Finding A Love


Disclaimer:I do not own Harvest Moon or any of the characters in it.

Author Note:Please read the whole story, I have had it on my website and people said they liked it so I thought posting it here would be cool, please leave reviews! Thanks!!!! And this story is copyrighted by me, no stealing!

Chapter 1: Grandpa


I was living in the city with my dad still at the time. I was only 19, and just getting ready to go to a job interview. Right before I left, my dad came up to me, phone still in hand.
"Jack, something's happened to your grandfather, we must go to the country now." he said urgently.
"But dad! I was just about to go to my job interview!" I argued.

Arguing didn't matter, I missed my interview and was forced into the back of our van. We drove for a few hours to the docks, then took a ferry to the countryside. We rushed to the old farm where my grandpa lived, and ran into the old house.
"Dad, are you ok?" My dad asked.
"Yeah Grandpa.... how do you feel?" I asked.
"Oh....I...I feel fine. Thank you for coming on such short notice. I'm terribly sorry to have bothered you, but I wanted you to be here when it happened." he said with a weak voice.
"When what happened. Grandpa what are you talking about. Your going to be fine!" I said, tears coming from my eyes.
"Oh...my precious grandson, it is my time. I have lived, and now it is my time to die. Your time will come some day, and when it does, you will understand how I feel. I can't live on anymore, I have nothing to live for" he said.
"Yes, you do! We all love you!" I screamed.

My dad quieted me down and ushered me out of the house. He told me he had some things to discuss with my grandpa, and for me to wait outside. I sat down and softly cried, thinking of all the good times I had with my Grandpa only a few years ago. Just then, a young girl, very pretty, walked up.
"Are you crying?" she asked.
"No... just had something in my eye." I responded, wiping the tears away.
"Do you want to talk about it?" she said.
"No, it's ok." I answered.
"Ok... well I guess you're wondering who I am. I'm Popuri. I work at the chicken farm over there." she said, pointing to small farm that was barely visible.
"Oh, nice to meet you. I'm Jack, my grandpa owns this farm." I said, sniffling.
"Oh I'm sorry. I heard about your grandpa. I'm sorry.." she said.
"It's ok, not your fault or anything. I wonder what's going to happen to the farm." I said, thinking out loud.
"Well, if no one takes over it, they'll probably bulldoze it and make a shopping mall or theme park or something of that sort." she said, a little sad.
"No they can't! This is farm land, they's ruin it!" I said, enraged.
"I know, I feel the same way. Well, I better go, my mom's waiting for her medicine." she said.
"Ok, nice talking to you, maybe I'll see you around." I yelled out, waving goodbye.

Then I had a sudden feeling of deja vu, like I had seen her before. I saw flashbacks of one time 10 years ago when I was visiting my grandpa, and I met a girl. That must have been her! I thought. Then my dad came out and told me my grandpa wanted to speak to me, and that he'd be at town talking to the Mayor. I walked inside and sat down in a chair next to his bed.
"H-Hi grandpa," I said.
"What's the matter sonny? I'm not dead yet!" he said. I thought it was amazing how he could speak of his own death in such a light tone of voice.
"It's just...I'm going to miss you. And what will happen to the farm?" I asked.
"Ah yes, I thought you'd ask that. Well I was thinking of selling it, but then I thought of someone who might want to run it." he said.
"Who would that be? A local towns-person?" I asked.
"No sonny! You! I remembered how much you loved helping me on the farm 10 when you were young, I thought you'd want to run it!" he said, suprised I didn't realize it.
"Me? Really? Oh that'd be great!" I said happily.
"Yes, you'll take over when I die, but I warn you, you must make something out of this old rundown farm, or else the Mayor will ask you to leave. The farm is so rundown, I havn't been in any condition to run it these last years, and the Mayor has repeatedly asked to bulldoze it and put some attraction here, but I told him no. You must prove to him this land is worth keeping!" he said, filled with passion.
"I will grandpa, I will." I said, tears once again, rolling down my cheek.
"T-Tell *cough*, your father, I love him.*cough*. I love you too, Jack.*cough*," he said, in a very weak voice.
"Grandpa, no! Don't go please, we need you! Please don't go!" I said, crying.
"Goodbye Jack..." he said, his last words I could not understand. I held his hand for a long time, then I laid it on his chest and walked outside into the sun.

My dad came up and said he needed to talk to grandpa for just one moment, but I shook my head. He asked what I meant, and I told him it was too late.
"What were his last words?" my dad asked, his eyes watery.
"He said goodbye Jack, and then I couldn't understand the last part.." I said.
"Oh, I see. Well, did he say anything of importance to you?" he asked.
"Yes, he wants me to take over the farm. And dad, before you say no, I already made up my mind. I'm 19, and I can decide what I want to do with my life, and I want to have my life here, in Mineral Town. The people here are nice, and I have a crush on one of the girls already, it feels like my home." I said.
"I understand, I will come visit you then soon. Here's 300G, buy some crops and ask the villagers for any help. Don't hesitate to call me at anytime! I love you son, and good luck." he said, giving me a hug and a kiss, then he walked to the dock and left on a ferry.

I stood there for a little while, then walked to the church. I talked to the minister, and he arranged the funeral for the next morning. I went to the mountain and picked a flower. I walked to the Chicken farm, and knocked on the door.
"Hello?" said a familiar voice, opening the door.
"Hi Popuri, I wanted to stop by and talk, if I could. And I brought you a flower." I held out the flower.
"Oh, thank you. Sure we can talk, come upstairs to my room, we'll have more privacy there." she said, taking my hand and leading me up some stairs into a pink room.

We sat on the bed, and she held my hand, knowing I needed comfort. I talked about my grandfather, how he died, and how I had loved visiting him when I was little, and how much I loved him. I told her about the flashbacks I had when I met her that morning, and she said she had the same feeling of deja vu. We talked about the incident, and realized it was her who I had sang with on the mountain, and played with in the forest. Soon it was 6 PM, and her mother was yelling at her to make me leave. She told me about her mother's illness quickly, and how it affected her mood, and how her mother really wasn't that rude. She walked me home, and gave me a reassuring hug that everything would be O.K. I opened the door, and realized my grandpa was still in the bed.

I wasn't able to force myself to sleep in the same room with my dead grandpa, so I walked to the Inn. I checked in and got the last room. Ask I was walking up the steps, I met a girl named Ann.
"Hello, I'm Ann. I'm sorry to hear about your grandfather. We all loved him. When is the funeral?" she asked.
"Thank you. The funeral is tomorrow morning at 10am. Please come." I said.
"I'll be there don't worry. Are you hungry?" she asked.
"Yeah, I havn't eaten anything all day." I responded.

She took me by the hand and led me to a table, and seated me. I probably seemed so helpless. I could barely hold my fork still while eating, so Ann had to feed me. I was so embarassed. But if she didn't help me, half of the food would have landed in my lap, so I was very gracious. She supported me while walking up the steps, and tucked me in. She kissed me on the forehead, then turned off the light and I sat there thinking what had just happened.

I liked Popuri, but Ann had just been so nice to me. They were both very pretty, and very nice. I decided I liked them both. Flashbacks of 10 years ago kept floating in my mind.. and I fell asleep.
*DREAM*
"Hello? Hello! Wake up!"
"Who, who are you?"
My name is.... what is yours?"
"I'm Jack."
"That's a nice name. So are you here visiting? I havn't seen you around."
"Yea, I'm visiting my grandpoppy."
"I want to show you something Jack,"
*she leads me up to the mountain summit*
"Isn't it beautiful, Jack?"
"Yes, it is very pretty."
*the girls starts singing*
"You have a very pretty voice y'know."
"Thank you, let me hear you sing."
*we sing together*
*a week later*
"I have to leave now, I'm sorry."
"You can't leave, you are my best friend!"
"I have to go home now, back to the city."
"Then let me come with you!"
"I don't think your parents would like that very much."
"Your right. Will I ever see you again?"
"Yes. I promise...."
*In the Morning*

I woke up, and walked down the Inn stairs. Everyone was still asleep, so I walked back to the farm. I got changed into nice clothing, then headed to the church. It was 9:30,and people from town were already taking seats for the funeral. I sat in the front row, and started crying. I heard a familiar voice.
"Is this seat taken?" asked Popuri.
"No, please do sit down." I said.
"Will you be speaking today?" she asked.
"Yes, just a little." I responded.
"I look forward to hearing you.." she said.

I spoke at the funeral about my grandfather, and how good a man he was. We went to the burial ceremony, then we all went to the Inn for a get together. I danced with Popuri and Ann, then I went home. I changed the sheets on the bed, and put the old sheets in a glass vase, put a lid on them, and kept them on a shelf for safe keeping. I went to the mountain and picked a bunch of pink flowers, then went to the graveyard. I put them on the grave, and said a silent prayer. I cried a little, then went home. I got into bed, and fell asleep...