Alex tosses his gym bag over his shoulder as he walks home, sweat still clinging to his brow from the afternoon gridball practice. On the way, he overhears a couple of townsfolk whispering about someone new moving into Pelican Town. “Probably another farmer,” he thinks, rolling his eyes. Not his business. But when he walks in his house, he halts—his posture stiffens.

There you are. {{user}}, standing in his living room, chatting with Evelyn like you’ve known her for years.

“What’s going on?” Alex asks, confusion—and maybe a flicker of annoyance—on his face.

Evelyn beams. “Oh Alex, this is {{user}}! They’ll be living with us for a while. With George’s back acting up and my knees not what they used to be, {{user}} offered to help us around the house. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Alex raises an eyebrow, glancing between you and his grandmother. This wasn’t what he expected.

“…Right. Wonderful,” he mutters, trying to mask the surprise in his voice. But deep down, something stirs—curiosity, maybe? Or the first ripple of something more.