STARDROP - a Stardew Valley Story (REVIVED)

Prologue

Zuzu City, 3:14pm

"So that's all for today class!" A man in front of the room announced, seemed like a teacher. "After your final exams next week, your graduation ceremony will take place in the week after! So do your best! Class dismissed!"

"Sir thank you sir!" The class replied as they stood.

To everyone, it was just like any other day in a school year that almost comes to an end. All people could hear were students talking about how finals are going to start, how soon the school year is going to end, what they would do during summer vacation, etc. However, a young man in senior high seems to... not have a good time. He rested his head on his right hand and looked out the window on his seat on the second row and column to the left, slowly dozing off.

He could almost not hear anyone talking due to how sleepy he was. However, he slowly heard a female voice calling out to him. "Ethan!"

"Huh?" He perked his head up, looking up at the female... A blonde hair one.

"Jeez, you're dozing off again! Lazy butt..." The blonde female complained.

"Eh..." He shrugged.

"Hey, give him a break!" The male student behind him called out while chuckling. "He's been doing a lot of stuff these days, he's tired... And who are you calling lazy? He's technically better than you in terms of academic"

"H-Hey! Shut up!" The girl replied in a flustered manner.

Ethan chuckled. "Lay off you two..." He said, still sounding like he was sleepy. "What is it, Haley?"

Haley looked over. "Oh uhm... Just asked to confirm if you were coming over to the hangout on the last day of school."

Ethan paused for a bit. "...It's rare for you to invite guys." He smiles.

"I'm not hosting it!" She growled. "It was Alex's idea!"

"Oh? Okay then." He took a moment to realize. "Wait, Alex huh?"

Haley blushes wildly. "Sh-shut it!"

Ethan scratches his head while chuckling.

"I bet five dollars that Haley still denies it after college." The male student behind Ethan joined in with the teasing.

"YOU TOO! SHUT IT!" Haley yelled in a flustered manner. "Are you coming or not, Ethan!?"

Ethan let out a laugh. "I am! I am." He replied as his laugh died down.

A while later, the students head out the campus. Ethan held his hands in his pockets while walking over to his motorbike. He suddenly gets a phone call.

Ethan takes his phone out of his pocket and answers the call. "Hello?"

"Ethan! You need to get home, now!" A female voice sounded like she was panicking.

"Mom? What's wrong?" Ethan replied with a question.

"It's your grandfather!" His mother replied. 

Ethan widens his eyes and rushes to his motorbike.

Zuzu City, 3:47pm

"Hang on a little longer... Please dad!" Ethan's mother, Elaine, begs the old man, Ethan's grandfather, on his bed. "He'll be arriving soon!" 

"I know... He will..." The old man replied wearily. "Elaine... It's okay, please stop crying..." Ethan's grandfather wipes Elaine's tears. 

A bit later, a motorbike's engine got Elaine's attention, She hurried over to the window and looked out to see who it was.

"He's here, finally..." Elaine smiled and puts her hands on her chest. 

Ethan, who was riding the motorbike, rushed upstairs to his grandfather's room. He knocks the door and slowly opens it, peeking inside. "Pops?"

"Ethan... My boy..." The grandfather smiled as he looked into the mother and son. "You've made it..."

"I came here as fast as I could, pops." Ethan smiled as he walked over.

His grandfather laughs a bit before coughing. Elaine held his hand while he did. "Now that you're both here..." 

Ethan and Elaine looked at him, listening in.

"Elaine... My daughter... I want you to continue on your good life as a mother to Ethan... Now that he'll take a big step into the real modern world..." Ethan's grandfather looks outside the window. "He may have difficulty... But I'm sure he will do just fine..."

"Dad..." Elaine tears up again as he puts her other hand on her father's. "I will... But I still need you...!"

"Oh sweetheart... Elaine..." Ethan's grandfather smiled as he cups his hand on her cheek. "It is time for me to go... You have grown enough to 

The grandfather coughs and turns to his grandson. "And for my very special grandson..."

"Yeah, pops?" Ethan looked over to his grandfather. 

"I want you to have this..." The grandfather gets a sealed envelope from under the blanket and hands it to him. 

Ethan examines it. "What's this?" Before he attempted to open it, his grandfather grabs his arm gently to stop him.

"No, no don't open it yet... have patience..." Ethan puts down his hand as his grandfather lets go. "Now listen close..."

Ethan comes closer to his grandfather. 

"There will come a day..." His grandfather said before coughing. He continues after it died down. "...when you feel crushed by the burden of modern life...and your bright spirit will fade before a growing emptiness."

"Yeah?" Ethan replied quietly, tearing up a bit.

"When that happens, my boy, you'll be ready for this gift." Ethan smiles and hugs his grandfather. 

Ethan's grandfather strokes his grandson's head. "Your graduation happens soon... Does it?"

"Yeah..." Ethan replied while wiping his tears.

"Then I must greet you early..." His grandfather smiles. "Congratulations on your graduation... my grandson..." 

Ethan hugs his grandfather slightly tighter and closes his eyes, tearing up more. "Thank you... for everything... Grandpa..."

His grandfather chuckled under his last breath. "Now... Let grandpa rest..."

The week after his grandfather's death, he had his finals, and his hangout with his friends... And then his graduation the week after that. Grandpa's funeral was handled the day after Ethan's graduation.

A shrine was built for his grandfather in his farm in Stardew Valley.