Chapter 2 – Midnight's First Kiss; Unknown Feelings

Nobody's POV

A few days passed and it soon became Summer in Mineral Town, which meant Kai was around. Aikou liked him, not like she liked Cliff but she still had a bit of a crush on him. Which made her friendship with Popuri a bit rocky in the summer, even so they were still able to talk calmly to each other. Kai also knew of Aikou's little crush and he knew of Popuri's, it made it a bit of a problem to be around both of them at the same time, since he wanted to flirt. He liked Aikou, like many of the other guys, but he wasn't dumb, he knew she was head over heels for Cliff. Even though she spent much of the summer around him, whenever she saw him she'd stop whatever she was doing to say 'hi'. It's some many have noticed, even the 'gossip girls' who gossip about people in Rose Square around lunch time, and this affection at one point was their main gossip subject, until they switched to Claire's affection for Cliff.

Aikou's POV

When I first came to Mineral Town, I was nervous and scared, all I did was work on Claire's farm, go into the mountains to collect grasses and some other things, help her and help her mine and fish. I didn't want to answer anyone's questions, and I didn't want to talk to anyone back then. Until the day Claire got tired of me not having any other friends here, she dragged me to the church to go into the confessional and confess, against my will. I still remember that day; I met so many other people as well. I felt happy to be accepted by them, that day changed my life, the one I know I'll never get back, because I can never go back to the time before I met Cliff and fell in love. Even though I want to more than anything …

Nobody's POV

"You need to talk to someone, Aikou. You can't just stay here depressed, you young and need a life!"Claire said as I dragged the small black haired girl down the path that led to town. Gray stopped as he came out of the blacksmith's shop and stared at the little scene before he noticed Aikou, which at that point he didn't know her. "Hey Gray meet my friend and farm hand Aikou Kizuna, she's been here for a while and never made any attempt to leave the farm and head for town. So now I'm taking her to the church, so before you say it I'm not crazy." Claire said with a small laugh as she struggled with Aikou to go. "I don't want to go!" Aikou screamed in her high pitched and childish voice. Claire noticed Gray blushed at the sound of her voice. They continued dragging to the church and attracted some more attention as they went. Everyone stopped and stared at them, and each time Claire had to stop and introduce Aikou, and hear her complain that she didn't want to go.

At the Church they met Carter and soon Aikou met Cliff, a brown haired young man with blue eyes. At that moment she got a crush on him. It wasn't long before she was pushed into the confessional, but it was a long time before she came out and when she did her face was tear streaked. Claire and Cliff talking just like friends would but it seemed to bug Aikou when she saw it and noticed that Claire liked him and he liked her. All this started Aikou's hurting, even though she never told him but planed to one day.

Aikou's POV

I still remember planning every day since then on how I would get him to like me, and I succeeded in getting him as a friend. But I never succeeded in getting him to love me, and that's what hurt the most. He never noticed either, but Claire did and she looked hurt after a while. Soon she got over the fact that I liked him but I never got over that fact, and I doubt that I ever will … especially after what happened on Spring 25…

Narumi's POV

For the next few days everyone seemed to ignore me, I didn't care but it did bug me that Aikou was rarely around anymore. She's hardly around Cliff either I wonder what happened, I hear her crying every night ever since the day after the funeral. All I remember is that she went to see Cliff at the winery, and when she came back she was crying and wouldn't talk. She's hardly eating too; I should go and ask but is it really any of my business? What if he doesn't know that she's been crying? Then what would happen to them, this is becoming a really big mess of problems now. Why does she have to be in love with the person who Claire loved, that makes this even more painful for her! I turned my head to see her coming out of her room, again her face was tear streaked. She silently went to the fridge and drank some milk she had gotten from one of the cows yesterday, and then she left to take a shower. I felt a stab of pain fill my heart as I watched her, mainly because all I can do is watch her…

Aikou's POV

What's wrong with me, so what if I found out that Cliff was going to propose to Claire on her birthday, Spring 25? Why should I care of what he was going to do, since he can't anymore. Why I probably cared so much about this was because now I know for sure that he was deeply in love with her, and for him to have said something like this to me means that I'm still just a friend or sister in his eyes. There are four other guys in town that I could go for, well Kai will only be here in the summer but still. Why can't I take my eyes away? What's this feeling I have in my gut, like someone else is going to go after him. Maybe I should go see him but, I can just barely be myself. I hear pounding on the bathroom, peeking my head out of the shower I could hear Narumi's muffled voice calling to me. I didn't want to respond but now I'm curious as to why she's calling me. "What?" I replied.

Cliff's POV

Why did Aikou run off that day? And I haven't seen her around very much either, I went to the farm the other day and no one answered the door. I stood at the door to Claire's old farmhouse once again, but this time I heard Aikou and Narumi talking. I didn't want to be nosy but Aikou sounded really upset. I couldn't help but be concerned "So what? That doesn't really matter anymore since it can't happen, right? Now is your chance to make a move!" I heard Narumi say with an annoyed tone. "But I can't do that to her! She loved him Narumi! I just can't, it wouldn't be fair." Aikou's voice rose to a shrill scream towards the end. 'Who are they talking about?" I wondered. "All's fair in love and war Aikou! You need to learn this. You love him Aikou, even though Claire loved him she's gone now. And there isn't anything you can do!" Narumi yelled. My ears are starting to hurt from the yelling. I was going to leave until I heard what Aikou said after Narumi's love lecture. "I know I love him! And I know she's gone! But what I also know is that he only sees me as a sister! I can't just go up to him and say 'hey Cliff I'm in love with you!' He's grieving and still loves her! I can't do that to him!" her words hit me like a slap to my face.

I never noticed that she loved me, and then I go and tell her that I was going to propose to Claire. I'm the one who hurt her, how could I not notice? I scrambled to my feet and ran off the farm. I tripped on the basket they left outside and it made a loud noise. I raced off the farm and out of their sight before they had the chance to come out and see what the noise was. I'm more confused than when I came to the farm, and I know that I do only see her as a sister and can't help her.

Nobody's POV

Aikou and Narumi stepped out of the farmhouse because of the noise Cliff had made with the bucket when he attempted to run away. Puzzled they decided to go to the town together for the first time since Spring 25. They talked about before they came to Mineral Town, when they lived in the city. They were happily chatting to each other when Aikou noticed that they were already at the supermarket. Sitting on the bench they continued to chat for a while. Something they used to always do back in the city before they came to Mineral Town, almost a tradition when they were happy. Time flew and soon it was already 4, Cliff walked by them on his way to the church and saw a happy Aikou. He continued on his way and didn't bother the pair, as it seemed that he remembered her words earlier.

Narumi's POV

"Well Aikou let's go to Forget-me-Not Valley today so we can see how Jill's doing. We promised to meet her sometime after everyone cooled down."I said standing from the wooden bench. "Ok, but is everyone really calmed down? Their still ignoring you aren't they?" she said a little sad. "Its fine, they'll get over it. So come on before it gets dark out." I said walking away direction of the valley. "…yeah…" she briefly said as she followed me. I noticed Cliff walking into the church; I remember seeing him pass by us. Normally if he saw her he would come over but why is he avoiding her now? "Hey Narumi." I heard a childish voice say beside me, I looked down at Aikou's blushing face. "I want to find someone else that way I won't hurt him with my feelings. I'll eventually get over it anyway so it doesn't matter anyway. Plus it's probably just a school girl crush, so I should move on. There are plenty of other guys, but I really want you to find someone Narumi. I don't want you to be alone too." "Well, I don't plan on getting married if that helps. And I don't mind being alone because I have you around. But why do you want to give up so fast?" I said stopping to see her clearly.

I saw her crying; now I can see why. I nodded and grabbed her hand; we started walking again, silently in the evening sun's light. She saw Cliff ignore her, and she doesn't want to betray Claire by stealing away the person she loved. It must be very painful to be her right now, but I can hardly see her with anyone else in this town, well not as much as I can see her with Cliff. But why does she want me to find someone so bad. But at this thought I remembered the last time I was in the valley, and how I met Skye.

Again I waited on the bridge as Aikou and Jill chatted on and on about romance and everything else in their minds. We agreed to come down to the valley every Friday afternoon. Even though I'm happy about this, I really want to leave before I end up running into Skye again. I looked up at the moon and felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to see Skye, and suddenly I felt so weak just looking into his pale green eyes. "Hello fair maiden." He said as he pulled me to my feet. "D-didn't I say quit with the maiden s-stuff!" I nervously shouted. "Why are you nervous? Last time you were so confident about yelling at me, now you're so nervous your stuttering." He said as he stroked my face with one hand. I shuttered when his hand touched me, and I realized that I could barely think. This weak feeling I have now is overwhelming, why do I suddenly feel weak by seeing him? I pulled away and ran to the goddess pond ignoring him calling to me. I tripped and fell at the edge of the water, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew for sure that every time Aikou mentioned me getting married or finding a boyfriend every since I met Skye he was the one that came to my mind and every time before I went to bed I got frustrated with the memory of meeting him. I looked behind me and saw him standing at the opening of the path. 'Oh great he followed me.' I thought as I stood and calmed myself. I quickly brushed the dust off my pants.

Skye's POV

"Why are you following me?!" she shouted angrily. 'Why are you nervous?" I replied mocking her. She looked even more annoyed by this, I came towards her and she turned away and looked at the pond, "Why are you here? What do you want from me Skye?" she said as she seemed to struggle with her anger. "There's no purpose in you bugging me so why don't you just leave." I chuckled and she got even angrier. "If I told you it would ruin everything, I won't leave but continue to go after my goal. No matter what you say, so why did you come here? It's obvious that you live in Mineral Town." "I came here with my friend to see a friend. That's all you need to know." she replied coldly. "So I can't know any names?" I asked as I stepped next to her. She looked up at me; she was only to the base of my neck, and looked so short at the moment. I started to play with her hair, so perfect and straight, it's beautiful. "I came with Aikou to see Jill …" she briefly said as she noticed me messing with her hair. "What are you doing!?" she hissed as she pushed my hand away from her head, so I grabbed her by the wrist with my other hand. "Playing with your hair. What's wrong with that?" I said as I brought my face in front of hers.

She turned her face away bashfully. I moved her hair to see her face. "You're so cute when you blush." I said with a chuckle. I refused to let go of her just yet, I haven't seen her in days; I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever see her again. "I need to leave." she said as she tried again to get away. "Why?" I answered simply. "I haven't seen you in about a week or more and you expect me to let go this easily." "Yes, I have to go before Aikou gets worried!" she said as she broke free of my grip. Amazing, she's so strong, and rather smart to wait until I wasn't paying attention to my hand. I pushed her against the rocky wall and held her hands above her head. She was blushing wildly but still struggled to get away. "Then can I see you again sometime?" I said softly to her. Her face became redder with my words. I guess the answer would be 'no' just like the last time. It was silent for a while as I watched her sigh and think. She soon broke the silence and said a simple "…fine…" I was shocked by her agreeing, and didn't say anything. "…Can I…go now…?" she quietly asked not making eye contact with me. "After this." I said as she looked up at me.

I once again brought my face in front of hers, but this time succeeded in a kiss on the lips. I felt her struggle to move for a moment, but soon gave up the fight. I softly broke the kiss and looked at her flustered face, then quietly said "Now you can go." I let go of her and she covered her mouth with her hands and ran. I stood there for a moment before I flowed and watched her leave to Mineral Town with a black haired girl who must be, Aikou.

Narumi's POV

Is he trying to make me hate him?! Doing things like that, why?! What is his so called 'goal' anyway? I'm so mad right now, how could he … this shouldn't really bug me. I'm not like other girls who would freak out if this happened. But why do I care so much all of a sudden?! He stole … my first kiss … under the light of the precious moon … the moon that I love so much…