-AUTHOR POV-

One day, at a company computer programming building called Jigokumeguri System Engineering Inc. Kobayashi, Takiya and Elma were working on their stuff on, Elma has been working hard, but every time passes time, she gets really hungry, but not to worry, Kobayashi and other workers have always given her snacks, a sign of being friendly and kind to her of her hard work...one night, some of the workers stood late due of overtime, as for Kobayashi, Takiya and Elma, the three's shift are about to be over any minute....

Kobayashi: Oh man...hey Takiya, almost done with your assignment?

Takiya: Close, just gotta add a few skeps. What about you?

Kobayashi. Hmm, say, after this, wanna go grab some drinks later? We can invite Tohru and Fafnir to come along.

Takiya: Heh, sounds good to me, besides, it's the end of the week, so should be the good day and time to get some drinks.

Kobayashi: Hmm. Hey Elma? What about you? Wanna come with us and get some drinks?

Elma stood up from her chair...

Elma: Drinks?? Oh, that would be nice, can we also stop by for some food as well??

Kobayashi: Hehe, sure, knowing you you can't live without food, but sure, we can stop by at that Ramen shop around the corner.

Elma: Sweet! Oh I can't wait to taste the sweet ramen noodles with toppings on them!

Takiya: Heh, ramen does sound good too, say what kind of flavor Fafnir would like? Never seen him eat ramen before.

Tohru: Beats me, I'm wondering the same thing with Tohru...*Even though she better not use her tail for meat topping on my ramen, cause I swear to god...*

Takiya: Hmm, we'll have to see when we bring them over then.

Kobayashi: Heh, yeah you right-

Elma: ...You guys are bringing Fafnir and Tohru?

The two then looked at Elma, and to see her face with a sudden let down expression, like if she looked like she was left alone...

Kobayashi: Y-Yea, we are...

Takiya: ..Say Elma, is something the matter?

Elma: Wh-What??

Kobayashi: I mean not even 10 seconds ago, you started to feel overjoyed about our plans today...and all the sudden you got gloomy once you told us about brining Tohru and Fafnir with us...what's wrong?

Elma: O-Oh! I-It's nothing, really! I just...didn't expected you guys to invite Tohru and Fafnir...

Kobayashi: ...Does that bother you??

Elma: N-No! It doesn't, I swear! Yea hanging out with them is fun...even if it takes me force to even get along with Tohru...b-but again, it doesn't bother me.

Takiya: Oh..

Kobayashi: Well ...okay then, so you still wanna come with us-

Elma: Y-You know what?! I-I forgot! I got things to do at home! Yea, hehe! Sorry, can't hang today!

Elma then quickly grabs her stuff from her desk, and to then turn off her computer...

Elma: Thanks for the offer Kobayashi, but again, I got stuff at home to do! S-See you two! Bye!

Kobayashi: ...Bye.?

Takiya: See ya then...

Elma then power walks her way out of the room...leaving Kobayashi and Takiya confused...

Takiya: Okay...what just happened?

Kobayashi: I...really don't know...to be honest with your.

Takiya: Hmmm. It's not like her to act like that...I mean what might make her react like that even?

Kobayashi: ...Come to think of it...I did remember her acting like this some time before.

Takiya: Really?

Kobayashi: Yea, usually at my place almost....I would always see her react when it comes to hang out with Tohru and the others...and yet she suddenly leaves home...and doesn't come back...at first it might be cause of Tohru, knowing those two don't get along that well...but it wasn't just her...it wasn't something...more.

Takiya: More you say?

Kobayashi: Yea..I just can't put my finger on it...but hey, I don't wanna get in her privacy, I'm not that type of person to be nosey.

Takiya: Hm.

Kobayashi: Anyways, seems like we're done, wanna go already?

Takiya: Sure thing.

As Kobayashi and Takiya about to get ready to go home and to go out...
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Outside the building, we then see Elma standing on the entrance of the building...who she yet is looking down, and yet to feel alone...and yet not too happy somehow...and to start walking to her apartment...she then started to think about the times she had experience Kobayashi and the others being together and having one another, like her having Tohru, Takiya with Fafnir, Kanna with Saikawa, Lucoa with Shouta, and Ilulu with Aida...and her...she doesn't have anyone like that...she wonders why...but can't even find the answer to it...

Elma: ...It's always the same...every time, they hang out with one of my people...I feel left alone...I don't have a special partner like Tohru and them...I'm always...alone...and I hate it...and keep thinking if I'll always stay like this forever...

She suddenly started to feel a little emotional about it...but at the same time wants to forget it...and just ignore it for today...

Elma: ...I guess I won't be able to find one like them...and still be alone...like always.

She kept on walking and walking...and as she then turns the corner around...and to walk down and where her house is down the road, she then suddenly spots something...something that has caught her attention...it was a small building, a building that seems to be a market, a food place, no...a food place market...she power walks up to it...and to realize that this building seems new to her...

Elma: ...I've never seen it before until now...wasn't this building under construction few weeks before?

Suddenly, she then takes a look inside the glass windows, and what she saw in the story shocked her with such a surprise, indeed the market was nothing but delicious snacks, lots of snacks, and drinks...

Elma Mind: Oh wow!! Look at all those deliciousness!!! So tasty and enjoyable!!

She then looks at a little sign at the door that says "Open"...

Elma: Open at this time? ...maybe I should enter and look around a bit.

Elma then enters the store, and as she does, she then gets to experience the tasty and delicious snacks up close and the drinks on the fridge...

Elma Mind: Oh my! It's like I'm in a dream, even better, paradise!

She then walks up to the counter, and to see a food menu on the walls as well, she realizes not only this store sell snacks and drinks, but sells food too...

Elma Mind: Food too??! Woah! The menu looks great! They got tons of food they have! Oh I can't wait to buy some snacks and food and...w-wait! Oh damn it! I forgot, I got stuff to pay tomorrow and this week!* Hmph! *sighs* Well, guess it can wait, probably make something at home for the meantime and-

As soon she was about to exit...she then heard a voice...

???: Hey, can I help you?

She then stopped, and to slowly turn around, and to see someone at the counter...it was a male, a teenage male of course, who happens to be working here...she stood quiet, looking at him, and yet...she felt flustered by seeing him...

Elma Mind: He...looks young, like me!

???: Uh, hello?

Elma: E-Eh?! I-Oh! S-Sorry, I'm sorry! I-I didn't mean to-

???: Hehe, don't worry, didn't mean to alarm ya or anything.

Elma: O-Oh, it's fine, no worries...it's just...I just came in and...was looking around...

???: Heh, like what you see? Pretty dope isn't it?

Elma: D-Dope??

???: Dope, you know, nice, cool? ...Heh, unless you don't know what that means.

Elma: Sorry...I don't know about that vocabulary word.

???: *chuckling* Man, guess I gotta be more properly formal then, knowing you're wearing a suit and tie.

Elma: Eh? O-Oh this! It's just my working clothes.

???: Ahh, I see...Wait, say, do you happen to work around that building, engineering program or something?

Elma: Yea, Yea I do.

???: Heh, makes sense, so you must be one of those hard workers then from that company. Must be tiring Huh?

Elma: Heh, well not really, I'm sort of use to the work and all, but...sometimes-

Suddenly, her stomach, growls...and the owner of the store hearing it loud...

???: *Oh man, her stomach just growl like no big whoop, glad she can pull it off while talking-

He then realizes seeing her, give off an embarrassment and blushing look on her face...

???: Oh maybe not, she looks embarrassed...

Elma: I-Im sorry! I-I didn't mean it!

???: Hehe, woah relax, it's okay no worries, hehe, but, telling from that, you must be really hungry don't ya? From all the work you had to go through?

Elma: Y-Yea...work can be long sometimes.

???: Heh, I feel you. Say, want something? I can get you some snacks? Drinks? Food?

Elma: Yes! I really wanna try some of...o-oh wait. I can't, I got stuff to pay for tomorrow and this week...I won't be able to, sorry...

???: Heh, no worries, but hey, it's on me.

Elma: R-Really??!

???: Yea, I'm feeling generous today, so I'll let you slide on this one.

Elma: ...

???: It means I'll let you off free of whatever you wanna get here, is what I meant, heh.

Elma: O-Oh, hehe...I-I don't know what to say...

???: Heh, you can't thank me later Miss....

Elma: I-It's Elma.

???: Elma, pretty name.

Elma: *blushing* Thank you...and you are?

(YN): Names (YN).

Elma: Ah...I..Like your name, (YN).

(YN): Heh, thanks...so, what can I get for you, Elma?

Elma then softly smiles and blushing, keeping someone like (YN), is kindly treating her nicely and yet treating her well...Elma has never experienced something like that before, until now, and meeting someone like (YN) has made her feel good somehow...so, she orders some food at the menu, then to get some snacks and a drink for herself. Afterwards, she's got her food already, done by (YN), who she has seen him cook in in person in the kitchen...

(YN): Okay, that should do.

Elma sniffs the good, and can feel the drool ness from her mouth of how good it smells...

Elma: Smells so good!

(YN): Heh, just wait till you take some bite of them.

Elma: Don't worry, I'll definitely do that.

(YN): Heh, good to hear...well, guess it's closing time already.

Elma: O-Oh right. I'll be on my way.

(YN): Sure, enjoy your meals.

Elma: I will, thank you, (YN).

(YN): Heh, anytime Elma.

As Elma walks to the exit with a soft smile to her face...she then stopped for a sec...and to realize how kind and nice (YN) was with her, giving her free food, and treated her very well...as if...she might have found the one for her...just maybe she did! Before leaving...she turns around...

Elma: (YN).

(YN): Yeah?

Elma: *softy smiling and blushing* You think...we can meet again?? I-I know it's sound weird and all...and yet we barely talked and met and-

(YN): *laughs*

Elma: ...D-Did..I say something wrong-

(YN): N-No No, you don't, I swear...it's just...funny.

Elma: F-Funny??!

(YN): Yea...the fact I feel the same way.

Elma blushes and gets flustered...

(YN): Even if we did barely let and barely talked together, and the way I see it...I like it, you look like a fun and great person to talk with...so as for me...we can totally meet again this week.

Elma felt an enormous affection filming from his body, most importantly her heart...it felt eternally good for some reason...so she replies with a smile...

Elma: Y-Yeah! Totally!

(YN) smiles and chuckling...

(YN): Heh, sounds great, see ya then.

Elma: S-See ya!

Elma then rushes out the store...as (YN) crosses his arms with a soft smile...

(YN): Heh, our talk was chill and nice...more over, she seems chill and nice too.

Back with Elma, she then started heading home x and yet to keep on having this feeling she's getting...it felt new to her, and yet making her feel weird, in a good way...

Elma: My body feels...weird somehow, but in a good way...that (YN) guy...he seems...kind, sweet, and saccharine too...

She then looks up to the moon...and says...

Elma: For some reason...I cannot wait to see him again this week...Heh, maybe tomorrow...we'll see how this goes.

-END OF CHAPTER 1-