"...I leave Stardew Valley for one week..."
Sam, who was coming around the corner to sit by me on the pier, got a laugh out of that, the very first thing I said when I saw him.
"Seriously," he said, sitting down. "I was here, and I feel like I missed a bunch."
I laughed, then said "Well... I'm glad. I'm super happy for those two, and hope everything works out. And even if it doesn't, I'm glad they gave it a shot."
"Took the words right out of my mouth," Sam smiled.
As my line landed in the water, I realized I had another reason to be glad to be back, and he was sitting right beside me. His smile, and the butterflies it put in my heart, served as a pretty solid reminder.
We sat in silence until I felt a tug on my line. I reeled in some seaweed.
"Seb did tell me another interesting thing," Sam told me as I tossed the seaweed back in the water. "So... I guess... Before you got hurt in the mines that one time, Sebastian had taken Abigail down there."
"Oh?" I asked, casting again.
"Yup," Sam continued. "He told me that her being with him resulted in him having more fun than ever before. I guess that... and something you told him, apparently... convinced him that he needed to go for it."
Something I told Sebastian? That he didn't want to tell Sam? ...It couldn't have had anything to do with our conversation outside the bar, could it? Actually, it was remotely possible.
"Huh," I said. "I've never considered myself a beacon of wisdom, but hey, I'll take it."
"He was also super glad he took her down there before you got hurt," said Sam. "He was pretty sure that if you'd gotten hurt first, he would never have done it."
"That's understandable," I nodded. "I mean, if I saw someone get hurt down there, I wouldn't want to risk that happening to the one I loved."
Something pretty massive tugged at my line. I reeled in some seaweed that was wrapped around a rock.
"How did he do it?" I asked. "The confession, I mean. Anything special?"
"He just said it," said Sam. "Said what was on his mind. Went 'fuck it, I gotta tell you this' and just went for it."
Exactly as I'd told him.
"To be honest," Sam sighed. "I'm a little jealous."
"Oh?" I replied.
"I-I guess I'm just... impressed it worked out," he shrugged. "How often does a guy just straight-up tell a girl he likes her, for the girl to feel the same way? Sometimes, it feels like the odds of that are about as slim as those of winning the lottery."
"Well, it's the same for us girls," I said with only half a thought. "At least... I can relate."
Shit, maybe I'd said too much. Or had I? Just because I could relate didn't mean I could necessarily relate right now, right?
Something else bit at my line. I actually reeled in a fish this time, a red mullet.
"Geez," I said, trying to change the subject. "This thing's seriously red." I wasn't lying. I didn't think fish that... well, red existed. At first sight, I thought the entire thing was bleeding and got concerned.
"Yeah," Sam agreed. "What's it called?"
"Red mullet," I answered. "Welp, it's got the whole red thing down, that's for sure."
"Not so sure about the mullet part, though," Sam joked.
I then tried to imagine what a fish with a mullet would look like.
Author's note: Aye, it's my last chapter as a 21-year-old! Oof... I'll be 22 in less than an hour... Do I get a senior discount yet? XD