060
[Taiwan spent most of the day out shopping for a good high quality camera for her latest plan of getting some real family portraits done, so she wasn't around for Netherlands' droning. But when she returns home, there's no mistaking what had happened in her absence. Even if she hadn't noticed the change in the name on the mailbox, there's something that she couldn't possibly mistake - the windmill in the front yard is now gone entirely. The weight of what this means settles in on Taiwan all at once, her heart all but sinking to the bottom of her chest like lead. She drops the bag holding the camera, its contents clattering out onto the sidewalk as she takes a few steps toward the house, just staring numbly before collapsing to her knees.]
"H-he's gone..."
[And then the tears start. Taiwan hasn't done much crying since the town transformed back from the communist nightmare of several months ago. She promised Vietnam that she would be strong, and only let her tears flow when they were truly warranted. The thought of the promise flashes through her mind briefly - she knows her sister would never approve of wasting her tears on the Netherlands, but they come flowing forth all the same, running like twin rivers from her eyes. Taiwan had settled into Mayfield life rather comfortably, and had reached the point months ago where she thought of her replacement family as a real one. Without a doubt, she had fallen in love with Netherlands, a fact that is all too painfully clear to her now.
And so Taiwan stays there in that position for quite a while, crouched on the front lawn crying her eyes out until the tears literally will no longer come. Afterward, she numbly makes her way to the front porch, just sitting uncomfortably on the steps and staring into her lap. She doesn't want to go inside. She doesn't want to see him like that again, knowing that this time he won't snap out of it, no matter how long she waits. And even if he does come back, he won't remember all of the tender moments they'd shared together over the past six months. All of it is gone, relegated to her memories. The world suddenly feels very cold, lonely, and lifeless to Taiwan, and all she can do is hang her head, close her eyes, and try to pretend it isn't real.]
"H-he's gone..."
[And then the tears start. Taiwan hasn't done much crying since the town transformed back from the communist nightmare of several months ago. She promised Vietnam that she would be strong, and only let her tears flow when they were truly warranted. The thought of the promise flashes through her mind briefly - she knows her sister would never approve of wasting her tears on the Netherlands, but they come flowing forth all the same, running like twin rivers from her eyes. Taiwan had settled into Mayfield life rather comfortably, and had reached the point months ago where she thought of her replacement family as a real one. Without a doubt, she had fallen in love with Netherlands, a fact that is all too painfully clear to her now.
And so Taiwan stays there in that position for quite a while, crouched on the front lawn crying her eyes out until the tears literally will no longer come. Afterward, she numbly makes her way to the front porch, just sitting uncomfortably on the steps and staring into her lap. She doesn't want to go inside. She doesn't want to see him like that again, knowing that this time he won't snap out of it, no matter how long she waits. And even if he does come back, he won't remember all of the tender moments they'd shared together over the past six months. All of it is gone, relegated to her memories. The world suddenly feels very cold, lonely, and lifeless to Taiwan, and all she can do is hang her head, close her eyes, and try to pretend it isn't real.]