Flambéed Love (Story of Seasons / Harvest Moon Fanfiction)

Chapter 15: Brothers

Raeger exited his bathroom door, with a towel around his neck which he then used to dry his soft brown hair. He quickly inhaled a breath of fresh air, which felt even more refreshing after spending close to twenty minutes in a room filled with hot steam.. and he started making his way towards his bed.

It's been a long day for him. Beside having to run back and forth to the trade depot so early in the morning to meet his suppliers, his restaurant was, for unknown reason, very crowded today. With the number of meals he had to cook so far, Raeger didn't have any chance to rest until closing time.

As he sat by his bedside, he dried his locks further, and let out a sigh. Something has been on his mind ever since he entered the shower.. and he still wasn't sure on how he could resolve the issue without creating any conflict - because this is something that could potentially turn ugly.

'How would.. no, rather.. how should I tell him?' he told himself.

His shower thoughts led him to realise that he wasn't exactly the first to place a liking on Minori. Well, maybe he was; but he didn't register it sooner. And he certainly wasn't the first to declare his feelings to her.

It was Fritz. His best friend.

He knew that Fritz has most probably moved on from her. They talked it out; it was all in the past, and they're nothing more than close friends now, right? So he shouldn't be worried right? But these notions did not stop Raeger from feeling restless after all.

He took a long and deep breath, and he finally decided that the best way he could explain this to Fritz is to be completely honest with him... tell him every single detail, just like how he likes it. And preferably, as soon as he gets the chance to. Maybe tomorrow, if he sees him around. For now, he'll sneak into bed.

...

Raeger woke up earlier than usual, even though he had been pretty exhausted from his work the day before; and he couldn't fall back into slumber despite his multiple attempts, so he decided he might as well start the day off early.

He got out of his comfortable quilted blanket, which has always kept him warm especially in this cold winter. He made a few stretches and then made his way to the bathroom to start his morning routine, before finally leaving the house.

His first stop, the trade depot, was already bustling with suppliers busily unpacking their goods. Raeger had always loved visiting the area. It was always a pleasure for him to see so many interesting goods on display, those he would never have seen in Oak Tree Town otherwise. He continued exploring the marketplace, all the while chit-chatting with some of the suppliers he frequently see. But after a good span of his visit, he was prompted to check the time to see if he might have been taking too long in the area.