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The garden of the bunny kingdom was far too peaceful for Princess Emu to leave it alone.
She had already abandoned the neatly paved path in favor of hopping through the flower beds, her fluffy white ears bouncing with every step.
The ribbons on her dress fluttered in the breeze as she chased a cluster of butterflies through the enormous candy-colored garden, her little princess cape trailing behind her. The morning sun made everything sparkle, from the dew-covered flowers to the glittering fountains scattered throughout the kingdom.
Nene followed several steps behind, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on Emu.
"Emu, don't run so far ahead...!" Nene called out as she carefully stepped around a patch of flowers. "You're going to trip again."
Emu immediately looked over her shoulder while still running backward, her face lighting up with a mischievous grin. "I'm not going to trip, Nene-chan!" she called back as she spread her arms for balance. "I'm really good at running!"
Nene's expression tightened as she watched Emu's heel catch on a small root.
"Emu!"
Emu flailed for half a second before recovering with an impressive little hop, landing safely on both feet. She turned around with her hands proudly resting on her hips as though she'd just performed a magnificent feat of athleticism.
"See?" she announced with a delighted bounce. "I didn't fall!"
Nene hurried over anyway, kneeling in front of her and inspecting her knees and hands. "You almost did," she pointed out as she gently brushed a few specks of dirt from Emu's dress. "Again."
Emu giggled as she leaned down to look at Nene's face. "But I didn't!"
"That's not really the point." Nene sighed, though the faint smile tugging at her lips betrayed how little she could actually stay annoyed with her princess.
Emu suddenly grabbed both of Nene's hands and pulled her upright, her eyes immediately wandering toward another part of the garden. "Come on, Nene-chan!" she exclaimed as she tugged excitedly at the butler's hands. "There's something over there!"
Nene barely had time to put the princess's shoes somewhere safe before Emu dragged her toward the enormous fountain in the center of the garden.
The fountain was decorated with little rabbit statues and overflowing bowls of pastel-colored fruit. Water glittered in the sunlight as it cascaded from one level to another, and Emu leaned over the edge with fascinated eyes.
"Look!" she exclaimed as she pointed toward a tiny frog sitting beside the water. "A little friend!"
Nene leaned over beside her, carefully keeping one hand on Emu's back so she wouldn't accidentally tip herself into the fountain.
"I can see it," she replied as she watched the frog blink at them. "It's cute."
Emu gasped as though Nene had just made a grand declaration. "You think it's cute too!"
Nene nodded while keeping her hand securely against Emu's torso. "Yes, I do."
"Then we should keep it!"
Nene's eyes widened as she immediately shook her head. "No, we absolutely should not take a frog from the garden."
Emu pouted as she rested her chin on the fountain's edge. "But we could give it a tiny room."
"It's a frog."
"We could make it a tiny bed."
"It's still a frog."
"A tiny crown?"
Nene covered her face with one hand, trying very hard not to laugh. "My Princess, please leave the frog alone."
Emu giggled before finally stepping away from the fountain. "Okay!"
For a few minutes, she behaved. Just frolicking around the garden. Then she spotted a hill.
It wasn't even particularly impressive. It was simply a gentle grassy slope overlooking the garden, covered in tiny white flowers.
To Emu, however, it was clearly an invitation.
"Nene-chan!" she called as she ran toward it, her ears bouncing wildly. "Look!"
Nene's stomach sank. "Emu, wait—"
Too late.
Emu threw herself onto the grass and began rolling down the hill, laughing so loudly that several birds flew from the nearby trees. She tumbled through the flowers.
"Why do you keep doing this to?" she muttered as she hurried down after her.
By the time Nene reached the bottom, Emu was sitting in the grass with her hair completely disheveled and flowers tangled into her clothes.
She looked up, and smiled. "Nene-chan!"
Nene stopped in front of her and stared.
Emu's cheeks were flushed from excitement, her dress was covered in grass, and one of her bunny ears had folded over completely.
Nene slowly crouched down. "Emu... you look silly."
Emu's grin widened as she sat up, reaching up and straightened the crooked ear herself. "Do I?"
"Yes."
"Do I look like a princess?"
Nene couldn't help smiling. "You look like a princess who just rolled down a hill."
Emu laughed before reaching forward and wrapping her arms around Nene's waist.
Nene froze.
Emu hugged her tightly, resting her cheek against Nene's stomach. "You're always taking care of me," she murmured happily as her arms squeezed a little tighter. "Thank you, Nene-chan."
Nene's expression flushed slightly.
She gently rested one hand on Emu's head and carefully smoothed down her messy pink hair. "Someone has to make sure you don't get yourself hurt."
Emu looked up at her. "I like when it's you, Nene-chan!"
"I like taking care of you too," she admitted as she brushed another flower out of Emu's hair. "Even if you make it unnecessarily difficult."
Emu giggled. "I'll try to make it easier then!"
The two of them eventually returned to the palace, though Emu's idea of returning was apparently stopping at every interesting thing along the way. She inspected every flower, greeted every rabbit-shaped garden ornament, and insisted on showing Nene a particularly shiny pebble she had found near the fountain.
By the time they reached the palace steps, Nene had accumulated three flowers, one pebble, and a small collection of leaves that Emu had apparently decided were treasures.
Nene looked down at the pile in her hands.
"Why am I carrying all of this?"
Emu clasped her hands behind her back as she rocked happily from side to side. "Because you're my favorite butler!"
"That doesn't answer the question."
"It does to me!"
Nene sighed and followed her into the palace.
Later, when the afternoon sun had begun turning golden, the two of them settled together on a balcony overlooking the kingdom. Emu sat on the railing with her legs swinging gently while Nene stood beside her, carefully fixing the princess's hair after its repeated abuse throughout the day.
The wind was softer now. The kingdom below them glowed beneath the sunset, with little lights beginning to appear along the streets.
Emu was unusually quiet.
Nene glanced toward her. "What are you thinking about?" she asked as she finished straightening one of Emu's ribbons.
Emu smiled as she looked out over the kingdom. "I'm thinking that today was really fun."
Nene rested her hands together in front of herself. "I'm glad."
"And I think it was even more fun because you were with me."
Nene's cheeks warmed again.
"You say things like that so casually."
Emu turned toward her with a curious expression. "Shouldn't I?"
Nene looked away toward the sunset. "It's just embarrassing."
Emu smiled.
She hopped down from the railing and stepped closer. Nene immediately noticed how close she was standing.
"Emu?"
Emu tilted her head.
"Nene-chan?" she started, "You're cute when you're embarrassed."
Nene's face went completely red.
"Emu—"
Emu giggled.
Before Nene could figure out what she was planning, Emu leaned forward and gave her a quick, gentle kiss on the lips.
It lasted only a moment. Then Emu pulled away with the biggest grin Nene had ever seen.
Nene stood completely frozen.
Her face was bright red.
Emu clasped her hands together, practically vibrating with delight. "You're really cute, Nene-chan!" she exclaimed as she took one quick step backward.
Nene finally recovered enough to blink.
"Emu, wait."
Emu took another step backward.
Nene reached toward her.
"Emu."
The princess's grin became positively wicked.
"Catch me!"
She immediately turned and ran.
Nene stared after her for half a second before her expression finally shifted into disbelief.
"Wait, Emu—!"
Emu laughed as she sprinted toward the palace doors, her bunny ears bouncing wildly with every step.
For someone who was supposed to be the kingdom's elegant princess, she certainly had an impressive talent for causing trouble.
And Nene, despite herself, couldn't stop smiling as she chased right after her.