Sixteenth Jump (Harvest Moon) Part 9

By Popular Vote… Once More!

            I had setup shop by a tree for the next two days. The moon was high up in the sky and, funny enough, it actually was a Harvest Moon, so there was plenty of light emanating from the orangish-yellow sphere above me. Probably wasn’t my best idea to run off, but it was for the best all things considered.

            The air was crisp, a light breeze constantly blowing through the area to rustle the short grass and the leaves of the tree above me. Such a classic scene in the end, but one that was extremely relaxing to me. It was a few hours, but I did eventually hear a small bit of rustling behind me. Taking a moment to stand up and turn around in preparation for whatever was hiding away, I let out a little whistle to get the attention of whatever happened to be there.

            Out from the bushes came a Kaka, specifically the only Kaka in this universe, Yanaka. She was holding a small basket in her paw-sleeves, looking at me with her version of concern. “Sweet Guy okay, nya?” The feline woman asked as she stepped up, moving to hold the basket out to me. “I’m alright. Just waiting for us to continue on and see who actually comes along.” As I spoke with a quiet, straight-forward tone, I reached out to take the basket and gesture for her to take a seat.

            With a huff, I dropped back down into my spot, making sure to face the moon while Yankaka did the same. “Everyone’s talking, nya. Yankaka is going to go with nyou. Yankaka doesn’t care… She knows Sweet Guy is a Good Guy, nya.” While she spoke, I went through the basket and come to find a bottle of gin along with a few cookies. “Good to know. Just keep in mind, I am no hero and I refuse to be a straight-up monster… Even if I have already become one in some people’s eyes.”

            The Kaka simply leaned up against my side, which I ignored for the most part as I took a cookie out from the basket and offered it to my companion. “I’m a stubborn asshole, huh?” I stated with a small grin, which I thankfully received one back as she took the cookie from me and began to nibble on it a little. If she wasn’t inhaling her food, something had to be of issue.

            “Yankaka know that well, nya. Nice Guy needs to forgive himself first and then move forward, nya.” I pulled the bottle of gin out while my friend talked, simply taking a second to open the top, allowing her to continue. “Nice Guy knows, though, nya. Yankaka knows, so nyou must know. Do you know what you want, nya?” She asked just as I was about to take a sip from the bottle, but I stopped and set it down on the grass for the moment.

            “Eh, honestly… I rarely know what I want. I know that I need to let go, but I don’t know how. I know how a good person should act, but… I just can’t seem to care for others.” While the Kaka listened to me explain something that I had already done so before, I felt her arms wrap around my waist and gave me a light squeeze. “Yankaka knows you care, nya. Nyou care for all of us. Doesn’t matter if it is because of your heart… Nice Guy still cares.”

            With a light huff, I reached up to slip a hand underneath her hood and rub the top of her head for a moment. As long as I didn’t take a look, my retinas were going to be fine. “Says the recovering yandere. I’ll figure things out eventually…” My free hand reached over to pick up the bottle of gin and, I was about to take a sip, but instead paused. I glanced over it for a few seconds before simply tossing it off into the bushes. “That can wait for the next universe. Thanks for listening and trying to understand, Yan.”

            The Kaka offered me a toothy smile and started to lean a bit closer, but I shut her down by lowering my hand down to catch her forehead and keep her at a distance. That earned me a whine and a few bats of her paw-sleeves to the chest. “So mean, nya! Give Yankaka what she wants!” I gave a small shake of my head and simply gave her a few pats on the head. “Nah. We have yet to go on an actual date, so... Nah. After our first date, then you can.”

            I explained and, while it took a moment for her to catch on, she did eventually give me a tight squeeze and a happy giggle. “Yankaka win, nya!” Well, I was going to have to watch my back around her, but at least the harem wars were over.