a/n: There I was. Cooking rice like I do everyday when this idea popped up into my head. The rice cooker was actually made by the Japanese so it all works out. I think. Picking on Korea is just what sadistic fact- I mean! What canon tells me to do.

from me to you ; PG - humour/gen - China, Japan, Korea

It was when China had just been thinking of preparing for lunch when, to his surprise- Japan came over for a visit. It was always rare to see the younger come to his house, so China had to hide his slight enthusiasm.

"What is it Japan?" he asks, feeling a bit happy, but then on the second thought- wary. The other times Japan had been to his house he had tried to... to- China's face sets immediately into a horror struck frown. Stoic, Japan goes about his usual greetings, unperturbed by China's flashing of many traumatic experiences, just moving on to explain why he had come to visit. Shoes neatly arranged at the doorway as China tries to lead him to the front room; Japan detours to the kitchen.

"I have brought something that could be of use to you," he says, glancing at the rickety table and placing the wrapped bundle he had been carrying upon it, a bundle not exactly noticed by China who was too busy thinking 'Japan came to visit me, Japan came to visit me-' until now. Japan starts to unwrap it. Revealing a glossy round contraption that vaguely reminds China of something that Hong Kong had told him, England had taught him to wash his clothes in. But it was much too small for that.

He gives it a tap, ignoring the odd warning look from Japan.

"What is it?"

A moment of suspense.

"A rice cooker."

China bursts out laughing. "What? What? I'm supposed to cook rice in here? And not over a fire? Impossible!"

Japan looks at him deadpan, before conjuring that half empty bag of rice China had kept locked away (ah, maybe he should have moved it to a better spot, one Japan did not know about...) determinedly puts it on the table with a heavy tap and without even washing the rice (!!!) places it inside the cooker, fetches some water and place some of it inside the weird pot, closes a lid over it, the look of knowing-exactly-what-he-was-doing written all over his face until-

"...where exactly is your outlet?"

China wipes the nonplussed expression off his face, "My what?"

On top of teaching China how to cook rice with a rice cooker, Japan set out to wire his house.

China is cooking rice in the rice cooker Japan gave him, relaxing at his table, thinking it very nice not having to sweat over a heavy wok, etc etc. When Korea comes bursting through his door, dragging dirt half way in before remembering to ditch his shoes (something they all picked up from Japan who had been very picky about that sort of thing- of course they never spoke of those times any more, much too awkward) at the doorway, all while waving one arm, the other carrying a large, hefty bundle. Shouting so loud China swore that even France could hear him.

"China! China! I've brought something for you!"

"Mmm?" China responds, not looking up from the paper he was reading (now that he actually had time) and not wanting to give in and put up with Korea right exactly now. His half ignorance does not cease Korea in the least.

Korea sets the bundle on China's table and begins to unwrap it, all excitement.

"I brought you-" and dramatically swings off the blue cloth. "A rice cooker!"

China peeks over his paper, and replies, not the slightest bit surprised-

"I already got one from Japan."

-and therefore distorting Korea's smiling face into one of the usual heartbroken despair.

a/n: you're actually still supposed to wash the rice unless you have pre-washed rice. Japan just forgets that China's rice has not been pre-washed. He's so spoiled with his new rice cooker, and fancy... pre-washed rice (which didn't come about till waaaay later but shhh). Something like that. (But it's ok, China has a strong stomach.)