Now that I think about it, my reaction must have looked pretty comical; eyes wide like old-fashioned soup-plates, my face a bright red. She didn't make fun of me, of course. Not even a smile. Just the same embarrassed look with a blush on her face.

I finally got myself together for what felt like hours and asked her to repeat herself.

"You heard me," she said, her voice cracking a bit. "I s-said that i like you."
"What do you... what do you mean?"
"Ugh, is it that difficult to understand?"
"Yeah."

I guessed that she had rehearsed her confession a few times and didn't expect my reaction to be so... confusing. She sighed with grief.

"Do I seriously need to explain why I like you? Haven't you figured it out already?"
"I have a few guesses."
"Yeah? Like what?"
"Well... I guess... since I helped you out? Because I was polite? I'm not used to this at all."

She looked up at me with such compassion that I nearly chocked on my words.

"You're a sweet, kind idiot who reminds me of someone I knew. Someone who I fell in love with." She turned around and I could almost hear her trying not to cry. "That sounds pretty selfish, huh?"
"Not really, I mean... if he meant that much to you..."
"Listen... you don't have to stay with me if you don't want to. I know what I told you was pretty sudden, so..."

I couldn't resist chuckling at how strange the situation became. She turned around with a familiar look of anger and stepped on my foot rather painfully.

"Just what the hell do you think you're laughing for!? I'm spilling my feelings right now, and you're laughing!?"

Even with the pain in my foot, I continued to chuckle, even through what I said next.

"Liz, I like you too!"

She straightened up quickly, her eyes open wide, reminding me of how I looked minutes earlier. I don't think she expected this my reaction this time, either.

"W-what?"
"Come on, it's not that hard to believe, is it?" I felt bad for mocking her with the same tone she used when speaking to me, but I couldn't resist.
"Y-you're pulling my leg, aren't you?" She looked away again, head down.
"Why would I be doing that, exactly?"
"Because... I don't know, you..." She looked back at me. "You're being serious, aren't you."
"...I'll stay with you, if you really want me to, okay? Just make sure the basement isn't too cold, I-"
"Oh relax," she said, her cheerfulness slowly beginning to return. "You're sleeping on the living room couch."

...

And that's how things went. For a while, at least. I lived with her, had breakfast with her... but that was it. For some reason, we just couldn't get our emotions in check and start up some sort of relationship. As awkward as it sounds, it was actually a pretty great life. I remember waking up every morning on her couch with her looking down at me, asking me- in the sweetest tone my ears could ever imagine- what I wanted to eat.

It was around that time when my love for her grew so much that I barely ate without wanting to look up and stare at her. My nights became sleepless as I stayed up thinking about her. I know it was horribly cheesy, the way things played out, but that's how it was. I began to notice her "assets" just a bit more (keep in mind that although I was not too bright, I also wasn't very perverted) and found myself not wanting to head back to my guild, spending some nights praying (I don't think there was a god here, so I prayed to Akhiko Kayaba) that my suspension would lead to termination, that I would be found guilty of the murder of Joshua.

Then, about three days before my suspension was over, I was finally able to get the courage to ask her on a date.

We had just come back from getting supplies (coincidentally from the same floor that Liz had gotten her supplies on the day we met) and I remember her placing a box on her counter when I said her name.

"Hm?"
"Listen, I've bean meaning... to ask you something."
"Ask away."

She must have noticed the blush growing on my face because she smiled sweetly.

"What time... does your shop close?"

She was hit with realization and gave me that damn devious smile again. She leaned in dreadfully close and I was sure that my face was entirely red.

"Ooooh? Why do you ask?"
I looked away. "Because... I was wondering if... you'd want to-"

She brought her face up to mine and poked the skin under my left eye with her nose. I shivered and backed away immediately; I forgot about that little ticklish spot I had under my left eye. It was a pain in the ass to deal with when I was young, what with it being an open part of my face. Any little touch in the area and I would tense up and shiver. I explained this to her when she asked me why I backed away.

She kept the smile on her face. "Oh, do you mean... right here?" She kept her finger on the spot and began to rotate. The morbid pleasure of it all almost made me take a knee and I started sweating.

"Liz... please... stop."
"I don't think so... you're enjoying it, aren't you?"
"I am, but... not now... please..."
"Alright alright..." she finally backed away. "What were you going to ask me?"
"You already know."
"...I want you to say it."
"Fine... do you want to go out... on a date?"

Her devious smile turned into one of compassion. "Sure! Where to?"
"Well... I know this place that has really good cheesecake on Floor 35, and I was hoping we could eat there."She hugged me for the very first time. It was... lovely. "That sounds great! My shop closes in 30 minutes."

...

She came back out of the shop 30 minutes later, this time in a casual outfit that I thought was adorable. I shook my head quickly, getting rid of the thoughts that found their way into my head (thoughts of after the date, I believe) and greeted her. She took my hand gently and smiled warmly, holding a teleport crystal in her hand.

"Let's go," she said sweetly.