Hello hello! This is one of Let Love In's Challenges in her challenge forum. You should all check it out. :)
Basically, the challenge is that I am given one word, and must create a chapter based off of that word.
So here's the first! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: If I owned Harvest Moon, you wouldn't have to pay back 5,000G for that crappy shack they call a house. Just sayin'.
Number One:
Porcelain
She was so easily broken, as frail as glass.
But that was what I liked about Akari. Her skin as smooth as porcelain, her blazing brown eyes filled with such fervor, her silky chestnut locks; everything about her was delicate, yet laced with an intensity I didn't quite understand.
But she was still pure porcelain, cracked at the slightest touch, the slightest harsh reprimands.
It had taken me a while to understand that. And when I did understand, it was all but too late.
"Here you are, Gill!" Every morning she would brightly say, stepping into Town Hall with that ridiculous smile on her face. Every morning, she'd have a glass of tomato juice (secretly my favorite, I wasn't sure how she knew), and pull it out of that ragged rucksack of hers, handing it to my expectantly. Raising an eyebrow, I'd take the glass, sampling it and immediately finding myself in utter bliss at the taste. But of course, I'd never show it.
"…Thank you, Akari." I'd always say, turning back to whatever ridiculous inane work I had been previously occupied with. Without a word, she'd always leave, a strange silence left in her wake. I scowled. What had she expected? Me to go on and on with words of gratitude? No, my pride would never allow that. Of course not.
And I'd never known, but with every word unspoken, I was slowly chipping at that beautiful porcelain frame of hers, that happy disposition she always showed me and no one else.
But how should I have known? She was just the new farmer in town. She was just Akari.
Just Akari…
"Gill, uh…" She'd come up to be one blazing summer day, clad in one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen her wear – a green sleeveless sundress that only revealed more of her perfect, creamy porcelain skin. For some reason, I found myself caught off guard, short of words. What had come over me? "…I was wondering, since tonight's the Firefly Festival… Would you perhaps be interested in going with me?"
Me? With her? Was she out of her mind? Did she not realize how that fool Chase fawned over her, how Owen always glanced her way whenever she wasn't looking? Did she not realize I would never be good for her, how I'd only hurt her?
Of course she didn't, I remembered. This was Akari after all.
I gulped at her proposition, caught between my rational reasoning and my blasted emotions.
"W-Well, Akari…" I began, inwardly cursing at myself for letting my silly nervousness affect my speech. "…That's quite the offer. I'm quite busy, but… I'm sure there's time for me to attend this festival with you."
At my words, her unsure expression faded and her eyes lit up happily.
"Great! I'm so glad you're coming, Gill!" She laughed in relief, a blush gracing her cheeks ever so slightly. I felt my own face slightly warm, and mentally shook off the feeling. But my calm exterior didn't last long. I found myself in an embrace with the woman, a grin on her face as she pulled away, still blushing. "I'll see you at 7, then!"
She ran off. I was motionless, stunned.
"Wh-What in the world…?"
What had come over me?
---
It was seven. I was swamped with work.
Stupid Luke had finally decided to remove that godforsaken root blocking the path between the Caramel River District and the Ganache Mine District, but before that was to happen, we had to fill out the proper paperwork to assure that the procedure would be safe to the Mother Tree. And boy, was this stack of paper preposterously high.
I glanced up at the clock anxiously after finishing a page. Seven ten.
She could wait, right? I could finish this stack of papers, and it'd be seven thirty, and I could apologize for being late because of my workload. She'd nod, and I'd take my place, watching the fireflies with her until it was time to go home, and Akari would be pleased.
…Right?
Wrong. Horribly, horribly wrong.
I did not finish my papers. I did not get to Caramel Falls in time. I did not please Akari.
"Akari, if you'd let me explain…" I pleaded through the door to her newly remodeled home. Thank goodness she had done so, because this place had looked a wreck mere days ago.
"Just leave, Gill! I understand perfectly! Just leave me alone!" Her muffled shouts sounded through back through the threshold. I scowled, about to barge in, when I stopped.
A sob. Silence.
And then another.
That was all I needed to hear.
"…Later, then, Akari…" I said, before turning back to mine and Father's house. I knew that had been my one chance to win her over for myself, so those other fools would see that she was with me, and that their chances were slim to none.
But no, I had blown that chance because of my ridiculous workaholic tendencies and my disregard of time. I had broken her heart, taken any hope she had for us and shattered it into tiny fragmented pieces, like the pompous idiot I was. If only I could take it back.
I would have been there. We would have been together.
But, now… It's too late.
Her happy, bright disposition had shattered, her perfect porcelain frame cracked all the way through. There was no chance for me now.
After all, fragmented porcelain is one thing that was always impossible to reassemble.
…Damn porcelain.
