Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon: Island of Happiness. Natsume does. I wish I did own such an amazing thing, but I don't.
Author's Notes: This is meant to be a full story comprised of six one-shots, one for each bachelor that you can marry in the game. Therefore, you are able to read whichever respective one-shot you wish without reading the story in it's entirety. But in the end, it all ties together, so it's something that you don't want to miss. Though I must admit, I may end up making an alternate ending, so watch out for that.
Rated T for Teen, possibly for Denny's chapter. I'm not so sure if I'm going to make him swear or not.
"Have you seen Chelsea today?"
Fumbling with the money in his hands, Mark's eyes darted over to a table occupied by a pair of women crooning over cups of tea.
"No, she usually stops by in the morning to speak with Taro." Felicia rested a finger on her chin, gazing vaguely up at the ceiling in thought. "She follows his weather premonitions like her ranch depends on it."
"Dear, that's awfully strange..." Mirabelle said, taking a sip from her porcelain teacup as the woman across from her took a bite of a small wedge of sponge cake.
"Excuse me, son," the owner of the cafe said in a syrupy-sweet voice. Mark flinched, dropping his change on the counter.
"S-sorry, Ma'am... Here." He gave the older woman a weary glance as he finished paying for a bag of sandwiches and juice. She merely shook her head while taking his money, 'tsk-ing as she turned back towards her kitchen, shuffling behind the curtains.
He knew the way to her farm. At least, he thought he did. Standing in the middle of a four-way crossroads, he looked around. To the south, he felt the wisps of a faint sea-breeze, carrying the familiar salty smell of the ocean. To the west, he merely saw a wall of trees, blanketing the base of a large mountain. It wouldn't make any sense to have a ranch in the middle of a forest. To the east, the direction he had come from, the east side of town.
"Looks like it's north..." Mark muttered to himself, readjusting the straps to his rucksack on his shoulders anxiously. A small bead of sweat trickled down his neck teasingly. It was the end of summer, but it was still hot and humid. In weather like this, it would be easy for someone to overwork themselves. At that thought, he found his feet already carrying him north up the steady slope, leading to where he hoped that her farm was...
"Chelsea? Chelsea!" Mark dropped to his knees at a motionless lump in the tall grass of the rancher's field.
"Nnn..." The body muttered, shifting slightly. She was curled up on her side, the exposed skin of her arms and legs were red with sunburn.
"Chelsea... Are you okay?" Mark said softly, wrapping an arm loosely around her shoulder to steady her as she sat up. Yawning, she rubbed one eye, leaning against him wearily.
"Yeah... I just needed to... Sit down for a minute," Chelsea smiled faintly, making a move to stand. "Guess I fell asleep." Mark shook his head, using his arm to keep her firmly on the ground.
"Here," he said, shrugging the bag off of his shoulders. Grabbing it, he set it before him, tugging at it's buckle. "You need to eat, especially out here in this heat." Grabbing a sandwich and a bottle of juice, he shoved it in her hands. "Eat up. You're not working any more until you do."
"Bu--" she started, staring blankly at the food in her hands.
"It's okay, I'll help," Mark said looking down at her, smiling gently. He couldn't just leave her, he thought looking up across her field, noting about half of her summer crops were harvested. He flushed lightly. Besides, he admired Chelsea too much to deny the chance at working side by side with the reason he had traveled to this island.