Hey, everyone! Thanks for reading this story up until this point! I hope you are enjoying the ride!

Sairofe: Honestly, in the draft she was going to die, but then I decided not to kill her. Main reason being, I feel like the way she left him, by simply not returning his letters and just left him for another shows her outright rejection of his past and therefore who he was (and at that point, his being a gangster was a really significant part of him as a whole). This would be more painful to the newly lovesick Klaus than, perhaps, if I killed her. Not that death of loved ones is less painful, but... I hope you get what I mean. Heartbreak because of her leaving was a new kind of pain for Klaus. I think that's the best way I could put it.

While Raelyn was aware that Iris was around, the blonde novelist was so silent that her presence was almost undetectable, except for her perfume. It was just a small dab around the wrists and the back of her ears, but enough for Raelyn to know where she was.

"If I may ask, what kind of story do you have in mind, Miss Iris?"

"A story of growing up. I think a farm would be a marvelous symbol for it."

Raelyn nodded in delight. "Yes! Here, you watch many things grow up. Would your main character be a woman, too, as always?"

"Yes, surely. A young, female farmer who will learn what it means to grow up, love and lose."

The pinkette farmer hauled the bucket full with cow dungs and brought it outside, near the Maker Shed. Iris' scent was getting further away, for an obvious reason, but was still close enough to give Raelyn a respite from the smell of what she was carrying. She loved animals, but certainly this was not her favorite part of the job. She made a mental note to visit Gunther when the shop was open, in case there was something that could be done to solve this plight.

Raelyn washed her hands—her gloves, actually—before she moved on with the field. Iris was already waiting for her nearby. "This farmer, what is she like?"

"Hmm… I'm not sure yet, but I'm thinking of having someone who is gentle and reserved, like a flower bud."

"I think I can relate to her, then…"

Raelyn crouched down and brought her nose close to a patch of broccoli sprout. It should be ready tomorrow, she thought to herself. It was then popped up in her mind: broccoli was one of Ibuki's favorite vegetables. In fact, part of the reason why she grew it was so that she could share some with him.

Ibuki…

He popped up in her mind now and then. Ever since that evening, she had not seen him around. He seemed to make it a point not to bump into her, because, how else could two farmers-neighbors never cross paths in three days?

Raelyn walked back to the mountains after she returned Iris' scarf. Up until now, she had not seen Ibuki at all. Perhaps she should visit him? But, what should she say to him? Truthfully, she was not really sure whether she was ready to answer the question he left her with the last they conversed.

"Miss Iris, you have written a great deal about love… can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Raelyn, go ahead."

"How… how does it feel like? How do you know that the feeling you have is love? The love?"

Raelyn saw Iris' gentle gaze studying her carefully. Something in Iris reminded Raelyn of her aunt, perhaps their gentleness? She was sure, however, that on one way or another, Iris had been the elder sister she never had. "Before I answer your question, would you mind answering one of mine first?"

Raelyn weighed her option, and after a while, she nodded.

"Did something happen between you, Klaus and Ibuki?"

She nodded again. Iris smiled serenely, as if had been expecting such answer. "I take it you are confused as to what you feel towards the two of them?"

Another nod.

"I have… some experience myself, but even then, I'm not sure whether I can answer you satisfactorily. However, I believe that love is not always showy and flashy. In fact, love that endures is the one that grows quietly over time, taking roots in your being, and when you realize it… it's already there. Sometimes, love is not all about being comfortable with one another… in fact, many times it's about making each other uncomfortable in a way to make each other a better version of themselves. Changes are uncomfortable, and to love is… I suppose, a change."

"What about the saying that true love accepts you for who you are, then?"

"I'm not saying that's wrong, but you see—there's a difference between accepting and encouraging a positive change—" Iris took the watering can in Raelyn's hand. "—you see this? You upgraded this tool to make it better, right? Does that mean you did not accept it the way it was?"

Raelyn shook her head, starting to see the similarities Iris was trying to show her.

"So, between these two… what do you think?"

The pinkette took a deep breath. "I must admit, these days… I'm more comfortable with Ibuki around. We're of similar age, so I don't feel the need to be so… formal around him."

Iris nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"Yet…"

The sun had just set, so Raelyn took out her lantern and lighted it up. When she stepped into the pond area, she began to feel… strange, like someone else was there. Was it the Harvest Sprites? No, they usually went away before dark.

"…Ibuki?"

No reply.

Wild animals?

Raelyn struggled to pick up her pace towards her farm. She started to regret for not bringing Yin at times like these. It was then her nose caught a foreign scent.

"…yet?"

"Yet, there are times I cannot help but wonder… how different it would be if it had been Mr. Klaus instead," Raelyn admitted. "I know he dismissed it as childish infatuation, or sisterly affection, but how could it be so if I keep comparing him and Ibuki? I thought these imaginations—of me and him—were because I did not get a proper closure with him, so I went and asked him… but he turned me away. Now, I'm so confused…"

A thin figure appeared from behind one of the larger trees near the Goddess' Pond. "Who are you? Are you lost?"

Raelyn put up her lantern so she could get a better view of that figure. It was a man she had never seen before, with angry-looking face and a nose slightly bent to the side. Ever since more traders came more frequently to the town, Oak Tree had received more and more temporary visitors. Could this man be one of them? What was he doing out here near the Goddess' Pond? Could he be making offerings?

Raelyn put her reservations and suspicions aside. "The town is that way," she told him while pointing at the general direction to the town. "Go down that road, you'll then pass the flooded field and the grain field area, just continue—"

Suddenly the man lunged at her. Shocked, Raelyn dropped the lantern to the ground and reflexively grabbed his left arm, turned on her right heel while at the same time locking his arm with her free arm, and then threw him across the field with one big sweeping movement. Raelyn was surprised to find that she could execute that move properly while not in training, with a force enough to send him some meters away from her. Must be a result from her farm work. Her shoulder was slightly sore from the weight, though.

It was a move she was taught back at home. She had never thought she would actually use it, much less with such a force. Mom would be proud, she thought for a moment, her heart swelling with pride and gratefulness.

Much to her surprise, that man quickly recovered on his feet. He stretched his back and rotated his waist. "For a small bitch like yerself, yer ain't bad!"

Her past life in the city and interactions with the traders familiarized her with many accents, but not this one. She could barely make out what he was trying to say, but fear began gripping at her. Raelyn took a tentative step back while she reached into her rucksack. Tools… tools…

Raelyn had just found something with a handle—a hammer? An axe? A hoe? A sickle?... hopefully not her herding bell—when that man began to speak again. "Ya know jerk called Klaus?"

He knew Mr. Klaus?

She pulled out whatever she was holding and threw it at him when he made a step forward. It turned out to be her herding bell, but it was enough to distract him. Raelyn immediately fled from the area.

"Damn ya, bitch!"

Raelyn was too focused on the man pursuing her that she didn't properly see where she was heading at. Instead of her farm, she ran towards the tea, fruit and spices fields. When she realized her mistake and was about to turn back, that man had caught up to her.

Oh no!

"I know ya know dat jerk," he said as he slowly stalked up on her.

Raelyn quickly rummaged through her rucksack and pulled out the first thing she could get her hands on. This time, it was her brush. Without thinking any further, she just threw it, but he easily deflected it and pounced on her, pushing her to the ground with his hand around her neck. Raelyn struggled furiously against him.

"Let me go!"

"Naw naw lemme got a good look on ya… ya quite a looker, don'cha?"

Raelyn pulled his fingers with all of her strength, and when she felt that his grip began to loosen, she placed a well-aimed kick at his crotch. It was not enough to knock him out, but enough to let her go. However, since he blocked the only path out, Raelyn made the daring decision to head to the fruit field instead. Perhaps, she could make a detour and trip him with the terrain?

However, he was more agile than she had expected. Every climb, every drop, he managed to stay on her trail. Raelyn thought perhaps she should throw more of her tools at him, but quickly decided against it. With her bell and brush already out, most of her tools were either sharp or blunt and heavy—either way, they could literally kill someone.

Suddenly, Raelyn tripped on a slippery snow. She fell into the ground, face first, and when she managed to turn around, he was already hovering above her. She tried to trip him, but he evaded her easily. "Come on… be a good girl and stay still, won'tcha?"

In her desperation, the pinkette rummaged for her shears and brandished it in front of him. "Stay away from me!"

The man grinned wickedly and twisted her wrist with an unexpected amount of force, forcing her to drop the shears. "Ya put up a good fight, but yer fool if ya think that could stop me!"

Raelyn felt her tears were at the verge of bursting out as she tried to wriggle her hand free from him.

"Answer me, ya know Klaus?"

Raelyn was confused as what to say, but when he jerked on her hair roughly, she cried out. "YES! YES I KNOW HIM!"

"Good… good…" he put his lips so close to her ear, bringing with him the suffocating smell of cigarette mixed with sweat to her nose. Raelyn started to feel dizzy, and disgusted when she felt his breath on her ear as he asked: "Ya close with him?"

"What do you want from me?"

"At first? Nothing lots, just someone to shack with… but after what yer done, seems like we gonna have it rough, bitch. And since ya said ya know Klaus, I wanna ask a thing, or two."

"…let me go, please…"

"Naw naw, ya threw all that shit and now ya want me to let ya go?"

Raelyn took a deep breath and put everything she had in one exhale: "HELP ME! ANYONE, PLEASE!"

That man released his grip on her, only to slap her hard across her cheek. She slumped into the ground. He roughly grabbed and turned her body, forcing her back against the cold ground by pressing her using his weight. Her struggle was in vain, too, since he held down her hips and her arms by pinning his knees on them. She tried to kick him, but her legs were simply not long enough. He clamped her mouth shut with his hand, muffling away her screams. He then took the shears from the ground, and using it, he began to cut away her shirt. Raelyn trembled when the cold air began to touch her previously covered skin, and more when she imagined what would happen after this.

"Milky skin… haven't had this for quite some time… I'll enjoy ya."

Raelyn closed her eyes shut, not having the willingness to see that man doing whatever he intended to do to her. Help, anyone… please…

Then, she heard a smacking sound, and then a loud thud.

"Don't you ever dare to touch her, bastard."

That voice…

Carefully, she opened her eyes. Much to her surprise, she saw his towering figure in front of her, while her assaulter slumped to the ground nearby. His raven hair was darker than the winter night, like feathers of a crow, while his golden eyes flashed in an intense emotion she had never seen before.

Raelyn blinked once, twice, then thrice, but Klaus' figure remained where he was. She was not imagining it. Klaus was here, saving her. Questions began to appear in her head, like what was he doing here at this time of the day, but one baffled her the most:

Did he just… cursed?

Klaus came at the nick of time!

His confrontation with Craig cannot be avoided any longer!

What would happen next? Stay tuned to find out!

Thanks for reading! Please tell me what you think of this chapter through your reviews!