Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon or anything related to it.

Author's Note: This is the first fanfic that I've uploaded onto this site. c: I decided to write something about Harvest Moon because it's one of my most favorite things to write about. Since this is my first Tale of Two Towns fanfic, please understand if I get some details wrong or such. Thank you and enjoy reading Blooming Roses!

In such a small town as Bluebell, word got around quickly whenever something even mildly big happened. And so, on one warm Tuesday morning during the spring, rumors started spreading like wildfire. Mayor Rutger had apparently announced that a new rancher would be coming to town soon. All that was known about said rancher was that she was a young woman who went by the name of Lillian.

She was the source of all the current gossip in town. Everyone speculated on what sort of person their new neighbor would be. Some said she was moving to the countryside to get rid of her countless suitors and others claimed that she was a noble princess from a far off land. The townspeople were getting excited for the arrival of the rancher... perhaps too excited.

Ash, after managing to hurriedly finish his chores back home, had rushed over to Cam's flower shop. He now stood by his friend's side, chatting away like usual.

"Hey, Cam, did you hear about that rancher who's expected to move in soon?" Ash asked with a cheerful smile. His friend grunted in response before rearranging some of the flowers he had up on sale. Ash took this to be a 'no'.

He sighed and shook his head at the young man before him. "As anti-social as always, Cam. But anyways, I heard a bunch of crazy stuff about the rancher. Seriously, you wouldn't believe how outrageous some of the rumors going around a- Oh! I think that's her!" Ash's voice suddenly rose in excitement as he pointed across the street to where a young woman stood looking around. Cam sighed and looked up from his work only to temporarily stop breathing.

She was very beautiful and appeared to be 20 or so, around their age. People had already begun to notice her, and whispered in hushed voices from ways off. The newcomer had long brown hair that was a few inches short of her waistline and vivid violet eyes. She wore a pale yellow and white dress with brown flats and carried a basket in the crook of her left arm. The wind picked up just then, and the woman's hair billowed around her. She reached up to tuck her hair back behind her ear and that was when she finally noticed Ash and Cam staring at her. She stared back in surprise for a moment before giving a small smile. Ash immediately smiled back and beckoned the woman over while Cam abruptly looked back down at his work. With pink cheeks, the florist desperately tried to immerse himself in making his merchandise look pretty. Ash did not fail to notice Cam's sudden change in behavior and only grinned wider. The woman hesitated at first but eventually started walking in their direction.

The woman stopped before the flower stall and gave another small smile. "Hello," she greeted in a quiet but friendly voice. "I just arrived here a few hours ago. My name is Lillian."

"Hey there, I'm Ash. My mom runs the animal ranch over there. It's nice to meet you!" Ash said with a grin before nudging Cam in the side. "Come on, introduce yourself now."

"...The name's Cam," the florist finally said. He lowered the cap over his face slightly, hoping that the woman would not notice how flushed his face was. Lillian... He repeated it over and over in his head. It was a beautiful name that suited her. Lillian echoed a 'nice to meet you both too' before her eyes drifted to the flowers Cam was selling. Her face lit up and she actually smiled widely.

"The flowers are quite beautiful... I can see that they've been handled with much love and care," Lillian commented as she reached out gently to touch a deep red carnation. "I really like flowers, especially since they can have meanings behind them. Dark red carnations symbolize great love you know." Cam momentarily forgot about his shyness and suddenly looked up in surprise. The newcomer knew about flowers? Ash glanced from Lillian to Cam before throwing his arm around the florist's shoulder.

"I didn't know that, but Cam here probably did. He's very knowledgeable about flowers and runs the little shop you're looking at right here," Ash mentioned cheerfully.

"He does?" Lillian turned to look at Cam and smiled. "You did a good job growing them... Cam." Cam blushed and pulled his hat down over his eyes again, too embarrassed to even tell Ash to remove his arm.

"T-Thanks..." he mumbled. "If you want, you can take one of the flowers for free."

"Really?" Lillian looked a little surprised but smiled when Cam nodded. "Thank you then." She carefully picked up the carnation she had touched earlier and placed it in her basket before looking back up at the two boys before her.

"I should probably get going," Lillian told them. "It was nice talking to you two."

"Aw, you're leaving already?" Ash frowned before quickly cheering up. "Let's all hang out together in the future sometime, okay? See you, Lillian!"

"Yeah... See you," Cam echoed. Lillian smiled one last time and waved goodbye before turning and heading for the shop right next to the flower stall. Cam watched her leave in an almost trance like state until Ash interrupted in a loud voice.

"Cam, she's perfect for you!" Ash grinned, making his friend blush. Cam shrugged off Ash's arm and turned away with pink cheeks.

"...Who said I even liked her?" Cam muttered as he stared after the direction Lillian had gone in.

Lillian heard the tinkling of a bell as she entered what appeared to be a cozy looking cafe. Immediately two girls popped up, one with her blonde hair up in a bun and another with long, wavy hair.

"Welcome to Bluebell Town!" the blonde called out with a cheerful wave. "You must be that new rancher everyone's talking about. I'm Laney!"

"And I'm Georgia," her companion piped up with a friendly smile. "The man by the counter is Howard, Laney's dad." Lillian looked over to see a big man with an odd appearance. He seemed nice though, and smiled in her direction. Lillian smiled back.

"Hello, my name's Lillian," the girl responded quietly as the door swung shut behind her. Her reason for coming here was just to get acquainted with the townspeople. However, she couldn't help but think of the two boys she had just met...

With a big smile, the girl named Laney clapped her hands together and said, "I think we'll be the best of friends, don't you think?"

"Yep," Georgia agreed. She suddenly gasped and grinned, having come up with an idea. "Hey, Lillian, I know you're new to the town and all but why not come to my birthday party tomorrow? It's at my dad's animal shop in town. It'll be a mighty great way for you to meet everyone!" Lillian was silent for a moment. A birthday party?

"But..." Lillian faltered. "I don't even know you very well yet. Are you sure I can come?" Georgia laughed.

"Of course you can come!" she nodded before looking out the café and pointing somewhere. Lillian turned to look. "That building over there is my dad's shop. Be there tomorrow at seven, okay?" Lillian nodded.

"Well then, now we'll show you around town," Laney told her and before she could protest, started pushing her out the door with Georgia by her side. "Dad, we're going now!"

"Have fun, you three!" Howard called out before chuckling to himself as he watched the girls walk around town. He laughed even harder when he saw Cam and Ash come into view, Ash dragging his friend towards the group. The man noted how well the five got along with each other. "They seem like they'll be very good friends..."

Lillian carefully groomed the cow she'd gotten from the mayor. She had a deep connection with not only plants, but animals too. Her cow had immediately taken a liking to her, doing nothing to displease the girl. Thoughts of the day's events came into mind as she continued to groom the animal. Thanks to Laney and the others, she had gotten to know the town and its inhabitants rather well for her first day here. Lillian couldn't help but smile a little when she thought of Ash and Cam. But the smile vanished almost instantly when she remembered the reason of her coming here to Bluebell. Finally done with grooming her cow, Lillian stood up and placed the brush in the corner of the barn where the other tools were. She headed over to where a beautiful black stallion pawed the ground and gently stroked the horse. Lillian had brought him over from her old home.

"Dusk, I think I made some friends today. But I know... I shouldn't make any..." Lillian quietly told the horse with a sad smile. "You know why I shouldn't, right...?" The stallion nuzzled her hand and gave a soft snort in response. Lillian smiled and patted the horse one last time before leaving. It was getting dark and she needed to sleep.

It was Georgia's special day. Lillian hurried through town towards Grady's shop. She had almost decided not to come but then people would have asked about her absence. As Lillian went on her way, she noticed how deserted the town looked. There was nobody to be seen and all the shops were closed. I guess they're all at Georgia's party... she thought to herself. Lillian sighed in relief when she finally spotted the building the party would be in. The girl slowed down as she continued to approach the shop. When she finally reached the door, Lillian brought her hand out to knock but hesitated. Hearing the sounds of music and laughter... she didn't know if she wanted to join them. I thought I wasn't going to make friends here... But she had made friends. Lillian, after another moment of hesitation, finally knocked lightly on the door. I guess... I'll join them for a little bit... The door opened to reveal Georgia's face which broke out into a smile at the sight of Lillian.

"Lillian, you came after all!" Georgia grinned. "Come on in, the party just started. And gosh, you look mighty pretty tonight." Lillian smiled in embarrassment as she stepped inside. She instantly attracted stares from the party goers. Lillian did look pretty, wearing a deep blue dress that didn't quite reach her knees and tan colored high heels. There was also a necklace around her neck and she carried a basket like she usually did.

Ignoring the stares she'd received, Lillian took out from her basket a container of food which she offered to Georgia and said, "Here, it's some risotto I made. You mentioned how you liked risotto yesterday, right?" The brunette squealed in joy and happily accepted the present.

"Thanks, Lillian!" Georgia looked down at the risotto hungrily. "Mm, I can't wait to eat it. It looks good..." Lillian smiled slightly at this.

"Then try some later," she suggested. Georgia nodded in agreement, saying how she would. But then Howard came up to them, probably wanting to chat for a little bit.

"It's nice seeing you again, Lillian!" the man greeted before he noticed what Georgia was holding. "Ooh, some risotto?"

"Yep, Lillian made it for me!" Georgia replied cheerfully before she thought of something. "Hey, why don't you join our next Cooking Festival? You seem like you're a great cook!"

Lillian blinked and slowly echoed, "Cooking... Festival?" And then she remembered. Mayor Rutger had told her about the Cooking Festivals while explaining other things on the day she'd arrived in Bluebell. "Ah, that... Well, I don't know..."

"What a great idea, Georgia! You should definitely be a part of the team for the Cooking Festival that's three days from now. Will you?" Howard chimed in. Both looked at Lillian expectantly. The young woman, besides not having the heart to turn them down, had always been kind to others, so Lillian reluctantly nodded her head. Georgia and Howard grinned at each other before turning to Lillian again.

"Sweet, now we might have a chance at beating Konohana," Georgia chuckled as she thought about having bragging rights for once. "Okay, so just make a salad of some sort on Spring 7 and then bring it to Mayor Rutger between noon and 4 PM at the mountaintop."

"All right," Lillian consented. She talked with Georgia and Howard for another minute or so before Laney called for her dad. After taking his leave, Lillian stared out into the sea of faces within the shop. She felt out of place, which wasn't a big surprise to her. After all, Lillian had always been alone... Familiar green eyes suddenly caught her attention, and the girl found herself staring at Cam, who was in a corner of the room by himself. The florist quickly averted his gaze from Lillian and pulled his hat down over his face. Somehow, he reminded Lillian of her own self...

"...I'm going to try talking to the others now, Georgia," she told the birthday girl with a quick smile before starting to head in Cam's direction.

Cam didn't notice Lillian until she was right in front of him. He was still looking down at the ground. Neither said anything but Lillian moved to the right side of Cam, staying so close that she left only an inch of space between them. Cam felt his heart thumping wildly and his cheeks heating up. After a few more moments of silence, Lillian was the first to speak.

"Hello... Cam," the young woman quietly uttered.

"...Hey," Cam said just as quietly after mustering up the courage to speak. More silence passed between the two as the other party goers continued talking around them. Finally, just as Cam was about to say something, he heard a rustling sound and then a marjoram flower came into view. The florist blinked before lifting his head up to look at Lillian's face. She was as beautiful as ever...

"Here, take it. I found it this morning," Lillian explained as she held the flower out. She gave a genuine smile at the boy before her. Cam blushed but smiled back, taking the flower gently. He had noticed during the two days he'd known Lillian that she didn't smile much, and when she did, they were small ones. It was rare to see her really smile.

"Thank you, Lillian," Cam told her as sincerely as he could. It was the first time he had said her name. The florist looked down at the flower he held in his hands. Marjoram flowers held the meaning of comfort and consolation...

"...You look happier now," Lillian commented. Cam's head snapped back up.

"What? I-I do?"

"Yes. I thought you looked a little lonely here by yourself, so I came over to cheer you up. I'm glad you're feeling better now," the girl smiled again before looking straight forward at the crowd of people milling around. "You... know what those symbolize, right? So... you also know that I'll always be here for you." Cam blushed again and with his free hand he pulled his hat down lower. He froze when his other hand brushed against Lillian's, and he felt the young woman beside him tense up too.

"S-Sorry," Cam quickly jerked his hand back. "I didn't mean to do that..." Lillian turned her head to look at him with an expression full of different emotions that he could not identify. Neither was able to say anything when Ash suddenly appeared with drinks in his hands. He was followed by Laney and Georgia.

"There you are, Cam! Sorry I took forever getting the dri- Oh," Ash stopped when he saw Cam and Lillian together. There was an uncomfortable pause. "Am... Am I interrupting something?"

"No," Cam hastily told his friend. He looked away from the girl beside him and forced a smile on his face. "Well, what are you waiting for? Pass me the drink I wanted already." Ash raised an eyebrow but said nothing, handing him one of the plastic cups he held. Georgia and Laney shared a knowing glance before joining Lillian. It wasn't long before a conversation was struck up between the five. However, all but Lillian and Cam really said anything. The florist, like usual, said nothing and just listened. Lillian joined in on the chat for a little but then dropped out, getting quiet. After awhile the girl murmured that she was going outside and did just that. Cam found that he was unable to focus much on the conversation after Lillian left and eventually gave up, shrinking back to lean against the wall. But even then he found it hard to concentrate. All he could think of was Lillian. Cam took the marjoram flower she had given him earlier out from his pocket, staring at it for a little while before sighing and pocketing it again. He threw the now empty cup he held into the nearest trash can before slipping outside.

The late afternoon air was cool. It had been about half an hour since the party started. The sun was just beginning to set, giving off a bright orange glow. Cam closed the door behind him and stretched before glancing around. He spotted Lillian by the fence and quietly made his way towards the girl. It looked like she was staring off into the distance. The florist wondered what he'd say after getting closer, running multiple phrases through his head as he walked. When Cam was just a few feet away from Lillian, he got ready to clear his throat. But he stopped when he saw a tear fall down the young woman's cheek. Cam stood there in shock, unable to comprehend why she was crying.

"Lillian..." Cam called out her name before he could stop himself. The rancher whipped around and stared in surprise at Cam, not having noticed him walk up.

"Cam," Lillian uttered. "What are you doing out here?" The florist noticed how her face was not red or puffy, and held back a sigh of relief. It looked like she hadn't been crying the whole time out there, which was good.

"Ah..." Cam lowered his hat down over his face like he so often did. "I came out to check up on you."

"Oh."

After struggling to say something, Cam managed to ask what he'd been meaning to, "Why were you crying?" This question set the girl on edge.

"You... saw that?"

"...Yeah."

"It was nothing," Lillian lied, looking away.

"No, it wasn't," Cam persisted, surprising himself with his newfound determination. He usually stayed out of the businesses of others, but with Lillian it was different. Cam wasn't fooled by her lie. She didn't seem like the type of person who cried easily.

"I'm fine, Cam," Lillian assured the florist. "Nothing's wro-"

"Stop it," Cam cut her off. His voice was low. Lillian looked at him with confused eyes. "Don't lie to me, Lillian. You wouldn't cry if there was nothing wrong." The young florist searched Lillian's eyes for an answer when she went quiet. At last, after what seemed forever, the rancher spoke.

"I... I'm sorry, Cam," Lillian murmured. "But... I can't tell you. At least, not yet..." There was sadness in her voice now. Cam stared at her with an unreadable expression before sighing. He crossed the distance between the two and pulled out the flower Lillian had given to her not too long ago. Cam held it out to her now.

"I'll wait until you're ready to tell me. Until then, I'll... be here for you too," Cam quietly told the girl as he looked into her eyes. His actions were continuing to surprise himself. How could he go so far for one girl? But when Lillian smiled he understood. He really did... love her...

"Thanks, Cam," Lillian told him with shining eyes. She accepted the flower and, looking at Cam again, whispered an apology to the flower before breaking off a part for the florist. Cam reached out his hand for the offering and as he took his half of the flower, his hand once again brushed against Lillian's. This time, though, he didn't pull back and instead lingered. Lillian did not seem to mind; instead, she just smiled and then took Cam's hand in hers. This sudden action made Cam's entire face go red as he was pulled by Lillian towards the middle of the field.

"W-What are you doing?" he spluttered out. And for the first time ever, Lillian laughed. It was a beautiful sound, like bells chiming.

"Come on, let's dance!" the girl grinned as she stepped around the area. At first Cam refused to but then resigned as they moved around some more. Soon he was actually laughing himself, spinning Lillian around. Both felt like they could forget all their worries and troubles as they danced together. Finally the two came to a stop, breathing somewhat heavily as they collapsed onto the grass.

"That was fun," Lillian smiled as she looked up at the night sky.

"Yeah... it was," Cam murmured as he looked at her with a smile on his face. Lillian was oblivious to the fact that Cam was looking at her, and continued to gaze up at the darkening sky.

"Well, that was interesting to see," said an amused voice. Ash stood in the doorway, grinning at the two on the ground. Lillian and Cam promptly scrambled to their feet, both Cam and Ash not failing to notice that Lillian's cheeks were a bit pink for once.

"How long were you standing there?" Cam demanded with a flushed face.

"About when you started laughing," his friend smirked. "It's unusual for you to laugh." Cam's face burned even more at this. Lillian glanced between the two, trying hard not to laugh or smile.

"Is the party over?" Lillian asked. Ash shook his head. "No, but I think it's going to end soon."

"I see..." Lillian looked a little thoughtful as she looked up at the sky again. It was getting late. "Well, I'll be going now. I wasn't planning on staying this long."

"Why leave so soon?" Ash whined with puppy dog eyes that made Lillian laugh. "The party's not over yet, you know." Lillian shook her head as she picked up her basket from where she had dropped it.

"I'd like to stay, but I'm feeling a bit tired," she responded before smiling at the two boys. "I guess... I'll leave now then." She waved the boys goodbye before turning around and heading off. Cam looked after her, and the sudden urge to tell her he'd walk her home came about. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it, pulling his hat down. The determination he'd had earlier was nowhere to be found. Fortunately for Cam, he had a best friend called Ash.

"Hey, Lillian, wait up!" Ash called after the girl. The rancher stopped in her tracks and turned around with a questioning gaze. "I'll walk you home if you don't mind." Cam's eyes widened and his heart sank. His friend had the same idea Cam did. Did Ash like Lillian too? But when he saw his friend's eyes twinkle merrily at him, he knew that wasn't the case. "Of course, Cam will be coming along too."

"I don't mind at all," Lillian called back with a smile. "Well then, hurry up you two!" Ash grinned and joined his friend Cam before shoving the dazed florist forward.

"Come on, Cam," Ash rolled his eyes. "She's right, we don't have all day." Cam snapped back to reality and nodded mutely, hurrying forward to where Lillian was waiting. The two boys stood on either side of her now, and their walk to Lillian's home started. If anyone was watching, they would have seen a trio that consisted of a beautiful young woman and two boys who were all talking and smiling.

The rose buds were beginning to blossom it seemed.