Later that night, Asuna,

Asuna understands this game well enough, in terms of the connection between the player and the world. Everything is just a series of impulses from the NerveGear to the brain. It simulates the five senses to near perfection. Every "sense" in this world is a fake, a copy of a real-world expression of an object. For example, Black Bread tastes like shitty bread not because the bread is shitty, but if you know what excellent bread tastes like, you might have an idea how shitty bread tastes. But the addition of that cream enhanced the flavor, but what Asuna tasted was not the enhancing effect that cream has as an attribute, but what bread and cream should taste like as a combination being ignited by her taste receptors.

Therefore, there's little wonder as to why Asuna feels heavenly in her bath with Koharu. The temperature of the water on her naked body--no, just the water in general--is not perfect as Kirito warned, but it is enough to make her experience euphoria. Good thing the bath is big enough for two, else Asuna might have to fight for the right to claim it.

Ever since she left the Town of Beginnings for the first time two weeks ago, when she almost died trying to leave SAO in ignorance, Asuna was certain that all ten thousand players would die in this game. Two weeks, one sword skill, and a strategy meeting with forty-three other players later, she still holds the belief no one will survive, but she's now somewhat willing to make the best of it before she dies.

"Miss Asuna?"

Asuna raises her head from the cool edge of the tub to face her nearly sunken companion. Koharu's head bobs on the water's surface, her eyes glancing in Asuna's direction but not necessarily at Asuna. "You're...very beautiful."

Asuna has been told she's beautiful. Girls have made their side comments, guys have asked her out, so the idea isn't foreign to Asuna. Asuna takes some pride in her naked appearance, so Koharu's comment is somewhat boosting her ego. She looks down from Koharu's short, black hair to her breasts. Maybe the water refracting her sight misjudges her opinion, but Asuna believes them to be just a tad bit smaller than hers. But where Koharu's body is best is her curvature. Asuna did see it when Koharu took off her three layers of clothes (armor, clothes, underwear) and stood to wash her body earlier, and...damn. Asuna's slim herself, but Koharu's figure made her slightly jealous. To think she's with that other boy all the time…

Return the compliment, Asuna. "You're beautiful yourself, Koharu."

"...Honestly, I'm happy to see another girl at the meeting. I've met others in the last month, but never thought I'd see one willing to join the raid."

"I cannot say I thought differently. I'm not a gamer myself, but I'm sure the disparity between guys and girls was on full display earlier."

Koharu smiles. "This is your first game too? Looks like we chose the wrong one." Asuna tries not to laugh, but the irony of her situation being shared with another causes it to slip out. Who would've guessed that she, a third-year junior high school student, would be sitting in a virtual bath with a girl her age In their first game ever that is adamant about killing them? "I wish I didn't study so hard for the mock entrance exams."

"I wish I could have taken them."

"About this time right now, my gymnastics team would be going to the winter competition. I was ready for that." Koharu suddenly perks down and blushes. "Oh, sorry. Jaymes says we're not supposed to talk about the real world here, but I got so excited and kept talking."

Is that a rule or some unspoken thing between gamers? Asuna doesn't know, but what she does know is that, for the first time in her life, another girl her age isn't talking to her like she's a threat to their social life. Koharu asked her to join her party, sent the invite personally, stood up for Koharu, and ever since then, has made Asuna somewhat more comfortable around Kirito. Rules, decorum, whatever be damned, she has a friend! "Truth be told, who cares. It's not a rule, right?" Asuna holds her hand out to Koharu and smiles. "I don't know how this works...but let's be friends, Koharu. Just call me Asuna."

Koharu smiles and takes Asuna's hand. "Friends we are."

"So… How did you end up with that mean guy?"

Kirito

Having the two girls in the bathroom bathing is one thing Kirito hadn't expected when he logged in a month ago, but lots of things were unexpected that day. But this is not a monster or Argo's bidding war, this is a natural fight of hormones and mind. If he was in the real world, and a female classmate was taking a bath in his house without his mother and sister home, he'd grab his bike and start riding. He can't really do that here, and the boy in the real world is left behind. Kirito would never sneak a peek into that bathroom because he's matured in the last month and reading the boss guide is more important.

Plus, if Asuna scared him back in the forest when she pulled her blade on him, he doesn't want to experience that again too soon and learn if Koharu has the same tenacity.

It has been a month since Kirito last crossed paths with Jaymes and Koharu, a pair of fellow beta testers he met back on the last day, saving them from a mob in a dungeon. He learned that Jaymes was saving Koharu, but it got out of control for him. They reunited on the first day just before Kayaba's message when Kirito and a guy named Klein helped Koharu with understanding combat.

A while back, he heard rumors of a boy-girl pair doing well for themselves, and willingly paid Argo to know about them. She kept the identities a secret but told him they're mostly the reason her guide is getting filled out and verified. When Jaymes commented they got Argo's guides for free because of their work during the meeting, it surprised him they were the ones responsible, and he was already shocked to see them around.

A part of him may have underestimated the pair...or heavily underestimated the effect of having someone with you in this world. He did, after all, choose the solo life until now.

Knock, knock-knock-knock.

Kirito looks up to the oak door nearby. Based on the knocking rhythm, it's Argo, not Jaymes. She does have the directions to the farm, and if she's visiting, it's important. He first makes sure the bathroom door is closed. Doors in SAO are soundproof except for exceptionally loud shouts, knocks (as previously heard), and battle SFX. Even standing at the door, Kirito can't hear Koharu and Asuna, and they'll be unable to hear him and Argo. With that in mind, hopefully Argo leaves before they come out.

He opens the door, confirming Argo is indeed outside of it along with Jaymes. How should Kirito play this? No, he doesn't know if Argo knows why Jaymes is here or if he headed this way by coincidence, so to play it safe, he greets only Argo. "Strange for you to come visit my room directly."

"I guess," Argo shrugs. "The client says I have to get an answer out of you before the end of the day." She enters and settles on the couch to the exact spot where Kirito was previously sitting. Once Jaymes is inside, Kirito closes the door and heads to a tray in a corner, pouring two glasses of milk. He returns to the sofa and hands Argo her glass, careful to not glance at the bathroom door. Jaymes, for his part, silently stands in a corner, arms crossed. "Seems almost too considerate for you, Kii-boy. Slipped a little sleeping powder in there, didja?"

"You know that stuff doesn't work on players. Even if it did, we're inside town limits."

"And even if that wasn't so," Jaymes adds, "why waste it on you?"

Argo narrows her eyes at Jaymes, but the red boy ignores her as he sets his sword and shield on the ground. His sword is an Azure Sky Sword, his shield the Shining Buckler, both the strongest weapons in their class at base stats. Kirito has seen many shield users function as a tank, yet it seems Jaymes prefers the smaller shields. They don't protect as much area as the bulkier shields nor can absorb as much damage, but they allow for more versatile play. If he wants to be a tank, he can do it. If he wants to be a DPS, he just has to switch his mindset. Maybe the former role is reserved when fighting in tandem with Koharu, while the latter works solo.

Again, the strength of being with another weighs on Kirito's mind, drowned by his wish for Argo to get to the reason she's here. She does just that. "Welp, do you mind if I cut to the chase?" Kirito nods, so she continues.

"As you can probably guess from the fact I mentioned a client, this regards the potential buyer of your sword. If you accept today, the offer will be thirty-nine thousand, eight hundred Col."

Kirito's eyes almost roll out their sockets. "Th… I don't mean to disrespect you...but are you sure this isn't a scam of some kind? Forty thousand is more than this weapon is worth. The basic Anneal Blade costs about fifteen thousand Col, right?"

Jaymes nods. "Koharu's Anneal Dagger was the same price."

"With another twenty thousand, you can buy all the materials to augment it to plus six without any trouble. It might take a little time, but with just thirty-five thousand Col, you could get the same weapon as mine."

Argo agrees. "I said the exact same thing three times, just to be sure!"

Kirito sighs and thinks about counter-offering, even if the idea of him losing money to know the identity irks him. "Argo… I'll pay one thousand five hundred Col for the name of your client. Check with the other side to see if they'll add to that." Argo nodded and sent the client the message. A minute passes, a response comes. "It says they don't mind telling you." Baffled, Kirito goes ahead and pays up, placing six coins on the table. Argo collects her payment and looks to Jaymes. "If you're going to listen, you could--"

"Why would I care?"

Argo sighs and whispers the information into Kirito's ear. "Actually, Kii-boy, you already know his face and name. He caused quite a scene at the strategy meeting earlier."

"You mean… Kibaou?" Argo nods. Of all people… Kirito never met him before today, despite the offer being a week old. With all that money, Kibaou can afford his own Anneal Blade 6.

"I take it there'll be no deal on the sword again?"

"Nope."

"Welp, I better be off, then. Make good use of that guide you two, hear?"

"Yeah."

"Mhm."

Argo gets up and heads for the door, but she pauses just as her hands reach for the handle and turns around. "Hey, is A-chan the fencer here? I got a tip from the girl-starved gamer nerds back at the square that the two of you walked off hand in hand. I thought you might have already snuck her in here."

Kirito holds his breath, his heart beating faster. "Wh-What makes you say that? As if that strong-willed fencer would ever come visit my room on the day she met me just to take a bath."

"Bath?"

Kirito mentally (figuratively, since that can be taken literally in this world) punches himself. He was good! Why did he have to become more suspicious...and why is Jaymes just standing there silently? "Uh, I mean, yes we left together with Koharu but I guess she's back at the inn by now, maybe? Jaymes?"

"As I told you, Argo, I have no idea where Asuna is. All I know is that she and Koharu made a connection before I attended to private affairs. Kirito asked me to meet him here to discuss some things about our role in the raid."

Argo holds her hands up in defeat. "Fine. Jaymes wouldn't lie about his beloved Koharu, would he? Then again, it is weird to see you without her. What if she gets scooped up by a more handsome guy? That Diavel guy was quite flirty with her at the meeting. Or maybe a girl like A-chan is enough to steal her away."

"..."

Argo admits defeat for the second time. "You're no fun. Kii-boy, before I go, I'm gonna borrow your other room. Gotta change into my night equipment."

Kirito nods. "Yeah." As Argo walks away, Kirito sighs and ponders on why Kibaou wants his sword. The man already suspected the raid possessing beta players, which is why he made that scene. Could it be possible that he suspects Kirito as one? Does Kibaou even know who--

"Argo!" Jaymes' sudden outburst draws a little of Kirito's attention. He looks to Argo, who has her hands on the handle of the door marked "Bathroom" instead of where he thought she was going, the bedroom further along, and enters inside. Not even Jaymes is fast enough to react and stop her.

Three seconds later. "Whoa!"

"...Eeeeeeyyyyaaaaaaaaaaa!" Kirito doesn't remember much after that, except for two barely-clothed girls coming out, the one with chestnut hair striking him with her rapier.

Jaymes, the next morning

"She's good," Jaymes remarks as he, Koharu, Argo, and Kirito watch Asuna defeat the walking plant monster Little Nepenthes all on her own. After the other night's trouble (which left Kirito blacked-out), Jaymes had to explain it was Argo's fault the girls were exposed. He also had to resist ogling the girls too long, but the sight of Koharu and Asuna in just their underwear is forever scarred in his hippocampus.

Earlier today, Diavel held a meeting to confirm the guidebook's details with the party that found the boss room. Argo's previous statement about Diavel, while being her attempt to rattle Jaymes' mind, and the following moment with the girls did irk him a bit. Made it hard to pay attention, but the boy managed to complete his duties as leader of Group E. They'll back up Kibaou's group in keeping Illfang the Kobold Lord's guardians occupied. In other words, they're backup to the backup.

Which brings them to the afternoon. As promised, Kirito is showing Asuna the ropes of party combat, a skill Koharu and Jaymes have worked on the last month. It was rough at first as Koharu was plagued by the reality of their situation, but as time passed and they completed more quests, she got the hang of combat. For her sake, he took things slow, or so he tells himself. In his own reality, he didn't want either one of them to die, and that stands to be even now. If Kirito or Asuna dies, tough luck, but Koharu will not know that fear before he sacrifices himself for her.

Or so he tells himself.

"N-Nice work," Kirito congratulates Asuna. "So that's the general flow of switch-out team fighting. Except for how you did everything yourself without switching."

"Did you say something?"

Kirito shakes his head and points to the other boy. "Me? No. That was Jaymes." Jaymes sighs and covers his face. Switch is a simple concept that requires timing and communication. Essentially it is a tag-in maneuver that allows one person to switch with another offensively. A concept so simple that Koharu, also new to gaming, understood it once she got the hang of combat. Asuna understands it, he can see it. It's who she's switching with that makes her so stubborn to practice. In the raid, they planned to split the group in two, meaning Asuna and Kirito will have to work together, as put together that partnership is. Any other combinations will compromise their job.

"Whatever. Check your loot."

Asuna looks at the loot prompt, taking interest in one part of it. "A sword?" She clicks on the icon and takes it in hand.

"Yep," Kirito answers. "That's a Wind Fleuret. It's a great sword for a fencer, being so weighted towards agility and precision. It's much, much better than the Iron Rapiers you buy from the shops."

Asuna holds the thin blade upwards and slides her off-hand down it. "It's beautiful…"

"Now you just need to upgrade it in town," Koharu states in place of the boys, who she glares at while they stifle their laughs.

Argo agrees as she walks up to Asuna. "After all that time in the labyrinth, you must have enough materials to get it to 4. I can show you a good blacksmith."

"Ah. Thank you… Um, how much will I owe you--"

"No charge. I'm the one who owes you. I'm sure you'd have preferred to stay out of sight back at the meetings. Thanks… So, if we're going back to town, you could maybe use the Col from the other loot to fill out your equipment. What do you say, Sensei Kii-boy?"

"Hmm. A speed-first fencer doesn't want big armor slowing her down. Koharu, you might be able to help more than I can."

Koharu nods. "Okay, we'll see what we can do. I'm in!"

Argo grins. "Hear that? Lucky you, A-chan! You'll have extra money!"

Koharu, back in Tolbana

Asuna waves her Wind Fleuret 4 in the air, giving it a test. "It's much lighter now. It doesn't wobble anymore."

"Wow, she's got a good eye for weaponry."

"Yeah, we should compliment her more."

"And let her get a bigger ego--Ow!"

"Stop being so mean, Jaymes. She's a nice girl."

Asuna continues to inspect her blade when she speaks up again. "Can this go up to 5?"

"Yeah," Kirito answers. "The materials to get it to 5 are on the--"

"You can't get what you need for it on the first floor," Argo interrupts. Koharu silently agrees. Her Anneal Dagger is 5, Jaymes' Azure Sky Blade and Kirito's Anneal Blade are both 6, and Jaymes' Shining Buckler's 4 as well. Argo gave them the same message last week, that they hit the max for the floor on enhancements.

"Oh… Too bad. So this is the best I can do for now." Asuna sheathes the Wind Fleuret and turns to Koharu. "Can we go shopping now?"

Koharu smiles as she steps up to Asuna. "Sure. Jaymes, when and where should we meet up?"

"I'll let you know later. Asuna, ten tomorrow morning at the amphitheater."

Asuna nods. "Got it. I won't keep Koharu long."

Jaymes shrugs as he turns on his heel, dragging Kirito along. "Keep her as long as you like. Have some girl time. I bet she hates being with me all the time." He looks back to Koharu, a sly smirk presenting on his face. "Enjoy yourself, Ko."

K-K-Ko? Did he just shorten her name? When did he… Koharu shakes her head and smiles back. "S-See you later, Jaymes. You too, Kirito and Argo." Koharu grabs Asuna's arm and starts walking down the stone street. No one in her life has called her "Ko" as a nickname. Not her mother, father, or little brother. Not her friends at school. But this boy, who she's known for a month, just did. It's embarrassing.

"Koharu? You can let go now." Koharu stops walking and looks at her hand still bound to Asuna's wrist. Gasping, she lets go and looks around.

"S-Sorry, Asuna. Ahem… Well, where do you want to go?"

"Umm… Asuna glances around until a place catches her attention. Koharu follows Asuna to a window showcasing a pair of white boots. Asuna's face beams as she stares at them, bringing a smile to Koharu's face. Asuna seems to be slightly stubborn around the boys, but in a day with Koharu, she believes she's seeing the real-world Asuna. After all, it was in their pact to forget the decorum of gamers in the virtual while they were alone.

"You should get the boots, Asuna."

"R-Really?"

"Yes! They'll look cute on you." Asuna goes quiet under her hood for a moment before taking a step inside the shop. Koharu enters behind her, letting Asuna interact with the NPC clerk while she snoops around. This is a woman's store from the front to the back. Shoes, dresses, jewelry… Koharu stops at the jewelry section. Jaymes told her jewelry has no practical usage on stats, but SAO allows for customization of one's avatar. Jewelry is one of those options, along with hair dyes and clothing sets. In other words, she can buy something like a cute necklace, earrings, or wear makeup without worrying about her stats. Some of the dresses here could be worn as normal clothing instead of armor. She'll consider that for another day, and she would have thought the same on the jewelry until she set her eyes on a small, flowery brooch. Gasping, she places her finger on it.

In the beta, Koharu bought this exact brooch, her first virtual purchase. It was in a shop in the Town of Beginnings, the only one in stock, and she nabbed it. She bought it because it reminded her of spring, which the Japanese character "haru" represents. In the real world, her mother bought her a similar brooch right before her first middle school gymnastics meet two years ago, to keep her daughter from feeling too anxious. Since then, she's worn it to all her meets, to her tests, and whenever she felt anxious. Right now, possibly in the real world, she's most likely wearing the real brooch as she had when she logged on. She forgot all about it on that day in place of her anticipation to meet Jaymes, and when she finally remembered, the item was gone. To see it here in Tolbana, here while shopping with Asuna on the eve of the first raid, it can't be a simple coincidence.

Thinking of Asuna… She must be lonely. Being in a game that can literally kill you, with no foreseeable day to return to their world, it must have been hard for her to see everything she looked forward to passing by. Kirito is the same way. What happens after the raid? Do the four of them go their separate ways? Well, Koharu has Jaymes and they swore to stick together, but what of Asuna and Kirito? Is it possible...to stay together after?

"Buy it." Koharu looks up to Asuna, who takes the flower brooch and places it in Koharu's hand. "I think it suits you."

"Asuna…" Koharu closes her hand and nods her head. If anything, this may give her some courage for tomorrow's raid. "Okay. Did you get the boots?"

"Yes. Next, I want to check out the shop across the street." Koharu turns to the window, seeing the sign for "Elizabeth's Lingerie" on the storefront. Koharu's cheeks redden, but she says nothing of it as her face falls.

"Asuna?"

"Hmm?"

"If we… If we survive tomorrow, can I ask you a question?"

Asuna smiles and pats Koharu on the shoulder. "Sure. Now hurry up, or else we'll lose more girl time!"

Koharu nods and brightens her face. "Okay!"