video;

[elevatorattendant]

Oh. Oh my! Yes, I know how this technology works.

[ The video image wavers as Elizabeth peers into the camera, and all that is visible is one bright yellow eye. After a moment, she pulls it away from her face. ]

This is the social media that I have been heard tales of. What an enticing ring to a name, isn't it? "Social media." To facilitate bonds between people despite many challenges that others might surrender to, defeating such constraints as time and distance. How marvelous this is.

Hello, I am Elizabeth! [ She practically sings her greeting. ] I look forward to experiencing your world, both that of social media and otherwise. Our sponsors have assigned to me a domicile, and I have my very own room in that of the second household of De Chima.

I think I will turn it into a dance club.

Comments

[elevatorattendant]

I ventured there many times. [ She sounds pleased. ] Two of your companions were once guests of mine, and I greatly respect Koromaru as well.

My, it's so much fun to be pointlessly enigmatic.

[orangehoodie]

Koromaru.....?

[Koro, hearing his name, barks.]

My companions?

[elevatorattendant]

That is correct! As you can see, he does not dispute my statement.

[orangehoodie]

[On his end, he's giving Koromaru the most questioning of looks.]

Is the other person Minato-san, then? [It has to be.]

[elevatorattendant]

Of all of the options you have, why is he is the one you chose first and without any hesitation?

[ Now she's just being nosy. ]

[orangehoodie]

... It was a guess.

[Because Junpei-san wouldn't meet a girl who would remember him without talking about it. Because someone like Elizabeth-san wouldn't not come up in Yukari-san or Fuuka-san's stories. Because Sanada-san doesn't talk to a lot of girls. Because Aragaki-san just seems unlikely. Because Aigis-san just reactivated a couple months ago and isn't much for conversation. Because Kirijo-senpai and Koromaru don't really go together. Because Minato-san seems to know pretty much everybody, so why not the weird woman talking about dance clubs?]

[elevatorattendant]

When it comes to those one has a strong bond with, intuition does have great value.

[orangehoodie]

[Strong bond... right. Passing over that because those discussions get Uncomfortable.]

So... you're Minato-san's friend?

[elevatorattendant]

So much so that we were "parasols" as they say. Wait, that's not right. Umbrellas...?

[ "Paramours" has been the vocabulary word that she'd been going for, but missed it by a mile. ] No, that's not right at all. Ah well.

[orangehoodie]

Umbrellas...?

[... Aah. There's one thing he can think of with that. His classmates would draw umbrellas with people's names underneath, and that meant--]

... Do you like Minato-san?

[elevatorattendant]

[ So that was it. She had been on the right track, given how easily she'd been understood. And here she'd been almost certain she had been off track. ]

That is correct! If this had been a quiz game, you surely would have won the prize.

[orangehoodie]

[If she goes around calling herself and Minato umbrellas...]

I didn't know Minato-san had a-- are you his girlfriend?

[elevatorattendant]

How anyone could miss his admirable skill at obtaining girl friends confuses me. He is equally as skillful with boy friends as well.

[orangehoodie]

Huh?

Um-- no. I mean -- I know Minato-san's good at making friends. I mean... are you two dating?

[Isn't she foreign aren't they speaking English why isn't this coming across]

[elevatorattendant]

I'm going to request further dates with him as long as we are mutually unconstrained. Does that answer your question?

[orangehoodie]

Yes.

Wait, no.

Kind of?

... Maybe?

[elevatorattendant]

Excellent! I feel this has been an enlightening conversation so far.

[orangehoodie]

Has it?

... Do you even know what a girlfriend is?

[elevatorattendant]

Ah, yes, I believe so. Perhaps, at least.

[orangehoodie]

[This is getting nowhere...]

Well. [He sighs.] If you're a friend of Minato-san's-- [No, no, he shakes his head.] It's nice to meet you, Elizabeth-san. I'm Ken Amada. If you need help with anything, I'm at De Chima's first government house a lot. Minato-san, too. Koromaru would be happy to meet you.

[elevatorattendant]

I have enjoyed meeting you directly as well. Yes, I think that I will call upon you in your home in the future.

[orangehoodie]

My home...? Ah, sure! If you want. I'm living in Nonah. The one I just mentioned is where other people from our dorm live there. Everyone else is in De Chima, so it just made sense for me to go there.