YOU + ME = US

I was so pissed at Elma that I didn't even wait to walk home with her. We would normally walk home together but walking home with her, after our embarrassing fight would make things very awkward.

On the way, I stopped to buy some taiyaki only to realize I had no cash on me and I was lazy to go the ATM. I turned the keys to my apartment door.

"SURPRISE!"

My jaw dropped. What welcomed me to my apartment that day would live with me forever. Never had I ever had more than 2 people in my apartment. Never did I dream that someone would have thrown me a surprise birthday party. I clearly had forgotten all about my birthday. As an adult, I never really celebrated it or had anyone to celebrate it with so the date just passed like a normal day.

My little guestroom was packed with faces I've never seen before. They were all smiling. The only people I recognized were Takiya Makoto, Kobayashi and Elma.

I was speechless. Apart from surprise, I was in disbelief. Why was all these people here? They didn't even know me so why did they find the need to show up here? And Elma did all this just for me?

I stopped gazing at the guests.

I cleared my throat. "Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. This was-this is really nice. I wasn't expecting something like this at all. And Elma, most of all I am sincerely sorry for my petty reaction at lunch today. It was so stupid of me. I know you're probably thinking I am an ungrateful person right now."

Elma chuckled and walked away from the crowd to where I was standing.

She pressed her index finger on my lips. "Shhh. No need to say anymore. Happy Birthday Nai-chan, and wait…." She was fumbling in the right pocket of her jacket for something. When she had no luck, she tried her left pocket.

Kobayashi came to where we were both standing. She touched Elma on her shoulder. Elma turned around

"I suppose you are looking for this." I couldn't see what Kobayashi gave Elma since her back was turned to me.

Elma slapped her forehead. "Oh yeah Miss Kobayashi, I remember giving you this because I didn't want to lose it. Thanks."

Everyone laughed.

Elma turned around again to face me. Kobayashi walked back to where everyone else was standing. The room fell silent. Everyone was curious what would happen next including myself.

In her hand, Elma was holding a tiny black box.

She stooped. She was now kneeling directly in front of me. I was still confused.

She took a deep breath.

"My dear Nayura, today I have taken the mature decision and listened to my heart. My heart is always full of your thoughts so much that I can't put anything else in it. The reason I had never accepted you as my girlfriend, and I apologize for that, is because I want to you to be more to me. You mean a lot to me than just a friend, or a girlfriend and so I want to make it official in front of all of my friends and colleagues." She paused and her gorgeous eyes smiled at me. At that moment, I felt what I had felt at the night of the food festival. It was something indescribable. It felt like it was only the two of us there.

She opened the box exposing a ring to me. I silently gasped. I could hear little gasps from the crowd too. "Nayura Nishigaki, will you be mine? I promise to love and cherish you and I hope that I can make you happy for the rest of your life."

My eyes were beginning to water. I cleared my throat again. "Yes, yes A thousand yesses! I would like nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you, Elma. But I feel like as though I don't deserve you. I don't want to slow you down or make things hard for you."

"What are you saying? You can never slow me down. In fact, it's you that inspires me to get up and face another day. I admire your courage and I absolutely love all of your little quirks. You are the only one I love and nothing is going to change that."

Everyone in the room was like "Awww" afterwards and both my face and Elma's reddened.

She grabbed my left hand and gently slid the ring on. I was no jewellery expert but any fool could see it was an aquamarine gemstone ring. It reminded me of Elma's eyes- the eyes I had fallen in love with.

"There! Perfect fit." She took both of my hands and stood up. Dark brown irises interlocked with aqua blue.

I suddenly heard faint shouts from the back. "Kiss Kiss."

It escalated. Everyone was cheering us on to kiss. Elma and I chuckled however she and I were both crying messes at the same time!

Suddenly we both leaned in and locked lips. We shared our most passionate kiss yet. My heart was on fire. My entire body felt like it was on fire. I wanted to kiss her for longer but we needed to break off for air.

The crowd cheered. Everyone looked so happy for the two of us but I was the happiest. Words could not describe the extreme love and warmth I was feeling. Yes, this was paradise.

We didn't let go of each other's hands. "Nai, you're probably wondering who these lovely people are. I would like to introduce you to my friends and colleagues. Some of them, I have known for ages."

"Ok" I smiled and wiped my tears. They were tears of joy. "I'm sorry that I am always such a crying mess."

"What? You don't have to apologize for anything, Nai-chan. You're you and I hope you never change."

I pulled her in for another kiss. The crowd went wild.

"Woohooo!" They all cheered and clapped.

When we had stopped for air, she led me to where everyone stood- their gaze fixated on the two of us. I began to feel a little shy but I brushed it off. These people had to be good people because Elma herself was an amazing person.

She took me to where Kobayashi and a strange blonde in a maid outfit were standing in the corner of the room. "First of all, I would like you to meet Tohru, my rival. She is Miss Kobayashi's maid."

Ohhh so Tohru was a she. And what did Elma mean by Tohru being her 'rival'?

Before I could have shaken the woman's hand, she took my hand in hers. I noticed her eyes were watery too. "I wish you and her the best. May you both have many happy years ahead of you."

"Thank you Tohru. And it was a pleasure meeting you."

Elma then showed me who Kanna was. "This little girl is Kanna. Miss Kobayashi and Tohru are her guardians."

So Kobayashi and Tohru were like Elma and I?

Kanna had to be the cutest, most adorable child I have ever seen in my entire life. She was a goth Lolita. She had white horns and blue eyes like Elma's.

I wondered if both Kanna and Tohru were dragons because of their horns. Elma did mention that there were others like her. I wonder if she meant Tohru and Kanna.

It was difficult to resist the urge to hug the child but I had to control myself.

"It's so nice to finally meet you Kanna. I have heard many good things about you from Miss Kobayashi."

Kanna just slightly tilted her head. " . " she replied softly.

Elma's tummy grumbled. "Woah. You're hungry Elma. Maybe you should have something and then continue this."

Tohru overheard me and grinned. "Ahh Elma is always hungry. Her appetite will never be satiated."

Elma face reddened again. "Hey shut it Tohru. We'll do this another time." Kobayashi shushed the both of them. "You two, behave. This is a special moment."

So Kobayashi were living with two dragons?

I wonder if this was what Elma meant by she and Tohru are rivals.

Before Elma and I walked off, I felt someone grab my hand and turned around to see it was Tohru. She looked at me sternly. "Miss Nayura, from now on you are one of us. I would like nothing more for you to be a part of our family. By now I am sure you know. I have no doubts that Elma trusts you with our secret."

Ohhh so Tohru and Kanna were dragons after all.

"Of course Miss Tohru" my voice sounding a bit shaky.

"Oh Tohru, don't scare her" Elma warned Tohru.

"Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. And you don't need to call me 'Miss'" Tohru replied.

"Oh no. She wasn't scaring me. I understand what she means."

"You're the best, you know that" Elma told me. Although I initially thought that a crowd of people were in my apartment, due to the fact I never have company over, it was less than ten people at my surprise birthday party.

"Let's go over to meet Shouta and Miss Lucoa."

Over at the punch table, a tall woman with the largest breasts stood sipping some punch. Next to her was a little boy with a plate of food in his hand."

"Elma, did you do all of this?"

"With the help of Miss Kobayashi and Tohru, I couldn't have done this myself."

"That's why you and Kobayashi were so discreet at lunch time. You were afraid of me finding out. I'm sorry again for how I reacted. I guess I was being jealous."

"You don't need to over-apologize Nai. I would have been like that if I was in your shoes too."

"I guess I am a selfish person, Elma. I only want you to myself. I don't want to share you with others. I'm horrible, aren't I?"

"Never. I hate when you say such things about yourself. I like you for who are."

I noticed the lady at the punch table coming over to where Elma and I stood talking.

"Hi guys. Sorry I didn't get to introduce myself earlier. I am Quetzalcoatl. But you can just call me Lucoa for short. Pleased to meet you, Nai and I wish you and my friend, Elma the best."

I was dumbfounded. "Wait, you're like the Quetzalcoatl? I thought he was a boy but was I wrong. Sorry but it was nice meeting you Lucoa and thank you for all the best wishes." She chuckled and I shook her hand.

Wow Elma sure knows some cool people, even the Quetzalcoatl. I had read lots about that serpent during my college Literature classes, but never did I think I would actually get to meet her. I read how the Aztecs worshipped the Quetzalcoatl when I had to do background research for some poems.

"Wait, I know how you couples are always busy but I would like you guys to meet someone special. Shouta-kun!" she called to the little boy I had seen at the punch table.

The boy at the table gasped and blushed.

"He's a little shy." Lucoa went over to the table and dragged the purple-haired boy by his hands.

"Um. So-so nice to meet you."

He was shy like me and so cute too. Lucoa rubbed the boy's head between her unrealisitc breasts. Elma didn't say anything but I raised a brow. I was in no place to judge.

"Aw Shouta-kun, you're so shy. Miss Nayura is one of us now." They both looked at me and I smiled.

Enjoy the party Lucoa." Elma told her and walked off. I followed her. "Elma, that was so"

Elma cut me half-way. "Yeah I'm fully aware but I don't want to cross her seeing as we both have a nice friendship, so I just keep quiet about it."

"Your friends are really cool though" I said trying to lighten the mood.

"There is one more person I'd like you to meet."

I knew who it was. It was the Black Butler fanatic that caught my eye when I stepped into the apartment.

"Oh you mean Sebastian?"

Elma gave me a strange look. She didn't get my reference, not like I had expected her to anyway.

We both approached Takiya Makoto, who worked at our company. Next to him stood a tall man that reminded me of Sebastian from Black Butler. He had a PSP in his hands and was playing vigorously on it. Maybe he was an otaku who cosplayed their favourite anime characters. How Elma knew someone like that was a good question. Upon closer examination, he had ruby eyes and wore glasses.

Takiya warmly smiled at Elma and I. "You two look like you will have a long and happy life together. I am so happy for the both of you."

We both exchanged 'thank yous' with him. Being from the HR department, I knew he was one of the most respectful and hardworking employees. No wonder Elma had invited him.

"And Nai-chan, I would like you to meet Mr. Fafnir. He and Tohru both hails from the Chaos faction however I am from the Harmony faction."

I was going to shake his hand but he hadn't put away the PSP he was holding in both his hands. "Nice to meet you Mr. Fafnir." The Sebastian-cosplayer just smirked. "I've been meaning to ask you your WiFi password."

"Sure" I gave him the password. I could sense he didn't like me at all.

When I had finished reciting the last two characters in the password, he said something that surprised me. "Humans are either hits or misses. I hope she is a hit to you." He looked straight at Elma. She nervously laughed. "Of course, Mr. Fafnir. A big hit, she is. A once-in-a-lifetime one too."

Elma whispered in my ear. "Don't be intimidated by him. That's just him."

"He's right though" I replied

"Hm?" Elma looked at me questioningly.

"He's right about humans being either hits or misses. I hope you meant it when you said I am a hit."

"Hah! Don't let him get to your head" she replied.

A few seconds after, "But seriously though, you can never be a miss."

"Aw" I replied jokingly.

She poked at the side of my tummy.

"Ow that hurts. You dragons play so roughly."

"Oh we do other things roughly too." She wickedly grinned.

"Shhh naughty girl" I giggled.