Author's Note:

I'm still alive. AMAZING! D: Wow, another update in the same year as the last one! I'm blowing my own mind. Sorry to all who read this story and wanted more, but I'm getting back into writing, so I maybe updating more. But I make no promises. xx;;

Sundays
Chapter 5

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Genji's barbecue left me in the best of moods. As the citizens scattered, Bob and I stayed behind outside Genji's home. Bob finished the rest of the food as Genji picked up the barbecue, turning it into a familiar green leaf. He walked up to me and asked if I wanted it.

"You.. you're giving it to me?"

"Yup. You want it?"

"Uh.. Sure!"

"That's the way! Glad to hear it. Enjoy it. It's yours," he smiled, turning around and going back inside his house. "He give it to you?" Bob asked me, licking the chicken flavor off his paw. "Yeah," I said, still a bit startled that I had been given something for free. That never happened in the city. Everyone here was so kind, it was shocking.

"You'll have to throw the next barbecue, then," Bob laughed, finished licking his paw. I giggled, then began to walk him home. But after a few steps, he offered to take me to my place first.

"Oh! Uh.. s-sure!" I stuttered, beginning to blush furiously. When we reached my door, he said good-bye and began back towards his house. "Bye.." I sighed after him, though I'm positive he hadn't heard me. I looked up at the sky and noticed that it was getting rather dark.

Looking towards the Station, the clock read 6:52. "It is late, isn't it?" came a voice. I spun around, very startled. "Calm down, Revey. It's just me," Copper chuckled, his friendly face becoming illuminated by the light from inside my home. "Oh," I smiled, feeling my heart beat slowing a bit. "What can I do for you, Officer Copper?" I asked him, standing upright.

"While it isn't very often that I leave my post, I must warn you of something," he sighed, his tone growing serious. "Nook has informed me of a minor robbery at his Cranny." I barely managed to stifle a giggle at the sound of Copper saying "cranny", but I nodded to signal that I was listening.

As I nodded, the thought of Genji giving me his barbecue shot through my head. 'That little.. He wouldn't have given me a stolen barbecue, would he?! Oh.. if he did, I'm gonna..' I began to clench my teeth as I thought this, my glee wearing off, and my mood diving sharply.

"The missing item is a.."

'Don't say barbecue. Don't say barbecue. Don't say barbecue,' I chanted in my head. At this point, I had shut my eyes and my face was directed at the ground, though I did not notice at first. There was a long silence, and I finally opened my eyes and looked up. Copper was eyeing me strangely. "Are you alright?"

"Uh.. Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," I chuckled nervously.

"I thought you'd fallen asleep," he laughed. "But, back to business. Nook tells me he's missing an exotic end table."

As soon as the words, "exotic end table" passed through my ears, I literally jumped for joy. Copper, a bit unnerved by my behavior, took a step or two backwards. I stopped quickly, and gave him a short explanation. He laughed when I told him I was worried about Genji giving me a stolen barbecue.

"Oh, no. None of the citizens here would do that. I just came by to ask if you'd keep an eye out for a discarded exotic end table," Copper finally told me. "I can do that," I smiled happily.

He bid me farewell, and left back towards his post.

"Wow... Heh. Can't believe I thought Genji'd do that," I said, the guilt beginning to sink in. I walked inside and planned to take a nice long rest.

But of course, once I was inside, I was wide awake, and couldn't sleep a wink on my brand new blue bed inside my brand new home. All the while, I thought of my blaming Genji. Though I didn't actually tell it to his face, the fact that I had thought that he would do such a thing. I felt like a creep.

I tried to find an excuse, or something to blame my accusation on.

I immediatly focused on the reason that I was from the city. "Nobody would give me anything for free just out of kindness back in the city. I'm just not used to the small town life, that's all," I told myself. But I couldn't ease the guilt. So, I decided I'd tell Genji.

I jumped off my bed and strode out of my house, and towards his. But half way there, I turned back. I couldn't tell it to his face. I'd feel even worse about it. "Copper knows.. At least someone does." The fact that I wasn't the only one who knew of it made me feel a bit better, so I reentered my house and managed to eventually sleep.

When my eyes first opened, my view was blurry and out of focus. All I could tell was that it was dark and it sounded like rain outside. I blinked and rubbed at them as I sat up from my covers. "What time is it?" I mumbled, pulling my covers off and standing up. "I'll check the Station clock," I said to no one in particular.

After my eyes had adjusted, I stumbled towards my door. It was wet outside, and after my first step, I rushed back inside. My entire leg was wet, after being out for just a few seconds.

"Wow.. I need something to keep me dry," I thought aloud. But I looked around and saw nothing. Thinking a moment, I then reached into my pockets and pulled out my work uniform.

"It's not an umbrella, but it'll have to do."

Opening the door, I emerged with my work uniform held above my head. My legs weren't sheltered very well, and got damp, but not soaked like they would've been had I stumbled out without anything at all.

Taking a glance at the Station clock, I gasped when I read the time.

"2:18?!" I cried. I held my mouth when I realized I'd shouted, and returned indoors. "Crud.. Nook's isn't open for hours, so I can't buy an umbrella. I'm not sleepy, so it'll take forever to fall back asleep. And the rest of the town must be asleep by now." I was out of ideas, and I had nothing but water and darkness to entertain me.

I was wearing my paw shirt, and had a wave shirt in my pocket. "I could go outside without anything.. and when I come back I can just change into this," I thought aloud, holding the wave shirt out in front of me.

And so it was decided. I was going to go out and look for an umbrella in my paw shirt, and leave my wave shirt behind so when I returned I'd have a dry pair of clothes to change into. "Alright," I readied myself, gripping the door handle.

I made the affair much more dramatic than it had to have been, but I was very anxious at the time, so everything seemed like a huge deal.

I turned the knob and walked out. I was quite wet by the time I left my acre, and knew I'd just get even wetter as I went, so I began to ignore it. I headed towards the dump first, thinking that possibly, hopefully, someone had dropped an umbrella there late yesterday afternoon or earlier that evening.