She looked at him intently, as he munched on the bread.

"...you really think it's good?"

"yeah, of course, I've been eating at least once since I came to this town..."

Should I trust him, or not? Is he really just trying to get to know me for the heck of it?

She watched him set the small container down. Still hiding herself, she carefully, gingerly reached out towards it and touched it. A circular orb glowed on her hand, and she smeared the unknown substance on her bread.

"...cream?"

It seemed like the bread too had become a foreign substance, as she stared at it as well.

Should I eat it?

Her eyes flickered over to him; she watched him continue to eat his bread, clearly contented. Looking back down at her bread, she decided it would be better to take a bite before it expired. Cautiously, she took a bite, and the flavor hit her mouth immediately; it was as if the dull, lifeless bread had somehow transformed, by adding a simple cream. She was amazed at how the extreme lack of flavor in the food she'd been eating had affected her. She couldn't resist, as she wolfed down the rest of the bread; it was as if she'd never had it in the first place.

He went on about how he'd gotten it from some quest, and that he'd show her if she wanted, but this in and of itself was so weird, so naturally she declined.

He's a little weird but, I'll thank him, someday..

She realized by the way he walked away from the crowd, that he really didn't want to be followed. But, she couldn't help herself.

"Hey... you called my name while we were fighting, how did you know what it was?"

"...you see a bar below yours, don't you?"

She squinted at it.

"Oh, it's been here all along?"

She giggled to herself.

"..ki-ri-to...kirito?"

He nodded sagely, before dissolving the party.

She knew it would be easier to let him go, but something compelled her not to.

"Where are you going? You won't survive long as a solo player..."

"...no, maybe not, but I doubt I'd find a party to be in, but listen... if you ever get the chance to join a guild...take it..."

Those were his last words to her, for a very long time.

He's not so bad...I have a feeling this isn't the last time I'll see him..