Hey everyone, for the record, I know that in the game Oak Tree Town doesn't have a church nor a graveyard but in my liberty, I decided to make this story otherwise. If I could choose the place, I'd say the church (and most probably the graveyard as well) would be placed at the northeastern side, at the end of the road between the general store and the eastern part of the town (if I remember correctly on the path after the stairs next to Klaus' there's a road leading up but actually we can't go there because we'll be led back to the general store). If my memory serves me wrong, I'm sorry ^^"

In this chapter, we'll see more side to Raelyn and Klaus AND a liiiitle bit more about Klaus' past. ^^

"The Earth may be round, but the world is never fair… that's why I think we should try to be as fair as possible to each other."

Klaus buttoned his black waistcoat with those words echoed in his mind. It had been long since he remembered about her, but when he did it felt like it was yesterday. She was a memory of his long bygone days, the ones he wanted to regard as lost and never found, but it seemed that they caught up to him.

As a consolation, she was one of the better ones.

Klaus put on his jacket and walked out from his house. Today was the last day of Fall as well as the funeral service of the most senior farmer of the town. The townspeople were to be gathered to the graveyard, where Eda would be interred next to her late husband as per her wish.

When he arrived at the graveyard together with Iris, Mistel and Agate, there were already some people surrounding the newly dug patch and the closed coffin: Veronica, Angela, Otmar, Fritz and Raelyn. They were busy preparing everything that was needed for the memorial service later: the chairs, the stand for speakers, things as such. The newly arrived party went over to Veronica, "Madam Veronica, do you need help?" Iris asked.

Veronica looked around for a moment. "It would be very nice of you to help Raelyn and Fritz in preparing the chairs… and perhaps some to remind the other townsfolk since the service should start soon."

"I'll go help with the chairs," he volunteered.

"Then the three of us will go around the town."

Klaus walked over to the stack of chairs and took one of them. When he turned around, he found Raelyn was about to take a chair as well. She seemed surprised, "Mr. Klaus?"

Her voice was rather hoarse and he could see her eyes were red. "Good morning," he greeted while handing over the chair to her.

"Ah, thank you…"

Klaus nodded and she turned away. Before he could think of anything else, Fritz came over and Klaus handed him a chair as well. Slowly, people started to come—including Eda's grandson from the city—and Klaus took his seat between Raelyn and Iris, however he couldn't bear to look at the former.

It's natural that she's crushed, he thought. But, why… I just can't look at her?

After the last priest passed away, the town hadn't had its own priest until earlier this season, taking up residence in the church built in the northeastern part of the town. This would be his first ceremonial service. Since he didn't get to know Eda well, he didn't speak much; Veronica and Otmar did, while Raelyn refused to do so.

The chairs were put aside and Eda's coffin was slowly lowered into the earth after the last eulogy from Otmar. After the last scoop of earth was thrown onto the newest addition to the grave together with the priest's solemn accompaniment—"From earth we emerge, to earth we shall return."—Veronica took the stage once again. It seemed that it was the custom of the town; the guild master had the obligation to announce the deceased's will right after the funeral.

"People of Oak Tree Town, now I will announce Madam Eda's last will," she began. "According to the latest version of her written will, all of her remaining livestock will be sold with the proceeds going to the town's fund, while her steeds would be donated to the town's public steed rental services…"

"…with the exception of a black stallion with the name Yang, which will be in Mr. Niklaus Adler's possession," Klaus could sense the shock from the other townspeople—well, he would be himself if she hadn't told him beforehand. "Her private farmland would be given to Miss Raelyn Forrester."

"What?!" a voice rose from the crowd. Klaus looked for the source; it came from a young man with a sandy blond hair, who he heard to be Eda's grandson. "That's impossible!" he protested. "I'm her grandson! I should be her heir!"

"Mr. Ibuki Tanagawa," Veronica nodded at him grimly. "Under the law that governs this region, her written will—completed two days before her passing—would take precedence over your kinship to her."

"Who the hell is this Raelyn Forrester?!"

"That would be me."

Ibuki glared at the pinkette and stomped over to her place. Klaus and Raeger, who were standing on each of her side, became alerted but they allowed him to come closer. "And how could my grandmother give her farm to you?"

"Perhaps because I live next to her?" Raelyn suggested with a coldness that shocked many who heard her voice. "Perhaps because I'm right next to her while you're far away in the city?"

"Wha—?!" his face reddened in rage at her insinuation. "You gold digger! You must've taken advantage of her! There's no way—"

A loud slap interjected him. Ibuki was stunned, his right cheek slowly turned red from the impact. "How dare you?!" Raelyn yelled. "I've had enough of this! If you want that farm so badly, go ahead and take it!"

By that time, Raeger had restrained Raelyn from harming Ibuki further but that didn't stop Ibuki from trying to grab her himself. "You—"

That was it for him. Klaus grabbed the young man's hand before he could reach her. "I think that's more that enough," he said sternly.

The young man tried to break free, but Klaus tightened his grip on Ibuki's wrist. "Leave us alone! I'll settle this matter with this bi—"

"If you could be this rude to her in front of the townspeople, what could you do to her if we do leave you alone?" Klaus asked harshly, his chest began to tighten with a flame of anger he thought he had managed to extinguish completely. "And I would have nothing of you disrespecting her."

"You—"

Before it escalated further, Veronica stepped in. "Let us settle the matter in the town's guild, if you will."

Iris also stepped forward and gave Klaus' shoulder a light squeeze. "Watch out, Klaus," she whispered in warning. "You don't want to let your temper getting better of your judgment."

The blonde then turned and looked at Ibuki, "And you, young man," she said. "You are threading on a very dangerous path right now. If I were you, I'd be very careful on what I'll do next."

Klaus took a deep breath, calming himself down. It took him some moments before he was sure he could handle himself in front of others, but the knowledge that he almost unleashed his carefully sealed away temper slightly terrified him.

And he thought he'd known better…

Klaus was just walking around the bridge when he saw Raelyn walking away from the town's direction. It seemed that the matter on the farm's ownership had been settled. He approached her carefully, "Raelyn…"

"Oh? You're still here, Mr. Klaus?"

Klaus glanced at the river. "The scenery here soothes my soul."

Raelyn followed his gaze and a moment later she replied quietly. "I might understand what you meant…"

They began walking towards her farm. Of course, Klaus noticed that Raelyn hadn't shed even a single tear during the service—not even when she was enraged at Ibuki.

"He would be taking over the farm," she informed him, as if reading his mind. "I thought it would be for the best, too. He'll do fine."

"You know of him?"

Raelyn nodded. "Granny told me once of him… said that he used to help out around."

Klaus nodded thoughtfully. "Perhaps he would need some help in the beginning… but I'm sure he'll be fine after a week. Getting back to our roots are easier than starting on something new…"

They arrived at her farm and she glanced at the direction of Eda's farm momentarily before throwing her gaze on the opposite direction. "Raelyn," he called.

She turned to face him. "Yes?"

"It's fine if you want to cry."

"Huh?" she held her breath and Klaus could see that she really was on the verge of tears. "I can't…"

"Why?"

"Because crying… won't bring her back." Nevertheless, her tears managed to break free. She clutched at her chest as she began sobbing. "I—I'm sorry… I just…"

Klaus gingerly put his hand on her head. He knew he brought this to himself; he had encouraged her to cry. Perhaps he shouldn't because he knew what she said was true. He had been there once and it wasn't something to be repeated.

Moreover, how could the sight of her tears crush him so?

There was a passing thought of impropriety in his head, but the sight of her crying surmounted all those manmade unseen boundaries. So that he couldn't see her tears anymore, he stepped forward and pulled her against himself, wrapping his free arm slightly below her shoulders.

"Will the pain go away…?" she asked.

For a moment, the sight came back to him: his father lying flat on his stomach and his mother pegged on the wall with a knife through her throat. For years he couldn't stop thinking of why, from all days, that happened when he stayed over at his friend's place. For years he couldn't stop thinking of what could have been—perhaps there would be one more dead body, but at least he'd do so while defending his family.

He tightened his arms ever so slightly around her and he whispered, an answer as much as it was to her as it was to himself.

"No…"

Thanks for reading! Please rate and review ^^