Cliff stepped through the fallen autumn leaves, enjoying the combination of sounds between his geta and the crunchy foliage. Autumn always filled him with excitement, but this was the first year on his own where the falling leaves didn't cause a twinge of panic and desperation along with his increased energy. No more scraping by, feverishly hoping he'd be lucky enough to gather enough supplies to last through the winter. This was going to be a different lifestyle than he was used to, and it had only just hit him now that everything was going to change.

He took a deep breath and waited for his stomach to tense up in anxiety, but when he focused on his fears, he only felt a faint phantom panic that dissolved as the refreshing autumn breeze hit his face. This, in turn, caused him a mild bit of worry that he should be concerned. This, too, faded as a chilly gust of wind prickled at his cheeks.

He turned to his companion, who was clattering beside him as they made their way to the hot spring.

"I come here a few times a week; these sore old bones need it." Saibara gave a gruff laugh as they made their way behind the privacy fence.

Cliff never really thought of him as capable of feeling pain. The old man removed his yukata and Cliff quickly noticed why Gray rarely talked back to his grandfather to his face; he had a very sturdy build from his blacksmithing work and could probably break a man's spine over his knee.

Cliff removed his own yukata and hung it on a hook, stretching his arms over his head with a yawn. His muscles were lean and didn't have that heavy development his friend's did. While lifting heavy baskets of grapes hadn't hurt at the time, he was definitely feeling it now and felt a mild wave of embarrassment. Hunting relied more heavily on endurance, and lifting heavy things wasn't in his usual list of duties.

The old man grinned at him when he glanced over and noticed Cliff staring blankly at his hanging yukata, he started conversation to move him along. "Finally, a young man with some fashion sense." Saibara gave a nod of approval and cackled, removing his own fundoshi before filling one of the buckets with water, scrubbing himself down.

Cliff's hair had often been the envy of his childhood friends back in his home village, as it grew the fastest in their social circle. Despite this, the young man never thought of himself as fashionable, and Gray's disapproving grunts didn't help the situation. "Simple is best for me," he murmured offhandedly as he finished undressing. "I don't think I'd be able to look stylish no matter how hard I tried." He let out a silent sigh and frowned as he thought of his plans with Claire tomorrow night. What kind of attire was expected? It wasn't as if he had a large selection of clothing as he traveled from town to town. Surely, he'd need to look his best for her on their first date…

Cliff grabbed another bucket and some soap. The autumn air was cool, and it made the water feel especially hot. He typically used the hot spring in the early hours of the morning so he could have some privacy before the female crowd came. The natural warmth of the spring was much more comfortable than the sterile shower at the inn, even if that was more convenient.

"Nothing wrong with the classics," Saibara said over the splash of water.

Cliff frowned at his expression reflecting back up at him from the bucket of water. His hair was piled on top of his head and lathered up, the suds sliding down his shoulders. Claire never spoke much about his appearance. How could such a beautiful person suggest a date with someone as plain as himself? He shook his head. Maybe those kinds of things didn't matter to her, and it wasn't as if that was a bad thing. Still, sharpening his razor blade tomorrow probably would be a good idea, he decided as he washed his face. A nice, close shave sounded nice. He imagined her gentle hands cupping his cheeks.

His face burned as he recalled her soft lips on his. He didn't want to get too ahead of himself, but he wouldn't be against sharing another kiss or two with her…

"Do you know why I send the women to Won when they want those cheap trendy bangle bracelets the women in the city are all crazy about? They'll be tired of them by the end of the year. I believe in making something that lasts. Classics never go out of style."

Cliff heard Saibara let out a groan as he lowered himself into the water and quickened his washing, darting his eyes over to their hanging clothing with a smirk. "Even our matching underwear?" he asked with a slight chuckle.

"Especially that," Saibara deadpanned.

His friend's joke caused his worry to fade. Squeezing his eyes shut, Cliff dumped the bucket of water onto his head. The heat hit him like a punch and he let out an involuntary sigh. He allowed the water to slide down his body, washing his worries away. It was time to refocus, and if he was honest with himself, he was a little bit nervous about bringing up his planned topic of conversation.

Cliff set his towel on the edge of the spring and joined Saibara. The relaxing hot water made him realize how tight his back felt. He recalled his embarrassment while stretching earlier and looked at his muscles once more. While strong, they weren't as impressive as Gray's or Saibara's. The old man caught Cliff staring at his lean arms with a frown. "Ah, I'm not used to lifting all those heavy barrels," Cliff admitted, sinking into the water. The warmth melted away his stiffness.

Saibara rested his eyes and sighed again, and Cliff watched the old man's white beard float on the surface of the water. "Patience is a bitter plant, but it has sweet fruit," he mumbled. "You'll get stronger with time." When his eyes opened, they had a twinkle to them as he gave his friend a wink.

Cliff nodded and stared up at the sky. Changes took time, after all, and for the first time he could remember, he had time on his side. Colorful leaves drifted by, and a lone red maple leaf landed in the water beside him.

"Congratulations on your employment, Cliff." Saibara was watching him closely.

Cliff held the perfect leaf between his palms and a hint of a smile played at his lips as he held the vibrant gift given from the Harvest Goddess herself. "Thank you. I won't take a moment of it for granted," he replied earnestly, to both the deity and Saibara.

His friend cackled. "We both know you don't need to say that aloud." He rested his eyes again. "But it is important to be thankful for what you are given."

Cliff stared at the ripples in the water, dipping the edges of the leaf into the bath and watching them dance. It felt like everything in his life was changing; he had gone from emotionally shutting himself down in preparation of another move to feeling overwhelmed in his relief at being able to stay in town. It felt foreign, having a place to call home; he had been alone for such a long time…

His eyes moved to Saibara. He looked like he was asleep, but the serene smile on his face told Cliff that he was indeed awake. Cliff looked at him uncomfortably as his mind drifted back toward serious things. He had agreed to join Saibara tonight out of celebration, but after a discussion at dinner, Cliff had something he wanted to tell him, and he knew it wouldn't make him happy at first.

"S-Saibara…?"

He said nothing, but made a small hum of acknowledgment that could scarcely be heard over the trickling water.

"I… was making plans to leave town…" Cliff admitted to him. "Before I got the job…"

Saibara's eyes snapped open in surprise, but once more, no words came from him. It was true that he had been very focused on his work lately, and it explained his grandson's increase in clumsy mistakes in the past couple of weeks. Gray still hadn't mastered the art of putting one's emotions aside while concentrating on blacksmithing.

Cliff watched the old man's brow furrow and he swallowed back his guilt at disturbing Saibara's peaceful rest, deciding to continue. They didn't spend a lot of time without anyone else accompanying them, and he needed to let him know. "I-I was going to leave at the beginning of winter… I had no money left…"

The old man stared at him with an expressionless face.

"Saibara…" Cliff's voice died down as looked into his eyes, hesitating.

"Hmmm?" The old man raised his eyebrows. He noticed Cliff was struggling to tell him something important.

"I just found out tonight at dinner… Gray… He paid some rent for me to Doug in advance…" Ann's explanation at dinner had caused Gray to turn a bright shade of pink, insisting he knew Cliff would have done the same for him. The sheer memory caused a lump to form in his throat. There had been a time when their friendship was rather shaky and begrudging. Things had changed so much, and Gray had been much more open with his emotions lately… "He didn't give up on me…" His voice cracked.

The old blacksmith went back to his default unreadable expression and was silent for several moments as he closed his eyes. "The boy… isn't quite like his father," he finally admitted, his facial features softening.

"No, he's not…" Cliff smiled at him. He knew Gray would have given anything to hear those words. They sat in silence for a few moments, watching the tree branches wave in the breeze. Cliff looked at the single maple leaf in his hand. He gulped. "You… should let him know that." Cliff didn't dare give Saibara another look; he focused on the steam rising from the water.

He didn't get a reply, but he didn't really expect one. Saibara's face remained stoic, thoughtful. They got out of the water and dried off.

"So, you're finally here permanently…" Saibara smiled at his friend as they got dressed.

"Yes… Here to stay…" Cliff finished tying up his yukata. His heart still pounded with excitement and a bit of fear when he thought about it. He wasn't sure if he was still dreaming after everything that had happened.

"So I suppose you can focus more on your hunting project now." The blacksmith cackled and winked at him.

Cliff shook his head as he slipped on his footwear. "The herd's moved on… There's not even that much small game around here this season…"

Rolling his eyes as he hung his towel around the back of his neck, Saibara let out a gruff laugh. "You are as thick as the boy sometimes. I was referring to your doe."

"Wha-?" The young man quickly understood and reddened, ducking his head in embarrassment. In his mind, he could see Claire's rosy cheeks, her bright sapphire eyes, her cute pink lips… "I, uh… I'm actually going to spend some time with her tomorrow… as a d-date…" His face turned scarlet as he debated whether or not to tell him more about her.

Saibara only laughed harder, giving him a slap on the back. "Come on, let's get some hot sake. I feel like drinking a lot tonight!"

Cliff felt his heart lift a bit as he saw the kindness in his friend's eyes. It was a time to celebrate, and there was a lot to be grateful for, but he didn't want to get too carried away. He twirled the stem of the maple leaf in his fingers, casting Saibara a hint of a smirk. "I think I'll stick with cold milk."

Dear Claire,

As always, we appreciate your letters. Your choice to run a farm out in Mineral Town is an unexpected one, but as your parents, we respect your right to make decisions about yourself. That being said, we can't help but be concerned about you and your well-being. It really sounds like running a property the size of yours all by yourself is quite the task.

Hearing more about the people you spend your time with, however, has put our hearts a little more at ease. Your friend Karen seems very loyal and kind to you. We're glad that you have someone like her to rely on. With hard work and dedication, the goal of making Mystic Acres a farm to be proud of may well be within your grasp.

We look forward to your letters, as always, our little Claire.

Love,

Mum and Dad

P.S. Please send us a photo of you and Cliff next time. We do hope he's found a job by now.

Her stomach did a somersault as the air escaped from her lungs. She fell back onto her bed with a lump forming in her throat. Despite the careful words selected from her parents, she could tell that they were still unhappy with her choices. Their delicate phrasing had her more frustrated than if they had been blunt with her. Did they think that she would read this letter and blindly agree with everything they had said?

Her eyes ran over the final line once more and she found that she was crumpling the edges of the paper in her fists. Why had they only made positive remarks about Karen? Why did they need a photo of Cliff? They hadn't mentioned him in any other way in the letter. Well, other than their concern with his lack of employment…

They're picking on him because they can tell I'm in love with him…

Could they really, though, just from mentioning him in her letters? Her mind reran the contents of her reports, trying to recall times she had written his name.

I made a new friend today named Cliff…

I've been bumping into Cliff a lot more lately…

Cliff and I went foraging today and he even helped me build a campfire...

I was pretty proud of myself for not stomping on Cliff's feet at the dance, although I did bump into him a few times. He's a great (and very patient) dance partner!

I hope Cliff can find a job here in town so he can stay here forever…

Claire's cheeks burned as she realized she had tucked his name into nearly every letter, even when she didn't mention Karen. Perhaps they had noticed that even before Claire did. Maybe they really could tell… Her stomach gave an uncomfortable pang that caused her to get angry.

Why does that need to be a shameful thing? I'm a grown adult…

"'And we respect your decisions'," she repeated aloud with a mocking tone. She let out a bitter laugh.

Respect? The request for a photo of Cliff was likely so they could judge him and tell her that he wasn't right for her. His hair was too long, his arms were decorated with too many scars, he was too skinny – there were all sorts of things she could imagine her parents might raise an eyebrow at. They didn't want her to settle down with someone here and get too comfortable. After all, that would make them wrong in their predictions that Claire wasn't meant to be here.

"You're a city girl, Claire. You're not a farmer."

She felt a lump form in her throat. Judging from the careful tone of the letter, she was certain she hadn't changed their minds about that. Her thoughts went back to the last couple sentences of the letter. They obviously did not approve of her being with someone that could not support himself. If they wanted the photo to include her as well, they likely were checking to make sure she looked happy and healthy. The young woman looked down at the baggy pajama pants she was wearing. She had been consistently tying them tighter since she had purchased them, and when she had ordered new clothing, she had gone down a few sizes in her pants. Farm work was very physical, and while she was losing weight steadily, she didn't look ill, but rather, she looked stronger and fuller of life.

She was doing well, and the fact that her parents still seemed to be questioning this was more than just a little bit frustrating. Her letters to them had been composed for the very purpose of setting their minds at ease. Claire gritted her teeth as she dug through her boxes of clothing and pulled out the flirty dress she had worn at Kai's birthday party.

I'm gonna date the heck out of him…

Claire's concern followed her throughout the next day. She lost track of how many times she had read the letter from her parents, and it had taken her much longer to get her chores done. She didn't have the heart to gush to Karen about her date that evening, as she was filled with worry about what her parents thought of her and Cliff together.

I am happy here, Claire told herself for the fifth time that next evening, and I have to make my parents see that!

Running a farm by herself, choosing her own friends, following her heart – why wouldn't she be happy?

Harris's words echoed in her mind.

"Sometimes happiness isn't enough."

She slammed her fists on the table with a frustrated groan. He had made happiness seem like something that only a naïve person would strive for.

Maybe Harris should hang out with my parents, she thought bitterly. She let out a sigh, causing her blonde bangs to fly into the air before falling clumsily back onto her forehead. The young woman trotted back into the kitchen and peeked in the oven at the chicken and sweet potatoes with a satisfied hum.

Mum and Dad would probably be happy if I was having a date with a man like Harris. After all, he is mature, responsible, polite, and has a place of power in the community…

Is Cliff really the complete opposite of that, though?

She recalled Cliff explaining how he used to live in the cave by the spring in the mountains. Claire frowned as she undressed. There were different kinds of responsibility, she supposed. Her discontentment grew. Cliff had expressed that he thought he was an irresponsible person and said that he was ashamed that he was unable to support himself…

But he had been living on his own for years, she reasoned. Even if his lodgings were a bit nontraditional at times, the fact that he was searching for a new home surely had to count for something. It was likely that Cliff was just being too harsh on himself as he had a tendency to do. He never talked about what it was like moving out of his hometown, and he always seemed a little depressed when he talked about no longer living in Akiyama…

Claire pulled her dress over her head with a pout. She didn't exactly talk about her quarrel with her parents, so who was she to expect details from him? It wasn't as if that made him unreliable.

The young woman tightened the sash of her dress, realizing she had to take it in more than her initial wearing of the garment. She was hardly surprised she had lost weight since the great tomato harvest began. A lot of things had changed with time, she realized as she pulled out her makeup kit. Her cheeks flushed as she looked at the tube of peach-colored lip gloss she had often donned back in the springtime and her life in the city.

I'm gonna wear it. I'm gonna wear it and look cute during my date tonight.

So much color had risen to her cheeks that she decided to forego the cosmetic blush.

Tonight is going to be fine. I'm going to have my first date with Cliff and I am going to prove to my parents that staying here is something I deserve!

Her eyebrows furrowed in determination as she put a coat of color on her lips and stashed away the letter they had written to her.

I'll show them!

Claire spun on her heel and walked over to an old record player sitting on an end table by the door. Karen had gifted Claire the hand-me-down furniture before their slumber party with Ann in an attempt to cheer her up, even including a few old records she had duplicates of. She set on a selection of instrumental swing and closed her eyes for a minute, letting the music wash away her concerns.

Tonight is going to be fine, she repeated to herself.

She absentmindedly began twirling in circles, watching the dress flare out.

Just me, Cliff, some good food and music… It's time to celebrate!

Her heart gave an uncomfortable jolt.

I'm bound to make an idiot of myself. It's not like I'm guaranteed to be Cliff's girlfriend! A few kisses don't make two people a couple, do they? I can't assume things! I guess I'll have to show or tell him my intentions tonight… I need my parents to understand that I am meant to be here!

She turned toward the mirror.

"Cl-Cliff… want t-to… please… be my boyfriend?"

She shook her head, shuddering at how desperate she sounded.

"Cliff… let's go s-steady…"

This earned a snort. Did anyone use that phrase anymore?

"Cliff… I've fallen in love with you."

She let out a gasp at her own words.

"That's a good way to scare him off before the second date!" she reprimanded her reflection.

How had her old boyfriends confirmed a relationship? Claire stifled a snicker. One had passed her a note simply stating, "Claire, go out with me." The second boy was much more elaborate and had asked her to meet by the library after school.

"I know it's probably silly, hoping the prettiest girl in school would be interested in a nerd like me, but… I figured I'd try. I've watched you from afar for the past semester…"

His monologue had charmed her at the time, but replaying it, she could hear the stilted tone and mechanical way he had spoken; he had likely been rehearsing it for some time. She'd have to be a fool to think speaking in such a manner would work on an adult her age. She shook her head; perhaps she was getting too far ahead of herself. It depended on how the date tonight went.

The knock at the door caused her to let out a startled shriek. She quickly put away her makeup and hairbrush, catching her flustered image in the mirror as she found she was terrified.

Oh, why did I have to use the word date? Why do I have to make things so difficult? I know I'm going to ruin this somehow. And I was really enjoying the idea of being more than friends with him, too! Her heart sunk as if she had already lost his interest. After all we've been through and after Cliff's finally become a permanent part of Mineral Town, it's going to be awful if we don't feel the same way about each other. What if we lose our friendship? He's my best friend! Her blood ran cold. I'm not ready for this – I'm not ready for –

Her eyes flicked to the doorknob and she wiped her sweaty palms off on the skirt of her dress. She choked down the nervous lump in her throat and straightened her posture as she turned the doorknob.

Author's Note: I thought a peaceful bath scene would be a nice way of Cliff washing away his troubles and worries after everything that has happened. I had originally drafted dialogue with Gray actually telling Cliff he had already covered his rent, but I couldn't get it to fit in. Instead, I left a vague reference to it where Gray hurries off to talk to Doug as Cliff leaves for spending the night with Claire.

A very specific note to the single leaf falling into the bath: a single leaf can be used to symbolize happiness. Maple leaves can represent peace and unity, which I felt meshed well with Cliff's relief at finding steady work so that he could be part of the community.

Look forward to the big date next chapter! I hope y'all enjoyed. I appreciate your support so much!