Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon DS Cute.
Third Side of the Coin
Onion Seeds x2 300g
Tomato Seeds x2 400g
Corn Seeds x2 600g
Pumpkin Seeds x2 1000g
TOTAL 2300g
Only a hundred gold left in my pocket. I'm the richest person alive.
Vesta let out a hearty laugh, no doubt seeing the complete joy written all over my face. "Don't worry, kid! Once those crops grow, you'll have much more money in your pocket!" she assured me.
Yeah, but then I'll have to buy more seeds. Oh, and don't forget that Takakura was still bugging me about getting a chicken coop. "Try to get one before summer ends" he says with his eyes friggen' closed eyes and a disapproving frown on his face. Psh, why don't you go and get four-hundred and twenty pieces of wood, old man!
I grumbled under my breath as I placed the bags of seeds into my rucksack. "I'm just worried about how I'll feed myself while those crops grow," I said. Not to mention that my cat's getting anorexic and my dog's starting to eat grass. So many mouths to feed...
"Hahaha... you can always come to us for help!"
I made puppy-dog eyes at her. "Maybe some cash-"
"Hahaha... don't push it."
Damn.
"This is forced labor, I tell you," I told her with a frown, eyes set into a glare. "I shouldn't need to starve while waiting for my profits!" Did we not have a government program for instances like this? Come to think of it, did this village not have a mayor or some governing body controlling it?!
Vesta only shook her head in amusement, "Sure, sure, kid, tell it to the government. Just don't go stealing now like that stupid thief."
Stealing... doesn't seem like such a bad idea. Romana has loads of paintings over at her mansion, and I'm sure Lumina won't miss her piano much - Wait, what? "Thief? This town actually has a bad guy?" I asked in complete disbelief.
Don't get me wrong, the people here all have their faults. But as a community, there aren't any bad eggs. I mean, the apple doesn't fall too far from the three- Ugh. Stop thinking about food. But back to the point, this place is a peaceful valley. Sure, the bar gets a bit unruly at times, but nothing huge happens.
"Yup, there's always a problem in some place. In here, it's that thief guy. I hear he usually takes rounds around the valley, probably looking for a place to rob," Vesta said with a frown. "Hate those kinda fellas, don't you, kiddo? We go through so much work to grow our crops to be the best and tastiest they can be, while some crook just goes and steals? And I bet those thieving bastards are rolling around in riches while we're here stuck in the farm, doing real labor. So what if they're quick with their fingers and sneaky and quiet? We work ten times harder than the average person, and our profits-"
"Aunt Vesta!" Celia called out from outside of the shack, opening the door a little bit and halting Vesta's rant.
She was getting redder by the second, I'm quite glad Celia butted in before she blew a gasket. I hate criminals too, but thieves aren't really a problem for me. I'm not sure if it's a good thing, but I have nothing of value that's worth stealing.
"Marlin and I need some help over at the turnip fields," she said with a sheepish laugh.
Aren't all their fields used for turnips?
Vesta nodded. "I'll be there in a second." She faced me again once Celia left. "Don't go stealing now, ya hear?"
I saluted. "Ma'm, yes, ma'm." Then she left the store...
... And I'm here, surrounded with crops and seeds, alone.
I slowly left the store and headed to my farm. Vesta may be a nice woman, but she's huge. I don't think I can handle her if I were caught red-handed.
"Ji~il!" someone called out before I could go up to the path that led to my farm. I glanced down at my watch and winced. It was already four-thirty in the afternoon and I still haven't cleared and plowed my fields, let alone plant a seed.
Not only was it already late in the afternoon, it was also late in Spring as well. I arrived here in Forget-Me-Not-Valley around the end of Winter, now it's late Spring and I haven't planted a thing. Not even turnips would make it, so I'm already getting ready for the Summer harvest. The only reason I'm farming right now is because of this stupid guilt trip.
So, like, it's my fault that the Harvest Goddess called the Harvest King bald. And incidentally, it's also my fault that my brother died and now I have to take over the farm. Not only that, but's its also my fault that I failed in farming during Spring because I didn't know squat about plants.
Sorry for failing, almighty Harvest Goddess. I initially planned not to save your sorry, petrified ass, but then I thought about those harvest sprites.
Those stupid little trolls deserve to work hard for me. Once I save them, they'll need some saving from me.
"Jill!"
Oh right, her.
"Jill! Jill! Jill!" came the shrill sound of a shrieking banshee.
Standing before me, in all her glory was Queen B: Blonde, beautiful, and busty. I don't really hate her... it's just that, she belongs to a species I hate.
Muffy smiled, completely ignoring my annoyed face. "You have to join the party!" she said, grabbing my hands and jumping a little.
Party? As in, alcohol, dancing, and lights?
"Lumina's birthday is today!" she said with an even larger smile. "Romana and Sebastian celebrated with her during the day. So, me and the other girls are planning to throw her a surprise party later tonight at the mansion! You'll come, right?"
"Why?" I bluntly asked. I noticed her flinch, but I continued anyway. "I'm not really friends with any of you."
I think it was Celia's - or was it Muffy's? - birthday back in early Spring, I don't remember getting any invitation during that time.
And no, I'm not bitter. I hardly know any of the bachelorettes in this village. The only people I really talk to are Takakura and Vesta. Takakura because I have no choice, with him living only yards away from me, and Vesta because of the farming gig.
I don't like the people here. And I'm not ashamed whenever I brush them off.
Muffy let go of my hands - finally - and frowned a little. "We really want to be friends with you, Jill! You're the one that keeps pushing us away," she said in a small whisper.
If I'm the one that keeps pushing you away, why are you always coming back? Celia, Nami, and Lumina got the message and only spoke to me when needed or for just a greeting. Muffy, on the other hand, wouldn't shut up.
But, I gotta hand it to her. I can act like a total bitch at times and she still keeps coming. I don't know if she's stubborn or stupid. "... I'll see what I can do," I finally said, "I still have these seeds I need planting. If I finish early and rest a bit, I might come."
It is Lumina's birthday after all. So drinks and food are on her, the loaded princess.
The smile popped back up onto her make-up clad face. "Oh, thank you, thank you!" she said grabbing my hands again and jumping a bit.
Oh, what a wonderful ball of freakin' sunshine she is.
As she walked back to the bar, I couldn't help but grimace, remembering my earlier, unfriendly thoughts regarding the only girl kind to me here...
... Maybe that thief isn't the real bad guy in this village.
I hate farming.
It took me hours to clear and plow the fields, planting the seeds could be saved for tomorrow. Takakura expects me to have even more crops by the time fall comes? The old man should learn that I'm not some superhuman like my brother. By the time I was done with all the other chores, the sun had already set and it was almost ten.
Muffy said that the party would start at around nine and end in the wee hours of the morning, I guess I could still make it.
Farming did tire me out, but I find free food and drinks to be a better alternative then going to bed with only a riceball in my stomach. I took a quick shower and prettied up a bit. I think the only one that would work on her appearance would be Muffy. Knowing Nami and Celia, the former would head there in normal attire and the latter might even attend still clad in her working garb.
I looked down at the only pair of shoes I owned and almost wanted to cry. Brown, leather work boots were the only footwear I had. How am I to attend a party in such... things?
I disgress.
I settled for a denim skirt that ended above my knees, white shirt and brown jacket. It was plain, and a bit ugly, but all my other formal attire wouldn't suit well with my shoes. I contemplated on leaving my hair down, but I went for the usual ponytail in the end. It was a windy night and I didn't want to have to worry about my hair.
The walk to the mansion was uneventful. I nodded and waved at a few people I knew that passed by, and when I went up the long stairway to the mansion, I stopped a bit in front of the fountain.
I only liked a few things about this village. And this fountain is certainly one of them. I checked my reflection again then looked back up and was about to head to the door, when someone already opened it up. My eyes widened and quickly stopped in my tracks before I could walk into the person.
Lumina was pretty good-looking, but for some reason she seemed especially so today. A birthday glow, I suppose. She looked genuinely surprised when she took notice of who I was. Before she could speak, I held up a bouquet of moondrop flowers. "Happy birthday, Lumina. I know it's not much... but it's all I could afford."
The flowers I found near the Goddess Pond. The ribbon was from one of my clothes.
She accepted it with wide eyes, pure shock written all over her face. "Th-Thank you!" she said with a hesitant smile. I don't blame her. Even I didn't expect myself to give her a gift.
I shrugged in response. "So, where are the other girls? I thought the party was over at your mansion?"
"Oh no, they met me at the mansion, but the real party is over at the Blue Bar," she said, playing around with the petals. "I just went back home to grab something. I'll put these in a vase and then we'll head to the bar together!" she told me, running back into the large house.
I tapped my fingers together for a bit, unsure of what to do. Should I have gotten a better gift? Should I have come? How do I talk with girls I've given the cold shoulder too? How...
A sigh escaped my lips. I really shouldn't have bothered coming. Celebrating things like birthdays was only something my brother did.
"Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us~"
"Your voice, it is grating on my ears," Jill deadpanned.
I grinned and handed her a slice of the cake I baked. "What are you talking about? I could win a Grammy with these vocals of mine!"
"Ugh, in my nightmares, yeah." She sounded and looked annoyed... but took a bite of the cake anyway, smiling a little afterwards. "You do know that you cook like a girl, right?"
"To match with your manly appetite, of course," I replied while cutting a slice of my own.
"Why are you hanging with me anyway? I thought your friends had this surprise party going on for you," she said before taking another bite. She didn't look as cheery anymore.
... Oh. So that was why they insisted on me going to the classroom. I feel a little bad for standing them up, but... I gave a small smile to Jill. "Why else would I be here? To celebrate your birthday of course!"
"It's your birthday as well, you should do what you want-"
I raised up a glass of our wine to interrupt her. "To us! For being born!" I cheered.
Jill stared at me for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she smirked and took her own glass and raised it, clinking it against my own.
"To us."
Fuck. Why'd I have to remember that? Right as the mansion doors opened, I took a step forward. "Sorry, Lumina. Something came up."
Yeah, my cowardice is coming up to the surface.
She quickened her pace to catch up to me as I went down the path. "Oh... but you even went through the trouble of a gift... You have to celebrate with us! We've always wanted to have some girl time with you!"
Lies. Her voice was strained. Though that was okay, I bet my "Happy birthday" earlier was even more.
"My stomach's acting up. Nothing personal," I lied in turn.
I disliked being in situations I'm uncomfortable with. I thought I could handle this, but I can't. I didn't know what to do with myself before a party to celebrate a single person's birth - what more so during it? Especially with a celebrant I don't particularly like. I just don't think I can handle this kind of situation in a normal manner.
... Since the only birthday parties I've been to had always been my own.