She came, almost skipping, with a dorky grin on her face down the old beaten path leading into town. She was hard to miss; she shone with a sort of kindness and happiness rivaling the Harvest Goddess herself. She had a good heart, a reasonable mind, and a winning smile.
"Hello Akari," Shelly the old seamstress called and Akari stopped and bowed, chirping a good afternoon in reply. Gill, Chase, and Owen all stood nearby, under the shade of a blooming oak tree watching the farmer as she chatted with the clothing shop owner.
"She is such a forgetful girl," Gill huffed between his lips and Chase cocked an eyebrow at her.
"She brought in a slice of shortcake yesterday that tasted like sugar and dry frosting," he added.
"I nearly had a heart attack the first time I saw her swing that sledge hammer, she was inches away from bringing that thing down on her toes." Owen shook his head, eye brows burrowed together as he watched Akari reach into her rucksack and pull out a bundle of silk yarn.
"Oh Akari! This is much too perfect to take from you!" The boys heard Shelly exclaim and Akari just smiled and pushed it into the woman's arms, quickly bowing once more and continuing down the path. The boys all straightened as Akari grew closer, oblivious to any of them until she was standing right in front of them.
"Oh! Hi boys!" She called, pausing to join them in the shade of the tree.
"Man today is certainly a scorcher!" She sighed as she wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
"Akari are you wearing sunblock?" Gill asked sharply as he noticed her skin a flushed shade of pink. Akari pursed her lips as she dropped her eyes for a short moment.
"I forgot," she said sheepishly. Gill sighed before digging into his pocket and pulling out his own sunblock.
"Here," he said tossing it to her. She caught it and with the same sheepish grin quickly slicked it on her face and ears.
"Thanks Gill, I can't believe I forgot," she half chuckled as she handed it back to him.
"How are those new gloves working for you Akari?" Owen asked, taking a few steps forward to exam the gloves wrapped around her hands.
"Oh they are just great Owen! I really owe you one; my old ones were so worn!" Akari said and Owen checked over the gloves he had spent all day making her once.
"How are the blisters?" He asked, almost cringing when he remembered how destroyed her hands were from using tools with gloves covered in holes. Akari slipped off one of the thick leather gloves and curled and uncurled her bandaged hand, smiling.
"Healing just fine! Tell your grandpa thanks again for the ointment, it didn't even sting!" She said and Owen just nodded with a lopsided grin.
"Oh and Chase thank you so very much for helping me with that box of produce the other day, did Yolanda and Colleen find everything to their liking?" Akari asked as she tied her glove back on.
"Yeah, all the produce was fresh and tasted amazing, especially the oranges, those were perfectly ripe." Chase nodded and Akari beamed at him. Chase blinked, staring, but quickly dropped his eyes after a moment.
"Ok guys I better go, I promised I'd bring Irene some fresh herds today." Akari said as she bowed and took off jogging towards the clinic. All the boys stared after her, their eyes locked on her retreating back. As she disappeared out of sight all the boys let out a sigh, small grins tracing their lips.
"She is such a forgetful girl," Gill huffed.