Jihyo was pacing back and forth ad she strapped her belt; she was nervous. Sure she mustered up the courage to ask the princess out but did she really think this through?

"No. You didn't think this through at all"  that's what Momo said to her when Jihyo told her all about the night out she had and meeting the beautiful princess whom she gawked at the moment she walked into the pub last night.

"How does this look?" Jihyo asked as she finally tied her belt and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Hyo, the pink and gold looks wonderful on your tanned skin, it screams casual but still shows you have coin"

Jihyo nodded to herself as she listened to Momo's words. She pinned the small brooch showing her position as a fleet captain onto the clothing and sheathed her sword. She plopped down onto her bed staring at Momo for a minute straight until finally the girl looked up at her with a face that could only be read as 'what?'. Jihyo had a lot on her mind about this outing, although she asked the princess out she's not sure if to consider it a date or not. Just a stroll through the town, it was a good way to talk and get to know the princess but she also wanted to impress her, swoon her. But she had no idea how, her job had never allowed her the time for a relationship but when she saw the girl walk in, more radiant and gorgeous than anything she had ever seen, she knew from the moment she laid eyes on her that she wanted to know more about the woman. So she was hoping Momo could help her out, tell her what to do a bit.

"Momo, what do I do? Do I just walk with Her? Take her somewhere? What does one do with someone they kind of fancy?"

"Slow down there cap, just walk and talk"

"Walk and talk?"

"And then take her for a light meal somewhere she's never been, she's princess so I bet she's used to all that royal like food."

"Yeah but she seemed pretty impressed by the crappy pub, I don't think anything similar to royal food will impress her."

"So don't take her anywhere fancy. Walk, talk and eat. Anywhere you see fit."

"Walk, talk and eat. Okay, that's good! I'll be on my way then, see you later."

-

Jihyo was off making her way to the town square to meet Mina as promised. She arrived and leaned against a wall as she waited for the girl to show up, and to calm her own nerves. Despite Momo making it all sound so simple her hands here getting clammy and her heart beating just a bit faster than usual. She glances up from her hands which she was wiping on her drapes when she hears excited chatter, she could see Mina from afar walking with a guard in tow as she waves and says hello to the town's people. As she gets closer they make eye contact and Mina stops turning to her guard and asking for a few hours alone, pointing at Jihyo as she did so.

"I don't know My Lady, I've never let you go off by yourself before…." The guard said with doubt in their voice as they looked towards the woman Mina had pointed at.

"Jeong, please. They're a friend and captain of the fleet! A knight. I'll be finee, I'll come back here to Mrs. Choi stand in a few hours I promise." Mina was looking up at her guard with the best puppy eyes she could muster until finally Jeongyeon relented muttering something about how she'll be the reason for her beheading. Mina shot off without much of a goodbye and was in front of Jihyo in no time, startling the girl. Jihyo stared for a few seconds taking in Mina's beauty, she too was wearing pink which made Jihyo blush at the thought that they'd be walking around matching the back of her dress dipped down to the small of her back exposing it and she had a silk slightly see through scarf draped over her shoulders. Finally snapping out of her trance Jihyo greeted her with a soft "Hi".

"Hi, I apologize if I'm late"

"Ah royalty is never late, the rest of us are the ones that are early"

"Wise words I've heard my mother say. So where are we going?"

"Well since this is Your walk I'd thought you'd lead the way for a bit?"

So Mina began walking and Jihyo walked beside her hands clasped behind her back as she listened to Mina talk. She told her things about the kingdom she already knew, like about the history and the great war 300 years ago which lead to her family being in power. And she told her things she didn't know like how if you take a left at the next corner you'll find yourself at the biggest bakery of the kingdom and how a common folk, Mr. Lim was using his home to provide shelter for homeless children. Something she intended to speak to her father about to build a bigger shelter, she told her about the woman in town who had just given birth and Jihyo listened to every word attentively and in awe at how the girl knew so much about her kingdom's people on such a personal level. She commented and engaged in the conversation when appropriate, made her laugh and told her that if there's anything she could do to help to get that shelter built to let her know. Jihyo stopped them when they rounded a certain corner, not sure how long they had been walking but they made it slightly to edge of town and she was pretty sure that around here there was a small alley restaurant the princess might love.

"Are hungry? I know a wonderful place near here." Jihyo asked extending her arm for the princess to wrap her hand around.

"I am actually, please lead the way"

Mina let herself be led into an alley and she was worried momentarily but her eyes widened with wonder and joy as the alley got more vibrant as the walls were painted like the sky, one wall the light blue of the day time the other painted with stars and the moon. There were a couple of tables in the alley and an open kitchen with one little old lady cooking, Jihyo led them to sit and she pulled out a chair letting Mina settle first.

"Those paintings are wonderful! What is this place?"

Jihyo laughed at the girls excitement and awe, this little alley was so simple but she was so impressed, she couldn't help but find it unbearably cute.

"This is an alley restaurant, Old Nan's Alley to be exact. You're going to try street food for the first time in your royal life"

"Ooh, what is street food?"

"Delicious and totally unhealthy. For the most part. Jihyo rushed out at the end, not wanting to get her off board before they even ordered. Mina furrowed her brows in apprehension but she was excited nonetheless, this would be a new experience. The little old lady came to their table and asked them what they'd like and Jihyo answered for them ordering with expertise.

-

As they waited they Jihyo decides to ask a question she had been itching to know the answer to; "My Lady, why did you sneak out of your castle last night? Was it all really to see a dingy pub filled with knights?" Mina laughed at the question face going slightly red recalling the location of their meeting.

"I always get to see the kingdom, and truly only a certain part of it, in the day time. I wanted to see more of it at night. I just want to see more than within the walls of the castle, it gets boring."

Jihyo nodded, she understood that completely. She couldn't imagine herself being confined at home back on the island she grew up on, she grew up trekking all over the land, getting lost in every forest and knowing every shortcut in the kingdom. She thinks of Mina inside her castle all through the seasons, eyes filled with longing to see the outside and smiles at the thought of her not so expertly sneaking out and simply ending up at a pub. Not very romantic and fairy tale like if you asked Jihyo.

" And I assume that was your first time sneaking out right? No one who has done that couple would panic the way you did."

"It was! I thought it through for months when one night I just stopped thinking, threw my shoes over the wall then jumped and off I was… didn't know or plan to end up at a pub" Mina spoke with joy bouncing off every word and whispering the last part. Jihyo smiled fondly, snickering at the last part, she looked at mina the whole time she talked eyes tracing every inch of her face and listening attentively, she was stunning in every way. Filled with wonder for the world, compassion for her people and childlike innocence that Jihyo wanted to indulge in.

"-And that's how the whole kingdom went on a lockdown within Ten minutes, just to find us in our beds!" Jihyo snorted, Minahad just finished telling the story of how her parents couldn't find them and thought they'd been captured or ran off from the castle and gathered a search party to find them.

" What about you Jihyo? What made you become a knight d a captain of a fleet?"

"Like you I always wanted to see more of the world… my family we were poor. My father was a simple baker, we ran a small little family shop. And with all my free time when I wasn't learning how to bake his latest pastry recipe or just a regular loaf of bread I was off running around the island's forests." Mina looked into Jihyo's eyes as she spoke catching the glint of reminiscent in the light brown orbs before her and the soft smile that never left her lips as she recounted the memories of her childhood. Mina couldn't help but to be envious of the woman's life as a kid, she spoke of planting flowers deep in the forest- "My very own personal garden" was how Jihyo put it. How she'd climb trees and onto rooftops, how'd she hang around boys so much that one time when they were all peeing she pretended to pee standing like she had seen the boys do, she retold these stories with fondness and sometimes embarrassment and Mina only wanted to know more. To experience the adventures through the stories, go on small adventures herself and maybe experience them with the charming woman before her.

"So one day I'm by the seaside and a dozen majestic ships dock, and off come the knights who get to see the word and explore in their symbolic Goldwood navy colors, and unjust knew that was my destiny. They explored, and helped those in need and it was a way to get my family out of poverty. So I trained from that day forth, became one of the very best fighters, and boat commander. I worked hard to become captain."

-

After eating and Mina raving about how incredible the food was, making sure to leave a nice tip for the old lady and asking her about her recipe- which the old lady declined to teach, Jihyo lead them further down through alleys when they came to a clearing. An abandoned part of town which nature took back for itself after a hundred years, the walls were covered in green vines and leaves, a fountain in the center which still had water running and also had leaves and vines grown around it a flowers blooming from the vines.

Mina gasped, she had never seen anything so beautiful with such architecture. Taking it all in as she softly dragged her hands over the walls covered with leaves and vines, the whole place felt so peaceful and detached from the world, it Felt like a different world. She gazed at Jihyo so was sitting at the edge of the fountain, swaying her hand in the water causing the sound of gentle ripples of water to echo through the abandoned land. Mina quirked her head to the side as she looked at her, the sun was shining right at the knight and from afar she could see the ways her eyes shined against her eyes, her strong and distinct features, she was stunning. She didn't have that aura from the pub; powerful and heroic in a way. But looking at her now, she seemed so warm and gentle and Mina wanted more of that.

"Its amazing how no matter how much stone we throw upon nature... It always finds a way to bloom, take back what's meant to be their's" Jihyo spoke up, her voice serene as she made eye contact with Mina and smiles at her causing mina to blush profusely. She wondered if Jihyo knew she had been staring, snapping out of it she went and sat beside Jihyo.

"Those words sound like they'd make a wonderful poem, like something someone would need to hear from time to time." Mina responded, they were sitting close shoulders touching, hands so close that their fingers were grazing each other's hands. Right after the distant and clear sound of a bell echoed out making Mina's shoulders drop in disappointment.

"Do you have to go?" Jihyo asked genuinely wanting to know but also came out as a whine, not wanting the woman to leave her presence. They somehow had gotten closer, face to face they could see every detail of each others face, Jihyo took a quick glance at Minas lips and looked back into her eyes. Mina nodded a small pout on her lips which made Jihyo laugh quietly, with a whispered "Okay". Mina doesn't know when they started holding hands but she only noticed when Johyo let go to reach Jihyo into the inside pocket of her clothing taking out a purple handkerchief, the initials P.J embroider at a corner, and reaching over and taking one of the pink roses that had grown on the vines wrapping the fountain. She handed it to Mina, the stem wrapped in the handkerchief to make sure the thorns wouldn't hurt the princess. Mina took it with a surprised thank you, she wondered if Jihyo knew of the implications of what she was doing meant, giving someone a purple handkerchief meant "I really like you." She wasn't sure what the rose meant but what she did know was that her heart was pounding so hard that she had to wonder if Jihyo could hear it.

"I really, um enjoyed our time together I.. thank you for all this. I-" Mina was stumbling over her words, nerves getting the best of her, not sure how to say that she doesn't want this to be the last time they see each other. Jihyo was parched, she wanted to find the words to say that she'd like to see her again. She only stared at the stuttering princess before her, thinking it improbable that they'd see each other again, she was a Princess after all, no time for a knight like herself. Jihyo was so caught up in her thoughts that she didn't notice Mina leaning in, the girl planted a soft kiss on her cheek and lingered there for 2 seconds. 'Yup. The princess is trying to kill me' she thought to herself as her knees went weak, heart drumming in her in her ears, face warm, she's sure she was red but not as red as the princess who's face looked like a tomato.

"So can I see you again in a couple days?" Jihyo finally processed the words that Mina had said, snapping out of the trance that the kiss had put her in.

"Yes! I mean yes, when? Where?" The knight finally answered and Mina sighed in relief, Jihyo hadn't been answering and she was getting nervous. After thinking about it for a few seconds Mina answered, "Here, let's meet here in three days. Same time."

"Same time."

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2nd chapteeeer, thank you to all reading this and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Building attraction between Jihyo! Do you think Jihyo knows what the handkerchief meant? Or was it innocent precaution? As always feed is greatly appreciated so lemme know what y'all thought. Much love ♡ -Ro