When my grandfather handed me, his only grandson, a sealed envelope for me to keep until I felt "crushed by the burden of modern life," I had no idea that XX years later, I would be moved into my own little farm in beautiful Stardew Valley, right next to the small village of Pelican Town.
But here I was.
It was my first day in Stardew Valley, I had finished my chores for the day, and I decided to go walk around town and introduce myself to the villagers.
I met a lot of people that day, from a sweet young schoolteacher named Penny to a slightly arrogant athlete named Alex. But the most important person I met was one I met late that afternoon.
I was on my way back home when I saw him. He was standing on the bridge over the river by the beach, looking at the water below. He was tall, with an elegant face, and wore a red coat with a green tie. But his most remarkable feature was his long auburn hair. It flowed over his shoulders and down his back in a cascade.
I could do nothing but stand there in a daze. He was without a doubt one of the most attractive men I had ever seen. I immediately became extremely fidgety and began to shuffle back and forth. I was very hesitant to approach this handsome stranger, afraid I might embarass myself in front of him.
But I had a mission: to meet everyone in town. So I took a deep breath and stepped onto the bridge.
I cleared my throat nervously. "Uh... hi," I said. "I... just - I just moved here and I ... I wanted to introduce myself..."
"Ah," said the man, smiling. "The new farmer we've all been expecting... and whose arrival has sparked many a conversation!"
"Yep," I said, laughing awkwardly. "Th-that's me. My name's Oliver."
"Hello Oliver," he said. "I'm Elliott. I live in the little cabin by the beach. It's a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand. I smiled and shook it.
"Likewise," I said. His hand was soft, with fine, strong fingers. "I'm... really looking forward to living here."
"Well, I'm certainly glad to hear that," he said.
I realized I was still holding his hand. I dropped it quickly and shoved my own hand into my pocket. "Yeah... thanks."
I stared at the ground, my mind scrambling for something else to say. I could feel the awkward tension growing as I struggled to open my mouth.
I remembered that Mayor Lewis had told me giving gifts was a good way to make friends in town. I suddenly remembered that I had picked a few daffodils during my walk around town. "Umm..." I said as I rummaged in my backpack. "I found this... earlier... would you... uh... l-like it?" I pulled out a daffodil and handed it to Elliott.
He took it and examined it, making a face of slight disgust. "Hmmm, I'm not the biggest fan of this."
My face fell. "Oh..." I said, biting my lip and dropping my gaze to the ground. "I'm... sorry about that..."
I felt myself on the verge of panic. "Uh..." I said. "I'd better... get going..." My resolve crumbled. Without waiting for a response from Elliott, I bolted. I tore off down the road, past Marnie's Ranch, through my plot of land, and into my farmhouse, slamming the door behind me. I was breathing hard, both from the desperate sprint back to the farm and from the encounter with Elliott.
I sank weakly onto the bed, my mind flooded with the image of the handsome man with the long hair. My heart felt fluttery as I replayed our interaction over and over again in my head.
YOU ARE READING
The Farmer and the Writer
Hayran KurguWhen shy, timid Oliver moves to Stardew Valley in search of a new life, Elliott, an intelligent, intriguing writer who lives on the beach of Pelican Town immediately catches his attention. Follow Oliver as he navigates the twists and turns on the pa...