I rolled over and blinked my eyes open, yawning and pulling the comforter over my shoulder. There was an unwelcome chill in the air, but I canceled it out with the blanket as thought kept me from my rest. After I'd thrown up, Soseki had requested I lay down and take another vitamin. Deciding to save myself the trouble of further complications, I agreed, and I'd fallen asleep after maybe five minutes. Now I felt relatively well. My fever had broken and it didn't feel as though the room was spinning, though a slight headache remained. A glance at the clock on the bedside table told me it was past 3 am, and I looked around the room, wondering if Soseki was asleep yet. Sure enough, the writer was sprawled over the table, snoring lightly. His right hand rested atop a pad of paper, the pen lying beside it likely having rolled out of his grip as he drifted off. The haori and my bag were on the opposite corner, scooted to the side along with an empty mug, and I assumed he'd stayed up late writing.

I lifted the blanket from the bed and draped it over my arm as I climbed drowsily out of bed, tiptoeing over to where Soseki sat sleeping. Silently I lifted his arm from the paper, sliding it away so the ink wouldn't stain his sleeve and setting it gently back on the table. When I took a peek at his writing, I was surprised to see several starts to something scratched out. I couldn't read the crossed-out parts, but at the bottom there was a paragraph, circled twice in the smeared black ink.

"Akio. It's been hard to think of what happened. I've been shown the truth of family, and I know that you are only human. Therefore, I can finally say that I forgive you, though I will never return to Hara City. Thank you for being my friend.

-Soseki."

How could he forgive the person who'd left him to die in the Eastern Desert!? Was he that naive despite his experiences? I studied the sleeping journalist with a frown, but he looked the same as always. A dopey old man... As I drew near he shivered and mumbled something I didn't understand. Bending down, I swung the blanket over his shoulders, letting it fall over his back. There was no reason for him to go without covers, and now that I thought of it, a cushion either. I snatched a soft pillow from the head of the bed, tucking it under his head as well as I could without waking him and sitting on the edge of the bed. Soseki stirred and spoke again, something about the Oasis and shriveling up. A sad expression took over as he whispered, "Please come back," and I sighed, taking my pillow and carrying the chair from the other side of the table to sit beside him. After situating my pillow on the table I pulled the blanket lengthwise and manipulated it so that it covered both of us from our seated positions. With a yawn I crossed my arms on the pillow and laid my head on them, glancing at the writer sitting perpendicular to me.

Honestly, Soseki had to be either very foolish, or far too kind for his own good. Either way, he'd get into trouble if he kept it up, but it wasn't a bad thing altogether. Watching his shoulders rise and fall with his breaths, I noted the peaceful expression he wore, wondering how often he'd fallen asleep thinking of Akio's betrayal and whether it was my parents' influence that led to his decision to forgive the man. The drafted letter had mentioned 'the truth of family,' and I assumed he was referring to Echo Town's people or the stories my mother had told of Orchard Town. I found myself thinking moments later that it was comforting to have Soseki sitting beside me, that I felt secure and trusted next to the person who was slowly becoming my best friend...

Dammit, this funny-eyebrowed old man was changing me! I couldn't believe I was being so sappy and sentimental. It wasn't like me to wonder about someone's thoughts so much, and I decided it was time to get back to bed and abandon being comforting. After all, Soseki no longer seemed to be upset. With a sigh I pushed myself up from the chair, turning to go back to bed, but as I pulled away from the table I felt my shirt snag on something. I looked back to see my sleeve gripped in Soseki's fingers and gave another quiet sigh. "You really are hopeless," I grumbled, sitting back down and prying his hand off my arm. Frowning, I studied his face again, unable to just leave him there with that stupid sad expression returning.

Deciding to ignore emotion and embarrassment, I took Soseki's hand in mine, hoping that it would help him sleep soundly and without the threat of nightmares. After all he'd been through, he deserved that much at least... "Goodnight, Soseki," I mumbled, laying back on the pillow. "Goodnight, Rose Bud." I froze as my face started to burn. He couldn't have been... My gaze snapped upward, and I stared at the journalist who smiled back at me. In ignorance of my miniature heart attack, he added, "Sorry I'm so hopeless. I just wanted to see how long I could convince you to sit with me."

I stood quickly and dropped his hand on the table, glowering at him as I flung the blanket from my shoulders onto his head. "Don't mess with me," I growled, snatching my pillow and stomping back to the bed as he called, "See you in the morning." Yeah, right. I couldn't stay here. Not with Mister 'Everything's a game.' When Weiss arrived I'd request to stay on the farm for a few days until I was cleared by Klaus to be alone. Well, maybe not as soon as he got here, but definitely soon. Facing the wall I cursed the mushroom spaghetti for making me ill and glared at the books brimming over the shelves. It was still cold, but I ignored the chill and curled up, my perpetual frown back in its rightful place. The more I learn about him, the less I understand. How can one person be so confusing? I resolved to ignore Soseki from now on and focus totally on reviving the orchard and writing. After all, if sappy, lovestruck Weiss could run a farm and keep up relations with the townsfolk, I could do what was necessary to win that bet.

At this point I couldn't see myself asking any of the four men in town to attend the festival with me. Allen's bossy ass was so out of the question it wasn't funny, and Rod's overly happy demeanor really wasn't my type. Not that I even have a type. There was always Neil. He loved animals as much as I did, if not even more... but we weren't exactly likely to become friends. Teasing him was more fun than talking to him. That left Soseki, who I resolved not to ask under any circumstances. Things were already becoming strange, and I didn't want him thinking I liked him. Well, not that I didn't, but not that way, at least... Not 'like' like, or love or anything, just a mutual respect and an admiration for his character. At most. It would just be weird if I invited someone I had such conflicted feel- thoughts- about to a festival that was meant for couples. The best thing to do was to keep quiet and let whatever would happen go ahead and happen.

Of course, my brain didn't want me to get any sleep, and as my fever returned with a vengeance, I heard a question in my mind. 'What if he asks you? What then?' My frown deepened, and I closed my eyes, trying to get to sleep while arguing with my conscience. I'll say- He won't invite me! He's not that crazy. There are five other girls in town, all kinder than me, and none of them are committed to a date for the Starry Night Festival. Why would anyone invite me when they're here?

'Why would Soseki invite one of them when you're here? You've only been here a few days, and think of the experiences you've had. Have you ever felt so strongly about someone without absolutely hating his guts?'

Yes... I don't know. Shut up, brain! I don't care that he's told me about the desert, or that I've explained the Orchard. I don't care that I miss my parents and I want someone to talk to about the dreams. Why should anyone care about me when I can't even control my own future?!

There was only dark silence now, and in the smothering heat of my illness I soon passed out, sprawled over the bed and gripping the pillow tightly.

'Rose Red, forgive me...' I opened my eyes, expecting to see the stars overhead once more, but this time I was standing and facing two faceless figures who kept their distance from me. I could tell that one was a taller man and the other a woman, but it was too dark to discern any features, and my vision was unfocused. I turned my head as I realized there was a grip across my shoulders, but the person holding me captive was also impossible to identify in the darkness. I noticed that despite the man's height, my captor and I were high enough to look down at him, and it became apparent after a few seconds that we were on the crest of the hill, atop the fence that bordered the cliffside I'd seen in my previous nightmares. If he so much as slipped, we'd both tumble over the edge, and from this height there would be no escaping death. "What do you want?" I asked, hoping to know at least what the motive was in this attack that I assumed was the event I'd been dreaming.

The enemy whose darkness had invaded my dreams gripped my shoulder tighter, taking a step backward and into oblivion. "Rose!" The taller figure dashed forward, an arm outstretched toward me as we began the fall from the cliff. I found myself reaching for the hand even as I knew there was no chance, and as darkness and silence took over the nightmare, there was a final whisper from my captor. The answer to my question sent a chill across my heart as we plunged into the nothingness of my dream's end. 'Freedom...'