"Chocolate is a classic, but blueberry or lemon curd might be nice, too," Mary mused as she led the way through the crowd.

Claire couldn't help but notice how chatty she was this evening, and she wasn't sure if it was out of friendliness or nerves.

"They make savory ones as well. My dad's favorite is the one with herbs, chicken, and spinach. He has a pretty big appetite and could probably eat two of them. Mom always says he is the only man she knows who will complain about not enough vegetables on his plate. I suppose it's a good thing that you came along then, huh?"

Claire gave her a shy smile and rubbed her arm, unsure of what to say. She stammered a weak "thank you" as they passed a few stands. Ever since the Midsummer Dance, Mary had exuded this newer, more confident side. Claire wondered if she would ever be able to do the same thing. She almost bumped into her as Mary abruptly stopped in front of a stall selling flowers and perfumes.

"Miss Mary Brown!" The shopkeeper called her name and gave her a casual wave despite the formal way he greeted her.

"Mister Kamil Gawther," she responded, her face lighting up with familiarity.

They both laughed at their stilted greetings, and Claire got the impression that it was some sort of inside joke. "I haven't seen your dad yet. How's he doing?"

"Same as always," she replied, walking to the counter. "He's back at home, working on one of his books. Mom's not too thrilled about that."

Mary picked up and tested a few perfumes for sale as she spoke, and Claire was surprised to hear her candidness with this young man. She mimicked Mary, picking up a bottle of rose perfume and giving it a sniff; the sweet floral aroma immediately reminded her of the woman beside her. Claire relaxed as well, getting lost in the different scents of the perfumes, recalling her days of smelling soaps with Cliff in the grocery store with a chuckle.

"Well, she's already stopped by to tell me the good news, so we can look forward to no more unsubtle hints that she'd like us to date," he announced with a relieved sigh.

Mary's posture stiffened as she remembered who was at her side. "Yeah, things are going well," she replied breezily. "How's your situation going? You know, the one my mom actually doesn't know about?" Shifting the focus from her relationship with Gray seemed like a wise move; she had wanted her time with Claire to revolve around the two of them.

Kamil's ears turned red as he ducked behind a floral arrangement, playing with his fingers, his voice dropping to nearly a whisper. Mary had to practically lean across the counter to hear him. "Ah, I wish I could say it was going anywhere at all… I-I'm not good at competing, especially when my… uh, t-target is mooning over some blonde they only met once a couple of weeks ago. Apparently, some big blue eyes and a cute face can make someone go completely gaga…" His green eyes widened in recognition at Mary's companion as he went pale. The oblivious Claire was too distracted by the bottle of perfume she was testing: a cheery blend of citrus and herbs. He quickly cleared his throat. "Then, of course, there's my other rival…"

Mary recalled his landlord's daughter. "Laney, huh?"

He shook his head with a bitter laugh. "The sister. Rumor has it that if you look in a mirror and say her name three times at midnight, she'll appear behind you with a cage full of butterflies."

Mary giggled a little more loudly than she meant to. "That actually sounds a bit endearing."

His face paled. "I can't think of many more unsettling things, myself. The girl's not normal."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I think the sister's really your only rival." Mary's eyebrows rose as she gave a slight cock of the head toward Claire. "I really don't think you have anything to worry about on the other end."

"Uh, Claire, was it? Kamil." She looked up from a bottle of herbal perfume and was surprised that he didn't extend a hand to shake. She was so distracted by this interaction that she didn't question how he had already known her name. He had been so friendly with Mary and a switch seemed to have flipped, his mannerisms turning much colder. He fussed with an arrangement of daisies. "Or Cam. Whichever."

The blood drained from Mary's face. "Goodness, how rude of me. I didn't even think to introduce you. Cam has been a friend of the family for years. He runs a flower shop over in Bluebell."

She had heard the name of the town mentioned before. Claire smiled; it seemed she was starting to catch on to some of the different communities around them. "Nice to meet you."

He smiled politely at her but quickly turned back to his flowers. He didn't seem fazed at all that neither of them had expressed any interest in purchasing his wares. "Same."

"Claire runs the farm to the south of town. She just moved in at the beginning of spring. We were just headed to Zepher Café's booth."

"Alright. I might stop by tomorrow morning to visit before I leave for home."

Mary nodded. "Sounds nice. I'll make sure to have some tea ready." She led the way to the crepe stand and turned toward her companion. "Sorry about that. I don't see Cam all that often; he lives far away. Dad met him once when he was traveling for research and they hit it off really well."

Claire shook her head. "I don't mind at all." She had the feeling Mary was being overly careful around her, and while she appreciated the sentiment, it made her a bit uncomfortable. It was true that she hadn't handled things the best last time they spent time together. Claire had been a nervous wreck, making a mess of Mary's books and keeping her after hours, and before that, Claire had slipped out of the room among a group conversation all because Elli had said that Mary and Gray acted like an old married couple. Claire bit her lip. She must seem so melodramatic and petty to her, and in honesty, she really couldn't blame Mary for feeling that way. Claire was determined to show her that she was moving on from dwelling on her own pain; she wanted to prove that she could be a reliable friend. Mary had already reached out to her in this invitation for crepes, and she would not ruin it. "My parents had contacts from their jobs that would come over to talk shop, but they weren't really my age. Well, that and they were busy working on projects together."

She was immediately reminded of those long weeknights when she awkwardly bade goodnight to her parents as she peeked her head in the kitchen doorway, concealing her pajamas. Her parents were sitting at their table with a familiar man, his tie and suspenders loosened and his suit jacket carelessly draped over the back of his chair. A second bottle of wine was emptied out into a glass and added to a stack of plates littered with crumbs while her father rummaged through the refrigerator for another bottle.

"Well, we're all out, my good man," her father announced. "We got anything else in here, Yvette?" The clanking of plates and jars emanated from the refrigerator.

"There's a jug of grape juice in there. Honestly, I'm so drunk I probably couldn't tell the difference at this point." Claire's mother let out her tight bun, her golden locks falling around her shoulders. She pushed aside some stacks of folders, a few loose papers still strewn about. It looked like their talk about work was finished, judging from the laughter that was filling the room.

"Grape juice sounds great," the man replied. Claire let out a silent sigh in relief; her bottle of melon soda in there was safe.

Yvette looked up from her papers and gasped. "Claire, why didn't you tell us you were standing there? You gave me a start!" She was laughing, but Claire felt a wave of guilt; she could sense her mother's embarrassment at being caught outside of the way she normally carried herself around her children.

"Oh, wow, it's little Claire. Look how much you've grown!" The man with graying hair and thick glasses gave her a kind smile. "Come now, let's see you."

Her cheeks burned as she gripped the doorframe. She was grateful she was in the habit of only removing her bra right before slipping into bed, but she was still a bit embarrassed of the My Dear Princess pajama pants and bunny slippers she was wearing.

"Hello, Mr. Carlton." Her voice was so low it was barely audible. She shyly stepped into the kitchen, giving everyone a weak wave. "I-I was just about to get ready for bed…" She stepped over to the table, watching her father refill the glasses.

Her parents' friend grinned up at her, leaning back in his chair. "So I hear your grades are pretty fantastic. Straight A's! You're such a smart girl!"

She felt extremely uncomfortable being made the center of attention. "N-not really… It's not really that big of a deal… I'm just doing my homework and turning everything in…" She rubbed her arm and bit her lip, too embarrassed to look up at anyone.

"Claire!" Yvette looked at her daughter in horror while her husband watched on in silence. "It's incredibly rude to reject a compliment like that!"

Claire shrank back, surprised she had been reprimanded in front of a guest. Her cheeks burned and she suddenly had a lump in her throat. "I-I'm sorry, Mr. Carlton. Thank you."

He let out a friendly chuckle and ruffled her hair in an attempt to cheer her up. "No harm done, kiddo. You might not think you're smart, but you really are." His dark eyes twinkled at her as he adjusted his smudged glasses. "A great mind like yours is going to get you places!"

She began to shake her head, but froze in place, staring at the surface of the table, too afraid to check her parents' expressions. "I sure hope so," she admitted.

Claire highly doubted it was her grades that brought her to a farm in Mineral Town, but maybe there was something to be said for a can-do attitude…

"Lemon curd, please." Mary's pleasant voice brought Claire back to reality.

Claire blinked her eyes as she stared in front of her. An elderly lady and her granddaughter were dressed in matching yukatas and pointing to a chalkboard listing the available flavors of crepe filling. Everyone turned to look at her and she glanced at the board, remembering her taste of Ann's taiyaki earlier. "Red bean paste, please."

"My personal favorite," the old woman replied as she took their money. "Feel free to take a seat. They'll be ready in a few minutes." She gestured toward a small bistro table and pair of chairs set up beside the booth. Despite the fact that it was a crowded square, the table gave off a quiet, intimate setting. Mary and Claire nodded as they took their seats, listening to the two workers chatting as they cooked, quickly getting into a mild argument about finding a dance partner for later.

"Thanks for agreeing to get crepes with me," Mary began, gently rolling up her sleeves. "It's been too long. I miss our times together."

It felt like a half-truth for Claire. Her earlier times with Mary had often been punctuated with stress, worry, and a bitter rivalry for Gray. She renewed her determination to set things right. "We'll get to spend some time together tomorrow night, too."

"Do you have a favorite kind of tea?" Mary asked, her eyes lighting up. "I can have a pot brewed before you come over. We have pretty much any kind that you can think of."

Claire shook her head. "I'm really fine with anything. Why don't you make your favorite?"

She fought the instinct to insist that the guest should pick the beverage. "There's this really nice blend of local herbs that we have… it's really relaxing."

"Sasha, I'm not used to walking in these! You know that!" Anna clopped by on her geta but froze as she walked past the pair, looking curiously at her daughter. Her eyes narrowed on the back of Claire's head when she saw who Mary was seated with. She shot her a look that suggested they would speak more on the subject later.

Upon seeing the smile fade from Mary's face, Claire whirled around in her chair just in time to see Anna giving them a stern look before following her friend. "Th-that sounds good…" Claire agreed half-heartedly, wondering if she had missed out on something.

Mary pushed down the discomfort that lingered from her mother's disapproving gaze, but she only half succeeded. How would Anna react to Claire coming over to visit? Mary clenched her jaw; it was time to prove to her mother that she wasn't weak and naïve. It was likely tomorrow would include an awkward talk with her justifying her actions and choices for company, but for now, she wanted to enjoy the moment. "Carter gave me a really good recipe for raisin scones. I'll have them fresh and ready. And once things slow down at the farm, we can go flower hunting up in the mountains," she replied quickly. She let out a nervous laugh as their crepes were brought to them. "Ah, I said that already earlier, huh? Sorry…" The sleeves of her yukata had unrolled already and she struggled to fix them.

For the first time, Claire saw the trembling of her companion's hands as she clumsily attempted to keep her sleeves back. Mary wasn't as dainty and flawlessly graceful as she had once thought. It was a strange concept to wrap her head around even if it was a welcome one. "I'm looking forward to it. It'll be interesting to see what we find, and you can probably identify plants better than Cliff. Maybe I'll learn something new."

They thanked the woman for the crepes and began to eat. Claire was more than pleased with the nostalgic flavor of her treat, and she could see why Mary had recommended them.

"I'm hoping to find some herbs to dry over the winter and add to the pot for the Harvest Festival," Mary explained, biting into her dessert.

She gave an excited nod in response. "Thomas was telling me about it and asked me to contribute some vegetables to it. I'm probably going to set aside a few pumpkins and onions; I doubt the tomatoes are going to keep that long unless I pick green ones at the end of the season. The best part is that he is going to take me to the Harvest Festival in Forget-Me-Not Valley to get my feet wet and meet the farmers from there." Mary gave a polite nod and she eagerly continued. "I met one of the farmers there already. His name's Pete and he's really nice." Claire scanned the crowd, and sure enough, she spotted a figure with a familiar backwards baseball cap paired with a yukata. It seemed he didn't have a grandfather who threatened him not to wear it. She giggled and pointed him out in the crowd, forgetting that her mother had told her several times as a child that doing so was rude. "Have you ever met him before?"

Mary noticed her friend's laxness and a warm smile spread across her face. "I know of him. He's always in the local festivals and wins quite a bit. Looks like he's going to have a bit of competition though, huh?"

Claire almost asked who she was talking about when she realized she was referring to Mystic Acres. A bit of color dusted her cheeks. She shook her head and bit her tongue for outright disagreeing with her. "Maybe in the future. I'm still a beginner, after all."

"Well, I can see how busy you are. I bet you know more about farming than you think you do." Mary quickly saved a blob of lemon curd from dropping onto the table with a shy giggle.

"Well, I'm learning a bit more every day, especially with those books I borrowed" she admitted, admiring the generous filling in her crepe. "It's kind of like how you're becoming a better writer the more you practice."

At the mention of her passion, Mary's eyes glowed. "Oh, I try! I'm really excited about this scene I'm going to write! Remember how Viola was going to throw an exam for her students, but there was the struggling apprentice?"

Claire smirked. "Are they gonna do some 'extra credit' and fall in love?" She took a large bite of her dessert, savoring the combination of the mild crepe with the sweet filling.

Mary let out a laugh. "You know I wouldn't include such an unoriginal plot device in one of my stories! It turns out he is actually-" Mary cut herself off. "It's a surprise. You have to read it to find out! It's ready, and it's been waiting for you to look over!"

Claire finished chewing. "Alright. I can pick it up tomorrow." She looked forward to a new normal for them – it was time.

"Sounds great!" She didn't do a good job trying to downplay her excitement. Perhaps she could date Gray and also be friends with Claire. It didn't seem like an impossible feat anymore.

"Hey, Mary?"

She looked up from her food with wide eyes. "Yes?"

Claire shyly pointed to the tip of her own nose. "You have a bit of whipped cream on your nose."

She swiftly wiped it away with a mild chuckle, her cheeks turning a lovely rosy color. She was pleased to hear Claire join in the happy laughter, especially since it was something she rarely heard, let alone something she had shared with her.

"And you have some bean paste on your chin," Mary noticed with a giggle. "We're like a couple of messy children!"

Claire wiped her face and laughed harder with a nod.

"Thank you again for the drink; this is actually really good." Cliff took a sip of his sake. It was his first experience with the beverage. It was sharp but had a hint of sweetness that put a warmth inside of him. That being said, it was very strong and he limited himself to small amounts at a time.

"The best things in life are the simple things." Saibara tasted his alcohol and looked out in the square as a crowd began to gather. "Sake, good music, friends…"

"In that order?" Cliff ventured, cocking a playful eyebrow. He took another drink, the flavors becoming smoother as he got used to them.

Saibara roared with laughter. "Maybe."

Thomas was setting up his record player for dancing, and many people were standing around waiting for the music to start. There were a few food vendors in the square, and Cliff could see his friends sprinkled throughout the scene. Saibara had swooped in and taken Cliff the moment he left with Gray to visit Kai; he wanted to spend a moment alone with his young friend tonight.

He finished off his sake with a satisfied sigh and eagerly began refilling his own glass. The party was just beginning. "Have another one with me."

"Oh, no, I couldn't. I think I will finish this one and that will be all I will have tonight," Cliff politely declined. He hadn't eaten much all evening and he noticed the few small drinks had already made him lose a bit of his usual focus. He took another sip and exhaled through his nostrils, surprised at the burning sensation that followed.

The smirk under Saibara's beard wasn't hard to see. "You don't drink much, huh?"

He shook his head, blinking his misty eyes.

He really was still so young and had much to learn. "Fair enough. Have something to eat." The old man pushed his bowl of edamame between them. Lessons were for another night.

"Ah, thank you." Cliff didn't realize how hungry he was and eagerly reached for a pod.

"I used to come here with my wife every year." Saibara started on his second flask as he watched Thomas shuffle through his record collection. He could still feel her small hands in his as the soft fabric of her yukata tickled his knuckles. He could hear her soft laugh and the affectionate way she would call him Sai. "We'd dance into the night…"

"She was an amazing woman, huh?" Cliff smiled at him kindly. He knew that even though she had passed on, Saibara still thought about her regularly and loved her deeply.

"That she was… Patient, gentle, and prettier than the cherry blossoms in spring. When she died, I didn't know how to do anything for myself. I couldn't cook, the house was a wreck, and on top of that, I had to keep the forge going…" The festival lanterns reflected off of his wrinkled face, making him appear older than ever.

While Cliff had been accustomed to living alone, he had never had a soul mate of his own, let alone lost one. "That must have been really hard." He wasn't really sure what else he could say to console him; he had learned from pouring his heart out to Carter that sometimes just knowing that someone was listening did wonders. He looked into his sake glass – it was nearly empty.

"It was, but I learned. I can do just fine by myself now, but it was difficult for a while."

"When I left home, I didn't realize how many things I didn't know how to do," Cliff admitted. "I had no idea what kinds of things I needed to do to live on my own. I didn't bring any money… I could hardly handle a bow… I didn't think or plan out anything when I left…" When he looked at it objectively, he realized that he had left in an emotional state and it had not prepared well at all for his new life.

"Well, that's how you learn." Saibara took another sip. "Get thrown into the fire and become forged into something new."

He was a different person today than he was at seventeen. "You're right..."

Saibara popped some edamame into his mouth thoughtfully. "Well, looks like they're getting started."

Cliff nodded. The two friends stared out at the square. Thomas had started the record player and was feebly attempting to do a traditional bon dance, his hands balled into fists and wobbling almost drunkenly. A few of the townspeople had timidly joined in, and it looked like Thomas was trying to learn the moves from them instead of giving a demonstration. The music, although familiar, was difficult to hear in the busy square and was easily drowned out by the voices of the crowd walking past and visiting the stalls.

Saibara watched them with amusement and laughed heartily, causing Cliff to jump in his seat.

"Well, it won't be the same without live taiko, but we can make do. Come on, young man; let's show these city slickers how to properly dance at a festival." There was a playful gleam in Saibara's eye – he had finished reflecting and was ready to have some fun. "You know what they say - we are fools whether we dance or not, so we might as well dance!"

Cliff watched the dancers and his heart ached. He had been to more music-oriented festivals than he could count, but for some reason, folk dancing in Mineral Town intimidated him. If this was the place he was meant to be, would it feel differently? Would his heart once again be filled with the thrill of the music and company? He didn't know if he could take it if he felt the hollowness he had experienced while traveling. He looked back at the old man.

"I-I don't know…" But he wanted to more than anything.

"It's the boy, huh?" Saibara grunted. "Is he still giving you trouble?" He frowned.

"No. Uh, I mean… we're patching things up. It's not about him."

He observed the heartbroken look in Cliff's deep blue eyes and understood. The young man had shared a couple of stories about his past with him. "You used to lead the bon back at home, right?" Saibara's voice softened.

"Yeah…"

"Then let's scare that stuffy mayor away and make this a real dance party," he cackled. "At this rate, he's insulting our deceased ancestors."

Cliff bit back a laugh as he watched Thomas hold onto his hat with one hand while he hobbled around to a beat no one but him could hear, as it certainly didn't match the music. The few people that had been joining in were thrown off of the rhythm, confused looks covering their faces. "Well, I'm still trying to fit into town; I don't know if upsetting the mayor is the best idea."

"What about your lady friend? She swung her hammer at him, and she's pretty popular. If anything, scaring Thomas off will help your reputation," the blacksmith insisted with a convincing nod.

His cheeks glowed at the term Saibara had selected for his relationship with Claire. "Maybe…" Cliff watched the townspeople halfheartedly move to the music and listened to them mumble the words. The crowd was already starting to disperse and their intervention certainly couldn't hurt things. What if dancing out there turned out to be marvelous and freeing? His heart pounded in his throat at the notion.

Saibara refilled his companion's glass while his back was turned, emptying the flask. "Well, you're still young, and I'm getting old; now's as good a time as any. Let's both go out there and show them how to dance before they embarrass themselves further!"

Cliff couldn't stand it anymore. He finished his sake in one gulp and stood up, the fumes burning his chest and nose. He didn't remember his glass being that full and a pleasant warmth spread through his belly, allowing him to relax a bit. "Let's go." His eyes playfully flashed at his friend.

"I love cotton candy," Ann sang as she bit into her fluffy snack.

"You're going to get a stomachache," Rick warned her as he shook his head, finishing off his beverage. He stood up to toss his empty cup in the trash can and Karen and Ann immediately gave him their garbage to bring along with him. He rolled his eyes at them, tossing each piece in individually, earning fist-pumps and cheers from his friends for just barely making each basket.

"Nonsense! I haven't even gotten my other ear of corn yet!" she retorted. "There are so many food stalls I haven't hit yet. They need me!"

Karen watched the group of people attempting to dance in the square. "Well, maybe you want to wait to get some more food until the dancing is over. Looks like they've started."

Claire's eyes followed Mary as she led a hesitant Gray out to the crowd. After finishing their crepes, Claire had been called over by Karen to join them and Mary had been fascinated by the dancing, saying she would see her out in the square doing the bon. She felt Mary's enthusiasm was a little extreme; even some of the dancers looked a little bored with what they were doing. Claire hadn't danced the bon since she was a child, but she remembered the affair being much more carefree and exciting, punctuated with whoops and hollers.

"Wow, look how fast Saibara is moving out there to the dancing group," Ann commented, "and Cliff is still with him."

Karen watched with interest. "I was wondering where he went. I just assumed he was with Kai and Gray."

"Nope. I saw Cliff and Saibara drinking together a minute ago." Ann bit into her cotton candy, tearing off a piece like a feral beast that hadn't eaten in days.

"Oh, it looks like they're going to dance." Claire straightened her posture and watched on, spellbound, as they strode forward, their steps in sync. The smirk on Saibara's face was visible even from where she was sitting, and she found herself craning her neck to see what was going to happen as they entered the crowd.

"I hope things get rowdy!" Ann grinned at her.

The friends watched as the pair joined the feeble dance group; it was really more of a sad arc, as there weren't many participants. Saibara forced their way through next to Thomas and winked at his companion. Cliff stood on the other side of the mayor, and Thomas looked anxious.

"Oh, they're just jumping right in," Rick chuckled, not surprised at all by Saibara's behavior. He was, however, a bit shocked that Cliff had walked out with the same assertiveness.

Karen let out an excited laugh when she realized what they were doing. "Goddess, they're gonna lead!"

The two men joined in on the next chorus and sang at least twice as loudly as everyone else. Clothing twirling and geta clomping in unison with the beat, they moved so confidently that it looked like a rehearsed routine. A quickly reddening Thomas got flustered and took a seat on a nearby bench, but everyone else started singing with more enthusiasm, and several looked to the pair for direction, a few laughs and excited yells breaking out. More people began to join in the dance and a proper circle quickly formed, many spectators eagerly joining in.

Ann laughed with delight, clapping her hands. "They're great! I love it!"

Claire's eyes widened with admiration. There was no hiding the fact that her friend used to lead the festival dancing back at home; she had never seen him look so comfortable doing something in a group of people. He had a very commanding presence in the middle of the circle and those around him mimicked his movements. His hair and clothing swung to the rhythm of the music as a genuine grin spread across his face, eyes glowing – he looked incredible. A smile crept onto Claire's lips as her heart throbbed with joy; she loved watching Cliff when he was completely unshackled from his doubts and fears about himself. She felt herself aching to stand up and run to his side, longing to share in his happiness.

"Damn… I guess he wasn't lying when he said he led the dancing." Karen nodded appreciatively, staring at them. "Their voices sound amazing together, too…"

"Yeah, who'd ever think?" Rick adjusted his glasses.

Saibara's gruff baritone voice suited the song well, and Cliff sang with a warm tenor that had the confidence and beauty of someone who had sung their entire life. Claire bobbed her head to the music as she watched and listened to them. Saibara had an air of experience about him, but there was something about Cliff's performance that caught her attention; while he had an aura of charisma surrounding him, he hadn't lost his down-to-earth core that she had grown to adore.

"Our shy little Cliff…" Karen's lips curled up into a smile as she noticed Claire's enthralled expression. "Well, I'm feeling pumped! What are we doing sitting around here for?" She grabbed Rick by the hand. "Let's get rowdy!"

"Yeah!" Ann cheered, pumping her cotton candy into the air.

"Alright!" Claire felt a rush of adrenaline from the chanting voices.

As she followed her friends out to the middle of the square, she was surprised at the number of people. The large circle had become packed at this point. She had noticed on the beach that people from nearby towns had come for the festival, and when they were all in the square, it felt a little crowded. She spotted Mayor Thomas smiling beside his record player; he had been trying to increase participation, and it looked as if Saibara and Cliff had done that job for him. Thomas was content to be a spectator for the remainder of the dance. A woman with dark blue hair had made her way to him and was speaking animatedly with him, staring intently at Cliff and Saibara. Claire recognized her as the woman that she had seen a few times throughout the evening and she vaguely wondered if she was supposed to know her.

"Where should we join?" Rick asked, looking for an opening in the circle.

"Where else? Right in the center!" Karen put her hands on her hips, pushing through the crowd.

Claire wasn't surprised at her friend's response, but she felt a bit nervous. It was quickly replaced with enthrallment as she heard the voices of the festival goers all around her in a chorus.

Cliff's face lit up when he saw them. "Come on over!" he yelled to them with a grin, beckoning to them in an excited, over-exaggerated gesture.

"What have you two started?" Karen asked in astonishment, staring at the mayhem that surrounded them. Everyone was crowded together singing along; the record player had long since been out-sang. Whoops and squeals could be heard and as she looked around she could see people of all ages participating.

"A proper summer festival!" Saibara roared with a playful twinkle in his eye.

"I'm dancing by you!" Karen winked at him, and Rick joined them.

Cliff grabbed Claire's hand and pulled her beside him. "Dance over here by me!"

It had been her original intent to dance in the main circle and she didn't want to be the focus of attention. She found, however, that her heart was pounding with excitement. Everyone seemed so carefree; why couldn't she be the same? She eagerly joined in.

The moves came back to her quickly, but she still felt a bit rusty. "It's been so long since I've done this dance!" Claire admitted, and realized she had to yell.

"You're doing fine," he encouraged her. "You'll get the feel for it – you always do!"

Ann was familiar with the dance. She had squeezed on the other side of Claire and modified her dance moves for her cotton candy, regularly pumping the blue ball of fluff into the air or thrusting it into a giggling Claire's face. She bopped her hip against her and when she retaliated in kind with a smirk, Ann's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Want some cotton candy?" she yelled into her ear.

Claire whirled around. "No! Why did you even bring that out here?!"

"Well, I didn't get a chance to finish it! Don't worry! I won't get any on you!" She took another hungry bite, licking her blue-stained lips.

She couldn't help but laugh before turning her focus back onto the music.

Let us come and play with the stars

And celebrate all that we are~ (Al-right!)

And when the fireworks burst

We'll all forget our worst

And our troubles that are near will be far~ (To-night!)

Claire realized with exhilaration that she actually knew the words to the song that was playing. She sang as loudly as she could, but her voice was drowned out by everyone around her – it was a marvelous feeling. She was so small, but she was part of something bigger than all of them combined. Claire looked at the row across from her. There were a few people from out of town that she recognized from the disk throwing competition on Beach Day, including a couple of young women around her age. She felt like they kept staring at her and began to feel a bit insecure at their curious eyes. A few people down, she spied Mary and a self-conscious Gray joining in the dance. Claire looked at the handsome young man dancing beside her and gave him a playful squeeze around the waist with one arm, oblivious to the fact that she nearly got elbowed in the face. Cliff let out an excited laugh and gave her a squeeze back, giving her hair a quick nuzzle with his cheek before they went back to dancing. This affectionate gesture didn't go unnoticed by Claire; her heart pounded and she sang even louder in her joy.

The song ended and the crowd broke into whoops and cheers.

Thomas had broken his way into the crowd with a megaphone. "Time to grab a partner, everyone!" he yelled. "We'll do some traditional couples' dances!"

The large group of people quickly began to pair up, eager to continue dancing now that the atmosphere had changed to a much more festive and welcoming one.

"My cotton candy!" Ann gasped, looking all around her.

"What's wrong?" Claire turned toward her friend.

"I… I lost it somewhere," she confessed with a weak chuckle, showing her empty hands.

Didn't she just have it a moment ago? Claire cocked an eyebrow. "Do you think someone took it?"

Ann howled with laughter, shaking her head. "You sound like you think someone stole my half-eaten candy! It was getting sticky and gross!"

"Well, it's not on me, is it?" Claire whirled around. She wasn't looking forward to scrubbing out a blue candy stain, especially on such pale fabric. Her mind immediately went back to the yellow yukata she ruined in her childhood with the blue fruit punch.

"Nope. Me?" Ann did a twirl, and Claire admired the dragonfly pattern on her friend's outfit. She took a moment to enjoy her braided buns; her fiery red hair contrasted well with the pale green garment.

"No, you're clean, too."

"Weird."

They both shrugged.

Claire noticed that the two young women who were dancing in the row across from them were talking to Cliff. Her stomach lurched – they hadn't been staring at her at all. Cliff was bowing his head politely to them, and Claire felt a rush of jealousy when she realized how pretty both of them were. Ann's eyes curiously shifted between them and Claire.

"I enjoyed the songs a lot, too." Cliff's voice was warm and confident.

"We had no idea that you could dance like that," the woman with long, curly, blonde hair replied. Claire recognized her from one of the bar stalls. "I would have assumed you'd be a shy dancer, considering your personality..."

The brunette beside her rolled her eyes and dismissed her friend's words with the wave of her hands. "Muffy means that in the best possible way, Cliff. I'm pretty impressed with your dancing skills myself… So, uh... do you have a partner for the next dance?" she asked shyly, playing with her bobbed hair.

Claire raised her eyebrows; both of these women seemed like they knew Cliff already…

"It's very nice of you to ask, but I already do for the rest of the night… I-I'm sorry."

"Oh, too bad…" Muffy giggled, not seeming let down at all.

The other girl politely bowed her head, not seeming too flustered. "Oh, okay. Have a good night then, Cliff! It was nice seeing you again! We're glad to see you're doing well." They waved goodbye to him courteously and when they turned around the brunette girl immediately scowled at Muffy, who responded with a shrug and a chuckle.

"I can think of someone who definitely will be available…"

"I'd rather sit out than dance with Rock!" she huffed, heading back out into the crowd.

"Well, hey! There's always me!" Muffy pointed out.

Claire tore her eyes away from them and her face fell at the realization that she wouldn't be able to ask her friend for a dance. "You already have a partner?"

"Yeah." He gave her a playful grin and took a small step closer to her. "I-If you'll have me, of course," he stammered, suddenly embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Perhaps he had assumed too much…

She eagerly nodded, taking his hands in hers.

Ann spotted Harris curiously looking through the crowd and her cheeks burned. She didn't want to show him that she wasn't a very experienced dancer. "Uh, I'll catch you two later; I'm off for some corn!" She hurried off to the food carts.

"Ann! You're going to make yourself sick!" Cliff called after her.

Claire put her hand on his shoulder and his eyes moved back to her. "Oh, let her go."

The music started, and she was buzzing with adrenaline.

"I'm going to be the one that has to listen to her moan the next morning," he sighed, remembering her behavior the morning after her birthday party.

They began to move to the song, and Claire was already smiling at the memory of Ann's unique dance moves. "She lost her cotton candy when we were dancing… We never did find it."

"I'm not surprised."

It was the same dance that Saibara had shown her just last month. Claire looked around her and realized that a lot of the other couples were naturally looking at Cliff for direction. Saibara had taken a seat on a nearby bench and was watching them with a grin.

She suddenly felt like she was on display and began to let her self-consciousness take over. She leaned in closely. "Um… is it always like this at dancing festivals for you?" she asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Like what?" He seemed oblivious to the stares they were getting.

"Everyone's looking at us," Claire stammered, missing a step.

Cliff looked around him and shrugged. Back at home he was typically up on a stage demonstrating for the crowd, and this was much less attention than he was used to getting. He didn't particularly miss the stage; being in the center of the circle had filled that need. He pulled her in a little closer and gave her a warm smile. "Relax and enjoy yourself. That's the whole point."

She was reminded of the midsummer's dance. "… You're right!"

Cliff noticed she had immediately stopped stumbling and his lips tilted upward. She was a decent dancer when she wasn't afraid what others thought of her.

She let out a carefree laugh, the paper lanterns and twinkling lights swirling into an energetic blur as she twirled, her yukata defying gravity. Cliff caught her in a tight embrace as she smiled into his shoulder, her heart so full of pure delight that she thought it would burst.

He placed his hands at her waist. "Ready?" His eyes glittered at her playfully.

"Huh?"

She let out a delighted squeal as he lifted her a few inches off of the ground and spun her. She looked down at his face and saw the rowdy young boy with dancing blue eyes. His expression reflected gratitude, happiness, and something else that made Claire's heart hammer out of her chest; it was intoxicating and she wanted more.

This feeling – she had the word for it on the tip of her tongue for the past few days, since the evening of Kai's birthday party. She wasn't quite sure what to say, but words came out anyway. "You didn't tell me what you were gonna do!" she mildly scolded him as she held him close.

Claire felt him lean into her a bit, protectively putting his arms around her. "Did I scare you? I'm sorry…"

"Not at all!" she giggled. "It was fun, just a little surprising!"

Fun didn't even begin to describe it for her. Thrilling, enthralling, addicting… She silently begged him not to let go and she was pleased when he kept her close.

The music stopped and the crowd cheered in delight. Cliff reluctantly let go of her and Claire found her heart sinking, the magical moment fading away as she was brought back to reality. She heard satisfied and impressed murmurs from the crowd. Thomas had only played a few songs on the record player, and Claire wished he could have done more. Her displeasure, however, was quickly remedied when he announced that fireworks would be held on the beach in a few minutes. The group quickly dispersed, getting ready for the next event.

"That was a lot of fun! I'm looking forward to watching some fireworks." She bounced up and down a bit, full of excited energy. This evening had far more entertaining than she was expecting so far, and it left her with high hopes for the grand finale.

Cliff nodded. He glanced at the beach before he looked at her with wide eyes and placed his hand on the crook of his neck, gently rubbing it as his face flooded with color. "So, Claire… d'ya w-wanna…?" He was startled when he felt a tug on his yukata.

"Big Bro!" a small, muffled whine behind a kitsune mask caught his attention.

Claire's heart melted; May looked adorable in her red floral yukata. It was so nice to see everyone dressed up for the event. She was quickly learning how seriously Mineral Town took their festivals and she was grateful to be a part of the community.

"Hi, May. What's wrong?" he asked.

"Stu's a big jerk!" May pushed her mask off to the side as she rubbed her eyes and gave Claire a hug around the waist – she wanted to be comforted by both of them. She had been so wronged, and she needed both of them to know it.

Claire noticed Stu was dancing around the square wearing an oni mask and waving around a stick of some sort. "Did he scare you?"

She looked up at her a little indignantly and shook her head. "No! He won't share!" she cried miserably.

Cliff looked over at the boy. "Stu, come over here!"

Stu hopped around and laughed. The young man gave him a firm look and beckoned him with his hand. He immediately lifted his mask and walked over, sulking. He carried himself with the air of one who was about to be scolded, his dark eyes round and shiny.

Claire was curious to see how Cliff handled the situation – she knew that he watched over the kids on occasion at the church when Carter was busy taking confessions. Stu made his way over to them and Claire noticed right away that he had a sticky blue ring around his mouth. She cringed when she noticed it was garnished with bits of dirt.

"Stu is so mean! I hate him!" May huffed.

"And I hate you!" Stu returned, preparing to smack May on the head with his stick.

"Stop that," Cliff sighed, snatching the paper roll from the boy's hands. It had the same sticky blue substance that Stu wore on his face. "Why did you buy cotton candy and not share any with May? You know she would share with you… Right, May?"

She nodded so emphatically Claire stifled a giggle; the kitsune mask on the side of her head looked like it was doing a drunken dance. "Of course!" The girl put her hands on her hips and glared at Stu.

"I didn't buy it!" he protested, trying to sidestep the issue that he didn't share.

The young man's eyes hardened. "Did you steal it?" He kept his voice level.

Stu's eyes widened. "No, Mr. Cliff! I found it!"

"You found it?" Cliff raised his eyebrows and folded his arms across his chest. Claire could tell he didn't believe him and he had a very disapproving look in his eyes.

Stu looked at May, silently asking her to back him up. She had no such plan; she was perfectly mimicking Cliff with a large frown on her face. His eyebrows furrowed and his voice came out forcefully, as if speaking louder would make them believe him. "Yeah! When we were all doing the bon dance! I found some sitting on the ground…"

Cliff's frown disappeared as he and Claire stared at each other in horror – they had found Ann's missing cotton candy. He looked back at the young boy and bopped him on the head with the paper roll, the hollow thumping noise ringing out throughout the square. "Don't eat food you find lying around on the ground, Stu!" he scolded.

May gave a triumphant laugh and Claire noted that she looked a little too satisfied.

Stu's cheeks burned with embarrassment as he fussed with the mask in his other hand. He looked like he was about to burst into tears for a moment before he furrowed his brows and clenched his fists. "I was f-fur-raging! I was trying to be like you!" he retorted, raising his voice once more.

Claire bit back a giggle; she could tell he was trying to flatter Cliff. It was obvious he idolized him quite a bit, but his methods certainly weren't going to earn any praise.

Cliff struggled to maintain a straight face and Claire could see a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Foraging? There's a difference and you know it. I don't dig through garbage cans."

"It was on the ground!" Stu corrected him, as if this fact made all the difference.

Cliff sighed. "Still… Don't just eat things you find sitting out, you can get sick… You, too, May, even if it looks tasty." He resisted rolling his eyes. Judging from the dirt around Stu's face, it probably didn't look tasty at all. "Where is Elli?"

"Y-you won't tell her, will you?" Stu's brown eyes widened and quickly became shiny. He fidgeted with the strap of his oni mask, twisting the cheap elastic around his fingers.

Cliff wasn't in the mood for ruining the lighthearted fun of the festival. He brandished the paper tube like a royal scepter, the tip of it just inches away from Stu's chest. "Go wash your face and play nice and I won't say anything."

"But-!" May hopped up and down impatiently, her frown growing. She had wanted to see more punishment doled out than a bop with a paper stick.

"Trust me, May, you didn't want to eat that. I'll make y'all some snacks next time I come over to the church, okay?"

That was all it took for the problem to blow over. They nodded excitedly. "Alright!" May beamed and the two friends skipped away, chattering. Stu was able to run much more quickly in his jinbei – a much simpler top with matching shorts. May had to hold up the hem of her yukata and whined for him to slow down.

"Don't forget to wash your face!" Cliff hollered after Stu.

Claire's giggle caught his attention and he turned toward her, his face flushing with embarrassment.

"They really like you, huh?"

His face turned from pink to red, although it was difficult to see with the setting sun. "I don't know how Elli does it…" He shrugged. "I try my best with them… I think it will be a while before I'm ready to be a parent," he confessed, but she could see the kindness in his eyes as he watched the children leave. A shy smile was spreading across his face once more. "A-anyway, I was going to ask you something…"

"Maybe it had something to do with the beach?" She cocked her head in that direction, her face feeling warm.

He gently wrapped his arm around hers, his eyes twinkling. "Well, I heard Rick mention something about all of us watching the fireworks on the pier. Would you mind sitting beside me?" he requested hopefully.

She probably would've found a way by his side either way, but the fact that he had asked her gave her that lovely feeling again, and she allowed it to wash over her. Her heart filled to the brim as she realized how cared for she was, and she realized with a grin that she wasn't the only one who should be feeling that way. She gave his arm a hug. "I suppose it wouldn't be too much trouble."

Author's Note: Phew! This chapter was a long way coming. "Fur-aging" has been an inside joke between my husband and I for over a year now due to this chapter. I also got a chance to stick Saibara in there. In MFoMT when he talks about his departed wife, it really made me interested in his character and I think it added a lot to him. I felt that I needed to add that bit of him here in the story as well.

I thank you all for following and reading along with me this far, and I hope you all are enjoying the subtle shift of the tone of the story. I apologize if the shift was a little too subtle, but I really wanted this Fireworks Festival to be a turning point in the story. Things are changing, indeed! I would love to hear what you think!

Those of you who are checking out my other works will notice I did indeed make "Doug's Boys" a thing. It's a greaser AU story that's currently on hiatus. Those of you jonesin' for more Cliff x Claire action can check out my quick one-shot "We Have Each Other".

Thank you for reading, and I hope y'all are enjoying! :)