𝐓𝐎𝐎 𝐒𝐖𝐄𝐄𝐓 | Harvey, Stardew Valley

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Moving to her grandfather's farm was a bittersweet feeling.

On one side, she was relieved to finally have an excuse to leave the capitalist routine of that terrible office job. But on the other, she couldn't help herself from feeling weak. Even though she barely visited her grandfather growing up, she cherished with devotion the memories they had created together.

Her grandfather had been a hard-working, righteous man, with a life philosophy that more than one could take as a piece of advice to enjoy the present. Helena wasn't particularly the most positive person, but as her grandfather had sent her letters from his farm, she had always tried to remember that somewhere in the deep rural side of the country, there was a place she could escape to. More than once the old man had tried to convince her to join him at his peaceful place... but she had always declined.

How the tables have turned. Now, she was standing on the porch of his late farmhouse. His inheritance. His legacy.

While carrying a single backpack and the weight of guilt for not appreciating the old man enough, she stared at her new home. It needed a lot of improvements. The girl made a mental note to give it a fresh layer of paint, new windows, and decorations to make it look more like a home than an abandoned building. She knew that as her grandfather's health had declined, he had stopped giving the place maintenance, and eventually, he had even stopped doing what he loved the most: farming.

The girl deeply sighed. This was her new life. She was a single 26-year-old who had to refurbish her house along with reviving the harvesting land that had been unused for almost a year. Not to mention, she was also dealing with grief and regret. It wasn't her fault she couldn't do more for her grandpa. No. It wasn't. His town of residency was hours away from the city and her late job never allowed her to step away more than a few miles from the building.

Fuck you, Joja Corporation.

A burst of air tickled her neck. The sweet smell of dandelions and daffodils invaded every particle of her being. A spark of hope, or maybe a blast of inspiration, filled her lungs as she took in the spring wind.

I just need to be patient.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy. Dealing with a change such as big as the one she had made was enormously uncertain.

Even if the house seemed to mock her lack of handiwork experience, she felt confident and ready to embark on a physically and mentally challenging journey. Besides, deep inside the girl knew that this fresh start would make her happier than her solitary metropolis life.

She was going to be fine.

As her fingers reached for the wooden door's silver bolt, the sound of footsteps and an elderly masculine voice surprised her.

"Welcome to Pelican Town, farmer!"

Helena turned around and encountered a funny-looking, short man (who seemed to be around 70) along with an attractive woman who wore her chestnut brown hair in a ponytail, walking towards her. They both carried kind smiles on their faces and seemed confident while invading her property.

When the two finally reached the porch's steps, Helena came closer.

"I'm Lewis. We've talked on the phone."

She recognized the name instantly. According to what she remembered from the brief telephone encounter he was the mayor. He had also mentioned occupying the position for 20 years straight. Helena couldn't help to wonder how one can achieve that. She was aware it was too early to suspect the mayor's morals, but she'd always been quite skeptical. Besides, even if it was a small town, there would also certainly be other candidates to run against him. Politics aren't a one-man game unless...
The mayor then proceeded to go on a long rant about her grandfather's greatness and how excited he was to meet his granddaughter. Apparently, the two men had been close friends, but Helena had never heard any mention of Mr. Lewis in her grandpa's letters.