Klara and her animals

"So, this is an animal farm, which basically means we don't produce vegetables or fruits, but instead meat and animal products, in my case eggs and milk. I have one big meadow for the cows and a place for the chickens to run around in. You know, your mom is preparing dinner, but the chicken need dinner, too. If you want, you can feed them."

Klara handed me a big bucket of small corn pieces and a small shovel. "How am I supposed to distribute it? I don't want to accidentally throw the corn onto the chicken."

Klara chuckled a bit. "Hehe, don't worry about it. If someone threw a good piece of steak at you, how long would you really be mad for?" Now I was laughing too.

"You know, it's really relaxing seeing the chicken eat the corn, bit by bit. Just happily walking around, picking whatever they like to eat."

"James, it kinda sounds like you need a day off. Have you worked all weekend long?"

"Yeah, the investigation and everything took a long time. A bit before you came, I played some video games for the first time in several weeks."

"Maybe you should stay here on the farm for a day, just to relax."

"I'd love to, but my week is already booked. Wednesday and Thursday is more investigation stuff, Friday is meeting day for my job as a journalist, and Saturday evening my cute neighbor wanted me to show how to milk the cows that make the milk I drink."

"C-Cute...?"

Wait, did I say that out loud? At least she didn't seem to mind, in fact she was blushing a little.

Suddenly, there was a continuous ringing. "Ugh not again."

"What's going on, Klara?"

"One of the cows keeps having issues with her collar."

As we approached the cow, she was shaking violently, the bell making almost ear-piercing sounds. Klara calmly approached the cow, despite being rather nervous, tried to calm the cow down. She took off the collar and the cow got calmer immediately.

"Do you know why she's like this?"

"I don't know, it's been very confusing."

"Hm, do you think the collar itches her?"

"No, I don't think so. It feels rather smooth on the inside and she has a bit of fur. Maybe I should wear it to test it out?"

"Huh sure?" Not sure why she asked for my permission. Wait. Fuck. Oh no, I hope she won't get suspicious. Once Klara had the collar on, she began to relax immediately, she looked very mellow and content.

"Thish ish shoooo... mush better", Klara slurred her words. She simply laid down on the meadow outside the cow enclosure. She hadn't closed the gate, but the cows just stayed away from the exit. I closed the gate nonetheless.

"Th-Thank you."

"Klara, please take off the collar, it's doing something weird to you."

"I don't... want to..." Klara sounded like a stoner in an anti-**** PSA. "I need breaksh too, James. I deserve this... jusht like you had your break."

I sat down next a stack of hay bales close to her. "Come on Klara, at least get off the ground and sit with me." She stood up Klara +8SP (+24SP) and slowly stumbled her way to me. She simply laid her head on my thighs and continued to enjoy her half-conscious life. I couldn't help but pat her head while she was lying down like that.

Despite not registering everything that's happening around her, Klara suddenly asks a question: "Why are you... your hands...? Am I really... cute?" She was getting better at speaking.

"Of course you're cute, Klara. You're a funny gal and very helpful and friendly, it's nice having you as a neighbor. Thank you for showing me a bit of your farm."

"I wanted... away from your mom... date..."

"You wanted this to be a date?"

"Mhm" she tilted her head up and down, exactly once. She didn't have much more power than that.

"Are you sure the collar is good for you? You seem to be very weak and tired all of a sudden."

"It... okay... trust you... When kid... I often wore cowbell... pretended happy cow... ate grass..."

I had to chuckle. "Sorry Klara, I just think it's funny you were eating grass."

"Grass not edible... Parents made me stop... But I... always want to be cow... Just do nothing all day... lie in grass...happy life."

My phone rang. It was mom, dinner was ready. "Klara, I'll have to remove that collar now, we can't have you eat dinner like this."

Klara tried to move her hands to prevent me from opening it, but to no avail. I simply removed it. Klara +11SP (+35SP) "James, can I wear it after dinner again?"

"You can't get it off by yourself, can you? I can't be there for you when you need it off. Your animals won't feed themselves." She was pretty sad about it but knew that things couldn't work differently.

"Please give it to me again some other time. I'd love to feel this way again. All my worries melted away and I was simply happy, calm, and relieved. I somehow felt that nothing was going to go wrong. It was great."

"I might give you some time with it at some other point, Klara, I promise."

She immediately hugged me. "You're very adorable, Klara." I hugged her right back. She was blushing again. "D-Do you mean it? Cute? Don't you see the muscles that I have from all the farm work that I do?" She pulled up her shirt, revealing faint sixpack lines. It was getting colder quickly, but she held her shirt up as long as I looked. Klara +2SP (+37SP)

I kissed her on the forehead, and she was blushing again. "Being cute isn't just about looks, it's also about demeanor. And honestly, it's not like I dislike what I see either."

"J-James I..." she briefly paused. "Sigh... James, I like you, I really do... But I'm not sure if we could work out. I always wanted a life like my parents. Happily married, children, together until the end. But I've never found a way to make it work. Here in the countryside, the average man my age is terrible. They all either want to banish me to the kitchen or make me **** away on the farm so they can have their free time. And in the cities... I'm not a gal for late night parties, I don't wanna chat with dozens of guys on dating apps only for them to hide a red flag... And I'm not sure where you fit into. Because you just can't help me, with the jobs you have, but you're also the nicest guy I've met in a while."

"It's okay, Klara. You're a nice person too, and I like spending time with you too. But if you don't want to, or if you need time, I can stay away or wait."

"James, I... I don't know if I can wait. You're surrounded by so many women, if I take my time to choose, I'll be too late... And honestly, I'm not that much into the new poly stuff either, I don't want to compete."

"But what's your plan then? I mean, you could always just hire a farm helper, maybe have a few more cows and chicken in order to afford the help. That way you can at least relax in the near future. After that... it would probably be the best idea to follow your heart, no? I'd be glad if that guy was me, but even if not... You'll have my full support. I'll pay for your milk as long as you deliver." I continue after a brief break: "And honestly, don't worry about competition. You're the one that lives the closest to me, you can always get first dibs on me."

She chuckled a bit: "Thanks, James. I'll think about it for now. Maybe I'll have an answer on Saturday, maybe I won't."