Disclaimer: I don't own Harvest Moon
A/N: To finish or not to finish…now I'm getting people telling me to finish…so guess what I'm going to do?
To Win a Woman's Heart
3rd day of fall
Two days ago Hatori realized my favorite flower. It's one of the only flowers I ever like and the only one I'll accept, called a trick blue. He's given me one everyday now, taking pride in the fact that he's found out my flower. That's beside the point right now. He asked me out…on an actual date. It wasn't much…
"Hey Nami?" Hatori looked at me with a smile on his face.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Tomorrow is the third of fall; do you want to go on a picnic with me? I made a bunch of food I think you'll like," he said.
"Sure, why not?" I said, grinning slightly and looking down at the grass near the bridge.
"So it's a date then. I'll find you then around noon tomorrow. It'll be near the pond in the back…it's shaded so nicely even in the summer heat." He left then, left me to ponder why in the world I had just agreed to do such a thing.
"Nami, try this," Hatori said, snapping me out of my flashback. I took the dish from him and looked at it…it was sushi! Well, there was a name for this…I think. I remember being told it once but I don't recall it right now. I took a piece and turned it over in my hands, it looked fresh and good enough. Did he make it just this morning? I popped it into my mouth and chewed. Man, this was delicious! Hatori was a man of many talents, wasn't he?
"This is actually
really good," I said, surprising myself by giving such a compliment. "I mean
it…did you make it just this morning?"
"When I woke up I went fishing. I caught a little and decided to make
something out of it. It isn't too
bland?" I looked at his face…it shone
with worry like he was really going to hate himself if it didn't turn out
perfectly. I shook my head and he smiled
broadly. He was always smiling. I don't think there was a time when he wasn't
smiling; I mean, if there was I certainly didn't see it. He picked a piece of sushi out of the dish
and popped it in his own mouth and I glared at him. No one took food from my dish. I held it protectively against me as Hatori
tried to grab another piece. I took a
scoot away from him on the picnic blanket, away from him and the picnic basket
which was open and showing a wide array of foods and greedily consumed the rest
of the sushi.
"You sure love your food," Hatori said.
"Is there something wrong with that?" I asked irritably.
He laughed. "No, but if you eat too much, you might gain weight." I should have been upset with him kinda calling me fat…but I wasn't. I should have been, but I could see in his eyes he was teasing me for my habits.
"Well, if you keep cooking all this good food you might just have me gain a little weight, although I'm doubtful," I said. "I have a high metabolism."
"Of course,
that's why you can eat as much as you do," he said, his voice laden with
sarcasm…teasing still so I giggled slightly. "You have a cute giggle." I clamped my hand over my mouth only moments
before the words came out of his mouth.
I never giggled or laughed…I haven't laughed in such a long time. "You know Nami, you really have to have a lot
bottled up inside in order to be such a stickler when it comes to relaxing and
having fun."
"I'm not a stickler; this is just
how I am. I never asked you to do what
you've been doing for half a year and then some now," I said.
"I'm probably not
going to get an answer, but is there a reason you aren't laughing?" he asked.
"Is there a reason you don't laugh or giggle and rarely smile? I mean, at least I think I mean, are you
okay?"
I scooted over back towards him,
blushing slightly. "I'm fine Hatori. I
just don't like laughing. That doesn't
mean I won't…but I don't like it."
"So that means my next goal is to get you to laugh? I love a challenge!"
"I never meant it like that! It's just who I am! And what's with you and all these goals?" I asked. "Why do you seem to like me so much?"
Hatori scooted closer to me and I didn't move away like I knew I should. He was so close…in this peaceful place underneath the trees, near the harvest sprites; he was so close to me. I mean, he had been before…but that was, I mean…
"You think I just simply like you?" he asked gently. "When I first met you, I thought you were a little cold…but there was something…still is something that keeps drawing me back to you over and over again. I don't just like you anymore."
"Then what is it?" I asked nervously. I had never done anything like this before… what was I even doing? It was like I wasn't even controlling myself! But his eyes…I felt myself drowning in his eyes.
He brought up his hand and gently touched my cheek. I recoiled, startled, jumping in my place but Hatori's other hand came up and touched my other cheek and I found myself lost…lost under whatever spell came over me. The wind blew softly against me, my hair moving in little wisps. I couldn't fight against whatever it was…whatever I was feeling! His head moved closer to mine…inch by inch, little by little.
No…NO! What was I doing? What was going on?
I pulled away and stood up, collecting myself and looking at him. What had he been doing? Had he been about to kiss me?
"Nami, are you okay?" he asked and I looked away. I couldn't bear to look at him. He's been so nice to me, no matter how much I try to push him away…he's always there. He won't go away, he won't leave me. This…this was something I hadn't asked for… I never asked for anything from him! Yet here he was…
"No, I'm not. Just stay away from me, get away from me please!" I ran past him, down back towards the inn. I had to get away. I didn't understand what was going on, I couldn't fight this…but I had to!
…
I flung myself on my bed and started to sob. I didn't understand it; I didn't understand any of it. How could I? How could I understand this when every aspect of it was so new to me?
"I can't name it…is it love?" I whispered to myself. No one could hear me…no one was nearby. This was how I wanted it…to be alone. I couldn't have it any other way. I had to be alone…didn't I? "Mom what's going on with me?" I buried my face into the pillow and cried heavily. I had to get out of here…this place…it was stifling me. This place…I didn't know who I was anymore…not since Hatori arrived. Not since Hatori took upon the ownership of that farm! I had to pack…I had to get out of here…
TBC
A/N: Remember no flames but review nonetheless! I hope to finish this soon; I really do want to finish this story.
