This is gonna be my very first lemon so please be nice to me, ahaha..

disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon psp: Boy and Girl/Harvest Moon mfomt

CHAPTER 1

I stand outside the supermarket, clutching the invitation I bought from Jeff just seconds ago. I rehearsed all the things I wanted to say in my head and thought to myself... This is it, this is the day I'll invite Gray to celebrate Starry Night Festival with me. We've become close friends lately, but I've developed feelings for him and I want to know if he feels the same for me.

I stuff the small letter in my rucksack and make my way to old Saibara's blacksmith shop. It's snowing lightly, but the whole town's covered with a white blanket of snow, and every step I make leaves a trail of footprints on the road.

Everything's the same at the shop as usual; Saibara working on some tools, and Gray doing all he can to observe and help out so he can impress his grandfather. They didn't seem to notice me until I shut the door behind me.

"Ah, Claire. What can I do for you today?" Saibara greeted warmly, looking up from a tool he was working on. Gray looked up too, and smiled when he saw me.

"Ohh, no. I'm just here to talk with Gray" I smile back at him. Saibara coughed and nodded to Gray who was waiting for his approval. We both exit the shop and are now standing on the porch outside.

"So what did you want to talk about, Claire?" he asked, leaning on the shop's door.

"Well, Starry Night Festival is tomorrow and.. uhm, I was wondering if you'd like to... spend it with me?"
I take out the invitation in my rucksack and hold it out to him, gripping it tightly with both my hands. I could feel myself blush violently, the cold of the season is no match for the warmth of my face.

He scratches his cheeks and smiles that cute, shy smile again. He didn't say anything at first, but the silence was broken when he finally said "Sure, I thought you'd never ask" before taking the piece of paper from my hands. "I'll come by your house at 6?" he added.. "O-okay, sure!" was all I managed to say. He's standing in front of me now, and staring into my eyes once more. I can't think of anything else to say to him, an awkward silence stretches between us.

Then out of nowhere he ruffles my blonde hair with his right hand, laughing teasingly.
"H-hey, what was that for?" I pouted at him, trying to fix my now messy hair.

"I just didn't want you feeling uncomfortable" he said, grinning at me "let's just have fun tomorrow night, okay?"

I can't help but smile at him too, and I nodded.

"Good. I'll see you tomorrow then" he turned and went back inside, leaving me at the porch.

Well, that didn't go as I expected it to be, but it was a hell a lot better.
He's right, I should just calm down and enjoy my time with him.

There's pretty much nothing else for me to do during the winter, so I just decided to go buy a bottle of wine or two before heading home. I walk over to Aja Winery next door and is greeted by the ever talkative Manna.

"Oh, if it isn't Claire, what brings you here today on a weather like this? It may just be snowing mildly, but you could still catch a cold, you know? Well, either way, you're already here, so what would you like to buy from us?" She cheerfully greeted me, as always.

"Just dropping by to buy some wine, Manna" I said, heading over to a cabinet filled with wine bottles. I picked out two bottles of red wine and went back to her to pay for them.

"Ohhhh~ preparing for the festival, I see" she said, as I make purchase.

"How'd you know?"

"If I recall correctly, you don't normally buy wine from us, let alone two bottles. And since the festival's already tomorrow night, that's probably the reason why you're buying them, right? Ohhh, this is really unexpected of you Claire, it's pleasing to see you getting out there and participating in the town's festivals, I mean, after all that happened to you with the shipwreck and all. Oh! I'm terribly sorry to mention about that"

"It's okay, Manna" I said, not really minding it. she hands me the bottles and I place them in my rucksack.

"Would you like a glass of wine before you go?" probably hoping to change the subject she heads over to their fridge and takes out a chilled bottle, pouring wine into a small glass.

"Don't mind if I do" I gratefully accepted.

"Ehem.. so, who's the lucky guy, Claire?" She asked. Now in full gossip-mode. I hesitated to tell her, what if I end up being the topic for her next get-together with Sasha and Anna?

"Uhhmmm.." I nervously take a sip out of my glass and tried thinking of a way to avoid her question. Fortunately for me though, she spoke up before I could answer.

"Well, whoever it is, just don't forget to use protection" I spit the alcohol I was just about to swallow after hearing that comment, I was lucky I didn't choke on it instead.

"W-w-what?" now THAT, I didn't expect at all.

"Oh you know, protection? I mean, a girl and a boy alone together in a room, at night? You can't be too careful, Claire. Heehee, I'm not saying something WILL happen, but most likely something COULD. And you should be prepared for whatever it could be" She winked at that last sentence, trying to conceal some sort of hidden message but it's all too obvious for me to understand perfectly well.

I just stared at her, still processing what she just said.

"Oh, I was just joking dear" she giggled, like it was no big deal. "I'm so sorry, sometimes I just say anything that comes to my mind. Forget what I said, and just enjoy you time tomorrow"

"Yeah, I'm sure I will" I smirked, handing her the glass I just emptied.

I exit the winery and walk back to the farm, still a bit shocked with what I just heard. Images of things that could happen tomorrow night are starting to flood in my head, and I can't help but start to get a bit.. well, hot and bothered.

I shook my head to make myself snap out of it. I shouldn't be thinking about this, it's just so weird! Tomorrow, we'll just have fun, eat, and drink under the stars, and that's all.

The walk to my house didn't take long since it's just nearby, and I immediately plopped onto my bed when I went inside. Today was a emotionally exhausting, and after what Manna said to me, I can't stop thinking about the possibilities that could happen tomorrow.

Okay, Manna can be too direct sometimes, but I can't let it get to me.
I'll just write in my diary the crazy stuff that happened today, and call it a night.