"Phantom Thief Skye strikes again!"

I turned my head towards the person who had read the newspaper headline out loud. Kasey sat there, his face showing great interest as he skimmed through the colorless paper.

"What did he manage to snatch this time?" I asked, turning my head back at the farmland in front of me.

"A woman's heart."

"He cut open a woman's chest and ripped her beating heart out?"

"Not literally, you jackass." Kasey sighed, throwing the newspaper away. "You really should be more romantic, Vaughn."

It was a sunny spring afternoon at Castanet Island. As usual, I spent my days at Kasey's while doing my work as an animal dealer. The sun was starting to set as the roof blocked its rays from reaching us. I let out a yawn as the spring breeze blew past me.

"But really, I never thought the infamous Skye would fall in love." The rancher began, leaning back on his chair.

"Must be fake. He's going to rob the place empty, then leave the helpless girl alone. Or worse, stab her in the throat." I muttered. "Though I doubt he'd kill someone. He never did that, huh?"

"You cynical bastard. This is proof that anyone can experience love, even a thief!"

"We'll see. It's too vague to tell his motives as of now, but time will tell." I stated. "Speaking of which, how's Kathy doing?"

"Like her usual self." Kasey smiled widely, his eyes reflected glee. "I don't think there's another girl as perfect as her. Simple, cheerful, beautiful…" He narrowed his eyes as his cheeks glowed red. In a matter of seconds, he let out a squeal, covering his face in embarrassment.

I won't be surprised if you suddenly explode out of joy. Hell, that might be a sight I want to see.

"I still don't get this… 'love' thingy." I spoke, fixing my hat a bit. "What's so great about it?" I turned my head to my old friend.

"Ah, it can't be put into words, Vaughn. You have to experience it if you want to know." Kasey smirked at me, giving me a revolver gesture with his hand.

So I have to leap into the pitch black hole without knowing what may dwell inside. Risky.

"I'm not interested. It's just a waste of time." I said.

"No, it's not. Trust me, you won't be disappointed." The rancher tapped my shoulder. "Yeah well, not really. It's a matter of choosing the right one, a girl who compliments your personality. But then again, I guess that's just a load of crap. You'll find out on your own. You don't choose a girl – you accept her."

That last line seems like it's ripped straight out of a goddamn romantic comedy movie.

"They often said that your days of youth are the best time to experience love." Kasey began, crossing his arms as he stared off into the distance. "Well, we sure missed that opportunity." He laughed.

"Of course. We spent our school days punching people in the face. Didn't have time for anything else." I stated, remembering the old days.

"At least we fought for justice." He chuckled. "Anyways, my point is that we've missed the opportunity to experience it in our younger days, so why not experience it now? Hell, we're not THAT old, I don't think it's too late for love."

"Actually, we're THAT old. A student – a pure, normal student, mind you, has nothing to think of. He doesn't need to work for a living, pay the bills and all that crap. Untroubled by the responsibilities of an adult, he's free to do whatever he wants. Generally, students tend to use their free time to socialize – hang out with friends. And that will eventually lead to love." I started my rambling. "But we, as an adult, have many things to think of. Our jobs, bills, and various responsibilities we have to take. Our free time is almost nonexistent. For the guys who are alone in their past lives, they're pretty much stuck to be lone wolves."

"Not really. Here sits a man, where his past days were spent in vain." Kasey began, pointing his thumb at his chest. "And yet, his life is now full of satisfaction. He has a girl so caring and beautiful. He knows what it's like to love, and to be loved."

"Your job isn't as gruesome as mine." I butted back. "I need to get to three places in a week – the city, Sunshine Islands and here. I don't even have time to think about anything else."

"Actually, there is always time for a bit of loving. And they've said it often: Absence makes the heart grow fonder." My friend smiled lightly. "So, is there someone special in your mind?"

"No."

"Come on, there must be. Maybe here, or in Sunshine Islands?"

My thoughts ran into a certain someone I had met a few months ago. A rancher over at Sunshine Islands who single-handedly brought back the islands to its full glory.

"You really suck at hiding things." Kasey stated, showing his annoying smirk. "Just spit it out Vaughn, your face gave it away."

Goddamnit.

"Fine." I admit defeat, sighing tiredly. "Though I don't think it has anything to do with love, there is this one girl that caught my interests."

"Do tell."

"Her name's Chelsea. A rancher at Sunshine Islands. Though young and a bit of an airhead, she has proven herself worthy as a rancher. I admire her dedication to things, and how she manages to keep looking at the bright side. I swear, I've never seen the girl lose her smile."

"Interesting… so, are you close with this girl?"

"Don't want to. Tried to tune her out. Feeble attempt."

"Keeps pestering you, huh? That is one way to show intimacy." Kasey chuckled a bit. "She wants to change you and your… anti-social ways."

"My way of living is none of her concern."

"Well, yeah, that's true. But look at it from the other side, ask yourself a question. Why did she keep doing that? Why did she make an attempt to change you?" the brown haired man started his speech. "Because she cared for you, that's why."

Cared for me? I haven't thought of it that way, but he could be right.

"Come on, Vaughn, logic is what separates us from animals. If you don't think through things, you're nothing but a beast."

Hmm, good point. Think through things logically, and be open-minded. Chelsea is a bit of a bugger, she keeps pestering me though she knows that I'm not quite pleased with it. But everything is done for a reason, be it good or bad.

"I wonder if it's a good thing, her attempt to change me." I muttered.

"Judging from her character, I'd say it is. Well, I don't know her personally, so the real answer is in your heart." Kasey scoffed, giving me a stab to the chest with his index finger. "But actually, that is the tricky part in love. You don't know for sure what runs in your partner's mind, you just gotta trust your instincts."

"I guess 'try' is the keyword."

"Precisely. You have to try. Yoda's words are invalid in love." He once again gave me a revolver hand gesture. "By the way, who the hell is that?"

I turned my head to the front. I widened my eyes in surprise as a familiar red bandanna entered my sight. Chelsea walked towards us, her long, brown hair fluttering in the wind. The shine in her blue eyes were intact, even though she was a few meters away from our position.

"Hello, Vaughn!" she exclaimed, waving her arm.

"Chelsea, what the hell are you doing here?" I asked, staring at the petite rancher in disbelief.

"Just paying a visit, something wrong with that?" she replied, placing a hand on her hip.

"What about your ranch?"

"Mark got it covered, don't worry."

Poor guy.

"So you're Chelsea." My old friend stood up from his seat, offering his hand. "Kasey. I've heard a lot about you, from Vaughn."

"Oh, really?" Chelsea shook Kasey's hand, smiling brightly as her eyes reflected curiosity. "What did he say about me?"

"Well, some tales are best left untold." Kasey laughed, confusing the blue-eyed girl.

"Alright, enough of that." I tapped my friend's shoulder, focusing my attention on Chelsea. "It's getting dark, you'll need a place to stay. I don't want you sleeping on the streets."

"Well, other than being a helpful friend, I'm also helpful towards a friend's friend." Kasey stated, jerking his thumb to his house. "I'm sure Molly would love some company."

"Molly?" Chelsea asked, placing her fingertip on her lips.

"My sister. A bit tomboyish, so you might be able to… y'know, show her the ropes of being a true lady."

"Are you sure she won't mind?"

"Nah, Molly's a good girl. Don't worry, we're all friendly in this island."

"Now that you mention it… I want a tour!" the eccentric girl exclaimed.

"I'll leave that to Vaughn, he knows the place well."

"What!" I exclaimed in disbelief.

"Dude, I've been working my arse off since morning, I need a nap. Besides, I think Chelsea would prefer a familiar face rather than a complete stranger guiding her."

Damn it, his excuse is flawless. I don't have anything to throw at him.

"Fine." I stated, crossing my arms.

"Alright! Let's go, Vaughn! I really want to explore this place!" Chelsea grabbed my arm, jovially jumping up and down.

I was annoyed at the energetic motion, but somehow, a part of me was feeling a bit of bliss. Seeing a person so happy, without anything troubling her. It was quite wondrous, that it made me think to myself…

Can a person really be this happy?

Chelsea's excitement died down after a while. She looked at me, smiling warmly. The orange glow from the sun amplified the gentle aura around her, making her blue eyes shone even brighter. I was getting entranced at the sight, hypnotized by a pair of orbs like the sky in a starry night.

It took me a few seconds to regain my bearings. It was then I remembered the earlier conversation between Kasey and me.

Love, huh? This might be interesting…

"Well then, enjoy your time together. I'm gonna get me some good old shut-eye." Kasey broke the silence, turning towards his house.

"Kasey." I called out to my friend.

He turned to me, raising both of his eyebrows.

"I'll try."

After I let out those words, he smiled understandingly. Letting out a soft chuckle, he continued on his way to the front door.

"Good luck!"

I turned my back, heading towards the town with Chelsea by my side. The spring breeze, along with the sound of the waves accompanied us on our way.

"What were you two talking about?" Chelsea asked, her face reflected confusion and curiosity.

"Nothing." I replied, pulling the brim of my hat down. "Nothing at all."

"Whoa! You just smiled!"

"I did not."

"You did!"

"I did not."

"Argh, you stubborn cowboy. I swear I saw you smile!" Chelsea stomped the ground in frustration. "Next time, I'll bring my camera with me! I'll keep the lens pointed at you, Vaughn. Just you see…"

"Bring it on."

Well, despite my earlier dark opinion on this feeling, it sure is interesting. I suppose I'll take my time with it. Learn about it from other people, observe from afar, know the pros and cons. Though progress might be slower that way, I'm sure I'll get the feel of it.

Truly an interesting feeling, this 'love' is.

Author's note: Hello! This is my first time writing for this fandom. I hope I did good enough.

I've been wanting to write a Harvest Moon fic for quite a while, but I kept getting distracted by 'Story of my Life' (my other story, which also features Harvest Moon characters). So yeah, I decided to write this one-shot to refresh my mind a bit.

I don't know if I should write more of these one-shots, but it is fun to execute. It feels really refreshing to do something new after writing a long-ass story.

For now, I'll take my leave and disappear into the shadows. Guess I'll see yous around!