December 25th, 2022. Aincrad Standard Time: 1504. Current Highest Floor: 5

To my knowledge, it wasn't actually possible to be knocked out from a punch in this game. However, I was too tired to move, so I dozed off at that moment. Worked out in my favour, I guess.

As I yawned and stretched my arms over my head, I awoke to find Kenji sitting on the bed in front of me.

"You railed her, didn't you?" He raised an eyebrow.
"No, Ken." I let out a frustrated sigh, facepalming.
"Oh my god, she railed you!"
"No! For god's sake, I have respect for myself and Ikuno man. Nothing happened, but Kaede didn't give me a chance to explain myself."
"Oh," He exhaled, as if disappointed, "and here I thought you finally lost your virginity."
"Die."

Kenji grinned. "There's the Hide I know and love. Always a nobleman."

I bolted my room, but not before dunking Kenji's head into my bed as I passed him. When I walked downstairs and turned right to the lounge room, it was just Kaede sitting on the couch. "Sit." She motioned her head to the space next to her.

?

Okay, I'll bite. I walked over to her and sat down, not batting an eye in her direction.

"I apologise for my actions. It seems that you did not do anything appropriate, and I respect that."
"Thank you for acknowledging what actually happened, and apologising for reacting that way. I accept your apology."
"Anyway, what's the plan for today?" she asked, still in her usual monotone.
"Uh... it's the afternoon, so I have nothing. Where're the others?"
"They went off to finish some quest."
"Oh, OK."

I started tapping my feet as I didn't know how to talk to Kaede. Not going to lie, her mere presence was enough to scare the living crap out of me. 3 minutes passed. I opened my mouth, but I ended up saying nothing.

I tried to dig deep to find what I could talk about, but then I remembered Argo.

Yuna was a player who randomly shot up in popularity when a small crowd heard her singing. Since then, it's a common thing for those same people to scout her next appearances. From what I heard, she didn't even mean for anyone to hear her singing. But I guess because of the popularity and times looking so bleak, she caved in. I don't know, I just heard rumours. Don't press me.

OH MY GOD, ITS CHRISTMAS. Wait. Kaede is here. It's Christmas. A singer could be in town. This could actually be a good way for us to hang out. Keyword COULD, as I still do not know if she'd want to hang out with me, or if what Argo told me was accurate information.

I cleared my throat.

"What?"
"Uh, would you like to come to this mini-event with me tonight? There's this player called Yuna an-"
"Oh my god, did you just say Yuna?!" she squealed.

Kaede is a fangirl?!

"Uh, yes..."
"I've never heard her myself, but I've heard she's amazing. I'd happily go! But who else is coming?"
"Uh.."
"Wait."
"Uh.."
"You're asking me out on a date, aren't you?"
"No. Do you want it to be a date?"

Did I really just say that?
Really?
Me.
A lonely virgin who struck gold when he heard SAO was a game you couldn't leave. Something that he'd always dream of.

I don't know what came of me, but I think I had finally grown balls when I popped the sly question.

"I'll only go if it's not a date," she stated.
"Okay. Then it won't be."
"Then I'll wait for you here tonight for our not date hangout."

I thought it was odd for her to have to state that it was a "not date hangout", but I thought little of it. I nodded and stood up, walking back up the staircase. When I opened my door and closed it again without moving to pretend to enter, I heard a giggle from Kaede.

WHAT. THE. F-

Nerves prevented me from taking a nap. As I sat in front of my window, I watched the town flood with snow. Players, even those who looked like heroes from an anime in another universe, played in the snow with their friends. Despite death looming, it was heartwarming to see the other SAO players still had hope and still had fun. Couples were strolling around, which made me envious. Who knows, maybe Argo was right. Maybe magically, Kaede would fall under a love potion.

The day ended with nighttime, as my head drifted off to sleep. I spiralled through several thoughts before coming to one. 'Yuna'.

Why would I be thinking of Yuna? Also, who the hell is Yuna, anyway?

I snapped back to reality. I cannot believe I almost fell asleep.

Tonight was your not a date hangout.

I stood up from my chair and opened my menu, changing my Coat of Midnight out for a winter coat that was just black. As you couldn't already tell, black seemed to be my favourite choice for clothing. I equipped winter boots as well, along with de-equipping my sword.

I bolted out of my room, leaving my door open as I rode my way down the staircase's railings, making sure not to make an absolute fool of myself and landing with both feet. In a white winter coat, Kaede was already at the door waiting. She rolled her eyes and opened the door, and as I followed her out, I noticed a crowd of about fifty standing in front of a white-haired player standing on top of what I presume to be a bench I couldn't see, as she was towering over everyone else.

"That's Yuna." She pointed at the aforementioned player as we approached the crowd.

We ended up in the middle of the crowd somehow, and then it started. As soon as she opened her mouth to sing, I lost all sense of reality. The angelic tone of her voice made me think she came from heaven itself.

I glanced over to a man heading our way near the middle of the song. I tried to look away from him to avoid being a creep myself, but I noticed he had gotten close to Kaede, who would jump up when he passed us.

I gritted my teeth and turned around, opening my menu and down for a fight to the death. However, Kaede gripped my shoulder and turned me back towards Yuna. "It's fine. Let it go." She kept her eyes pinned to the floor, noticing that her voice had quivered midway. I didn't like it, but I closed my menu, obliging to her request.

Now, I do not know what kind of Hideyoshi showed up that night. No clue if I just fell into the deep hole of the need to protect Kaede, because of what the guy had just gotten away with, but Yuna's song, the lovey-dovey atmosphere, and Kaede's manner only made me fall deeper into that hole. I just wrapped my arm around Kaede, pulling her closer as I grabbed her right hand with my left, sliding my fingers in between hers, as well as moving my right hand to rest her head under my own.

She had a red flush on her face, but she didn't seem to combat it at all. She looked up at me, and we both smiled at each other. As we listened to the rest of the song, it made this night one I would never forget.

"Smile... for... you..."