AN: I have been a huge Harvest Moon fan since the SNES version came out and have bought and played nearly every game since. I always wanted to write a Harvest Moon fanfic, but never had any good ideas worth publishing. However, I recently started playing Harvest Moon again and an idea sprung up. I hope you enjoy it. This story is based upon the original SNES version of Harvest Moon, due to it being the one I have the most experience with and knowledge of. As always, I do not own Harvest Moon or anything in it (aside from the new characters/names created for this story), that honor goes to Natsume and Marvelous/Serious Fun. Enjoy!

"Mail for Dad? I don't recognize the name."

Jack studied the letter intently as he searched his memories for a clue as to where Flower Bud Village was and why the mayor would be personally contacting his father. Shrugging it off, he collected the rest of the mail and returned to the inside so he could finish watching the rest of his television show. He threw down the wad of envelopes on the table and plopped back down on the couch. His father gave him a dirty look before opening up the mail. He scanned each one briefly, placing it to the side and mumbling under his breath about bills and Jack.

Jack's father had been like this for a few months now. Ever since Jack graduated from high school, he had been doing everything he had wanted to do while in school but never had the time: particularly catching up on TV shows and his sleep. Jack's father would oftentimes wake him up around 1 in the afternoon, claiming he was wasting the day away by sleeping and complain when he found Jack doing nothing, exclaiming how fed up he was with his son wasting his life in front of the TV. Jack was fed up too, but mainly because he felt he deserved a vacation after spending 13 years in school. Just cause he's a work loving man doesn't mean I have to be one too!

However, once Jack's father reached the mystery letter, he stopped and stared at it with a weird expression on his face: one of both hope and fear. He hastily tore open the letter and scanned it from top to bottom several times before breaking down into tears. Jack's mother, who heard the commotion all the way from the other end of the house, came out of the bedroom she was cleaning to comfort her stricken husband. Jack stared at the two with a worried expression, more because he knew what usually followed emotional moments like these. However, Jack immediately remembered where Flower Bud Village was. That's that old backwater town grandpa lives in. Jack got up and went to his room, trying to avoid the scene now playing out in the living room. Unfortunately, though Jack retreated to the comfort of his room, he could still overhear their conversation.

"What's wrong dear?" Jack's mother asked, worried about her husband.

"Dad...dad's dead..." Jack's father mumbled between sobs.

"That's terrible! I'm so sorry! When's the funeral going to be?"

"It's done. He was buried outside the church last week."

Jack attempted to drown out their conversation by placing the pillow over his head. He wanted to avoid the drama filled night that was unfolding in his household. They always seemed to end with an argument about Jack's future. It seemed as though every negative memory returned their minds to Jack and his vacation, which his parents felt he didn't earn.

The pillow seemed to be working, however, as Jack could only make out certain words of their conversation. Unfortunately, Jack heard his name several times and knew what was soon to come. He braced himself as he heard the two open his door and enter into his room. His father walked over and casually removed the pillow from Jack's head, who was forced to sit up and acknowledge his parents. His father looked stern, though his eyes were still soggy and wet, while his mother looked at him with a fearful face. Just get it over with...

"Jack, we have some bad news. Your grandpa is...dead..."

"Sorry."

Jack couldn't think of anything else to say. He only ever saw his grandfather three times in his life and all three times were painful. Alarms going off every day around 6 AM, lights out around 5 or 6 PM, no telephone, only one TV channel. Then, when Jack would finally get up and ready for the day, his dad and grandpa would make him work the farm with them. He didn't even get a chance to meet any of the villagers! (Though if they were anything like his grandpa, he wouldn't have wanted to anyway). Jack shuddered at the thought of this. Though his grandpa was a nice person, he didn't feel as remorseful as he knew he should and it seemed to show on his face, as his parents were giving him a bewildered look of shock and pity. Jack ignored it, he was getting used to it.

"However, he did leave us something and we thought it would be best if we gave it to you instead."

Jack's fears lifted a little at these words. I wonder what he could have left me? Perhaps this is going to go better than I imagined! Jack stood up straighter and awaited his father's next words through an unbearably painful and long pause. Though he wasn't sure exactly what a rural man like his grandfather could want to give him, he anxiously wanted to know what it could be.

"We're giving you his farm. You're going to be a farmer."

A.N.: I thought it would be interesting to portray Jack in a new light: not one of the eager farmer looking forward to working on the farm but rather just a teenager unwillingly roped into working at a place he hates. Also, since the town from HM SNES didn't seem to have a name, as well as the villagers in Flower Bud village being descendents of HM, I figured they were the same town. Stay tuned for Chapter 2!