Aloha, everyone. Hope you're having a good day.

Just to address a review by Milenary, I'm glad you like this couple as well! I hope you're in for this long journey!

Anyways, enjoy reading!

Chapter 3: Starting a New Life!

Another tiring day…

Coming to her apartment from a part-time job, Claire walked up the stairs until she reached the third floor. She lazily unlocked her door and pushed it open.

"I'm home…" She announced her presence to her empty, lonely room. The walls replied with their unmoving silence.

Claire walked in and closed the door behind her. I live by myself, so of course there's no reply. She kicked off her shoes without a care in the world. One can only dream.

She stood in front of the mirror, seeing a familiar blonde girl with defeated blue eyes staring back at her. Huh, I look like a mess. An exhausted sigh escaped her dry and dull lips.

Claire turned to her bed. She forced her feet forward, moving one in front of the other until she could plop down on the mattress.

An ordinary day after an ordinary day. She buried her head under the pillow, too tired to even think. Get up in the morning, go to work as usual, leave work, go to eat, go home and sleep. Rinse and repeat. That was her life. A rather monotonous life. Every day, it's the same pattern. It's a cycle she wished she could break out of. It bored her to death. I feel I'm losing my mind…

Isn't there something exciting out there in the world…?

Claire pushed herself off the bed and adjusted to a sitting position. She stared down at her hands which appeared frail. This isn't the life she wanted. She didn't want to be working so much for so little. She didn't want to be chained to this mundane life. And yet, she knew she couldn't stop. The apartment rent was expensive; she had to make ends meet. Ramen was her best friend in her food budget. Unhealthy as it may be, she couldn't afford to live the life she deserved.

But… I guess there isn't anything out there for me. Claire bowed her head, her body bent over. Well, I have to work tomorrow. She glanced at the clock on the wall. It's getting late…

Claire stood from the bed and walked to her table. There was a newspaper on it. I'll read the paper first and then go to bed. She sat on a chair and began flipping through the newspaper. Sounds of paper rustling accompanied her loneliness. Reading the newspaper was her favorite activity to relax, except it was the only activity she did after work. I wonder what's going on in the world…?

Her eyes scanned word after word, line after line, paragraph after paragraph. News that she already read before. News that didn't interest her. News that she didn't care enough for. Nothing interesting so far. She rested her head on her hand, her eyes zoning in and out. I'll just head to… huh? What's this?

A certain advertisement caught her attention. She shifted the paper closer and held it with both hands. It was a picture of a colorful farm with a caption below it that read:

Would you like to enjoy a peaceful and refreshing farm life?

For more info, please contact MT Realtor through:

□△□–△x△x

Claire drew her chin back and stared off into the distance. A farm…? What would that kind of life have in store for her? That sounded like a much better life. Wishful fantasies flashed through her mind. Exciting fantasies.

She imagined herself tending to animals. Maybe a cow? She could brush the cow and bond with it. What about horse riding? Maybe she could get herself a horse and ride into the sunset. Oh, and I could raise a pet! She adored little animals like cats and dogs. Unfortunately, her apartment had a zero-tolerance no-pet policy. Then I could lie down on the lush meadows and stare into the night skies without any worry…! She could breathe in the fresh country air!

Claire slammed her palms on the table and stood up, kicking her chair back. This excitement bubbling in her heart…! This was what she was searching for this entire time! Something that could save her from this prison! This is it! This is something exciting! She quickly took a mental note of the contact number and then rushed to the telephone beside her bed. Let's call them!

She carefully dialed the numbers one by one. Beeping sounds came from the telephone. Claire picked it up.

"Hello, is this MT Realtor?" She asked eagerly. "I'm calling about the farm I saw on an ad…"

…

..

.

It was settled. Claire would leave this life behind and start a new one on the farm! She discussed with the realtor about the payment, directions, and anything else that was required. The farm cost a total of 50,000 gold, but she only had to pay a fifth upfront for her first year. Considering she'd gain farmland, she believed it was well worth the price. It's surprisingly cheap for what it is!

The realtor told her that the farm used to belong to an old farmer who had taken wonderful care of it. I wonder what happened to the previous farmer. But that thought was quickly cast aside. She finally had a new chance at life! There was so much energy rushing through her body that she couldn't sleep the whole night!

Over the next few days, Claire filled up resignation forms and made a notice that she wouldn't be staying at the apartment any longer. No more part-time jobs! I'll be moving out! She packed up all her essentials into her trusty orange backpack. The rest of her belongings went into a suitcase. Can't forget this! She put on her favorite white flannel shirt with red lines. After one last look around her room, she left the apartment and kissed it goodbye. Her next stop was the ferry port!

Time to leave this life behind!

…

..

.

The ferry set sail towards the destination. Claire stood on the deck, her arms resting on the railing. She stared at the blue oceans and skies. A blue that was reflected in her own bubbly blue eyes. Her long blonde hair flowed in the calm breezy winds. Such a refreshing scent! She felt so free! This was going to be the change she so desperately needed!

After a while, Claire spotted something in the distance. She moved to the front of the deck to get a closer look. A beach appeared in the far distance with a dock nearby. Her eyes lit up in anticipation. Were they finally reaching their destination? She could almost touch it with her fingertips!

"We have reached our destination, Ms. Claire." The sailor informed her.

"Thanks for the ride!" Claire jumped off the ferry and landed on the pier. Her sudden act caught the ferry staff by surprise. But she didn't care at all! What's life without a little risk? The reward would be beyond her imagination.

Claire ran the entire length of the pier until she stopped at the shoreline. She took a step forward, sinking her feet into the soft and sparkly sand. Oh my God, I'm finally here! Never has she stepped foot on a beach before! This was the excitement she craved for so long! She took in a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of the countryside. This is where she belonged!

Mineral Town, here I come! There's a new farmer in town!

…

..

.

After some navigation with several wrong twists and turns, Claire finally reached the promised land. Is this it? She walked through what she believed was the farm's entrance. This must be it! Excitement surged through her body. Her hands trembled. Hello, my new farm! I'm here to take care of–… huh?

Claire saw two people in the distance. Who are those two? She overheard them talking to each other. Do they belong here? This farm should belong to her now, so what are other people doing on her property? It struck her as odd. Shouldn't the property be reserved for her? Maybe they're waiting for the new farmer? She figured she could ask them. No harm in that.

"Hello!" Claire called out and waved at the two people. "Excuse me, is this the farm MT Realtor sold to me?"