Author's Note: A lovely thank you for the awesome Moonlit Dreaming for elegantly editing this story. I'm sliding into different genres right now, and this will be my current project before Winter sets in. Hope you guys like it!

Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon. I, however, love cookies.

Hello there! My name is Elli. How can I help you?

Elli was never the type of person to dilly-dally.

She'd wake up early in the morning, prepare breakfast for the family, give her grandmother the proper dosage for her medicine, fix Stu up for the day and then start her work at the Clinic. Even then, her work wasn't quite finished yet.

Once she made her presence known to the doctor, she'd head to the cleaning closet and start sweeping the floor, polishing the medicine on the shelves behind her and would have reported the previous day's accomplishments to her boss before a single patient appeared at the Clinic.

With Elli's busy schedule, she always had a hard time keeping up with the goings-on in Mineral Town. Except via one method: Her friends' visits.

Sticking her nose into anyone's business was something she had never wanted to do. She was a hard worker, not a backstabber. A shoulder to cry on and a person who was always ready and willing to lend a hand to anyone in need.

But desperate times call for desperate measures. And Elli had never been more desperate in her life.

She had considered herself to be Popuri's best friend since they were young. All the girls in town considered each one to be the closest of friends to the point of sisterhood. But there was always that deep understanding between the nurse and the poultry farmer that reached far deeper than the others. But due to certain circumstances, their special bond might somehow break into pieces.

Everything started with a rumor. That's what usually happens in Mineral Town.

The nurse was just finishing up the check-up for Lillia with the doctor when the former motioned to talk to her in a corner. It was a shock for Elli, since it was rare for their special patient to disclose information in such an exclusive manner. But nonetheless, it caught the nurse's interest.

"How have you been doing, Elli?" Lillia asked once they'd both sat down on the nearby sofas in the Clinic.

"I'm sorry, Miss Lillian, but I can't take breaks while I'm at work." She tried to stand up but the old matron's words caught her off guard.

"I asked the Doctor for permission so you don't have to worry. It's about Popuri, dear. And I need you to investigate something very important for me." With her curiosity getting the better of her, Elli finally sat down once more and faced her best friend's mother with wondering eyes.

"Have you heard the rumors flying around lately, Elli?" she asked, once the Doctor was well out of earshot.

"I'm not the type of person to actually pry into other people's business, Miss Lillia. Unless I'm concerned with their case that is. Or their health for that matter."

A look of disappointment appeared on the patient's face. Taking in a deep breath, she gave the nurse the bits of information she had been collecting from her friend, Sasha, during her visits.

"I'm sure you've developed quite a bond with my daughter, correct?" Elli nodded. "Have you heard how Popuri's doing lately?"

"The last time I've been able to spend time with Poppy was when we took a small picnic in the mountains. It's Spring now, right? If my memory serves me right, that was Summer last year. We've been so busy lately that we never had the time to catch up with each other."

"And?"

"She told me that Kai confessed that he loved her. There was even a point in our conversation where she was predicting when he would propose and all that."

"Is that all?"

"I'm very sorry. That's all the information I can remember from her."

"Didn't you notice anything peculiar that time?

"Well, there's also the fact that we found a single-stemmed rose in the mountains. That was practically it."

A sigh came from Lillian's lips as she folded her hands together. "Elli, after our conversation, I want you to check out all the backgrounds of the people involved, alright?"

"Yes. I have the folders regarding the backgrounds of everyone in Mineral Town. Is it important?"

"Its importance will depend on how you will understand the situation after our conversation."

A shiver ran down Elli's spine as she readied herself for what would happen. A nurse needs to be ready for anything life throws at you, her mother once said. She always took it as her motto and, sometimes, her mantra when she was faced with problems. Especially the ones regarding her grandmother. But her parents taught her well. Keep calm amidst the danger; that's a sign of a truly professional nurse. To be ready anytime, anywhere.

"I'm ready to hear it, Miss Lillia."

A nod and a reassuring smile. Though both women knew that the news would definitely be unpleasant.

"Years have passed since my daughter and the exotic traveler… formed quite a bond. They were always together during the beach season. It'll come as no surprise to anyone around here that they'd be considered a couple, sooner or later. Do you follow me?"

"Yes, yes, I do. I still remember her talking about their first Fireworks Festival together. I've never seen her that happy before."

"That's right. Their first festival together was the first seed of their relationship. I can't blame my daughter for falling in love with him, though. He was sweet and he was able to make my daughter happy when I cannot." Lillia glanced sideways before she continued.

"But things haven't been that… savory lately. It's true that Kai did confess his love for Popuri, but even I can't guarantee that it will last forever."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember when the new farmer, Claire, came to work here in Mineral Town?"

"I know her quite well. She's always more than willing to give us some of the herbs she finds in the mountains for us to produce the medicine we need."

"But, I've been noticing it lately…"

"Noticing what lately…?"

"The roses."

"Roses? You don't mean…"

"I do. Recall what you and Popuri saw in the mountain. A single-stemmed red rose lying underneath the bushes, correct?"

"Yes. Yes, but…"

Lillian held up her hand as she stood to leave. She still held her tender smile, yet a wave of sadness crossed her features right after.

"Elli, dear, I have to go. Rick will get worried if I don't show up at the farm in ten minutes."

Elli smoothed her skirt as she escorted Lillia to the door of the Clinic. She turned the knob and handed over the patient's prescription before she walked outside.

"Elli. I don't have it in me to do much work, but I trust that you'll look into this matter, alright? I trust you. I believe that single-stemmed rose to be quite important."

And with that, Lillia slowly walked away.

Elli quickly rushed in to get a hold on the folders before the Doctor himself examined them.

No, she thought, this can't be.

The papers Elli held in her very fingers seemed to weigh heavily on her soul. She had trouble imagining that what was written there to be true. She was sure that the Doctor himself examined everyone in town to the very best of his ability. And she was even surer that she recorded every piece of information with utmost accuracy.

"But why aren't things adding up?" she asked herself.

She read the files twice, thrice and another three more times before checking up on the Doctor. It had gotten quite late as it was almost closing time. She felt very relieved that no customer entered the Clinic during the hours she spent reading and absorbing the contents of the file.

Before leaving, she made a mental note to herself not to speak of this to anyone except those she deemed truly trustworthy. She checked the files once more, reassuring herself that it was no dream that had befallen her.

It was no dream alright; it was a living nightmare.

Elli pulled out a drawer beneath her desk and took out a notebook.

She began to write a small summary of what she had discovered after pouring over the background of the people she believed were involved: Kai, Popuri and Claire.

Claire: Current farmer. Was once a botanist before working in an office in the city. Dated many men before coming to Mineral Town.

Points of interest: Roses are her favorite flower.

Kai: Traveler, comes to Mineral Town during the Summer. Confessed his feelings for Poppy but Lillia suspects him of having an attraction to someone else.

Points of interest: Has strong influence with people and is friends with Zack.

Popuri: Poultry farmer, currently in a relationship with Kai. Believes that they are meant to be together forever. Not suspicious regarding Kai's movements.

Elli's hands shook as she wrote the last words.

Points of interest: Extremely high possibility of inheriting her mother's disease.

I'm Elli and I work as nurse at the Mineral Town Clinic.

And a private investigator when needed.