We headed deeper into the farm. The trees were far denser here, the grass overgrown, and rocks and debris scattered all over the place.
Where was it again?
I led Mel deeper inside, looking around the general area as I tried to retrace my steps from yesterday.
There were clear signs of where I'd run. I wasn't exactly subtle with it.
And as long as that moment had felt, I hadn't actually gone that far from the house.
Eventually, we found it.
"There it is."
Its face resembled a trumpet, surrounded by six petals, with varying hues of yellow, orange, pink, and white. Not every flower looked the same. Their colors and sizes were distinct enough to make each one feel unique.
"It's beautiful."
I'd never seen daffodils in real life, neither in this life nor my past one.
Just to be sure, I used my Appraisal Eyes.
[Daffodil]
I was right, and yet, they looked so different from the ones in the game.
There weren't many, perhaps a dozen or so, but I'd been far too preoccupied yesterday to appreciate them properly.
I'm glad I noticed them.
"What do you think?"
"They're beautiful, Master."
I knew she meant it. There was a sparkle in her eyes as she admired the flowers.
"Why don't we take a few back home? Liven up the place a little."
"That'd be lovely, Master."
I'd come prepared, bringing an empty bucket and a trowel. It wasn't quite a proper pot, but it would do for now.
I carefully dug around the roots, making sure to bring some of the surrounding soil along with each flower. We gathered only half of the flowers, leaving the rest where they were.
Hopefully, they'd survive when we replanted them near the house.
With our little haul secured, we headed back.
It took us just over fifteen minutes. The distance wasn't the problem. The terrain was.
As we neared the house, I spotted the silhouette of someone standing beside our truck.
The familiar straw hat made it obvious who it was.
As we got closer, I could make out her features more clearly. Blonde hair with pink ends, a blue floral top with sleeves and a ribbon on the chest, and a matching skirt.
She noticed us too.
Our eyes met, but she was the first to look away.
I wondered what she was doing here.
For a moment, I blanked, unprepared for whatever was about to happen.
Still, I wasn't about to stand around forever.
Taking a deep breath, I resumed walking.
Mel followed, and judging by her gaze, she'd noticed Haley as well.
We stopped a few steps away from her.
"What brings you here, miss?" I asked, trying to sound polite.
"Well, I— I was just passing by, you see! Is that wrong?"
She tried to maintain an air of pride, perhaps even a little haughtiness.
To me, though, her voice just sounded adorable.
That was clearly an excuse.
For what, I couldn't tell.
"Well, that's kind of trespassing, you know," I teased, playing along.
"Right... Well, I got lost."
"Really? The town's a straight walk from here. You wouldn't miss it. Just follow the fences."
I pointed toward the road. There was a clear path leading back to town, marked by the fences. This story is hosted at g.com.
Haley glanced in that direction before looking back at me.
"...I knew that."
"Of course."
"I did!"
"Never said otherwise."
She puffed her cheeks a little.
Huh.
That was kind of cute.
I couldn't help smiling.
"Anyway, what are you doing out here?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.
"Looking for flowers."
I gestured toward the bucket Mel was carrying.
"We found some daffodils deeper inside the farm. We're planning to replant them near the house."
"Daffodils?"
Her gaze drifted toward the flowers.
"Oh, those are pretty."
"They are, aren't they?"
I glanced at the bucket, then back at her.
Looking at her clothes, an idea came to mind.
"Would you like one?"
"Huh?"
I carefully picked out a daffodil from the bucket.
"Your outfit has a floral motif. I think this one would fit. It matches your hair."
I held the flower out to her.
For a moment, Haley simply stared at it.
Then her eyes flickered toward me.
"You're giving it to me?"
"Well, if you don't want them." I made a show of pulling back.
"I didn't say no!"
Her hand stretched out.
"...ehem, I suppose I'll take it."
"You're welcome."
She huffed, but I caught the corners of her mouth twitching upward.
Mel, who had remained quietly beside me, finally spoke.
"Master, perhaps we should prepare something for our guest. We've been out for a while, and I'm sure she'd appreciate something to drink."
"Oh, right. Good idea."
I turned toward Haley.
"Would you like something to drink? We don't have much prepared yet, but we can offer you something."
She hesitated, briefly glancing down at the flower in her hands.
"...Well, since you're offering."
"Then it's settled," Mel said.
She gave Haley a polite smile before turning to me.
"Master, I'll prepare some refreshments. Please keep our guest company in the meantime."
"Sure. Thanks, Mel."
Mel headed inside, leaving the two of us by the truck.
And just like that, we were alone.
An awkward silence settled between us.
She looked at the flower.
Then she looked at me.
"So..."
"So?"
"Are you always like this?"
I tilted my head.
"Like what?"
She seemed to struggle with finding the right words.
"...Never mind."
Well, that was helpful.
I decided to give her a little time before trying again.
"We never introduced ourselves, did we? My name's Anthony, and my partner there is Melina."
I extended a hand.
She looked at it for a moment before taking it.
"Haley."
"Nice to meet you, Haley."
"Likewise."
She released my hand, then carefully adjusted her grip on the daffodil.
"So, you're the new farmer?"
"That's right."
"Why?"
I blinked.
"Why what?"
"Why become a farmer?"
She looked at me as if the answer should have been obvious.
"Well, I inherited the farm."
"That doesn't answer my question."
I paused.
She had a point.
"Honestly? I wanted to try something new."
"Something new?"
"Yeah. I've never farmed before, so I figured it'd be an interesting experience."
Haley looked at me as though she'd just heard something strange.
"You don't look like someone who'd want to get their hands dirty."
I glanced down at my clothes. They weren't exactly spotless after our little expedition into the overgrown part of the farm.
"Well, looks can be deceiving."
She giggled.
It was a small sound, but it seemed to ease the tension between us.
"Besides," I continued, "I've already gotten my hands dirty. Literally."
"That's because you were digging around in the dirt!"
"That's usually part of farming, yes."
She rolled her eyes.
I couldn't help but laugh.
It was surprisingly easy to talk to her.