There needs to be more stories about Chihaya/Chase. So I decided to write one! Hopefully you will all enjoy it. Sorry if you don't. ^^'

Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon. If I did, I would probably get them out faster though.

THE GAME

"It's strange. I don't know that much about you."

"What's to know?" Chase lifted an eyebrow and inclined his head to face the farmer who asked.

"What's to know? There's a lot! You don't tell me much about yourself."

"There's not much to tell you about," Chase eased the question off and stole a recipe book from the shelf. He grabbed a seat near the brunette and began to read.

Akari immaturely stuck her tongue out at him. This did not go unnoticed by the young patissier, who returned the action by sticking his tongue out in an uninterested fashion.

Akari had visited the local inn after her crops and animals had been tended after. In fact, she did this quite often and would occasionally bring Chase gifts of fresh vegetables or juices. Typically the farmer would request a meal and chat with the male cook about certain recipes or how their day had gone. However, he always kept up his indifferent front.

This day was like all the rest; Akari would demand knowing more about Chase and Chase would shrug off the question.

Or perhaps this day wasn't going to be like all the rest.

"Hey, Chase," a saccharine voice originated from the ranchers mouth, "Want to play a game?"

Chase continued to read his book as he drawled out, "Hm? What kind of game?"

Akari smiled to herself inwardly, happy to know that the young chef was the type to play games. Enthused about his reluctance, she beamed and started shouting her explanation. "Akari's" - she said this while flinging her hands violently about – "Magnificent Fun-Time Question Game!"

Chase lifted his head up and stared at her blankly.

Akari looked back at him with hopeful eyes, and a bright smile, excited by the thought that Chase might agree to play this game.

"You require loads of attention, don't you?" Chase said flatly.

Akari's face fell, and she slumped back into the chair. A slight melancholy overtook her as she wondered why she even tries to get to know Chase more. The farmer sighed heavily and stood from the table.

She turned to the rest of the townspeople in the inn and waved her goodbye, promptly leaving Chase, confused, in the dust.

That was the reason.

That was the reason why Akari would get frustrated whenever she tried to get to know the chef. His personality was smothering. The way he flippantly pushed off all who wanted to know him perturbed the farmer. She, herself, was rather blunt and would do some of the same things as Chase. However, she revelled in annoying the young man. Always donning an outrageously positive persona, the farmer would speak with him whenever she noticed he was free.

"Damn sarcastic bastard," Akari whispered to herself as she walked home, kicking the rocks beneath her feet. She pushed her gloved hands into her pockets. The end of summer brings about the bitter cold of fall. Though Akari was never one to dislike a season, specifically her favourite one, Waffle Island had quite cold temperatures even in autumn.

She looked up to the sky – it was turning orange. Noting this, she knew she should hurry along home, lest be out during the night. Though the island wasn't a dangerous place or anything (minus the soulless bears here and there) she had come from the city. As one might note, cities can impact someone to being very paranoid at certain times and fear for one's safety. And though she was getting used to the island, she still hadn't completely overhauled her past.

She walked the winding road to her farm. She had chosen the one closest to the mines, because she was, quite frankly, a bit too lazy to maintain crops. Though, she had recently been trying quite hard to run a successful farm.

One more turn and she was at her house. Akari called her animals into their respected holdings and shuffled back into her home and made her way to her bed.

The morning brought about a new day.

A new day full of chores.

The farmer went about her daily tasks into the afternoon, until a monster had popped into her sights.

Akari hid behind her shipping box staring at that thing in her grass field. Never before in her life had she ever seen such a beast. It was massive - huge and a bit intimidating. She nervously wondered if she should go up to it.

But its ugliness might be contagious. She didn't want to risk that.

"Ostriches are so cute when their young. Then they grow up and look like a penis with feathers," she mumbled out, making sure the thing couldn't hear her.

Akari looked up at her, now full grown, ostrich. She named it Phil. It was one of the only names the owners at Brownie Ranch didn't suggest. They were very adamant about the farmer giving her new pet a weird nickname. But Akari wasn't the type to run around shouting obscure names while trying to get whatever animal it was to come to her. Phil was also the least clichéd and 'fluffy' nickname for a bird, she thought.

"It's… It's just so ugly that I don't want to ride it anymore. I should've just bought a horse."

She cautiously walked up to the large bird; she stopped. There was something about that bird that seemed off. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew something was wrong with it. Giving it a look over once more, she tried to figure out what it was. She got it. The bird looked paranoid. Too paranoid. Then it hit her like lightning.

Akari gasped, assuming that the bird could smell the fear in her very soul.

Attempting to be intimidating, she fingered the sickle at her side. She spat some saliva onto the ground next to her and glared at the beast.

"This town isn't big enough for the both of us, Phil," she snarled. "Now you're going to –"

A melodious whistle cued behind her, impeding her attack on the animal. She spun around to see who or what had produced the classic Old Western-battle-sound.

"You really do require loads of attention," Chase smirked at the big-eyed farmer.

She scoffed at him and turned her back to his figure, "Oh, shut up. You go to hell. You go to hell and you die." Her eyes fixated back to Phil, who still looked paranoid, and now confused.

"Ouch, that hurt me deep, Blondie."

"I'm a brunette, not a blonde, idiot."

Chase snickered while moving closer to her, "For someone who likes to imitate old Westerns, you really don't know your classics."

Akari relaxed her hand and removed it from the sickle; instead, she wrapped her calloused fingers around a brush. The sun was high and the end of summer heat festered over her body. She moved towards her cows and began brushing them, ignoring Chase.

"Your animals look happy."

"…"

"I see you've started harvesting your watermelons."

"…"

"There are a lot of recipes that use watermelons."

"…"

"Like watermelon chiffon pie or watermelon granita. Though, the later takes a while to cook."

"Chase, why the hell are you talking about my watermelons?"

"They look ripe and juicy. How could I resist?"

If anyone were to walk by and casually eavesdrop in the conversation at this point, they would have gotten a very different opinion of the two. Then again, that joke was quite obvious – and planted by the bemused chef, who hoped someone would misconstrue the conversation and make Akari flustered.

"You could resist by not visiting my farm, for one." Akari said in an annoyed tone.

"I get it. You're angry at me. Why?" Chase stated exasperated.

Akari turned around fuming, throwing her hands around and stomping the ground like a tantrum child, "Because you're a stupid, stupid ass! That's why! You… Guh. Jeez, I don't even know why I try to be friends with you."

"Whoa, calm down, I can hear you from here," Chase drawled.

"… You'll never learn." The farmer turned around, now focusing on collecting wool from her sheep.

She didn't want to talk to him anymore. She was done. He was too annoying and would never truly listen to whatever she says. Today was the last straw. Though, she figured she would miss his cooking expertise, since she was always horribly crippling in that area.

A large sigh came from behind her. "What's your game again?"

Akari's tiny ears perked up. She slowly turned her head to look at him.

Smirking confidently, then deciding on taking an indifferent air, she spoke, "Oh? You want to know about Akari's Magnificent Fun-Time Question Game?"

"I'll bite."

"Fine. The rules are simple: for every dish I give you, I'll ask you a question, and you'll answer it. Then we can sit back and watch our friendship blossom."

Chase's face paled as he remembered the last dish Akari had made for him. Well, he tried to. All he could recall was a horrid taste in his mouth, and then everything went black.

Then he saw God's face. Or was it Jin's face? He couldn't quite remember.

Chase came back to reality and coughed into his hand, attempting to cough out the memory of past horrible tastes. The chef cleared his throat and compromised, "How about for every dish you ship, you can ask a question and all answer it?"

"Even better. I get money and become better friends with you. Let's start tomorrow," her hands grabbed for Chase's in ruthless exuberance; she started shaking them violently with a glare of determination in her eyes.

Chase nervously laughed at her excitement.

"Just what have I gotten myself into?"

Request by the authoress: Want to know something about Chase? Write your question in a review or a message to me, and I'll try to work it into the story. =D

Authoress note: I'm probably going to use 15-20 questions or so. Y'know, make it equal to the number of dishes you need to ship for his request. So, if anyone wants to know something about Chase (That I will make up, but try to keep it true to his personality.) ask away! The questions can be anything, really. Like, "What's your favourite colour?" "What's your sign?" "Etc?"

Just try to make the question something that wouldn't be found in the video game. 'Cause that's boring to write~

Be fun and creative and thanks for reading!