"It's like I told Poppy earlier – it'll be summer again before we know it," Kai assured them as he hoisted another bag onto the ferry.

Gray looked unconvinced, but he didn't say anything in reply as he passed over another piece of luggage.

"Where's your next stop?" Cliff ventured.

Kai leaned against a stack of crates, stretching his arms. "I've heard a little south of here, it's still quite hot, so I'm going to try a temporary snow cone stand. After that, I'll have to see what weather conditions are like before I move further south. The Sunshine Islands are always a good spot to hit up this time of year."

"Just be sure to come back here in the summer!" Gray's joking tone betrayed his furrowed brows.

Kai pulled him into a swift hug. "You know I can't stay away from all of you for too long!" He turned toward Cliff and they embraced as well. "Now, you two behave yourselves. I know you can manage without me – I believe in you! Now that being said, Cliff, I'm leaving you in charge during my absence!" He winked and stuck his tongue out at Gray.

"Har, har." Gray rolled his eyes. "We'll be fine, but… uh…"

"I'll miss you, too, Gray." He smiled warmly at him. "You, too, Cliff!"

Cliff's smile began to twitch.

I hope this isn't a final goodbye for us.

"I'll try my best this fall so that when summer rolls around again, we can spend more time together."

"Definitely, man!"

The sound of the boat's horn made the trio jump.

"Well, I guess it's that time. Wish me luck, and I'll do the same for you!"

Cliff's stomach twisted with anxiety as he weakly knocked on Claire's door. The fact that she had asked him over even though they were starting their new schedules left him confused.

She either wants to talk to me about something important or she… wants to spend more time with me… Is it okay to think that?

He found himself trembling either way.

The door creaked open to reveal a bewildered Claire with wide but sleepy eyes. "Ah, good morning, Cliff!" She quickly began mirroring the panic on his face. "I-is something wrong? Come on in." She ushered him inside to sit at her small table set for one.

The young man dragged his feet inside, plopping down nervously.

She gave him a weak smile as she looked down at her half-drunk iced tea. "I just got up a little bit ago, actually. If I knew you were coming over, I would've made us both breakfast." Claire stretched her arms over her head and yawned, apologizing as she did so.

"B-but… you told me to come over… You said that late last night when I left…" Cliff's voice was quiet as he watched her curiously. "I thought you needed to talk about something important. You said 'come over after nine'."

A pair of sapphire eyes blinked at him and a blush quickly crept over her face. "Ah, I'm sorry! I don't remember saying that… I guess I said it out of instinct, huh?" The young woman let out an embarrassed giggle. "I-I'm definitely not complaining, though!"

Cliff's fears instantly relaxed. "M-me, neither!" he said a little too loudly.

Their eyes met and they shared a grin. Perhaps it was his imagination, but it seemed like Claire was cheery and rosy a lot more often lately…

She pulled herself up to her feet and hurried to the refrigerator, pulling out a couple of yogurt cups and peaches. Claire got spoons and returned to the table, handing him one of each.

"It's nothing fancy, but please have some before you get back to prepping for hunting."

He felt a small wave of guilt for accepting; he hadn't brought anything to share, after all. "Thank you…"

She gave her yogurt a stir and gave him a keen look. "There is one thing that I did need to talk to you about, though…"

He fumbled with his yogurt lid. "Y-yeah?"

She felt a little bad for making him look so worried. Claire gave him a playful wink and cocked her head toward the tanuki figurine sitting in the middle of the table. "You forgot to bring Mr. Moneybags back with you. You see… he wants to be with you all the time now." She picked up the small statue and mimicked it doing a little dance of joy at seeing him.

She felt her cheeks burn at his smile. The silly figurine wasn't the only one who wanted to spend all day at Cliff's side.

The farmhouse's wooden floors creaked under Gotz's heavy boots and Claire subconsciously took on the carpenter's casual posture, tucking her hands into her pockets. However, there was sense of nervousness to this as she closely watched him, biting her lip and furrowing her brows.

"It's definitely going to need to be overhauled." His gruff voice took her by surprise. He pointed out a spot in the floor boards that was sagging. "See that? I can already tell there's work to be done on the foundation. Can't put a kitchen over that."

Claire's face fell and she shyly rubbed her arm, averting her gaze to the floor. "I was hoping it was just a sign of an old house…" She began to silently curse herself for being so reckless moving into this property, but she stopped herself as she remembered the pained look on Cliff's face when she had mentioned that regret.

"Well, it is old, but unfortunately that's why it needs fixed," he said a little more softly, shooting her an almost apologetic look. He looped his thumbs in the belt loops of his jeans and leaned backwards to stretch, letting out a groan as his eyes drifted to the ceiling. "No question about it; you can tell the place has been neglected for years."

A sour feeling rose in the pit of Claire's stomach. She had enjoyed the notion of owning her property, but she was quickly learning the responsibilities that were involved with upkeep.

"It's not going to be cheap. You've got the roof and the foundation that need an overhaul, and a lot of rotted wood needs to be replaced… Then there are the kitchen counters you want installed…"

She gulped and nodded, giving him what she believed to be a stoic face.

"I… I know you're going to be wantin' to fix up the coop and barn in the future, so I'll give you a small discount, okay?" His beady eyes focused back on the floorboards. Claire looked like she was about to cry, and he admittedly had a soft spot for wide, misty eyes. "I want to make sure you have enough to pay your mortgage and taxes. And I'm sure you're lookin' to plant some more crops once the summer ones die off…"

Claire nodded, blinking and swallowing the lump in her throat. It was going to be a lean season, but it wasn't as if she hadn't lived through one already. She had money set aside for her required bills and an allowance for crops and the remaining money was being pumped into making the house more livable when the weather got cold. According to the spreadsheets she had been poring over late that morning, once the crops started coming in toward the end of the season, she'd be able to live frugally through winter and her farm would be in a better state for the beginning of the spring season.

"I know you're itchin' to do more repairs, but I think this will be good for now… I can also fix up that old outhouse you got back there. It looks pretty sturdy, but I can make it a little more comfortable."

Claire gave him a sad smile. "Thank you…" She fought back the frustration at having to put off installing an indoor bathroom, but she was glad that he was keeping an eye out for her.

He nodded with a gruff grunt. "I'll just use some spare lumber. A little sprucing up can help…"

Claire promptly covered her mouth and attempted to stifle a giggle at his choice of words. She failed and an undignified snort escaped, causing her to break into a new wave of giggles.

Gotz looked at her curiously and there was a light behind his dark eyes she hadn't seen before. "Didn't think I knew how to make a joke, did you?" He burst into laughter, filling the room with a warm, deep rumble. He gave her a grin. "I think I misjudged you, little lady. You're okay. We'll have this house lookin' better in no time."

Claire grinned. She could already imagine a cozy winter night, serving Karen and Cliff freshly baked bread and a hearty stew while Koro napped at their sides. A warm, comfortable home for her to share with those she loved. That possibility was becoming closer to reality, she realized.

Claire shuffled the tied bundle of onions in her arms as she pushed the church door open with her shoulder and let out a sigh. It was well into the heat of the day and the air conditioning felt amazing. Despite the fact that fall had started, the summer heat was determined to have one last hurrah. It took a few moments for her to register the children's laughter and screams; it was too hot to play outside.

"He did that on purpose!" May squealed, hopping from one foot to the other.

"And if I did?" Stu stuck out his tongue at her.

Claire looked around; the priest was nowhere in sight. Cliff appeared to be on babysitting duty. Claire was surprised to see him there, as she had assumed he would be absorbed in hunting preparation. She remembered on especially hot days in the middle of summer, she would wake up the next morning and there would be bundles of herbs and plants in her shipping bin tied up in Cliff's signature style along with a list of items in his scratchy handwriting; he must have planned on working that night.

"Be careful of where you're stepping, May." Cliff didn't raise his voice as he crouched down to pick up a small toad that had jumped out of her hair and was quickly making its way to the altar.

Both children flocked to him; even May forgot she was afraid for a moment.

"See, look at how small he is." Cliff smiled at the young girl, but kept a good hold on the animal. "This poor little guy must've been much more afraid than you, sitting all the way up there on top your head."

The shy girl said nothing in reply, but stooped down to get a better look at the toad; curiosity had gotten the better of her. The scene taking place in front of her left a warm smile on Claire's entire face.

"Yeah, you scaredy cat!" Stu taunted. Nonetheless, he peeked over her shoulder, as if using her as an extra barrier between him and the amphibian.

"And you scared him, too," Cliff continued. He looked up at Stu and his eyes were serious, taking Claire a bit by surprise. While she had seen her friend be very lenient with the children before, she noted that he kept a kind yet firm voice with the boy. "Animals are not toys, Stu; they are living things that have feelings. You have to be careful with them and treat them with love. Would you want someone to pick you up and stick you on top of a giant's head?"

Stu was quiet as he pondered this question for a few seconds, which was pretty impressive for him. "It could be fun." He grinned mischievously with an enthusiastic nod.

"Don't be such a jerk!" May put her hands on her hips.

"You're a jerk!" Stu returned, sticking out his tongue.

"Well, you're a… butthead!"

Cliff spoke over them, but Claire could see he was struggling to keep a straight face. She found herself grinning as she adjusted the small bundle in her arms, careful not to bruise the onion greens on top. "Let's take the toad outside."

"Do we have to? Why can't he stay in here with us?" The distraction worked and the kids stopped bickering.

"He might be trying to find his way home," Cliff reasoned.

A pair of wide, dark eyes focused on his. "You mean just like you?" Stu looked up at him.

Claire could see the young man's body stiffen. Her heart broke a little. She almost went to Cliff's side, but she didn't want to startle the three of them; their focus was solely on the toad.

"Ann said at breakfast that you're looking for a new home," May explained very matter-of-factly.

Claire could see him swallowing before speaking. "Well, I hope I've found one here." He gave her an optimistic smile.

For a brief moment, Claire thought May and Ann were referring to another home than Mineral Town and her blood ran cold. She steadied herself against the back of the pew, surprised at how she had to recover from that tiny misunderstanding.

"I hope so. I really like you, Big Bro." May hugged his arm and leaned her head against him fondly, her braid brushing against his bare skin.

"I like you, too. Let's get this little guy outside." The three stood up and Cliff almost dropped the toad when he turned around and saw the young woman standing near the doorway. "Cl-Claire, hi!" His voice cracked in his shock. He stepped down from the altar and his eyes flicked to the bundle of green onions she was holding with both hands. She was at the end of the aisle and looking up at him demurely.

It almost looks like a bouquet…

An impatient hop in his closed hands reminded him he was carrying a toad and brought him back to reality. He immediately averted his eyes and turned burgundy.

"Big Sis!" May ran up to her and hugged her around the waist.

She was charmed by the affection of the little girl and was immediately reminded of the rare hugs she got from her younger brothers when they weren't busy shrieking at the top of their lungs or jumping off of furniture. Children could be sweet when they wanted to, Claire reminded herself with an inward chuckle.

"Did you see? We found a toad!" May did a quick hop of her own, completely forgetting that she had been so upset by it sitting on her head mere minutes ago.

She gave May an eager smile. "I sure did! I have some things for Carter. Does anyone know where he is?"

Cliff's eyes darted around the church. "Huh… While we were outside, he must have gone into the-"

The confessional door swung open, revealing an emotionless Zack. The man sniffed, running a hand through his hair and giving the priest a nod before stepping out. He gave Claire and Cliff a silent but friendly nod, going pale as his eyes landed on the children. He cleared his throat, taking a deep breath and continuing on his way.

"'Afternoon." His tone was businesslike as he stepped past them.

They all managed a friendly greeting in response, but Zack didn't seem to react to any of them as he continued out the door. Claire found herself frowning as she watched him leave. It seemed he still had something heavy weighing on his heart.

"Claire, how nice of you to visit!" Carter's expression was serene as always. He tucked his prayer book under his arm. "What can I do for you?"

She handed over the cluster of onions. "I thought you might like these. I'm surprised how sweet they turned out. I also have some tomatoes for you." She reached into her pack.

The priest accepted the gifts with gratitude. "Well, that would be thanks to the power of the gifts from the gods – sunshine, water, good soil, and, of course, love to help them grow." His smile faded a bit and his eyes moved to the main door of the church. "After all, everything thrives best in a loving environment."

She followed his line of vision curiously and gave him a kind smile. "I suppose you're right."

"I'm thinking… onion gravy." Carter turned the vegetables over in his hands. "I've been craving bangers and mash lately. Thank you for your thoughtfulness."

"You're welcome," Claire replied. "I'm actually stopping by to ask about the music festival, too…"

At her words, Cliff's ears perked up and he listened intently. However, the children had grown impatient with the adult conversation and Stu folded his arms across his chest. "Oh, c'mon! Big Bro, you were sooo eager to take that toad out a minute ago!"

"Stu, don't talk to your elbows like that!" May scolded him.

"Elders," Cliff corrected them with an amused smile. He snapped his attention back toward the children. "Alright. Let's release this little guy."

"Elbows!" Stu laughed, pointing his elbows outward and flapping his arms like a chicken.

"Elbows!" May joined after him and the three headed to the door in a single-file line. Claire could hardly stifle her snort; Cliff was looking over his shoulder and struggling to hold in his own laughter as the two children adopted a poultry theme, bobbing their heads and doing a very creative interpretation of The Funky Chicken.

"Hey, did you notice we're birds now?" Stu asked very loudly to no one in particular.

Carter let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, children do certainly have free spirits and imaginations. Were you looking to participate in the festival? We're always happy to have new people join!"

"I guess I was wondering what it was all about, really," Claire admitted. The concept of having to sing in front of a group of people was nerve-wracking to her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Elli had opened the door and was talking to her little brother. May was pointing to the top of her head with a sulk and Stu gave a sheepish grin.

"It's tradition to hold a musical recital here at the church at the beginning of fall to celebrate the Harvest Goddess and her season. In a way, it's kind of your season, too, Claire. The harvest is your time to shine as a farmer and be an instrument for the gods' blessings."

Claire's eyes widened. She appreciated that his words made her sound like more than just a bumbling amateur. However, it made the upcoming Harvest Festival all the more daunting. Singing in front of a crowd suddenly sounded like child's play.

In Claire's peripheral vision, she saw Stu pointing to Cliff's hands and Elli blanching, forcing a smile on her face and shooing the boy along outside with one-half of a shriek and one-half of a chuckle.

"Thomas is going to take me to Forget-Me-Not Valley so I can see what's expected of me for the Harvest Festival. I've saved some crops, but I'm still not sure if it's going to be good enough," she confessed as she wrung her hands. "I really hope I don't screw up the festival…"

"I can assure you that you won't. It's a large potluck. People aren't going to complain about free food no matter what ends up in the stew."

A soft, feminine giggle startled the pair. "He's right," Elli chimed in. "We all try our best to pick pretty neutral ingredients, or at least things that go well together…" Her face flushed with color. "But… some people… don't really take that into consideration," she finished with an embarrassed cough.

Claire found herself playing with her fingers. She was certain she knew who Elli was referring to. Karen did have a flair for ingredients that clashed, and she had hoped these cooking lessons would help her friend choose ingredients in a more practical manner. Despite Elli's delicate way of approaching the subject, Claire still felt the need to defend her friend…

"But it's also true that some unusual dishes made some waves back at the Spring Cooking Festival, too," Elli supplied with a kind smile.

Claire felt the worry lines on her forehead disappear. "Yeah…"

"I'm looking forward to it already," Carter stated with a grin. He turned toward Elli. "I take it you came here to pick up the sheet music. Which flute part did you want?

Elli nodded. "Ann said she wanted something easier this year, so she volunteered to take second flute. I'll take first; I know she's rather busy."

Claire thought of Elli running the pharmacy in the clinic on top of her nursing duties, raising her brother, and being the caregiver for her grandmother. Elli was really good at multitasking and Claire found herself hoping she could be that responsible herself someday.

Carter placed the bundle of onions and tomatoeson the altar and rifled through a stack of papers sitting on top of the surface. He handed Elli her part and she thanked him in a sweet voice. She turned around to see the trio returning inside and gave Carter and Claire a friendly nod before walking down the aisle.

"C'mon, Stu, we need to go home and start on that sauerkraut casserole after we drop off May." She took her little brother by the hand.

"But I haaate sauerkraut!" he wailed, dragging his feet.

May smirked at him, grateful she didn't share the same fate.

Being used to her brother's minor tantrums, Elli had the perfect response. "How do you know you hate it if you've never tried it? Besides, it's good for you. We'll go home and make it together, and you can even help shell the peas for the side dish."

"Allllright," Stu sighed melodramatically as Elli led them outside, one small hand in each of hers. Elli gave Cliff a respectful nod as he held the door open for them and they continued on their way.

"Are you musically inclined, Claire?" Carter brought Claire's focus back to the upcoming festival.

She could feel herself blushing as Cliff renewed his interest in their conversation and came over to join them. "W-well… I'm not much of a singer… But I do still have my ocarina from my school days. I'm very out of practice, though," she admitted sheepishly. "I figured I can help with the decorations or something…"

Carter nodded. "I'm more than happy to have help decorating. A group of us is planning to go up to Mother's Hill to gather some fall leaves and flowers."

Claire realized with surprise a few of the trees she could see out the window in the church courtyard were starting to change color. "W-wow… fall really is here. I'd be happy to go out and help."

Carter was still sorting through the music as Cliff approached them. "And, there just so happens to be a part for you here, Claire." Her eyes grew and he chuckled. "It's alright. These are very simple folk songs. I know that most of the people who participate in this festival only dust off their instruments once a year. I pick the music with that in mind."

He handed her the piece of paper and Claire's eyes lit up – very simple notes with a reasonable tempo, and three songs managed to fit on one page. "Oh, I can do this!"

The pastor let out a good-natured chuckle. "Well, I'm glad because it doesn't look like Cliff was going to let you leave without agreeing to participate!"

The young man quickly stepped away from looking at the music over Claire's shoulder and turned bright red, rubbing the back of his neck. "C-Carter…" he grumbled under his breath. "I-I… I just thought it would be nice for her to see what it was all about. You were the one saying you wanted more people to join in, anyway."

He gave Cliff a cordial pat on the shoulder and Claire half-wondered if it was a bit patronizing, as a pout decorated her friend's face. "Speaking of joining in… I've got something that I've been saving to show you for a special occasion, Cliff." Carter beamed, motioning for them to follow as he picked up the bundle of produce. As they entered the confessional, Claire hung in the doorway, unsure if she was supposed to proceed.

"You can come on back," Cliff reassured her with a smile. He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze, leading her through the narrow space.

She gave him a curious look and walked around the privacy screen and Claire was only now realizing a door stood beside the chair Carter often occupied.

"My humble abode," Carter explained with a small smile. "I prefer to think of it as… cozy."

He opened the door to the tiny studio apartment and led the way inside. A twin bed lined one wall and an old, worn couch lined the opposite. A small coffee table sat in front of the couch and there was a tiny kitchenette and dining area further in. The door off to the side was likely a restroom. Despite the lack of adornments and small size of the apartment, Carter was right; the space did have a cozy feel to it.

He motioned for his friends to take a seat on the couch together and rummaged through a cabinet, triumphantly producing a small stringed instrument and a large pick. He handed them over to Cliff with a beaming smile.

Cliff's expressions emanated nostalgia as he ran his fingers along the snakeskin body of the instrument. "Why did you wait so long to show me?" He laughed as he turned it over in his hands. "Do you know how to play, Carter?" A little too eager to wait for an answer, Cliff eagerly began to tune the sanshin.

Carter took a seat on his other side and let out a sigh. "Oh, it's been so long… I'm kind of surprised it is still in such good shape… I picked it up at a pawn shop when I still lived in the city, long before I considered becoming a priest." Claire tried to picture a younger Carter in his rebellious phase playing the instrument. "… I thought it would make me cool with the ladies," Carter admitted with a chuckle. He watched Cliff's fingers nimbly work at tuning the strings and folded his hands in his lap. "How would you like to play the sanshin at the Music Festival, Cliff?"

Claire could see that he was struggling to keep from jumping up and down. "I would love to!" His voice was confident. In his joy, he started playing a traditional song and sang along, and Claire could tell right away that it was an instrument he grew up on. She immediately thought of the song she and Cliff danced to together at the fireworks festival and her heart glowed; it was truly nice to see him relish in something he felt confident and comfortable doing. Claire had never heard a sanshin before and in reminded her a bit of a banjo. The young woman found that she already couldn't wait for the Music Festival to begin.

"When the grass turns from green to gold

Wait by the gate for a while

Because I'll always be yours to hold

And I'll come home with a bag and a smile…"

Cliff looked so content in his song that Claire felt the urge to join in despite not knowing the lyrics. Her eyes moved toward Carter, who was focused on the singer; she could see the deep unconditional love reflected in his eyes for the young man. She hoped Cliff understood how loved he was… A strong swell of emotion rose up within her and she quickly played it off, bobbing her head to the perky beat. She saw Carter tapping his lap to the same rhythm. His eyes met hers and he gave her a quick wink. She couldn't tell if he then cocked his head toward Cliff or was simply bobbing his head as well, but she found herself shyly playing with a strand of her hair.

Cliff finished playing his song and beamed; he hadn't performed on that instrument in a long time. Both of his friends applauded him. He laughed off their reactions, but his cheeks were rosy.

"Well, you certainly play much better than I could ever hope to," Carter chuckled.

Cliff gave him a smile of gratitude for the compliment. "It was the first autumn-themed song I could think of… We used to sing that one when the hunters came home in the fall," he explained. "… Every other week…" A sad smile spread on his lips as he stroked the instrument. It had felt like another lifetime ago that he had calluses on his fingers from instrument strings as opposed to the ones he knew he was going to develop soon from bow strings. "I used to really hate that song, but… I don't think I really mind it so much anymore."

Claire watched his fingers slide over the frets and smiled. It hadn't been that long ago when the mere mention of home nearly had him in tears. She watched a yellow leaf flutter to the ground from outside Carter's tiny window.

Change comes with time, she supposed.

Golden leaves fluttered down and began to glide across the surface of the water. Claire was comforted with the scent of the campfire as Cliff checked on his smoked fish.

"It's too hot to spend too much time tending to these. Thanks for coming out with me."

"Trust me – I'm eager to cool down, too." Claire replied, folding her towel neatly and placing it in the grass.

She was grateful that Karen was willing to let her hang onto the borrowed bikini for a while. After a long harvesting season, she was eager for a quick respite. She stepped into the shallows of the lake, watching the dappled sunlight play at the surface of the water.

Cliff gave his fish one last look and joined her in the water, playfully taking her by the hand to lead her into deeper waters. The change of temperature felt lovely, but it was quite a shock to her warm skin. A squeak escaped her, followed by a laugh.

"Morning dips in the early spring will wake you up faster than anything else." Cliff swam out a bit and dove underwater.

Claire held her breath and ducked beneath the surface. The chill hit her scalp and she came back up with a relieved sigh.

"This was exactly what I needed. Just some time to breathe…"

Cliff began treading water beside her. "This really is the best on hot days."

"So have you been fishing or swimming this whole summer?" Claire teased.

"It gets hot," he responded. "I do both. Obviously not at the same time. I'm not like the kappa."

Claire giggled, floating on her back. "That's right – Karen said there was a kappa in this lake."

"There is."

Claire lost all buoyancy and she almost swallowed some water. "What?!" she sputtered. "I thought Karen was just joking. They aren't even real!" She looked around her and lowered her voice to a whisper. "… Are they?"

"I've seen this one several times – usually early morning or late at night. I've taken Carter out here before, and he agreed that they're some sort of guardian deity."

"You're… serious?"

Cliff nodded. "I saw them at the edge of the lake when I was fishing just a few weeks ago. Just sat there and watched me until they got bored, and then swam off."

Cliff sounded honest enough. Claire's smile faded and she suddenly felt like a cold and clammy hand would pull her under and her innards would be devoured. She shivered. "So… we're swimming in their lake… that they're protecting."

"Uh-huh."

"They… don't mind?"

"Not really… or not to me, anyway. They seem pretty keen on keeping to themselves. If you're concerned, you could give them an offering. Do you have any cucumbers left?"

"No," Claire whispered in panic.

"It's alright. They like hard squash, eggplant, and buckwheat noodles, too, but there's no point getting worked up over it." Cliff smiled. "I think it would take a lot to make this kappa mad. "

Claire frowned and swam back to shore. Concerned, Cliff followed her.

Her blue eyes were spooked as she looked into the depths of the water, half-expecting a kappa to lunge out at her, demanding an offering for guaranteed mercy.

"Claire…" Cliff pulled himself out of the water. "The kappa isn't going to eat you. I go swimming and fishing in here all the time. I've tried leaving them fish before, but they seemed pretty indifferent. This one doesn't seem to really want to interact much with humans. Unless you throw garbage in the lake, I don't think they really mind that we are swimming here."

"Are you sure?"

He placed his hand over hers. "I'm sure," he answered gently. He hesitated before his eyes met hers again. "Do you… remember that time you told me to help myself to the produce?"

"Yeah."

"Well… I took one of your medium-sized pumpkins…"

"That's fine."

His cheeks flushed crimson. "I, uh… I carved our names in it and left it on the shore here. I prayed that the gods and guardians would watch over us."

"Cliff…" She felt a lump form in her throat. She reached out a hand to him and he met hers halfway. She gave his hand a squeeze. "You're always doing kind things for me. Thank you."

"I do it because I want to."

"Well, I still appreciate it. And I'm glad you know what to do when it comes to the deities around here." She paused. "I don't know if I ever told you, but…" Claire hung her head in shame. "When I first moved here, I had been bathing in the Goddess Spring before I realized it was a holy site. I thought I had to pay to use the hot springs, and I was trying to save money."

Cliff's eyes grew large. "Well, the Harvest Goddess hasn't smote you yet. I think I'd rather take my chances with a kappa."

"She… forgave me." It felt so odd saying it aloud. "I left an offering and… I think I got a vague vision of her…?" Claire shook her head. "I'm sorry – it probably sounds super weird to you."

"Claire, you're forgetting one of my best friends is a priest. I've heard some things. Seen some things. Interacted with things. There's a reason Mother's Hill attracts people – it has protectors all around it. Carter tells me those seeking peace are drawn to it, led by the gods."

Claire remembered the feeling she had gotten after seeing the ad for the farm. She was compelled to call the number immediately despite her usual hesitant nature. "Do… you agree? That we're drawn here together?" Her cheeks flushed as she remembered the same draw to the church where she had met Cliff for the first time.

He nodded. "I do, and I'm going to do everything I can this season to make sure that this place can be home."

Claire grinned as she watched a couple more leaves flutter down and glide across the surface of the lake, a warmth rising in her heart. "I want to do the same."

Author's Note: So we are now officially out of the eternal summer! I honestly had no intention of that season dragging on so long in my story, but I think it ended up leading to some good developments. As you can see, time is picking up once more.

As I revamped this chapter, I added a previously deleted scene where Claire and Cliff go swimming in the Kappa Lake. While Kappas are best known for their love of cucumbers, the things Cliff listed off are also acceptable offerings.

Thank you so much for reading along, and look forward to another update in the near future! ;D