Harvest Moon
The Appearance of a Normal Life
By: Belldandy'sKeiichi
Note: [any text in here is a thought text]
Author's Time: Next Chapter up! Well...anywho, enjoy this one as I type up the next chapter. I'm not sure how many chapters I'll write for this story...but eh, that doesn't matter now.
Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own Harvest Moon...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whew! That should be the last of them..." Jack said, finishing putting the last tomato in the shipping bin. It was now summer and Jack was hard at work harvesting all of his crops. It was about ten in the morning but for him, it felt like it was six o clock. "Geez...that took a lot out of me..." He said, sitting on the ground as he opened a bottle of water. He drank some and wiped the sweat off his brow.
"Hey there Jack!" A girl's voice called. He turned around to see Ann looking down at him. With whatever energy he had left, he stood back up and turned to her.
"Hi there Ann...what's up?" He said, cheerfully.
"Nothing much, just passing by...I see you're still harvesting your crops." She said to him.
"Still harvesting? What do you mean?" He asked. Ann pointed out to his field. He turned around and noticed that there was about another five acres left to harvest.
"O good lord! Someone tell me this isn't happening to me!" Jack screamed. Ann placed a hand on his shoulder.
"There there...look on the bright side..." She said to him.
"That my life sucks?"
"Well...no, I've come to give you this!" She said, handing him a piece of paper. Jack took it and stared at it for a moment.
"Um...what is it?" He asked.
"Duh! It's my party invite stupid! You're invited!" She said to him. Jack opened the letter and read the contents.
"Hmm...I see..." He said.
"Yeah, there'll be food, music, and dancing!" She said, noticing Jack's reaction when she said dancing.
"Dancing?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, you know, dancing!" She said, as she started dancing a little in front of him.
"Heh...I see...but I think I have a lot to do on that day..." He said hesitantly.
"What? You're no fun...what's with the change of heart?" She asked him in curiosity.
"It's nothing..." He said, turning around and looking back at his field. Ann stood there for a minute and at that instant, she knew why he didn't want to go.
"...you don't know how to dance huh Jack..." She said, smiling at him. Jack suddenly froze. "Ha! I knew it! You don't know how to dance!" She said, pointing at him.
"Ok! Yeah! I don't know how to dance ok?! ...don't make such a big deal out of it..." He said to her. Just then, Ann grabbed his hand and started pulling him.
"Well, come on then! I'm going to teach you how!" She said, pulling him out of his farm.
"Hold up Ann! What about my farm! I still need to harvest! ...did I mention I didn't feed my chickens yet? Ann? Ann!?"
Chapter 2: Summer Air
[Just my luck...I get dragged from doing my work just so that I can get humiliated for two hours...] Jack though, tired and sitting in the Inn. It's been two hours since Jack was "escorted" out of his farm and into the Inn with Ann. And in those two hours, Ann was teaching him just the basics of dancing. [Geez...I look like a dang fool....] He thought as a water bottle hits him head on.
"Ooops! Sorry Jack!" Ann called, as she rushed to his aid. Jack slowly got up and picked up the water bottle.
"I'm ok..." He said as he opened the water bottle and started to drink. Ann to a seat next to him and did the same thing.
"You know, even for a beginner...you're pretty good..." She said to him.
"Heh...but you're way better...I can't match up..." He said, putting himself down.
"Hey now, don't say that...I'm not that good. Karen's the one that taught me how to dance well..." She said, trying to cheer him up. Just then, the Inn door swigged open and Cliff walked in.
"Hey there Cliff..." Jack called. He nodded his head at him as he walked over behind Ann. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder.
"Hiya sweetie...how's your day?" Ann asked, leaning her head against his.
[Ann and Cliff...they do make a cute couple...they've been together for at least 3 months now and each day they seems to be more attached to each other...If only I can find someone that would love me like that...] He thought, letting out a sigh.
"Jack? Jack? ...JACK!" Cliff called. Jack suddenly snapped out of it and looked up at the two lovey dovey couple.
"Huh? Um...yeah?" He asked.
"I was wondering what are you doing here?" Cliff said to him.
"Er...he's just here to eat Cliff..." Ann said to him. Cliff looked at her for a moment.
"I see...well, I just came to change my clothes, then I'm going up Mother hill...You wanna come Ann?" Cliff said, practically asked her out on a date.
"Um...sorry dear, but I need to help out my dad today...maybe some other time..." She said to him.
"O...I see. Well, I'll just go get changed and I'll be outta here." He said, going upstairs. Both Ann and Jack let out a sigh.
"Well, you need to help out your dad...so I'll just be on my way and...ack!" Jack started but was held back by Ann.
"Not so loud...I really don't have to help out my dad you dork..." She said to him. Cliff went back downstairs and out the door.
"But then why did you say that..."
"So Cliff can get off my back...if he sees me around other guys, he'll easily get jealous..." Ann said to him. She got up and pulled Jack up also.
"Come on...there's one more thing I need to teach you..." She said grabbing both of his hand.
"Um...is this another slow dance thing?" He asked nervously.
"Well...not really..." She said as she moved herself so that she was against Jack's body. Jack could feel himself turn red as they genteelly rocked side to side. Ann navigated his hands to that they were rubbing her thighs up and down and slowly, she started to bend over. For a minute, Jack thought he was in heaven...or at least until...
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY DAUGHTER!!!!" Doug's voice called.
"What?! O wait! It's not what you think!" Jack called but then was thrown right out of the Inn.
"AND STAY OUT!" Doug's voice yelled as he closed the doors.
"...just my luck..." Jack said to himself as he lay in the cobble stone pathway.
**
"You know Jack, you really need to be careful...I've never seen so many scrapes and cuts on one person in my life..." Elli said, applying first aid on him. Jack was now in the hospital and was sitting on the examination table.
"Yeah...I know...normally I'm more careful that this..." He said to her.
"Well, what exactly were you doing to get all these?" Elli asked.
[It's so like her to ask me something like this...so caring...and motherly...now that I think about it...she probably doesn't have a boyfriend yet since she's always working...maybe if I play my cards right...] Jack thought. "Well...it's nothing that big...just farming...and stuff. But I know that I'm going to be ok as long as you're here next to me..." He said to her. Jack waited for some kind of advance also from Elli...but instead...
"Are you trying to shoot the breeze with me Jack?" She asked him. He was caught in his own game.
"Um...yeah?" He said nervously. Elli giggled and smiled at him.
"Heh, you're so sweet. You're going to Ann's party right?"
[Well...if Doug let's me in...] "Yeah, why?" He asked her.
"Just wondering...anyways, you'll be fine. Just be more careful from now on. I'll see you at the party." She said to him. Jack hopped off the examination table and started to head for the door. "O, and Jack?" Elli's voice called. He turned around and looked at her. "Save the last dance for me ok?" She said to him. Jack smiled and raised a thumb up.
"Ok..." He said as he closed the clinic door.
**
Jack was heading home until a familiar voice called out to him.
"Yo! Jack! Over here!" a girl's voice said. He turned around and saw Karen walking behind him.
"Heh, hey there Karen...what's up?" He asked as they started to walk together.
"Nothing much, but I heard you got booted from the Inn...kinda harsh..." She said to him.
[Great...word's out...now I'm in trouble.] "Well...yeah, it's lame...so what are you doing now?" He asked her as they past by the supermarket.
"I dunno...I'm planning to walk up Mother Hill...or just walk around the village to kill time. Hey! Are you going to the Inn tonight?" She asked up. Jack made a face and Karen remembered that he was kicked out. "O...heh, sorry, I forgot..." She said, apologizing.
"It's ok Karen..." He said, looking down.
"Hey, don't worry. I bet I can talk over Doug. I mean, I am a very charismatic person after all!" She said proudly.
"You are?" Jack asked. Karen punched him on the arm.
"Of course I am! Besides, tomorrow he'll probably forget all about it..." She said to him. They reached the cross road that leads to his farm and the Poultry Farm. "Well, this is where we go our separate ways. I'll see you later Jack. Don't worry; I'll talk some scene into Doug! See ya!" She called, walking towards Popuri's house.
"Yeah...see ya..." He said, walking back to his farm.
**
Jack walked over to his shipping bin and noticed a note that was there.
Jack,
The money's in the bin, o, and I took a tomato! Hope you don't mind!
~Zack
Jack sighed and threw the note away.
"Whatever..." He walked over to one of his un-harvested batch of tomatoes and picked one off. He walked over to his bridge near his watermill and took a seat, feet dangling off the side. "Well, another nice night..." He said to himself, taking a bite out of his tomato. [Man...why do I get the feeling like a couple of years from now, I'm going to do the exact same thing...sitting here and looking up at the night sky...hmm, I really need to get on with my life. Sitting around like this isn't good...but hey, it's a nice night, might as well enjoy it.] He thought as he continued to eat, swinging his feet off the bridge.
"Hey there Jack!" A voice called. Jack was caught off guard and accidentally dropped his half eaten tomato into the river.
"My food!" He cried.
"Oops...sorry about that Jack..." Ann's voice said. He turned his head and Ann stood tall behind him.
"O...it's just you..." He said, looking at his reflection in the water. Ann took a seat next to him.
"Heh, sorry about what happen earlier...I talked it over with my dad and he said you can come back to the Inn..." She said. Jack smiled.
"Heh, thanks..." He said as he continued to look down.
"What's wrong?" She said with concern.
"Nothing...I was just thinking...why did you went through all the trouble of teaching me how to dance...and clearing my name with your dad..." He said, avoiding eye contact.
"Heh, I thought by know you would have know...I love you!" She said to him, smiling. Jack looked up at her.
[That smile...she only smiles like this in front of me...] He thought.
"But only like a brother thought." She added.
[Great...she loves me like a brother...but hey, that's getting somewhere...at least I know my life is special to someone...] He thought as he got up.
"Come on Ann, I'll walk you home..." He said, taking her hand.
End of Chapter 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for Chapter 2. Read, review, and such. So far, how am I doing? Good? Bad? Ugly? ...funny? Anywho! I'll get chapter 3 up sometime soon...when I can find time. So until next time!
The Appearance of a Normal Life
By: Belldandy'sKeiichi
Note: [any text in here is a thought text]
Author's Time: Next Chapter up! Well...anywho, enjoy this one as I type up the next chapter. I'm not sure how many chapters I'll write for this story...but eh, that doesn't matter now.
Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own Harvest Moon...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whew! That should be the last of them..." Jack said, finishing putting the last tomato in the shipping bin. It was now summer and Jack was hard at work harvesting all of his crops. It was about ten in the morning but for him, it felt like it was six o clock. "Geez...that took a lot out of me..." He said, sitting on the ground as he opened a bottle of water. He drank some and wiped the sweat off his brow.
"Hey there Jack!" A girl's voice called. He turned around to see Ann looking down at him. With whatever energy he had left, he stood back up and turned to her.
"Hi there Ann...what's up?" He said, cheerfully.
"Nothing much, just passing by...I see you're still harvesting your crops." She said to him.
"Still harvesting? What do you mean?" He asked. Ann pointed out to his field. He turned around and noticed that there was about another five acres left to harvest.
"O good lord! Someone tell me this isn't happening to me!" Jack screamed. Ann placed a hand on his shoulder.
"There there...look on the bright side..." She said to him.
"That my life sucks?"
"Well...no, I've come to give you this!" She said, handing him a piece of paper. Jack took it and stared at it for a moment.
"Um...what is it?" He asked.
"Duh! It's my party invite stupid! You're invited!" She said to him. Jack opened the letter and read the contents.
"Hmm...I see..." He said.
"Yeah, there'll be food, music, and dancing!" She said, noticing Jack's reaction when she said dancing.
"Dancing?" Jack asked.
"Yeah, you know, dancing!" She said, as she started dancing a little in front of him.
"Heh...I see...but I think I have a lot to do on that day..." He said hesitantly.
"What? You're no fun...what's with the change of heart?" She asked him in curiosity.
"It's nothing..." He said, turning around and looking back at his field. Ann stood there for a minute and at that instant, she knew why he didn't want to go.
"...you don't know how to dance huh Jack..." She said, smiling at him. Jack suddenly froze. "Ha! I knew it! You don't know how to dance!" She said, pointing at him.
"Ok! Yeah! I don't know how to dance ok?! ...don't make such a big deal out of it..." He said to her. Just then, Ann grabbed his hand and started pulling him.
"Well, come on then! I'm going to teach you how!" She said, pulling him out of his farm.
"Hold up Ann! What about my farm! I still need to harvest! ...did I mention I didn't feed my chickens yet? Ann? Ann!?"
Chapter 2: Summer Air
[Just my luck...I get dragged from doing my work just so that I can get humiliated for two hours...] Jack though, tired and sitting in the Inn. It's been two hours since Jack was "escorted" out of his farm and into the Inn with Ann. And in those two hours, Ann was teaching him just the basics of dancing. [Geez...I look like a dang fool....] He thought as a water bottle hits him head on.
"Ooops! Sorry Jack!" Ann called, as she rushed to his aid. Jack slowly got up and picked up the water bottle.
"I'm ok..." He said as he opened the water bottle and started to drink. Ann to a seat next to him and did the same thing.
"You know, even for a beginner...you're pretty good..." She said to him.
"Heh...but you're way better...I can't match up..." He said, putting himself down.
"Hey now, don't say that...I'm not that good. Karen's the one that taught me how to dance well..." She said, trying to cheer him up. Just then, the Inn door swigged open and Cliff walked in.
"Hey there Cliff..." Jack called. He nodded his head at him as he walked over behind Ann. He wrapped his arms around her and rested his head on her shoulder.
"Hiya sweetie...how's your day?" Ann asked, leaning her head against his.
[Ann and Cliff...they do make a cute couple...they've been together for at least 3 months now and each day they seems to be more attached to each other...If only I can find someone that would love me like that...] He thought, letting out a sigh.
"Jack? Jack? ...JACK!" Cliff called. Jack suddenly snapped out of it and looked up at the two lovey dovey couple.
"Huh? Um...yeah?" He asked.
"I was wondering what are you doing here?" Cliff said to him.
"Er...he's just here to eat Cliff..." Ann said to him. Cliff looked at her for a moment.
"I see...well, I just came to change my clothes, then I'm going up Mother hill...You wanna come Ann?" Cliff said, practically asked her out on a date.
"Um...sorry dear, but I need to help out my dad today...maybe some other time..." She said to him.
"O...I see. Well, I'll just go get changed and I'll be outta here." He said, going upstairs. Both Ann and Jack let out a sigh.
"Well, you need to help out your dad...so I'll just be on my way and...ack!" Jack started but was held back by Ann.
"Not so loud...I really don't have to help out my dad you dork..." She said to him. Cliff went back downstairs and out the door.
"But then why did you say that..."
"So Cliff can get off my back...if he sees me around other guys, he'll easily get jealous..." Ann said to him. She got up and pulled Jack up also.
"Come on...there's one more thing I need to teach you..." She said grabbing both of his hand.
"Um...is this another slow dance thing?" He asked nervously.
"Well...not really..." She said as she moved herself so that she was against Jack's body. Jack could feel himself turn red as they genteelly rocked side to side. Ann navigated his hands to that they were rubbing her thighs up and down and slowly, she started to bend over. For a minute, Jack thought he was in heaven...or at least until...
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY DAUGHTER!!!!" Doug's voice called.
"What?! O wait! It's not what you think!" Jack called but then was thrown right out of the Inn.
"AND STAY OUT!" Doug's voice yelled as he closed the doors.
"...just my luck..." Jack said to himself as he lay in the cobble stone pathway.
**
"You know Jack, you really need to be careful...I've never seen so many scrapes and cuts on one person in my life..." Elli said, applying first aid on him. Jack was now in the hospital and was sitting on the examination table.
"Yeah...I know...normally I'm more careful that this..." He said to her.
"Well, what exactly were you doing to get all these?" Elli asked.
[It's so like her to ask me something like this...so caring...and motherly...now that I think about it...she probably doesn't have a boyfriend yet since she's always working...maybe if I play my cards right...] Jack thought. "Well...it's nothing that big...just farming...and stuff. But I know that I'm going to be ok as long as you're here next to me..." He said to her. Jack waited for some kind of advance also from Elli...but instead...
"Are you trying to shoot the breeze with me Jack?" She asked him. He was caught in his own game.
"Um...yeah?" He said nervously. Elli giggled and smiled at him.
"Heh, you're so sweet. You're going to Ann's party right?"
[Well...if Doug let's me in...] "Yeah, why?" He asked her.
"Just wondering...anyways, you'll be fine. Just be more careful from now on. I'll see you at the party." She said to him. Jack hopped off the examination table and started to head for the door. "O, and Jack?" Elli's voice called. He turned around and looked at her. "Save the last dance for me ok?" She said to him. Jack smiled and raised a thumb up.
"Ok..." He said as he closed the clinic door.
**
Jack was heading home until a familiar voice called out to him.
"Yo! Jack! Over here!" a girl's voice said. He turned around and saw Karen walking behind him.
"Heh, hey there Karen...what's up?" He asked as they started to walk together.
"Nothing much, but I heard you got booted from the Inn...kinda harsh..." She said to him.
[Great...word's out...now I'm in trouble.] "Well...yeah, it's lame...so what are you doing now?" He asked her as they past by the supermarket.
"I dunno...I'm planning to walk up Mother Hill...or just walk around the village to kill time. Hey! Are you going to the Inn tonight?" She asked up. Jack made a face and Karen remembered that he was kicked out. "O...heh, sorry, I forgot..." She said, apologizing.
"It's ok Karen..." He said, looking down.
"Hey, don't worry. I bet I can talk over Doug. I mean, I am a very charismatic person after all!" She said proudly.
"You are?" Jack asked. Karen punched him on the arm.
"Of course I am! Besides, tomorrow he'll probably forget all about it..." She said to him. They reached the cross road that leads to his farm and the Poultry Farm. "Well, this is where we go our separate ways. I'll see you later Jack. Don't worry; I'll talk some scene into Doug! See ya!" She called, walking towards Popuri's house.
"Yeah...see ya..." He said, walking back to his farm.
**
Jack walked over to his shipping bin and noticed a note that was there.
Jack,
The money's in the bin, o, and I took a tomato! Hope you don't mind!
~Zack
Jack sighed and threw the note away.
"Whatever..." He walked over to one of his un-harvested batch of tomatoes and picked one off. He walked over to his bridge near his watermill and took a seat, feet dangling off the side. "Well, another nice night..." He said to himself, taking a bite out of his tomato. [Man...why do I get the feeling like a couple of years from now, I'm going to do the exact same thing...sitting here and looking up at the night sky...hmm, I really need to get on with my life. Sitting around like this isn't good...but hey, it's a nice night, might as well enjoy it.] He thought as he continued to eat, swinging his feet off the bridge.
"Hey there Jack!" A voice called. Jack was caught off guard and accidentally dropped his half eaten tomato into the river.
"My food!" He cried.
"Oops...sorry about that Jack..." Ann's voice said. He turned his head and Ann stood tall behind him.
"O...it's just you..." He said, looking at his reflection in the water. Ann took a seat next to him.
"Heh, sorry about what happen earlier...I talked it over with my dad and he said you can come back to the Inn..." She said. Jack smiled.
"Heh, thanks..." He said as he continued to look down.
"What's wrong?" She said with concern.
"Nothing...I was just thinking...why did you went through all the trouble of teaching me how to dance...and clearing my name with your dad..." He said, avoiding eye contact.
"Heh, I thought by know you would have know...I love you!" She said to him, smiling. Jack looked up at her.
[That smile...she only smiles like this in front of me...] He thought.
"But only like a brother thought." She added.
[Great...she loves me like a brother...but hey, that's getting somewhere...at least I know my life is special to someone...] He thought as he got up.
"Come on Ann, I'll walk you home..." He said, taking her hand.
End of Chapter 2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
That's it for Chapter 2. Read, review, and such. So far, how am I doing? Good? Bad? Ugly? ...funny? Anywho! I'll get chapter 3 up sometime soon...when I can find time. So until next time!