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Description
The city was especially busy today. It was a chilly winter afternoon, so you were dressed for the weather. It was also a weekend, and the streets were filled with people. Adults were rushing to their jobs, teens were loitering in their favorite spots, and shopping addicts were hopping from store to store, taking up what little room there was with their comically large shopping bags. The traffic was especially bad, at times seeming like everything had come to a stand-still. At this point, walking was the faster mode of transportation, meaning more people were walking than driving, meaning the sidewalks were more crowded than you would like. Everywhere you looked was the one thing you hated most: people. But in a city like this, it couldn't really be helped. At least you didn't have to listen to their noise.

You slipped your soundproof headphones over your ears, turning your iPod's volume up to full blast. Instantly, every sound in the outside world was silenced, giving you sweet release. You let out a relieved sigh, a slight smile gracing your lips. You even stopped minding everyone who bumped into you…to a degree.

"Solace in Solitude." That was a slogan you lived for. If people left you alone, you would leave them alone too. Nobody could touch you, and…nobody could hurt you. You were firm and unmoving. You had nothing to fear, nobody to impress, and you loved every minute of it. Lack of social life meant a lack of social insecurity, and you felt so free knowing you didn't have to deal with that stress. Still, you felt a kind of…emptiness. You weren't unhappy, but you weren't really happy either. It was just…meaningless.

You began to cross a street, rolling your eyes. These thoughts plagued your mind every now and again, eating away at you. All you needed was to keep walking to keep your mind off things. Eventually, you will be able to convince yourself you were fine, just like you always did. You took a deep breath, and lost yourself in your music.

---

Everything was monochrome. The dismal melody seemed to paint everything black and grey. Long and dragging, the melancholy notes turned the crowd from a seething mass of life into cold statues. The subtle beat added a tint of blue to the scene, accenting the otherwise boring scenery. Every now and then, you would see a sudden splash of pink, waking you up from your music-induced trance. But just like that, it would be lost in the throng of people, and you would return to your fantasies. Still, the pink just wouldn't leave you alone. It seemed to linger in the back of your mind, appearing when it thought you weren't looking. It was following you.

You quickened your pace, heading to more crowded areas. Pink was such an annoying color! No matter where you went, it was still peering over your shoulder. You began to run, weaving your way through the crowd. You knew this city like the back of your hand; all the shortcuts and hidden roads were engraved into your mental map. Using this knowledge to your advantage, you sprinted to the one place where no one would dare follow you.

You slowed to a stop as you entered an underpass. You could feel vibrations from the cars speeding overhead. Even though there was still daylight, it was dark enough here to be nighttime. Graffiti littered the walls, and the dirty pavement was covered in tin cans, beer bottles and other trash. It was filthy and dank, so you never came down here unless you had to.

You leaned against a grimy wall, catching your breath. Suddenly, you froze. You were not alone. You felt your muscles tense, but you didn't move. You were tired of running. Sure, you were a little scared at being stalked, but mostly, you were angry. You were angry that someone had the nerve to invade your privacy and completely throw your walk off course. You stood, trembling in time to the music pounding in your ears as the infuriating pink approached you from behind. Then, the stalker grabbed your arm. That was enough to set you off.

You whipped around, narrowing your eyes into a furious glare. Snarling, you met your stalker. It was a girl, shorter than you. Her blonde hair was messy from chasing you, chin-length strands mussed and frizzy with a blue hair bow slipping to the side. She had large aqua blue eyes, widening in fear because she was intimidated by your scowl. Her soft pink lips moved in a fast-paced apology, her gloved hands flying up to cover her face. However, she was unable to hide the blush that crept along her face. You relaxed some; she wasn't a threat to you.

You coldly looked her over, causing her to avert her gaze. She wasn't from around here; you could tell. Everything from her white tights and Mary-Janes, her old fashioned topcoat, and her obviously handmade scarf (which had been the pink that so aggravated you) testified to her outlandishness. You decided that she was a tourist from another country. She probably spoke with a foreign accent too. You turned off your iPod so you could speak to her.

"Why are you following me?" you growled, your words muffled by your headphones. (You had kept them on; you were too attached to remove them.) Her reply was barely audible through your headphones, but her words were still distinguishable.

"It was an accident," she squeaked. Yup. There was the expected accent. "I was following Big Brother, but there was so many people! F-from the back, your coat looked like his, s-so I got confused. I'm sorry!"

You instinctively looked down at your outfit. You never really cared for your appearance, so most of your clothes were bought from thrift stores. Your coat was noticeably cheap, but it kept you warm, and that was all that mattered. Still, you were somewhat disgusted that you looked like some foreigner. You let out an exasperated sigh and shoved your hands in your pockets, turning to leave.

"W-wait!" the tourist called, grabbing your arm again. You roughly threw her off.

"Stop touching me!" you hissed, taking a few steps back. "What the heck do you want from me? Beat it!"

She was obviously hurt by your harsh words, but made no move to leave you be. "I'm lost," she admitted truthfully, her voice breaking slightly. "Y-you seem to know this city very well, s-so I was wondering if you'd help me find Big Brother." She looked at you with pleading eyes, fighting back tears. She fidgeted with her hands as she waited anxiously for your answer.

"What do I look like? A tour guide?" you barked, shoving your hands in your pockets once more. "Go hug a tree or something. If your brother really cared, he would find you himself!"

You turned your back on her a second time, marching out of the underpass. The sun glared in your eyes as soon as you exited, making you shield them with your hand.

Stupid tourist, you thought silently to yourself, asking me to be her tour guide! What, hasn't she ever heard of stranger danger?

You paused, half expecting her to still be following you. But when you turned around, you were all alone. You scoffed at your paranoia, mentally rerouting your walk to get back home. Yet, you still couldn't help but feel something was off. Then you realized you had forgotten to turn your music back on. What gave it away was a small noise echoing in the underpass. The sound was unfamiliar to you. It sounded kind of like hiccuping, and a little like coughing, but still oddly different. That foreigner…was she crying? You backtracked to the entrance, peering in from the side. (No way could you let her see you checking up on her! You were too cool for that!) There she was, sitting on the filthy floor, hugging her knees and sobbing into them. She looked pretty pathetic all by herself. She also looked so…vulnerable.

What a baby, you thought, rolling your eyes. The world is a harsh place. She has to learn to deal with it. You reentered the underpass and nudged her with your foot. "Hey," you said out loud, "Cut it out. You'll never find your brother if all you do is sit around and feel sorry for yourself."

She looked up at you with bleary eyes, cheeks red and tear-stained from crying. Sniffling, she wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Well, that's how I found him the first time," she whimpered. You raised an eyebrow in wonder at her words, but didn't pry for their meaning.

"Get up," you ordered, jerking your head to gesticulate your words. She hesitantly obeyed.

"So now you're helping me?" she asked, blinking in bewilderment. She sniffled again, her breathing still shaky and uneven.

"I never said that," you said impatiently, "but I am not going to be responsible for picking your rotting corpse off the pavement of some backstreet." That was it. You weren't doing this for her. You just didn't want to deal with the guilt. Even though you were a jerk, you weren't completely heartless.

She didn't seem to like your graphic description of your expectations for her demise, but she wouldn't complain so long as she didn't have to fend for herself. She forced a small smile accompanied by a nervous giggle. "Thank you," she whispered, her words silenced by your headphones. You didn't reply, but led her to the exit. "I promise not to trouble you too much!" she chirped as you both were enclosed in light. She bounded forward and began walking beside you. "I will even ask Big Brother to reward you when we find him! I'm just so glad I won't have to wander all on my own. You're really kind to help me! In all honesty–"

You cut her off with your index finger, stepping in front of her to keep her from walking any further. "Just. Keep. Your mouth shut," you said simply and firmly. You resumed walking, stepping onto the sidewalk swarming with people.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll be quiet from here on, I promise! I'm not usually this talkative. It's just that I'm so excited…" she dragged on, and you had to refrain from smacking yourself in the face. What the heck had you gotten yourself into?

---

Much to your surprise, the girl kept true to her promise. Not a word was spoken between you, albeit every now and again you would hear her polite "excuse me"s ring in the air as she shoved her way through the crowded sidewalk. At times, she was so quiet, you began to wonder if she was still following you. But whenever you would turn to look over your shoulder, she would always be right behind you, sometimes so close as to almost touch you. However, her silence wouldn't last forever.

"Um, I don't mean to bother–" she began.

"Then don't," you snapped, not even bothering to look her way. Whatever she had to say, you weren't interested. All you wanted was to find her brother so you could dump her on him and go home with a clear conscience.

"I'm sorry, it's just…where are you taking me?"

You could hear her voice tremble a bit. Your insensitive nature was breaking her, making her falter. You chose to ignore this fact and gave an exasperated sigh. "Haven't you noticed?" you asked, furrowing your brow. "I'm retracing my steps. We're going to find where you last saw your brother."

The crowd seemed to thicken as you kept walking, and she was shoved into you. You pushed her aside, and she began to stroll beside you. She muttered something unintelligible, looking down at her shoes.

"What? I can't hear you!" You narrowed your eyes, glaring at her from the side.

"I said," she squeaked a little louder, "I don't remember where I lost Big Brother."

How dense was this girl? "No, duh!" you nearly shouted, pinching the bridge of your nose. "That's why I'm retracing my steps! As long as our route looks familiar to you, it means that's how far you followed me. The minute you don't recognize anything, it means you were following your brother at that point. Get it?" Your last two words were said slowly and forcefully, dripping with scorn. Stupid foreigner didn't know anything!

She made no comment, refusing to look up from the ground. What was she thinking? She had better not be crying again. "Well?" you asked, hoping to provoke a response.

"'Well' what?" She looked up at you with nervous eyes and began fiddling with her hands again.

"Well, does anything look familiar?"

She shook her head, biting her lip. Taking in a deep breath, she said shakily, "The city is a big and wonderful place, b-b-but…th-there were so many p-people…I was too busy trying not to get squashed to look where I was going." She winced, waiting for you to get angry with her again.

Honestly, you were about to yell at her for not saying so sooner. But when you saw her pained expression, you decided to let it go this once. You let out an angry grunt and looked away from her. Now you would have to find a different way to locate her brother. But how? He could be anywhere by now, and to scour the whole city would be less productive than a wild goose chase!

Your stomach growled, hindering you from coming up with any good ideas. You turned to the tourist and saw her clutching her own stomach. Pulling out your iPod to check the hour, you found it was almost time for dinner. You spun around on your heels and marched down a different road. Maybe some food will help you focus on the task at hand.

---

Everything was distorted. The murky, watery tune filling your ears made everything seem so far away. Bright lights and blaring colors chased your consciousness to the back of your mind, making you feel like the living dead. The people surrounding you, smiling, eating, talking, served only to provoke a barrier around yourself. You blocked everything out with an imaginary darkness. The only things that existed were you, your music, and your ramen.

You were in a ramen shop, sitting at the bar with your stalker. The food there was delicious, but cheap. Because of this, it was almost always crowded, but that was the restaurant's only flaw. Okay, the decorations and paint job were a little tacky too, but at least the food was good.

You had ordered a bowl of (favorite ramen) for yourself. Since Stalker never had ramen before, you ordered the same for her. You watched her as you ate, criticizing her every move. The stupid foreigner didn't even know how to use chopsticks. You stared scornfully as she tried, failing over and over. It was almost painful to watch, but you made no move to help her. The owner and chef, a chubby middle-aged man, saw her struggling, and came over to instruct her.

How pathetic, you thought to yourself. No one needed to show me how.

However, as you watched the two interact, you found yourself intrigued. They had started to converse, the owner even pulling up a chair just to chat with her. She seemed to warm up to him rather quickly, and for the first time since meeting her, you saw her laugh. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, her mood escalating. It made you wonder just what they were talking about that made her so happy. Soon, a couple of other customers joined their conversation. Your music still held you back from their chatting, but you could see plainly how her friendliness seemed to draw everybody in. Before long, a nice crowd had formed around your foreign stalker. Well, that was way too many people for you.

You finished the last of your ramen and slid off your chair, making your way to the exit. So many people in such a little place…it was just too much. You needed fresh air. You let out a sigh of content as you opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalk. Since almost everyone was home or at dinner, the streets weren't as busy as they were earlier.

For a split second, a thought ran across your mind. Would it be okay to just leave her behind? After all, you saw how many people had befriended her in the restaurant. Surely one of them could help her find her brother. The answer was obvious.

She's their problem now, you thought smugly to yourself, turning off your iPod to save battery and strutting towards your home. In a twisted way, you had helped her: you fed her, and saw to it that she had someone to escort her to her brother. Granted you would never be sure she actually made it to her brother, but at least it wouldn't be your fault if she didn't. Mostly.

As you kept walking, you began to entertain the idea that you might even miss her. Just the way she had trailed behind you made her slightly endearing. It's like they always say: "You never know what you've got until it's gone."

"There you are! I was worried!"

As it turns out, you didn't miss her as much as you thought you did. Crud! Just when you thought you were rid of her. Maybe if you pretended you couldn't hear her, she would go away. You found ignoring people tended to get you ignored as well.

"Are you listening?" the foreigner asked, trying to catch your eye. When you didn't look her way, her gaze dropped to your hand. "Well, I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

This shocked you. Until now, no one had ever given a rat's butt about you. It was a dog eat dog world in this city, and you had learned at an early age that every man had to fend for himself. That was life…wasn't it? You caught yourself just in time; you were about to glance at her. You stiffened your back and listened to your imaginary music.

"You looked really uncomfortable in there," she went on. "I guess you don't like people. It kind of makes me feel better. For a while, I thought it was just me you didn't like." She gave a sad smile. "I guess it's silly. When we left that dark place earlier…I thought we might become friends. But I guess you're not one for making friends. I don't even know your name."

Ignoring her was harder than you thought. She wanted to be friends? That was a scary thought. Suddenly, you felt the urge to run as far from her as possible. Somehow, you managed to maintain your impassive expression.

"I'm Liechtenstein, by the way. Not that it matters to you. If it did, you would have asked."

Licken-what? What kind of stupid name was that? Foreigners and their weird foreign names…

"This city sure is a fantastic place," she said in awe. "I bet it looks beautiful at night! Oh, but the people…" she grew quiet. "…they are different. Some of them are friendly, and some of them don't care – like you. But no matter where I go, I can feel people staring…judging me. Even you."

This was news to you. Had you been judging her? The stupid tourist was highly perceptive! And…maybe not as stupid as you thought she was. A little naive, sure, but…perhaps it's just because things were different in her homeland.

"But even then, you were the only one who was willing to help me." Did she ever stop talking? You wondered if she knew you were listening. "Sometimes I wish I knew what you were thinking. You're always closed off. No matter what I do, my words can't reach you. I get scared, because I feel unwanted. I don't know if you're mad at me, or if you're ignoring me because I'm annoying…" She looked up at you again, as if waiting for some kind of external reaction. "I just wish you'd take off those headphones…and let me in."

That was asking a bit much. No way were you about to let in a foreign stalker you just met. You rounded a corner and began to cross the street. Unfortunately, a bunch of other people had the same idea. You and – what was her name? Lickenstan? – were separated by the mass. Once the crowd had dissolved, you noticed she wasn't on your side of the street. Had she never made it across? You turned around and tried to find her.

There, crawling in the middle of the street, was your foreign stalker. Apparently, someone had knocked her over.

Oh, no. The words rang clear in your head as the crossing signal flashed red. A delivery truck barreled straight towards her. She was so small, the driver wouldn't be able to see her!

"LICKENSTEEN!" you screamed as she scrambled to her feet. "GET THE HECK OUT OF THERE!" What was she doing? Instead of running she was looking at a flyer she had found on the ground. You cursed under your breath, running towards her. "Stupid tourist!" You grabbed her hand and yanked her out of the way. Alas, your heroic act had some devastating consequences.

It happened too fast for you to react, but everything seemed to happen in slow motion: Lickstenhofer knocking off your headphones, their cord pulling your iPod out of your pocket, both of them falling to the floor…and then the truck driving past.

"No…" you whispered, eyes going wide. You ran to the side of the road and knelt on the floor. Your headphones were ruined. "No, no, NO! These were (brand name)! They cost me a fortune!" You picked up your iPod. It wasn't in pieces, but it was pretty thrashed. Luckily, it was still in working condition. You took a deep breath and collected what was left of your things.

"Are you okay?" The words burned through your heart, sending you into a fit of anger.

"YOU!" you growled, standing up. You towered over Lockenstopper, glaring white fury. "Look what you did! Thanks to you, my iPod is busted, and my headphones are totaled!" You felt like crying. Your music was the closest thing you had to a friend. Now what would you do?

She shook, terrified of your threatening position. She covered her face with her hands and stammered out an apology. "I-I'm s-so sorry! It's…w-well…I th-think I know wh-where Big Brother is–"

"Then FIND HIM YOURSELF!" You angrily threw your headphones in a nearby trash bin and shoved your iPod in your coat pocket. The sun was setting. It was time to go home.

---

Everything was invading. The outside world pounded against your head, trying to break itself in. You swallowed tears, desperately wishing none of this had happened. There was no way to shield you from the noisy city. You just wanted to curl up in your bed and hide from everything.

But what about that girl? Would she really be okay on her own?

"…you were the only one who was willing to help me."

That's what she had said. It was hard to believe, considering how many people had crowded around her in the ramen shop. Then again, you knew this city well. People loved a show. They might have been intrigued by a foreigner, something new to color their monotonous day. But to actually take time out of their lives to help her in a futile search? Fat chance of that. The city was merciless. They cared only for themselves.

"I get scared because I feel unwanted."

You could relate to that. Part of the reason you closed yourself off from the world in the first place was because you felt nobody really cared. You were just a burden.

"…I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

You began to think maybe you had been a little harsh. You were upset, and you took it out on her. All this time, you had been closed off because you were afraid of being hurt. Instead, you ended up hurting someone else. In all truth, you felt…pretty awful.

"It's too late to go back," you thought to yourself, looking up at the crimson sky. "I wonder where she is now." You were getting sentimental. Stupid emotions! You forced a cruel grin and laughed to yourself. "Probably got hit by a car, stupid tourist!" It was meant as a joke. However, you found it wasn't so funny when you remembered the near-accident that happened earlier. A horrifying mental image of her crumpled body bleeding on the roadside made the possibility of an accident seem very, very real. You shuddered. "Well, maybe she'll be kidnapped before that could happen." Again, your conscience procured a twisted fantasy of her terrified face screaming in agony as perverted hands did what they willed with her. You felt sick. She was so friendly and naive, and not at all assertive. It was painfully easy to see this happening. You knew you had to find her.

You turned around and sprinted toward the place you left her, but not without earning dirty looks from all you shoved aside. Maybe she didn't go too far. Maybe she had stayed right where you left her. Better yet, maybe she went back into the ramen shop where she'd be safe. Much to your surprise, you found her on the sidewalk some distance behind you. Was she following you?

"Hey, baby!" an unfamiliar voice rang out. A car stopped right in front of your stalker, the windows rolled down. You could see the seats were filled with shady people. "Need a ride?"

You mentally connected your palm with your face. Duh! It was dark, and a weekend. Obviously people were going to parties, and they wouldn't be quaint tea parties either. You quickened your pace, hoping to get there before Lockenstopper was tricked into saying yes.

"It's okay," she was saying to the driver. "I was just looking for Big Brother. I don't mean to trouble you." You wanted to kick a puppy. Must she be so polite? She should be harshly rejecting him, telling him to hit the road!

"It's no trouble at all, sweet cheeks. What's your name?"

"None of your beeswax," you spat, finally reaching them. You put a protective arm around her shoulders and made a rude gesture at the driver.

"You found me!" she piped cheerfully. She was smiling at you despite the tear stains on her cheeks, her eyes sparkling. Did you make her smile? You've never made anyone smile before.

"Psh, whatever," the driver said, rolling his eyes. "There are plenty of fish in the sea!" He stepped on the gas pedal and zoomed away, calling out behind him, "Later, losers!"

You smirked, leading Leiktenglocken in the opposite direction. "Right back at ya," you muttered under your breath. You looked to the girl under your arm. She had a teasing grin on her face, and was looking at you rather mischievously. "What?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. You had barely let the word out before she attacked you with a tight hug, nearly knocking you over from the sheer force of it. "A-ah! What the heck?!" you shrieked, trying to pull away. For such a small girl, she had a strong grip!

"You came back for me!" she exclaimed, burying her face in your chest. "You really do care!"

"N-no!" you stuttered, looking away. You could feel a blush rise to your cheeks. "I just didn't want to be responsible for picking your rotting corpse off some backstreet." You heard her giggling softly, apparently amused at your denial. Somehow, you managed to pry her off of you, crossing your arms once you did. "And what about you? Were you stalking me again?"

Now it was her turn to blush. "I got a little scared," she admitted. "I didn't know where else to go, so I decided to follow you and hope you stopped being mad at me." She looked at her feet and uttered a very quiet apology.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, broken when you commented offhandedly, "It's _______, by the way."

"Huh?" she blinked, staring vacantly into space.

"You said earlier that you didn't know my name. It's _______."

"Oh!" She turned bright red, eyes going wide. "You heard all that? I thought you were listening to music!" She waved her hands around, near hysterics. You couldn't help but laugh. She was so cute when she was flustered!

"And you were Licktenburg, right?" You could never remember her name. It was a mouthful.

"Um, it's Liechtenstein, actually," she corrected timidly. "B-but you can call me Liech if that's too hard! A lot of people just call me Liech or Lili."

"Lili," you repeated. "I like that." Out of the corner of her eye, you saw a light pink dust her cheeks. Did you just make her blush? "So, Lili, what's that?" you asked, changing the subject. You were eying the flyer she was grasping tightly in her hand.

"Huh? Oh, this!" she looked down at it and seemed to light up, hugging it close to her chest before handing it to you. "I think I know where Big Brother is!" She bounced up and down in excitement as you looked at the slip of paper you were holding. It was a flyer for some kind of musical event.

"North Wind Concerto," you read aloud, "Seven PM, at the MX Concert Hall. Starring…I can't pronounce that." You made a face. Must be another foreigner.

"Roderich Edelstein," Lili offered, taking the flyer from you. She was practically glowing!

"Is he your brother?" you asked, shoving your hands in your pockets. It was getting chilly, and you were envious of Lili for her gloves.

She shook her head. "No, but I know him! He's Mr. Austria."

"Okay…" you said slowly. "So how exactly does that help us?"

"The man at the restaurant said Big Brother ate there before we showed up." Ah. So that's what they were talking about. "He said he was looking everywhere for me, and that he had intended to take me to a concert."

"And you think it might be this one?"

"I know it's this one," she said firmly. "And if it isn't…Mr. Austria can take me home. I live right next to him."

You suddenly clapped your hands, startling her. Lovely! What a positive turn of events! "Okay, so this…North Concerto…takes place at seven, right?" She nodded in confirmation. You checked your iPod. "That's only…three minutes ago." You bit your lip as her smile fell. Desperately hoping she didn't cry, you continued, "MX is a fifteen minute walk from here, so…I hope you're ready to run."

---

Everything was a blur. In the dark of night, the whole city was lit with neon lights and LED billboards. Streamers of glowing colors painted a never ending tunnel as you ran, the biting wind nipping at your nose and blowing your hair back. Your lungs burned from breathing the cold air, and your limbs were already numb from running. You couldn't stop now, though. Once you stopped running, you wouldn't be able to start again.

"Lili, you keepin' up all right?" you yelled over your shoulder. "Great," you muttered when you saw the foreigner's position. Now you'll HAVE to stop. You wheeled around and jogged over to her.

She was leaning against a wall, huffing and looking ready to collapse. "I can't…go on…" she gasped between breaths.

"Come on, Lili!" you urged, looping an arm under hers and dragging her back to the sidewalk. Immediately, you felt her entire weight on your shoulders as she began leaning on you. "You only ran for three minutes! We have to keep going! Can't you at least walk?"

She only sighed hopelessly and shook her head. You groaned. There was only one way she was moving from this spot. Shifting so that she was leaning on your back, you put your hands under her thighs and lifted her off the ground, hooking your elbows under her knees. A surprised yelp sounded in your ear as she quickly threw her arms around your neck to keep herself from falling back.

"_-_______!" she cried out. "I'm wearing a dress!"

"So?" you scoffed, although you did let her shift her position so that her skirt fell appropriately. Despite the white-hot protest of your aching muscles, you trudged down the street toward MX Concert Hall. The going was slow, as you could no longer run, but at least you were moving.

"All these lights are so beautiful," Lili cooed in your ear. It made you shudder; her warm breath tickled you so.

"I guess," you said simply, not even looking up.

"What do you mean 'you guess'? They're amazing! The entire city is amazing!"

You shrugged, although she probably didn't see it from her position. "I've lived here my whole life. If I've seen it once, I've seen them a million times."

"You're so lucky, and you don't even realize it," she whispered, likely not even meaning for you to hear it.

"What's that?" you asked, tilting your head in a futile attempt to look her in the eyes.

"Huh? Oh!" she jumped, excited that you were suddenly so interested in her. You found yourself having to tighten your grip just so that she wouldn't fall off. "It's just…I come from a very small country. The closest thing we have to something like this place is a large village. I've never seen so many bright lights, big buildings, or people before! Just look at it!"

You lifted your face and took in the atmosphere. Now that she mentioned it, it was very breathtaking. Over time, you had taken it for granted. But when you looked at it from a new perspective – that of a young country girl who had never seen a city in her life – you had to admit it was almost magical.

The two of you began talking, at first comparing your city to her village, but eventually drifting to other topics. You couldn't remember the last time you had a conversation like this. She was honest, polite, and very cheerful; the complete opposite of the people you had come to know. What took you by surprise was how much she admired you. Even though you had been so cruel to her, she painted you as a hero, emphasizing your bravery and independence, and how you went against your very nature to help her. It kind of made you feel guilty. She seemed to only see your good traits, whereas you initially judged her by her faults.

So carried away were you two, that you almost forgot your goal of finding Lili's brother. You actually had to backtrack half a block because you unknowingly passed the MX building. (Lili insisted she walk by herself for the remainder of the distance, and you regretted letting her because of how cold you were once she was back on the ground.) You finally walked through the entrance as the concert was wrapping up. Due to the time, you and Lili decided to loiter in the lobby until she saw a familiar face.

The interior of the building was very warm. You sighed contentedly as you plopped down onto a bench, giving your feet a chance to rest for the first time since you left for your walk that afternoon. Lili sat down right beside you, eyes drooping as she took her gloves off and put them in her coat pocket.

"Tired?" you chuckled, watching her sway. She nodded her head.

"I don't know how," she giggled. "You carried me most of the way!"

The concert attendees slowly filled the lobby, the show having come to an end. For once, you weren't uncomfortable with a crowd. In fact, you almost welcomed it; it meant your little adventure was almost over.

"LIECHTENSTEIN!" an angry voice shouted, startling you out of your senses. Lili herself suddenly seemed more awake than before. A blond boy who bore an uncanny resemblance to Lili stepped out of the crowd, approaching you with fists clenched. His sharp green eyes were burning with rage, his cheeks red and tear-stained. You winced. His coat DID look like yours! You made a mental note to buy something more respectable.

He shrieked something in what you assumed to be his native tongue as he towered over Lili. He began a long-winded rant, of which you could not understand a single word because it was in another language. Taking note of his gesturing, you assumed he had said something about looking all over for her and being worried for her welfare. He was cut short when Lili leapt off her seat to hug him as tight as her little arms could. It was then that he noticed you. Before you had time to react, the boy had your collar in a firm grip.

"It was you, wasn't it?" he spat. "Did you make my sister cry?!"

You were furious! Was this the thanks you got for dragging her butt halfway across the city? You grabbed his collar as well. You more or less matched him in height and build, so to take him down shouldn't be too much of a problem.

"Stop it!" Lili shouted, trying to pry you two apart. "Big Brother, _______ is the one who brought me here! If it weren't for _______, I'd still be lost on the streets!"

"'If it weren't for _______,' I would have had more luck finding you!" he growled. But he let you go anyway. "What did I tell you to do if you ever got lost?"

She looked down at her feet. "To stay put, and not talk to strangers."

"You disobeyed me, Liechtenstein! Next time, listen to me, and we'll both be saved a lot of grief!" He took her hand in his own and began to drag her away, resuming his rant in a foreign tongue. She dug her heels in the ground, forcing him to a halt. Although her voice remained sweet and calm, you could see the exasperation on her face. You couldn't understand her words, but they softened her brother's expression noticeably. You wished you knew what she said, because the boy looked like he found out his lunch was someone's pet. He turned around to look at you.

"M-my apologies," he stammered, reaching into his coat pocket. "I acted rashly. I should have waited to hear the whole story." He pulled out a wallet and handed you some money. "To repay you for her dinner," he explained, turning around and walking Lili out of the building. You quickly counted out the cash in your hand, your eyes going wide. It wasn't foreign money, but–

"Wait!" you called, running out the door. The sudden cold nipped your exposed face, but you didn't care. "Hold up! This is way more than you owe me!"

"I know," the boy said, not even looking back. "Go buy yourself some new headphones."

As you watched the two walk away, something flew out of Lili's pocket. Picking it up, you realized it was the flyer for the concert, with several digits scribbled hastily in pen. You looked back at the girl, your mouth hanging open. Was it your imagination, or did she smile at you and mouth the words "call me"? You might not need those headphones after all.

---
OMAKE
---

You saw her in the hallway with her back to the wall. She rocked back and forth, first on her heels, now on her toes. She was adorable, from the blue hair bow that sat on her little blonde head, to the tiny Mary-Janes, toes turned inward. She was irresistible. Who wouldn't want her? You rolled back your shoulders, stretching as you made your way over to her.

"Hey, Lili. 'Sup?" you said with a friendly smile. Just play it cool. No need to intimidate her.

"_______!" she chirped, face lighting up. Your heart raced as she said your name. It sounded so cute coming from her soft, sweet voice! "I'm good; how about you?"

You ignored her question, scanning the hall. Something…or rather, someone…was missing. "Where's the Swiss Guard?" you asked casually. It wasn't like her to be by herself. She usually had that irritating chaperone always hovering beside her.

"Big Brother? He's in the bathroom," she replied. She hesitated before continuing, "He had some…business to…take care of." She averted her eyes, slightly embarrassed. Adorable.

You chuckled, sidling up beside her. "Switzy not here? Is that possible? I always thought you two were attached at the hip!"

She giggled. "Yes, rather crazy, isn't it?" That laugh. It was as delicate as tiny bells jingling harmoniously. She turned and smiled at you, aqua eyes sparkling like the sea. You had to look away, shoving your hands in your pockets. DANG IT, why was she so cute?!

"_______?" she asked, smile faltering. "Is something wrong?"

How long would Switzerland be gone? You had to act now while you had the chance. It was now or never.

"Lili," you said suddenly, stepping in front of her and backing her against the wall. She blinked, dazed.

"Yes, _______?" She looked a little confused as you put one hand on either side of her head. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to trap me here."

So innocent. You hovered your face inches away from hers, eyes narrowing. You must have looked angry, because she became very upset.

"I didn't make you mad, did I?" she asked with a little gasp. While she was visibly horrified at the thought, there was no blush, no flustered stammering, not even a hint of shyness…was she so sheltered she was blind to your advances? You decided to tease her a little more.

"Yes, Lili. I am very, very angry." Your lips were hovering just over her own as you said this. You could feel her short, panicked breaths against your face.

Her eyes widened, sweat forming along her brow. In her surprise, she tried to leap back. But since she was against a wall, she only managed to hit her head. "I-I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, lip trembling. "I didn't mean to! If I said something to off–"

You shut her up, lightly touching your lips to hers. You drew your lips all the way up her cheek and stopped at her temple. "Why…" you whispered in her ear, "…must you be so ADORABLE."

You pulled away. Now her blush crept along her face as realization dawned on her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. You grinned mischievously, pleased with the results. Putting a finger to your lips, you said quietly, "Don't tell Big Brother."

Her blush deepened, and she nodded her head vigorously, still speechless.

"Liechtenstein, I'm back," Switzerland's voice broke the moment, making you two whirl around to face him. "What's going on? Liech, why are you blushing?!"

Description
The city was especially busy today. It was a chilly winter afternoon, so you were dressed for the weather. It was also a weekend, and the streets were filled with people. Adults were rushing to their jobs, teens were loitering in their favorite spots, and shopping addicts were hopping from store to store, taking up what little room there was with their comically large shopping bags. The traffic was especially bad, at times seeming like everything had come to a stand-still. At this point, walking was the faster mode of transportation, meaning more people were walking than driving, meaning the sidewalks were more crowded than you would like. Everywhere you looked was the one thing you hated most: people. But in a city like this, it couldn't really be helped. At least you didn't have to listen to their noise.

You slipped your soundproof headphones over your ears, turning your iPod's volume up to full blast. Instantly, every sound in the outside world was silenced, giving you sweet release. You let out a relieved sigh, a slight smile gracing your lips. You even stopped minding everyone who bumped into you…to a degree.

"Solace in Solitude." That was a slogan you lived for. If people left you alone, you would leave them alone too. Nobody could touch you, and…nobody could hurt you. You were firm and unmoving. You had nothing to fear, nobody to impress, and you loved every minute of it. Lack of social life meant a lack of social insecurity, and you felt so free knowing you didn't have to deal with that stress. Still, you felt a kind of…emptiness. You weren't unhappy, but you weren't really happy either. It was just…meaningless.

You began to cross a street, rolling your eyes. These thoughts plagued your mind every now and again, eating away at you. All you needed was to keep walking to keep your mind off things. Eventually, you will be able to convince yourself you were fine, just like you always did. You took a deep breath, and lost yourself in your music.

---

Everything was monochrome. The dismal melody seemed to paint everything black and grey. Long and dragging, the melancholy notes turned the crowd from a seething mass of life into cold statues. The subtle beat added a tint of blue to the scene, accenting the otherwise boring scenery. Every now and then, you would see a sudden splash of pink, waking you up from your music-induced trance. But just like that, it would be lost in the throng of people, and you would return to your fantasies. Still, the pink just wouldn't leave you alone. It seemed to linger in the back of your mind, appearing when it thought you weren't looking. It was following you.

You quickened your pace, heading to more crowded areas. Pink was such an annoying color! No matter where you went, it was still peering over your shoulder. You began to run, weaving your way through the crowd. You knew this city like the back of your hand; all the shortcuts and hidden roads were engraved into your mental map. Using this knowledge to your advantage, you sprinted to the one place where no one would dare follow you.

You slowed to a stop as you entered an underpass. You could feel vibrations from the cars speeding overhead. Even though there was still daylight, it was dark enough here to be nighttime. Graffiti littered the walls, and the dirty pavement was covered in tin cans, beer bottles and other trash. It was filthy and dank, so you never came down here unless you had to.

You leaned against a grimy wall, catching your breath. Suddenly, you froze. You were not alone. You felt your muscles tense, but you didn't move. You were tired of running. Sure, you were a little scared at being stalked, but mostly, you were angry. You were angry that someone had the nerve to invade your privacy and completely throw your walk off course. You stood, trembling in time to the music pounding in your ears as the infuriating pink approached you from behind. Then, the stalker grabbed your arm. That was enough to set you off.

You whipped around, narrowing your eyes into a furious glare. Snarling, you met your stalker. It was a girl, shorter than you. Her blonde hair was messy from chasing you, chin-length strands mussed and frizzy with a blue hair bow slipping to the side. She had large aqua blue eyes, widening in fear because she was intimidated by your scowl. Her soft pink lips moved in a fast-paced apology, her gloved hands flying up to cover her face. However, she was unable to hide the blush that crept along her face. You relaxed some; she wasn't a threat to you.

You coldly looked her over, causing her to avert her gaze. She wasn't from around here; you could tell. Everything from her white tights and Mary-Janes, her old fashioned topcoat, and her obviously handmade scarf (which had been the pink that so aggravated you) testified to her outlandishness. You decided that she was a tourist from another country. She probably spoke with a foreign accent too. You turned off your iPod so you could speak to her.

"Why are you following me?" you growled, your words muffled by your headphones. (You had kept them on; you were too attached to remove them.) Her reply was barely audible through your headphones, but her words were still distinguishable.

"It was an accident," she squeaked. Yup. There was the expected accent. "I was following Big Brother, but there was so many people! F-from the back, your coat looked like his, s-so I got confused. I'm sorry!"

You instinctively looked down at your outfit. You never really cared for your appearance, so most of your clothes were bought from thrift stores. Your coat was noticeably cheap, but it kept you warm, and that was all that mattered. Still, you were somewhat disgusted that you looked like some foreigner. You let out an exasperated sigh and shoved your hands in your pockets, turning to leave.

"W-wait!" the tourist called, grabbing your arm again. You roughly threw her off.

"Stop touching me!" you hissed, taking a few steps back. "What the heck do you want from me? Beat it!"

She was obviously hurt by your harsh words, but made no move to leave you be. "I'm lost," she admitted truthfully, her voice breaking slightly. "Y-you seem to know this city very well, s-so I was wondering if you'd help me find Big Brother." She looked at you with pleading eyes, fighting back tears. She fidgeted with her hands as she waited anxiously for your answer.

"What do I look like? A tour guide?" you barked, shoving your hands in your pockets once more. "Go hug a tree or something. If your brother really cared, he would find you himself!"

You turned your back on her a second time, marching out of the underpass. The sun glared in your eyes as soon as you exited, making you shield them with your hand.

Stupid tourist, you thought silently to yourself, asking me to be her tour guide! What, hasn't she ever heard of stranger danger?

You paused, half expecting her to still be following you. But when you turned around, you were all alone. You scoffed at your paranoia, mentally rerouting your walk to get back home. Yet, you still couldn't help but feel something was off. Then you realized you had forgotten to turn your music back on. What gave it away was a small noise echoing in the underpass. The sound was unfamiliar to you. It sounded kind of like hiccuping, and a little like coughing, but still oddly different. That foreigner…was she crying? You backtracked to the entrance, peering in from the side. (No way could you let her see you checking up on her! You were too cool for that!) There she was, sitting on the filthy floor, hugging her knees and sobbing into them. She looked pretty pathetic all by herself. She also looked so…vulnerable.

What a baby, you thought, rolling your eyes. The world is a harsh place. She has to learn to deal with it. You reentered the underpass and nudged her with your foot. "Hey," you said out loud, "Cut it out. You'll never find your brother if all you do is sit around and feel sorry for yourself."

She looked up at you with bleary eyes, cheeks red and tear-stained from crying. Sniffling, she wiped her nose with her sleeve. "Well, that's how I found him the first time," she whimpered. You raised an eyebrow in wonder at her words, but didn't pry for their meaning.

"Get up," you ordered, jerking your head to gesticulate your words. She hesitantly obeyed.

"So now you're helping me?" she asked, blinking in bewilderment. She sniffled again, her breathing still shaky and uneven.

"I never said that," you said impatiently, "but I am not going to be responsible for picking your rotting corpse off the pavement of some backstreet." That was it. You weren't doing this for her. You just didn't want to deal with the guilt. Even though you were a jerk, you weren't completely heartless.

She didn't seem to like your graphic description of your expectations for her demise, but she wouldn't complain so long as she didn't have to fend for herself. She forced a small smile accompanied by a nervous giggle. "Thank you," she whispered, her words silenced by your headphones. You didn't reply, but led her to the exit. "I promise not to trouble you too much!" she chirped as you both were enclosed in light. She bounded forward and began walking beside you. "I will even ask Big Brother to reward you when we find him! I'm just so glad I won't have to wander all on my own. You're really kind to help me! In all honesty–"

You cut her off with your index finger, stepping in front of her to keep her from walking any further. "Just. Keep. Your mouth shut," you said simply and firmly. You resumed walking, stepping onto the sidewalk swarming with people.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll be quiet from here on, I promise! I'm not usually this talkative. It's just that I'm so excited…" she dragged on, and you had to refrain from smacking yourself in the face. What the heck had you gotten yourself into?

---

Much to your surprise, the girl kept true to her promise. Not a word was spoken between you, albeit every now and again you would hear her polite "excuse me"s ring in the air as she shoved her way through the crowded sidewalk. At times, she was so quiet, you began to wonder if she was still following you. But whenever you would turn to look over your shoulder, she would always be right behind you, sometimes so close as to almost touch you. However, her silence wouldn't last forever.

"Um, I don't mean to bother–" she began.

"Then don't," you snapped, not even bothering to look her way. Whatever she had to say, you weren't interested. All you wanted was to find her brother so you could dump her on him and go home with a clear conscience.

"I'm sorry, it's just…where are you taking me?"

You could hear her voice tremble a bit. Your insensitive nature was breaking her, making her falter. You chose to ignore this fact and gave an exasperated sigh. "Haven't you noticed?" you asked, furrowing your brow. "I'm retracing my steps. We're going to find where you last saw your brother."

The crowd seemed to thicken as you kept walking, and she was shoved into you. You pushed her aside, and she began to stroll beside you. She muttered something unintelligible, looking down at her shoes.

"What? I can't hear you!" You narrowed your eyes, glaring at her from the side.

"I said," she squeaked a little louder, "I don't remember where I lost Big Brother."

How dense was this girl? "No, duh!" you nearly shouted, pinching the bridge of your nose. "That's why I'm retracing my steps! As long as our route looks familiar to you, it means that's how far you followed me. The minute you don't recognize anything, it means you were following your brother at that point. Get it?" Your last two words were said slowly and forcefully, dripping with scorn. Stupid foreigner didn't know anything!

She made no comment, refusing to look up from the ground. What was she thinking? She had better not be crying again. "Well?" you asked, hoping to provoke a response.

"'Well' what?" She looked up at you with nervous eyes and began fiddling with her hands again.

"Well, does anything look familiar?"

She shook her head, biting her lip. Taking in a deep breath, she said shakily, "The city is a big and wonderful place, b-b-but…th-there were so many p-people…I was too busy trying not to get squashed to look where I was going." She winced, waiting for you to get angry with her again.

Honestly, you were about to yell at her for not saying so sooner. But when you saw her pained expression, you decided to let it go this once. You let out an angry grunt and looked away from her. Now you would have to find a different way to locate her brother. But how? He could be anywhere by now, and to scour the whole city would be less productive than a wild goose chase!

Your stomach growled, hindering you from coming up with any good ideas. You turned to the tourist and saw her clutching her own stomach. Pulling out your iPod to check the hour, you found it was almost time for dinner. You spun around on your heels and marched down a different road. Maybe some food will help you focus on the task at hand.

---

Everything was distorted. The murky, watery tune filling your ears made everything seem so far away. Bright lights and blaring colors chased your consciousness to the back of your mind, making you feel like the living dead. The people surrounding you, smiling, eating, talking, served only to provoke a barrier around yourself. You blocked everything out with an imaginary darkness. The only things that existed were you, your music, and your ramen.

You were in a ramen shop, sitting at the bar with your stalker. The food there was delicious, but cheap. Because of this, it was almost always crowded, but that was the restaurant's only flaw. Okay, the decorations and paint job were a little tacky too, but at least the food was good.

You had ordered a bowl of (favorite ramen) for yourself. Since Stalker never had ramen before, you ordered the same for her. You watched her as you ate, criticizing her every move. The stupid foreigner didn't even know how to use chopsticks. You stared scornfully as she tried, failing over and over. It was almost painful to watch, but you made no move to help her. The owner and chef, a chubby middle-aged man, saw her struggling, and came over to instruct her.

How pathetic, you thought to yourself. No one needed to show me how.

However, as you watched the two interact, you found yourself intrigued. They had started to converse, the owner even pulling up a chair just to chat with her. She seemed to warm up to him rather quickly, and for the first time since meeting her, you saw her laugh. Her eyes seemed to sparkle, her mood escalating. It made you wonder just what they were talking about that made her so happy. Soon, a couple of other customers joined their conversation. Your music still held you back from their chatting, but you could see plainly how her friendliness seemed to draw everybody in. Before long, a nice crowd had formed around your foreign stalker. Well, that was way too many people for you.

You finished the last of your ramen and slid off your chair, making your way to the exit. So many people in such a little place…it was just too much. You needed fresh air. You let out a sigh of content as you opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalk. Since almost everyone was home or at dinner, the streets weren't as busy as they were earlier.

For a split second, a thought ran across your mind. Would it be okay to just leave her behind? After all, you saw how many people had befriended her in the restaurant. Surely one of them could help her find her brother. The answer was obvious.

She's their problem now, you thought smugly to yourself, turning off your iPod to save battery and strutting towards your home. In a twisted way, you had helped her: you fed her, and saw to it that she had someone to escort her to her brother. Granted you would never be sure she actually made it to her brother, but at least it wouldn't be your fault if she didn't. Mostly.

As you kept walking, you began to entertain the idea that you might even miss her. Just the way she had trailed behind you made her slightly endearing. It's like they always say: "You never know what you've got until it's gone."

"There you are! I was worried!"

As it turns out, you didn't miss her as much as you thought you did. Crud! Just when you thought you were rid of her. Maybe if you pretended you couldn't hear her, she would go away. You found ignoring people tended to get you ignored as well.

"Are you listening?" the foreigner asked, trying to catch your eye. When you didn't look her way, her gaze dropped to your hand. "Well, I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

This shocked you. Until now, no one had ever given a rat's butt about you. It was a dog eat dog world in this city, and you had learned at an early age that every man had to fend for himself. That was life…wasn't it? You caught yourself just in time; you were about to glance at her. You stiffened your back and listened to your imaginary music.

"You looked really uncomfortable in there," she went on. "I guess you don't like people. It kind of makes me feel better. For a while, I thought it was just me you didn't like." She gave a sad smile. "I guess it's silly. When we left that dark place earlier…I thought we might become friends. But I guess you're not one for making friends. I don't even know your name."

Ignoring her was harder than you thought. She wanted to be friends? That was a scary thought. Suddenly, you felt the urge to run as far from her as possible. Somehow, you managed to maintain your impassive expression.

"I'm Liechtenstein, by the way. Not that it matters to you. If it did, you would have asked."

Licken-what? What kind of stupid name was that? Foreigners and their weird foreign names…

"This city sure is a fantastic place," she said in awe. "I bet it looks beautiful at night! Oh, but the people…" she grew quiet. "…they are different. Some of them are friendly, and some of them don't care – like you. But no matter where I go, I can feel people staring…judging me. Even you."

This was news to you. Had you been judging her? The stupid tourist was highly perceptive! And…maybe not as stupid as you thought she was. A little naive, sure, but…perhaps it's just because things were different in her homeland.

"But even then, you were the only one who was willing to help me." Did she ever stop talking? You wondered if she knew you were listening. "Sometimes I wish I knew what you were thinking. You're always closed off. No matter what I do, my words can't reach you. I get scared, because I feel unwanted. I don't know if you're mad at me, or if you're ignoring me because I'm annoying…" She looked up at you again, as if waiting for some kind of external reaction. "I just wish you'd take off those headphones…and let me in."

That was asking a bit much. No way were you about to let in a foreign stalker you just met. You rounded a corner and began to cross the street. Unfortunately, a bunch of other people had the same idea. You and – what was her name? Lickenstan? – were separated by the mass. Once the crowd had dissolved, you noticed she wasn't on your side of the street. Had she never made it across? You turned around and tried to find her.

There, crawling in the middle of the street, was your foreign stalker. Apparently, someone had knocked her over.

Oh, no. The words rang clear in your head as the crossing signal flashed red. A delivery truck barreled straight towards her. She was so small, the driver wouldn't be able to see her!

"LICKENSTEEN!" you screamed as she scrambled to her feet. "GET THE HECK OUT OF THERE!" What was she doing? Instead of running she was looking at a flyer she had found on the ground. You cursed under your breath, running towards her. "Stupid tourist!" You grabbed her hand and yanked her out of the way. Alas, your heroic act had some devastating consequences.

It happened too fast for you to react, but everything seemed to happen in slow motion: Lickstenhofer knocking off your headphones, their cord pulling your iPod out of your pocket, both of them falling to the floor…and then the truck driving past.

"No…" you whispered, eyes going wide. You ran to the side of the road and knelt on the floor. Your headphones were ruined. "No, no, NO! These were (brand name)! They cost me a fortune!" You picked up your iPod. It wasn't in pieces, but it was pretty thrashed. Luckily, it was still in working condition. You took a deep breath and collected what was left of your things.

"Are you okay?" The words burned through your heart, sending you into a fit of anger.

"YOU!" you growled, standing up. You towered over Lockenstopper, glaring white fury. "Look what you did! Thanks to you, my iPod is busted, and my headphones are totaled!" You felt like crying. Your music was the closest thing you had to a friend. Now what would you do?

She shook, terrified of your threatening position. She covered her face with her hands and stammered out an apology. "I-I'm s-so sorry! It's…w-well…I th-think I know wh-where Big Brother is–"

"Then FIND HIM YOURSELF!" You angrily threw your headphones in a nearby trash bin and shoved your iPod in your coat pocket. The sun was setting. It was time to go home.

---

Everything was invading. The outside world pounded against your head, trying to break itself in. You swallowed tears, desperately wishing none of this had happened. There was no way to shield you from the noisy city. You just wanted to curl up in your bed and hide from everything.

But what about that girl? Would she really be okay on her own?

"…you were the only one who was willing to help me."

That's what she had said. It was hard to believe, considering how many people had crowded around her in the ramen shop. Then again, you knew this city well. People loved a show. They might have been intrigued by a foreigner, something new to color their monotonous day. But to actually take time out of their lives to help her in a futile search? Fat chance of that. The city was merciless. They cared only for themselves.

"I get scared because I feel unwanted."

You could relate to that. Part of the reason you closed yourself off from the world in the first place was because you felt nobody really cared. You were just a burden.

"…I just wanted to make sure you were all right."

You began to think maybe you had been a little harsh. You were upset, and you took it out on her. All this time, you had been closed off because you were afraid of being hurt. Instead, you ended up hurting someone else. In all truth, you felt…pretty awful.

"It's too late to go back," you thought to yourself, looking up at the crimson sky. "I wonder where she is now." You were getting sentimental. Stupid emotions! You forced a cruel grin and laughed to yourself. "Probably got hit by a car, stupid tourist!" It was meant as a joke. However, you found it wasn't so funny when you remembered the near-accident that happened earlier. A horrifying mental image of her crumpled body bleeding on the roadside made the possibility of an accident seem very, very real. You shuddered. "Well, maybe she'll be kidnapped before that could happen." Again, your conscience procured a twisted fantasy of her terrified face screaming in agony as perverted hands did what they willed with her. You felt sick. She was so friendly and naive, and not at all assertive. It was painfully easy to see this happening. You knew you had to find her.

You turned around and sprinted toward the place you left her, but not without earning dirty looks from all you shoved aside. Maybe she didn't go too far. Maybe she had stayed right where you left her. Better yet, maybe she went back into the ramen shop where she'd be safe. Much to your surprise, you found her on the sidewalk some distance behind you. Was she following you?

"Hey, baby!" an unfamiliar voice rang out. A car stopped right in front of your stalker, the windows rolled down. You could see the seats were filled with shady people. "Need a ride?"

You mentally connected your palm with your face. Duh! It was dark, and a weekend. Obviously people were going to parties, and they wouldn't be quaint tea parties either. You quickened your pace, hoping to get there before Lockenstopper was tricked into saying yes.

"It's okay," she was saying to the driver. "I was just looking for Big Brother. I don't mean to trouble you." You wanted to kick a puppy. Must she be so polite? She should be harshly rejecting him, telling him to hit the road!

"It's no trouble at all, sweet cheeks. What's your name?"

"None of your beeswax," you spat, finally reaching them. You put a protective arm around her shoulders and made a rude gesture at the driver.

"You found me!" she piped cheerfully. She was smiling at you despite the tear stains on her cheeks, her eyes sparkling. Did you make her smile? You've never made anyone smile before.

"Psh, whatever," the driver said, rolling his eyes. "There are plenty of fish in the sea!" He stepped on the gas pedal and zoomed away, calling out behind him, "Later, losers!"

You smirked, leading Leiktenglocken in the opposite direction. "Right back at ya," you muttered under your breath. You looked to the girl under your arm. She had a teasing grin on her face, and was looking at you rather mischievously. "What?" you asked, raising an eyebrow. You had barely let the word out before she attacked you with a tight hug, nearly knocking you over from the sheer force of it. "A-ah! What the heck?!" you shrieked, trying to pull away. For such a small girl, she had a strong grip!

"You came back for me!" she exclaimed, burying her face in your chest. "You really do care!"

"N-no!" you stuttered, looking away. You could feel a blush rise to your cheeks. "I just didn't want to be responsible for picking your rotting corpse off some backstreet." You heard her giggling softly, apparently amused at your denial. Somehow, you managed to pry her off of you, crossing your arms once you did. "And what about you? Were you stalking me again?"

Now it was her turn to blush. "I got a little scared," she admitted. "I didn't know where else to go, so I decided to follow you and hope you stopped being mad at me." She looked at her feet and uttered a very quiet apology.

There was an awkward silence for a moment, broken when you commented offhandedly, "It's _______, by the way."

"Huh?" she blinked, staring vacantly into space.

"You said earlier that you didn't know my name. It's _______."

"Oh!" She turned bright red, eyes going wide. "You heard all that? I thought you were listening to music!" She waved her hands around, near hysterics. You couldn't help but laugh. She was so cute when she was flustered!

"And you were Licktenburg, right?" You could never remember her name. It was a mouthful.

"Um, it's Liechtenstein, actually," she corrected timidly. "B-but you can call me Liech if that's too hard! A lot of people just call me Liech or Lili."

"Lili," you repeated. "I like that." Out of the corner of her eye, you saw a light pink dust her cheeks. Did you just make her blush? "So, Lili, what's that?" you asked, changing the subject. You were eying the flyer she was grasping tightly in her hand.

"Huh? Oh, this!" she looked down at it and seemed to light up, hugging it close to her chest before handing it to you. "I think I know where Big Brother is!" She bounced up and down in excitement as you looked at the slip of paper you were holding. It was a flyer for some kind of musical event.

"North Wind Concerto," you read aloud, "Seven PM, at the MX Concert Hall. Starring…I can't pronounce that." You made a face. Must be another foreigner.

"Roderich Edelstein," Lili offered, taking the flyer from you. She was practically glowing!

"Is he your brother?" you asked, shoving your hands in your pockets. It was getting chilly, and you were envious of Lili for her gloves.

She shook her head. "No, but I know him! He's Mr. Austria."

"Okay…" you said slowly. "So how exactly does that help us?"

"The man at the restaurant said Big Brother ate there before we showed up." Ah. So that's what they were talking about. "He said he was looking everywhere for me, and that he had intended to take me to a concert."

"And you think it might be this one?"

"I know it's this one," she said firmly. "And if it isn't…Mr. Austria can take me home. I live right next to him."

You suddenly clapped your hands, startling her. Lovely! What a positive turn of events! "Okay, so this…North Concerto…takes place at seven, right?" She nodded in confirmation. You checked your iPod. "That's only…three minutes ago." You bit your lip as her smile fell. Desperately hoping she didn't cry, you continued, "MX is a fifteen minute walk from here, so…I hope you're ready to run."

---

Everything was a blur. In the dark of night, the whole city was lit with neon lights and LED billboards. Streamers of glowing colors painted a never ending tunnel as you ran, the biting wind nipping at your nose and blowing your hair back. Your lungs burned from breathing the cold air, and your limbs were already numb from running. You couldn't stop now, though. Once you stopped running, you wouldn't be able to start again.

"Lili, you keepin' up all right?" you yelled over your shoulder. "Great," you muttered when you saw the foreigner's position. Now you'll HAVE to stop. You wheeled around and jogged over to her.

She was leaning against a wall, huffing and looking ready to collapse. "I can't…go on…" she gasped between breaths.

"Come on, Lili!" you urged, looping an arm under hers and dragging her back to the sidewalk. Immediately, you felt her entire weight on your shoulders as she began leaning on you. "You only ran for three minutes! We have to keep going! Can't you at least walk?"

She only sighed hopelessly and shook her head. You groaned. There was only one way she was moving from this spot. Shifting so that she was leaning on your back, you put your hands under her thighs and lifted her off the ground, hooking your elbows under her knees. A surprised yelp sounded in your ear as she quickly threw her arms around your neck to keep herself from falling back.

"_-_______!" she cried out. "I'm wearing a dress!"

"So?" you scoffed, although you did let her shift her position so that her skirt fell appropriately. Despite the white-hot protest of your aching muscles, you trudged down the street toward MX Concert Hall. The going was slow, as you could no longer run, but at least you were moving.

"All these lights are so beautiful," Lili cooed in your ear. It made you shudder; her warm breath tickled you so.

"I guess," you said simply, not even looking up.

"What do you mean 'you guess'? They're amazing! The entire city is amazing!"

You shrugged, although she probably didn't see it from her position. "I've lived here my whole life. If I've seen it once, I've seen them a million times."

"You're so lucky, and you don't even realize it," she whispered, likely not even meaning for you to hear it.

"What's that?" you asked, tilting your head in a futile attempt to look her in the eyes.

"Huh? Oh!" she jumped, excited that you were suddenly so interested in her. You found yourself having to tighten your grip just so that she wouldn't fall off. "It's just…I come from a very small country. The closest thing we have to something like this place is a large village. I've never seen so many bright lights, big buildings, or people before! Just look at it!"

You lifted your face and took in the atmosphere. Now that she mentioned it, it was very breathtaking. Over time, you had taken it for granted. But when you looked at it from a new perspective – that of a young country girl who had never seen a city in her life – you had to admit it was almost magical.

The two of you began talking, at first comparing your city to her village, but eventually drifting to other topics. You couldn't remember the last time you had a conversation like this. She was honest, polite, and very cheerful; the complete opposite of the people you had come to know. What took you by surprise was how much she admired you. Even though you had been so cruel to her, she painted you as a hero, emphasizing your bravery and independence, and how you went against your very nature to help her. It kind of made you feel guilty. She seemed to only see your good traits, whereas you initially judged her by her faults.

So carried away were you two, that you almost forgot your goal of finding Lili's brother. You actually had to backtrack half a block because you unknowingly passed the MX building. (Lili insisted she walk by herself for the remainder of the distance, and you regretted letting her because of how cold you were once she was back on the ground.) You finally walked through the entrance as the concert was wrapping up. Due to the time, you and Lili decided to loiter in the lobby until she saw a familiar face.

The interior of the building was very warm. You sighed contentedly as you plopped down onto a bench, giving your feet a chance to rest for the first time since you left for your walk that afternoon. Lili sat down right beside you, eyes drooping as she took her gloves off and put them in her coat pocket.

"Tired?" you chuckled, watching her sway. She nodded her head.

"I don't know how," she giggled. "You carried me most of the way!"

The concert attendees slowly filled the lobby, the show having come to an end. For once, you weren't uncomfortable with a crowd. In fact, you almost welcomed it; it meant your little adventure was almost over.

"LIECHTENSTEIN!" an angry voice shouted, startling you out of your senses. Lili herself suddenly seemed more awake than before. A blond boy who bore an uncanny resemblance to Lili stepped out of the crowd, approaching you with fists clenched. His sharp green eyes were burning with rage, his cheeks red and tear-stained. You winced. His coat DID look like yours! You made a mental note to buy something more respectable.

He shrieked something in what you assumed to be his native tongue as he towered over Lili. He began a long-winded rant, of which you could not understand a single word because it was in another language. Taking note of his gesturing, you assumed he had said something about looking all over for her and being worried for her welfare. He was cut short when Lili leapt off her seat to hug him as tight as her little arms could. It was then that he noticed you. Before you had time to react, the boy had your collar in a firm grip.

"It was you, wasn't it?" he spat. "Did you make my sister cry?!"

You were furious! Was this the thanks you got for dragging her butt halfway across the city? You grabbed his collar as well. You more or less matched him in height and build, so to take him down shouldn't be too much of a problem.

"Stop it!" Lili shouted, trying to pry you two apart. "Big Brother, _______ is the one who brought me here! If it weren't for _______, I'd still be lost on the streets!"

"'If it weren't for _______,' I would have had more luck finding you!" he growled. But he let you go anyway. "What did I tell you to do if you ever got lost?"

She looked down at her feet. "To stay put, and not talk to strangers."

"You disobeyed me, Liechtenstein! Next time, listen to me, and we'll both be saved a lot of grief!" He took her hand in his own and began to drag her away, resuming his rant in a foreign tongue. She dug her heels in the ground, forcing him to a halt. Although her voice remained sweet and calm, you could see the exasperation on her face. You couldn't understand her words, but they softened her brother's expression noticeably. You wished you knew what she said, because the boy looked like he found out his lunch was someone's pet. He turned around to look at you.

"M-my apologies," he stammered, reaching into his coat pocket. "I acted rashly. I should have waited to hear the whole story." He pulled out a wallet and handed you some money. "To repay you for her dinner," he explained, turning around and walking Lili out of the building. You quickly counted out the cash in your hand, your eyes going wide. It wasn't foreign money, but–

"Wait!" you called, running out the door. The sudden cold nipped your exposed face, but you didn't care. "Hold up! This is way more than you owe me!"

"I know," the boy said, not even looking back. "Go buy yourself some new headphones."

As you watched the two walk away, something flew out of Lili's pocket. Picking it up, you realized it was the flyer for the concert, with several digits scribbled hastily in pen. You looked back at the girl, your mouth hanging open. Was it your imagination, or did she smile at you and mouth the words "call me"? You might not need those headphones after all.

---
OMAKE
---

You saw her in the hallway with her back to the wall. She rocked back and forth, first on her heels, now on her toes. She was adorable, from the blue hair bow that sat on her little blonde head, to the tiny Mary-Janes, toes turned inward. She was irresistible. Who wouldn't want her? You rolled back your shoulders, stretching as you made your way over to her.

"Hey, Lili. 'Sup?" you said with a friendly smile. Just play it cool. No need to intimidate her.

"_______!" she chirped, face lighting up. Your heart raced as she said your name. It sounded so cute coming from her soft, sweet voice! "I'm good; how about you?"

You ignored her question, scanning the hall. Something…or rather, someone…was missing. "Where's the Swiss Guard?" you asked casually. It wasn't like her to be by herself. She usually had that irritating chaperone always hovering beside her.

"Big Brother? He's in the bathroom," she replied. She hesitated before continuing, "He had some…business to…take care of." She averted her eyes, slightly embarrassed. Adorable.

You chuckled, sidling up beside her. "Switzy not here? Is that possible? I always thought you two were attached at the hip!"

She giggled. "Yes, rather crazy, isn't it?" That laugh. It was as delicate as tiny bells jingling harmoniously. She turned and smiled at you, aqua eyes sparkling like the sea. You had to look away, shoving your hands in your pockets. DANG IT, why was she so cute?!

"_______?" she asked, smile faltering. "Is something wrong?"

How long would Switzerland be gone? You had to act now while you had the chance. It was now or never.

"Lili," you said suddenly, stepping in front of her and backing her against the wall. She blinked, dazed.

"Yes, _______?" She looked a little confused as you put one hand on either side of her head. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to trap me here."

So innocent. You hovered your face inches away from hers, eyes narrowing. You must have looked angry, because she became very upset.

"I didn't make you mad, did I?" she asked with a little gasp. While she was visibly horrified at the thought, there was no blush, no flustered stammering, not even a hint of shyness…was she so sheltered she was blind to your advances? You decided to tease her a little more.

"Yes, Lili. I am very, very angry." Your lips were hovering just over her own as you said this. You could feel her short, panicked breaths against your face.

Her eyes widened, sweat forming along her brow. In her surprise, she tried to leap back. But since she was against a wall, she only managed to hit her head. "I-I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, lip trembling. "I didn't mean to! If I said something to off–"

You shut her up, lightly touching your lips to hers. You drew your lips all the way up her cheek and stopped at her temple. "Why…" you whispered in her ear, "…must you be so ADORABLE."

You pulled away. Now her blush crept along her face as realization dawned on her. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. You grinned mischievously, pleased with the results. Putting a finger to your lips, you said quietly, "Don't tell Big Brother."

Her blush deepened, and she nodded her head vigorously, still speechless.

"Liechtenstein, I'm back," Switzerland's voice broke the moment, making you two whirl around to face him. "What's going on? Liech, why are you blushing?!"