Hi everyone!
Thank you for being so patient with me! So I've finally finished chapter 7! I think I've hit writers block or something because this took me a lot longer than I anticipated!
I've never been to Tokyo, but I would so love to go one day! I'd say the hardest part of writing, for me, is writing about an actual place. When I wrote about Aincrad, I can somewhat make up stuff and you would all be 'okay, sure, that's fine'. But now that I've tried to incorporate Tokyo in this story, you'll most likely find that my mapping of Tokyo is highly inaccurate! So please bear with me! I did do a lot of researching on places in Tokyo and even googled some pictures to describe the scenery, so hopefully I'm not too far off! And besides, Sword Art Online take place about ten years from now, who knows what Tokyo will look like then?
Anyway, I apologize again for being so slow! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
I find myself thinking about the virtual reality world more and more lately, so much so that I don't even realize that nearly a month has already gone by. Almost every day I had been meeting with the group, venturing floor by floor and just recently I've finally reached their level. All I can think about is how to raise my stats, what new combos can I perfect and what's our next quest. I've only been playing a short while, but I feel like I've been playing for years. I almost feel like it's become an addiction as I've been keeping this a secret from my mother and I would lock my bedroom door to keep her from snooping in. However, she's been so preoccupied with how well Hideki and I are getting along, I don't think she even notices. There's a lot about me she doesn't exactly notice though, so I shouldn't be surprised. Hideki also doesn't know about my newfound obsession and I don't let out a hint that I've become this secret gamer.
It's starting to feel like whenever I'm playing Sword Art Online the real world feels like a fake to me. I feel like I'm a different person when I'm in the virtual world, that I don't even know who I am in the real world anymore. I've taught myself to block out the girls who would look at me and talk about me like I'm some zoo animal. It's as though I now have tunnel vision with the end of the tunnel unveiling the NerveGear. It came in handy when I had to work with Megumi on our project. It was like clockwork how every time we would work together she'd leave me to continue on without her as she had something important she needed to attend to, but I knew her friends were just waiting for her on the other side of the wall. Luckily, the project is over, but unfortunately, the mockery doesn't stop.
"Miss Yuuki, are you paying attention?"
"What?" I look up with a dazed and confused expression on my face at Mrs. Kobayashi who is eyeing me suspiciously from the podium at the front of the class. As soon as I realized that I've fallen behind, I sputter out an apology with a dumbstruck expression. The class snickers at me and Mrs. Kobayashi shoots out a cold glare to silence them.
"Stay focused on the assignment, not outside." She orders with an exasperated sigh then continues on.
Embarrassed, I slouch into my chair and play with the ends of my hair. If my mother were watching, she would immediately snap at me to fix my posture as it is unmannerly and bad for my back. But since she's not here, I don't bother adjusting and I purposely lean further back close almost reaching the desk behind me as though to spite her. But as soon as I relax against my chair I start to hear the girls behind me whispering to each other.
"She's such a weirdo, does she have to spaz out like that?" Another students shushes her loudly and they break into a fit of hushed giggles.
I'm almost certain they know I can hear them, but instead of acting on it, I pull myself up, fall forward on my desk and rest my cheek in my palm as I try to focus on Mrs. Kobayashi. But further into her lecture it starts to become difficult to keep my mind in check. Had this been the game, Mrs. Kobayashi would have been my focal point and everything surrounding her would be a slight blur. I would see a cursor over her head. Would Mrs. Kobayashi be in a guild? If so, what kind? I can feel a small grin form on my face and I'm back to thinking about that particular steel castle floating in the sky.
The time it had took to reach the end of the day went by painfully slow and I feel like my anxiety to leave has reached its peak. Before I would be anxious just to leave the school grounds and be back in my bed, but lately I've become impatient to go back into Aincrad, which, coincidentally, I'd have to be lying on my bed in order to do so. There were times during the day where I would find myself holding my pencil like I would hold my rapier. I wonder what kind of reaction I would have gotten if I performed a sword skill. Lots of confused looks and ridicule for sure. I roll my eyes and scoff at how I even had to think about that. The girls here would treat me no different, if not, worse had I done something as silly as that. As I'm nearing the gate to meet Masumi, I hear a loud girly shriek followed by a young scolding tone. Almost immediately a certain group comes to mind and I scurry over finding Rika, Keiko, and Suguha on the other side of the school fence.
"Asuna!" Rika calls out brightly, cutting off what looks to be a teasing fit between her and Keiko, then dashes up to me. "We were beginning to think you were never going to leave the school!"
I quickly pull out my phone from my school bag to check the time reading 6:12pm. "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't expect to see you today!" I wonder how long they were waiting for me and I look at them with a guilty look on my face. "What are you doing here?"
"We wanted to surprise you!" Keiko brightens and she throws her hands in the air gleefully.
"We're taking you out with us to our weekly hangout and we're not taking 'no' for an answer!" Suguha finishes decisively. "We've been playing online for so long, it's nice to hang out in real life time to time!"
At least once a week the group meets in a little coffee shop-bar called the Dicey Café in Okachimachi. The owner of the shop is also an SAO Survivor, and from what I've been told, is a massive man. Apparently he may look intimidating but in reality is an overall good guy. He wasn't like most players in the game who only looked out for themselves. He spent the majority of his time helping others survive and just like in real life he owned a shop. However, since he does own a shop in real life, he rarely has time to meet them in-game so they've decided to come to him on a weekly basis. There's a little part of me that warms up knowing that although they are no longer forced to be with each other they still choose to stick together. They had invited me out before but I would politely decline. I guess now they've had their fill of 'no'.
"I…" The words don't form as I try to think of an excuse. Truthfully, I do want to be with them, but I can never shake away this guilty feeling settling in my heart. I've become so close to them in such a short while, yet they know nothing about me. They've never hung out with me in the real world. What happens when they find out that I'm not as adventurous, or brave, or excited in reality? What will they think of me when they realize that I'm quiet, alone, and pathetic? What would happen if they met my mother?
A memory from long ago plays in my mind and my throat squeezes. I feel like it's happening all over again and I have to live through it once more, even though I've desperately tried so hard to avoid it.
"Asuna?" Suguha steps closer to me as she tries to look at my face. "Is everything alright?"
If I refuse to hang out with them one more time I feel like it'll be the last I'll ever receive an invitation. They're the only people that I've been able to be with in so long I don't want to give that up. They've even come all this way, waited, and are still waiting.
I pull out my phone once again to check the time and decide that one hour should be enough. "I just need to ask Masumi if he can drive us there. Okachimachi is a bit far to walk to." Quietly, I make my way to Masumi who is already standing by the passenger door for me. "Masumi, may you please take me to the Dicey Café in Okachimachi with my friends?" I find it so embarrassing that I still need for permission to hang out with other people, like I'm still a child. I yearn for the chance to be independent and not reliant.
Masumi glances at the girls, then to me and lowers his head to talk quietly. "Miss Yuuki, I don't think your mother would approve. She's expecting you to come home."
I could always just ask her and see what she says, but I already know the answer. The thought of having to go through another lecture with my mother doesn't settle well inside me, but the thought of telling Rika, Keiko and Suguha that I can't go out because my mother said so makes me want to curl up in a ball and hide. I don't know which is sadder.
"Please, I won't stay long. I've finished all of my homework and I've done everything I needed to do today." I look up at him, pleading, and he returns with a look that's similar to how Sada looks at me. With pity. He knows how lonely my life is, but he also knows how strict my mother can be.
Finally, he gives in. "I'll drop you off and pick you up in one hour, is that clear?"
A heavy weight is temporarily lifted off my shoulders and I take in a deep breath, feeling as though I had been underwater. "Thank you, Masumi!" I swivel to my back and I wave my hands for the girls to come forward.
The girls look at each other for a moment then beam brightly as they hurry to the car. When their eyes land on the black S-Class Luxury Sedan I see their jaws slightly drop and I grin, feeling smug. I admit I'm quite taken with the vehicle as well; it's something my father always preferred to have us ride in, as our safety is his main priority. It's strong, powerful, but light and slips through the wind with ease and grace. It definitely stands out wherever we go. But truth be told, as much as I enjoy the heated leather seats, the spacious leg room and the active cabin noise suppression, just once I would like to know what it feels like to have the wind blowing through my hair, and the rush of just holding onto a handlebar while speeding through traffic. Also, the chance to go wherever without having someone escort me.
"This is so cool!" Rika squeals in delight as she dives into the car head first, sliding on the seats to the end.
Before Suguha enters, she observes me closely. I feel as though she can read me and I awkwardly look away. I can sense a bit of her brother's personality in her and it makes me nervous. But being polite as she is, she doesn't question me and follows inside.
Keiko, who is the last to enter, looks at Masumi with a cheerful grin, "Thank you," she bows sweetly and slides in the car.
I see Masumi's face soften at her but when he closes the door, his demeanor changes and he eyes me doubtfully while opening the front passenger door for me. As I listen to the girls chatter in the back, I don't say a word more to Masumi and he drives off.
The closer we get to Okachimachi, the more I can sense Masumi is regretting his decision to let me go. It's most certainly not like the places my mother would approve of for sure. It's messy, crowded, loud and somewhat dirty. This is the area my mother would want to avoid. But I've been told it's a very popular place in Tokyo. It's stuck between the Akihabara and Ueno Station, and has shops located all along the railway and just beneath it. It looks as though it is mainly targeted to the residents with its vegetables, fruits, fish and meats, but the further down I look there are small fashion stores, some with many US branded clothes. There's some excitement rising in me, but I try not to let it show and I refuse to let Rika, Keiko, and Suguha know that I've never been here before. It's almost shameful how sheltered I've been living.
When we stop at the entrance, Rika informs me that the café is just few minutes away but we have to walk. As the girls exit the car, they thank Masumi and I linger a bit longer, as though waiting for permission. He gives me another look of concern but I respond with a reassuring smile as I slide out. "Thank you, Masumi."
"You have one hour," he says defiantly and I shut the door.
As I follow the girls I'm gawking around the crowded area with awe. It's so loud and full of life that it ignites something in me and I can't help but smile. I almost feel like a tourist exploring a new area, it's the same feeling I get whenever we explore another floor in Aincrad. On my left I see a store selling books, comics, pictures, videos, and just beside that store is another with Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and more high name brand products. I get a sudden urge to shop but I stop myself, knowing how my mother feels about purchasing knock-offs.
To prevent straying from the girls, I look ahead to spot them in the crowd. It takes me a second to find them and when I do, I realize that while Suguha is wearing a dark grey uniform with a yellow tie, Rika and Keiko both have the same dark blue uniform with a red bow and white trims.
When I question this, Rika and Keiko inform me that all the middle school and high school students who were stuck in Sword Art Online are attending the same school in a refurbished building. No test is needed to get in, and once the students graduate, they can take college entrance exams. It sounds pretty ideal to me, however, I get the feeling that this is just an easy way monitor the players who were affected mentally by the death game. It occurs to me that this means Kirito must be attending the same school as well, and when I think of that, I get another realization that I will be meeting him in real life very shortly. I've gotten so used to seeing him in-game, I would sometimes forget that he's not an AI like Yui, but a real person.
"I didn't know that you went to an all-girls school, Asuna," Suguha comments as she pushes through crowds. "What's it like?"
Nervously I scratch my cheek and hold a hum in thought. "It's…"
Boring.
Lonely.
Sad.
"It's alright," I laugh sheepishly and I continue to observe the busy area, watching where I'm stepping.
I follow the girls to an area under the train tracks filled with restaurants, bars and more shops. The traffic of people becomes denser and it starts to feel a bit claustrophobic.
"Be careful!" I hear Rika say out loud over the crowds of people. "It gets busiest at this time so we should stay closer together."
Just as I try to reach for Keiko, a rush of people intercepts us and I fall behind.
"Wait!" I shout out loud but the tracks above us rumbles loudly and a train rolls by, its bell temporarily deafens me then gradually quiets down. By the time the crowd somewhat clears and the train passes, Rika, Keiko and Suguha are nowhere to be found. Nervously, I flick my head side to side to try and spot them but all I see is a mass of people vining in and out, over and under and it starts to make me feel dizzy.
"Hey there, cutie, you lost?"
Someone whistles at me and when I turn around I see a group of university students eyeing me up and down. It's just a quarter to seven and they already look inebriated. I smile at them politely and swivel on my right to walk away.
"Hold on!" One of them grabs my hand and pulls me in towards him. I hold my breath from the alcohol reeking off of him and I try to not stare at his long, scraggly, and sparse facial hair growing out of his chin. "What's your name, sweetie? Why not hang out with us?"
"No thank you," I try to pull away but he only tightens his grip. "Please, I must get going."
"Oh, c'mon, let's have some fun!" Another one of them creeps up from behind and his hand trails along my shoulder. "We won't bite!"
"S-stop it!" Panic grows increasingly inside of me and I frantically try to pry off the boy's fingers from my wrist as I shrug the other's hand off my shoulder. "Let me go! Please!"
"Hey!" A familiar boyish voice calls out loudly, getting the group's attention and the next thing I know someone grabs my free hand and quickly drags me away from the drunken students. Once they notice that I'm long gone they groan depressingly then slink off.
As I'm being pulled through the congested area of people, I look ahead and see a jet black head of hair, and a long sleeved black sweater with dark grey elbow patches. I feel like I have seen this person before and when I stare down at the hand that's gripping mine, I get another dose of familiarity and my eyes widen.
"K-Kirito!" I gasp out loud.
"Actually, it's Kazuto," he corrects briefly as he continues to drag me, and with a bit of force. "And it's best not to just stand here; people get pretty upset when you block traffic."
I'm not sure why but I immediately feel annoyed and I whip my hand away, halting in place. "I was doing just fine before you showed up!"
Kazuto stops, and when he turns to face me, I realize his eyes are just as they are in the game. Onyx coloured and perplexing. He drops his head and sighs at me, "You're never going to thank me for saving you, aren't you?"
I don't know if he's referring to this or when we first met, but in response, I stick my nose up high and cross my arms stubbornly. "I never asked for your help." When I don't hear him reply back, I look onwards and find him already a few paces ahead. "Wait!" I call out in a panic and I dash up behind him. I pout with irritation as I observe him from behind. Even in real life he seems to prefer darker colors. I wonder if he likes to think he's still his avatar in real life, but I don't ask. I'm not sure why, but there's something about him that just sets me off. Could it be his lack of empathy? Or is it his awkward social skills? He certainly is an odd boy.
"You just… Reminded me of someone."
I grumble to myself as my frustration grows. Who could I possibly remind him of?
We finally arrive at a café that sits snugly between two concrete buildings and I note that it doesn't quite match with the rest of the other shops and restaurants. The exterior has faded wooden vertical siding with wooden trims on the edges and corners, and a bulkhead jetting about a foot over with pot lights shining down. Stuck to the walls are posters, most likely the specials or advertisements, and multiple plastic yellow crates are lined up and stacked against the wall. There is only one large double hung window and one wide entrance that's also wooden but coloured in a deep red. As I reach for the door there is a small sign reading 'Dicey Café' and two dice rolled on a 1 and 6. I wonder briefly what it could mean, but I don't think too much about it. When I step inside, I immediately notice that it looks just as small on the inside as it does on the outside. It has a compact layout with only four tables, a long counter with several stools and a wall of shelves filled with oddly shaped glass bottles behind the counter. On the far side of the room there is an old fashioned jukebox playing instrumental music beside a door with a sign reading 'Washroom' and along the walls are more posters of what looks like signature band posters. There are another two doors on either side of the bar, one has a swing country side door that looks to be leading to the kitchen, and the other is a solid slab, perhaps an office or a storage room. Everything from the walls, ceiling, and flooring is made of dark wooden planks; it almost looks like I'm in a cottage. The lighting is dim but comforting. This place doesn't seem to be very happening right now as only one table closest to the window has a pair of customers dining on small plates of food and another familiar face waiting by the bar.
"Kazuto!" Sitting on the barstool and with a drink in his hand is Klein, real name, Ryoutarou Tsuboi. "You're late man!"
"Yeah, sorry, I got caught up," Kazuto shrugs his shoulders carelessly and he walks over to Ryoutarou, taking a seat beside him.
The two pound fists in greeting and when Ryoutarou glances at me, he smiles widely, "Asuna, glad you can make it! So the girls were able to snag you after all! Grab a seat!" I quietly make my way over and I sit on the other side of Ryoutarou. I discover that he doesn't wear a uniform so he must be graduated already. I learn that he's 24 and has a job downtown, but with his lack of enthusiasm for his job, I don't pay very much attention to what he actually does. After he finishes explaining he observes me for a moment then scans around the room. "I thought the girls were with you."
Just as I'm about to answer, the entrance door swings open and the three come tumbling in in a panic.
"You're here!" Rika breathes heavily with relief and with her hand on her chest. "We thought we lost you!"
"We're so sorry, Asuna!" Suguha expresses with regret as she tries to catch her breath as well, "I knew we should have stayed closer together!"
I immediately accept their apologies and let them know that it's alright. When I tell them that Kazuto found me and led the way, they tease him suspiciously but only for a brief moment. After they calm down, they take their seat around one of the round tables and I decide to join them instead. Rika calls upon Andrew, the owner of the shop, and when I twist my body to the side, I see a tall and bulky, dark skinned man with a shiny bald head, and a dark brown goatee step out holding a tray of drinks just over his shoulder.
"You girls made it! Kathy's got some apple pies ready, just like you wanted, Rika!" His voice is deep and loud, that it carries through the room. After he quickly checks up on the couple by the window, he walks over to us and high fives Rika.
"Andrew, this Asuna," Suguha introduces and she looks at me then points at Andrew. "This is Andrew Mills, his avatar name is Agil. He's an awe-wielder. I don't think you two have actually met yet."
"Not yet, the shop's been keeping me busy." Andrew places both hands on his hips, his arms bulging with muscles, as he looks down at me and flashes a bright white grin. Just by his build and voice, I should be a nervous wreck, but his soft brown eyes eases my anxiety. "Nice to meet you, Asuna!"
"N-nice to meet you, Andrew," I can't seem to shake away my trembling voice and I rise from my seat and bow my head. "I've heard a lot about you."
"Same here, but about you," Andrew laughs boisterously and he gestures to Ryoutarou and Kazuto, "All these two ever talk about is you!"
The boys gape at Andrew synchronously and Ryoutarou shakes his head then points to Kazuto. "Not me, it's this guy here who does all the talking!"
"Not cool, man," Kazuto mutters at him with an unimpressed expression, and when we lock eyes for just a couple seconds he quickly turns away.
I sit back and listen as the group catch Andrew up to the latest news of Sword Art Online. Each of them telling him their side of the story, eventually clashing with the others, and turning into a quick but humorous tiff. There were moments where I had to be the tie breaker in their story and when the story is settled, they all laugh and taunt each other playfully.
"Oh, I love this song!" Rika slams on the table so suddenly it surprises the rest of us. I listen closely to the jukebox playing and hear a fast and upbeat song. There's a mixture of pop rock and orchestra, it sounds odd, but it somehow blends in perfectly. "Did you know that there's an actual dance to this?"
"Yeah!" Keiko chirps and she leaps from her seat, "Let's dance!"
The three dash to the jukebox and line up excitedly in a row. They look at each other and one the count of three, they step in sync to the beat of the music. I watch them giggle as they spin on a pointed toe and sway their arms in the air for balance. Rika looks at me, Kazuto, Andrew, and Ryoutarou, and smirks devilishly, "C'mon, I bet you all know the dance to this too!"
"Sorry," Ryoutarou waves his hand dismissively as he goes back to drinking what looks to be another alcoholic beverage. "Luna Haruna is cute and her songs may be catchy, but I don't dance."
"I've got business to run," Andrew chuckles as he pretends to look busy behind the counter.
Rika raises her eyebrows at Kazuto knowingly, but he shakes his head as he walks past them to the door opposite from the kitchen. Finally, Rika pinpoints her focus on me and grins evilly.
"I-I don't dance," I stutter and I grip the bottom of my seat and press my feet firmly to the ground. "I don't even think I've heard this song!"
"Nonsense! Everyone's heard of this song!" She steps forward as she grabs my hand and yanks me off my seat. "C'mon, it's easy! We'll show you!"
Rika positions me in the middle of the row with Suguha and Keiko standing on either side of me, she swivels to her front and places both hands on her hips. "Just follow my lead, okay?"
My cheeks start to turn red and I shrink into my shoulders as I attempt to follow Rika, but half a second late, and barely even half as enthusiastic. Fortunately, the couple has left so I don't have too big of an audience. I've never danced before, it was something my mother wanted me to take interest of, but when she discovered that I have no coordination or rhythm, she felt it would be more appropriate not to embarrass myself.
"You're getting it!" Keiko encourages, even though I know it's a complete lie. "Now all you do is repeat!"
As I spin on one foot and wave my hands in the air, the music picks up again and now our movements are a bit faster. Slowly but surely, I get the hang of it and although I must look like a fool, I begin to enjoy myself. I smile brightly with enthusiasm, and the girls cheer and throw their hands in the air joyously. We break out of the line and form a circle as we repeat the same moves but now facing each other. I laugh out loud and it almost catches me by surprise. I don't remember the last time I've ever laughed this much, or ever felt this excited other than being in the virtual world. This long awaited feeling takes over and I can't control the merriment building up inside of me. We cycle through the routine once more and now feeling courageous, I spin on a pointed toe and lift my hands high in the air. As I'm turning, I see Kazuto exiting the room, he looks surprised to see the girls still dancing but when he locks eyes with mine, an amused expression is printed on his face. His small smile sends a warm but foreign response up my body and I lose my balance causing my ankle to buckle to the side.
I'm about to fall over until Kazuto swiftly hooks his arms just under my underarms and holds me steady. It takes me a moment to realize how close I am to him that I can almost smell a hint of freshness on him, like laundry detergent. I look up at him and find him staring down at me with a touch of red on his cheeks, his lips pressed firmly together. I don't know how long I've lingered, but I feel that my cheeks are flushed as well.
"Asuna!"
What felt all warm and fuzzy just seconds ago immediately turns to cold and sharp the next. When I turn my gaze to the entrance my body almost goes limp from shock and Kazuto has to hold me up. Standing tall and straight with her arms crossed, my mother glares at me from the across the room, unimpressed and livid. The scariest I find about her is that from behind, she can look completely relaxed and calm, but what doesn't show in her body language, speaks clearly in her eyes.
"M-mother!" I pull myself away from Kazuto and I press down on my skirt and fix my hair. The group all pause with a puzzled look on their faces then they follow my gaze to the woman staring me down. The jukebox continues to play upbeat music but the vibe in the room plays something entirely different.
