OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo3rd person

10/12/2029

She was beat, she had to admit it. Because between her part-time job at the nursery, the house chores to do around the apartment -cooking, cleaning and such-, visiting her little daughter Yui in ALO, and her other everyday activities, Yuuki Asuna barely had time to sit down and relax.

As of this moment, it has been around 5 years since the SAO incident, Asuna and her boyfriend Kirigaya Kazuto had -FINALLY- graduated from college and found a small apartment where they moved together with the help of their group of friends.

Today, like always, she was cooking breakfast for herself and Kazuto, so she went out to buy the ingredients at the closest convenience store. The cold winter was approaching and to protect herself from the chills of fall, she bought a simple beige trench coat and a hot pink knitted scarf which she put on over her clothes before leaving. As she picked the ingredients for the day's breakfast, she noticed the astonishing amount of married, engaged couples (or so she guessed by the rings and by the fact most were holding hands), and couples with little children. 'Will something like that even happen to us?' She sighed deeply, she really shouldn't be thinking like that, after all, both of them were working their hardest to get enough Yen to maintain themselves, and therefore, he had absolutely no time to even think about engagement, marriage and things of the sort. She shook her head slightly to get rid of the intruding train of thoughts and continued her trip for groceries, stealing small glances of the young couples (specifically the ones with little children) now and then.

When she opened the door and got in the apartment, she called out a loudly "I'm Home!" to get back the usual "Welcome back, Asuna!" from Kazuto, who was across the hall, usually in the office-like room he used to work. As she prepared breakfast, she felt a couple of warm arms snake around her body and come to a stop at her waist, and someone's chin rest atop her shoulder while his deep voice casually asked

"Is breakfast ready?" To which she answered with an amused "Someone's finally decided to get up huh? I'm willing to bet my pride that somebody right here is hungry" She giggled and continued with her teasing "Now, if you'll please release me, I have to finish our breakfast" She teased in a feigned bothered demeanor.

Then, the incredibly naive 'Beater' finally realized he was still holding onto her waist, and proceed to release her in a very flustered state and continuously apologized for his behavior while bowing deeply, then sheepishly scratching the back of his head

"Whatever, breakfast is almost ready, so go wash your hands" She added in a commanding tone

"Yes, m'am. You don't have to tell me twice!" He quickly answered before going back through the hall, into the bathroom. Following that, Asuna heard the noise of water running and giggled slightly, and then she sighed, her earlier thoughts coming back to her, so to clear her mind, she decided to focus on preparing the table for their upcoming meal.

After breakfast, the young couple was having a small talk about simple and random topics while drinking some herbal tea, when out of the blue Kazuto asked

"So … are you ... um you know, ... uh ... free after this?" Asuna tilted her head to the right in confusion

"Yeah, why?"

He smiled and then unexpectedly, he asked "Then, let's go on a date just the two of us. What do you say?" She mentally smiled at the idea of spending some time alone with the bo- no, the young man she loved, and wholeheartedly agreed, giving him a small smile.

"Then, I have to go pick something I forgot, so meet you at the park at ... um ... 2 o clock?" He ventured nervously.

"Of course! I wouldn't miss our first date in such a long time for anything in the world! Just make sure to be there in time" She teased before asking "Where shall I wait for you?"

He seemed to consider the possibilities for a couple of seconds before he said "How about you wait for me under the sakura tree? Even if it isn't as nice as in summer we could have a small picnic: You take some food, and I take the blanket and some beverages" He carefully explained.

"OK, I have no objections to your plan. Let's have a wonderful time!" He smiled at her childish but contagious attitude and reminded himself to prepare that surprise...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

That same day, 14:10

'Where is he? He is 10 minutes late and he hasn't even called me. Where the heck did he get himself in?' It was 4:10 and Asuna arrived 15 minutes ago, and sat on a bench near the tree. She wasn't gonna lie, she was freezing AND worried sick as he hadn't arrived yet. As she was waiting for him, she remembered she had gotten in the park from the eastern gate and as she thought he wasn't going to arrive just yet, she found a bench and sat down. She totally forgot to check in the place of the sakura tree! Maybe he was in there! 'GREAT, just great, now it will look like I am the one who's late.' Asuna thought angrily and mentally pouted as she picked up the basket she prepared earlier and set off towards said meeting place.

As she got closer to said tree, she noticed the figure of a young man holding a bag which contents where hidden, whose jet black hair fluttered slightly at the breeze. He had his back facing her, and one hand inside his right pocket. She started fidgeting on her spot as she thought to make up for her mistake by doing something -which she considered SERIOUSLY embarrassing-, and as she thought hard for some seconds, she decided it wouldn't hurt to try something herself once in a while... She suppressed the blush and the sigh that were threatening to escape, and put her plan into action as she slowly made her way towards the naive and unsuspecting young man.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo Kazuto PoV

As I finished collecting the item I ''forgot'', I left the small shop and headed for the destination. I entered by the western gate, and reached the meeting place 10 minutes before the agreed time and looked around. I saw absolutely no signal of Asuna appearing so I placed the blanket on the floor, sat down and began waiting. Or so was the plan, but at the meeting time there was still no clue of Asuna's whereabouts and I was getting really worried, so I folded the blanket once again and put it back in the black (A/N: Hehehehe, the irony), plastic bag.

I spent other five minutes or so waiting, when I felt two soft hands go around my head, one obstructing my view, and the other one covering my mouth, but I decided to remain calm. I started to panic slightly the second I felt something warm and humid lightly nibble on my earlobe, and a pair soft lips slowly tracing my jawline, and the hand that was previously on my mouth, leaving it's earlier place to turn me around, towards the mysterious person. If I wasn't as conscious as I was, I would probably be as still as a statute, but I was squirming uncomfortably as the unknown woman —I just knew it was a woman—, continued her ministrations around my face and neck.

Then, I almost jumped when I felt the woman's lips pressing against my own and start to kiss me hungrily, almost desperately , but the fact that I recognized that manner of kissing, made me kiss back just as fiercely in hopes my instincts were right, and the woman in front of me was effectively her. As I began to kiss back, the girl moved both of her hands around my neck, so I opened my eyes so I could see her real identity.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

The woman in front of him was in no way a stranger, from her waist-length chestnut colored hair, to her milky and tender skin, and those beautiful hazelnut eyes that seemed to penetrate his soul and read his thoughts. She was the love of his life, and she couldn't look more beautiful in her knee-length red dress, white thick pantyhose, beige coat and pink scarf. The name of the woman who held his heart was Asuna, Yuuki Asuna, and they met inside the Death game SAO, got married in-game, and adopted a black-haired child by the name of Yui.

Their life together had been full of hardships, obstacles and battles, yet he didn't regret killing a man to protect her, he didn't regret marrying her, he didn't regret protecting her from everything that came their way and he didn't even think about regreting the fact that he fell in love with her.

He had been VERY busy lately. He told Asuna that he was doing extra time in his job, but he was actually overworking himself is order to buy that object, that shiny thin silver band with the small ruby on the center. That's right, he had thought long and hard about how much did Asuna mattered to him. He loved her, and he had didn't doubt she felt the same, so he worked, worked, came home very late, woke up early, studied and worked until the routine repeated itself. He was tired, he was anxious and he couldn't waste more time, so he bought the ring, sent it to engrave a message in it, and asked Asuna out on a date.

Then he changed into his clothing for the date (taking extra care for it to be decent and not completely black), got out of the apartment and got the ring back. While he waited for Asuna under the tree, he unconsciously started to softly caress the fluffy surface of the small velvet box that was on his right pocket. That was when she appeared like that.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo 3rd person

She finished her ministrations on the man, and proceed to kiss him fiercely, only to be surprised at him kissing back. That was when she released him, and put her hands around his neck, feeling him putting his in her she pulled back for air, she caught him staring at her appearance and she smirked teasingly saying

"See something you like?" Only to be caught off guard by a husky whisper

"Yes, everything" She then jumped back in surprise blushing to the roots of her hair and trying to hide her face. When she looked up, he was smirking at her as he asked "Why do you ask Asuna?".

"You jerk" She said pouting before adding in a whisper "What were you gonna do if it wasn't me who kissed you?" He didn't even think twice before saying

"I knew it was you, I would recognize that way of touching and kissing anywhere, believe me, I know that better than anyone" That comment made her blush deepen (if that was even possible by then), into a dark shade of crimson that seemed to shine in that October afternoon and leave the colors of the leaves in shame.

"You know, Asuna, there's something I want to tell you..."

TO BE CONTINUED...