Terrence Tristan Phelps was a strange boy. There was no doubt about that. Upon coming to mineral town that first day of spring, he had not once mentioned the city or friends he left behind, nor had he ever received any letters from friends or family. Always giving slight paranoid glances around town and never having any back ground stories to tell the villagers, rumors were often spread about him, rumors of what his life was probably like before he came to this village. A lot of them were harmless really. Maybe he was a bakers son, maybe he was just a homeless man looking for a new life. Some of the juicier stories involved him trying to run from a marriage or perhaps unexpected children, and a few more were of him being possibly gay. However, the young farmer minded to himself and kept to his work, just letting the villagers believe what they wanted. As long as they minded their manners and were not rude to him, he would treat them with respect and be all too polite. Terrence didn't want a life of gossip and mistrust, for as far as he was concerned his life was all around average. He said he had a dull and boring life, so why talk about it, right? To Kai, the young sailor that passed by every summer, it seemed a normal response.
Of course to him, any response was one he'd heard somewhere before. He traveled the world enough to know that people had their own secrets and history that they didn't want to speak about. It was only normal really to have secrets. And it was only fair to respect the man and not hold anything against him. But in this town, things got boring pretty damn fast. And really who's business was any of those secrets but the secret keeper himself right? Right. Kai never once butted in nor asked the young farmer much of anything. It wasn't his business, as simple as that. It seemed he was the only one who didn't though, which was probably why the two were so close.
"another wine, please doug." Kai watched Terrence drinking down the wine like a fish and shook his head as he scoffed a laugh.
"it's not even noon." he muttered through a toothy grin. "you're going to have people talking that you're an alcoholic, terry." terry was the nickname everyone had come to know the farmer by. It was truly fitting and suitable, but it was often made fun of by the local children seeing as they were absolutely sure that name was for girls. The farmer did not seem to mind, and even played along with them, telling them that he was a secret goddess in the form of a boy's body. They only laughed harder at this. Kai laughed too when he had heard it. Terry might be mysterious but he was no goddess. For one thing, he wasn't even a girl.
"ah but what if I am an alcoholic." terry asked with his bright blue eyes searching the bar as he swirled around in his seat. "I might have been in another life." in another life. Those were terry's favorite words. It was almost as if he actually believed in other lives, even when he said he didn't. according to him "in another life" he'd have been several things. One of those things being a sailor, a soldier, a bartender, and even a house wife. Now an alcoholic. Kai was more than sure, he was using the "in another life" excuse to try out things he wouldn't normally try, which was no big deal really. After all, it was the first thing he had ever said to him the first day kai met him. The first time he'd spoken to him was to question why he was trying out being a new farmer here. And the first words that came out of Terry's mouth were "I might have been a farmer in another life." it made the sailor wonder if the boy was truly happy with the life he had. Having to constantly suggest what other lives he might have had…well…you had to be unhappy about something that happened to you.
"well, you're no alcoholic in this life, Terry. You don't even drink socially at times." why the farmer was choosing today to get wasted at eleven thirty in the morning, kai wasn't too sure. It was near the end of summer and this was the first time he had ever seen terry actually drinking. The guy was sucking it down though, you wouldn't believe it from the farmer unless you've seen it yourself. Terry smiled at him and stood up, taking the wine in his hands and stumbling a bit as he staggered towards the door. Kai only sighed and followed him, just sort of walking behind him. "where are you going?"
"out." out was…an unusual response. Considering "out" usually meant out into town to go into the local bar or perhaps some place else. He wasn't too sure. He watched as the farmer tripped over his feet, and near laughed at him when he leaned against the wall. "shit." he glanced up at the sailor and gave a weak smile. "are you really leaving next Sunday?" kai was taken back by this answer, having felt like he had known the farmer his whole life, he almost forgot that Terry was new to mineral town. He gave a sad nod and the farmer seemed unhappy with the response. "you should stay all year long, kai. It's bad for business if you just leave."
"it'll be worse for business if I don't." kai mumbled with a small smile plastered on his face. "you wont miss me will you?" of course, kai would miss the farmer. Terry was quite a charming and funny guy. Plus they had the same taste in food. Being from the city, terry loved Kai's cooking. Often said it was just like home.
"naaah, get out of here with your…purple ass." Kai chuckled and walked towards the farmer, pulling his arm over the boys body and slinging Terry's arm over his neck. He graduly started walking him towards the farm and helped him to his house.
"You'll be alright without me." he knew that for sure. Terrence had lived his whole life without him after all. "Just wait till summer comes and I'll be back before you know it." as he steadied him into the house, he sat the boy down and the young farmer nodded to him. "then you'll be sick of me." he stifled a laugh and nodded as if to agree.
"are you taking popuri with you?" he asked leaning his head on his hand. For a moment, Kai was taken back by this question. Popuri. He had planned to take her. He really had. Even against her brothers will, he wanted to take her…actually against her brothers will was one of the reasons. But he had asked her and she said no. it was too soon to think about running away with him right now. With the little money they had, he couldn't very well expect to take care of them both. Besides her father had written a message saying that he was coming home. She hadn't seen him in goddess knew how long.
"No…No she's staying here." Kai could see confusion sweeping the farmers face, and he gave a slight shrug. "she…her father will be coming in a few weeks. She wants to meet up with him again." he seemed to take this as an appropriate response and nodded as well. "Well, I need to head on back home. You go easy on the booze there man." as kai started for the door, he heard the young farmer grumbling a soft goodbye and a request to come back before he left for good. He nodded and went about his own way.
A few days later he was ready to leave, having said his good byes to everyone in the village, he met up with popuri and terry last. His two closest friends of mineral town, and perhaps the closest friends he'd ever had. Saying his good byes to both of them, he felt all too sad boarding the ship that day. Popuri looked as sad as she always did when watching him leave. But she tried to look mature and strong regardless of the tears swelling up in her eyes. A thought swept over the man, a horrible thought as he waved his good byes out to them. This might be the last time you ever see her again. Kai frowned at the thought and tried to push it to the back of his head. Never in his life had a thought that horrifying ever occurred to him before…but he couldn't let it get to him. Not when there was work to be done and new places to see. A thought that tragic would only get in the way of progress, and besides he'd see popuri grinning happily and cheery a few months from now, looking as beautiful as ever. After all, it was only a thought…right?
Or was it.