My first fanfic~ (after admiring a lot of fanfics for so long in this site)
I read a confession on Harvest Moon Confessions at Tumblr about the identity of Cliff's missing sister. Well, I tried, and this is worth a shot.
Don't forget to read & review~ Enjoy!
((Harvest Moon's not mine. Credit to Natsume for the great game series.))
CHAPTER 1
Mineral Town Clinic
Year 1, Winter
"This must be yours," Claire said as she handed him a small photograph. "You dropped it when you collapsed at the Square."
Cliff gingerly travelled his cold fingers onto the smiling images captured on the photograph. Memories of a fun day at their old village returned to him: a younger girl holding his hand, showing him around town, and an older duplicate of her asking for a photographer to get them a picture.
Claire glanced at the white clinic walls, feeling the awkward silence between them. "So, how are you now, Cliff?"
Cliff smiled weakly. "A little tired and cold, but fine."
"What happened out there?" Claire asked, her brows knitted and her blue eyes filled with concern. "It's snowing outside. Who on the right set of mind stays on the Square not wrapped up in coats?"
He could only stare at her. Claire. A newcomer who smiled at Carter and him back when she first entered the Church. The person who never bore him with her discoveries on animals and crops. The person who literally dragged him to the Winery so that she would get him his present job. The one who he heard call for help when he fainted at the Rose Square this morning.
Who is he to be helped by Claire so many times?
Cliff turned to the photograph in his hands. Why was he there at the Square again? Ah, yes...
"The snow...it reminded me of the day I left the village where I lived...with my sister and..." He gritted his teeth. He couldn't bear to mention his mother, not when he remembered the news he heard seasons back.
"And...?" Claire pressed, moving closer to him. "You can tell me, Cliff."
It must be time to disclose this matter to somebody, Cliff thought.
He took a deep breath before going on. "Last year, I left to look for greener pastures-I've dreamed to see the world myself. My sister stayed with my mom. We sent letters to each other at first, but they suddenly stopped communicating. Then I heard the news." He looked down, afraid of showing Claire his inevitable tears. "Our village was on fire, and our house..." He gritted his teeth again. "Last I've known, my mom was inside when it happened."
Claire's soft and warm hands were now on his cheeks. She didn't seem to mind his cold tears. "I'm so sorry, Cliff...what about your sister?"
"Someone told me she wasn't at town at that time."
As quickly as they were there were as quick as her hands were gone on his face. He suddenly wished they lingered longer. "Then she must be alive somewhere! You'll get to see her again, Cliff, I'm sure of it."
That little tinge of hope that Cliff had had before sprung again when he heard her say that. He looked up and wiped his tears, smiling. "I've been waiting for that moment, Claire."
She grinned. "Soon, Willow Wood Farm would be competing in animal contests in other towns." Claire has always been proud of her livestock. "If I'll see her in one of them, you'll be the first to know, Cliff!"
His heart swelled for the fact that Claire really cares. "Thank you."
She glanced at the picture. "That must be you-" she pointed to a young boy with medium-length brown hair and indigo eyes, "-and that must be your sis and your mom." The former has long brown hair and sapphire-blue eyes, just like the latter. "They look lovely. And I can see she loves you both."
He felt melancholic again. "It's my fault she died."
"You didn't cause the fire, Cliff."
"If I've been there for them, maybe Mom would still be alive."
"I understand, but I'm sure your mom would want you to be free to travel around. You said it was your dream, right? A mother would do anything just to make her child happy, no matter what." She took his hand. "I think the least she would ask of you is to stick to your sister. And we'll find her in time, Cliff."
He pondered on this for a while, then he nodded. "You're right."
The blue curtains shuffled softly, revealing Doctor Trent's face. "Sorry for barging in, but Cliff has to rest, Claire."
"Well then, I have to go." Claire let go. She pulled in his covers and smiled. "I hope you're OK now."
Better, he wanted to say. "Thanks." That's all he could muster.
When Claire left, he closed his eyes, slowly enveloping himself with the warmth of the sheets, with the hope of seeing his sister again, and with the confident trust he saw in Claire now.
Just a little footnote:
The number of years mentioned at the start of the chapter (and the following chapters) will be based from Claire's game years. I guess this is best understood in the next chapter, which will be soon.