Kazuto Kirigaya entered ALFheim Online. He walked into his house to see Asuna Yuuki waiting for him.

"Kirito! It's about time you got here!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry, Asuna. I ran into trouble with Leafa..."

Leafa, aka Suguha Kirigaya, was Kazuto's "little sister". Kazuto and Suguha grew up together, but later found out they were cousins. That did not keep them from treating each other like brother and sister.

"Oh... Is she coming?"

"Nah. She's busy doing something with Klein and Sinon."

Asuna was silent for a moment. "Okay, Sinon is understandable. But hanging out with KLEIN of ALL people?"

Kazuto laughed. "Yeah, I said the same thing. Sometimes that girl seriously worries me," Kazuto sat next to Asuna. "What did you need me for?"

"Oh... Yes, I called you because," Asuna paused and looked around. "Yui isn't here, is she?"

"Mmmm... no. Not that I know of." Kazuto replied.

They were referring to their adopted daughter. Yui was an AI from the original Sword Art Online game. Kazuto and Asuna had stumbled upon her in the woods, not long after they got married. They took her in as their own and later discovered that she was an AI created by the gamemasters. She had sacrificed herself to save Kazuto and Asuna. Kazuto had turned her teardrop into a necklace for Asuna, and had discovered a way to bring her back. Ever since, she had been helping them out through ALO and another game called Gun Gale Online.

"Good. Do you know what today is?"

"Uh Thursday." Kazuto replied.

"No! Well... well yes, but no! Today marks 4 years exactly since SAO was created, which also means 4 years since Yui was created. So that makes it..." Asuna sat, waiting for Kazuto to finish her sentence.

"Yui's birthday?!"

Asuna nodded.

"Do you have anything planned?" Kazuto asked, still trying to get over the fact he forgot his own daughter's birthday.

"Actually, yes. I have arranged a few surprises for Yui when she gets back, and I need you to take her to them in the order that is on this list," Asuna gave him a list she had written. "Keep her distracted until 5:00. That gives you two 7 hours."

Kazuto nodded. Suddenly, Yui entered the house, followed by Silica.

"Daddy! Mommy!" Yui quickly flew to Kazuto and Asuna.

"Hello, Yui!" Asuna greeted.

"Hi, Yui. Hey, do you want to go into town with me?" Kazuto asked, standing.

"Sure, daddy!" Yui replied, sitting on Kazuto's shoulder.

"Alright, lets go then." Kazuto said, winking at Asuna.

A few minutes later, the duo was in town.

"What do we need, daddy?" Yui asked, relaxing in one of Kazuto's shirt pockets.

"We just have to pick up a few things. The first thing we need is some strawberries." Kazuto said, looking at the list.

"I've never had a strawberry before. Are they good?" Yui asked.

"Well, you'll just have to see for yourself." Kazuto smiled as they headed off to get strawberries.

Yui hummed happily as they walked through the town. When they had finally reached the market, Kazuto bought 2 pounds of strawberries and several other fruits, most of which were exotic. The merry duo strolled along working on errands.

"Daddy, can I have a strawberry now?" Yui asked impatiently.

"You'll just have to wait a little bit longer." Kazuto replied with a light chuckle. The comment was met with a sigh from Yui.

"Okay."

The duo left the town. Kazuto looked at what was next on the list.

Written in perfect calligraphy; Take Yui to the lake on floor 22 where we went fishing 3 years ago.

Kazuto nodded and put the paper in one of his pockets.

"Where are we going, daddy?" Yui asked, sitting upon his shoulder.

"Floor 22," Kazuto replied simply.

Yui nodded as they teleported to floor 22.

Several hours later...

Kazuto and Yui sat on the lakeshore eating strawberries.

"After 4 years of waiting, I finally get to eat a strawberry," Yui excalimed happily. Kazuto laughed slightly and nodded, looking over at the reflection of the midday sun on the lake.

The scenery was truly a work of art. The lush, green forest could be seen beyond the crystal lake. The water rippled ever so elegantly. It was so... so peaceful. The towns on all the other floors were busy and full of commotion. One could almost never find peace and silence anymore. When need be, Kazuto and Asuna would come to Floor 22 and spend days there. Even their cabin wasn't so peaceful anymore, seeing as it had become the routine meeting place for their group of friends when they played the full-dive game of ALO.

Yui sighed in content as she nibbled little bits of a strawberry. The strawberry in regards to other strawberries was normal sized but when put next to the AI pixie, it was immense. Yui had refused to become a normal-sized little girl like she had been when they met, so she had to eat the juicy fruit piece by piece.

Yui could never get full, being an AI, but she did try to limit herself to normal amounts of food like humans do.

"So, do you like the strawberry?" Kazuto asked, once Yui had swallowed the fragment of the strawberry. She nodded a happy reply as she ate another part of the strawberry. Kazuto took a strawberry and ate it as well. Strawberries weren't exactly his go-to snack, seeing as he had become addicted to Asuna's delicious sandwiches, but he did eat them every now and then.

Kazuto allowed Yui to finish her strawberry, then closed the bag.

"What are you doing, daddy?" Yui asked, confused at the black swordsman's motives.

"We need to save some for Asu- mommy." Kazuto replied, standing up and brushing himself off.

"Oh... okie," Yui sat upon Kazuto's shoulder once more. "where to now, daddy?"

"Home." Kazuto said plainly, walking through the forest trail.

"Oh..." Yui trailed off.

"Unless," Kazuto looked at the position of the sun.

'we still have an hour and a half until Asuna is ready...'

"Did you have anything in mind?" Kazuto asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do."

TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 2