Leon didn’t keep them guessing. Hugging his guitar, he started strumming the cheerful intro of “Rice Fragrance.”
The light, upbeat notes drifted from the strings into the girls’ ears. The lively melody immediately told them this was going to be a happy song.
“If you have too many complaints about this world, and when you fall, you just stop moving forward—why must people be so fragile, so quick to give up…”
With the intro building up, Leon began to sing in earnest.
His voice wasn’t quite at the level of Jay Chou, but at least he stayed on pitch. His tone wasn’t bad either, so there was no awkward “opens his mouth and ruins it” moment.
The girls widened their eyes and perked up their ears. The language was completely unfamiliar—alien, even—but its syllables carried a strong, distinct rhythm.
Every syllable had a clear boundary, with more melody than noise. The rises and falls in tone, the subtle inflections—despite having no knowledge of the language, they could still feel its unique charm.
Emily, the most bookish of the group, was certain this wasn’t some random jumble of sounds Leon had made up. This was a real language, one with cultural depth.
Yet she couldn’t recall ever hearing it before, which only made her more curious about where Leon had learned it.
But while Emily was fascinated by the language itself, Abigail, Sophia, and Haley were completely caught up in Leon’s singing.
They couldn’t understand the lyrics, but the melody and Leon’s voice carried an uplifting energy—warm and healing in a way that defied description.
“Don’t cry, let the fireflies guide you to escape. The country folk songs will always be your anchor. Go home, return to the original beauty.”
And then—suddenly—the guitar fell silent. Leon stopped both the rap section and the second chorus. Not because he wanted to slack off, but because… he forgot the lyrics.
It had been ages since he last practiced guitar. After starting work, he hardly listened to music anymore. So when it came to “Rice Fragrance,” all he could remember was the first verse and chorus. The rest… blank.
The abrupt end earned him several glares.
Abigail was the first to speak up. “Why did you stop all of a sudden?”
“I forgot the rest of the words,” Leon admitted, looking sheepish.
“Seriously? And you still dared to pick this song?” Haley muttered, clearly unimpressed.
“Well, it’s just a punishment. I figured a little taste would be enough. No need to be so serious about it. The rest of the song just repeats anyway, so it’s not a big loss.”
Leon tried to calm them down, though he knew it wasn’t exactly great form to just stop halfway. But his skill had its limits—there was no way to continue.
Sure, he could’ve pulled a “forget-the-lyrics freestyle” like some singers, but Jay Chou was the original artist. As a devoted fan, Leon wanted to keep the song true to itself.
Better to stop here than to butcher it. Besides, his throat was already feeling a little scratchy—any further and he risked going completely off-key.
“But hearing only half the song feels so unsatisfying,” Sophia complained, face twisted in frustration. “Like getting halfway through a game, then the power cuts out.”
“No matter what, I really don’t remember. Even if you force me, it won’t help. But I can try recalling it later. How about I finish it next time?” Leon shrugged helplessly.
“Forget it. Let’s not make things hard for him,” Emily stepped in to mediate. “That language sounds complicated enough. It’s normal not to remember all the lyrics.”
“Still, I’ve never heard anything like it. Where did you learn it, Leon?” Sophia asked, curiosity piqued by the strange yet soothing language.
“I once met a traveler who taught it to me—this song included. As for where he is now, I have no idea,” Leon replied with a mysterious smile.
“That’s a shame. Maybe it’s a remnant of a lost civilization,” Emily mused wistfully.
No, this civilization never disappeared. It only slept, and now it’s awake again.
That was what Leon thought, though outwardly he only smiled and said, “Alright, punishment’s over. It’s late—time for everyone to head home and rest.”
But the girls weren’t letting him go that easily. They blocked his path.
“You’re not allowed to leave!”
“Yeah! At least translate the lyrics for us first.”
“Agreed. Translate before you go.”
“No rush, Leon. Stay for dinner—my treat. We can eat at Gus’s place.”
Even Emily, who had been on his side, found him an excuse not to leave. Leon had no choice but to give in and summarize the lyrics in the local language.
“It’s definitely a lively, encouraging piece,” Emily said after hearing the translation.
“Yeah, and it fits the vibe of Stardew Valley perfectly. Too bad almost no one grows rice here in Pelican Town. And it’s not summer, so no fireflies,” Abigail added.
“Maybe I’ll remember the rest by summer. I recall there’s a banquet around then. I could perform it for you then,” Leon offered.
Truthfully, while translating, the missing lyrics had come back to him—but no way was he volunteering now.
“That works. The banquet runs from noon till the bonfire at night. You can make it your performance piece,” Abigail said with a grin.
Whether Leon liked it or not, they had already decided he was singing the full version then. If he refused, they’d just drag him onto the stage.
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