*Chapter begun on 11/16/17. Because I am a huge lazy procrastinator of epic proportions. :'3

*Worked on this chapter a little more on June 22nd and 23rd, and even more on June 30th.

*Finished chapter on December 19th, 2018. Because PROCRASTINATION! \o/

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns. This is a work of fanfiction written purely for entertainment.

*EDIT 1/13/22: Updated story with Chapter 4 and tried to fix up all chapters so far to look nicer and more professional.

Nope. Uncle Frank had not, in fact, been joking when he had told her that it was customary in Westown to greet people with a hug. Holly had hoped against hope, but after getting up and being reminded by her uncle that he would be taking her out to see Westown and meet some of the townsfolk, her hope that she wouldn't have to hug new people today had been dashed when they'd approached Megan, the apparent "town elder" that Frank had insisted she meet first. The old woman, a farmer herself who lived just across the bridge from Frank, had offered a sincerely kind and friendly greeting, then promptly embraced Holly in a hug.

Luckily for Holly, the greeting hugs were apparently meant to be quick ones, for the hug was blessedly brief. Megan seemed confused by Holly's poorly hidden discomfort, and though Holly knew he meant no harm by saying so, Uncle Frank managed to embarrass his niece further by explaining that the greeting hugs were not a custom where Holly had come from, and thusly she must still be shy about them. Megan at least seemed to understand, and Holly offered a weak smile, ignoring Frank's repeated prediction that she would get used to it in time. She wanted to try. Really, she did. But... greeting strangers with hugs? What an unusual, and dare she think it, downright odd, custom. Truly, she didn't mind giving hugs, to people she knew, at least. Strangers were completely different.

Luckily, the subject was quickly dropped, as Megan declared she would be accompanying them on the tour of the town. As they started walking, Megan gestured about at the large rocky cliffs surrounding the areas the town was sequestered into.

"As you can see," Megan explained as they walked, "the whole town is situated on a mountainside. This place has always been a very good location for raising livestock. The red soil, hills, and tall cliffs are just some of this areas' rather unique characteristics. This land is perfect for crops, as well. The soil absorbs water quite well, and we're all pretty proud of our Westown veggies," she said with a cheerful smile.

Holly certainly couldn't argue with that. Uncle Frank had made a mean veggie pizza the previous evening, after all. It had been quite delicious. As the trio crossed over the old, worn bridge spanning the width of the river, the second such trip for Holly, who didn't at all care for its creaking and groaning under the weight of those who walked across it, Megan explained that the road leading further out, back the way they were coming from, and past her farm, led out of town, where Holly's farm would be. Ahead of them lay the center of Westown, and as the cliff walls only became taller, and buildings began to come into sight, Holly looked on, immediately liking the feel of the little town. The bustle had seemingly already commenced, as the town started to awaken from its slumber.

As they walked toward the center of town, Megan shared some of the town's history, stating that once upon a time it had begun as a successful mining town, long ago. She continued leading Holly around, she and Frank pointing out to Holly the various shops and buildings. Smiling shopkeepers waved at her and offered hellos and good mornings to their group. Holly was thankful for an apparent reprieve from the hugging, as the people setting up their shops seemed too busy to come out and do so.

Phew.

"And over there's our Post Office," Megan said, Holly returning her attention to the older woman. No sooner had Megan pointed out the building than someone emerged from its doors.

"Ah, there's our postman," Megan said cheerfully, raising a hand up to wave as she called out to him. "Good morning, Wayne!"

The man looked in their direction and waved back. Holly couldn't make out his features, but as he approached, she soon saw he was smiling. People in this town seemed to smile a lot, if what she'd seen of it this far were anything to go by. They must all be really happy. The thought made her smile softly as well. As the man neared, she blinked, studying him. He was, in a word, gorgeous. He looked slightly older than her, but not by much. He was tall and lean, but by no means scrawny, with wavy, almost curly blond hair and sported the bluest eyes Holly thought she had ever seen.

"Good mornin', Megan, Frank," the young man, Wayne, greeted when he had reached them, his voice accented with an attractive southern twang that Holly randomly thought could easily make a girl swoon. "What a surprise, seein' y'all here. What's the occasion?"

He turned his gaze onto Holly, who smiled nervously. "No, wait," Wayne drawled with a renewed grin. "Lemme guess. Our new neighbor here's gettin' the grand tour of Westown, right?"

Frank guffawed. "Ha! Smart boy. Yeah, this is my niece, Holly. The one I told you about. She just arrived here yesterday." Grinning, Frank clapped a hand on Holly's shoulder, and she gave an embarrassed laugh, thankful Frank hadn't toppled her over with what she was certain had been a well-intentioned, and very strong, gesture of affection.

"Yeah... Hi," she offered, trying to be serious. "I'm Holly. It's very nice to meet you."

Wayne smiled a charming smile at her and put a finger and thumb on the brim of his cowboy hat, inclining it in greeting. "I'm Wayne, Westown's Postman. When Frank mentioned his niece was moving here, I never expected someone this much of a looker. We're always happy to get any new residents 'round these parts, but someone as cute as you is most especially welcome."

Not expecting to receive a compliment of that sort from a very attractive young man, let alone two compliments, Holly became understandably flustered. "I... uhh..."

"Heard you came from far away," Wayne continued cheerfully, as if he were completely unaware of how his compliments had completely thrown Holly off. "You used to greetin' folks with hugs, yet?" Before Holly was able to answer that, Wayne enveloped her in a big hug. Her cheeks only heated more, and she could only hope that she wasn't visibly blushing. What was a girl to even do when a cute guy, whom she had only just met, and whom had just called her cute, just gave her a hug? She forced her arms to come up and lightly return the gesture, trying not to audibly sigh in relief the moment it ended. Really, it hadn't been any longer a hug than the others she had received thus far, but it had seemed to be the longest, as well as the most awkward. At least he was nice?

Wayne just grinned down at her, inclining his head the slightest bit. "Welp, lookin' forward to gettin' to know you, Holly. I'm in the Post Office a lot, so if you ever wanna swing by and chat, feel free." He stepped back, preparing to leave. "Anyways, please excuse me, got some deliveries to make, so it's off to work for me. See you 'round, Holly." He touched the brim of his hat again, turning his gaze briefly to her escorts and nodding. "Megan. Frank."

"Well, now that those introductions are done with, let's continue with the tour," Megan piped up cheerfully after she and Frank had said their farewells to the departing Wayne. Holly gulped. How much more of these introductions could she take?

Soon enough, Holly was being shown the local restaurant, the flower shop, and the general store. She also found herself being introduced to, and hugged by, the florist, a young woman around her age named Lisette, and the owner of the general store, a middle aged woman named Miranda. Thankfully, both were very welcoming and kind when Frank introduced her to them, and the hugging was once again blessedly brief. They couldn't stay to chat long, as Lisette had to get back to her flower shop, and Miranda needed to make lunch for her daughter, so they said their goodbyes and parted ways.

A few more places were pointed out to Holly, the local clinic being the last on the tour list. Frank warned Holly that the town's doctor was an even sterner man than Frank himself. He was currently away attending a seminar, or so Frank explained, and thus Holly could not yet meet him, though he would be back later in the week. Holly was secretly relieved. One less person to hug, at least for today, and not a very pleasant sounding person at that. Really, Frank hadn't come across as all that stern to Holly just yet, but she knew stern men. Her father was one. She resolved to take as good care of herself as she could, so as to minimize the chance she might have to visit this stern doctor.

Megan at last brought the tour to a close, and excused herself to return to her farm. Frank did the same, offering Holly the chance to explore the town at her own pace, and perhaps meet a few more people before returning to his home. Holly was more than okay with this. Finally, some breathing room. Not that every person she had met had not been most kind and welcoming to her, but the silence, outside of the background hustle and bustle of Westown, was calming to her.

For a little while, she simply relaxed, taking in the atmosphere of the town. At last, she began to meander about, glad to be going at her own pace. As lunchtime approached, she grew hungry and ventured into the restaurant, called the Garden Grill. She ordered a delicious fish pie, and got to meet the owners, Brad and his wife Carrie, as well as Brad's grandfather, Marco. All three of them were very kind and Holly liked the little family instantly. It also put her at ease that no hugs were offered or even brought up. After lunch she roamed about some more, spending some time browsing the florist's and the general store, where she met Miranda's daughter, Noel. The little girl was quite friendly and sweet, and Holly was charmed by her. She spent more time perusing the outdoor shops, particularly the shop with animals for sale. She spent a while simply watching the animals go about their daily business, grazing and pecking and scratching at the dirt, simply content to lean on the fence and just observe. They weren't cheap, but she couldn't wait to get her farm going, and establish it to the point where she could start buying animals. The cows, sheep and chickens were so cute!

She stuck around for the rest of the day, surprised herself at how much she liked the little town. Watching the animals, browsing the shops, meeting new people, and even just relaxing on a bench for a little while and enjoying the fresh air. It was truly wonderful. The thought that she would be able to come here as often as she wanted for the rest of her life... It was a happy thought. She truly hoped she could make a success of this and make her lifelong dream come true.

Eventually, she headed back down to Frank's farm. Her uncle was finishing up out in the crop field when she returned, and he greeted her with a smile. The two of them went inside, and after washing up from the day's work, Frank prepared yet another delicious and healthy meal for them to share.

The conversation came much easier this time than the previous evening, now that they were getting to know each other a little better. Still, it was a few minutes into the dinner before Holly chose to bring up the subject of her farm, of which she was endlessly curious. Her uncle was being kind enough to host her, after all, and she didn't want to pester him.

But darnit, she had to know!

"Uncle Frank... I've... I was just wondering..." she said, trying to word it in the best possibly way, without coming across as annoying. "Do you know when my farm will be ready? I'm... really excited to see it."

Frank looked up at her from previously eyeing his plate of food. He finished his last mouthful and leaned back in his chair, which gave a mild creak in response.

"Ya know..." he began, a smile turning the corners of his mouth upwards, "I got some help earlier today on that. Got everythin' all squared away. I'll take you on over to see it first thing tomorrow mornin'. How's that sound to you?"

Holly beamed, pleased beyond words at this news. She'd worried that she would have had to wait a few more days, at least. This was great! "That's... That's really awesome, Uncle Frank. Thank you." She tried not to squeal aloud with delight. But it was bubbling in her chest, near to overflowing. And her excitement must have shown in her eyes, because Frank grinned at her.

"I figured you'd like that," he said, clearly pleased that she was so blatantly happy. "I'll tell you all about it when we go there tomorrow mornin'. But I think it's time we hit the hay. I dunno 'bout you, but I'm bushed."

Nodding in agreement, Holly finished up her last bite and helped Frank, despite his initial protests, to clear the table, and with a bit more convincing, washing the dishes.

When she finally retired to the guest room, she was surprised to discover how exhausted she actually felt. And yet, that only felt like physical and slight mental tiredness. All that hugging of strangers and wandering the town all day was admittedly a tad draining on the first day. But emotionally, right now, she felt like she could fly.

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, she would finally get to see her farm. The farm she had always wanted. The farm she would make a huge success. The farm in which she intended to dedicate and spend the rest of her life.

Having changed into her pajamas and prepared herself for bed, but too antsy to sleep just yet, she picked up and opened her journal once again.

=Entry 2, March 2nd, Year 1

Hello again! Holly Heiss here.

Like it'd be anyone else writing in this journal. Duh.

So, still haven't seen my farm yet, but... Well, I'll save the good news for last. But firstly, I got to see Westown today, for the first time. It's such a lovely little town! The people here are so nice and welcoming! There's the town elder, Megan, Wayne the Postman (he's really cute and he called me cute!), a really nice girl named Lisette who runs a flower shop, Miranda who runs the General Store and her daughter Noel (she's so adorable!), Brad and his wife Carrie and his grandpa Marco who run the Garden Grill restaurant... Uh... Trying to remember some other names... There was a guy named Cortez who runs a smaller General Store... A lady named Alison runs the Animal Shop, I talked to her for a while while I got to check out the animals. They were all so cute! Cows and sheep and chickens! I even saw one of those silkie chickens! So fluffy! There was a guy who handles part-time jobs... Horace? No, Horatio! Might look into part-time work for extra money if I ever need to. The town has this rickety old bridge across the river. I don't really like it. It makes me nervous to walk on it. And then there's this really old looking buffalo statue in the town square. It looks super cool, but could defnitely use some touching up. And this is a very long paragraph.

Uncle Frank told me yesterday that people greet each other in Westown by hugging. I think I forgot to mention that in here in my previous entry. I thought it was just a joke. But he wasn't kidding. I hugged at least four people today. It was... as awkward as it sounds, hugging strangers you've only just met. Especially with Wayne. He called me cute and then hugged me! I only hope my face wasn't as red as I felt like it was! He was really nice, though! I'm just... not used to guys calling me cute, I guess. Got to spend the rest of the day checking out the town. I think the only person I didn't get to meet is the town doctor. Uncle Frank said he was off at some doctor's seminar or something. He said that the doctor is even sterner than he is. I don't think Uncle Frank is... particularly stern, at least from what I've seen, so maybe the doctor isn't so bad? Then again, Uncle Frank has my dad for a brother, and he is the most stern person on the planet. So...here's hoping that the doctor is not my dad's level of stern. Hopefully we can get along. Though, equally as hopefully, I'll have as little reason to see a doctor as possible. An apple a day, right?

Anyways... guess I should call it a night.

Oh, wait! Oh my gosh, how could I even forget!?

My good news for tonight! The best news! I AM GOING TO GET TO SEE MY FARM AT LAST TOMORROW MORNING! Uncle Frank said so at dinner! First thing tomorrow we are going over there! I cannot WAIT to see it! It's going to be so amazing, I just know it! I cannot wait to get started! I want to just... squeal like an excited anime girl! I want to sing and dance and just FLY with how excited I am!

But I must contain it for now. Until tomorrow. And go to sleep. Right now.

Goodnight, Journal.

A/N: Well... This took me long enough to get done. Over a year. I don't really know what to say, except that I am deeply sorry for the wait, and I hope this chapter is worth it. I cannot say when I will update again, only that I hope it will not take me as long the next time, and that I do not plan to abandon this story, rest assured!