Beep! Beep! Beep!
An arm slapped the alarm clock, turning it off. Sadly the alarms mission was complete, as Shino Asada groaned in protest. She opened her eyes slowly, taking in the ceiling above her. An arm reached for the glasses on her bed side table, but when she tried putting them on there seemed to be a barrier.
That's right! I fell asleep logged in. Recalling the events of the previous day, she sat up and pulled the Amusphere off her head. Staring into the tinted glass, she walked herself through the events. She could still remember the depressing story Kirito had told her. It was no wonder he was so stressed, with that kind of emotional baggage. And now that she thought about it, didn't Asuna tell her after SAO, Kirito was busy trying to save her? Then the Death Gun incident distracted him yet again. So maybe the reason he was so stressed was because he didn't have anything to distract himself?
And it was that exact moment she remembered what she did to distract him...
Oh my God. I slept in the same bed as him. Wait! I slept in the same bed as my friends fiancé! Shino's face was cherry red. She didn't know which was worse, the fact it was Kirito, or the fact its Asuna's betrothed. Luckly, the Amusphere was designed to log you out if you were asleep for a long time. So she didn't have to deal with waking up next to him. However she still did have to see him today...
Crap! I'm gonna be late! She rushed around the room getting ready. Throwing on an outfit similar to her school uniform, with just a few colour differences, she rushed out the door. She was still putting on her NTX Polymer glasses and khaki school jacket when she left.
The train station was packed (as usual) but she managed to squeeze into the train car. She checked the time as the doors closed, satisfied she just might make it.
Kazuto's morning had been much less eventful. Waking up, grabbing breakfast, and getting dressed in a matter of minutes. He shrugged on his leather jacket, grabbed his keys, and got on his old manual bike. As the bike pittered along, Kazuto's thoughts drifted to the night before. The events had been... unexpected to say the least. The way Sinon reacted was equally unexpected. Although he supposed he did the same for her, back in the cave. Surprisingly, he didn't have any of his usual nightmares afterwards. It was the best night sleep he'd had in awhile. His line of thought was interrupted as he approached his destination.
Parking his bike, he made his way to the streat corner and leaned against the wall in wait. He didn't have to wait long however, as the light pitter-patter of running reached his ears. He turned to greet his friend as Shino Asada rounded the corner. Kazuto was surprised to find how disheveled Shino was, with messy hair and sweat rolling down her face.
"Good morning Sinon, you look to be in a rush today" Usually Kazuto refrained from using in-game names IRL. But since most his friends ignored that rule (Asuna) he long since gave up. Plus Shino and Sinon were close enough that it probably wouldn't matter.
"S-sorry. Didn't set my alarm. Had to run to get here" She spoke between breaths of air. Running across Chiyoda Ward was not her idea of a good morning...
"You could have asked for a ride. Didn't have to run" In truth she did think about asking him, but the embarrassment from last night was too much. She finally straightened up.
"Can we just get this over with? I doubt Mr. Kikuoka appreciates waiting for us" At her words, Kazuto put a hand on his face in slight exasperation.
"Please don't call him that. It'll go to his head"
They made their way into the cafe, the same one both had been to previously. It still made Shino feel out of place, wearing little more than a skirt and blouse with a blazer over top. Kazuto, however, strolled in without a care in the world. Looking more than a little out of place in his casual street-wear. The hostess saw them approaching, and quickly escorted them to Kikuoka before he could make (another) scene.
They exchanged greetings, Shino bowing in respect and Kazuto shrugging into his chair without so much as a 'hello'. Shino did wonder why Kazuto treated Kikuoka with such hostile familiarity. After getting seated, Kikuoka broke the silence first.
"It's good to see you again. Kirito, Miss Asada." Kazuto frowned at the familier use of his handle, Shino however thought it a show of respect. After all, he was the Black Swordsman "It's been a few weeks since I saw you last. Go ahead and order, on my tab per usual"
They both made to order, Shino getting the same cake as last time and Kazuto getting a bunch of random items he could barely pronounce. Small talk was the only thing that filled the air while they waited. Topics of 'How are you?' and 'Weather sure is nice' being the main outlets. Finally the assorted desserts arrived and Kazuto broke the silence.
"Alright what did you call us here for Kikuoka. I doubt it's to enjoy the cake" He hesitated for a moment "Ok I don't doubt that but it better be for a reason!"
"It is! It is! I wouldn't call you all the way out here if I didn't have a good reason" Kikuoka took a moment to compose himself and gather his thoughts. All the while Kazuto grew steadily more impatient. Finally Kikuoka was able to speak.
"We found Atsushi Kanamoto." Shino's eyes widened, and even Kazuto's impatient demeanor was gone. Replaced with a cold professional side she only saw rarely.
"You found the third Death Gun? Johnny Black?" Kazuto's voice was cold and hard, a far cry from his usual lighthearted teasing.
"Cameras picked him up a little northwest of Tokyo, in the city of Kawagoe." Kazuto audibly gasped, fear worming its way onto his face for the first time Shino had seen since BoB. He made to get up but Kikuoka stopped him.
"Suguha and Midori Kirigaya have been informed, and are currently being escorted to a nearby safe house. They are safe Kazuto." It was the use of his real name that pulled him back to reality. Seeing as Kazuto was still calming down, Shino decided to speak first.
"Do you think he was there for Kazuto? I mean, how did he know where to find him?"
"We don't know. However, police have been notified and a strike team is being assembled to capture him." He shifted his attention to Kazuto before speaking again. "Kirito, is there anything we need to know before moving in? Fighting styles, tactics, anything that might matter?" The question startled Kazuto, a few seconds of hesitation before he responded.
"I-I don't know much. During the siege he had to be subdued, so he may fight. In SAO he used a poison dagger, and he had over a year in prison to practice. So he's most-likely very skilled at knifeplay. And if he played Gun Gale he might be experienced with guns." Kikuoka nodded, actually pulling out a notepad and writing down what Kazuto said. Shino put her hand over his arm in a silent show of support. Kazuto nodded thanks to her, then looked back to Kikuoka.
"Thank you Kirito. Now I do have to ask for you and Miss Asada to also go to a safe house until the strike is over. We aren't worried about him getting to you but just in case, I'd rather be safe than sorry." He handed both of them cards with the same address written on it. Kazuto was surprisingly the first to speak.
"Thank you Mr. Kikuoka." Both Shino and Kikuoka were surprised to hear the respectful address come from Kazuto. "If that's all...?" Kikuoka recovered fast and nodded
"That's all. I'll keep you both in the loop about this." Both parties stood and bowed before making their way out of the building, Kikuoka going right while Shino and Kazuo went left. They walked to the parking garage in relative silence, both still trying to come to terms with what they have been told. When they got to the garage, Shino spoke up.
"Hey, are you gonna be ok? I mean this is pretty shocking." Kazuto took a second to reply
"Yeah. I'll be fine. I may not trust Kikuoka very much but I know he will do everything he can to keep my family safe. Speaking of safe I'm guessing you're gonna go back to your place to pack?" He waited for her nod before continuing. "Ok then I guess I'll see you at the safe house...?" There was a slight air of question there, and she knew what he was asking. It still felt embarrassing to ask.
"Well now that you mention it... I could use a ride. Only if your ok with it of course!" The last part of the statement was rushed, her embarrassment leaking through. Kazuto didn't pay it any mind, and just handed her a spare helmet. She was a little surprised he just happened to have one, but another moment of pure mortification distracted her from that.
I still don't know how to strap on the helmet. Last time she rode with him, he had to help her in front of her entire school. She was not having another moment like that.
"Hm? Is something wrong Sinon? Do you need help with that?" In a style somewhat similar to her ingame demeanor, she responded in an embarrassed anger.
"No I don't need help with it! I'm not a child." Kazuto shrugged and started the bike. Shino put the helmet on as good as she could before climbing on behind him. She could tell it was still loose, so she put one hand on top of it and one around Kazuto's midriff. The following ride was filled with silence and regret for not asking help.
After stopping at Shino's apartment to pick up some things, the two made their way to a small office building whose address had been on Kikuokas card. Two men in suits escorted them down to the basement level of the building, and into a small living area. One of the two men spoke up when they got there.
"Kikuoka has asked you to stay in this room for the duration of the operation. Since it is happening well into the night, you are welcome to spend the evening here and leave in the morning." He bowed to both of them and left the room with his companion. Kazuto sighed. He really did appreciate what Kikuoka was doing, but staying in this room for the next 18 hours was not looking appealing.
Not that the room itself was bad. It was small, with a mini-kitchen and living room taking up the vast majority. To the side was a set of twin beds, and a door that presumably led to a bathroom. Overall it was actually somewhat pleasant. However the experience that brought him ruined that somewhat. Brought us... He thought as he heard a matching sigh beside him. Shino dropped her small pack on the ground, and turned to him.
"This sucks" After the panic of the day, her simplistic comment made Kazuto grin.
"Hey at least it's bigger than your tiny apartment." The 0.2 seconds of pout he got from her was worth the aggravated look that came right after, as well as the swat at his head. He chuckled as he dodged, falling onto the larger of the two couches.
"What do you mean by that!? My apartment is fine!" Kazuto finally raised his hands in surrender, and Shino reluctantly plopped down on the smaller of the two couches. They sat in a relatively uncomfortable silence, each grappling with what they had learned from Kikuoka. Kazuto was also fearful for his 'mother' and 'sister'. He knew Kikuoka would never let anything happen to them however. For all his shadiness, he wasn't a bad person by any means. His thought process was interrupted as Shino stood up suddenly, Startling Kazuto.
"I'm not just gonna sit here and mope damn it!" She moved over to the kitchen and started looking through the cabinets.
"What are you..doing...?" Kazuto's face was of pure confusion.
"Cooking. It's better than sitting around and I'm hungry." She gathered some ingredients together. "You ok with Oyakodon?" It took him a minute to reply, still hung on the fact she just randomly decided to cook.
"Y-yeah, I mean I've never had it but sure?" She nodded and started mixing what looked like soy sauce and some other random ingredients into a bowl. Kazuto felt a little bad for just sitting around while she was doing that.
"Hey you uh, need help with anything?" Now it was Shino who was surprised. Especially since Asuna and Suguha already warned her of his null and void cooking skills. but she supposed it wouldn't hurt to let him do something simple.
"Sure. If you could start cutting the chicken, that would speed up the process a lot" And so Kazuto grabbed a knife from the block and started cutting. They worked in a comfortable silence, only broken when he did something wrong and she had to correct him. Eventually they were almost done, with Kazuto just slicing onions and Shino beating some eggs. He was amazed at how fluid she was in the kitchen, reminding him a lot of Asuna
It makes sense though. If she lives alone she has to cook for herself. He didn't realize how distracted he became until the knife sliced his finger.
"AH! Shit!" He dropped the knife and grabbed his hand in pain. He'd had worse of course, but that didn't mean it wasn't hurting like a bitch. Shino immediately was on him, grabbing the hand.
"You ok? Let me see" He opened his hand slowly, showing a large gash on his thumb to his palm. It wasn't bad enough for stitches, but it sure was bleeding. Shino made to call the men outside but Kazuto stopped her.
"It's fine, no need to bother those guys" She could tell he wasn't gonna let her get them, so she went into the bathroom looking for a first aid kit instead. Shino found one and pulled the gauze out, making her way back to Kazuto. He held his other hand out, as if he was gonna bandage it himself. She glared at him, the look not quite threatening on Shino instead of Sinon.
"Hand." He, predictably, made a show of being fine before finally giving in and holding out the bloody hand. Shino held it gently, and began to wrap it in a bandage. Kazuto hissed in pain when she wrapped it around, making her hesitate.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you." He held his good hand up to stop her.
"It's fine. Keep going." So she did, though much gentler this time. Shino was shocked at how soft his hands were. She had expected him to be calloused. Though that might be from thinking of him as Kirito the Black Swordsman and not Kazuto Kiriguya. When she finished wrapping his hands, Shino was surprised to find herself still holding on.
Their eyes met, and Shino found herself entranced by his gaze. Something in her said to close the distance between them, and she listened. They both took a step forwards, chest to chest with one another, the few inches between their bodies feeling like 's eyes dropped down to his lips. They looked so tempting, and a strange feeling began to swim its way through her. Shino tilted her head to the side, and began to lean towards Kazuto. He matched her movements, the space between them closing before finally-
Dong! Dong! Dong!
A Grandfather clock in the corner started announcing the time, scaring both of them and bringing them back down to Earth. Shino looked down and realized Kazuto had his arm around her in a stance similar to the BoB prelims. Her entire face turned red as she jumped back in surprise, landing about three meters away.
"W-we better finish cooking. I can handle it from here. You just... sit?" Kazuto was looking just as embarrassed as her, a rare flash of red on his cheeks.
"Yeah. Uh I'll turn on the T.V. or something..." Both went to do their own activities, both wondering What the hell just happened.
The mood was no less awkward after they ate. And it was even worse when they went to bed. Both ended up dozing off eventually, but Shino was awoken late at night. She could hear Kazuto, who was having another nightmare.
"Sachi..no please. Asuna No! Please don't go. Please..." Shino could barely make out the mumbles and groans from him, but she could put it together. She knew from experience not to wake someone with night terrors. But she desperately wanted to help him.
She got up from her bed and kneeled beside his. Shino then put her hand over his. He visibly calmed from this, his breathing moving to a more normal pace. As soon as she moved her hand however, he started hyperventilating. Shino knew he wasn't gonna calm down if she didn't stay. But her knees were already getting sore. So she shifted her body onto his bed, and wrapped her arm around him. He calmed down again, and she knew she was gonna have to stay there all night. Not that Shino minded that much...
Please don't take this the wrong way when you wake up.
Sleep came easy after that.
The sleep was not to last as the door slammed open, waking Kazuto and Shino with a start. Kazuto sat straight up immediately knocking Shino to the floor. Both were even more surprised to see a very disheveled Kikuoka barge in, holding a bandage to his bloody arm.
"Kirito, Asada. The strike team's dead. Kanamoto escaped..."