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Elena never really enjoyed much coming to the countryside. It was always nasty, it smelled like farm animal poop all over, and her family was always overly clingy with her. She never really had a time to breathe by herself. She had even stayed at home a few times, while her mother came to visit alone. She never really thought why her mother always got upset because she disliked seeing her family, it wasn't as if affected them or hurt them somehow, right?

Yet… as time went by, and as her mind cooled down and she went through many things, today was somewhat different. Even though she thought that this was a pain, it didn't felt like a pain anymore. And even… if it felt tiring, it wasn't really tiring.

And even when she expressed her discontent with her family for being so clingy and corny, she didn't really… disliked them either. Deep down she… she felt happy.

Why?

Why did she never felt happy before though?

Or did she?

Perhaps due to all the things she had went through, and how her teenager girl mind was growing up a bit more, she was realizing a lot of things.

She was finally beginning to think of the many gifts she had, and how valuable and important they were for her, which she always gave for granted so much she ended growing bored of them, or even tired.

Maybe playing Brand New Life Online, which helped her talk with many new people, experience many new landscapes, and make new friends helped rethink her life a bit, just a bit, perhaps.

The endless green hills, the soothing wind. The sound of the ducks at the distance, the cows munching grass, and the hens eating grains…

"This is so relaxing…" Elena sighed, looking at the beauty of her home, the home that was always there for her, but that she often ignored.

"Huh? Elena?" Anna felt surprised that her friend said that. She had been seeing her making bored and disgusted faces all the time, and really thought she hated this place.

Yet… why did she said that out of the blue?

"You like it too?" Elisa smiled happily. "I am glad you can see how amazing this is, Elena!"

Elisa was currently feeding some peas mixed with water to a group of ducks. They all gathered around her eating the peas almost desperately. While she had the opportunity to pet and caress their soft white feathers.

"Hehehe, you're all so cute and squishy!" Elisa was so happy she began giggling like a little girl.

Steiner, her bodyguard couldn't help but smile from the distance as he saw her smile so happily.

"I guess… I've been just thinking about stuff for a while." Elena sighed. "Was I always this kind of stupid person…?"

"Stupid how?" Wondered Anna.

"I… don't know, grumpy? Like… I think the last time I came here was two years ago. I… its all so different now to me. Why?" Elena couldn't really believe her own mind had changed.

"Well, maybe being with us makes it different too? Like we're in the game again having an adventure! But in real life now." Anna said, giving her an apple.

"What's this for?" Elena asked.

"Let's go feed the horsies! I really want to ride one!" Anna quickly held her hand and dragged her towards the horses.

The horses quickly smelled the bag of apples they had, given to them by Harry, Elena's uncle. They all approached. The family had a small business raising horses and selling them, so they always had over ten year round. The whole family naturally knew how to ride one too.

"Nyeeeheh!"

Suddenly, an adorable, gray-colored horse with white patches approached Elena, sniffing her entire face, and licking her.

"Uuuggh… Is that you Patches?" Elena wondered.

"Nyeeeheheh!" Patches was his name, a horse that was raised with Elena when she was younger.

They haven't seen in years yet he still remembered her.

"You still remember me?" Elena wondered, feeling touched.

"Nyeeeheh!" Patches began munching her hair.

"Gyaaah! Okay take the apple, don't eat my hair!" Elena panicked a bit, giving patches the apple, which he happily stole out of her hands.

"Crunch, crunch, crunch…"

"He's named Patches?!" Anna asked, fascinated by the horse. "Is he yours?"

"Kinda…" Elena said. "I thought they would end up selling him, but they keep him…"

"Hahaha, that's a long story." Suddenly, Harry showed up behind the girls.

Best

"Uncle?!" Elena felt slightly surprised.

"Patches is like a kid! He doesn't let anyone except father ride him, so we couldn't really sell him." Sighed Harry, filling the water container for the horses to drink. "Well, he loves you so he probably would still let you ride him if you ask nicely."

"Oh…" Elena sighed, feeling slightly guilty that Patches was too attached to her to become someone else's horse.

"So cool! You know how to ride horses?!" Asked Anna.

"Kinda… I learned when I was eleven." Sighed Elena.

"So young?!" Asked Anna.

"I am kind of rusty right now… Patches! Come here boy." Elena called Patches, as he slowly walked back to her. "Here, can you let me ride you with a friend?"

"Nyeeeheh! Munch, crunch…" Patches happily agreed, beginning to munch two apples that Elena gave to him as an offering. He was quite the shameless horse and wouldn't let anybody ride him without an incentive. He loved apples so it was easy to convince him with one or two though.

"Let's go." Elena said with a mild smile.

"E-Eh? Really?! Can we ride it?" Anna freaked out.

"Yeah, let's try at least." Elena said, as Harry quickly brought some riding equipping and placed it over Patches back.

"Alright! Let's see how rusty you are Elena!" Harry said.

Elena quickly crawled over Patches by the side, barely managing to position herself in the seat.

"Aahh, this feels a bit stiff but… I think its fine, ugh." Elena said. "Patches, you okay?"

"Nyeeeheh!" The horse seemed happier than ever before, beginning to gallop around.

"Alright, come, Anna! Let's have a ride." Elena quickly brought Anna up, sitting her in front of her.

"Uwaaah! We're so high right now! T-This is freaky!" Anna panicked.

"Relax." Elena whispered to her ears. "Alright Patches! Let's go on a little ride!"

"Nyeeeheh!"

Patches began galloping around slowly, the two girls having a great moment together.

And Elisa in the back was looking with a bit of jealously.

"I also want to ride Patches!"

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