She'll be apples!

Top of the morning to you! Name's Kevin and this here is my ranch. Need any help? Not a problem! Just give a call and I'll come running. ♪

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A Visit Long Overdue

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Her eyes widened at the mention of the “beautiful place”. She blinked, looking up to Kevin with a small, hopeful smile. “Really?” She replied with a bit of wonder.

Nori giggled, a hand lifting up to cover her light, pink lips. “That sounds like something I would really like to do, actually. Do you think you could take me? I would like to see that. Oh — .. Could we take some iced tea, or water with us, first? I’m quite thirsty…” She gave him another hopeful look, hoping that her request wasn’t too much. Nori wasn’t really used to asking things of others. She would always do these things for everyone else!

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Kevin didn't even bother hiding the thrilled expression that emerged onto his features. He gave a bold nod of his head and pointed to his wooden farmhouse.

"Sure thing! I'll go get us some refreshments and then we'll take you over to that beautiful spot for your birthday. Wait here for me. ♪" And with that, the farmer winked quickly and took his short leave, dashing through the door. While he rummaged through the fridge for the last two cans of iced tea, he wondered how happy this place would make Nori. Thinking about it gave way to a pink blush on his cheeks--but he didn't seem to mind it at all. Instead, he was out the door and by Nori's side again within seconds.

Grinning, he held out one of the iced tea cans to her. "Shall we, my dear? It's going to look perfect once the sun sets! Er--" He smiled sheepishly and shyly scratched his cheek. "Guess I shoulda mentioned that I'd be keeping you until after dark. It's part of this place's appeal! That ok? I'll walk you home myself, of course - safe and sound. ♪"

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A Visit Long Overdue

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Nods her head when he replies back in surprise, assuring him that it was indeed her birthday. 

When he brings his arm around her porcelain shoulder, she pulls back a bit, surprised at his physical affection, just as she always was. Swallows back a lump in her throat, one that was ever so familiar to her when Kevin’s physical affection should appear.

"Does it? Ahh — I don’t really know, I wasn’t expecting to be celebrating my birthday with you today… Ermm.." Pauses as she glances at his hand that dangled from her shoulder. "What do you think we should do?"

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Kevin watched the flood of reactions take place upon Nori's features, causing him to chuckle lightheartedly. She was as modest and sincere as she had been from the day that they had met.

"Sorry, sorry! ♪ I just get so excited when it's a friend's birthday that I tend to get ahead of myself. But, 'm sure you could already tell as much, huh? ♪" With a playful wink and a small squeeze on her shoulder, Kevin continued smiling at his friend - softer this time, as if a warmness had overtaken him.

"We can do anything you'd like to do, Nori. It's your birthday and it only comes once a year! ... ... And if you can't think of anything, I know of a beautiful little place that I could take you to. Just say the word~"

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A Visit Long Overdue

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Nori couldn't help the tint in her cheeks. She felt as if she was as pink as the cherry blossoms swaying in the breeze above their heads. Though he considered the gesture to be small, she could feel her heart skip at the thought that he went out of his way to bring something into his life to remind himself of her.

She didn't mention it again, though. She didn't want to make a bigger deal out of it than she was already making.

She shrugged her shoulders slightly in response to his question. "I'm not sure, to tell you the truth... I was going to do some celebrating today after I came to you for a visit. Have something sweet, perhaps. That's why I've come from Konohana. My grandfather sent me away to celebrate my birthday! He said .. 'Nori you need to enjoy the day!' And pushed me out of the door and wouldn't let me back in!"

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Instantly, Kevin's eyes widened in an almost embarrassed manner. A pink blush arose onto his cheeks and surged throughout his features, before he blinked both eyes and leaned in closer as if to make sure he really had heard Nori properly.

"It's your birthday today? Really??" The farmer's lips began to form a genuinely enthused smile and he gave the back of his head a sheepish rub. "Well, would you look at that! Who would have thought that Miss Nori would come and visit me on her birthday. Right then!" Kevin grinned at her now and gently wrapped his arm around her delicate shoulder.

"This calls for a celebration, isn't that right? What shall we do together, birthday lady? ♪"

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A Visit Long Overdue

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She watched as his expression changed in an instant. It was a lot softer now, less playful… more bashful in a way. 

She could feel a heat rise to her cheeks when he spoke to her. The words he spoke made her feel an excitement she had never felt before — not unless she was with him. As she listened, her heart rate increased to the point where she thought it would burst from her chest. But she retained the facade of tranquility as best she could. She was hoping the sunlight would mask the blush of her own, though she couldn’t pull back her smile and keep that from him. “I missed having you visiting Konohana, too. Though, I must say, there is nothing planted for you back home… I am very flattered.. Thank you. No one’s has ever done something like this for me.”

She stepped up beside the tree, her hand resting against the bark, her fingers trailing along its rough surface. “It is probably the nicest thing someone has done for me..”

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"Aww shucks, Miss Nori! There's no need to thank me, you know." Kevin smiled, taking a step closer to his friend. His eyes softened and his cheeks reddened beneath the rays of sunshine that were beaming down on them. "I just did it 'cos I wanted to. Thought they were pretty and made my farm look warm and welcoming. ♪ I'm just glad you've taken a liking to them! You can come back as often as you'd like to see 'em~"

He chuckled before turning his smile to the beach that his farm overlooked, crystal blue waves rolling in the background. "Say, now that you're here... tell me. What have you got planned for tomorrow, hm?"

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A Visit Long Overdue

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She gave him a single nod, the corners of her lips curving into a smile. “I do know what you’re talking about, quite well actually.” A light breeze picked up, blowing a few strands of hair into her face. She quickly brushed them away before continuing. “No matter where it is I go, there’s something about home that I always miss. And not because it is home, but because there is something about the air… the water.. everything makes me miss it.”

She blinked, looking at Kevin’s hand resting against the deep brown bark of the tree. Her eyes trailed up to the blush pink flowers in full bloom above their heads. She smiled and her eyes did not stray.

"Did they? Why is tha… you wished to be reminded of me?"

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Suddenly, Kevin could feel his eyes dilating in surprise. He hadn't meant to be so blunt about his feelings, but there was just something captivating about Nori that made it difficult for him to not express what he truly felt.

Mmmmm, this is what they call love, isn't it?

"Yes. I did." The brunette farmer casted a warm, affectionate smile to the woman who was by his side. Slowly, he eased his hand off of the cherry blossom tree. "Look at me, hm? I went a little while without seeing you, so I planted these trees 'cos they were the next best thing. ♪ Not that they even come close to actually seeing you, but-- just my way of saying that I missed you, Miss Nori! ♪"

A dark blush arose and stained Kevin's face, before he scratched his cheeks with a bashful smile spread across his lips. "Hope that doesn't sound silly to you, heh..."

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A Visit Long Overdue

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There was something about his smile that made her heart skip a beat, and it didn’t quite scare her anymore. It excited her to feel this way about someone, and she didn’t want it to stop. 

His smile beckoned her over, and, with a nod and smile of her own, she hurriedly made her way to his side, scrimping her clothing from gripping it and lifting it up a few inches so she wouldn’t trip from moving so quickly.

"You grew these all yourself? Cherry blossoms too? Those are my favorite. What made you want to grow such lovely trees?" She released her hold on her dress now, her hands dangling at her sides. "Did you miss Konohana so much you wanted to be reminded of it?" She said with a breathless giggle at her own jest. 

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"Yep, I sure did! Never grown trees before, I'll have you know - but I'm happy that you like 'em, sugar. ♪" Kevin chuckled along with Nori, lifting up his chin to smile admirably at the trees with softened eyes. In the moment when he fell silent, the wind blew and sent a chill up his spine. "Actually, yeah. I miss Konohana a whole heck of a lot. Somethin' about the air there is sweeter..." He turned to exchange glances with Nori, keeping that same gentle expression upon his features. "I'm sure you know what 'm talking about, hm?"

"And these--" Kevin turned his attention back to the cherry blossom trees, lightly pressing his hand against one of their trunks. "They reminded me of you! 'S why I tried my hand at growing these babies. ♪"

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A Visit Long Overdue

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The voice caught her by surprise, though she wasn’t startled by it as she turned her head to see the man leaning over the fence so casually. She smiled, her eyes and face lighting up. “Yes, please. Tell him that I miss him and wish to see him.” She turned to face him now, holding out the basket with the young plants. “I brought these for you. To celebrate the lovely weather. I hope that you like them, and that they bear you much fruit!” 

She looked over his shoulder for a quick moment and out at the field of flowers. Tilting her head, she smiled, and looked back at Kevin. “Your fields look beautiful. Did you take care of all of this by yourself?”

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He was so focused on putting all of his attention to Nori that he hadn't even noticed the basket of plants until she held it out to him. Beaming, Kevin happily accepted it. "These are for me? Aw sugar, they're absolutely beautiful! Stunning, really! ♪" He carefully cradled the basket in his arms and playfully winked at her. "Lucky me~"

Seconds later, Kevin's eyes followed Nori's to his fields. He smiled and nodded cheerfully. "Yep, I sure did. I don't normally grow and take care of flowers and trees but..." The farmer shrugged his shoulders casually. "They're the best things to grow when the snow melts, you know?"

After a moment, Kevin started stepping towards the cherry blossoms and peonies, passing his signature smile to Nori from over his shoulder. "Wanna get a better look?"

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A Visit Long Overdue

It had been some time since the two had seen each other. The winter storm the two of them had faced was fierce. Somehow they had managed to stay warm throughout the night and clear out the snow so that Kevin could make his way back home to Castanet. 

Needless to say, Nori had missed the man once he left. His beaming smile as he waved goodbye to her and made his way down the road to get himself home. However, the winter was rough, and she hadn’t had the time nor the energy to gather up her things and make a trip out to Castanet to visit him. Until today.

She had been nurturing a few select plants that she planned to save for Kevin and not sell to any farmers who decided they wanted to get their hands on them. Nori wanted these plants to excel. Perhaps she wanted to impress him with that.

The sun was shining bright and warm that day, and there was a lovely cool breeze that cooled anyone down if they had decided they were becoming too hot. A basket hung over her elbow with little plants settled neatly inside. The juvenile leaves shone the sunlight beautifully as they bounced jubilantly with Nori’s steps. 

After walking through Castanet without so much as a hello from any of the other villagers, she finally found herself at Kevin’s doorstop. She rolled back her shoulders, lifted her chin, then calmly knocked at the door.

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Since the harshly cold winter had finally come to an end, Kevin was once again able to toil away on his farm. Ever since he had left Nori's house on that day, the ex-soldier had found himself in spirits that he'd never experienced before - warm ones that brought him comfort and made him feel like everything was going the way that it should in his life. He even caught himself grinning at any little thing that made him think about Nori in the slightest. It was a foreign yet highly welcomed feeling...

His farmland had almost reflected the emotions he was experiencing. Vibrant cherry blossom trees were in full bloom and a bed of peonies garnished the fields. For Kevin, so many flowers were unusual to grow. But they made him happy. The way that she made him happy.

He was busy watering the flowers before he caught glimpse of something - or rather, someone - from over his shoulder. He recognized the lovely person at his door right away, her long hair draped elegantly over her shoulders. Without hesitation, Kevin approached her, the watering can dangling in one hand.

"Miss Nori. ♪ Kevin's not in right now. May I perhaps take a message?" Chuckling, Kevin stepped closer to stand right in front of her. He smiled warmly down at the woman, almost lovingly. "You look well. ♪ Out for a stroll?"

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[Tucks her nose a little further into her scarf, hiding the tint of pink that dusted it from the chill of the air outside, though, she could have sworn she felt her face heat up from the attention she was receiving from Kevin at that moment.] Mmm.. Yes, I don’t want to catch something. 

[Lifts her gaze from Kevin and glances around — everything was covered in deep snow.] …

Perhaps… You could help me with making a path to the main road? From the porch to the gate?

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The main road? [Glances over his shoulder to the gate, nodding thoughtfully at the area to clear. He turns another grin on Nori and slips her an affectionate wink.] You got it. ♪ I'll get it cleared up in no time flat!

[Up until this point, the shovel had been resting against Kevin's scarred shoulder. He picks it up and straightens it out, practically having to hike through the snow just to get to the gate. Carefully, he lowers the tool and starts scooping out one heap after the other.]

Something like this-- [Heaves another scoopful of snow.] Weather like this calls for firewood - as in, actually going out into the woods and gathering some. [And heaves yet another.] Get your house all nice and naturally toasty. [Pauses and grins at her again.] Don't you think? ♪

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[Soon emerges from inside her home, clad in layers of large, warm clothing. Atop her head she wore a pastel pink knitted hat, complete with a fluffy pom at the top, that stuck out from atop her head. Her scarf was the same shade of pink, though stripped with white. It wrapped around her neck and chin, making only her eyes and nose visible.] 

[As she stepped out onto her porch, she slipped on two large mittens, clearly very thick and warm. They also were a gently pastel pink. Her coat looked large on her, but it was clearly atop many layers. Her small size was only determined from her thin stick legs sticking out from the bottom of her white coat.]

[Looks up from her hands, noticing Kevin making his way over toward the shovel. Tilts her head, looks down to the floor, and carefully steps off her porch, in pursuit.] Kevin..! 

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[Had barely just picked up the shovel and turned to get working, but hearing Nori's voice brings him to glance over his shoulder, chuckling warmly at her very sight.]

Look at you! You really did get all nice 'nd bundled for the snow, huh? Good thing, too--it's actually chillier than I thought it'd be out here. [He's made his way over to her by this point, smiling fondly at the woman just below his nose.] There's a lotta snow piled around your house. Which area do you want me to clear first? ♪

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[Blinks, the realization that the moment had come to its end when he rises.] Oh — of course.

[Places her hand in his, smiling to herself as he wraps his fingers around hers, and lifts her up. Allows her hand to linger for a moment, before letting it slip and fall to her side.] Do you have warm enough clothes? I’ll go — [Looks down at her attire, still in the over sized tee she had on.] .. [Giggles, tugging at the bottom of her shirt, trying to pull it down a bit farther.] I’ll go change and meet you outside?

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[Gently looses his grasp over Nori's hand when she lets it slip, feeling reluctant to let go. Blinks wordlessly - before snapping out of it.]

Sure, yeah! [Smiles goofily.] Sounds like a good plan! I'll meet you outside, then. ♪ [Reaches for his jacket that was tossed over his rucksack, shaking it out and slipping his arms through. Adjusts the hoodie and turns toward the door.] Make sure you bundle up, okay? Wouldn't want you catching a cold!

[Starts exiting, offering Nori an affectionate wink from over his shoulder - and then begins disappearing seconds later.] Meet you out front!

...

[Stands blankly in front of the porch steps, cheeks reddened. Places one hand on his hip, the other modestly rubbing the back of his neck.]

Boy... my face has been heating up all morning. I wonder if she's noticed...

...

...

[Spots a shovel resting against the wall from the corner of his eye - and eventually, moseys his way over.]

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[With deeply reddened cheeks, she looks up at Kevin with a weak smile, shaking her head slowly.] No.. That.. actually makes me very happy to hear. [Giggles shyly to herself, tilting her head ever so slightly.] You don’t have to do anything to make it up to me. You didn’t make me feel bad at all. 

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[Relaxes his shoulders, a relieved smile emerging.]

Really? You promise? ... Oh, thank Goddess. ♪ For a minute there, I thought I had maybe invaded your personal space or somethin' bad. Glad to know that I didn't. ♪ [Falls silent for a moment, gazing at Nori with a tender smile and not quite realizing it himself.] Actually, I was real happy waking up like that, too... next to you, I mean. ♪

...

...

Well! [Sighs out, pushing himself off the ground.] What do you say we start our day? Let me help you shovel all that snow outta your porch! [Offers a hand to help her up, casting a grin.] May I? ♪

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[Watches him curiously as he clears her misunderstanding.]

[Looks down at her hands, embarrassed now that she didn’t understand what it was he was trying to convey — thinking perhaps her English wasn’t as good as she thought it was.] Well…

You said that it had been a while.. waking up next to someone. I assumed that.. ah— forgive me. I didn’t mean to misinterpret what you said..

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Oh, that! [Chortles, giving a dismissive wave of his hand.] Yeah, 's been a while since I woke up next to someone like that! Like, as in my family. Been years since I've been under the same roof as them, in fact - if you can believe that, heh.

[Suddenly pauses, bringing up a hand to sheepishly scratch the back of his messy hair.]

But, you know... I've never-- [Blushes - and meekly:] I've never woken up next a woman before. That was brand new. [Blinks over to Nori, before his eyes grow wide with realization.]

Er, 'm sorry! That wasn't-- I didn't make you feel uncomfortable, I hope? If I did, just tell me so and I'll make it up to you on the spot!

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[Eyes focus on Kevin’s expression, though they soon drop to the floor.] …

Did you… [Pauses, unsure of how to ask the question.] …

Did you … I..I’ve never woken up to someone in the way I did this morning… 

[The tips of her fingers tap together rhythmically, bringing herself a slight distraction from Kevin’s presence.] …

Though… I suppose you have..

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[Tilts his head curiously to the side, still smiling at Nori. He begins blinking once she's voiced her assumption, feeling the presence of heat permeating from both cheeks to his nose.]

Woken up next to someone? Like that? Me-Me? [Chuckles bashfully, unable to stop rubbing the back of his head in the same manner. Brown strands of hair become disheveled in the process.] A-Actually, no... I've never! Save for my little cousins back home, not even my friends have ever slept beside me. Everyone always passes out in some random corner of the house at our sleepovers! Hahaha...ha...

[Clears his throat, attempting to regain himself, but continues sporting a flustered smile.]

Why'd you think that anyhow?

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[Listens to Kevin practically babble on, his voice laced with nervousness. So it wasn’t just her, then? She keeps her eyes averted until he posed his last question.]

[Looks up at him curiously.] Mind..? I… [Pauses, unsure if she should supply him with the truth, or a sugar coated lie.] …

[Feels the heat rise to her cheeks again, embarrassment washing over her. Shakes her head, her fingers reaching to grab the material of her shirt, clenching onto it.] No.. I didn’t..  [Looks up at him, from beneath fallen strands of hair.] …I thought… it was nice.

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[Finally removes his eyes from the ground and back to Nori's face, breaking into an uplifted smile.]

Yeah... Yeah, me too! I thought it was nice, too. [Sees that his jacket is on the floor where they had snoozed on, reaching out to grab it.] Guess neither of us got cold 'cos of it either. ♪ Actually, I forgot the fact that it had even been snowing outside.

[Sighs softly through his nose, the smile on his face warm.] It's been a while. Waking up next to someone like that instead of being cooped up all alone.

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*waves* Tis' but a scratch. Seriously, give me like an hour and if I still can't get up then yeah, maybe Jin, if not like a bandage if I'm bleeding and some assistance back to my house. If you don't mind...

An hour! [Brows come together in grave concern.] C'mon Angie, you know I can't wait a whole hour to see if you're ok! Can I 'least try to lift you up myself? [Pokes her in the cheek, still frowning.] Please?

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[Watches him act so casually, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Shuffles a big uncomfortably against the wall, bringing her hands down to rest on her lap.] ...

You.. don't mind that I was here this morning?

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Mind? Me? [Blinks.] 'Course I don't mind! I kinda feel like it was my bad for keepin' you up so late, and 'm pretty sure I passed out asleep 'fore you did. Sorry about that again. ♪

...

But, well, um-- [Cheeks redden a bit, before he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck.] Was I-- did you feel uncomfortable? I couldn't tell when I woke up, but you were right next to me. Was that... uncomfortable for you, Nori? I didn't invade your personal space, did I?? [Darts his eyes around the room nervously, suddenly worrying that maybe he had gotten a little too comfortable.]

[Voice softens.] Sometimes, I really can't tell, 'cos I sleep so soundly 'nd heavily. Plus, it usually takes me a while to wake up and... you-- you didn't mind, did you?