Author's Note:

Hey guys! I just wanted to say a huge thank-you for taking time out of your day to read my story. It means a lot. The world of Harvest Moon (and now Story of Seasons) has played such a wonderful role in my life, so I'm very excited that I'm finally writing my own fiction for it.

I was inspired to write this story after basically falling in love with each of the Story of Seasons bachelors...and not being able to date all of them in one play-through (or even see most of their flower scenes).

So, I decided to bend the rules a little bit. Why not have my character date all of the bachelors? I mean, what's the harm?

I decided to rate this as "M" because I didn't want to worry about pushing any limits-especially since there's going to be a lot of steaminess (as well as funny situations) appropriate for that rating.

That being said, I hope you have a fun time reading this story (I know that I'm having a whole lot of fun writing it)! Enjoy!

Chapter One

Night Out of Town: Nadi's Nearly Naked Discovery

The night he found her, the sky was breathtaking. The stars reflected off of the lake in droves, illuminating everything in a serene glow. Beauty in its purest form. Nadi walked besides the glistening water, breathing in the fragrant night air. He could smell sweet-smelling flowers and the citrusy aroma of nearby fruit trees. Truly, it was a perfect night. He wasn't sure why he had decided to go on a walk that particular night, not really—it was impulsive, a quick decision made after a tiring day of work. He liked being alone, liked not having to worry about pretenses or the blunt words that tended to fly from his lips without hesitation.

Nadi ran a hand through his long white hair, pausing when his fingers met the handkerchief he always wore. He undid the knot, pulling off the fabric in a quick gesture, then undid the low rubber band keeping his hair in place. Next came his vest and shirt, which he undid slowly. Each layer posed a new boundary of buttons or ties, it seemed, but he didn't care how long it took. No one would be out wandering in the woods this late—no one would see him. He was the only wanderer in his town, it seemed. His loose pants came off easier, the air now pressing against his skin from all sides. The wind felt incredible on his body—he felt free. Powerful. Nadi dove into the lake in one fluid motion, relishing the sensation of the cool water.

After some time he surfaced, floating on his back while gazing up at the sky. His long hair spread out in the water like an ethereal halo, fluttering softly against the dark skin of his face and neck.

Then—the abrupt crack of a branch.

Nadi's trance was broken; he sank back into the water, keeping just his head above the surface. Was someone out there? How would he get to his clothes? The water seemed suddenly too cold—he shivered, but didn't move from his spot. He didn't exactly believe in ghosts, but… He shook his head. Absolutely not a ghost. Ghosts didn't trip over fallen branches. It was probably just some idiot animal, running around in the woods under the crazed spell of the full moon.

A high pitch scream rang out, echoing sharply over the lake—a very human girl's scream.

"Damn it all," Nadi muttered, quickly scanning the surrounding forest. He couldn't see anything, even though the scream had sounded so close. What could he do? The voice didn't sound like anyone he knew in the village.

Not to mention that he was completely naked.

He started to swim towards the shore, still unable to see anything between the trees. The forest was silent. Not even a leaf stirred from its place. Surely he hadn't been imagining it all?

The scream rang out again as he sprinted out from the lake, mud grasping at his ankles. Nadi pulled on his pants as quickly as he could, barely stopping to tighten the strings at his hips; he didn't even bother putting on his shirt. He ran towards the sound, which was coming straight from within the darkest part of the forest. The braches scraped at his bare skin as he ran, but he didn't feel it. All he was focused on was that scream—he heard it only twice more before it fell silent.

Then he saw her—a girl, lying in a clearing deep within the forest. He had never been this far in the woods before, but the scene was breathtaking. White flowers swayed slowly in the breeze, collectively surrounding the girl as if she were in the middle of a lake strewn with petals. She stood out against the whiteness, brown hair and simple green dress winding through the flowers.

She wasn't moving.

Nadi ran to her side, hands trembling. The girl's eyes were closed, but she was still breathing quickly in short, desperate gasps. "Wake up," he said, lifting her gently by her shoulders. Her head rolled onto his chest, and his hands began to tremble even more. He could tell she was beautiful, even with her eyes closed. He placed a hand against her cheek—it was flushed and hot.

Then she opened her eyes. They shimmered under the light of the moon, brown flecked with streaks of gold. Her eyes grew wider as she stared at him. He could feel himself getting warm. What would she think of him? He was shirtless, touching her—

"An angel!" She cried, throwing her arms around his neck. The sudden force of her body caused Nadi to tilt sideways, sending them both falling into the flowers. She pulled back, continuing to stare at him. "You're the most gorgeous—"

"I-I'm no angel!" Nadi stammered, cutting her off. The way she was looking at him made him nervous. No girl had ever looked at him with such unfiltered admiration. "I heard you screaming, so I ran here from the lake."

It was the girl's turn to redden, although her cheeks were already flushed. "But you look like one," she said, unwinding her arms from his neck. Her hands lingered in his hair. "And you did save me."

"Well, I'm not!" Nadi was certain that the girl didn't know the effect she was having on him. Her fingers absently moved through the ends of his hair, grazing his chest. "W-what did I save you from? Why are you out here, alone?" He could have kicked himself. This girl was making him into a stuttering fool.

She hesitated, looking perplexed. "I don't remember. Just…running. And I fell. Something was chasing me." Her hands stopped moving, laying flat against his chest. "My head's spinning."

Nadi looked up, scrutinizing the woods again. Was something out there, watching them now?

"I need to get you to a doctor," he said, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "My town isn't that far away. The owner of the inn's nice, too—I'm sure he'd let you stay for free until we can figure everything out."

The girl nodded, looking relieved.

When we finally made it into town, the streets were silent. It was far into the night—anyone sane would surely be fast asleep. The angelic boy's name, I had learned, was Nadi. He truly was gorgeous, that I knew without explanation. His long white hair, tanned skin... His skin was sculpted to perfection, lean muscle hidden by the loose-fitting clothes he wore. And those eyes. He was looking at me now with those strange eyes—eyes that glowed red. It was a soft sort of red, comforting even, but striking nonetheless.

I hadn't hesitated when I called him an angel, which was embarrassing now, but it wasn't exactly far from the truth. I just hoped that my face wasn't half as flushed as it felt.

"Are you still doing alright?" Nadi asked, his arm positioned protectively across my shoulders. We had walked the entire way like that, touching each other in some small way or another. I personally liked holding his hand the best—it was surprisingly strong, rough skin hardened by hours of hard work. I was thankful that I felt so dizzy. Otherwise, how would I have known what his hands felt like?

"I feel better, I think. Just lightheaded."

Marian, the town's only doctor, hadn't answered when Nadi knocked. He tried shouting, even rapping on the window, but not a sound came from inside the house. I had to pry him away, insisting that I'd be okay until the morning.

"Um, well…are you tired?" Nadi looked awkward, as though he didn't know how to form the next sentence he wanted to say. He raked a hand through his hair, looking a bit traumatized. When he finally spoke again, his words tumbled out quickly. "I have a room at the inn. N-not that I'd try anything! I'd sleep on the floor. Or outside. I can go to my friend Reager's house, if that would make you feel better."

I couldn't help but laugh. Nadi, the most beautiful, ethereal looking man I've ever seen, was nervous about sharing a room with me. It was a ridiculous thought. With his looks, he could take any girl to his room without so much as an eyebrow raise. "Let's go then," I said, still smiling. My head felt fuzzy, I could barely stand on my own, and my memories of the night were blurry at best, but I was thrilled that I'd get to spend more time with my mysterious savior.

As we started to walk towards the glowing lights of the inn, and my stomach started to feel as jittery as my head.