Disclaimer: Harvest Moon is NOT mine. It's Natsume's. This is only for fun and I don't win any money with it.
So, hope you like this chapter.
Chapter 6
Ideas, ideas! I think they're good, but let's see if they work.
It was already morning. Gretel was happy, since she would visit the city. The farmer prepared her things and took money. Then, she went to Ivan's house, where he was already waiting.
They went to the bathroom, and Gretel took out the spray.
"So Ivan. This is that spray Dirk and I were talking about. It's all right; it will go away once you take a shower. So you don't have to worry about anything, okay?" She said.
He nodded and I put a towel around his shoulders.
"If they get painted, you'll just have to wash them, and it'll go away." She kept saying.
He nodded again, and Gretel started to put spray into his hair. After some minutes, Ivan's natural brown hair looked coal black.
"So, do you like your new look?" Dirk asked, stepping into the bathroom.
"Not really, it doesn't really fit him, but we'll see how it works." Gretel complained.
It really didn't fit him. It made him look sinister. He looked good, but it wasn't his style.
"Anyway, let's get going. I don't want to be late." He said, a bit ashamed of his new look.
Gretel put a jacket on and said goodbye to Dirk, then met with Freya and started their way. She wanted to observe Freya and see her reaction to Ivan's new style and attitude.
When the girl saw Ivan, she blushed a bit, but didn't seem surprised. Gretel was a bit disappointed, since she thought Freya would say something nice to Ivan.
"Hey, new look, Ivan?" She teased.
"It's not your problem, is it? But, I don't know if your eyes okay, but everybody should notice that my hair is different." He roughly said.
Gretel looked astonished. She didn't expect that change. But she still continued walking along Freya's side.
"Hehe, feeling moody, Ivan?" She said. "You don't have to be so rude, I was just telling."
She continued laughing, and then they both started to talk. Gretel felt a bit alone, since nobody included her in the conversation, but she didn't want to interfere. It was Ivan's duty to keep everything going on.
'I'm going to look at the flowers, and I'm going to think about the bazaar tomorrow. I'll just have to participate with my products. Not that I have many of them, but, something is something.' She thought. 'In the meantime, I'm going to leave them both alone.'
She looked at the different flowers, but they weren't really interesting, neither Ivan and Freya's conversation was. Gretel tried to organize the bazaar.
She was going to sell every one of her plants. She had some flowers she had kept, that were sellable as well. She wanted to know the quality of every one of her products, but it was really difficult, and she would do it before the Bazaar.
"Gretel." Freya said. "Do you see the horizon? That's the city we both work. Once we get there our ways will part. I'll see you at night, then."
"Okay." She responded.
They walked about 15 minutes, and then arrived at their destination.
"See you, Ivan, Gretel." Freya said.
Gretel hugged her and then went with Ivan.
"So, I don't think this has been a good idea at all." Ivan said.
"Don't worry, you'll see how it works. You have the evening, too." Gretel cheered.
"Okay, let's talk about something else. The school is over there." Ivan said, pointing at a tall building.
They passed some iron gates. There were a lot of kids going into the building. That meant the classes had started.
"For your information, Gretel. I'm the home teacher of the fourth class, and I'm in charge of both the primary school and the secondary. Today, we have a lunch break and then class till 5PM. Are you sure you want to stay for so long? If not, you just have to tell me, and I'll take you home in the lunch break." Ivan explained.
"It's okay. And if I can't stand the kids, I'll just take a walk around the city." Gretel said.
"I'm sure you won't think that the kids are stupid. They are all such nice kids." He said. "Anyway, come with me."
They both entered the building and went to a classroom. Ivan entered first, followed by loud voices commenting his change of looks. Gretel was too shy to come in, so she waited outside.
She looked at herself in a mirror that was in the hallway. She had made sure not to go with her normal clothes. She wore a pink dress, with a bow, that made her look cute. Her hair was like always and she also wore her beret. She heard Ivan talk.
"Good morning, dear class. I know you're surprised by my new hair, but you don't have to worry, tomorrow it'll be back to it's usual self." He said.
"It doesn't matter, mister Ivan! You look handsome with black hair!" A girl said.
"Yes. But I prefer your normal hair, mister Ivan." Another girl said.
"You're awesome, mister Ivan! I wouldn't even try to change my hair." A boy said.
"Okay, okay! Silence, please. I'm glad to know you like my hair, but let's talk about something else. Today, I brought a friend of mine to school, so she could see a school like this. I expect you to treat her in a good way." He silenced the class.
He told Gretel to come in, so she followed his instructions, a bit worried.
The boys whistled. They were secondary students, already in their last years.
"This is Gretel. She'll be here for a bit." Ivan introduced her.
"Um…yeah! Good morning. I'm Gretel." She said.
"Do you want to ask her something? We have two hours together today, so I don't think it will be such a problem if we take 10 minutes from today's lesson." He said.
Many hands raised in the air.
"Miss Gretel! How old are you?" A girl asked.
"I'm 23 years old." She simply answered.
Some kids mumbled something.
"She's two years younger than mister Ivan." The girls said.
"Yeah, and…what's your job?" A boy asked.
"I was a waitress in a French restaurant back where I lived, but I recently moved into Sephyr Town, I'm a farmer there." She said.
"And, are you mister Ivan's girlfriend?" A girl asked.
"No, don't think that way!" Gretel exclaimed, blushing.
"Well, I think it's enough. I don't want Gretel to feel overwhelmed." He announced to the class. Then he turned to Gretel.
"You can sit over there and look at the class." He told her.
She nodded and observed how Ivan taught 30 15-year-old kids maths. He was really good explaining things, and he made the whole class understand quickly. They talked about maths the whole two hours and then the class ended. She stood up, said goodbye to the class and went with Ivan to another classroom.
That time, it was Ivan's homeroom; they where third graders, 7-year-old boys and girls. They were really cute, and they behaved in a good way. The whole class, including Ivan and Gretel had fun. The kids learned really fast.
The rest of the day passed quickly, and soon the bell ringed, indicating that there was a lunch break.
"Gretel, I have the first two hours free, after the lunch break. We can have a look at the city, if you want to buy something." Ivan suggested.
"Yes. That would be nice." Gretel agreed.
They both went through the hallways to the exit.
In the city there was not much to do, except eating something, and going shopping.
Gretel bought some clothing, and some seeds for her farm. Ivan just accompanied her, without complaining.
They returned to the school. Ivan had only one hour, so after that, they could go.
That class had almost the same reaction as the first one. They were excited. And the three told Gretel the same thing. They told her she should visit more often. It was really nice to have her there, they had said. Gretel promised them to come more often. Then, she left with Ivan.
"So, let's go!" Gretel said.
"No! I want to try something out! Let's go to Freya's workplace. I want to give her something." Ivan said.
"Sounds good to me! Let's go, then." The girl said.
They went to a quiet part of the town. They stood in front of a small bank. When Freya noticed Ivan, who was waving towards her, she talked to another man, who Gretel supposed that was her boss and went out.
She seemed angry.
"Ivan, let's clear something up." She said, clearly in not a good mood.
"I've been trying to tell you this for years. I know you like me. Okay? So stop trying hard. It won't be useful. I don't like you. I don't like quiet, nice, kind, boring, academic, intelligent and perfect boys like you. I want a more rocking boy. I don't know how to explain it to you, but you aren't that kind of guy. Not even if you dye your hair black, and try to be cold and emotionless, it won't help!" She rudely said.
Ivan stared blankly at her.
"Do you understand now? We can be friends, but leave me alone, okay?" She said, and then proceeded to go inside again.
Ivan stared at the wall, with a strange expression.
"Ivan… I…"Gretel tried to say.
"Don't worry about it anymore, Gretel. It's really useless. I've been stupid. That's it." He said, and started to almost cry. He looked heartbroken, and he started to run away. Away from her. She wanted to run as well, but her legs didn't move. She didn't know what to do. She was left alone in a city she didn't know, and the sun was almost setting down.
"Gretel, calm down." She told herself. "You aren't lost, okay? You just have to find a bus or something that takes you back to Sephyr town."
She followed a signed, that said where the bus station was, and there, she took the first bus she saw, that went to an area near to that from Sephyr town.
While she was sitting in the bus she looked out of the window. She was sad for Ivan; she was angry at Freya for not understanding Ivan's feelings; she was disappointed with everything; she felt stupid for ignoring what Dirk had said. But she couldn't do anything against it. That was it.
The bus stopped and she left it, going then into Sephyr town. She went home, and fell asleep. Too tired to think about anything.
Skitsophraniac! Thanks for reviewing! I also don't think Ivan's hair should fit with this black colour. But, that was just a normal plan.
Well, thanks for reading and for reviewing! It really makes me happy. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, although the end was a bit…dramatic. But it will be all right, you'll see! ^^ Anyway, review! ^^ Please! I think I'll have the next chapter posted up really soon!