A/N: Well guys, here's a little something I wrote last night so I hope you enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own harvest moon.

The sun poured through the old farmhouse window and shined on Claire's face. She yawned and rubbed her eyes. When she stopped she caught sight of the calendar and her heart dropped. It was summer the 30th. To any other person it was just another day, but to Claire it was possibly one of the worst days of her life. She got up and put on her nicest overalls, which weren't very nice, and headed out to do her chores.

"Hello Bessie, got any milk for me today?" Claire sat down to milk her cow and think about what she was going to do today. Sometimes she wondered why she gets so nervous this day every year, because she always knows how it's going to turn out.

"But I can't think about that! If I don't try at all then I'll never be happy!"

"Um Claire . . ."

"Uh um h-hey Rick . . . what's up?"

"Nothin I was just going to deliver the chicken feed you ordered."

"Oh, I was gonna pick that up, you didn't have to deliver it."

"Yeah but I know you have a lot on your mind this time of year so . . ."

"Well thanks, that was nice of you." Claire looked at her watch. "Oh gosh it's ten already!? I gotta go Rick, sorry." She dashed outside and over to the dock. Maybe this time would be different, maybe she would end up happy. Her thoughts were interrupted when she bumped into Karen.

"Hey Karen."

"Hi Claire. So is it that time of year again?"

"Yeah."

"Claire I don't know why you keep doing this. It goes the exact same every year and no matter what, you always get the same answer. You only depress yourself by doing this."

"Karen I know, but I just . . . can't let it go."

"Claire, you need to stop striving after the wind, because you'll never catch it, and every time you reach out to grab it you'll just fall farther and farther into sadness. Don't do that to yourself."

"I'm sorry Karen but I have to go." Claire ran off to the beach and stopped. There he was, the reason for all her happiness, and her sadness. A sudden burst of courage sent her to the dock where he stood.

"Hey Claire."

"Hi Kai."

"So I guess it's time for me to go again."

"I guess . . . unless . . . you want to stay."

"You know I can't, I don't have any reason to."

"I'm not a good enough reason?"

" . . ."

Suddenly it hit Claire. Kai didn't love her, it was obvious, and she couldn't believe it took her this long to realize that. She pulled out the blue feather that she had offered to him for at least three years.

"Kai, won't you stay and marry me?"

"I'm sorry, I can't."

"Save it. If you leave me standing here, right now, then don't bother coming back."

"But Claire, I love you!"

"No you don't. If you really loved me then you would have married me the first time I asked. Here take the feather, I don't want it anymore. Why don't you use it to propose to one of your skank girlfriends, and don't even bother saying goodbye."

"So this is it?"

"That's right." Claire walked away from Kai with a sense of empowerment. She didn't need Kai to be happy, in fact she was better off without him. Karen was right she shouldn't strive after things that will never happen because it would only depress her. Maybe eventually she would get over him and be able to move on and be completely happy. Perhaps she would meet the right guy, a guy who would respect her and make her feel special. She would just have to be patient until the right time.