Spoken Feelings

She took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. This was something she wanted, and she wasn't going to let her anxieties get in the way. She glanced at her watch again and saw that Sora was running late.

No-eul leaned against the wall and closed her eyes, trying to focus on her breathing. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for Sora to arrive. Suddenly, she felt a poke on her cheek, causing her to jolt and open her eyes.

"Sora!" No-eul exclaimed, a smile spreading across her face as she took in the sight of the princess. "You're here!"

Sora chuckled at No-eul's reaction. "Of course, I'm here. You didn't think I would stand you up, did you?"

No-eul shook her head. "No, no, of course not. I was just lost in thought, I suppose."

Sora smiled warmly at No-eul. "Well, let's not waste any time then. I'm excited to see what the town has in store for us."

No-eul grinned, taking Sora's hand in hers. "I'm excited too, but first let me do something about that pretty face of yours," she said with a playful grin.

No-eul reached into her bag and pulled out a wig and a pair of oversized sunglasses. "Here, put these on," she said with a grin. "You'll look like a different person."

Sora hesitated for a moment, but then took the wig and sunglasses from No-eul and put them on. She looked in the mirror and couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous sight in front of her. The wig was too big for her head, and the sunglasses covered most of her face.

No-eul couldn't help but chuckle at the sight as well. "You look great," she said with a wink. "No one will recognize you now."

Sora rolled her eyes but couldn't help but feel grateful for No-eul's quick thinking. She didn't want anyone to know that she was sneaking out of the castle to spend time with No-eul, and the disguise would certainly help.

Sora and No-eul arrived at a poultry farm, where the sweet scent of hay and the sound of clucking chickens filled their senses. The farm was small, with a few coops and a large chicken run in the center. The ground was covered in straw, and the chickens pecked happily at the feed scattered around.

The owner of the farm, an older woman with a kind smile, recognized No-eul immediately and welcomed her warmly. They hugged and exchanged pleasantries, asking about each other's lives and how they had been. Sora listened intently, enjoying the easy familiarity between the two women.

As they caught up, the conversation turned to the farm and how it had been faring. The owner shared stories about the animals and crops, telling No-eul about new techniques she had learned and plans for expansion. No-eul listened with interest, nodding, and asking questions, clearly impressed by the woman's dedication and hard work.

Eventually, the conversation turned to Sora. From then, No-eul knew she had to introduce the woman as someone else.

As the conversation between No-eul and the poultry farm owner went on, No-eul could see the recognition in the owner's eyes slowly growing. It was only a matter of time before she realized who Sora was.

No-eul quickly realized that she had to introduce Sora as someone else, someone who wouldn't draw attention to herself. "Oh, and this is my friend, Ai...ko. Aiko," No-eul said, putting a hand on Sora's shoulder. "She's visiting from out of town and wanted to see what life on a farm is like."

Sora smiled and bowed politely, introducing herself as Aiko. The poultry farm owner nodded, seeming to accept the explanation without question.

No-eul smiled warmly at Sora, taking her by the hand and leading her towards the chicken coop. "Alright, first things first, we need to gather the eggs," she said, pointing to a basket on the ground.

Sora looked at No-eul with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. "How do I do that?" she asked.

No-eul chuckled. "It's simple, just reach under the chicken and gently take the egg out of the nest. Make sure not to disturb the chickens too much, or they might get upset."

Sora nodded and followed No-eul's instructions, carefully gathering the eggs from each nest. But as Sora reached under one of the chickens to grab an egg, the chicken suddenly squawked loudly and flapped its wings, causing Sora to startle and drop the basket. The other chickens in the coop became agitated as well, and soon feathers were flying everywhere as they all began flapping and squawking.

No-eul quickly intervened, calming the chickens down and helping Sora gather the rest of the eggs. "It's okay, it happens sometimes," she reassured Sora with a grin. "You'll get the hang of it."

Sora laughed, feeling a bit embarrassed but also enjoying the thrill of the unexpected chaos. She was grateful to have No-eul by her side to guide her through this new experience.

No-eul chuckled as she remembered a funny story from her time working on the farm. "One time, I was chasing after a runaway chicken, and it led me straight into a mud puddle. I was covered in mud from head to toe, and the chicken just clucked at me like it was laughing."

Sora laughed along with No-eul, imagining the scene in her head. "Oh, I wish I could have seen that," she said.

"I love you, Sora."

Sora's heart skipped a beat as No-eul suddenly said those words. She looked up at No-eul with surprise and confusion, unsure of what to say.

No-eul quickly realized what she had said and blushed, realizing that she had spoken her feelings out loud. "I'm sorry, that just slipped out," she said, fidgeting with her hands nervously.

Sora's own cheeks flushed pink as she realized the implications of No-eul's words. She had never considered the possibility of a romantic relationship with No-eul before, but the way her heart raced at the thought made her wonder.

"It's okay," Sora said softly, looking down at her hands. "I... I think I might be feeling the same way."