress.
"Who is Howe?" Auntie Fong asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Is your no good brother gay now? I guessed it. I always thought he looked too much like a woman with his long hair."
"My brother isn't gay," Howe corrected only to have Mei Feng interrupt again.
"That's right, you wouldn't know! Howe is Yan's English name," Mei Feng explained. "He went and studied in England for a few years, so he's fluent in English now."
Howe blinked at Mei Feng, wondering why she was telling Auntie Fong all this like she was bragging. ... She was probably bragging.
"You're rich enough do that? Guess you're doing well then," Auntie Fong said, her lips curled in a polite smile. "Maybe you should meet my daughter; she's looking for a boyfriend."
Mei Feng laughed, "Sorry, Auntie Fong, Howe already has a girlfriend."
Howe glanced at Mei Feng because that was a completely lie--he did not have a girlfriend.
"Young people these days are always playing around," Auntie Fong said jokingly.
"Howe's very committed to Lien," Mei Feng assured, to which Howe wanted to hide himself because as much as he liked Lien, Mei Feng was just taking things too far. Also, Yong Soo would probably not be happy to hear Mei Feng say that.
"Oh, are you married yet?" Auntie Fong asked Mei Feng to which Mei Feng's face froze. "You're already in your thirties aren't you? You should have kids already."
"Mei Feng-jie is dating Yao-ge's colleague right now," Howe said, with his hands in his pocket as he tilted his body, and glanced at his watch. "It was nice seeing you again, Auntie Fong, but we really need to finish shopping. Happy new year."
"Good bye, Auntie Fong! Happy new year," Mei Feng called as she and Howe walked away. After they had gone down another block, Mei Feng finally said, "I never liked that bitch."
"Then why did we have to talk to her? Could have avoided lying."
"What's a little white lie?"
Howe did not answer, opting to look at the decorations in the stall they stopped at instead. "Hey, buy firecrackers for me."
"Fine," Mei Feng agreed, looking over the selections on the tables in the stall. "But only because you lied for me."
"Thanks, Big Sis."
*
"We're back," Tai announced the moment Lien opened the front door that had the chinese character for luck turned upside down taped to the door for the arrival of luck.
"You're still alive," Lien stated, somewhat surprised as she glanced over the door to see Seung Min sandwiched between Tai and Kiku like a prisoner with a hood over is head. "Does the Korean boy not like his hair cut?"
"Shut up," Seung Min snapped, shoving Tai aside to get into the house.
"Take off your shoes. We just cleaned the floors today while you were getting a makeover," Lien commanded, tripping Seung Min who rolled over and landed on his feet still.
"You didn't have to trip me!" Seung Min exclaimed, kicking his shoes off, chucking them angrily at Lien who just avoided getting hit. "Violent bitch, who'd want to marry you?"
"Guys, honestly; new years? Can't we all just stop arguing and calling people names?" Tai interjected before Lien could respond.
"Bro!"
Seung Min hardly had a moment to register the greeting before he cursed, "Fuck no."
And then Yong Soo was on top of Seung Min, yanking the hood off his brother's head.
It was as if the world stopped because neither Yong Soo nor Lien could believe that Seung Min could ever look stylish until that moment, even if a scowl marred his features before he kicked Yong Soo off his person.
"I guess good looks do run in the family," Yong Soo grinned after he recovered from his surprise, "Bro, you look so fashionable and Korean!"
"Of course I look Korean, Moron."
"Where's Big Brother?" Kiku asked, locking the door behind him.
"Kitchen," Yong Soo informed him, eying his hair with approval. "I like the new look, Kiku."
"What?" Seung Min exclaimed incredulously. "How can you even tell he got a haircut? It looks exactly the same!"
"No, it doesn't," Yong Soo said reasonably, slinging an arm over Seung Min's shoulder so they could both look at Kiku from the same direction. "Kiku doesn't really look like an OL anymore. He looks more manly."
"I do not look like an OL," Kiku insisted, his lips turned down at the corners as he stepped into the pair of guest slippers he always wore.
"Not anymore," Yong Soo said which caused both Tai and Lien to chuckle from the back.
"I'm going to see if Big Brother needs any help," Kiku clipped, quickly rushing through the living room and into the kitchen.
"So all the women are in the kitchen then," Seung Min said.
"Lien's not."
"And Big Brother doesn't look like a woman."
"I stand by what I said. Ouch! Damn violent whore."
"You three are helping me put up decorations."
*
Howe and Mei Feng arrived back at the Wang house to two things: 1) the smell of food cooking, and 2) Lien directing Tai and the Im brothers where to put up the red decorations.
Mei Feng and Howe took their groceries to the kitchen where Kiku was standing over the wok, deep frying some jau gok under Yao's direction while Yao was preparing the chicken.
"You're back," Yao smiled at them, glancing up for a moment, "Did you buy everything?"
"Yes, we did," Mei Feng said, depositing the mix of pink and white grocery bags on the table. "Do you need--"
The woman was interrupted by her cell phone. Reaching into her purse, she took out the pink device and answered as everyone else returned to their tasks. Well, except for Howe who hovered over Yao's shoulder, watching him chop the chicken with almost frightening precision.
"Hello? ... No, he's right here. Do you need to speak to him? ... Okay, just a moment," Mei Feng covered the mouthpiece of her phone and looked at Kiku, "Kiku-nii, Herakles is looking for you."
Kiku blinked and glanced at the phone before looking at his full hands.
"I can do it," Howe said, taking the chopsticks and wired ladle from Kiku.
Kiku nodded his thanks and accepted the mobile phone from Mei Feng. "Hello? This is Honda.
"... I see. Well, that's terribly inconvenient. ... No, I'll come over. ... It's fine. I'll be there as soon as I can," Kiku ended the call and handed the phone back to Mei Feng with a polite smile. "Thank you."
"What's wrong?" Mei Feng asked immediately, frowning at Kiku.
"It's nothing. Don't worry, I just need to head over to Macau for a bit," Kiku explained.
"But you'll miss dinner," Mei Feng said, glancing at the clock on her phone. "It's already four-thirty. You can't miss the last meal of the year. It's the most important part of the new years activities and--"
"Mei Feng," Yao interrupted the girl, smiling kindly at her. "Can you please go get the laundry? I know Lien has been too busy to think about getting it out."
"But--"
"Please?" Yao requested again, leaving no room for argument from the woman.
Mei Feng threw one more look at Kiku before she left for the laundry room. When It was just Yao, Kiku and Howe, the eldest looked at Kiku to explain.
"Alfred Jones has arrested Sadiq Adnan on suspicion of gang related activities," Kiku explained.
"The guy with the counterfeit currency?" Howe asked over the sound of deep frying. "I thought he was only supposed to deal cards until his debt with us was cleared."
"Precisely," Kiku nodded. "So I don't know what he's been doing that would lead to his arrest."
"I think I know what this is about," Yao said suddenly.
It might have been Howe's imagination, but he thought that Kiku's eyes widened a fraction as if he were surprised.
"Take Yong Soo with you," Yao continued as if he had not noticed Kiku's reaction, "Explain what's going on to him; he'll get it sorted out. And find out who authorized Alfred Jones to arrest Sadiq when he has no jurisdiction outside the United States.
"And try to get back in time for dinner."
"Understood," Kiku nodded left to fetch Yong Soo leaving Howe with Yao. When they heard the front door shut Howe looked at Yao.
"You had Adnan on special assignments?" Howe asked as he watched Yao dismantle the chicken. "And you didn't tell Kiku?"
"He doesn't deal with Macau like Yong Soo does," Yao said as if that explained it.
"But Kiku is second in command," Howe stated.
"The jau gok is burning," Yao said evasively which caused Howe to quickly return his attention to the wok, fishing out the batch that had turned darker than tree bark.
*
Yong Soo and Kiku didn't get back until it was eight, but everyone waited for them anyway, because the last meal had to be had with the family. After they finished dinner, most of them lounged around in the living room with the television on in the back even though no one paid it any attention.
"You look a lot younger with your hair like this," Yao told Seung Min who scowled before trying to bury himself into the leather couch to hide his flushed face.
"Are you embarassed?" Mei Feng asked, laughing at him from her seat next to Kiku. "I didn't know you were capable of getting embarassed."
"I am not embarassed!"
"He's embarassed," Howe confirmed only to have Seung Min punch his arm. "Ah! Why did you hit me?!"
"He does it because he likes you," Yong Soo chirped, cheeks flushed from the rice wine he had been drinking since they got back. He then threw an arm over Lien's shoulder and crushed her against him, "Bro doesn't know how to show affection like me."
"What have I said about personal space?" Lien asked Yong Soo, elbowing him in the chest before retreating to the floor next to Kiku's other side.
"Why do you always hurt me like that? Kiku does the exact same thing to me, even though I actually don't like him very much," Yong Soo rambled, gesturing at them both with his drink.
"You're drunk," Kiku stated, taking Yong Soo drink from him and setting it on the far end of the coffee table.
"I am not drunk," Yong Soo exclaimed, jumping from the couch and pointing an accusing finger at Kiku. "How am I drunk? You know I don't mean it when I said I don't like you, right? Except I actually mean it."
"Seriously, Dude; quit while you're ahead," Tai told Yong Soo.
Tai easily pulled the man back down on the couch, but Yong Soo couldn't really balance very well and ended up landing awkwardly on Tai. He just missed his nose colliding with Tai's knee.
"I won't forget what happened in South Korea!"
"Shut up, Yong Soo; you weren't even there!" Mei Feng snapped.
"Except Kiku was and he didn't do anything to stop that crazy bitch!"
"How do you know? Kiku-nii probably did more than you did while Big Brother was in the hospital!"
"Hey, no fighting," Howe calmly told them in attempt to intervene.
"We're not fighting--we're talking!" They both shouted, glaring at each other.
"You two, drop it," Yao commanded from his armchair. "I don't want us ringing in the new year with arguing about what we did or didn't do. We all made it out fine and we know who are friends really are, so if anything we learned a lot from that incident. No one is to blame, understand?"
No one answered, but finally, Yong Soo and Mei Feng nodded.
"Now say you're sorry."
Yong Soo and Mei Feng looked at one another with dislike before they both sighed.
"Sorry; I didn't mean to blame Kiku like that," Yong Soo said with his head bowed.
"I'm sorry for attacking you for it," Mei Feng answered, tipping her head also.
"And to Kiku," Yao added like a parent did to misbehaving children.
"Sorry, Kiku," Yong Soo muttered with his head still bowed.
"It's fine. I wasn't offended by your words," Kiku assured, shaking his head as if he didn't deserve the apology.
They fell into silence as they watched the New Year's Gala on television.
No one expected it when a series of loud gunshot-like bangs descended on the living room, causing most of the people there to duck, and half of them to whip out a gun.
When the smoke cleared, Howe stood at the opened door, his arms ladened with red firecrackers. The man smirked at his family in the living room, even though half of them had handguns pointed at him.
"Happy New Year."
"Brat! I thought someone was firing at us!" Seung Min cursed, putting the safety back on his weapon and tucking back in its holster.
"That actually scared me for a moment," Tai said nervously, running his hand through his hair. "More due to shock than anything else."
"Did you want me to die? Is that it? Die from fright?" Mei Feng asked waving her hand angrily at Howe as she stalked over.
"That was the point," Howe deadpanned before he held up the rest of the fireworks. "Come on, let's set the rest of these off. Welcome the New Year with a bang."
"I'm going to give you three seconds to run, Howe," Yong Soo gritted as he stood. "And I'm not counting one and two."
Howe didn't need another warning as he slipped out with Yong Soo and Mei Feng tailing him better than a police officer. Tai changed into his outdoor shoes and quickly filed out with Seung Min right behind him.
Lien stepped out of her slippers and into her heels. Just before going walking outside, she paused at the doorway and smiled at Yao, "Howe's really sneaky. I don't think I would mind if he ever became boss."
Yao laughed, shaking his head as Lien joined in the chase. Yao changed into his shoes and went to the doorway with Kiku close behind.
"I'm sorry."
Yao paused and turned around to look questioningly at Kiku. "What for?"
Kiku looked guilty for a moment as he hung his head. "South Korea. Natalia."
"You have already apologized more than enough times to something that I explicitly told you was not your fault," Yao smiled in assurance. He reach out a hand and squeezed Kiku's shoulder. "So stop blaming yourself for it."
"You've never forgiven me," Kiku said suddenly.
"Because there's nothing to forgive," Yao answered.
"You didn't tell me about Adnan delivering heroin," Kiku stated, not accusing, except it was.
"It wasn't important," Yao said, listening to the firecrackers go off outside. After a moment, Yao looked back at Kiku with a grin. "Come on, let's go play with everyone else."
Kiku took a breath and nodded, "Okay."
And they closed the door behind them.
Fandom: Axis Powers Hetalia
Word Count: 4100+
Characters/Pairings: China, HK, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam and OC!North Korea
Rating: PG13 because North Korea swears a lot apparently
Summary: This is how they prepare for the new year in the Wang household.
Notes: Unbeta-ed, instructions on how to kill a chicken, human names used, random OCs. Please forgive my headcanon. References are unashamedly made to other events that take place in this universe. This is how the Chinese celebrate the new year. Also, Happy Lunar New Year. I wish you health, happiness and prosperity. :)
Cast of Characters:
China ... Wang Yao
Hong Kong ... Howard "Howe" Kingsley Wang
Taiwan ... Mei Feng (I'm sorry, I haven't figure out a last name for her yet)
Japan ... Honda Kiku
South Korea ... Im Yong Soo
North Korea ... Im Seung Min
Vietnam ... Vahn Lien
Thailand ... Mookjai Tai
The New Year is the most important holiday of the year for most Asian people. People always made a lot of preparations for the new year, including cleaning, cooking, and decorating. Everyone had different ways of preparing for the new year, and this was how they did it in the Wang Clan:
"Big Brother, I just wiped that down," Yong Soo said as Yao ignored him and continued to collect the dust on the bookshelf with his damp rag.
"We need to sweep out all the bad luck from the year," Yao said determinedly as he went over the bookshelf that Yong Soo abandoned not a moment ago.
"But I just did!"
"It's because you didn't do a very good job," Lien answered in Yao's stead as she walked by with another load of laundry.
"Why do you always say bad things about me, Beautiful?" Yong Soo pouted as he dropped his rag into the bucket of dirty water.
"Because you call me things like that," Lien called back as she disappeared down the hall and to the laundry room.
"But you are! She's hot, isn't she, Big brother?" Yong Soo demanded at Yao's back. "I mean, you have to be blind to not see it, right? Big Brother?"
Slowly, Yao turned around and gave Yong Soo a resigned look, "Lien is a very pretty girl. Now leave her alone and go get a new bucket of water."
"Maybe she'll go out with me this year," Yong Soo said cheerfully as he picked up the red bucket filled with murky water.
"Who will go out with you?" Mei Feng asked, lugging the vacuum cleaner into the living room.
"Vahn Lien," Howe answered, announcing his presence as he went through the living room with a bag of garbage before going out the front door.
Mei Feng snorted as she unlooped the extension cord. "Don't even think about it."
"But the Feng Shui master said that my love life will leap forward this year!" Yong Soo told Mei Feng as he followed Howe outside.
"Why does that guy believe in Feng Shui?" Mei Feng muttered plugging in the vacuum cleaner. "They're all lies anyway."
"Feng Shui doesn't lie," Yao said sagely to which Mei Feng rolled her eyes and turned on the vacuum to drown out whatever else Yao had to say.
*
Elsewhere in the an extremely reputable hair salon in the heart of Hong Kong, a young Korean man with long and tangled hair found himself being restrained by his companions who had rather unceremoniously tied him up and deposited him in chair. "Let me go, you Bastards! I'm going to torch your fucking apartments!"
One of the men, the one with glasses and a very stylish hairdo clicked his tongue, "Come on, Seung Min, it's not that bad. You'll look less angry with a hair cut."
"Fuck you! I like the way I look!" Seung Min spat back as Tai who shrugged.
"Yeah well, Big Brother thinks you look like a delinquent, so you need to change your image before the new year."
"I kill for a living!" Seung Min exclaimed incredulously, causing the hairstylist to drop his mouth in horror. "I don't need to change my image!"
Tai laughed nervously and beamed at the hairstylist, "He's kidding, I promise."
"No, I'm not," Seung Min barked at the stylist, glaring at the man with promise. "If you dare to come near me with those scissors in your hands, I swear to God that you won't live to see tomorrow."
That was when Kiku decided to intervene. He stepped up to the hairstylist and bowed, "I apologize for this child's behavior. Please proceed."
"Why do I have to cut my hair? I'm not Chinese! I don't believe in this luck crap," Seung Min tried again. For a brief moment, he thought he saw the opportune moment to stand and run, but Kiku was quick and pulled him back down on the salon chair.
"Big Brother said that everyone was supposed to get a hair cut because symbolizes a fresh start. You are not an exception no matter what you think," Kiku said sternly, his hand gripped tightly on Seung Min's shoulder. "So please cooperate and we can all leave sooner."
"You didn't cut your hair, so why do I have to cut mine?" Seung Min demanded, still struggling against his bonds and Kiku's firm grip.
"I just did," Kiku explained to both Seung Min and Tai's disbelief because it did not look any different from when they stepped into the building.
"You're lying," Seung Min accused.
"I'll leave him to you," Kiku told the stylist, completely ignoring Seung Min.
"Stop, mother fucker!"
*
The poor hen had no idea what was in store for her when Mei Feng bought her from the store. All she knew was that she was taken from her cage from the other hens and placed in a paper bag. For all of one day, she lived inside a dark paper bag with air holes. She clucked and clucked, but figured that there was little she could do. Besides, her new owners would probably free her soon.
And then Yao tore open the bag and stared down at the chicken. The hen blinked her beady eyes at the light, and without noticing what was happening, Yao picked her up.
"What a big chicken," Yao said, staring at the animal in his hands.
And then he turned the chicken upside down to stun it and tied its claws together with a string of twine. Once the string was secured and the chicken could not run away, Yao took the butcher knife he had on the floor and placed the blade edge at the chicken's throat.
"Oh god, Big Brother don't do it!"
Silence rang as Yao ran the knife over the neck of the hen and held it upside down to bleed it out it's last clucks.
That was the scene that Yong Soo walked in upon. Horror over took the Korean man as he watched blood dripped from the neck of the still floundering chicken into a white, porcelain bowl. When he regained the little composure he had left, Yong Soo tripped over the plants by the door as he tried to flee back into the Wang house.
"Oh, Yong Soo, good timing," Yao smiled as he caught the last of the blood in the bowl. Standing, he held the chicken out to Yong Soo and smiled, "Can you take this to the kitchen and give it to Lien?"
Too horrified to even think, Yong Soo took the now dead chicken and mechanically walked back into the house. He moved through the living room and into the kitchen where Lien was hovering over a pot of boiling water. The woman blinked at him when he came in.
"Is that the chicken? Give it to me," Lien said taking the hen from Yong Soo before dropping it into the pot. She stepped away from the stove and went to fetch a pair of tongs when she caught Yong Soo still staring at the pot. "Putting it in hot water makes plucking the feathers easier."
"I am not going to eat that," Yong Soo said decisively, shaking his head. "No fucking way."
Shooting a tired look at Yong Soo, Lien asked evenly, "And why not?"
"Because Big Brother killed it!"
"So?"
"Big Brother doesn't kill!"
"Why would you think something stupid like that?"
"Because he's Big Brother!"
"Yong Soo, think for a moment," Lien said, looking him in the eye to make sure he was paying attention, "Big Brother is a Triad leader. We are gangsters. Some of us, your brother especially, kill for a living. What are the chances that Big Brother has not killed before?"
Yong Soo gaped for a moment, as if he were deliberating. After a moment, he exclaimed aghast, "But I've never seen it before!"
Lien shot him a pitiful look before she poked at the chicken in the pot.
"My image of Big Brother is ruined forever," Yong Soo moaned dramatically, as he buried his face in his hands. "I should have gone shopping with Mei Feng and Howe."
"I take it now is not the right time to tell you that you haven't washed your hands yet."
Yong Soo squawked before running off to the bathroom, leaving Lien to laugh at his expense.
*
"Let's see," Mei Feng said, thinking out loud, "We got the pomelo, the mandarins, new years candy, chocolate coins, new years candy tray imported from Vietnam of all places; do you think we should get some pistachios? It's a wordplay for happiness right? I like pistachios, do you think anyone else would eat them?"
"Hm," Howe grunted absently as he looked around the bustling outdoor market. A large number of housewives were running around, looking for the best deals and doing the last of their new year's shopping.
"Ah! Isn't that Auntie Fong?" Mei Feng said suddenly, pointing at a 60 something year old woman with burgundy hair. "You were six the last time we saw her; let's go say hi!"
"Wha-wait," Howe began to protest but Mei Feng seized Howe's arm and dragged him over to the obviously aging woman. "But the pistachios?"
Auntie Fong recognized Mei Feng almost immediately because Mei Feng apparently didn't really change except for losing her baby fat from her teenage years.
"This is Yan? Wow, you really grew tall. You're taller than that no good brother of your's was anyway," Auntie Fong said looking like she wanted to pinch his cheeks. "I remember when you were to my waist. I don't know what happened to the time. Where did you move to? Does your no good brother still run that disgraceful bar?"
Howe blinked because he didn't remember the woman talking so much; but, that was many years ago. "Uhm..."
"We live on the outskirts of Hong Kong, in one of those houses on the mountains. Well, Yao-ge and Howe does because he wanted a big house. I have an apartment in the city though," Mei Feng immediately explained sensing Howe's distress.
"Who is Howe?" Auntie Fong asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Is your no good brother gay now? I guessed it. I always thought he looked too much like a woman with his long hair."
"My brother isn't gay," Howe corrected only to have Mei Feng interrupt again.
"That's right, you wouldn't know! Howe is Yan's English name," Mei Feng explained. "He went and studied in England for a few years, so he's fluent in English now."
Howe blinked at Mei Feng, wondering why she was telling Auntie Fong all this like she was bragging. ... She was probably bragging.
"You're rich enough do that? Guess you're doing well then," Auntie Fong said, her lips curled in a polite smile. "Maybe you should meet my daughter; she's looking for a boyfriend."
Mei Feng laughed, "Sorry, Auntie Fong, Howe already has a girlfriend."
Howe glanced at Mei Feng because that was a completely lie--he did not have a girlfriend.
"Young people these days are always playing around," Auntie Fong said jokingly.
"Howe's very committed to Lien," Mei Feng assured, to which Howe wanted to hide himself because as much as he liked Lien, Mei Feng was just taking things too far. Also, Yong Soo would probably not be happy to hear Mei Feng say that.
"Oh, are you married yet?" Auntie Fong asked Mei Feng to which Mei Feng's face froze. "You're already in your thirties aren't you? You should have kids already."
"Mei Feng-jie is dating Yao-ge's colleague right now," Howe said, with his hands in his pocket as he tilted his body, and glanced at his watch. "It was nice seeing you again, Auntie Fong, but we really need to finish shopping. Happy new year."
"Good bye, Auntie Fong! Happy new year," Mei Feng called as she and Howe walked away. After they had gone down another block, Mei Feng finally said, "I never liked that bitch."
"Then why did we have to talk to her? Could have avoided lying."
"What's a little white lie?"
Howe did not answer, opting to look at the decorations in the stall they stopped at instead. "Hey, buy firecrackers for me."
"Fine," Mei Feng agreed, looking over the selections on the tables in the stall. "But only because you lied for me."
"Thanks, Big Sis."
*
"We're back," Tai announced the moment Lien opened the front door that had the chinese character for luck turned upside down taped to the door for the arrival of luck.
"You're still alive," Lien stated, somewhat surprised as she glanced over the door to see Seung Min sandwiched between Tai and Kiku like a prisoner with a hood over is head. "Does the Korean boy not like his hair cut?"
"Shut up," Seung Min snapped, shoving Tai aside to get into the house.
"Take off your shoes. We just cleaned the floors today while you were getting a makeover," Lien commanded, tripping Seung Min who rolled over and landed on his feet still.
"You didn't have to trip me!" Seung Min exclaimed, kicking his shoes off, chucking them angrily at Lien who just avoided getting hit. "Violent bitch, who'd want to marry you?"
"Guys, honestly; new years? Can't we all just stop arguing and calling people names?" Tai interjected before Lien could respond.
"Bro!"
Seung Min hardly had a moment to register the greeting before he cursed, "Fuck no."
And then Yong Soo was on top of Seung Min, yanking the hood off his brother's head.
It was as if the world stopped because neither Yong Soo nor Lien could believe that Seung Min could ever look stylish until that moment, even if a scowl marred his features before he kicked Yong Soo off his person.
"I guess good looks do run in the family," Yong Soo grinned after he recovered from his surprise, "Bro, you look so fashionable and Korean!"
"Of course I look Korean, Moron."
"Where's Big Brother?" Kiku asked, locking the door behind him.
"Kitchen," Yong Soo informed him, eying his hair with approval. "I like the new look, Kiku."
"What?" Seung Min exclaimed incredulously. "How can you even tell he got a haircut? It looks exactly the same!"
"No, it doesn't," Yong Soo said reasonably, slinging an arm over Seung Min's shoulder so they could both look at Kiku from the same direction. "Kiku doesn't really look like an OL anymore. He looks more manly."
"I do not look like an OL," Kiku insisted, his lips turned down at the corners as he stepped into the pair of guest slippers he always wore.
"Not anymore," Yong Soo said which caused both Tai and Lien to chuckle from the back.
"I'm going to see if Big Brother needs any help," Kiku clipped, quickly rushing through the living room and into the kitchen.
"So all the women are in the kitchen then," Seung Min said.
"Lien's not."
"And Big Brother doesn't look like a woman."
"I stand by what I said. Ouch! Damn violent whore."
"You three are helping me put up decorations."
*
Howe and Mei Feng arrived back at the Wang house to two things: 1) the smell of food cooking, and 2) Lien directing Tai and the Im brothers where to put up the red decorations.
Mei Feng and Howe took their groceries to the kitchen where Kiku was standing over the wok, deep frying some jau gok under Yao's direction while Yao was preparing the chicken.
"You're back," Yao smiled at them, glancing up for a moment, "Did you buy everything?"
"Yes, we did," Mei Feng said, depositing the mix of pink and white grocery bags on the table. "Do you need--"
The woman was interrupted by her cell phone. Reaching into her purse, she took out the pink device and answered as everyone else returned to their tasks. Well, except for Howe who hovered over Yao's shoulder, watching him chop the chicken with almost frightening precision.
"Hello? ... No, he's right here. Do you need to speak to him? ... Okay, just a moment," Mei Feng covered the mouthpiece of her phone and looked at Kiku, "Kiku-nii, Herakles is looking for you."
Kiku blinked and glanced at the phone before looking at his full hands.
"I can do it," Howe said, taking the chopsticks and wired ladle from Kiku.
Kiku nodded his thanks and accepted the mobile phone from Mei Feng. "Hello? This is Honda.
"... I see. Well, that's terribly inconvenient. ... No, I'll come over. ... It's fine. I'll be there as soon as I can," Kiku ended the call and handed the phone back to Mei Feng with a polite smile. "Thank you."
"What's wrong?" Mei Feng asked immediately, frowning at Kiku.
"It's nothing. Don't worry, I just need to head over to Macau for a bit," Kiku explained.
"But you'll miss dinner," Mei Feng said, glancing at the clock on her phone. "It's already four-thirty. You can't miss the last meal of the year. It's the most important part of the new years activities and--"
"Mei Feng," Yao interrupted the girl, smiling kindly at her. "Can you please go get the laundry? I know Lien has been too busy to think about getting it out."
"But--"
"Please?" Yao requested again, leaving no room for argument from the woman.
Mei Feng threw one more look at Kiku before she left for the laundry room. When It was just Yao, Kiku and Howe, the eldest looked at Kiku to explain.
"Alfred Jones has arrested Sadiq Adnan on suspicion of gang related activities," Kiku explained.
"The guy with the counterfeit currency?" Howe asked over the sound of deep frying. "I thought he was only supposed to deal cards until his debt with us was cleared."
"Precisely," Kiku nodded. "So I don't know what he's been doing that would lead to his arrest."
"I think I know what this is about," Yao said suddenly.
It might have been Howe's imagination, but he thought that Kiku's eyes widened a fraction as if he were surprised.
"Take Yong Soo with you," Yao continued as if he had not noticed Kiku's reaction, "Explain what's going on to him; he'll get it sorted out. And find out who authorized Alfred Jones to arrest Sadiq when he has no jurisdiction outside the United States.
"And try to get back in time for dinner."
"Understood," Kiku nodded left to fetch Yong Soo leaving Howe with Yao. When they heard the front door shut Howe looked at Yao.
"You had Adnan on special assignments?" Howe asked as he watched Yao dismantle the chicken. "And you didn't tell Kiku?"
"He doesn't deal with Macau like Yong Soo does," Yao said as if that explained it.
"But Kiku is second in command," Howe stated.
"The jau gok is burning," Yao said evasively which caused Howe to quickly return his attention to the wok, fishing out the batch that had turned darker than tree bark.
*
Yong Soo and Kiku didn't get back until it was eight, but everyone waited for them anyway, because the last meal had to be had with the family. After they finished dinner, most of them lounged around in the living room with the television on in the back even though no one paid it any attention.
"You look a lot younger with your hair like this," Yao told Seung Min who scowled before trying to bury himself into the leather couch to hide his flushed face.
"Are you embarassed?" Mei Feng asked, laughing at him from her seat next to Kiku. "I didn't know you were capable of getting embarassed."
"I am not embarassed!"
"He's embarassed," Howe confirmed only to have Seung Min punch his arm. "Ah! Why did you hit me?!"
"He does it because he likes you," Yong Soo chirped, cheeks flushed from the rice wine he had been drinking since they got back. He then threw an arm over Lien's shoulder and crushed her against him, "Bro doesn't know how to show affection like me."
"What have I said about personal space?" Lien asked Yong Soo, elbowing him in the chest before retreating to the floor next to Kiku's other side.
"Why do you always hurt me like that? Kiku does the exact same thing to me, even though I actually don't like him very much," Yong Soo rambled, gesturing at them both with his drink.
"You're drunk," Kiku stated, taking Yong Soo drink from him and setting it on the far end of the coffee table.
"I am not drunk," Yong Soo exclaimed, jumping from the couch and pointing an accusing finger at Kiku. "How am I drunk? You know I don't mean it when I said I don't like you, right? Except I actually mean it."
"Seriously, Dude; quit while you're ahead," Tai told Yong Soo.
Tai easily pulled the man back down on the couch, but Yong Soo couldn't really balance very well and ended up landing awkwardly on Tai. He just missed his nose colliding with Tai's knee.
"I won't forget what happened in South Korea!"
"Shut up, Yong Soo; you weren't even there!" Mei Feng snapped.
"Except Kiku was and he didn't do anything to stop that crazy bitch!"
"How do you know? Kiku-nii probably did more than you did while Big Brother was in the hospital!"
"Hey, no fighting," Howe calmly told them in attempt to intervene.
"We're not fighting--we're talking!" They both shouted, glaring at each other.
"You two, drop it," Yao commanded from his armchair. "I don't want us ringing in the new year with arguing about what we did or didn't do. We all made it out fine and we know who are friends really are, so if anything we learned a lot from that incident. No one is to blame, understand?"
No one answered, but finally, Yong Soo and Mei Feng nodded.
"Now say you're sorry."
Yong Soo and Mei Feng looked at one another with dislike before they both sighed.
"Sorry; I didn't mean to blame Kiku like that," Yong Soo said with his head bowed.
"I'm sorry for attacking you for it," Mei Feng answered, tipping her head also.
"And to Kiku," Yao added like a parent did to misbehaving children.
"Sorry, Kiku," Yong Soo muttered with his head still bowed.
"It's fine. I wasn't offended by your words," Kiku assured, shaking his head as if he didn't deserve the apology.
They fell into silence as they watched the New Year's Gala on television.
No one expected it when a series of loud gunshot-like bangs descended on the living room, causing most of the people there to duck, and half of them to whip out a gun.
When the smoke cleared, Howe stood at the opened door, his arms ladened with red firecrackers. The man smirked at his family in the living room, even though half of them had handguns pointed at him.
"Happy New Year."
"Brat! I thought someone was firing at us!" Seung Min cursed, putting the safety back on his weapon and tucking back in its holster.
"That actually scared me for a moment," Tai said nervously, running his hand through his hair. "More due to shock than anything else."
"Did you want me to die? Is that it? Die from fright?" Mei Feng asked waving her hand angrily at Howe as she stalked over.
"That was the point," Howe deadpanned before he held up the rest of the fireworks. "Come on, let's set the rest of these off. Welcome the New Year with a bang."
"I'm going to give you three seconds to run, Howe," Yong Soo gritted as he stood. "And I'm not counting one and two."
Howe didn't need another warning as he slipped out with Yong Soo and Mei Feng tailing him better than a police officer. Tai changed into his outdoor shoes and quickly filed out with Seung Min right behind him.
Lien stepped out of her slippers and into her heels. Just before going walking outside, she paused at the doorway and smiled at Yao, "Howe's really sneaky. I don't think I would mind if he ever became boss."
Yao laughed, shaking his head as Lien joined in the chase. Yao changed into his shoes and went to the doorway with Kiku close behind.
"I'm sorry."
Yao paused and turned around to look questioningly at Kiku. "What for?"
Kiku looked guilty for a moment as he hung his head. "South Korea. Natalia."
"You have already apologized more than enough times to something that I explicitly told you was not your fault," Yao smiled in assurance. He reach out a hand and squeezed Kiku's shoulder. "So stop blaming yourself for it."
"You've never forgiven me," Kiku said suddenly.
"Because there's nothing to forgive," Yao answered.
"You didn't tell me about Adnan delivering heroin," Kiku stated, not accusing, except it was.
"It wasn't important," Yao said, listening to the firecrackers go off outside. After a moment, Yao looked back at Kiku with a grin. "Come on, let's go play with everyone else."
Kiku took a breath and nodded, "Okay."
And they closed the door behind them.