"We're dealing with serious talent here," Duke crowed, leaning on Manna's counter as he proudly gestured toward their employee. "Cliff tied me on the first round, and wiped the floor with me each game after that."
Cliff shrank back, preparing for some sort of scolding at him and Duke for playing darts instead of working harder to make up for the lost time Cliff had been hospitalized. Granted, he had placed some labels on wine bottles, but only after he practically begged Duke to do so, shaking a bit with anxiety. He had watched his employer work on more strenuous activities with a bit of jealousy, but he had a feeling he was already pushing Duke's permission as it was, especially after his heart had begun acting up earlier that morning.
"It's been so long since you played with that dusty old dartboard that I'm surprised you managed to hit a target at all," Manna teased with a smirk. To Cliff's surprise, she balled her hand into a fist and playfully bopped her husband on the shoulder.
"But Manna, you and I both know I was the man to beat back when we'd all play at Doug's! Even Rod couldn't touch me!" Duke's forehead became punctuated with creases as he pouted.
Manna dismissed this, tutting. "Oh, please! How many years ago was that? You can't expect to pick something up after such a long time and assume you'll be just as good at it as you were when you were in practice. That being said, I'm so glad that you were able to spend a little of quality time down there together. It really has felt like it's been eternity since you were here, Cliff! I hope Duke didn't push you too hard. Remember, no heavy lifting! Doctor's orders!"
Both men opened their mouths to speak, but she continued on.
"Anyway, I think a little game of darts probably felt good after all that time cooped up. If Duke wants to win any time soon, he's going to have to hone his skills all over again. I can't say that I'm very surprised, though. After all, we already knew we had quite the marksman before – isn't that right, Hon?" She turned back toward Duke, a gleam in her eye. "You probably figured that Cliff would do well based on all of the bellyaching we had to hear from Won last summer."
The merchant wasn't about to let Cliff forget that he had won the grand prize – unfairly so, Won had claimed every time Cliff had approached his shop with things to sell. Still, he was grateful that despite his meager offerings of skins and pelts that summer and fall, Won had been willing to purchase them from him. Had the price been fair? That was another question altogether, and Cliff had been too focused on keeping a roof above his head to haggle much, eager to stay in his good graces.
"That's right!" Duke laughed, winking at him. "I had more than an inkling that you'd be a natural. I'm not about to forget the look on Won's face the night of the Fireworks Festival."
Cliff gripped the edge of the table for support. "Fireworks Festival? Wait, you saw-?!"
Duke's eyes moved nervously between Cliff and Manna before he shot him a warning look to remind him to keep his nerves in check. "I didn't see you in action, but I got a play-by-play straight from Karen. Said you made a complete idiot out of him with his tomato game. When I came to his stall, he was still sulking under that phony smile, assuring me it was definitely possible to win the game and get the jackpot. I figured if you had done it, I had a chance. Gave it a few tries myself but didn't have much luck."
"More than a few." Manna cocked an eyebrow.
"Well, I would've played more if you hadn't dragged me along and spoiled my fun!"
"Fun? You were huffy and angry the whole time I saw you playing. Besides, how is it fun to throw your money away on a game you know you won't win? Especially when we still have outstanding balances to settle with Jeff? And then you bought all those fried snacks and complained about your heartburn for the rest of the night. Honestly, Duke, with the way you go through our savings, it's a wonder -"
Duke interrupted her. "It's not a festival without the proper snacks. I know Doug and his girl would back me up on that one!"
Manna groaned. "Because they sell you food several times a week when there's a refrigerator full of things to eat here! Honestly, it's like living with a child sometimes!"
Duke's eyes flicked back toward Cliff before he looked at his wife. "Manna, can we just… not do this today?"
"You're making this sound like it's my fault! I'm not the one who spent that money on that stupid impossible tomato game in the first place!"
"But it wasn't impossible! I knew someone had already won, so it couldn't be completely rigged!" He looked over at Cliff and lowered his voice, realizing with embarrassment how loud he had gotten. "Anyway, I'm glad to know someone at least got something out of it."
Manna folded her arms across her chest, not ready to let go of the subject. "You might as well have just handed Cliff that stack of gold you wasted."
Duke's brow furrowed threateningly. "Well, at least I didn't buy eight fortunes from Carter! You literally handed the money to him for those. And for what? A slip of paper?"
"I didn't want to be…" Manna looked bewildered for a moment before she shot him a sharp look. "I didn't want to be stingy! After all, those are donations to the church!"
"Like we even go to service," Duke snorted.
"Well, Carter is a customer of ours, and I think it's only right to give to the community. The church still has a lot of social events and is a cornerstone of Mineral Town."
The self-righteous smirk wiped from Manna's lips as Duke spoke up. "If you wanted to make a larger donation, then you should've done that the first time instead of panicking every time you unrolled one of those silly fortunes. We both know you just wanted to get a lucky one. If you wanna use that as an excuse for bettering the community, fine, but I should be allowed to say the same thing. After all, the main thing that had drawn me in to Won's was knowing he had donated some money to Claire's farm. I was supporting local businesses!"
Cliff didn't realize the volume of his voice until he saw the startled look on the couple's faces. "Donated?!" He choked on a gasp of his own as he realized it wasn't the first time he had projected his voice that day. Quickly focusing back on the subject, he shook his head, his shaggy locks moving with him. "He did not donate anything! He purchased discounted tomatoes from Claire, and then he.."
Cliff paused, biting his lip. He could still hear the blunt words from Won's mouth as he implied Claire didn't fit the description of a 'lovely lady'. Cliff had held his tongue, watching in disgust as he saw him eye her up like a piece of meat, shrugging when he decided she wasn't his type.
His opinion is garbage. Claire has always been gorgeous.
He knew getting me riled up would make me eager to either pay for her game, or try to win it to impress her...
He knew I had feelings for her, even then.
Was I that obvious?
Cliff felt his stomach twist with embarrassment. He was concerned that he was allowing himself to get so worked up over something that had long since passed, and everything felt so raw today. Cliff gulped, loosening the grip on his fists. "He... wasn't very respectful to Claire. I've been civil with him, but I haven't forgotten how rude he was to her."
"What you kids call rude nowadays… I'm sure Won was just being blunt like he always is. You can't take that so personally."
When Duke looked up, he wasn't fazed by Manna's icy demeanor, but Cliff's scowl caught him by surprise. He quickly cleared his throat. "Well, anyway… I guess for some folks it can be bad for business," Duke pointed out with a withering laugh. "I mean, surely he could pick up that you and Claire are, uh..." He stopped mid-sentence, his curious eyes shifting toward Cliff. Biting his lip, he forced his mouth into a neutral line, jamming his hands into his pockets. "That you're close to one another, I mean."
The young man averted his eyes, blushing all the way to his ears. He hadn't told them about the nature of their new relationship yet, but part of him wanted to keep it to himself for just a little bit longer. Naturally he'd have to prepare for a barrage of questions, and that simply felt like too much right now.
Duke smirked in spite of himself, but it quickly melted as he saw Manna staring daggers at him that practically screamed, "Not another word on the subject, unless you want to sleep on the couch tonight".
"Uh, anyway… it's a good thing you stuck up for her," he offered.
"Naturally Cliff would. After all, he understands that it's important to defend a woman's honor. Why, I can practically guarantee that Cliff had more manners than you before he was out of diapers."
Eager to keep another argument from brewing, the words slipped out of Cliff's mouth before he realized it. "A-Actually, I wasn't a very well-behaved child."
He was surprised to see this taken in stride. "Oh, Aja had her own rebellious streaks and sass," Manna replied, giggling. "That's natural for a child learning their boundaries, and I'm sure that's just what you were doing."
Cliff remained silent, reflecting on her words. He found that he couldn't completely disagree with them, but it didn't feel like the truth, either.
He felt his heart sink as he remembered the last time he saw his mother, her arm reaching out to him in slow motion, tears streaming down her cheeks...
"And look at what a hardworking, responsible, sweet young man you grew up to be!" she gushed, reaching out to ruffle his hair. She stopped her hand mid-air, pulling it back with an apologetic smile.
Shaken from his memories, Cliff hardly noticed Manna's gestures.
Duke spoke up, seeing that the conversation was dying down. "Well, I'm out to tend to the vines, so I think it would be best to have Cliff help with the peeling. Something quiet and low-intensity would probably be best." Duke donned his coat and hat, raising a gloved hand in farewell. "You take care now. Don't push yourself too hard, son."
While he was grateful that he hadn't brought up his episode in the wine cellar, the term of endearment caught him by surprise. It had felt like ages since he had heard Duke call him that.
It feels like ages since I've talked to Duke and Manna at all, really…
His attention was garnered by a loud thump as Manna grabbed a large bowl and sat it between the two of them. He peered inside to see a couple of stray oxidized sweet potato peels clinging to the bottom and rim. She placed a tray of freshly cleaned produce with a grin.
"Washed off all the dirt. Now all we need to do is get to peeling. You can toss them into this bucket when you're done." She gestured toward a large bucket of clean water by her feet. "Would you prefer a knife or peeler? I have extras of both, so feel free to pick whatever you like. Just make yourself comfortable and work at a pace that is comfortable for you. No need to rush, especially on your first day back."
Cliff murmured his gratitude as he selected a knife and sweet potato.
"I think peelers are more trouble than they're worth, too." Manna's tone was warm as she took a knife of her own and set to work. "Easier to cut off bad spots at the same time, too, not that these potatoes really have any. Claire had a very healthy crop this season. I know that girl works herself so hard to provide to the community. It's like what we were talking about earlier – it's important to give back whenever you can. And in this case, I really feel like it's going to benefit both parties. It's been a long time since sweet potato wine was served around here. Once Doug samples some of it, I'm sure he'll want to stock it at the bar. Ah, but listen to me – you've been letting me ramble for quite a while now, haven't you?"
Cliff insistently shook his head, but Manna had been keenly aware of the shrinking pile of potatoes by him and the growing heap of peels in the bowl. She thoughtfully finished off her first sweet potato with relish.
"Ever the polite young man. Well, I guess I can't really complain about it, what with the company I have to put up with around here." She looked up to see him quickly averting his eyes and continuing with his peeling. Her tone softened. "Regardless, I appreciate your company, Cliff. Let me know if my talking is distracting."
His eyes had widened in alarm. All of the quiet time in the hospital had been a stark contrast to Manna's rapidfire conversation. He felt like his mind was in a slog, struggling to keep up with her, and her last comment left him stumbling. "No, I… I don't mind."
She watched him shyly slouch in his chair and bit her tongue to keep herself from suggesting he correct his posture. Her eyes traced his hands and the natural way he moved the knife, the thin peels coming off in long pieces; he had quite a bit of experience doing this, she realized.
I wonder if he helped prepare family meals? He's probably had to cook for himself for quite some time if what Duke said was true.
Ah, but he is boarding at Doug's…
"So I can imagine you're excited to be off of hospital food. Not that it's bad from what I've heard! Elli's quite the chef, but I don't know what the menu is like over there."
"I didn't feel like eating much while I was there," Cliff confessed.
"Ah, I suppose when you're not feeling well, food isn't the first thing on your mind, is it? That's definitely a contrast to Duke. Whenever he's under the weather, he raids the cupboards. I swear that man will eat us out of house and home someday," she replied with a laugh.
There was a brief silence as the two continued to work. Manna looked at the sweet potatoes in the bucket Cliff had peeled and picked up her pace, matching his.
"I hear that Elli's taken quite a shine to you. Sasha overheard her telling Karen about how the two of you bonded during your stay."
The private conversations he had with her were brought to the front of his mind. He felt his stomach drop, but he shook the worrying thoughts from his head.
I can trust Elli.
Manna continued. "She must be someone you feel really comfortable around if you let her cut your hair." She chuckled softly, glancing at it once more. "Ah, so much of it is gone! It's going to take me a while to get used to it. I could imagine someone nursing you back to health could be quite the chance to get to know one another, if you catch my drift. I've borrowed enough romance novels from Mary to know that! Did you know Elli reads a lot of those, too? Her name is always on all the checkout cards I sign. I guess you could say great minds think alike! I know she's got good taste!" Manna let out a lighthearted chuckle.
Is she implying that me and Elli are...?
"Elli's a good person," Cliff interjected. He flinched at how terse his voice sounded.
"She really is – a real sweetheart." She paused, and silence hung in the air as her dark eyes turned toward his. "Dealing with the past can be difficult," Manna's voice was sympathetic. "I'm always here if you need a listening ear. I know my friends and I gab a lot in the square, but I'd never share anything that would hurt you or make you uncomfortable."
He wasn't sure how to respond. Silence filled the empty space. The tension between the two of them was unbearable as the clock ticked loudly for every second words were left unsaid.
"Cliff," Manna started, her voice gentle, "there's something else I've been meaning to talk about today. I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings this morning. I was just trying to tell you that I'm happy you're feeling better. We care about you a lot. I really wasn't trying to pressure you to date my Aja..."
Cliff shook his head, his brows furrowing – that morning had felt like weeks ago. "No, it wasn't that. I-I'm sorry. I've just... I've had a lot on my mind. When I was in the hospital, I had a lot of memories come back to me..."
Things I thought I'd never have to face again, let alone talk about...
She didn't look up from her work, but Cliff caught the sadness in her eyes. "Being alone with one's thoughts can be difficult."
He nodded in response. The two of them worked quietly, and Cliff felt his muscles relax as the minutes ticked by, their peeling practically synchronized, creating a rhythm with the clock.
Cliff focused on his sweet potato, peeling thoughtfully as he turned their conversation over and over in his mind. "I traveled for a few years before I moved here. There was someone I worked for who..." His voice caught in his throat.
Manna quietly retrieved them both glasses of water from the kitchen, and he was relieved to find it wasn't mostly ice – the way Nadine always preferred it. He thanked her and took a sip of water. Emboldened, he continued, but he kept his volume low. "I guess… she wasn't mean to me…" His shook his head, the missing weight and swish of his old ponytail catching him by surprise. Nadine's firm grip on it still felt fresh. "...Well, maybe she was."
He looked up to see that Manna sat silently with her hands wrapped around her glass, her eyes full of concern.
Although she hadn't voiced it, he felt like he owed her an explanation of some sort. "Well, she was a recent widow, and I had just, uh... l-lost my mother... so... I was happy to help her out, at first, anyway." He swallowed some more water and made his hands busy once more with the peeling of potatoes.
He waited for a response, but Manna remained listening intently, moving to her own basket of vegetables.
"It felt good to talk to someone else who had lost so much…"
He felt his stomach sink as Nadine's words started to come back to him, but he blocked them out, a small sigh escaping him.
"I'm sorry you felt so alone." She was sincere.
Cliff began to wonder how she had dealt with her own loneliness throughout the years. He slouched in his seat, his peeling slowing down. "It's okay… I, uh…" His mouth contorted into a frown, and the familiar worry lines she had grown so accustomed to seeing had returned to his forehead.
"We don't have to talk any more on the subject if you don't want to," she replied gently, "but I'll always be here if you change your mind."
His posture immediately improved a bit. "Thank you." His voice was close to a whisper.
"How about I tell you a story? I can tell you all about my plans for Starry Night!"
Starry Night… a lot of the teens in Akiyama Village gossiped about who would ask who out on what they referred to as "Date Night". Wren and her grandfather had joined their family a few times, but as they grew older, the smirk on Ivy's face would only get wider as his cheeks became warmer, too afraid to look at the girl sitting beside his sister. They were happy memories with his family – the hunters were always home, so that meant the whole family would trek out to watch the stars together. He never thought about it much as a child, but he could recall the way his parents would always look out into the night, wrapping their arms around each other, the stars reflecting in their eyes.
Ah, now that I'm adult I can just ask Claire if we could…
He gasped slightly in spite of himself, a large, foolish grin spreading across his lips.
Manna caught the look on his face and grinned. "Ah, it will be here before you know it!" Her eyes glittered as she smiled up at the ceiling. "The twinkling lights decorating town, the decorations in the shops… I'll have to dig out my special cookbook for something special to make. Duke doesn't always follow Doctor Trent's advice, and I try to cook wholesome foods for him, but we do each have our own little vices when it comes to rich foods. Hmmm… maybe some roast mutton with dumplings, or perhaps some fish… of course, I can't forget the pandoro and panettone. I'll make sure that you get a sample of each! Both are simply to die for! I use dried fruits and raisins that we prepare here at the vineyard, and I buy some of Pete's fruits, and candy them all at peak season, so by the time the holidays roll around, we've got plenty to go through. And you know Duke – he'll gorge himself on anything, although if you ask me, the panettone is far superior because of the ingredients I use and all of the preparation we make for the dried fruits, but Duke will just be contrary..."
Cliff's smile remained as he listened on, his heart fluttering at the thought of standing under those same stars, Claire in his arms.
"What if this makes him mad?" Claire frowned as she wrung her hands.
"I don't know what there is to be upset about," Ann replied, shrugging. "I didn't make a cake, so it's not even an official birthday party."
Karen snorted. "That's your requirement for a birthday party? A cake?"
Ann folded her arms across her chest. "Everyone knows that the best parties have the best snacks. I just brought a… modest platter of grilled corn and some of my famous cookies. To share for a nonspecific occasion."
Claire's eyes fell upon the offerings on the table and she couldn't help but wonder if presenting him with his favorite foods wasn't just a little bit manipulative. There was also the bulging backpack that Ann had carried upstairs and sat down on a chair, emitting a series of plastic crinkles that suspiciously sounded like snack bags.
Ann caught the look on her face and shook her head. "We're just hanging out. I don't even have any games planned."
"That's a relief. I don't think Gray would be thrilled at a repeat of 'The Ann Games' with everything that's going on in his life right now." Cliff patted the spot beside him on the bed and the yellow tabby hopped up between him and Claire, emitting a mix between a purr and a meow.
"Good girl, Tabs," he murmured, petting her along her back. She settled into a happy loaf between the two of them, closing her eyes with a purr when Claire continued to stroke her.
"And yet, you managed to coax Claire into this," Ann pointed out.
Cliff's eyes met Claire's and they blushed fiercely, each choosing a different part of the floor to stare at.
"W-Well that's because… I wanted her here," he confessed, brushing his hand against Claire's. They shared a shy smile.
"You and I both know that Claire keeps him in his comfort zone. You're forgetting you brought me along, too." Karen gave Ann a nudge in the ribs. "Besides, if Gray is worried we're gathered solely for him, that's not really true. We have other things to celebrate, like Cliff coming home from the hospital."
He instinctively wanted to say it hadn't been a big deal. His tongue halted.
But it has been. So much has changed.
I've changed…
Still, the idea of a depressed Gray being pressured to attend festivities left him uncomfortable.
"What if he doesn't feel like celebrating?"
"That guy was worried sick while you were in the hospital – he's not going to complain about us being happy you're back. Besides, a breakup isn't the end of the world." Ann dismissed Cliff's concerns with the wave of a hand, as if to swat them away.
"You say that now, but you felt differently when it was happening to you," he pointed out.
She scowled at him, grabbing one of her cookies from the tray and taking a huge bite out of it. She spoke, her mouth still full. "It sucked, but I still had to keep going. That's life – keep moving forward."
"And we're proud of you for doing that, even though it was hard." Karen wrapped her arm around Ann's shoulder. "Speaking of moving forward, your dad's vaguely mentioned something of a new romantic interest. Why am I hearing this from him first?"
Ann swallowed, feeling the blood rush to her face. "Goddess, Karen! You know how Dad exaggerates any time I so much as talk to someone new."
"A new person in town?" Claire curiously tilted her head.
Ann was grateful to change the subject. "Well, I've heard talk about Gotz finding a man wandering around Mother's Hill…"
Cliff's posture straightened and he whirled around to face her. "When was this?"
Ann shrugged. "I think you were still in the hospital. I haven't seen him yet, but from what I've heard Gotz has taken a liking to him."
Cliff noticed there had been a spare shikibuton rolled in the corner of the room when he had visited Gotz to thank him for watching over Cain. "If Gotz trusts him, then he must be a good person."
It had felt like a lifetime ago, but Claire could still remember Cliff excitedly leading the way to Mother's Hill, Koro bounding after them. Cliff had introduced her to Gotz and he spoken to her with a vague air of familiarity.
"You told Gotz about me before I met him," Claire remembered aloud.
She got a guilty chuckle in response. "Uh, yeah… He has always been really nice to me and he gave me some pointers on what was growing in the area. I, uh… I told him that you seemed like a really nice person."
He gulped, remembering Gotz's hearty laugh as he asked if he thought Claire was cute.
"Anyway, winter always seems really long, but… I look forward to foraging with you again."
Her mind was already back on the green mountain path lined with wildflowers and herbs. "I'd really like that."
Ann had already dug into a cob of corn. "Now, what you should be looking forward to are the holidays!"
"Starry Night? Gray and I have been gem hunting for Saibara to make the traditional Starry Night rings people give their dates." Claire happily swung her feet, petting the cat beside her, who purred contentedly.
She was oblivious to the way Cliff froze, staring at his friends with wide, concerned eyes.
Karen smirked, leaning against the table. "Oh, and there's Winter Thanksgiving as well. Girls give chocolate to people they like."
Claire's eyes flicked toward Cliff and her ears felt hot. He turned toward her and a clumsy giggle tumbled from her lips. "Ah, that's right. Lots of holidays, huh?"
Ann groaned. "As excited as I am about stuffing my face with chocolate, winter holidays mean that Kano will show up, wanting his own share."
Karen shoved her friend playfully. "Oh, c'mon! Kano's not that bad! He's a decent drinking partner and can hold his alcohol better than most. You almost sound like Ri-…" Her voice died down as the smile faded from her face.
"Well, Rick's right – Kano is a moocher!" Ann spat, folding her arms across her chest with a grumble. "I'm sure he'll be at the Winter Thanksgiving party I'm planning for the bar. He'll be waiting for his handout."
"I think seeing Kano again could be fun," Karen replied with a shrug. "Maybe he's matured a bit."
Ann rolled her eyes at her. "He's a grown man! He should already be mature!"
"Well, we're grown adults, too, but that doesn't stop us!" Karen cackled.
The door opened, revealing a tired Gray. He looked up from the floor, his eyes widening. He removed his hat, his lips curling into a shaky smile.
The friends all gave each other a quick look with a nod, cheering in unison.
"Happy Birthday, Gray!"
His trembling grin grew as he bunched up his hat in his hands. "Thanks. I… I know I said I didn't care, but… I'm glad you're all here." His voice began to crack.
He was swept up into a group hug before he could process what was happening.
"This… is nice…" he murmured into Cliff's shoulder.
Author's Note: Thank you so much for your patience on this one! I ended up breaking the chapter in two, so I have quite a bit of content for the next one already written. I've been working on some outlining for the winter season in this story so I can make sure I don't leave anyone or anything out!
It's hard to believe that at the end of this month, The Shy Newcomer will be 14 years old – that's when I first started posting the story on . It's come such a long way since and has been a labor of love. I want to thank everyone who has read my story and been so supportive – all of your encouragement and kindness continue to mean so much to me. I want to write characters that people can relate to and I've continued to learn about myself as I've worked on this throughout the years. Sharing writing often feels like I'm baring my heart to everyone, but y'all have made it such a pleasure.
I really wanted the peeling scene with Cliff and Manna to show how they're both slowly becoming more comfortable around each other and revealing a little more about themselves. Cliff is getting closer to the truth of things. He's realizing that he had looked on his friendship with Nadine with rose-tinted glasses for a long time as a coping mechanism. Manna has a similar crutch, and it's so instilled in her that even her uncomfortable truths about Aja come out of her with a laugh.
Likewise, Gray's friends initially plan to appear overly cheerful in order to bring up Gray's mood despite their worries that it might be unwelcome. Thankfully, their joy is genuine as they see Gray's unfiltered expression at seeing them in his room.
I'm looking forward to writing some more lighthearted moments between everyone, and it's been so long that I worry it feels silly, haha. But friends can be a little rowdy and goofy when they hang out – I think they deserve a break after everything I've put them through. I hope that their laughter and smiles can bring a little happiness to your day as well. I hope you have a great day!