Countryside Romance

(text-style:"bold","underline","expand","tall")+(align:"=><=")[Prologue:] I watch the seemingly endless fields full of crops pass by, the occasional tree grove, windmill or house breaking the monotony of the horizon. I don't know if I like it or not. In fact, I'm not feeling much at all, which is a big problem according to my doctor. The same man who insisted that I seriously need to get some vacations. And so, here I am. It was my family, mainly, who forced me into this. An old friend of dad lives in the countryside. A few calls and I had a place away from the world to stay. If the stories were accurate, not a single soul other than the four inhabitants of the house would be seen in a hundred kilometer radius. A bit of an exaggeration, clearly, but I don't have much of a preference about anything nowadays. Being alone or not, all I really care about is for there to be hot water for my morning showers. Which I didn't have today, because of the twelve-hour trip. “You’re gonna love it here, Ria. Exactly what you need: Peace and silence. Well… mostly. You’re probably gonna hear cows. We’re fairly certain there’s like, a panther around too. And the tractor during the day. But nothing like in the city,” Mom says. She insisted on bringing me here, even though I could’ve taken a bus to the nearest stop and then asked for a cab. (set: $days to it + 1) [["Did you just say //panther//?"|P2 Panther]] [["It's nice, I guess."|P2 Nice]] [[Say nothing|P2 Nothing]]

"Did you just say //panther//?" I ask. That may be the first thing that actually sounds interesting about this middle-of-nowhere place, mildly stirring me out of the half-asleep state I'm in after twelve hours in a car without having been able to sleep. "Yes! I didn't see it the few times I came, but I guess it's like a local thing. Whenever something weird happens, they blame the panther," mom explains, excited. "Oh," I reply with a sigh. So not a real thing. Oh well, my fault for asking. [[Next|P3]]

"It's nice, I guess," I say with a shrug. It's literally nothing as far as my eyes can see. I guess someone who liked these landscapes would enjoy them. All I would enjoy right now is a bit of a nap, really. Sleeping at cars isn't my thing, so I'm exhausted. [[Next|P3]]

I say nothing. Nothing to say is mostly how I operate nowadays, I suppose. Especially with how tired I am after a twelve-hour trip without getting any sleep. Mom doesn't push for a reply, knowing she won't get an answer if I don't want to give any. [[Next|P3]]

We keep going for a while. The road turned to dirt a while ago, so it's bumpy, but I'm so tired I feel like I may fall asleep despite the turbulences. Then mom leans forward, narrowing her eyes. “Ah, I recognize that tree! We’re about to arrive. Put on a smile!” She only says it because she likes to, not because she expects me to do so. Indeed, just a couple minutes later, we turn towards an open fence gate and slowly advance through a short path in the middle of a grove, until we reach a rather big home. It's a single story, but it sprawls to the side, being long and looking spacious. A wall of trees lines the back, and a different path leads into the crops that are just next to the yard. In the distance there are more groves, stand-alone trees, and a couple of windmills. Or in other words: Nothing. I'm not sure how //nothing// is supposed to help with my apathy. “Aaand here we are!” mom claims, opening the door. I take a few seconds to react, and it's in those seconds that two people exit the house. They look almost the same, save for the size difference: Long brunette hair, pale skin, amber eyes, and even matching clothes—overalls and wide-brimmed straw hats. The bigger of the two must be Penelope, the mother of the Campbell household. The younger must be Julianne, the youngest daughter, who can't be older than ten. They're both smiling, and the kid is waving both hands excitedly. "Come on Ria, come meet them!" Mom insists. [[Pretend to be asleep|P4 Sleep]] [[Exit and greet them|P5]] [[Stay still|P4 Still]]

I quickly close my eyes and lean back, hoping they weren't paying attention. The idea of interacting with other people is a big //no// right now. I'm too tired, and the kid specifically seems like it'd be hard to deal with. My plain fails miserably, though, because mom leans next to my window and speaks in a low but harsh tone. "Don't be rude, Ria. Come out and greet them." With no other choice, I get off the car and approach the people I'll be spending the next three months of my life with. [[Next|P5]]

I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to seem too rude, but the idea of interacting with other people is slightly off-putting. It's not exactly shyness, as most people would assume, I just don't feel comfortable meeting new people. "Are you feeling ok?" Mom asks. "Y-yeah, just tired," I say. Technically, not a lie. "Come on, come meet them," she beckons me. Finally, I have no choice but to get out and greet the people I'll be spending the next three months with. [[Next|P5]]

"Hiiiiii!" Julianne practically squeals as I get closer to the two of them. "I'm Jules! You're Ria, right?!" "Yes," I reply. This kid's energy is way too much for me to handle, and I'm already regretting stepping off the car. In fact, my first instinct is to just ask Mom to take me back home. It's not gonna happen, though. "Guess I don't need to introduce her," Mom laughs. "And this here is Penelope," she waves to the older woman. "Welcome to your home away from home, Ria," Penelope says. She smiles even more widely at me. I'm not sure how to smile back so I end up making an awkward expression and stiffly offering my hand to her. "You've grown a lot since the last time I saw you! You remember me?" I blink. I have absolutely no memory of this place or this woman. "Sorry, no." "Don't look so scared!" Penelope laughs. "It's ok, you were only like... what, three?" "Jules here hadn't been born yet last we came," Mom offers. "The place has barely changed from my memory, though." "We did some renovations, but they're on the inside," Penelope said. "But hey, come inside! I can show you to your room so that you start getting settled." At this, the kid turns with an outraged look, pointing an accusatory finger at her mother. "Ma! You said I could show Ria to her room!" "Oh, right," Penelope shrugged. "Why don't we ask Ria what she wants?" Penelope and Jules both suddenly look at me, and I'm not sure what to say. The older woman doesn't seem to mind too much, but she probably noticed my distaste for Jules' energy. On the other hand, the kid is looking at me with big puppy eyes. They probably work on pretty much everyone else, but I don't feel moved. What I do know is that refusing //will// upset her. Which, if nothing else, could cause me trouble later. [[Let Julianne show me the room|JulesShows]] [[Not in the mood to deal with Julianne|PenShows]]

(set: $jules to 1)"Jules can show me," I say, trying not to let the deep regret fill my voice. The kid doesn't notice, and Penelope gives me a sympathetic smile. A second later, I'm following Jules around the house's yard and entering through a door on the back. The inside of the house is old. It's got dark wooden floors and the walls are an aged white, save for those in the kitchen, which seem noticeably newer. The ceiling is lower than I'm used to, and the house itself is //way// too big for a family of four. This area, a kitchen-dining room, leads to what I can see to be a living room, a few doors on the back, and a long hallway on the side that must lead to more rooms. It smells faintly of smoke and campfires. The big chimney in the dining room is the likely culprit. Some embers still burn in it, warming up the house against the growing cold of fall's end. I suppose it's a nice home-away-from-home for the next three months. "This way!" Jules leads me to the long corridor, and we stop at the second door of three. "You'll be staying with Tity." //'Tity? An unfortunate nickname,'// I think as Jules throws open the door. It's big, but austere. Two beds against opposite walls, a long desk in the middle of the two with a wide window above it, a chair, an enormous old closet right next to a rather new one—both of which are topped with bags of, I can only assume, junk—and a couple of drawer stacks. White curtains for the window and white sheets for the beds. Nothing else. "I'll be staying with her?" I ask, wondering about the other rooms. "Yup! There was 'no other choice'... That's what Ma said, anyways," Jules explains with a pout. I leave my luggage by the bed on the right side of the room—the sheets are undisturbed, which I assume means it's mine—and just take in the place. It feels fitting, somewhat, of my current mood. "I wanted you to stay with me! My room is way better than this! Wanna see it?" I can see her excitement. I can tell she wants me to go. Then again, I do kind of want to check the rest of the house. Maybe I can tell her later... or just no. I'll be spending a lot of time here, I'll see the room sooner or later. [["Yeah, sure, show me."|AcceptJRoom]] [["Care if I check the rest of the house first?"|HouseJRoom]] [["Maybe some other day."|RefuseJRoom]]

(set: $jules to 0)"Sorry, I'm a bit tired," I say, trying to smile to the girl. She pouts as I say that, disappointed. I wish I could say it makes me feel guilty, but it doesn't. "That's ok. Here," Penelope gestures for me to follow. We walk around the house's yard and enter through a door on the back. The inside of the house is old. It's got dark wooden floors and the walls are an aged white, save for those in the kitchen, which seem noticeably newer. The ceiling is lower than I'm used to, and the house itself is //way// too big for a family of four. This area, a kitchen-dining room, leads to what I can see to be a living room, a few doors on the back, and a long hallway on the side that must lead to more rooms. It smells faintly of smoke and campfires. The big chimney in the dining room is the likely culprit. Some embers still burn in it, warming up the house against the growing cold of fall's end. I suppose it's a nice home-away-from-home for the next three months. "Here," Penelope guides me through the long hallway, and stops in the middle of the three doors within it. "You'll be staying with Tity," she explains, throwing the door open. //'Tity? An unfortunate nickname,'// I think, but pointedly don't say it outloud. It's big, but austere. Two beds against opposite walls, a long desk in the middle of the two with a wide window above it, a chair, an enormous old closet right next to a rather new one—both of which are topped with bags of, I can only assume, junk—and a couple of drawer stacks. White curtains for the window and white sheets for the beds. Nothing else. "I'll be staying with her?" I ask, wondering about the other rooms. "Yep. We'd love to give you a room to yourself, but they're being used for, uh, storing old stuff," Penelope explains. "I see. No worries, then." Not like having a roommate bothers me particularly. I approach the bed with undisturbed sheets, assuming it's mine, and drop my luggage next to it. "Well, there's not a lot to explore, but I'll let you get familiarized with the house while your mom and me talk, eh?" The woman smiles and walks away from the door, leaving me to my own devices. What those are, I'm not sure. [[Stay in the room|OwnRoom]] [[Go out and check out the house|ExploreHouse]]

(link-replace: "hello")[adios] (set: $hi to 1) $hi (if: $hi <= 1)[hello] (else:)[Adios] (set: $hi to $hi +1) $hi (if: $hi <= 1)[hello] (else:)[Adios] (if: $hi is 1)[hello] (else:)[Adios] aaaa(text-color:#38b3d6)[aaaaaaaa]a

(set: $key to 0) [[k1]]

$key [[k2]] [[k3]] {(link:"Save A")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot A", "Save A"))[ Saved to slot A! ](else: )[ Sorry, I couldn't save your game. ] ]} {(link:"Save B")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot B", "Save B"))[ Saved to slot B! ](else: )[ Sorry, I couldn't save your game. ] ]} {(link:"Save C")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot C", "Save C"))[ Saved to slot C! ](else: )[ Sorry, I couldn't save your game. ] ]}

$key (set: $key to it +1) $key [[k1]] {(if: (saved-games: ) contains "Slot A")[ (link: "Load A")[(load-game:"Slot A")] ]} {(if: (saved-games: ) contains "Slot B")[ (link: "Load B")[(load-game:"Slot B")] ]} {(if: (saved-games: ) contains "Slot C")[ (link: "Load C")[(load-game:"Slot C")] ]}

$key (set: $key to it +1) $key [[k1]] (print: (saved-games: )'s "Slot A")

(text-style:"bold","double-underline","expand","tall")+(align:"=><=")[Introduction:] Hi! I'm Bilagras Erak, but you can call me the Golden Dragon, and I'm the author of this little thing. This is an interactive story. If you know what this means, then feel free to skip this. If not, here's an explanation: Think of this as somewhat of a "Choose your own adventure" novel, but with the added functionality a pc plus some light programming language can provide. Also, this was mildly inspired by visual novels, as I'm sure you already gathered, but it's nowhere near as complex as one. My main piece of advice is: Don't use the "undo" button you'll see on the left side of the screen, unless you actually want to undo! This story actually tracks progress so the idea is that you follow whatever path you've chosen to the ending! And yes, I said 'ending', singular. There's a single ending to this story. What changes is how fast you get there! This can be a slowburn romance, or you can have the characters kiss as fast as possible, or somewhere in between! You can start the story right now with what I've just said, or you can go to the 'details' page to get a more detailed explanation of the system. [[Details]] [[Start reading|Prologue Start]]

"Yeah, sure, show me," I say. In for a penny in for a pound, I suppose. Jules jumps in excitement and hops away, leading me back to the dining room—Mom and Penelope have already sat down to talk, and they smile at me as I pass—and towards the doors I saw earlier. Three at the end of the room, all in different walls. The middle one, different than the other two, screams 'bathroom door'. We did a pit stop just a while ago, so I don't need it, but I guess I could use it as an excuse to get out of this. The left one is closed, but something tells me it's the parents' room. And so the right one, with a bunch of stickers on it, can only be Julianne's. Indeed, she opens it up, revealing beyond a hellscape of unimaginable torment. [[Next|JulesRoom]]

"Care if I check the house first?" I say, trying not to upset the kid. Jules pauses, but then she nods. "Ok, I'll be waiting in my room," she accepts, and runs off. I breathe out. It'd be a lie to say I don't feel somewhat relieved to be free of the girl, at least temporarily. I do sometimes wonder if my inability to stand kids is because of my apathy or if I'm just a bad person. I never reach an answer, because I don't care enough to look for it. I //could// go check the house like I said I would. Then again, I could also //not// do that, avoid myself potential social interactions I don't want, and stay here. [[Stay here|OwnRoom]] [[Check the house|ExploreHouse]]

"Maybe some other day," I say with as kind a tone as I can muster. "I'm exhausted, I just wanna lie down." Jules pouts, but she nods sadly. "Ok, but you'll come!" She asserts before running off. I breathe out. Free of the shackles of having to handle a little girl. I do sometimes wonder if my inability to stand kids is because of my apathy or if I'm just a bad person. I never reach an answer, because I don't care enough to look for it. [[Next|OwnRoom]]

(If: $exploreHouse is True)[Jules opens the door and smiles widely at me, moving aside to let me witness her living quarters.] {(set: $jules to it + 1) Plushies and clothes are strewn about without a care.} It's a room about as big as the other one, but it looks about half as big due to the mess. the sheets on the bed—what seems to have once been a bunk bed, but the lower part was turned into a desk for an old PC—and the curtains are a pastel pink, and there are two chests below the window, open, wich show the impossibility of, potentially, more mess, as they're still half-full with toys and plushies. "Come on, come on!" Jules jumps up and down as I stand on the door, paralyzed by fear. I'm wearing shoes, but somehow, I fear I'll step on something sharp and hurt myself. This room has that sort of feel. Yet, I force myself to enter. I'm in too deep to back down now. "See? I told you! My room's way better!" Jules claims with pride. I keep noticing details. The countless stickers on every surface, from all the children's properties I know and don't know. The open closet, half-empty. The real cat sleeping among all of the plushies, seemingly unbothered by my presence. The overly sweet smell of the entire room, almost sickening, bringing back memories of cheap perfumes for kids. Eventually, Jules leads me to sit down at the bunk-desk. I'm partially glad, as this means I don't risk stepping on anything. on the other hand, I'm gonna have to cross this sea of chaos on my way back to the rest of the house. What have I done? "Here, let me present you to my friends!" //'Oh no,'// I think, already guessing what this means. "W-which friends?" "All these!" Jules leans and picks up a pink teddybear. I look back at my life choices, and start regretting every single one of them. [[Next...|HarrietJRoom]]

I have the ability to shut down my brain. It may have been one of the problems that led to my countryside banishment, but it comes in handy. I reply with nods and pretend interest in the dozens of plushies Jules is offering me, while inside my brain is full of white noise. So it is that I don't notice the new person standing by the door until she speaks. "She's a lot, ain't she?" (Set: $harriet to $jules + 1) My senses return in a rush, and I feel slightly disoriented. I look at the door, where a girl that could be no-one but Harriet, the older daughter of the family, stands with a welcoming smile. She's tall. Taller than Penelope and definitely taller than me, by a full head at least. She's got long, slender limbs, but they look strong. Whatever remains of pale skin she may have had were now tanned as far as I can see, and her eyes are a few shades darker than her sister's. Her hair, though, is somewhat lighter. And shorter, pulled into a barely functional ponytail. She wears a cowboy hat, and her face and clothes—a long-sleeved shirt and rather loose utilitarian pants—are dirty all over. "It's ok," I lie. "Harriet, right?" "Yup. And you're Ria." Her voice is kinda deep and a little raspy. "Yes." "Tity! Ria wants to stay with me! Tell Ma to let her!" Jules suddenly rushes to her sister—moving amidst the mess with impossible speed and accuracy. I understand, then, that to her, this is not a mess, but simply another state of order. Harriet rolls her eyes. "I doubt that," Harriet replies with no tact. "Don't be a brat, please." "But she loves my room!" Jules turns to me. "Right?!" Her big puppy eyes again. Is she doing it on purpose? Or has she simply developed the skill subconsciously, knowing how effective it is in most cases? [["Y-yeah." (Lie)|LieHelp]] [[Look to Harriet for help|HarrietHelp]] [[Say nothing|NothingHelp]]

"Y-yeah," I lie, but I don't think even Jules buys that one. Or maybe she does, because she smiles from ear to ear and turns to Harriet with a triumphant pose. "See?! It's decided! She stays with me!" She claims. Harriet gives me a knowing look and her smile seems to widen slightly. (set: $harriet to it + 1) (set: $jules to it + 1) "She can stay with you some other day, you don't even have a bed ready," she finally says. "Now let //me// talk to her for a bit," she orders, beckoning me to follow. "Ok, fine, but you promised!" Jules insists. I have a feeling this will have to happen at some point, my input being completely optional in her head. Taking the chance to get off this torture, I go as fast as I can through the chaos and finally step out into the dining room once more. Clean air, finally. "Excuse her," Harriet finally says as we get away from the room. Jules stayed behind organizing her plushies. "I don't know why, but she's been obsessed with you ever since she heard you were coming." "It's fine, ha ha," I say in the most unconvincing way that has ever been spoken. "She's just, uh, energetic." "Yeah, energetically insufferable," Harriet snorts. "Don't talk that way about your sister," a manly voice scolds her. I turn towards the dining table—a long block of solid wood surrounded by about eight chairs—and to a man. Trevor, probably, the father of Harriet and Jules. He's got short, curly hair of a hayish-orangy color. A five o'clock shadow lines his square jaw, and small black eyes seem to pierce all the way to my soul. He's about as dirty as Harriet. "And hello to you, Ria. You've gotten big!" I stay still and nod, mainly out of awkwardness. I remember nothing of this guy. "Come on, say hi!" Mom encourages. "Let her be, let her be," Trevor laughs. "She can be as quiet as she wants. We have plenty of noise makers already." Harriet sighs and waves to me again. "Come on. Let's go to our room," she says. I follow out of inertia. Once we're inside, she drops on the desk's chair. I sit on what I assume to be my bed. It's stiffer than what I'm used to, but not uncomfortably so. I'm not sure of what to say, if anything at all, so I stay quiet. Harriet, on her part, just stares at me. Her expression is curious. Discerning. {(if: $harriet >= 3)["Sorry my sister bothered you, really," she says in a really serious tone. Almost feels like she's chastising me.] (else:)["How're you liking the house?" She asks, trying to make small talk.]} (if: $harriet >= 3)[ [["I was just trying to not be rude."|RudeChat]] [["It wasn't too bad." (Lie)|LieChat]] ] (else:)[ [["I'm not sure."|UncertainChat]] [["Seems pretty nice."|NiceChat]] ]

I look towards Harriet, hoping she gets the hint. I don't want to disappoint the girl, but I'd also rather not make any commitments and set her up for disappointment later. (set: $harriet to it + 1) "She can stay with you some other day, you don't even have a bed ready," Harriet finally says. "Now let //me// talk to her for a bit," she orders, beckoning me to follow. "Ok, fine, but you promised!" Jules insists. I have a feeling this will have to happen at some point, my input being completely optional in her head. Taking the chance to get off this torture, I go as fast as I can through the chaos and finally step out into the dining room once more. Clean air, finally. "Excuse her," Harriet finally says as we get away from the room. Jules stayed behind organizing her plushies. "I don't know why, but she's been obsessed with you ever since she heard you were coming." "It's fine, ha ha," I say in the most unconvincing way that has ever been spoken. "She's just, uh, energetic." "Yeah, energetically insufferable," Harriet snorts. "Don't talk that way about your sister," a manly voice scolds her. I turn towards the dining table—a long block of solid wood surrounded by about eight chairs—and to a man. Trevor, probably, the father of Harriet and Jules. He's got short, curly hair of a hayish-orangy color. A five o'clock shadow lines his square jaw, and small black eyes seem to pierce all the way to my soul. He's about as dirty as Harriet. "And hello to you, Ria. You've gotten big!" I stay still and nod, mainly out of awkwardness. I remember nothing of this guy. "Come on, say hi!" Mom encourages. "Let her be, let her be," Trevor laughs. "She can be as quiet as she wants. We have plenty of noise makers already." Harriet sighs and waves to me again. "Come on. Let's go to our room," she says. I follow out of inertia. Once we're inside, she drops on the desk's chair. I sit on what I assume to be my bed. It's stiffer than what I'm used to, but not uncomfortably so. I'm not sure of what to say, if anything at all, so I stay quiet. Harriet, on her part, just stares at me. Her expression is curious. Discerning. {(if: $harriet >= 3)["Sorry my sister bothered you, really," she says in a really serious tone. Almost feels like she's chastising me.] (else:)["How're you liking the house?" She asks, trying to make small talk.]} (if: $harriet >= 3)[ [["I was just trying to not be rude."|RudeChat]] [["It wasn't too bad." (Lie)|LieChat]] ] (else:)[ [["I'm not sure."|UncertainChat]] [["It's pretty nice."|NiceChat]] ]

I don't know what to say. So I say nothing. It's not like anyone ever cares about what I have to say, anyways. Maybe Harriet is good at reading people, or maybe she just grows impatient, but she eventually looks down at her little sister and gives her a poker face. "Come on, don't try to force Ria to agree to something she may not want," she concludes. "But I want her to stay with me!" Jules insists. "She can stay with you some other day, you don't even have a bed ready," Harriet finally says. "Now let //me// talk to her for a bit," she orders, beckoning me to follow. "Ok, fine, but you promised!" Jules insists. I have a feeling this will have to happen at some point, my input being completely optional in her head. Taking the chance to get off this torture, I go as fast as I can through the chaos and finally step out into the dining room once more. Clean air, finally. "Excuse her," Harriet finally says as we get away from the room. Jules stayed behind organizing her plushies. "I don't know why, but she's been obsessed with you ever since she heard you were coming." "It's fine, ha ha," I say in the most unconvincing way that has ever been spoken. "She's just, uh, energetic." "Yeah, energetically insufferable," Harriet snorts. "Don't talk that way about your sister," a manly voice scolds her. I turn towards the dining table—a long block of solid wood surrounded by about eight chairs—and to a man. Trevor, probably, the father of Harriet and Jules. He's got short, curly hair of a hayish-orangy color. A five o'clock shadow lines his square jaw, and small black eyes seem to pierce all the way to my soul. He's about as dirty as Harriet. "And hello to you, Ria. You've gotten big!" I stay still and nod, mainly out of awkwardness. I remember nothing of this guy. "Come on, say hi!" Mom encourages. "Let her be, let her be," Trevor laughs. "She can be as quiet as she wants. We have plenty of noise makers already." Harriet sighs and waves to me again. "Come on. Let's go to our room," she says. I follow out of inertia. Once we're inside, she drops on the desk's chair. I sit on what I assume to be my bed. It's stiffer than what I'm used to, but not uncomfortably so. I'm not sure of what to say, if anything at all, so I stay quiet. Harriet, on her part, just stares at me. Her expression is curious. Discerning. {(if: $harriet >= 3)["Sorry my sister bothered you, really," she says in a really serious tone. Almost feels like she's chastising me.] (else:)["How're you liking the house?" She asks, trying to make small talk.]} (if: $harriet >= 3)[ [["I was just trying to not be rude."|RudeChat]] [["It wasn't too bad." (Lie)|LieChat]] ] (else:)[ [["I'm not sure."|UncertainChat]] [["Seems pretty nice."|NiceChat]] ]

"I was just trying not to be rude," I admit. Harriet nods. "I figured. Still, pretty nice of you." I shrug. Is it really being nice when I only did it to avoid potential problems in the future? "Here, I forgot to shake your hand," she says, standing up and getting closer to me. I take the offered hand, and instantly regret it. It's dirty, and the sensation instantly makes me want to run to the bathroom to wash my hands. Harriet definitely notices, because she looks like she can barely hold her laugh as she shakes my hand further. "You're gonna have to get used to dirty hands around here," she explains. "Your hand's pretty soft, though. Not much hard work back home, eh?" "No. Only school, I guess," I explain, wishing with all my mental strength that she lets go. She doesn't. "Ah, makes sense. How are your studies?" I shrug. "That bad, eh?" She gives me a knowing smile. Her teeth are slightly misaligned, I notice. "Well, not like I'm anyone to talk about it." So she's a bad student too, eh? "Tity!" Penelope's voice suddenly reaches from the kitchen. "Go take a bath, or you'd rather your father do it?!" "I'm going first!" Harriet replies, and thankfully lets go of my hand. "Welp, gotta go take that bath before Da steals my spot." She explains, walking back near her bed. (If: $harriet >= 5)[ And starting to undress. //'W-wait, what?! What do I do?'// [[Stare|Stare]] [[Turn around|Turn]] ] (else:)[She grabs a towel hanging from her headress and walks out, smiling to me as she leaves. I stay in the room, and lie on the bed. Yeah, it's pretty comfortable. I decide to wait there, not wanting to run into Jules again, and definitely not wanting to be a part of the adults' conversation. But tiredness takes me, and I slowly close my eyes... [[Next|Prologue End]] ]

"It wasn't too bad," I lie, not sure of what Harriet is thinking behind her intense eyes. After a second of extra scrutiny, she smirks. "You're too nice," she says, standing and getting closer to me. "Here, I forgot to shake your hand." (set: $harriet to it +1) I take the offered hand, and instantly regret it. It's dirty, and the sensation instantly makes me want to run to the bathroom to wash my hands. Harriet definitely notices, because she looks like she can barely hold her laugh as she shakes my hand further. "You're gonna have to get used to dirty hands around here," she explains. "Your hand's pretty soft, though. Not much hard work back home, eh?" "No. Only school, I guess," I explain, wishing with all my mental strength that she lets go. She doesn't. "Ah, makes sense. How are your studies?" I shrug. "That bad, eh?" She gives me a knowing smile. Her teeth are slgihtly misaligned, I notice. "Well, not like I'm anyone to talk about it." So she's a bad student too, eh? "Tity!" Penelope's voice suddenly reaches from the kitchen. "Go take a bath, or you'd rather your father do it?!" "I'm going first!" Harriet replies, and thankfully lets go of my hand. "Welp, gotta go take that bath before Da steals my spot." She explains, walking back near her bed. (If: $harriet >= 5)[ And starting to undress. //'W-wait, what?! What do I do?'// [[Stare|Stare]] [[Turn around|Turn]] ] (else:)[She grabs a towel hanging from her headress and walks out, smiling to me as she leaves. I stay in the room, and lie on the bed. Yeah, it's pretty comfortable. I decide to wait there, not wanting to run into Jules again, and definitely not wanting to be a part of the adults' conversation. But tiredness takes me, and I slowly close my eyes... [[Next|Prologue End]] ]

"I'm not sure," I say. Without strong feelings one way or the other, it doesn't feel like I've got much of an opinion. Harriet doesn't seem too bothered by my answer. "I guess that'll happen to ya if you've got emotional problems," she concluded. She pauses a second later. "Sorry, that wasn't too crass, right?" "It's ok," I say. It really is, it's rather hard to get me to feel offended over... anything, I guess. Part of the problem, for sure. "Well, I'm sure you'll come to love this house eventually. And then hate it, like I do!" She laughs, standing up and getting close to me. "Here, I forgot to shake your hand." I take the offered hand, and instantly regret it. It's dirty, and the sensation instantly makes me want to run to the bathroom to wash my hands. Harriet definitely notices, because she looks like she can barely hold her laugh as she shakes my hand further. "You're gonna have to get used to dirty hands around here," she explains. "Your hand's pretty soft, though. Not much hard work back home, eh?" "No. Only school, I guess," I explain, wishing with all my mental strength that she lets go. She doesn't. "Ah, makes sense. How are your studies?" I shrug. "That bad, eh?" She gives me a knowing smile. Her teeth are slgihtly misaligned, I notice. "Well, not like I'm anyone to talk about it." So she's a bad student too, eh? "Tity!" Penelope's voice suddenly reaches from the kitchen. "Go take a bath, or you'd rather your father do it?!" "I'm going first!" Harriet replies, and thankfully lets go of my hand. "Welp, gotta go take that bath before Da steals my spot." She explains, walking back near her bed. She grabs a towel hanging from her headress and walks out, smiling to me as she leaves. I stay in the room, and lie on the bed. Yeah, it's pretty comfortable. I decide to wait there, not wanting to run into Jules again, and definitely not wanting to be a part of the adults' conversation. But tiredness takes me, and I slowly close my eyes... [[Next|Prologue End]]

"It's pretty nice," I say. Even if I don't feel strongly about it, even somene blind could see that the house itself was nice. I'm sure someone other than me would have fallen in love with it upon seeing it for the first time. (set: $harriet to it + 1) Harriet nods in appreciation. "Indeed it is! You'll learn to love it, with time. Then hate it, like me," she chuckles, standing up and getting close to me. "Here, I forgot to shake your hand." I take the offered hand, and instantly regret it. It's dirty, and the sensation instantly makes me want to run to the bathroom to wash my hands. Harriet definitely notices, because she looks like she can barely hold her laugh as she shakes my hand further. "You're gonna have to get used to dirty hands around here," she explains. "Your hand's pretty soft, though. Not much hard work back home, eh?" "No. Only school, I guess," I explain, wishing with all my mental strength that she lets go. She doesn't. "Ah, makes sense. How are your studies?" I shrug. "That bad, eh?" She gives me a knowing smile. Her teeth are slgihtly misaligned, I notice. "Well, not like I'm anyone to talk about it." So she's a bad student too, eh? "Tity!" Penelope's voice suddenly reaches from the kitchen. "Go take a bath, or you'd rather your father do it?!" "I'm going first!" Harriet replies, and thankfully lets go of my hand. "Welp, gotta go take that bath before Da steals my spot." She explains, walking back near her bed. She grabs a towel hanging from her headress and walks out, smiling to me as she leaves. I stay in the room, and lie on the bed. Yeah, it's pretty comfortable. I decide to wait there, not wanting to run into Jules again, and definitely not wanting to be a part of the adults' conversation. But tiredness takes me, and I slowly close my eyes... [[Next|Prologue End]]

For the first time in a while, I actually feel something: Embarrassed. Quickly, I turn away. Is this normal for countryside people? "Why so shy?" Harriet asks with an amused voice. "We gonna be sharing a room for the next three months, girl, better get used to the idea of seeing me in underwear." "I, uhm…" "Well, you do you," Harriet moves around the room and a few moments later seems to be done. "You can turn now." I look, and find that Harriet has just thrown a towel around herself. I notice the distinct tan-lines on her upper arms, where her skin lightens considerably going into her chest. "If Jules comes bother you, just tell her off, don't feel too bad about it, she's a pest sometimes." "She's not too bad…" I mumble, keeping up my lie, unable to keep my stare on Harriet for long. The toned girl chuckles. "It shows you don't know her too well. Anyways, see you in ten minutes." She exits the room, and I take a deep breath to try to calm my speeding heart. I lie on the bed. Yeah, it's pretty comfortable. I decide to wait there, not wanting to run into Jules again, and definitely not wanting to be a part of the adults' conversation. But tiredness takes me, and I slowly close my eyes... [[Next|Prologue End]]

(set: $boldness to 1)I don't react quickly enough, and so I remain half-staring as she takes off her shirt. She's wearing an undershirt, considerably cleaner than the other one. But what really draws my attention is the toned body, which she slowly reveals more off as she also takes off her shirt. I'm caught off-guard by the paleness of her skin under the shirt, the distinct tan lines in her upper arms marking clearly where she doesn't get a lot of sun. "You alright there?" She asks, turning her gaze to me. Something about her eyes makes me fidget. (set: $harriet to it + 1) "Oh, I'm... Sorry, I didn't mean..." Harriet laughs. "You're gonna have to get used to seeing me like this if we're gonna share room for a while," she finally says, throwing the shirt on the ground and getting rid of her pants too. Her legs are long and don't have any tanlines. She probably wears pants all year long. "I- I know, I'm just... an only daughter," I try to come up with an excuse, but I don't think it does the trick. Harriet shrugs, putting a towel around her body. "See you in ten minutes," she says with a light smile and walks out of the room. I take a slow breath, trying to calm my speeding heart, and lie on the bed. Yeah, it's pretty comfortable. I decide to wait there, not wanting to run into Jules again, and definitely not wanting to be a part of the adults' conversation. But tiredness takes me, and I slowly close my eyes... [[Next|Prologue End]]

(text-style:"bold","underline","expand","tall")+(align:"=><=")[End of prologue.] {//(if: $harriet >= 5 and $jules >= 3)['I think I caused a pretty good first impression.'] (else-if: $harriet >= 3 and $jules >= 1)['I think I caused a decent first impression.'] (else:)['I don't think I caused much of a first impression..']//} [[Next|Interlude 1]]

I decide to explore a bit. There's not really a lot to see. The rooms at the start and end of the hallway are filled to the brim with old stuff, and on the other side of the dining room—Where mom and Penelope are having a lively chat—there's the living room. It has an old TV, a large sofa, and a large crystal door that lets in insane amounts of light. The room is noticeably colder than the others, too, which is probably why they keep the door closed. Then, there's the three doors at the end of the dining room. The one to my left, plain wood, I assume to be the parents' room. The one in front of me, a sliding door with crystal embedded into it, leads into the bathroom. We did a pit stop not long before arriving, so I have little need to use it right now. And then, there's a door full of stickers. I figure whose room this is. I mean, so I guess I could give the girl a victory. Do I want to, though? (set: $exploreHouse to True) [[Knock on the door|JulesRoom]] [[Better stay away|OwnRoom]]

(If: $exploreHouse is True)[Opting not to disturb the dragon's den, I take the far simpler option of going back to my room. ]I sit on my new bed. It's stiffer than what I'm used to, but it doesn't seem uncomfortable. With how tired I am, if I lie down, I'm sure I'm gonna fall asleep, so I try to not do that. Instead, I stay still, disconnecting my brain, letting time pass automatically. An ability I've developed, somehow. I'm sure it doesn't help with all of my emotional problems, but it comes in handy for times like these or during twelve-hour-long trips. White noise fills my thoughts. A nice state of being. There's no stress, no worry. Nothing. Just nothing. [[Nothing|HarrietORoom]]

So it is that I don't notice the new person standing by the door until she speaks. "You alright there?"(Set: $harriet to $jules + 1) My senses return in a rush, and I feel slightly disoriented. I look at the door, where a girl that could be no-one but Harriet, the older daughter of the family, stands with a welcoming smile. She's tall. Taller than Penelope and definitely taller than me, by a full head at least. She's got long, slender limbs, but they look strong. Whatever remains of pale skin she may have had were now tanned as far as I can see, and her eyes are a few shades darker than her sister's. Her hair, though, is somewhat lighter. And shorter, pulled into a barely functional ponytail. She wears a cowboy hat, and her face and clothes—a long-sleeved shirt and rather loose utilitarian pants—are dirty all over. "Oh, uhm, yeah," I say, still slightly disoriented. "Harriet, right?" "Yup. And you're Ria." Her voice is kinda deep and a little raspy. "Yes." She stands there for a second before coming into the room and sitting on the desk. It's a long moment of silence in which she just stares at me, and I'm struggling not to squirm under the attention. I'm not sure of what to say, if anything at all, so I stay quiet. Harriet, on her part, doesn't either. Her expression is curious. Discerning. "How're you liking the house?" She asks, trying to make small talk. [["I'm not sure."|UncertainChat]] [["Seems pretty nice."|NiceChat]]

(text-style:"bold","underline","expand","tall")+(align:"=><=")[Chapter 1:]

(text-style:"bold","underline","expand","tall")+(align:"=><=")[Interlude 1:] I come back from my shower after about ten minutes. I'm not too surprised to find Ria asleep on her bed, still fully dressed. She had looked like she was about to collapse at any second. Unused to another person being in my room, I can't help but stare for a bit. She's short, and she looks a lot younger than me, despite we being of a similar age. I turned eighteen a few months ago, but I wouldn't give Ria more than fifteen if I were asked. Her skin is not as pale as Ma's or Jules', but she still feels like the type to not go out into the sun. Her hair is shorter than even Da's, and golden, its endless curls ending up in spikes due to how sort it is. A number of freckles cover her face, and her nose is pointy. What does surprise me is how her sleeping face barely seems to differ from her normal face. (if: $boldness is 1)[Other than the red cheeks she'd gotten when seeing me undress. Not that it bothered me. She's a funny girl.] Apathy. That's how Ma described what Ria was going through. She had trouble feeling strongly about anything. {(if: $harriet >= 5 and $jules >= 3)[Even with that, I think she's a kind girl. She clearly lies and does things to not make others feel bad, even if it causes some trouble for herself.] (else-if: $harriet >= 3 and $jules >= 1)[Still, she seems nice. I don't think said apathy is making her mean or crude. She's just a bit distant.] (else:)[She does seem pretty distant, I suppose. Then again, perhaps the twelve-hour trip and knowing she'll have to spend some time here has taken a bit of a toll on her mood.]} Not sure if being out here in the countryside will help her really get better. I ain't much of a doctor, as evidenced by the dirty—literally—clothes I was wearing before. But if I'm gonna have a part to play in that, then I'll try to be as understanding as I can. And who knows? Maybe I //can// find some way to make her feel things again. For now, though, I just change into my nightie—I inherited a bunch of night dresses from grannie, and they're comfortable and warm in winter—and get back to the dining room. Maybe I'll get some insights from Clara, Ria's mom. [[Next|Tips 1]]

=><= {(link:"Save A")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot A", "Save A"))[ Saved to slot A! ](else: )[ Sorry, I couldn't save your game. ] ]} {(link:"Save B")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot B", "Save B"))[ Saved to slot B! ](else: )[ Sorry, I couldn't save your game. ] ]} {(link:"Save C")[ (if:(save-game:"Slot C", "Save C"))[ Saved to slot C! ](else: )[ Sorry, I couldn't save your game. ] ]} {(if: (saved-games: ) contains "Slot A")[ (link: "Load A")[(load-game:"Slot A")] ]} {(if: (saved-games: ) contains "Slot B")[ (link: "Load B")[(load-game:"Slot B")] ]} {(if: (saved-games: ) contains "Slot C")[ (link: "Load C")[(load-game:"Slot C")] ]}

=><= (set: $save to (link: "Save|Load"))(set: $load to (display: "Save/Load") ) (text-colour:green)[= $save[$load]

(text-style:"bold","underline")+(align:"=><=")[Tips:] Remember, there's no bad choices, and no bad endings! Only different paths which progress at their own rhythm. [[Next|Chapter 1 Start]]

(text-style:"bold","underline")+(align:"=><=")[Details] Countryside Romance (Working Title) is a story where you control the pacing of the progress. The ending is always the same, but the path to get there will differ. Do you want a no-nonsense romance where characters are straightforward and simply get shit done (like kissing)? Then you should probably pick the choices you believe to be direct! Do you want a slowburn where the characters dance around each other for an eternity? Well that's also up to you! When given the choice, just pick soimething infuriatingly obtuse that'll keep you simmering in that yearning hell for however long the story allows! Of course, you can mix and match too, and do whatever feels natural for any given moment or whatever you think would be more interesting. Remember, the story remembers your choices. Plenty of pages and even choices will change based on a few hidden values. There are hints as to what your hidden values are at the end-of-chapter screens. There's also a hidden value for spicy stuff! If you don't care for a story with overly sexy stuff, you can just stay away from it. You will always get the options to skip it. And with that, feel free to start reading! ''Disclaimer: I don't claim that all of these paths will be equal. Just that you can cater to your tastes. I have my own personal preferences that will //definitely// tint the experience. '' [[Start reading|Prologue Start]]