Sword Art Online
A Forbidden Love
Chapter 14 - A Plot for Free Time
The water had barely dried from his body as Kazuto threw on his clothes, a dark expression in his features as he grabbed his things, quickly explaining to the others that something came up back at the mansion and quickly retreated out of the water park. He felt guilty for leaving Sachi and the others behind, but Asuna was more important right now.
He was absolutely furious. At Asuna's parents, at her situation, at the very world that they both lived in. Why are things so absolutely beyond cruel as to force a young woman like her to make a decision that goes against the very things that she believes in.
He knew that Asuna believed in true love. She had told him that much herself, and it was a sentiment not many shared with her. A sentiment that some saw as feeble or naïve. Perhaps that was why her parents had such a hard time believing in it the same way that she did.
But that didn't matter to Kazuto. In his eyes, as her parents, the same people that had spent blood, sweat and tears to raise her, they had a responsibility to believe in her decisions and her ability to make them. To reassure her and push her to believe in what she feels is right.
Instead, her father had pushed Kazuto to stay away from her completely so that her mother could have a successful attempt at finding a proper suitor for her, making the decision for her. Not for love, not for her happiness. But for money. He didn't know why Asuna's mother insisted on the whole aspect of choosing her suitor, but it just felt completely wrong.
A short bus ride and a jog later, and he arrived at the front steps of the mansion, bursting inside and looking around viciously for Asuna as he ran through the corridors.
'Come on Kazuto, think!'
His mind felt like it was running a million thoughts a minute as he raced through the narrow walkways.
'Where is she?'
Suddenly, it hit him like lightning from a clear sky. The library! Of course!
Not a moment after he had this realization did he turn around and run in the completely opposite direction of where he had been going. Before long he finally burst through the heavy library doors only to find Asuna standing tall and rigid over by the open fireplace. A moment of analysis and Kazuto could quickly tell that she wasn't nearly as calm as she appeared to be, having been quaking the entire time he had stood and watched her.
She turned around and looked at Kazuto with what could only be described as an ice-cold emotionless stare.
"G-Good afternoon Kazuto" She mumbled, taking all of her willpower not to let her façade crumble "Lovely weather today"
Kazuto just shook his head, knowing full well of the brave act she was putting up.
"Asuna, don't… please don't…" he begged her, tears brimming up in his own eyes as he stepped forward to embrace her "It's okay to cry and-"
He had not even finished his sentence before Asuna had burst forward and embraced him tightly, a soul-crushing wail of sadness emanating from her as tears began spilling forth like water from a faucet. She tried and cried, staining Kazuto's shirt with her tears with her only comfort being Kazuto's continuous gentle squeeze and reassuring words.
"There we go… let it all out" Kazuto mumbled, tears rolling down his own face as he hugged her gently "It's all right… we'll figure something out"
He began stroking her hair slowly and gently as her emotions welled up even more, spilling over in her tears as she gripped his shirt desperately, a choked sob escaping her now and then as she bared her emotions for him.
"I thought we had made such good progress…" Another choked sob "But then… t-that… that WITCH goes and does this…. How can she do this to me!?"
Kazuto nodded somberly, gently caressing her hair and letting her cry into him.
"Shh… I know, I know…"
He couldn't help but grit his teeth. Seeing Asuna like this was, to him, the equivalent of stabbing him, and hurt twice as much. He couldn't bare seeing her like this, this distraught and desperate. How long had she been bottling up her emotions like this?
He raised her gaze and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead, a warmth lingering on his lips as he used his thumbs to brush away her remaining tears.
"We'll figure something out, alright? It's not over, far from it. They don't get to take you away from me. Never"
She nodded silently and lowered her gaze again, burying her face against his chest and listening to his still rapid heartbeat from his trot earlier through the mansion.
Despite him reassuring her like this, he had no idea how to end this debacle in a peaceful manner. No matter how many times he ran the problem through his head, he couldn't figure out a solution that would leave both parties satisfied.
He wanted the woman he loved to be with him. He had already made up his mind. To protect her and love her unconditionally had become the goal of his life, the first goal ever since he escaped that hopeless void they called poverty. He had had no life on the streets, no hope for a future. He had accepted that he most likely would die out there, if not of starvation then of sickness.
Now that he had been rescued from that terrible fate, he would do everything in his power to fight for the future he thought was right. Somewhere in his mind it almost felt like stabbing Asuna's parents in the back, having been explicably told not to even approach her, much less have a romantic relationship with her. Not only that, but they had let him into their home, accommodated him and his aunt, fed and cared for them like they were family. As harsh as they were with Asuna, they treated their employees like their own.
But his head and his heart told him two very different things. And in the end, no matter how many times he mulled things over inside him, his heart always won the wrestling match.
That had been his conclusion, his final desire. And ultimately, he held Asuna's wellbeing over his own, even after all he had been through.
"Come on, let's think of something else for now okay?" He said softly, leading her back over towards the open fireplace "Let's do something. What if we go on a trip? To escape everything, you know?"
"My parents would kill me… if not you" She chuckled weakly, choking back a sob "What if they found out?"
"it's okay" A devious smile played on his features "I have some friends who can help"
"Excuse me, WHAAAA!?"
Both Kazuto and Asuna had to shush Ryoutarou, shutting their hands over his mouth in an effort to shut him up.
"Shhh Ryou, goddamn!" Kazuto hissed as he and Asuna pulled him aside to a more secluded corner of the kitchen "We just need you to cover for me for a few days, keep a lookout!"
"Kazuto, I could get fired over this" He hissed back, a nervous pearl of sweat running down along his stubbled cheekbone "You know damn well neither Yuuki want you anywhere near her! And for me to be a middle man in it? They'll skin me alive!"
"Come on Ryou, I just need this one little favor! It's just one night out! We'll be back by the next day, I swear!"
"That doesn't reassure me at all!" Ryoutarou growled as he scratched the back of his neck in frustration.
He really wanted to help them, honestly, he did. But that would mean helping them go behind his employer's back and possibly get fired. He lived a nice lifestyle in his own apartment and everything. Or well, one person room in the mansion, but it was his nonetheless. He had no will to give that up should this plan backfire.
"Come on Klein," Kazuto begged, having been calling him Klein as of late "I promise you, if this succeeds, I owe you a month's worth of drinks at the pub!"
This piqued Klein's interest and he glared suspiciously up at Kazuto, searching his gaze for the least bit of deceit. No one messes with a man's beer.
"With extra foam and shots on the side?"
"Yes! The strawberry ones, your favorite!"
"Urgh, why did I have to tell you my favorite drinks…?" Klein grumbled "I knew it would come back to bite me"
Kazuto, beginning to see a small ray of hope, smirked to his friend.
"I'm afraid it did, buddy, but I promise you this is for a good cause"
Klein sighed defeatedly and looked from Kazuto's hopeful smile, to Asuna's pleading gaze.
"This plan is dangerous"
"Yeah"
"And will most likely backfire"
"Yeah I know"
"And I'm still pissed that you're only telling me about your impromptu relationship now"
"I know bro, but I'll make it up to you. We're best buds, remember?"
After a long pause and a long thoughtful silence, Ryouratou finally caved in and sighed.
"…Oh god dammit, fine"
"Yeeees! Thank you!"
"Yeah yeah, whatever" Klein grumbled and rolled his eyes "you damn better have a good time. If not for yourself then for your buddy who is about to lose his livelihood"
"I promise you, you're not going to regret this!" Kazuto smiled and gave the older guy a hug.
"Okay okay Broski, I got it" He chuckled, patting the younger Kazuto's head "Now get out of here. I have at least half a million more dishes to clean up. Let's talk at a later date, yeah?"
"One last thing Klein, I need you to keep our relationship secret" Kazuto said with a deadly serious frown "Not only would I rather tell them myself, but we don't need Asuna's parents to catch wind of it somehow. Keep it on the down low, alright?"
"Yeah yeah, touchy subject and all that" he scratched his neck before flashing them a thumbs up and a grin "Don't you worry Kazuto, I'll take this secret to my grave should I need to!"
Kazuto and Asuna nodded, her giving Klein a quick hug and a respectful bow, before heading out.
- Login verified -
…Welcome back Ryoutarou…
Stubbles: "Alright everyone, Code Red! I repeat, Code Red!
Hammer Time: Ryou, this is the third time this week.
Stubbles: I promise you Rika, this isn't over some stupid show this time. And HEY! Who changed my nickname to Stubbles!?
Hammer Time: Probably the same admin who changed my nickname to Hammer Time. BTW, why? xD
Shy Shield: Guilty as charged. Or well, it was really Keita, but I gave him the go-ahead. And Rika, you always choose a hammer wielding paladin whenever you restart your RPG characters :/
Stubbles: Damn, for how withdrawn you usually are, I would never have thought you the mischievous type Sachi O_O
Shy Shield: It comes with being a member of the computer club. We get into all sorts of shenanigans
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
DragonTamer: I dread to think what kinds of shenanigans you're talking about -_-
Hammer Time: Wait, where's your mind going!?
Stubbles: Dammit everyone this is serious! Don't get sidetracked!
Hammer Time: You're the one going off on a tangent about your server nickname
Stubbles: ANYWAY, I need your help. Something happened at the mansion and now Kazuto is hellbent on cheering Asuna up. I need to keep them covered for the day while they head out.
Hammer Time: And you need our help why?
Stubbles: I couldn't possibly come up with enough ways to excuse their absence. I need you guys' help with that. Pretty please with cute little berries on top?
Shy Shield: Well, it would most likely be easier for us to help you if we can meet up in person. Are you guys allowed visitors in your fancy mansion?
Stubbles: We get to go on the casual every now and then as long as we do our jobs properly. Believe it or not I've actually been working rather valiantly lately, so it should be no problem getting you guys in.
Hammer Time: Bullshit!
Shy Shield: I don't believe you
DragonTamer: I find that hard to believe
Stubbles: Oh come on guys, this is just straight up cyber bullying at this point!
After a few days, Asuna and Kashou's plans finally met up with the plans of Ryou and their friends, and Rika, Keiko and Sachi soon stood outside the tall oaken doors of the intimidating mansion in front of them. Asuna and Kazuto quickly huddled them inside before they all hurried along to Ryou's room.
"Sorry for the space, but this place is only built for one person and-… Rika what the hell are you doing?"
Ryoutarou paused midsentence to glance at Rika who was currently pulling up the mattress of his one-person bed, looking very curious about something.
"I'm trying to figure out where you're keeping your stash…"
"My stash?"
"A perverted guy in his twenties lives alone in his own room. There's gotta be some sort of stash of nasty goodies here"
"That was not the point of this visit, ya know?" Klein grumbled, a glare in his eye.
"It was for me!" Rika grinned before finally letting the mattress fall back into the bedframe and promptly plopping down on top of it, quickly joined by Sachi and Keiko.
"Guys let's focus, 'Kay?" Kazuto mumbled, having leaned against the wall with Asuna right beside him.
He wasn't exactly sure if he liked his friends and his secret lover being in the same room. He had already confounded to Asuna about his worries with his friends and his past, told her that he wanted her to keep it secret for now. And she had understood him completely, told him that she would probably have done the same had she stood in the same situation. But still, for all the loose ends to be in such a close proximity of each other made him nervous for the consequences of his secrets slipping out.
"Alright, here's the deal."
He then proceeded to explain everything that had happened between Asuna and her parents, of course leaving out all details about their relationship. When he was finally done telling their story, Keiko and Sachi had both hung their heads in defeat, while Rika and Klein were both wearing this hateful scowl and clenched fists.
"And finally, that brings us to the trip I had planned" Kazuto mumbled "I was planning to take Asuna out of the house for a while, bring her somewhere away from her parents. Somewhere where she doesn't have to be reminded of this horrible situation all the time."
"But why you exactly, Kazuto?" Rika asked "Why not any other servant in the house?"
"Sasha is going to be busy taking care of little Yui" Asuna said calmly "Plus, she has already promised to help distract my parents by letting them help take care of her when they aren't busy. She's the only other person beyond Kazuto and Ryoutarou that I trust won't just go straight to my mom with this new information"
"Well, at least that's down pat, but why do you trust Kazuto so much?" Rika asked suspiciously "No offense to Kazuto of course, but I just want to know"
"Ever since he came here, he's been nice to let me know if I needed any help, that he would be there for me" Asuna smiled "He's been one of the few pillars of support I've had around lately"
"Typical Kazuto" Rika rolled her eyes "Even back in middle school he was all about helping out as soon as a cute girl was involved"
"Hey, it's not like that!" Kazuto countered, a bright red blush on his face "It's got nothing to do with that!"
"Oh really? And how exactly did the two of us get to know each other huh?"
"As far as I recall, it was something along the lines of Rika having scraped her knee falling from the monkey bars" Sachi mumbled "And Kazuto was the first to run over and ask if she was okay"
"And since when has Rika been cute?!" Kazuto smirked
"HEY!"
A fit of laughter and some banter later, and they returned to their regularly scheduled plotting. Within the next few minutes they had it all set up and stood up to finish their impromptu heist meeting.
"Alright, let's blow this joint" Rika smirked.
"Please don't blow up my employer's household" Klein mumbled nervously.
"I might just have to, if push comes to shove"
"What, are you hiding a bomb somewhere Rika?" Kazuto joked.
"Bitch I might be!"
They laughed and said their goodbyes before the group of friends left, and Klein and Kazuto went back to work. It had all been set up.
Sachi would go out and buy an important piece of tech for their plan, two sets of earpieces that Klein and Sasha would need. Then, in two days, the two of them would distract the Yuuki's as much as possible, all the while being guided by Rika, Keiko, and Sachi, who would be surveying the area from the outside.
"It isn't exactly a fool proof plan, but it's the best we got" Kazuto mumbled to Ryou, them having started cleaning up in the hallways of the mansion.
"I know… god damn you're gonna owe me a shit-ton of pints after this is over"
Kazuto chuckled and nodded.
"Anything for you, buddy."
A/N HOLY FUCKING SHIT GUYS IT'S BEEN HALF A YEAR SINCE I UPDATED!
And all the while you guys has just given me and my stories more and more support. I honestly can't even believe it, and your support has moved me to tears. I check my email every day and I constantly get notifications how new people have followed or favorited me or my stories, and you don't even know how happy that makes me feel, even if I sometimes feel like I don't deserve your praise.
I keep telling you that I will be faster with the next update, then half a year goes by and then suddenly inspiration hits. I'm so sorry for taking so long guys. I wish I could do it better, but with the stress of school and everything going on with me, I need time.
Anyway, with all the mush out of the way, thank you so much for reading this chapter. Honestly, my muse hit me out of the blue, and I'm not sure I'll ever write that fast again.
But if you guys can be patient with me, and wait for my updates, then I'd be happy to deliver. No matter how long they may be apart.
Until next time, keep reading guys. And thank you again for everything.