Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in Harvest moon. (Sadly.)
Prologue
Mineral town: Late Spring- Just now, everybody was gathered at the inn to witness a very important occasion, the celebration of the engagement of two of the town's citizens.
Gray stood gazing at the laughing couple. Was it so wrong if he would wish for them to break up now? Was it so wrong if he would wish to be the one holding his best friend's girlfriend-no, fiancee instead of him? Gray bitterly thought as he swept down his drink in one gulp.
"Gray! What are you doing there sulking? Come and join your best friend for God's sake! He just got engaged to a wonderful woman!" Duke patted his hand into Gray's back. "Of course, he will be the best man in your wedding will he, Jack?"
"Of course he will! You will be the best man in our wedding won't you Gray?" Jack smiled at him, while holding Mary's hand resting on his thigh. Gray frowned at his hand and went to pour himself another drink.
After drinking it down in one stroke, Gray replied, not looking right at him, "Of course."
"Well then it's settled!" Jack stood up and patted Gray in the shoulder. "I'm happy that you could be there right beside me."
Gray couldn't look him straight in the eye without wanting to punch him right there and now. He wanted to be alone. Badly. After drinking another glass, he finally excused himself from the festivities and went straight upstairs to his and Cliff's room. Thankfully, Cliff was still down there drinking with Ann, his girlfriend, obviously joyous in Jack's announcement. Gray looked himself fully at the mirror, annoyed why Mary had chosen Jack instead of him. Sure they were childhood friends but, that was a long time ago, and they only met each other again last year. Gray gripped the table tightly. Was it so wrong to like her? Were they really meant for each other? Dammit! Gray unbuttoned his work trousers and sat down to his bed. I really need to rest. Maybe tomorrow, this would all be just a bad dream-a nightmare perhaps. But deep down, he really doubted it.
Gray… Gray… Gray…
Gray heard someone calling. It was a female voice. Very soothing and angelic.
Gray. Gray, wake up.
"Hmmm..." Gray hugged his pillow tighter.
Gray. Gray. I said wake up GRAY!
Gray woke up with a start. Groggily, he reached out to his watch on top of his desk. "Gray, wait!" Gray had not realized he was already on the edge of his bedside.
THUD!
"Aaugghh!" Gray fell face first to the floor. Clutching his nose, he unsteadily stood up and glared at his roommate who was already chuckling.
"I tried to warn you. But you already fell before I could finish."
"Yeah thanks a lot for laughing." Gray massaged his nose. "What time is it? Holy cr- Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"
"I did wake you up an hour ago, and you said 'Yes I'm already awake.' So I left you to go and have breakfast downstairs. I didn't realize you were only sleep talking."
Gray shook his head in annoyance. He quickly donned his work attire and tied his shoes. Crap! Grandpa's gonna yell at me again. Grabbing his favorite hat, he ran downstairs.
"Gray! Have some breakfast."
"I'm already late Ann."
"Well, have some sandwich then." Ann tossed him two wrapped up sandwiches.
Catching the sandwiches, he grabbed the rim of his hat and replied, "Thanks Ann" and sped out of the inn. He ran as fast as he could, but his grandfather was already glaring at him when he came inside the shop.
"Late again, Gray. Even if you were up all night celebrating with Jack and Mary, you still have to wake up early for work."
Gray winced at his grandfather's statement. I was not celebrating. I was drowning myself in misery of having the only woman I deeply loved snatched away by my best friend.
Gray took his hammer and the tool he was working on yesterday and started to hammer it.
Hmmm… Weird, he's not yelling at me for being late today. He'll probably yell at me later when I'm working.
Gray was heating the tool when his grandfather said, "Gray, tomorrow, when the shop is closed, are you going to Forget-Me-Not Valley?" Gray nodded. "Well, when you go to Forget-Me-Not Valley, bring home some Mystrile ores for us to upgrade some tools."
Like it's that easy to find mystrile ores. "Yes, I'll try to find some tomorrow."
"Good." A few minutes passed of forging and hammering iron when Saibara's voice rang out inside the shop. "Don't hammer it like that boy! Are you trying to destroy that tool?"
Thought so. "No I'm not trying to destroy it. Just leave me be and I'll finish it."
"What and let you destroy it? No way. Until I am completely sure that you are master blacksmith, I'll continue to watch over you and you're progress."
By that time, I'm sure you'll be six feet under. "Yeah, yeah grandpa. I'll try to become a good blacksmith."
"Not just a good blacksmith my boy, the best in the whole area!"
Gray smirked. In grandpa's twisted manner of talking, I actually feel lighter. "Yes, I'll become the best around here."
"Best around the area my ass!" Gray slumped down his bed, tired from all the hard work. "He had me worked non-stop all day! Four tool upgrades! What was that old man thinking?"
Gray looked at the ceiling, the same old ceiling when he had arrived at Mineral Town to stay four years ago. Everything's the same, it never changes. I always get shunned aside. Gray placed his arm across his eyes. What a crappy life I have. And with that, Gray fell into a deep sleep.
A.N. Whoppee! After so many years of being just a reader, I am finally writing my first fanfic! (Although I've written dozens of chapters in my other stories, while I was writing this fanfic, the words just flew across my mind. I just have to finish this.) Review please! ^^
