New chapter. Perhaps a filler of sorts, but better things to come.
Chapter 3: It Takes Courage
He'd always been unnerved by the presence of corpses.
Kazuto narrowed his eyes slightly at the rows upon rows of graves laying before him, planted neatly side by side within the boundaries of a wide, lush expanse filled with peaceful greenery. Seamless grass grew along the pathways that carved their way through the cemetery, never overgrowing anywhere or petering out to reveal dead patches. The occasional sakura tree rose from the earth here and there, spreading its flowery leaves in full bloom and shedding the violet feathers across the tips of the tombstones which rose vertically from the earth. The very air was completely still. Nothing disturbed the dead but the singing of the dawn's birds.
While deaths in SAO had been as real as could be within a virtual reality, the aftereffects of death were still largely absent from the game's graphical algorithms. Just a brief glow and glitter, than an explosion of pure white polygons that degenerated within moments. Nothing really special.
But in the real world, dead people stayed behind.
Kazuto's eye twitched slightly as he visualized the two thousand plus bodies that were lying underneath the everlasting protection of the earth. He knew that Sachi was under there somewhere. So were the rest of the members of his very first guild. The Commander of The Army Guild. Kuradeel. The casualties of the 75th floor boss fight. Countless others.
Despite Kazuto's personal conflicts with the definition of constancy, he was well aware that Death was unrelenting in its persistence. For it was allies with Time, and both were inevitable. He knew his parents were never coming back. Sachi wasn't going to come back either. Seeing the graves sprawling out before him on a sunny Saturday morning added more salt to the wound that already dug deep into his heart, but at the same time seeing the bodies buried peacefully at last brought a measure of relaxation to his psyche.
Asuna stepped up quietly beside him and wordlessly looped their arms together. Like him, she was dressed in formal black attire for the occasion. While Kazuto was someone who usually gravitated towards darker tones when it came to choosing his clothing, Asuna was a brighter type. So seeing the girl dressed in black clothes exuded a sort of mature feeling, as if she'd gained a few more years out of nowhere. It was fascinating and unnerving all at once, so Kazuto chose to ignore that particularity and quietly watch the birds flit from tree to tree as they completed their own morning rituals.
"They're all there, then, huh?" Asuna whispered at last, pressing up against his side with a gentle push. While Kazuto was sensitive to the subject of death and its consequences, Asuna was even more vulnerable to the pain it brought.
"Yeah," Kazuto replied with equal secrecy; it was important to avoid disturbing the peace at any cemetery. "All of them."
"They all had their whole lives ahead of them," Asuna sighed, leaning her face into his collar.
That had been Kayaba Akihiko's true crime, Kazuto agreed. Trapping ten thousand players within a death game was surely reason for persecution, but the man's real wrongdoing had been his theft of time. Not just the two years he had stolen from each and every person, but the hundreds of individual years he had robbed of two thousand. Two thousand unique human beings who could have been their own people, built their own futures. But Akihiko had eliminated that possibility.
I'd hate to die before I've lived, Kazuto thought moodily as a cloud briefly passed overhead, blotting out the sun for just a moment. Extending his arm, he pulled Asuna as close to his body as possible and allowed himself to lose his grip on the world within the intoxicating scent of her hair. To him, she was the very definition of perfection; there was nothing he could think of that he disliked about Asuna. Her beautiful personality, her stunning looks, her focused mentality. Even her endless stubbornness served to paint the portrait of Yuuki Asuna, and he wouldn't have changed what he saw for the world.
I want her to be mine forever, Kazuto suddenly thought as Asuna wordlessly accepted his embrace, even advancing it. I can't bear the thought of losing her. She means everything to me.
But why couldn't he express how he felt about her? Just three words. That was all it would take. Three words. Eight letters, three syllables.
And a world of promise.
I guess I'm just a coward.
The actual memorial itself took place a ways from the original cemetery site. It was a large, now empty stone square which served as a sort of marker for the location where the dead had been buried. The stone flooring extended from the entrance of the cemetery and spread outwards through overlapping hexagons, ending when it had formed a rough circle eighty yards across from any point. All signs and booths had been cleared from the immediate area. Visitation hours had been suspended for the day, and the roads had been blocked off the prevent any vehicles from disturbing the silence that slept peacefully among the three thousand odd survivors who had chosen to come to the memorial. Suddenly, Kazuto realized why the roads had also been closed off; the multitudes which made up the crowd overfilled the square and spilled out onto the asphalt of the streets, and from there they extended even further.
I have to speak before this many people? Kazuto thought fiercely, his fingertips twitching as he were preparing to fight some sort of invisible enemy.
Asuna noticed him staring out over the expanse of people and squeezed his arm reassuringly. "It'll be alright," She said softly. "Remember, it just has to come from the heart."
"The heart..." The boy muttered, still unable to break his gaze from the crowd.
Suddenly, a strong hand clapped on both Asuna and Kazuto's shoulders.
Turning, the young couple saw Klein standing before them, smiling slightly. His usual trademark face-wide grin was replaced by something a little more mature and tempered, degraded by just that much due to the atmosphere of the memorial. His bandana was absent as well, so the older man had let his hair down for once. It fell about his cheekbones in a manner that reminded Kazuto of his initial SAO avatar.
"Klein," Kazuto greeted firmly, clasping the red head's hand in his to shake it.
"Long time no see, squirt," Klein smiled, also keeping his voice to a low monotone. "We have a lot of catching up to do. Since when were you being invited by mayors to make speeches?"
Kazuto blinked and glanced up at the tall stage that had been temporarily set up at the center of the congregation. "People know about that?"
"They're all expecting you," Klein said simply. "Everyone. So don't mess up."
"Yeah, thanks," Kazuto muttered irritably. "Any more words of wisdom?"
Klein let go of his arm and raised his own hands in defense. "Just saying."
A uniform shift in focus. Nearly everyone in the vicinity turned their heads in the same direction when someone seemed to tap experimentally on the head of a mic. Looking up, Kazuto saw the mayor of the city standing behind the podium, his hands placed firmly on either side of the top surface, eyes narrowed to scan the crowd in an almost analytic manner. He shivered when the mayor's gaze swept over him and locked on there; his eyes contained a distinct intelligence not seen in most men. Finally, letting go to the wood of the podium and straightening up, he spoke.
"Welcome, everyone," The mayor spoke in a low, level tone. "Welcome to the Offline Memorial."
A smattering of claps. The speaker remained silent until it had passed.
"I would like to thank you all for attending this memorial," He then continued. "It is inspiring and touching that so many are able to empathize for those who have fallen permanently due to the crimes of one man. It represents a unity among us, not just as players, but as people as well. So for that, I thank you."
This time, Kazuto joined the rest of the crowd as they repeated their clapping with a louder volume. Just then, a heavy hand tapped his shoulder once more.
Turning, he saw Agil standing behind him with a broad smile on his face.
"Come with me. It's almost time."
Gulp.
Agil helped out by grabbing his arm and leading them both through the labyrinth which was the crowd. The tall African American could effectively see his destination above the heads of his shorter neighbors, and they reached the back of the stage in almost no time. Agil had Kazuto stand just by the steps leading atop it and told him to wait there.
"The mayor will summon you when it is your time to speak. When he does, proceed. After you have spoken, step back down. He'll then close the event. Got that?"
"Yeah, I guess..." Kazuto murmured.
Meanwhile, the mayor continued his monologue. "I cannot pretend to be able to understand your experiences within the death game. In the end, I was but a bystander who could only watch and prepare as you all strove for survival. Despite my wishes, I am in no position, both emotionally and logically, to speak about your ordeal with much detail. Which is why I have brought an individual who can. Someone who has weathered through the struggles by your side. Someone who understands.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Kazuto Kirigaya."
The said boy flinched at the introduction he was given; he'd hardly fought side by side with any of the players, if you discounted boss fights. He'd been a solo beater, after all. Forcing his wobbling legs to function properly, he began to gradually climb up onto the stage. The murmurings of the crowd intensified as Kazuto gradually exposed more of himself to them, and he could feel six thousand eyeballs trained on his face. It felt like the skin there would burn off from the attention being focused on it. Yet Kazuto forced himself to remain neutral looking on his exterior, and began to walk across the stage towards the podium at its center. Every detail about his own movements seemed to stand out; whether or not his shoulders were squared, whether his feet moved along in a straight line, whether he was even walking in a straight line...
At long last, he reached the podium. The mayor smiled amiably at him and stepped away from it, walking to the far side of the stage and standing there with his hands clasped in front of him. Drawing in another deep breath, Kazuto stepped behind the podium and gazed out on the crowd before him.
A sea. That was what it was. A cliche'd description, surely, but it is overused for a reason. Face upon face, all holding their own individual thoughts and secrets, all turned on him.
Waiting.
Clearing his throat to test out the mic, Kazuto pulled his jaw open and said,
"Hello, everyone...it is very nice to meet you."
It was so silent that Kazuto could hear his own breathing.
A clap. Another clap. Then another, and another, and yet another. Suddenly, the congregation erupted into a cacophony of whoops and cheers and yells as they chanted his name, his epithet, his status, his achievements. Kazuto blinked in shock at the sudden uproar and could only observe as the crowd allowed itself to go completely berserk for just a moment before gradual settling down once more. The second Kazuto realized they were waiting for him to speak again, he made the decision to forge forward.
"The mayor has already said this, but I would like to thank you all for coming here today. It means that we're all still strong. That Kayaba Akihiko wasn't able to break our spirits with his death game. But we are not here today to celebrate the achievements made by the living who walk this world, no, today we have gathered here to honor to sacrifices of those who have fallen...and will never stand back up in our world once more."
His heart was beating so fast that he genuinely feared that it would overexert itself to the point of implosion. The insides of his palms were already drenched with sweat, and behind the cover of the podium his foot tapped wildly against the wood flooring in a desperate effort to alleviate himself of the tremendous amount of tension building up within him. His mouth had gone dry and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. Kazuto hadn't bothered to bring a copy of his pre-written speech with him; he was exceptionally skilled at memorization, but now doubt made him unsure. Darting his eyes downwards, he hastily found Asuna's face into the crowd. The girl noticed his searching gaze and offered a thumbs up.
That's it? He thought it despair.
This is going to take years off my life.
"These people were, in every sense of the word, ordinary. They had dreams, and they had goals. They aimed for great heights and had their failures; they forged friendships and made enemies. To them, Sword Art Online was a way to extend this method of lifestyle. In fact, to us all, it was a way to live life without the restrictions reality places upon us. They walked among us, and we walked among them. Even when the virtual reality became the death game, they never differed in their mentality, and neither did we. Everyone gave their collective effort to save themselves, and others, from doom. It is this sacrifice that I believe to be the most genuine of all; the sacrifice of self, in order to potentialize the safety and happiness of another. We all took this upon ourselves the moment we destroyed our first monster, or took out first step from the Town of Beginnings. Even those who lost hope and never left the starting town contributed, because they gave everyone else a cause to fight, so that people wouldn't be forced to rot away at a second rate inn.
"Yes, we all found a way to fight. We all showed the strength of the individual, and the beauty of unification among players and people. Everyone gave what they could, but who gave it all? Those who fell. Those who gave the precious gift of Life, the thing that held promise, the thing from which comes love and beauty and future."
The mayor had assured him through Agil that Kazuto's speech was meant to be concise and to the point, but still explanatory enough to leave a lasting impression. As he spoke, Kazuto observed the expressions of those in the crowd. He saw brows furrowed in concentration, and nodding heads filled with understanding. There were those who watched in awe, and those who looked on impassively. Finally, he looked at Asuna, who was watching with eyes so full of affection that it made his heart throb.
Clasping his hands together and placing them on the surface of the podium, Kazuto pressed onward. "During my earlier days in SAO, I was part of a guild named the Black Cats of the Full Moon. It had relatively few members, and our ability then was rather paltry. Our goal of catching up to those on the front lines seemed but a distant dream. But we strove to achieve higher levels, and over time we did. It felt like progress was being made. Everything just felt right. Then one day nearly all of us were trapped within an anti-crystal death room."
Judging from the shocked expressions on most of his audience's faces, Kazuto could deduce that they understood the repercussions of becoming confined in one. "We were still low level, and the monsters that spawned to face us inevitably overwhelmed everyone. I was the only sole survivor, and the rest of the guild members I was with were killed. Among those who died was a girl, named Sachi. She was timid and an introvert by nature; the thought of dying within Sword Art Online terrified her to the extent that she harbored an acute inability to fight. Over time, however, she began to improve, and I believed that she would excel with everyone else. Then that trap room ended it all."
Kazuto saw the looks of sadness on his audience's faces and hated it.
"I attended her funeral on my own time. As I passed by her open coffin and saw her face, I was stricken by how young and carefree she looked. All of the pain and worry was gone from her expression, and there was nothing left but a serenity that defied reality. That she had to die in order to achieve genuine peace was blasphemy and I knew it. After my battle with Heathcliff on the seventy-fifth floor, I spoke with Kayaba Akihiko for a brief moment. He told me that all he'd wanted was to fulfill his lifelong dream of the fortress that could float aimlessly through the sky. This is why I honor those who died in SAO. They stood against the power and versatility of this man's dreams and ambitions, and their deaths served not to feed his greed but to motivate us to destroy his hopes."
Kazuto took a final moment to make eye contact with as many people as possible, all the apprehension now wiped from his face.
"This is why I honor them. It is but one reason among many, but one thing is certain; they were heroes. Thank you for your time."
As Kazuto finally ended his speech and walked off the stage amidst a massive flurry of cheers and applause, he allowed himself the debauchery of aimless thought.
Maybe I will be able to forget about this, after all, he thought as Asuna rushed up and tackled him with a rib-crushing hug. Perhaps it is time to give reality a chance. After all, there's some pretty good stuff here too. He smiled and hugged Asuna back.
May you rest in peace, Sachi...
The closing of the memorial marked the turning of a page for Kazuto and Asuna, as well as their friends and family. The massive congregation served as a sort of block, like a shelf where you threw all the things you didn't need anymore and left there to gather dust. To Kazuto, it finally felt like his ties to Sword Art Online had been voluntarily severed. He'd been reluctant at first to forgo something that had become a part of him for the course of two years, but he'd realized the point Agil had been trying to make that one day in the bar. Life didn't wait for anybody. So the only thing left to do was to follow it.
The memorial also marked the point where the normal everyday grind of life staged its comeback into all of their daily activities. He and Asuna were no longer allowed to skip school days for physical rehabilitation, and they were welcomed into the arms of society as full, capable members. This also meant that much more was expected of them, especially for someone like Kazuto. Aside from his achievements within the gaming sphere, his fellow students and teachers seemed to be under the impression that he was some sort of academic genius as well. Sure, his grades weren't so shabby, but it wasn't like he topped the class every time or anything. He'd only done that about five times; he usually hovered around third or second.
Although second in the whole school isn't so bad, either...maybe their expectations are justified, Kazuto mused as he pushed his hair out of his eyes.
Asuna, meanwhile, had dedicated herself somewhat to finding a sort of purpose in her future that didn't involve video gaming or cooking. She knew she had exceptional skill in both, but realistically speaking it wasn't going to be that simple to set up a career on either front. The impending milestone of college was also quickly approaching; in just seven months from the date of the memorial, the first day of their university lives would begin. Kazuto had given at least a little thought on the matter of attending college, and had still decided to pursue a career in software development. He was already taking classes that fit the requirements, in any case. Plus it was a hobby.
But academics weren't the only things to change around Kazuto after the memorial. Since that one sunny day when Keiko had interrupted his and Asuna's lunch together, she, along with Rika, had seemed to go under a drastic personality change. They had certainly been friendly and supportive around him before, but this had evolved into something that Kazuto couldn't call anything other than excessive expressions of affection. It not only drove him crazy, but Asuna as well. It often became too difficult to spend time with Asuna during school due to Keiko and Rika's interference.
Why now, though? Kazuto continued to wonder as he quietly slipped into his jacket. What caused them to act now, of all times?
And what do they even see in me?
Unlike many boys of his age, Kazuto was no airhead when it came to perceiving and interpreting the signs of interest from other girls. He never looked too far into any actions taken by those of the opposite sex, but he never totally ignored them either. This allowed Kazuto to develop fairly accurate portraits of what other individuals thought about him. This applied to anyone he knew, but Kazuto had had to use it most when it came to females. He could understand the difference between attraction and plain friendliness, and what Rika and Keiko were doing was beyond friendly.
And why does it have to be me...it's not like they're undesirable or anything, but I belong to Asuna. Don't they know that? I think Rika should, at least. Keiko is a lot younger than the rest of us are, and her own feelings might just be the result of childishness. Rika though...she's plenty smart enough to know that I love Asuna. And she isn't the selfish type. So why?
Sighing, Kazuto forced his arm through the right sleeve of his jacket and slipped into his shoes. He was about to pull the front door open when a tired voice called out from behind him,
"Onii-chan?"
Turning, he saw Suguha stumble sleepily out of her room, rubbing at her eyes languidly. It was still around seven ante-meridian* on a Saturday morning, and Kazuto saw the questions in his cousin's eyes.
"Ah, morning, Sugu," he greeted as the young girl walked up to him in her long sleeved pajamas. "I'm going out somewhere."
"Where?"
Sighing in exasperation, Kazuto replied, "Keiko-chan wanted to share some coffee today, or something...I don't really know. In any case, I promised I'd go, so I suppose I have to. I'll be back soon."
Frowning, Suguha finally managed to blink the sleep out of her eyes. The sun was just peeking over the horizon out the window, and it began to steadily illuminate the interior of the house. It warmed the wooden floor beneath her feet and made her squint again.
"You know, Onii-chan...Rika-chan and Keiko-chan have been asking you out to places quite a lot lately..."
Kazuto hmmed under his breath. "I know. I haven't been able to spend as much time with Asuna because of it, but I value my friendship with them too." Then, he smiled sadly. "How about you, Sugu? Don't you want to go hang out with your Onii-chan once in a while?"
"Eh?" Suguha started, her ears almost instantly going red out of embarrassment. "What do you mean by that?"
Frowning in mock regret, Kazuto continued, "We haven't gone anywhere together in a long time...Sugu, don't tell me you don't like your older brother anymore?"
"I-It's not that!" The younger girl insisted vehemently. When her cousin just laughed, she gritted her teeth and almost pushed Kazuto out the front door. "Just go, already! Jeez!"
Kazuto didn't stop laughing, and Suguha didn't stop hearing it until she'd bundled him out the door and slammed it closed in her frustration. Panting slightly from the exertion she'd put on her sleep-tired muscles, Suguha allowed herself to rest by sliding down to the floor with her back to the wood of the door. As she sat there regaining her composure, she heard Kazuto chuckle one last time before walking away. Soon enough, his footsteps had faded.
Silence closed around the house again, but only for moment.
"Going out with Onii-chan, huh..."
Sighing, Suguha pulled herself off the ground and padded back into her room. Closing the door behind her, she turned on the shower in the bathroom that was connected. Waiting for the water to heat itself up, she slipped out of her clothes before jumping into the stream of water. After cleansing herself, Sugu dressed into some casual clothing and went out to the yard to practice her kendo. Despite it being seven thirty in the morning, the sky was already a deep blue and thin, wispy clouds passed by in their usual passive manner. Standing on the platform which protruded from the grass of the backyard, Suguha raised her arms above her head and stretched luxuriously.
Once she'd loosened up, she walked to the shed and retrieved her kendo sword. Taking the usual stance in the center of the yard, she commenced her practice.
There had always been something sooting about practicing kendo when she was alone. The strong, fluid strokes and the repetitiveness of the movement allowed Suguha to lull herself into a state of deep thought while her body did the work for her. As her makeshift weapon swung through the air with practiced accuracy, she allowed her thoughts to wander.
What he said was true, though...we haven't spent any considerable amount of time together in forever. Not since the Offline Meeting, and Kazuto was more occupied with Asuna and the others then. We haven't gone to the park together since, or watched a movie with each other since. Even when Asuna was recovering, though, he was never this busy with other people. Maybe it's because Rika and Keiko are making their moves on him at the same time?
Suguha suddenly blinked in surprise when she realized that her strokes were becoming to overpowered, too agitated. Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she regulated the flow of her movements.
It's not exactly an issue of love, she thought. I came to terms with that a long time ago. But he's still a brother to me. Isn't it alright to want him to myself?
"Hyah!" Suguha swung her sword downwards a final time before letting it rest there, supported by the strength of her wrists.
Well, even if I were to try to make him mine, I'd be late in the game.
Knock, knock, knock.
Turning her head at the abrupt disturbance, Suguha set her weapon down on the grass before walking back into the house. Someone had just knocked on the front door; was it Kazuto again? If so, what for?
Reaching out, she grasped the doorknob and swung the door open.
"Onii-chan, did you forget someth-"
"Uh...hi, Suguha-san," Said a nervous Keiko.
A few minutes later, the two girls were sitting cross legged side by side next to the open back door, staring out at the garden which sprawled within the yard. It wasn't terribly expansive, but there was a sakura tree at its near center. Keiko had been absolutely impressed by the sight. Her home was rather modern, she'd said.
"So let me get this straight," Sugu spoke as she handed Keiko a bottle of water. "You forgot whether you told Kazuto to meet at the cafe or at our house?"
"Um...well, yeah, that pretty much sums it up," The younger girl grinned cheekily. Although she and Suguha were both younger than Kazuto, there was only a year in difference between the cousins. Suguha suddenly realized that Keiko must be a freshman. The thought struck a strange chord in her. Who knew Kazuto could attract someone like her...
"I came to check if he was still here or not," Keiko continued. "I'm sorry for intruding," she added, ducking her head in apology.
Sugu frowned in thought for a moment, then smiled. Patting the freshman's head amiably, she said, "It's fine. I'll call Kazuto in a bit and have him come back here. It' s a bit too late for coffee anyways, I think. You could spend time with him in another way."
Keiko nodded enthusiastically. "Sounds great!"
A silence lapsed between them then, and they spent it by staring out at the garden once more. The sun was out and shining, but it was still cool, and the breeze shifted the grass every now and then, as if the sky were snoozing peacefully. Suguha glanced at Keiko out of the corner of her eye. She was pretty, she decided. But in more of a cutesy way than anything else. Suguha tried to tell herself that this was her honest opinion.
"Say, Suguha-san," Keiko asked suddenly.
"Mm?"
"Do you think we look alike?"
The older girl started at the question and turned to face Keiko in full. A moment passed as their both studied each other's faces with scrutiny.
"Well...I guess there is some resemblance, but I don't think we'd pass as sisters or anything," Suguha finally answered truthfully.
Keiko smiled in understanding and leaned away. "Yeah, you're right. That wasn't exactly what he said, anyways."
"He?"
"Kazu-kun. Back in SAO, he helped me safe a friend from dying. We'd only met for the first time and he helped me out regardless. No other players would have done that. I'd heard about him before from gossip and such, and I figured he'd be really strong, really powerful, and mysterious. But he was kind and forgiving. One time when we talked, he said that I reminded him of his sister. So I asked him to tell me about you. He talked like he really missed you. I think he regretted some things he'd done that affected you too, but I couldn't be too sure. I was just wondering about that."
Suguha blinked in shock at the revelation. Licking her lips briefly, she turned away from the younger girl in order to think. He'd missed her?
"After what he'd done for me, I really looked up to him," Keiko continued admiringly. "He decided to be my friend and protector just because he felt like he needed to, not because there was some sort of incentive. That's something really special about Kazu-kun, I think. He'll help people because he's loving and caring."
She's exaggerated some of those adjectives, but...I think she's got the right idea. Suguha smiled to herself. Keiko seemed like a nice enough person. Genuine, at least.
"Come on," she said finally, getting up on her feet. "Let's go call Kazuto."
"We need to talk."
Asuna knew that tone. The one perfectly suited for enunciating the four most terrifying words. Lifting her head up from the book she'd been reading on the couch, she set the reading material down on her lap and give her mother her full undivided attention.
"Yes, Mama?"
Asuna's mother, Yuuki Kyouko, had been quietly enjoying a fresh cup of tea before she'd induced the conversation. Setting the china down on the glass table, she opened her mouth and said,
"It is about your future."
On the outside, Asuna's expression remained impassive and open. Inwardly, however, her consciousness snarled in frustration. She already knew what her mother intended on speaking with her about. There was no need to hide her true motives with synonymic words, she wasn't stupid. "My future, Mama?"
"Your financial future, particularly. It's about that boy. Kazuto Kirigaya."
Asuna cursed. It was Saturday, so her father was out golfing with his friends. Although most people preferred to enjoy the sport on Sundays, Mr. Yuuki liked to spend those days at church and with his family. Which meant there was to be no support for Asuna in the impending conflict. Kyouko had chosen the best time to strike.
"What about him?" Asuna asked, just barely keeping the sarcasm from dripping from her tone.
"I need you to reconsider the wisdom of your relationship with him. It isn't healthy for you future, Asuna. Just think-"
"There's nothing to think about," Asuna objected, cutting her mother off. "Mama, please, we've had this argument so many times already. And we always say the same things to each other. I love Kazuto. Isn't that worth anything?"
"You can't always be sure that the feeling is mutual," Kyouko asserted coldly. "Tell me, Asuna, has the boy even told you straight out about his true feelings towards you?"
Asuna was about to retort with a "yes" but stopped short when the question truly registered in her brain. Certainly, he'd demonstrated his affection for her countless times...but had he ever said that he loved her? Frighteningly, Asuna couldn't find a single instance in which he had. Breathing in deeply for a moment, she replied, "He doesn't have to."
Her mother smiled humorlessly and laughed under her breath. "How can you be confident in the feelings of a boy who can't even properly express himself? Does he love you or does her not? That is the thing about emotions, Asuna. They're never constant. They are always changing, and usually for worse. The only thing in life that is secure is value. This is why I keep pushing you to marry into a proper family! You know that it's only the best for you. Why can't you see that? Have you been blinded by your infatuation for this... boy?"
Asuna bared her fangs and stood up from her sitting position. "He's not a boy to me, he's a man! I don't care about how rich anybody is. As long as I'm happy with who I marry, I won't care about things like that. To be happy with who they are, not what they have. I've already told this to Kazuto-kun and I'm telling it to you now for the thousandth time, Mama. I may be young but I'm old enough to know what I want in life. Can't you see that?"
"What you want in life?" Kyouko seethed, standing up herself, although her petite stature didn't do much for her. Nevertheless, she cast an imposing figure. "Then humor me, Asuna. Let's just say that you continue your relationship with Kirigaya. Once you have him, what more will you pursue? Do you know? Do you truly understand what you will pursue for yourself, not other people? If so, tell me, and I will gladly listen! If not, then cease your bickering and understand that I have lived longer than you and your infatuation combined. I know what's best for you. Don't you dare go and throw that away."
Asuna's expression turned from furious to depressed under the assault of her mother's words. Once Kyouko was finally done speaking, she whispered, "Then I'm sorry, Mama," Before turning and walking away.
"Where do you think you're going?" Her mother demanded.
"To pursue what I want for myself," Asuna said back softly, before opening the door and stepping outside.
Several minutes later, Asuna was walking down the sidewalk which led to Kazuto's home. A bit later, she reached the front door and knocked politely. She strainer her ears, though, when she heard two voices on the other side. And both feminine.
Just then, the door was pulled open. There stood Keiko, her usual jacket absent and the first three buttons of her shirt undone. Suguha stood behind her, also perspiring to some degree. It seemed that they had been involved in some sort of tussle moments before she'd arrived.
"Is Kazu-kun here?" Asuna asked.
"Not yet," Keiko answered. "But you can come inside."
Thanks, she thought drily as the freshman allowed her into somebody else's house. You sense of courtesy has really undergone some considerable development.
"Kazuto went out to a meeting place earlier but there was a change of plans," Suguha said as she dug around in the fridge she could offer Asuna a drink as well. "He'll be back soon."
"I see...who was he meeting?" Asuna queried, tucking a long strand of her honey-colored hair behind him ear.
"He and I were going to meet for some coffee this morning," Keiko pouted, "But I forgot where I told him to meet. So Sugu-chan said it was alright if I spent some time with him here."
The younger girl's explanation irked Asuna's beyond reason, but she was amazingly able to keep herself under control. "That sounds nice," She commented as her eyebrow twitched in agitation. "So what will you two do once he gets here?"
Smiling to hide a sudden blush, Keiko said, "Well, I was hoping we could watch a romantic movie together..."
Thud.
One moment, Keiko was giggling at her plans. A blink later, and Asuna had the little upstart pinned to the floor by her arms and legs, shouting something that was exceedingly difficult to understand. Asuna's hands prevented any movement of Keiko's upper body, and her legs were restrained by the rest of Asuna's weight.
"Romantic movie?" The senior roared, shaking Keiko like a doll. "Over my dead body! What makes you think you can just do things like that with Kazuto?"
The freshman let out another cheeky pout and whined, "It's not fair, Asuna. You can't have him all to yourself. Sharing is caring!"
"Don't go on about that again!"
The front door opened.
"I'm home, Sugu-" Kazuto's greeting was abruptly cut off when he took in the situation before him. It only took another two seconds for him to deduce what had taken place. Moving quickly, he grabbed Asuna and and hauled them both into the kitchen.
"Good thing I got here before you killed her," He joked once they were out of earshot. Asuna just humphed and crossed her arms, turning away from him. Frowning, Kazuto asked, "What's the matter?"
"You seem to have no shortage of company without me around," Asuna replied stiffly.
Sighing, Kazuto abruptly hugged his significant other from behind, causing her to gasp at the sudden contact. "But your company is always the best," He chided as he nuzzled her earlobe affectionately.
Asuna's breath hitched as his warm breath tickled her ear, but she kept herself under control. "But Rika and Keiko have been so persistence lately," she complained. "What's gotten into them? I haven't been able to hold a proper conversation with Rika for over a week, and she's my best friend."
"I'm sure it'll blow over eventually. It's just a phase," Kazuto assured hear. "And you don't have to worry, Asuna...I..."
Yes. Please say it.
"I really care about you. So don't worry, okay?"
Asuna died a little inside at the obvious evasion.
"...Fine..."
Doubt is always the destructor of trust. Hopefully Kazuto and Asuna won't succumb to it.
I would also like to mention that the scene between Keiko and Suguha was suggested by TheGlaceonFanatic. It was a good idea to begin with and I felt that it was a good way to initiate the struggle between all the lead females of SAO for Kazuto's affections (seriously, I feel bad for the other guys in the series). Be sure to thank him/her in the reviews! ;)
See you next time.
