“I’m sorry for your loss.”

The phrase had been uttered in the grand hall more times than could be counted. The walls and windows were dressed in plain, somber black, but the rest of the room was as grand and lavish as could be. Such was the funeral of Joonki Moon. A wealthy businessman, he had several acquaintances pay their respects, but not one could truly be called friend. The family- two sons, their spouses, and five combined children stood along the back wall, receiving the oddly apologetic phrase, “I’m sorry for your loss.” Tears were not shed; not from the children, not from the grandchildren. It was a stiff and formal affair, and it ended quietly and uneventfully as the final guest departed.

Christine Moon, daughter-in-law of the deceased, began to clean up the small plates around the room, the faint clatter of fine china echoing around the high-ceilinged hall. She was a city-born woman, her family from far west, and her features showed it. Typically wild, rich blonde hair was pulled up into a formal bun for the funeral, exposing the sun-kissed skin of her neck, its warmth swallowed by the modest black dress she wore. Her face was dynamic, almost whimsical with her large blue eyes and freckled nose; the complete counter to her husband. Jinro Moon himself loomed in the doorway, tall and resolute, as he watched his younger brother and family move to a private room with the family lawyer- the executor of his father’s will. Jinro’s sharp, dark eyes and pitch black hair contrasted with his pale, milky skin. He wore a classic black suit, giving him a rigid and upright appearance. It was only when his gaze met his wife’s that warmth spread over his face, revealing his internal softness. In a silent conversation with his partner, his head turned towards his two adult children- James and Julia. He had allowed Christine to name them, with the condition that they start with the letter ‘J’ as was his family’s tradition. It was a strange arrangement, but it had worked out. He reflected on how different the two looked- the result of two strong bloodlines fighting for dominance. James was tall and lean, with his mother’s darker skin, and his father’s black hair. His daughter Julia was a more nuanced blend- though her bright blonde dye job covered her natural dusty brown locks. She was on the taller side, too, but her skin was pale like his, but with freckles dancing over her cheeks and nose like her mother. Jinro was relieved that at twenty-five, she had never ventured into any serious relationships, as was the fear of any father. She was beautiful enough, to be sure, but she had only shown fleeting interest in settling down. Not to mention that Julie had a will so strong, she was sure to cause any man headaches. James was all polite and proper to the core, strikingly handsome, but serious. He was a horrible actor, so it was a relief that he was naturally professional. The only thing the siblings shared was their smoky blue, almond-shaped eyes.

Soon, the clattering of plates grew louder as Julia joined her mother in the quest to clean up. “Mom,” she whispered, glancing over her shoulder to catch her father’s eye for a brief moment. “Do I have to do this will thing? We both know Grandpa Moon didn’t leave me anything,” she hissed towards her mother, her voice carrying an annoyed urgency as she hurriedly swiped utensils from the small tables, a mere excuse to hold that very conversation.

“Julie, really,” Christine scolded gently. “It’s his funeral, can you at least try to be pleasant for your fathers’ sake?” She gently took the stack of plates from her daughter and walked towards the back of the room towards the banquet table, full of dejected leftovers.

Julia was hot on her heels, “Dad knows, too,” she continued to protest, “Grandpa Moon didn’t like anyone, especially me!”

Her mother turned sharply on her heel, her voice taking on a rare warning tone as her bright blue eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare, “Well, if you had just keep up appearances and not gone out of your way to agitate the man, you would still be in the will.” The uncharacteristic bluntness of the statement shut Julia up rather quickly, though she still grumbled internally.

Joonki Moon had been wildly successful as a business man. He had started out on a large farm in the mountains to the east of Arto City, up in Haedo. When he took over from his own father, he turned the land from a humble farm into a booming cattle ranch. Once he had made enough profit there, he had sold his stock and moved to the city to start a meat processing and distribution company. It wasn’t the most glamorous career, but it brought in a lot of capital. His wife had died young, shortly after moving to the city, but he had his two sons. He was a shrewd man, and rarely expressed any outward affection towards anyone, including his own family. When Julia was old enough to think for herself, she and her grandfather bickered constantly. She was the only grandchild to never personally visit him, and the only one brave (and foolish) enough to express her displeasure at his selfishness. In exchange, she was the only grandchild to be snubbed for birthdays and holidays. It had been a mutual understanding.

Thus, Julia found herself begrudgingly sitting in the small office with her family with a neat, well-groomed lawyer seated behind her grandfather’s old mahogany desk. “Jinro,” the man smiled kindly at her father. They had been working diligently on gathering Joonki’s assets and property, and had become somewhat friendly with one another. “As you already have been running the Moon Meats Corporation for the past few years, it’s no surprised that your father left you the company as a whole.”

“What about my brother?” Jinro was quick to ask, his younger brother having always been the least favored of the two. They had grown close in childhood from the early loss of their mother and their cold, calculating father.

The lawyer waved away the concern, “He was left most of your father’s real estate, and his children are all receiving a large portion of his liquid assets.” The man was clearly far too chipper to be a will executor, but he had a cool aura of confidence that put Jinro at ease. “Now,” he continued, shifting his weight in the large leather office chair, “Joonki did put a provision that your son James is to be your heir apparent, and the company will pass to him when you see fit.”

Julia pricked at the statement. Of course James would get the company. She shared a glance with her brother just briefly. The two never really got along, but Julia couldn’t help but feel slightly sorry for him. He had been nothing but the perfect son and grandson, but she wondered if her brother ever had any aspirations outside of the family business. She knew that her grandfather’s side of the family was always pretty hardcore in their old school ways. Still, she kept shut. For her mother’s sake.

“And to young Julia,” the lawyer spoke, suddenly gathering everyone’s attention. Jinro wasn’t proud of the fact that he had fully expected his daughter’s exclusion from the will, but his face couldn’t suppress his surprise. The lawyer, unfazed, continued, “Your grandfather has left you the land of the original Echo Farm in Haedo.” He presented a plain brown envelope to the young woman, who took it hesitantly. “I would advise,” he continued with a large smile, “you not open that until you’re ready to use it.”

Stunned into silence, Julia held the envelope in her lap as the executor continued to prattle on about other various holdings and property that was being divided between the brothers and their families. She had no mind to listen as her thoughts raced. She managed to stay quiet (as promised) until the four of them got into the car to drive home. “So what do I do with this, and why do I have it?” she questioned, holding up the offending object from the back seat for her parents to see.

Jinro glanced and her through the rear-view mirror for a brief moment before starting the car, “I honestly didn’t know we still owned that land,” he replied noncommittally as he pulled out of the parking spot, “And my father never mentioned it, let alone giving it to anyone.” He was honestly just as perplexed as his daughter, knowing the unsavory feelings between his father and his daughter.

“Maybe he secretly appreciated your honesty all along,” Christine chimed in hopefully, desperate to add some cheer to the ride home. “It’s a lovely gift.” She turned around in her seat to look at her children with a half-hearted smile. They were leaving a funeral, after all.

James, who had been leaning his elbow on the armrest while looking listlessly out the window, chimed in lazily, “You could always sell it, I guess.”

“I doubt the land itself is worth much,” Jinro mused, “but our family has tended those fields for generations.”

A single laugh came from James, “As if Julia could be a famer,” he scoffed.

He was right, of course. Both James and Julia had been born and raised in Arto City, with all the luxuries that came with a wealthy family. The only thing they knew about farming was that it ‘ran in their genes’ and nothing more. The conversation drifted to other topics, but Julia couldn’t help but stare at the unassuming paper in her hands. Was her mother right? Was this secretly some grand gesture of her grandfather’s secret appreciation of her individuality? She had to admit that the idea was rather romantic, and underneath her bristly exterior, she had a soft spot for a good story. Thankfully, the land wasn’t going anywhere, and she held the deed. She didn’t need to make a decision right that moment.

And she certainly didn't. Julia had convinced herself that she was content with her situation. She lived with her best friend and roommate Jessica Jung, who also happened to be her coworker. Jessica was the editor of a moderately popular fashion magazine, while Julia was a member of the management team. In college, she had drifted listlessly through general education until the last moment when she was required to declare a major. She had chosen business management for some ungodly reason, and had landed a degree she had no intention of using. Jessica had landed her the job. Despite being three years her junior, Jessica had always seen Julia as an equal. The only problem was that Jessica adored her job- and Julia didn’t.

Julia worked in a generous-sized cubicle block in a large office building, and was treated relatively well- except when it came to her clueless supervisor. She swore that the man had no grasp on real life. “Julie,” he greeted her at the edge of her cubicle. Julia’s lips pulled into a slight frown- only her closest friends and family could call her that, and yet her supervisor never took the hint. He continued, unaware of her displeasure, “I’m going to need you to write the three performance reports on the new accountants. The section lead is being sent on a long term business trip.”

“All three?” she replied incredulously, “I already have to write for the three in my own section, not to mention my own!”

“I know you can handle it,” he responded with an awkward, forced smile. He began to walk away, but was stopped when Julie stood abruptly, her chair rolling back to rattle the back wall of the cubicle.

Her face had turned red with rage and frustration, “You tell me this now? Performance reports are due at the end of the month!”  Her wits were starting to come to an end. Just earlier that quarter, she had been denied a promotion that she had been promised for over a year. She had managed to refrain from quitting on the spot so far, but her boiling point was fast approaching.

Her supervisor was taken aback by her sudden outburst, recoiling slightly, “Well, your team can help write their own. They have experience now.” He was trying his best to placate her. He was never one for confrontation.

“So you mean, I can make them write ty first drafts that I’ll have to rewrite anyway?” her voice was rising, and her neighbors were beginning to stare. “ this , I’m out,” Julie swiped the picture frame with her family photo off her desk- the only personal effect she was allowed to have- and stormed out of her cubicle, shoulder-checking her supervisor on the way out, nearly sending the diminutive man off his feet.

He stumbled and chased her in a rushed half-walk, half-jog, “Julia, you can’t just quit!”

“Yes I can!” she called behind her loudly, her mission to get to the elevator as quickly as possible.

“This will reflect poorly on future employment recommendations if you don’t give at least a two weeks’ notice!” he was beginning to run out of breath as Julia’s long, determined legs outpaced him.

Julia slammed her finger on the close door button in the elevator, deep blue eyes burning at the miserable man as the chrome doors began to come together. “Where I’m going, I don’t need a damn recommendation.”

It was no surprise that Jessica intercepted her in the lobby, doors already swinging open to the chill outdoors. Jessica hugged her long velvety coat close to her body, fighting against the piercing autumn wind. “Julia wait!” she shouted after her friend, her heels clicking quickly on the concrete.

Julia obliged, swinging around quickly to meet her friend, her face still twisted in anger. “What, Jess?”

“Where are you going? Are you really quitting?” she asked, her slender, smooth nose beginning to turn red from the cold that Julia was apparently impervious to. Jessica’s dark eyes searched her friend’s face with worry.

Relaxing slightly, Julia let out a long sigh, “I can’t do it anymore, Jessica,” she lamented. “I have to get out of here.”

Seeing the headstrong Julia beginning to emerge, Jessica rolled her eyes, gently taking her friend by the elbow and slowly walking down the sidewalk, “Come on, let’s go home and talk.”

“What about you? Can you just leave?” Julia asked quietly as she felt the annoyance seep out of her where her friend’s hand touched her. Jessica had a strange calming effect like that.

In response, she just laughed, “Sweety,” she smirked up at her taller friend, “They couldn’t fire me if they tried.” They giggled together all the way back to their shared apartment a few blocks away. It was small- as expected of a downtown place- but it was beautifully decorated (courtesy of Jessica, of course) and rather comfortable. Jessica took great care in putting her coat on the hook by the door, while Julia shrugged off her own plain blazer off her shoulders, lazily draping it over the back of a chair. While she would normally protest, Jessica found it best to simply take it and hang it herself, “So?” she prompted as she moved back to the white leather couch.

“I’m serious, Jessica,” Julia moved to rummage through her things, searching for something. “I’m so done.”

Jessica began to grow legitimately concerned as this behavior was no typical for her friend. “What are you going to do? I know you’d rather off yourself than live with your parents again,” she attempted a little joke to lighten the mood, but it fell flat as Julia continued to single-mindedly pull open drawers and rummage through her belongings.

Having found what she was looking for, Julia procured the unmarked brown envelope, quickly joining her friend on the couch as she ripped the end open. “You’re right,” she murmured as she pulled the contents from inside, “I’m going to Haedo.”

“What?” Jessica asked incredulously, plucking the laminated paper out of Julia’s hand. “Echo Farm? Your grandpa’s farm?” When Julia only responded with a slight smile, Jessica’s high brows knitted together, “You don’t know how to farm, Julie.”

She simply shrugged in reply, taking the old deed back from Jessica. “I have enough money saved on my own to survive long enough to figure it out,” she reasoned, knowing full well she had no guarantee of that fact.

Jessica let herself lean back into the back of the couch, looking up at their plain ceiling, “This is so rash.” She was mentally preparing herself for the epic failure of this plan. She certainly wasn’t going to look for a new roommate any time soon.

“Of course it’s rash!” Julia countered, standing up again to begin the process of packing. She figured she’d get most of her essentials once in town, only needing some clothing and personal items. “I ended up working for that asshat because I was too careful,” Julia continued to speak as she pulled the suitcase from the back of her closet. “Everyone says I’m so strong-willed and independent, but for ’s sake, Jess, I majored in business because I didn’t want to make a mistake!”

Jessica lifted her head from the couch to peer at her frantic friend, her face turning to a little pout, “Okay, yeah, that was a poor life choice,” she admitted quietly.

“Exactly!” Julia called from her closet.

Giving in, Jessica stood up, determined to help her friend, no matter how crazy the plan. “What, are you planning to leave NOW?”

“No,” Julia responded quickly before dropping an armful of clothing directly into the suitcase, earning a tiny wince from her fashionable friend. “The train only runs in the morning,” she stated simply.

For the rest of the day, the pair packed up most of Julia’s belongings. The next morning, Jessica escorted her to the large train station downtown.

“You have your phone?” Jessica asked for the twentieth time that day, “And your charger? Do they even have cell service there?” Since Julia had opted not to tell her parents (yet), Jessica had decided to serve as a surrogate, as she often did.

Julia rolled her eyes as she pulled the suitcase over the station threshold, “It’s not the stone age there, Jess.”

“Have you been to Haedo?”

“Well… no,” Julia admitted, “But it’ll be fine. I have my phone and it is fully charged.” They stood at the platform, simply look at each other. Finally, Jessica pulled her in for a tight hug, squeezing desperately.

“Don’t make me come after you, okay?” she murmured into her taller counterpart’s ear. No good-bye was explicitly said. Instead, they parted ways with a little smile and a wave.

Waves of passengers exited the train, and Julia found that only a few others entered. The cabin was nearly empty. At least she found a nice seat next to the window, her suitcase tucked protectively against her leg. The ticket counter came down the hall, smiling warmly at her, “Heading home?” he asked cheerfully. The question took her off guard, so she simply nodded and handed the old man her ticket.

The train was remarkably fast and quiet, but she eventually realized why the train only pulled in and out of the city in the morning. The ride was long- incredibly long, and Haedo was not the first town on the route. In fact, it was one of the last. The scenery was beautiful, though, as the train climbed in altitude to circle the mountain range around the city. Soon, she was looking down at the distant skyline of Arto, a light layer of clouds obscuring some of the tallest buildings. The train provided a small sandwich for lunch as the train moved to the inner range, the city no longer visible. Julia was tempted to use her phone to pass the time, but Jessica’s warning rang in her mind- she didn’t want to waste battery, just in case. So, to pass the time, she rest her forehead against the cool glass and tried her best to get some sleep.

When she awoke, the window was dark- the sun had set. Sitting up, she found that she was the last passenger in her car, perhaps even the whole train. Panic welled up in her chest for a moment until she caught the eye of the kindly old ticket counter, who gave her a toothy smile. “Don’t worry, young lady, we’ll get to Haedo soon.” The panic subsided, but was soon replaced with nerves. There was an old map on the back of the farm deed, but it had to have been drawn at least fifty years ago. What if she got lost? She drew a long, steady breath to calm her nerves as she checked around for her belongings. She had worn a simple hoodie and jeans for maximum comfort, and had packed relatively light. Soon enough, she was left simply sitting at the edge of her seat. A dim light became visible ahead, and Julia found herself pressing her face to the window to watch it grow closer. It was a simplistic little train station with a little overhang and a wooden building attached. What was surprising, however, was the number of people waiting at the platform. She stood to wait by the door as the train came to a silent stop. She managed to slip past the small crowd before they boarded the train. It was only when she saw an unusually well-dressed woman shepherding the other people that she remembered- the mountain tours. These people must be heading back to the city.

Not wanting to get caught up with the tourists, Julia pulled her luggage along behind her, glancing at the old map. The lights were scarce once she left the train platform, but at least it had existed long enough to appear on her map. She just needed to head southwest. Under the dim lamplight scattered along the path, she saw silhouettes of buildings as she went along. A large two-story building was her first landmark- it had to be the inn. Her suspicion was confirmed as she rounded the corner, and a carved wooden sign read ‘Park Inn and Bar’. She continued south towards another large building, this one labeled ‘Byun’s General Store’. She glanced past the building towards the center of the town. A grassy park sprawled between the path she was on and the solitary building in the center, the Town Hall, as it was on her map.

She was about to turn on the path to the south of the general store, head down towards her map, when she bumped into something tall and warm. A shrill scream erupted from the object in question, and Julia was quick to whip out her phone, giving it a firm shake to turn on the flashlight. It revealed a young man, cowering in fear around the corner of the building. He had a slim build, a narrow face, matching eyes, and distinct, heavy, dark bags under his catlike eyes. His black hair swept across his forehead, but his eyes were quickly obscured by his hand as he blocked the flashlight. Realizing she had been shining it directly into this stranger’s eyes, she deflected it slightly. “Who are you?” he squeaked, apparently completely horrified.

“Who are you?” she countered, a feeling of unease washing over her at the strange encounter.

He straightened up slightly, emerging from behind the building, looking at her curiously. “You missed the train!” he suddenly sounded very concerned, his voice was surprisingly deep- in sharp contrast to his girlish scream just moments before. He stepped towards her slightly, “Are you drunk?”

“What?” Julia swatted away his concerned hand violently, causing him to yelp in pain and recoil yet again.

“I should get you back to the Inn, gosh Channie’s going to be so worried. It’s been a while since we’ve had a straggler,” he was muttering to himself in worry, pacing just a few steps as if wondering what to do.

Julia, however, had other plans. “Look,” she sighed, “I’m not drunk, and I have somewhere to be, so excuse me,” she tried her best to be polite, but she simply sounded exasperated. Tired of the vibrations from pulling her luggage across the cobblestone, she tucked her phone back in her hoodie pocket, grabbed her bag, and walked right past the strange young man.

She heard him protest behind her, but he thankfully didn’t follow. What a strange individual she thought with a little shake of her head. I guess crazy people live in little towns, too. The cobblestone gave way to packed dirt once she departed from the main square. The path was slightly overgrown, and clearly hadn’t been properly tended in quite some time, but the traces were still there. Confident that she was going the right way, she picked up her pace. The lights faded, the pine trees grew dense, and the night grew dark. Looking up, the sky was clear. Her steps came to a sudden stop as she saw the glimmering stars dotted in the velvet black night between the dark tree branches. Growing up in the city, the light pollution had obscured all but the brightest constellations. Setting down her bag, Julia pulled it slowly behind her again, the wheels dragging stiffly against the dirt. Eventually, the path opened up and the way ahead was clear. Fumbling for her phone, Julia illuminated the space before her, and she was able to conclude that she was here. A very small house waited before her. It was wood-paneled, but with a sturdy construction. She had a feeling someone had done some work on the house in the past fifty years. It was simply too clean to have been completely untouched. Above her was a large wooden arch with a hanging slat sign. She had to take a step back to illuminate it properly, but once she did, she could clearly read:

Echo Farm
J. Moon

Well, that explains the J names in the family. Julia laughed once to herself before pressing on towards the house. She fished the big envelope out of the front pocket of her bag to find the single key tucked away inside. She was mildly surprised the key still fit, but was relieved that it did. As she pushed through the door, she had to cover with her hoodie sleeve. While the exterior might have had some touch-ups, the interior had clearly had fifty years to gather dust. Tired from long journey, Julia was no pleased to have to spend the night there. Perhaps she should have pretended to be a drunk tourist. As much as the crazy man made her uneasy, wherever he wanted to take her was statistically better than the musky house. Still, it was too late for that, so she pulled a miraculously intact blanket from off the small bed, bringing it outside to beat quickly. It would have to do. With no sign of a light switch, and no energy to unpack, she wrapped herself up in the shoddily de-dusted blanket and fell onto the bed. The only thought that crossed her mind before sleep took her was, What kind of masochist sleeps on a bed with no proper mattress? No wonder my grandfather was an .

~~~

​A/N: Since I got some preemptive subscribers (love you guys), I figured I'd go ahead and post the first chapter of Echo Farm. Regular updates won't come until November, but I figured I'd throw a poster together and post this tonight. So, meet Julia, protagonist OC for Echo Farm, with cameos by Jessica and a horrified Tao!