[Animal Crossing | New Beginnings] Tom Nook X Reader

Prologue

| (Y/N)'s POV |

I closed my laptop and rubbed my eyes. I had just finished the last of my work for the day and now had the rest of the day to myself. Living in the city always made me feel like I always had something to do. I felt as if I had no freetime so having finished my report early felt kind of off.

I decided to get out of the house and get some fresh air. Being stuck in a confined apartment always made me feel trapped.

I put on a sweater and some plain denim jeans and slipped on a pair of white shoes. Normally these shoes would be quite dirty but because of my job just being online, I never actually got to go out like I used to before.

Before moving into the city, life at home was always amazing. I had the open outdoors as my playground to explore new things, catch bugs and whatever. Mother nature was my friend and we would play all day. The best part was that it was thrice as fun if you had some friends.

Speaking of friends, I decided to ring up a very close friend who also moved in with me to the city, her name was Ai. I had met her when she moved into my old village years back. We were merely tweens when we met and it's still hard to believe that we are both all grown up now, well, almost. We were both in our twenties, both 25.

Ai had 'found her cherry pie', AKA her dream job as a designer after being inspired by an old friend of hers. She worked in UniQlo, which was not as popular as Gracie Grace but was in the tier right below it. Though she didn't get to directly make her own designs, she still loved her job.

The world was so interesting and diverse nowadays compared to back then. Animals and Humans have never been more united. I'm glad that we're in an age where most people and animals can come to accept each other. It's also become common in which animals and humans cross-date now despite being unable to have kids. However whether you disagree or not, you gotta admit that even if they could cross-breed, the outcomes would be horrifying. (Man, furries must be super happy nowadays)

By now I was on the busy streets of Ockbury. It was much like New York, but a little less busier. However it was still compact and as busy as usual. Many shops and stores with bustling people and animals, buses and cars coming and going, there was no such thing as silence in this city.

The store Ai worked at was not too far, maybe 2 miles? It's not as far as most people think and it was a good workout.

I stopped by Starbells to grab a quick cup of coffee for Ai and I. I had always liked to order something for Ai as a surprise. The look on her face always brightened my day. The line for coffee was long as usual, so I pulled out my phone and browsed the internet to see what was going on in the world.

I've been noticing many news and posts about a new program. I forgot what it was called but it was a program in which a randomly selected group of people and animals get sent to an island and live and build their community right from scratch! The overall island program was created by Rollin Aldric. Though he may seem like a greedy business guy, he was actually really nice. He hired and offered apprentices who wanted to also become businessmen and sent out to all those different islands to help run the place. Those apprentices would then have their own little branded items and mini-companies under Aldric's company to sell to the islanders. Man.. imagine the money they all make!

I finally made my way to the front of the line and ordered the usual and headed out to finally arrive at UniQlo. The place was quite packed than usual, I think I recall Ai saying how some of her design prototypes were developed and accepted into this week's release of new clothes.

With all the people crowded in the shop, I figured that Ai would be too busy to grab her coffee so I decided just to wait out the storm. I found a little open spot near the front of the store where they displayed mannequins and clothings and sat down there. I placed the mini cardboard coffee tray onto my side and pulled out my phone and continued to browse the internet.

...

What seems like hours, finally pass by and the store is less packed. Most of the customers were now at the register line and from the looks of it, Ai wasn't working the front counter. Now was my chance.

I quickly shoved my phone into my pocket, grabbed my coffee tray and made a beeline around the store, looking for Ai.

Finally, I spotted her in a corner folding some clothes. Though the building was still bustling with people and their chatter, Ai still recognized my familiar footsteps and looked up as I approached her.

"Well isn't it my favorite customer!" She joked as she continued to fold the clothes.

"And isn't it my favorite designer, who I brought some coffee for!" I beamed as I passed her coffee cup to her.

"Can you hold onto it for a little bit longer?" She said as she placed down the shirt onto the pile, "I'm almost on my break, I just need to put a few more things away."

I sighed, "But I've been waiting forever...!"

"Haha!" She laughed, "Just wait for me in the bakery next door, I promise this won't take long."

"Fine.. I'll see you then..." I waved and then briefly left.

"Heya!" Ai sat down in her seat at long last and took a sip of her now cold cup of coffee. "Oh wow this is cold.." She smiled as she took another sip.

"Maybe you shouldn't have taken so long," I joked.

"I'm sorry! I'm Sorry!" She chuckled and took another sip. "Just been busy with lots of stuff lately..."

"Heck yeah you are" I replied, "I thought it was a warzone in there, with all those people... Oh! By the way, congrats on your design thingy."

"Thanks, but that's not really what I was talking about." She shot me a mischievous look as she took a long sip of her coffee, "I've been packing and I think you should too."

I raised a brow, "Packing? Are you moving?" I felt my heart droop slightly.

"You mean, WE?" She suddenly reached into her bag and slammed two tickets onto the table so hard that my coffee almost spilled onto the ground.

"What... are those?" I picked a ticket up and examined it.

"You heard about the Aldric Island Program, right?" She started, "Well with all of my savings, (and some of your borrowed money) I booked us a 1-way ticket to a new life! Surprise!" She raised her hands into the air with excitement. However, I wasn't too happy.

"Ai!" I stressed, "I-I, What about my job? And my apartment!? What am I gonna do? I can't just... abandon that!"

"Ok, (Y/N), I know I can be really childish at times, but trust me, Everything is already planned out. I know that you can work from anywhere.. Right?"

My side job was just as a translator/language teacher for Animals that still speak Animalese and was progressing to English and my main job was a paid internship with an accountant for a small business. It wasn't exactly what got the big bells, but it was a steady income.

"Yeah..." I pouted my lips, she was onto something, I know it...

"...And it IS the end of the month.. Meaning you will have to pay soon.. Correct?" She smiled a bit more.

"OK... That's right but I don't see where this is going.." I said, playing a bit dumb.

"Ughh! Come on (Y/N)!" She whined, "Aren't you tired doing the same thing, always being stuck inside the house! Remember when we used to go out and play in nature! With all the trees, the fish.. The-"

"-I know, I know, And I get what you're saying.." I interrupted her. She's been bugging me for years now how she misses the good ol' days. I gotta admit, she's right. And I have been getting sick of city life.

Maybe Ai was right, Maybe all those ads about the Aldric Island thingy was a sign. And even if I left, I wouldn't exactly be saying goodbye to much. It would just be my apartment room. Geez, Ai is right, My life is actually kinda gloomy and bland.

"Alright, Fine." I gave in, despite this being such a big decision that would determine my future, mainly my future with money, I didn't have much to lose. "When are we leaving?"

"In a week." She said. Thank goodness, I thought it was sooner, "So get ready and we are gonna be outta here! Say goodbye to everything because we ain't coming back!"

Here we go, I suppose.