Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon
A/N: A little one shot I'm writing... I've been focusing on a lot on the Game Cube game while there's this N64 game that's just as wonderful! Okay? Well, I hope you like it!
Sigh of the Wind
Tonight was the night. The night of the fireworks, the first ones Jack would see in the country, the first ones he would see far from his own home, now living in his new home. He had met so many wonderful people here it was almost amazing. There was so much here, well, not so much but a simple life seemed to call to Jack, picking up where his grandfather had left off.
"Jack?" a very familiar voice asked and he turned around from brushing his horse, Ember to see Mary.
"Hi," Jack said politely, "It's almost 5 o'clock, what brings you here?"
"Well, you know... I was just wondering... the fireworks are tonight and if you want to see them... you can come and see them with me..." she said and blushed slightly.
"Really Mary?" Jack asked, "I don't know... I want to see them tonight but I don't know where yet, I promise to keep that in mind... where will you be?"
"I'll be in the Town Square, that's where a lot of other people will be too but we can see the fireworks really well," Mary said, "So please join me if you want to..."
"Alright, thanks Mary!" Jack said and Mary walked away with a smile and a blush.
…
"Um... Jack?" another voice asked and Jack once again turned around from Ember to see Ann.
"What is it?" Jack asked and Ann smiled.
"Fireworks are tonight and if you wanted to come and see them with someone, feel free to come and see them with me, alright?" she asked, "I'll be on the farm, you know, where I live. We see them really well from there..."
"Alright, I don't know where I'm going to see them from but I'll consider it," Jack replied, feeling himself repeat kinda what he had said to Mary, "I've never seen them in the open air like this before... I mean, without city lights..."
"Well then you're in for a treat!" Ann said and headed off, the tomboy that she was. Jack smiled, how many more invitations was he going to get tonight?
…
"Hey Jack," the third familiar voice chimed and he turned around to see Karen.
"Let me guess..." Jack said softly, so that Karen couldn't hear.
"Do you need a good spot to see the fireworks?" Karen asked, "The beach is where I'll be if you want to see them, they have a neat effect from the water."
"Alright, I'll consider it," Jack replied.
"I mean, it's not like I care if you come or not..." she said and left. Jack sighed; he had been invited by three of the five girls he was really getting to know. He wondered if Elli or Popuri would be coming to see him soon, but a few minutes passed and he figured it was too late for them to come invite him. He didn't know where they'd be either so it wasn't like he could seek them out.
…
He could go with Mary, she was really a sweet girl, the glasses made her look beautiful and he loved her hair. But then there was Ann, who was a girl of her own, tough like a tomboy but with a touch of that sweetness he knew existed and he had seen. Karen was in a class of her own... Jack assumed that she would leave someday, she seemed to talk about it often enough. Would she leave Flowerbud village in the future? He shuddered at the thought, no matter how much she complained, he knew she would miss it here, even though she wanted to go to the city.
…
Karen sighed; it would be getting dark soon. She'd head to the beach, the fireworks always looked so beautiful from the beach, and she had watched them there for a long time.
"Jack, are you gonna show up or not?" she asked the wind, and it blew softly in her ear. She kinda figured otherwise seeing as how she had seen Ann leaving around the time she was walking towards the farm so she didn't expect him to come. Why would he? Ann was much prettier and probably made him promise too.
…
Mary wanted Jack to come to the fireworks with her; it had taken her a lot of courage to ask him if he wanted to watch them with her. She didn't mind if he didn't come though, being too kind hearted otherwise to mind much, Jack was very busy trying to run his own farm... but still, she wished he would come and see her. She liked him a lot, but she also noticed Ann coming as she was leaving so she wondered how many friends Jack was going to have to choose between to see the fireworks with. He was fitting in Flowerbud village really well...
…
Ann really thought Jack had a lot of potential to be a great farmer and he was a great neighbor. The fireworks were quite a sight from her farm, so she only hoped Jack would try it out and come watch them with her. She wished that he would but she knew that Mary and Karen had also asked, seeing Mary leave and Karen passing her as she left. Jack sure was popular, but he was still the new guy. She thought after some time had passed he'd settle down into the village and not be the new guy anymore...
…
He still couldn't decide and it was almost time to see the fireworks... He could just watch them from the farm but that would be lonely in his mind. Jack needed to meet people, get to know people better, maybe even fall in love. He was glad he came here, some of the work was hard but he enjoyed it. He had everything he wanted on the farm…everything but a wife and a child, which he hoped against hope that he would get sometime soon.
…
He headed out, carrying his sack like always over his shoulder. He knew exactly where he wanted to go for the fireworks.
…
It was dark out but he knew the way by now, it wasn't a hard place to find. It was dark out and very silent along the path. Well, not entirely too silent, he heard the chirping of crickets occasionally and as he got closer to his destination he heard the gentle splashing of waves and the slight whisper of the night wind, calling him forward, and so forward he walked.
…
"Hi Karen," Jack said and Karen turned around with a stunned look upon her face.
"Jack, you came!" she said startled.
"Sure I came," Jack said, "I wanted to see the reflections on the water with you..."
"Really?" she asked.
"Really I did!" Jack said, "I'm being honest." As an afterthought he thought about how he didn't want her to leave either.
"Well, they should be beginning soon," Karen said, "Come on over here, the sand is warm from earlier and it's a nice night to watch them..." She blushed slightly as Jack sat down next to her.
"It sure is pretty here at night," Jack commented.
"There are other festivals that we hold here, even at night," Karen said, "Hey, why did you choose me?"
"What do you mean by that?" Jack asked.
"I saw Ann leaving as I was coming to ask you... and I'm sure others asked you too," she said.
"But I chose you, why do you want to know why?" Jack asked.
"Because I've really never been chosen for anything in my life," she said.
"Well, I chose you tonight," he replied. "Why shouldn't I?"
…
"Thank you," Karen said and leaned her head against Jack's shoulder. Jack placed his arm around her and held her against him. She was warm, warm and he loved everything about her. He held her close to him, protective, lovingly holding her.
"You're welcome," Jack replied with a half laugh.
"You're really warm," Karen said, "But it's nice..."
"Well thank you then," Jack said, grinning. He rustled her hair slightly and she smiled at him, a warm, welcoming smile. She looked so beautiful when she smiled.
…
"Jack, the fireworks are beginning!" Karen cried and pointed up towards the sky and then at the water. Jack lifted his head to see the colors blaze across the sky and then he glanced at the reflection. Yeah, this was a good place to be.
The End
El Fin
A/N: I don't particularly prefer Karen, but I like the fireworks on the water...
Check out my other Harvest Moon story too, To Win a Woman's Heart, which is based off of the Game Cube game, not the N64 game.
Please don't flame though! Unless you keep it rated G-PG please don't flame this story!
