I do not own Harvest Moon, but wish I did.

Hey again. Here is chapter 2, enjoy.

Collen gave out a long sigh as she entered the Inn's main room, and remembered the troublesome events of yesterday. Practically half the town was in this room ten hours ago asking about her newest guest and what happened. Collen calmly told the crowd that Akari was resting and needed a few days, as for what happened to Akari the mayor was going to tell everyone at a board meeting soon. After a bit of protest on still wanting to see her, Jake and Yolanda stepped in shoving the villagers out into the street and made sure to lock the door.

"Good Maya, mix 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon this time not 1 teaspoon, ok?"

"Yes."

Collen recognized the voices of Yolanda and her daughter through the wall she was standing near. They were in the kitchen and it smelled like Maya was making an apple pie. Collen figured she would sneaked back into the hall way and let the two continue their work in peace. In the hall she noticed an off centered picture on the wall and moved it back into place on the nail.

It was a picture of Maya, Akari, and Chase playing at the beach together when they were eight. Akari was in a light blue one piece that had green fish sewn on by Shelly. Her hair was down to her shoulders then. She was holding a bucket of seashells with a giant smile across her face. Maya had on a frilly one piece that came with a skirt and she looked to be giving Chase, who didn't look so thrilled, an orange seashell. Collen smiled to herself as she looked at Maya and Chase in the photo. The past week Maya had not burned a dish. The mistake that were made this time were the ingredients. Eventually Maya will become as good as Yolanda and Chase will agree to marry her.

This fantasy was always playing in Collen's head. Maya and Chase were meant to be. They grew up together and now have "love fights" everyday. Collen was bothered by the fact that Chase was sometimes a little too harsh on her child, but he was mature compared to other men in the town. A particular part of the equation she left out was Akari. She was but the childhood friend of Maya in Collen's eyes and never looked at as competition. Maya had long, beautiful blond hair, sweet, a cook, and was obedient. Akari on the other hand was a tomboy since she was little. Collen remembered talking to Akari's mother of all the times she was grounded or came home after midnight covered in mud. Why would anyone be interested in her? Maya was brought up much better.

Yolanda listen to Collen's footsteps fade away and rolled her eyes. It was six in the morning, why is the queen up that early. She usually slept in until nine.

Yolanda never liked Collen, she was from the city and she sure acted like it at times. Why her son married that girl is a mystery, but Yolanda agreed to it, wanting Jake to be happy. A year after their marriage Maya came along and those she could be as annoying as her mother, she still had a kind heart like her father.

Maya hummed a happy tune as she mixed the apple pie ingredients together. The blond looked over at her grandma to see why she was so quiet and found a dark aura around her body. The humming slowed down; letting Yolanda no she was scaring her granddaughter.

"Sorry dear," Yolanda said, patting the girl on the head, "just thinking about our unfortunate guest."

Maya gave a gentle smile and poured that batter into the crust, and quickened her humming again. Yolanda then let Maya cook on her own, and walked over to the other side of the kitchen where Chase sat on a worn out stool watching Maya in a daze.

"Falling for my granddaughter suddenly, hmmm how hard did I hit you on the head Chase?"

"Ha funny," Chase said, glaring at his hands that held his signature hairpins.

"Not going to cook today?"

"I have a job to do at night, I'll cook then."

"Why Chase, what is troubling you so much that you're not learning that new recipe I gave you? Gill is going to be disappointed, after all there are tomatoes in it," Yolanda, teased.

Chase ran a hand through his honey colored hair and stood up grabbing at the fridge.

"Tomatoes are not in the fridge Chase. Are you alright?"

"She looked so upset," Chase said out of the blue, throwing Yolanda off.

Chase began placing an apple, strawberries, a banana, kiwi, a pineapple, and a package of grapes on the counter from the fridge, as the pinkette gave thought on who he was talking about. Maya looked over at the rainbow of colors on the counter in amazement, while she placed the pie in the oven.

"Do you mean Akari?" Maya pitched in, coming closer to the two with interest.

"Stay out of it Maya."

"Bingo," Yolanda realized, "what you do suddenly grab her into your arms and passionately kiss her without her consent?"

Maya and Chase both blushed at the thought of that happening in the doctors' office, and Yolanda laughed at their reaction.

"Akari and I are friends Yolanda," Chase said, fighting the blush down and chopping at the food expertly.

"Yeah," Maya agreed, rather loud.

Yolanda smirked at Maya, whose face had jealousy written all over it.

Seeing that Chase was at least working again Yolanda stopped teasing him and decided to let him be. She needed to take a walk down to Marimba Farm to get more fruit anyway.

For the most part Chase was able to ignore Maya watching him fit the fruit on skewers, but ever time he looked down to pick up a certain piece of fruit he could have sworn Maya inched closer. By the time he was halfway done with his third skewer he could hear Maya breathing next to him.

"Chase are you ok?"

"Peachy."

"Akari must have hurt you. Just leaving for the city and not telling you good bye," Maya said, placing a hand on the cuff of his sleeve that was pushed forcefully up to his elbow.

"Maya can you sh-"

"Excuse me."

The soft voice pierced the air around the two cooks. There standing by the entrance of the kitchen was Akari in a large, purple bathroom that dragged on the floor. Her hair was tied in a tiny ponytail and she looked as if she just woken up. Chase pushed his creation to the side and nudged Maya's hand off of him.

"Can you show me where the bath is?"

"Of course Akari! Here this way."

Maya walked out of the kitchen with Akari trailing behind. Neither Chase nor Akari dare to look at one another, Maya noticed and smiled deep inside. Chase would be hers.

The bath felt nice on Akari's skin that was far from being clean. The water was already a light gray and Akari prayed that Maya wouldn't pop in to check on her and see how dirt the water had become. A window was opened above the tub and Akari could spot scattered rain clouds in the sky. In brought back the horrible memory of the ship wreak. Her father brushed a hair back from her face, and gave her one last kiss on the head before shoving her onto a life boat and cutting the cord that fastened it to the ship. Akari knew the storm they got caught in killed her father and her heart felt shaken after loosing the most important person in her life like that. Tears glassed her eyes, but Akari refused to cry and needed to learn how to forget about the pain. Her father would hate to see her this way, after all the work they went through to get her back on the island for a year.

Everyone she met so far seemed happy to see her, except her best friend. Akari grabbed at a shampoo and massaged it into her salty hair, while thinking of ways to apologize to him. All of a sudden a scent of oranges sent Akari into alarm.

"Chase?" Akari called, trying to hide her body beneath the warm, murky water.

No answer.

Akari gave one last scan of the bathroom before dunking her head underwater to rinse the shampoo out. She then noted that the water smelled like him too. Was she going crazy? However, the shampoo bottle came back into Akari's mind, so she reached for it and read the label. Orange Orchard.

"Oh, that is why he smells like oranges...hmmm. I wonder if Chase and Maya are dating yet"

Akari recalled the two in the kitchen, with Maya holding onto Chase's arm and a look of deep love on her face. She never thought those two would become a couple. Akari laughed at the idea of them marrying and finished up her bath to talk with Maya. A towel was ready on the rack, which that Akari took with delight. She was never pampered with a fresh towel. Back in the city she lived in a tiny apartment with her mom and dad. Once a week they went to the laundry mat and there were only five bathing towels the family could afford. Akari made sure to take the dirty ones, she didn't mind since they never smelled.

Finished drying off, the brunette looked around for clothes to see a blue sundress, white frilly underwear, and a matching bra laid out on the toilet. Akari cursed Maya in her head. First frills were never her thing, but a dress. Maya knew how much she disliked dresses, but it was better than smelling like sushi.

The hallway was quiet, so Akari tipped toed rapidly into her room and closed the door. On her bed was a plate of what looked like fruits on a stick. She wasn't to thrilled about the kiwi, but hunger defeated judgment and she ate it all the same. It felt nice going down her throat and it wasn't a heavy meal that woul be hard for her stomach to digest either. Feeling tired again Akari laid on top of the bed, thinking she would take a small nap then find Maya to talk to. Akari loved how the bed was also comfier here than the apartment pull out couch.

"Why did mom want to leave such a nice place," Akari thought, closing her eyes.

Suddenly a light knock and an inaudible voice startled Akari from her rest. She didn't open her eyes or say anything, hoping this would leave the person to believe she was sleeping. However, the door opened anyway and the sound of footsteps made their way toward the bed. Akari shut her eyes tighter, and softened her breathing. The noise gradually grew louder until it stopped at the edge of the bed. Akari noticed she had stopped breathing through her mouth now and her eyes were starting to hurt from being shut so tight. She sensed the figure watching her, as she fake slept, which made it that much more harder to pretend.

Without warning the figure's voice whispered close into Akari's ear, "I know your awake."

Akari snapped her eyes open in shock and saw Chase lean away from her surprised face. He raised a brow at the sight of his best friend in a dress, but it made her look feminin for once.

"Finished?" Chase pointed to the stripped skewers scattered on the plate.

He got a simple nod, which bothered him. Was she still upset he wasn't really talking to her?

Chase pretended not to care that she wasn't socializing, and grabbed the plate. Akari felt bad she hadn't said anything to him, but she was still surprised how close his face was to her's. As Chase reached the door he chose to finally settle this problem with Akari. It was better to bring it up now then endure the awkward moments they kept creating.

"I'm sorry," they said in unison.

The two looked at one another shocked. Akari figured she would explain her sorry since Chase seemed confused as to why she said it.

"Chase, I didn't mean to suddenly leave the island. I came home that day and my mom sprung the idea of the city on my dad and I. My dad agreed and I had no say. Apparently my mom already bought tickets for the boat, so we left that night without saying anything to anyone. Gill must have found out from his father and told you I was leaving, right?"

"Yeah," Chase confirmed, looking out the window toward the Mayor's house.

"I though so. I remember seeing you by the light house with Gill. Anyway the city was horrible. The air was gross, the house was small, and everything worked way to fast there. School was difficult too. I failed four classes in the beginning. My mom was getting angry, so we made a deal that if i passed high school I could come back to visit. I managed to pass and two years later here I am. I never knew I hurt you though. Maya said you were happy to find out I was coming back. You must hate me"

Chase concerned looked back at Akari to see her sitting on the edge of the bed near him with bangs covering her eyes. Her shoulders looked limp and the blue dress made her look like a lost little girl.

"I feel like such an idiot I angered you, my closest friend an..and now my father died..Chase I am sorry," Akari choked out gripping the hem of the dress.

Two tears flowed down the girl's cheek and onto the dress, as she started to break down. Chase put the plate down on her desk and hurriedly came back to the bedside. Slowly he pushed the hair away from her eyes and rested his hands by her ear, forcing her to look up at him.

"I don't hate you, I just didn't want you to leave m..er the island. I want to apologize that I was acting so distant before. I thought you hated me," Chase blushed, at the sudden spike in his honesty level and dropped his hands from her face.

Akari blushed too after realizing his hands were on her face, they were strong and rough from working in the kitchen.

"I could never hate you Chase. After all you are the only one I trusted with my family problems when we were young."

Akari smiled at him, while he took a seat next to her on the bed.

"Does your mom still hit you?"

"When she is drunk."

Akari tried to laugh it off, but Chase stared at her angry and annoyed

"I'm sorry I couldn't help you, but I promise now I will take care of you again."

Akari whispered a thank you and felt happy the issue was officially settled with Chase, but she felt different around him compared to when they were younger. A kind of butterfly feeling that happened every time she looked at him. Maybe it was because he changed so much. His baby fat was all gone, hair got lighter, voice deeper, and he had a bit of muscle on his body.

"Akari, Akari, Jin is here to check on you...uh Chase why are you hear," Maya said, barging into the room, causing Akari to jump away from Chase.

Akari entered upon a state of panic. What was she doing being so close to Maya's boyfriend.

"I was grabbing a plate from her room Maya."

Chase stood up and grabbed the plate off the desk to prove his point. Maya ignored him and looked toward Akari.

"Come and let Jin see how you are doing, he even brought Anissa with him."

Akari perked up at the mention of Anissa, she was the wisest of her friends on the island and helped her learn how to read at a young age. So Akari walked over to Maya, who stood hiding her frustration at the fact the two were alone in a room together and were sitting rather close to one another.

Chase followed behind Akari, with an agitated look on his face. Maya really pissed him off some days.

To be continued...

I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter. I want to fit Gill and Luke in some time soon, possibly next chapter or the one after. Luke always spices up stories some how, lol. I may update the next chapter a little late in the month, because right now I am reviewing colleges like crazy. Please R&R =D