Today would probably be one of the last harvesting days for the fall. Crops were ready to be picked and shipped. My animals were waiting in their sheds to graze outside on this fairly cloudy day, and I know my horse Swift is itching to get out and run around the field.
Well, unfortunately, maybe they'd have to wait a little longer. I just can't leave my visitor all alone, sulking and cursing early in the morning.
"Hot milk or hot chocolate?" I asked him as I prepared breakfast.
"Milk." Gray crabbily answered. His electric blue eyes, with dark circles beneath them, were really serious and his lips were rather curled into an upset frown.
"What is it anyway? It's like, six in the morning I hear you pounding on my door, yelling my name and the next minute, you barge in here with that scary look." I sighed.
"I didn't get a lot of sleep last night."
"I can tell."
"Those two were so annoying and noisy; they were even teasing me that I slept too early!" He grunted, adding, "Is two in the morning early?!"
"N-No… But what on earth were you doing at that hour?"
"Reading the books Grandpa gave me. Ore and blacksmith stuff… Anyways, I was doing real serious work there, but then Cliff and Kai go laughing and writing in the journal!"
"They were still having fun that late?" I raised my brow.
He nodded and rolled his eyes as he said, "They've gotten much closer now. They don't even let me write nor read that journal!"
That was without a doubt. Kai and Cliff are really close now. And as I can see it, it's almost like Gray's out of the picture whenever they were together. Not only that, I noticed even the smallest changes that had taken place after the moon-viewing fest. The next days felt odd; Cliff being a little extra cheerful at certain times, Kai being sweeter than usual and just singing out of the blue and Gray having such a foul mood whenever I see him. What's more is that the two of them, Kai and Cliff, have been keeping secrets from us. They've stopped lending the said journal to me and Ann as well, and reasoned with, "It's filled with a lot of boy stuff you wouldn't like to see."
Now that I think of it, if it was just simply that reason, then why couldn't they let Gray have it?
"They're acting weird…" I mumbled, pouring hot milk in our mugs.
"Yeah. Obviously they don't need me anymore."
"Don't say that."
"It's true! They have fun without me. And I think they like it better that way too."
"Oh c'mon, Gray…"
"I'm sick of being best friend number two for the both of 'em." He grumbled angrily.
"You're jealous." I muttered as I put down the mugs on the table and proceeded to make some sandwiches for the two of us. I missed the times when I used to eat breakfast and lunch with Gray and Cliff here in my home. Ever since the autumn started, Gray had gotten busy due to Saibara's pressuring and training. Cliff needed to work all day and night because it was a hectic period for the winery, but I'm quite surprised that he can make time for Kai…
"I might be." Gray shrugged his shoulders and took a sip. "After all, I was Cliff's original best friend, and so with Kai."
"Ha ha. It's kinda cute." I giggled.
"Okay, now you are weird. What is so cute about that?"
"Nothing… It's just that, I think it's adorable for a man like you to be jealous… but then, it proves that you really are attached to those two."
"They're my closest friends, and I've got deep gratitude for them too… But still, they are being unfair."
"Why don't you tell 'em then?" I suggested, handing him a plate of sandwiches. "I mean, they still are your friends. I'm sure they'd understand if you tell them that you feel left out."
Gray took the plate and started nibbling on one, thinking deeply. Finally, he said, "I don't know."
"Why?"
"It feels… that there are lots of things that have changed without us knowing, aside from the obvious. And I've had this doubt about something for a long time…"
"What would that be?" I've got my own uncertainties too, though I really can't say what they're actually about…
"Hmm. Never mind. I'll have to confirm things… Ah, then I probably should talk to Rick about this…" He started rambling things to himself, and I couldn't exactly fathom what he was talking about. I gave up listening to him and began to eat my share of sandwiches.
There were continuous knocks on my door. I opened it, and then, here comes a guy barging in with his luggage and roguish smile. It took me a few seconds to realize who this idiot was.
"Jack? What are you doing here?" I scowled at my brunet cousin.
He ruffled my hair with his hand and proudly announced, "Grandpa Gus kicked me out!"
"What?"
"Well, not exactly kicked me out… That was a joke." He laughed. "He said I'd better go check on my family in their farms. I've gone to Flower Bud Village for a whole season to visit my parents and my little sister. Then went to Sunshine Islands for another season and annoyed the heck out of Mark."
"Poor Mark…" I shook my head and sighed heavily. "Put your luggage over there, and join us here."
"Sure, sure. Oh hey, Gray! Long time no see." He waved at my friend. The last time Jack was here was when he helped me get started with the farm. I remember him making friends with Gray and Rick back then. Gray waved back with a small smile, and then started brooding again. I guess he's still thinking about Kai and Cliff.
As for me, ever since Gray had opened up this topic to me, I felt sort of troubled.
"The last time I checked, you're not a zombie." Jack commented at Gray's appearance as he took a sandwich.
He might not look like it, but Jack is very trustworthy, compassionate and hardworking. His cheerful, carefree and sometimes idiotic and snooping behavior may mislead others to thinking that he's just another annoying guy who doesn't care about working at all (much like Rock). He actually takes care of the farm with Grandpa Gus back in Leaf Valley, my real hometown.
"He's pretty upset." I shook my head and headed for the kitchen. "Hot milk or hot chocolate?"
"I'll have hot chocolate, thanks!" He grinned, and then began bombarding Gray with questions.
As Gray retold everything to Jack, I tried to figure out why I started worrying and became anxious of the situation after Gray mentioned that he has his own doubts. I pictured Kai and Cliff in my mind in their present state—close and very lively together, and somehow, a piercing feeling struck me. But that's just plain silly!
What a pathetic idea… Yet, why do I feel that somehow, I'm on to something with that…?
"Claire, you look like you're contradicting yourself. Hurry up with my hot choco." Jack complained loudly, cutting off whatever I was thinking.
"Jerk." I mumbled as I prepared his drink. "Just wait."
"Yay." He laughed, and again, proceeded with his interrogation with Gray.
"Here you go."
"Mmm, thanks. This is good." He sipped a little. "So I see the problem now."
"Thanks for the advice, by the way." Gray said with a sigh.
"No problem. Just ask around first, and then tell me what everybody knows."
"What are you talking about?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing." Jack smirked, his eyes playful and puckish. "You'll find out soon enough."
With a noisy exhale, I stood up and muttered, "Fine, fine. So since Gray has company now, I'll leave you two. My farm needs me."
"No need to be pissed, Clarisse. I know that you can figure it out on your own. He he. I'll help you around there later, okay? I'll do the crops." My cousin grinned as I left.
The gentle autumn breeze blew, and it felt good. I let my hens, cows and sheep out in the field and rode my horse around just for a little exercise. After all that, I picked some apples from my tree, and decided to give them away instead of shipping them. Since Jack said he'll be in charge of the crops, I proceeded to take care of my farm animals.
Then, just as I was brushing a cow, someone tapped me on my back. I rolled my eyes.
"Okay, so I left my watering can at the little pond near the tree over there." I instructed without looking.
"Huh? What are you talking about?"
I swiftly looked behind me and turned bright red. "K-Kai?"
"Am I a farmer now, too? Cool!" He sat on the grass beside me, patting my cow. "What's this name?"
"That's Chucky…"
"Oh. Hello, Chucky!"
"What brings you here anyway, early in the morning?" I went back to brushing my cow.
"Eh? Can't I visit my best friend?"
"Whatever."
He followed me wherever I went and asked little questions about my animals and how was it that I could manage doing these chores everyday.
Then one question was really out of the blue, and to be honest, it took me by surprise.
"If you had a boyfriend, where would you let him kiss you?"
"What… W-What kind of question is that?" I snapped at him in my nervous voice.
"I don't know."
He was still waiting for me to answer that question, even after I was speechless for a few minutes. "If… If I'd let him kiss me, maybe… on the cheek… or the forehead."
"Hmm, I thought about it too," he nodded and smiled. "If I had a girlfriend, I'd kiss her on her forehead."
We were silent for a while, but obviously I was the only one feeling embarrassed. Kai was just his normal self—his bright eyes wandering around my farm, whistling and humming tunes and just simply… comfortable.
"Well, I'm off now. See you around!" He then took my hand and let it grasp something—a small piece of paper, and ran off.
I read the paper and pondered on it, with my face in a pink flush. "Whatever happens, please promise me that you will never leave me. I can't afford to lose someone so important to me."
