Note: Thanks to my very first reviewer, he helped me improve my story a bit, but this story takes place during .HACK// Roots, before the end and also after Shino was data drained by Triedge. Thank you!

♥ Beautiful Girl ♥

By: Kish's Kittie

Did she ever notice me? Did she ever think of me as more than a newbie or a friend? She was just so different from any other I ever knew… She was so kind and caring, more than I could ever want… I just wanted tell her that, I cared… That chance never came for me. No longer a newbie, no longer a newbie with a Guild. Just Haseo with a sword and many levels… If she could see me now… What a wonderful virtual day to be!

Haseo was deep in thought sitting on the edge of a cliff near the Lost Grounds. He leaned against his tall sword thinking… How of this began… Ovan disappearing, Triedge appearing, then her missing… All because of the evil that still lives in the world. If he could have her back for just one moment, that one moment would last him a lifetime. Why wouldn't it?

"Shino… Why did you leave? Where are you? Why can't I just see you one more time? That one time, would bring me so much pleasure in this virtual world of hate…" Haseo looked down at his knees and his ankles hanging off the edge.

The world being virtual and not real, still, Haseo could feel the coldness flowing through the air. It sent shivers up his spine. He wasn't sure why he was still even trying to find her. It was just impossible… His will to defeat Triedge was just growing weak. He had no point to really exist in this world anymore. He was powerful, but still not strong enough… Why is it, when you want to find something, it conceals itself from you?

"Maybe, I should just log off, and never return… Forget all about this alternate reality…" he said to himself. He stood up off of the ground and stared out into the distance.

"Haseo…" Haseo froze upon hearing a voice behind him. He wasn't sure exactly what to do: to acknowledge that voice or to just stand there. His eyes widened, as it was a woman's voice. He heard the individual stepping closer towards him. He just stayed in the same position he was. He felt her put a hand on his shoulder… It was warm.

Haseo lifted his hand and put it on top of the hand, resting on his shoulder. He closed his eyes and smiled a little.

"Haseo." The voice said again. It seemed to echo through the corridors of his mind. He dropped his smile upon turning around. His face turned to see a bright, smiling face in front of him. The woman brought her hand up and touched his face. She smiled. Her hair looking as grey as the dying sky itself, her eyes as green and succulent as shining emeralds… Haseo softly grabbed her wrist and lain his cheek against it.

"How are you here?" he asked. The woman smiled.

"I'm here because you want me here." She kindly replied.

"Kere… Donoyouni?" he asked with half frozen eyes.

"For it is the Lost Ground, glitches and wild parts of imaginations may appear here. This is why I stand before you currently…" she smiled.

"Shino…" he whispered, sliding his fingers through her silky grey hair, "It feels just, so impossible…"

"It isn't… Haseo." Her smile almost made him blush. He turned his face away, not letting her suspect it. She giggled a little.

"Oh, Haseo… So many things left unsaid…" she let out. He turned back towards her.

"What do you mean?"

She's so beautiful… I haven't even nearly been close to seeing her as a human, but as true as she is, I know she's beautiful… So gouka… Hanamomimoaru… Bibishii… Aikan…

"Haseo," she began, "I've been stuck on this whole thing with the brigade and the legend of the twilight, however, and I haven't gotten to speak to you of true things…"

"True things? What do you mean by that?" Shino smiled at him. She ran her pale fingers through the softness of his silver hair. Haseo seemed frozen, there, standing next to her. Shino placed both of her hands on his cheeks and leaned her face close to his. He continued and did the same. He stopped for a second just to brush his lips against hers' and stare into her green eyes… He smiled a little as she did the same. Shino pushed her lips against his completing the distance. He kissed her passionately as she did just the same. The lost grounds then, became a place of hope and dreams, making Haseo feel safe and confident, now realizing he didn't want to quit…

Shino released from the kiss and stared at him into his eyes. She seemed to be reading his eyes as if they were a map. She smiled brightly and looked down shyly. He put his hand under her chin and lifted up her face. He smiled. She blushed at this. He gave her another peck on the lips. She then, laid her head against his chest.

"I hear it." She whispered.

"Huh?" he responded, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Your heart. It's beating…" she smiled and embraced him more as he did the same.

"Shino?"

"Yes, Haseo?"

"I care for you… more than you'll ever know… and I have for such a long time…"

"I know, Haseo," she smiled with happiness, "I know."

Haseo and Shino stood there in that position for what seemed like hours on end. Shino finally looked up at him and opened her mouth as to say something…

"Aish-it-ter-u." she let out; this shocked Haseo, although he couldn't help but be filled with happiness upon hearing this.

"Thank you." He smiled. Just then, there was a noise out in the distance. Haseo turned to see what it was. He spotted nothing. He back around to embrace Shino once more, however, she was gone. It was almost as if she were never there in the first place… Haseo just looked in front of him and smiled. He picked up his sword and threw it over his shoulder and logged off…

Please review. If you would like to know the meaning of some of the japanese words in here, request knowing them in your review and I shall reply. Thank you reading!

Japanese Translations:

-Aishiteru- I love you.

-Aikan- Beautiful Woman

-Bibishii- Beautiful

-Gouka- Wonderful

-Hanamomimoaru- Kind

-Kere- But

-Donoyouni- How?