Chase bolted upright in bed and sighed, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. This was the fourth time he woke up during the night. The faintest hint of the sunrise crept through his bedroom windows. He heard the eager chirps from the birds outside. He glanced at the clock on his dresser. 5:30. It was past time to wake up anyway.
He opened the drawer next to him and rummaged for a near empty plastic container. He poured a handful of bird seeds into his palm and opened the window over his bed. Five canary birds paced about on the windowsill. Chase scattered the seeds on the ground and the little birds took off, pecking furiously at their late meal.
Those birds came faithfully every morning since he rescued the runt from a prowling fox. They needed to learn how to hunt for themselves, but he couldn't resist those hungry chirps.
He wondered if Akari would be upset if he was a few minutes late. If anything, he should have been upset by her. He couldn't stop thinking about the night of the Firefly Festival. He could still taste the watermelon Chapstick on her lips. His confession looped through his head like an endless reel. He sounded so stupid. So pathetic. Did she hear any of it? He prayed it wasn't so.
He hopped in and out of the shower, brushed his teeth, pinned back his hair and headed to the kitchen to make some toast and tea. It became his staple breakfast after spending some time in the UK. He smashed some avocados and smeared it over his toast, wolfing it down in three bites.
He opened the front door and nodded at Craig as he toiled in the field behind his house. If anyone was more of a sourpuss than Chase, it was Craig. His lips remained pressed in a thin line as he lifted his hand in return. The early morning fog began to dissipate as the first rays of the morning sun broke through. Chase watched the canaries soar into the sky. The air was cool and crisp, a subtle reminder that fall was on its way.
Craig's son Taylor came bounding out of the house with a bag of seeds in his hand. His blonde hair was caked with gel. He tried to spike it and failed. The strands flopped as he ran toward Chase.
"Hi, Chase!" Taylor sang. Chase could never understand why kids were attracted to him. He didn't possess a paternal bone in his body. "You work on Akari's farm, right? Do you think she'd be interested in buying some seeds?"
Ruth and Craig were raising the little brat to be a bonafide salesman. "She's kinda strapped for cash," Chase replied. He continued to walk as Taylor trailed on his heels. "So, I doubt it."
Taylor pouted. "Well, I can loan them to her. With interest!"
Chase chuckled. "Congrats, kid. You're a true conman."
He frowned. "What's a conman?" Chase didn't answer and Taylor went on his way.
His stomach lurched as he trudged along the dirt path. He dreaded going to Akari's farm. Sure, the work wasn't so bad now that he was getting the hang of things. And with the produce shipped, he expected more than a measly 200g for his hard work. But now he couldn't wait for the bar to be rebuilt so he wouldn't have to face Akari every day. He couldn't believe he let himself get so soft. Was that how he really felt? And did that kiss mean anything other than a drunken bout of insanity?
He thought about the night he carried her home. He managed to carry her on his back. She kept slipping down and her deadweight wasn't helping. She smelled like a strange mix of liquor and lavender. When they finally reached her house, she started to come to. He opened the door and knelt down until her feet touched the wooden floor. She pried herself from his grasp and bolted to the bathroom. He fell back on the couch and waited for her to come out.
He took a thorough look around the room. A few weeks ago, the house looked disheveled, kind of like she did. But since then, she had tidied up and the place looked decent, although sparse. She was a minimalist for sure. She only kept the necessities. He switched on a lamp on her nightstand and stopped to look at a picture. The girl in the photo was younger, but he could tell it was Akari. She wore her hair longer then. She swaddled an orange cat close to her chest. An attractive man and woman stood behind her, who he assumed were her parents. Akari seldom spoke of her past life. That was something the two of them had in common. But unlike her, Chase didn't keep mementos of his family. Out of sight, out of mind...
Chase heard a quick flush before Akari stepped out of the bathroom. She rubbed her bloodshot eyes and yawned. "What are you doing in my house?"
He grinned. "I hope you don't always let men carry you home like this."
She ignored him and stumbled toward the bed. He caught her shoulders and redirected her to the bathroom. "I hope you brushed your teeth. No one should have to deal with your rancid breath in the morning."
She groaned again. "Leave me alone. I wanna go to bed."
"Just trust me. You'll be doing the world a favor."
Akari shut the door behind her as she attempted to brush her teeth. She swore a few times as he heard various objects fall to the door. He buried his face in his hands and sighed. Exhaustion was weighing on him. He was still in shock over everything that occurred. But he just couldn't deny it anymore. His feelingsforAkari had multiplied over the past few weeks. No one else could have persuaded him to stay on the island. He never felt tied down by anyone before. He wasn't cut out for that type of life. And the fact that a girl he barely knew made him reconsider everything was terrifying. He wasn't sure if Akari saw him as a friend or just some charity case, but he couldn't let her know the truth. She still had a boyfriend. And more than that, he couldn't allow anyone to influence his decisions. It was always just him. That's the way it was going to stay.
After five minutes of silence, he said, "Are you still alive in there?"
The door creaked open and Akari hobbled over to Chase with a lopsided smile. The smell of booze was replaced by the overwhelming scent of peppermint. She had toothpaste on the corners of her mouth and on the front of her dress. He shook his head. At least she smelled better.
"Ok, my job here is done. Get some sleep," he said, moving toward the door. She grabbed his hand. He froze as a jolt of electricity shot up his arm.
"Wait. I still feel bad," she whined.
He wiggled his hand from her grip. She looked so pitiful standing there. Even he couldn't help but sympathize. Before he could respond, her face scrunched up. She doubled over. It took him a little too long to realize what was happening.
She threw up all over his feet.
Dammit.
He just stood there and closed his eyes, waiting for it to end. The warm mush seeped between his toes. When she finished, she stood up straighter and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She smiled. "I feel much better."
It would have been funny...if it happened to someone else. He spent the rest of the night scrubbing the vomit from his sandals. And in spite of all of that, he stopped by a few hours later to make her breakfast and take care of the farm. He was seriously losing his mind.
A loud squeal disrupted him from his thoughts. He blinked and found himself on Akari's farm. The noise sounded close. He started to run and found Akari standing by the mailbox, holding a slip of paper to her face in disbelief. A flood of relief washed over him. He decided to make a joke. "Let me guess. You've finally gone bankrupt."
She looked up at him as he approached. If she smiled any harder, her face might have split in half. "More like the opposite! Look at this!" She held the paper in front of her so he could see. It was a check. 20,000g.
"Holy shit," he said. "Good work, farm girl."
"And the invoice!" She bounced on her feet as she shoved another piece of paper into his hands. He scanned its contents and raised his eyebrows. The quality of the produce was perfect and shining. He studied his hands in wonder. Who knew he had a talent for growing crops? Man, if he could have gotten a hold of those ingredients, he could have made the best dishes the islanders had ever tasted.
She laughed. "You're amazing!" She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him close. His nose was in her hair. She smelled like mangos or something fruity. He hesitated before wrapping his arms around her waist. He almost forgot how good a hug felt.
She pulled away, giving him a playful push, and started to laugh again. "Okay, you earned it. 10,000g. I ain't even mad."
He raised an eyebrow. "You did get my note yesterday, right?" He teased. Akari rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to respond until they heard someone clear their throat. Akari flinched as she and Chase whirled around. Owen stood at a distance, glaring at them with his arms crossed. His expression was dark.
"What the hell is this?" He demanded.
Akari began to stammer, her bubbly energy snuffed out like a candle. "I-I just got a check in the mail for 20,000g. I was excited…"
Owen's frown deepened. He took a few steps forward. "You said he earned it? Earned it for what?"
She lowered her head. "I...he's been helping me on the farm."
Owen darted a glance at Chase before refocusing on her. Almost instinctively, Chase inched closer to Akari. He couldn't believe Owen was beginning to lose his temper in front of him. His friendly facade was slipping. "I could've helped you! That's why I'm here now."
"The bar burned down. He needed a job…"
He barked out a laugh and pointed at Chase. "He never sticks around. He would've flown out to Alaska or something and got a job."
Chase consideredthat. He'd never been to Alaska.
Akari's shoulders slumped. "I was just being nice. You work all the time, Owen. I couldn't ask you. I'm sorry I waited so long to say something. It's just…"
"Is there something going on between you two?"
Chase laughed. Owen and Akari turned to look at him, bewildered by his reaction. He recomposed himself. "Look, I'm starting to see why she didn't tell you. It's not a big deal, but you're throwing a tantrum over it."
Owen gaped. "Excuse me?"
Chase shrugged. "I don't think I need to repeat myself."
Akari stood between them. "Stop it. And no, there's nothing going on. He's just working for me, that's all."
Her words stung a little. She didn't reciprocate his feelings, platonic or otherwise. He was just the farm help.
Owen narrowed his eyes. "You know what, Akari? I got sober. I've been doing all these nice things for you. And for what? You act like you don't even want to be around me. Now you're keeping secrets and sneaking around with this guy."
Akari shook her head. "That's not true…"
Owen stuck an accusing finger in her face. "You're just a whore!" That was it. Chase snatched his arm and wrung it across his back.
"Arrrrgggh!"
Owen fell to his knees. Akari gasped and covered her mouth. The world went still. A cold gust of wind rustled through the trees. Chase knelt beside him with a sardonic smile. "You're not very subtle, are you? You might fool everyone else but I see right through you. Your cover's blown. Now get out of here, asshole."
Owen raised his head. Tears poured down his face. Chase frowned. That was not the reaction he was expecting. In fact, he was ready to pull out his fists. While he preferred to attack people with his wit and sarcasm, he learned from experience that using violence was necessary at times.
Owen wobbled to his feet, cradling his hurt arm. "I'm sorry," he choked out. He took a few steps back, his eyes fixed on Akari. "I don't want to lose you." Her eyes filled with tears. Chase looked back and forth between them. He was stumped. This was more complex than he thought.
Owen stood still for a moment as if he expected Akari to run after him. Chase almost expected her to. But she didn't move. He could see the proverbial wall grow taller between them. Finally, he turned his back on her and headed toward town. Akari and Chase stood there in silence. He didn't know what to say to her. Comforting people was not his forte. Was he supposed to hug her? Pat her on the back? Say something encouraging? She fumbled with the check in her hands before looking up at him. Her cheeks were flushed. "Can I tell you something?"
He nodded, relieved that she spoke first. She motioned for him to follow her to the pond nearby. They sat under the shade of a large tree. Chase spotted a school of fish swimming under the surface of the water. He caught her watching them, too. Their eyes met. He was transported back to that day when Kathy asked him to talk to her. She was so broken then. But as he looked at her now, there was a hint of resolve and strength in that brokenness.
"Yesterday, Owen and I went on a date by the Church," she began. "Gill found us and he pulled me aside. He told me that someone saw us going into the Fugue Forest on the day of the storm. I don't remember that."
Chase tried to recall that day. Kathy was upset, because she couldn't find Akari. When she went to the Blacksmith's to see if Owen knew anything, Chloe and Ramsey told her he was still asleep. Chase found her unconscious on the Flute Fields bridge, which was only a few paces away from the forest. Something definitely wasn't adding up.
"I know Owen had something to do with what happened to me," she continued, gesturing at her head. "I just need proof." She bit her lip.
"I know you and I have our differences. You're a huge pain in the butt most of the time. Like, you really drive me up the wall. And I know you're just here for the job. But…you've been really reliable and you stood up for me just now. Will you help?"
Selfish Chase would've asked what was in it for him. And that was the first thought that came to mind. But his selfish nature was losing its grip. He knew Akari would only find closure if she could figure out the truth. Maybe it would give her reason enough to break up with Owen. Even if she didn't feel the same way, she was a friend at least. Plus, the girl was splitting 20,000g with him. He was essentially obligated to help her. When someone goes out of their way to help you out, you try to help them back. He lived by that motto. It was something his parents drilled into his head.
And despite himself, he wanted her to kiss him again. He swore to keep it a secret until his dying day.
"Akari, I bust people for a living."
She looked surprised. "I thought you cooked for a living."
"That's my day job. I moonlight as a private investigator."
She gave him a blank stare before laughing. "You can't be for real. Is that your weird way of saying 'yes, I'll help you, Akari'?"
He winked. "Wouldn't you like to know."
She swatted his shoulder, still smiling. He had already made up his mind. The 10,000g would be the perfect bribe money. He saw the path from point A to Z clearly, and he knew exactly how to get there. It would just take a little convincing.
What devious plan does Chase have cooked up?