Disclaimer: I do now own Sword Art Online. Sword Art Online is owned by Reki Kawahara and ASCII Media Works.
This chapter is a filler episode. A breath of fresh air once in a while is needed. I hope you enjoy it.
''How can I think about vacation while I am stuck in here, you ask? Isn't that quite obvious? Me being trapped in here does not defy me. I am not a trapped person. I am a person that is trapped in Aincrad. There is a difference.''
''How, you ask? The first definition means Aincrad is a part of you. It is how you identify. Being trapped becomes something of you. The second is just a condition. It can be easily replaced or changed. To enjoy a vacation in Aincrad means you have to accept that you are trapped in here, but it does not defy you.''
''That is very kind of you, but I am not that wise. I am just experienced enough to know myself. It requires someone to reflect upon themselves repeatedly and determine where their strength and weaknesses lie. Eventually, you get to know yourself. Ps: If someone needs some help with this, I am always willing to give some advice. I am not doing it for free though.''
''Yeah, that probably comes back to bite me in the ass. It wouldn't be the first time my good intentions have a nasty side-effect, but that is a story for another time. Well, I guess that answers that question though. Do you have anything else to ask me?''
''How I am planning to spend my vacation? I am not certain actually. Perhaps I craft some new games and enjoy them with my friends. Maybe go to the beach floor and just enjoy the scenery. The possibilities here are endless. You just got to find them.''
Harry-one looked up from the newspaper, stared at the corner of the living room, and smirked. ''The possibilities are endless, and yet here we are, just lazing around and doing nothing.''
Mitchos grinned as he responded, ''Give me a break. It is my vacation. Now, it is just Mitchos' time. What's so bad about doing nothing?''
''It is driving me crazy! How am I supposed to change my mindset after fighting my way all this time?'' Harry-one complained restlessly.
Dale looked up from his storage window. ''You were always a super-giddy player. Remember that time we were playing Rainbow six?''
Kunimitizz grinned as he had a juicy mango in his hand, his feet rested on the table in the middle. ''How can we forget? He just Leroy Jenkinsed straight into a door mine.''
''I know I was still watching my camera when that happened. He just flew past the screen!'' Dale laughed.
''Ah yes. Those were good memories. Do you guys remember that Korean team we played against?'' Dynamm asked curiously as he took one of the fruits from the table bowl and took a bite.
''Like we can ever forget those tryhards. They really hated us after that match,'' Issin commented as he lay on a few pillows on the ground.
''What did you guys do?'' Alice Rue asked as she returned from the kitchen storage and put some more fruit in the basket.
''We eliminated them each round with nothing but memes. Also, Mitchos was on a teabag streak,'' Klein answered.
Alice Rue could deduce that it wasn't the entire truth, and only seconds later her doubts were answered. ''Don't play innocent with me, dipshit. You started it with that Fuze play,'' The Mohican officer commented.
''Right. I forget about that part,'' Klein responded, his expression not agreeing with that statement.
''Like hell, you didn't! We always followed your crazy shit in those games. Civilization? Time for nukes! Tf2? All the same loadout. Battlefield? You wanted to fly the tank with explosions. It is that GTA is always a mess, otherwise, you would have fucked up us there as well.'' Mitchos complained.
''Don't blame me for that. You guys decided to follow my shenanigans.'' Klein responded with a shrug.
As a mother figure who watched carefully over her older sons, Yuna interrupted the starting quarry. ''Enough already. You guys are going to start a fight if this keeps going.''
''Don't worry. Just let them fight. The worst they can do is punch it out and even that is quite the good route,'' Ojima commented as he came out of the basement with a wooden square board and wooden box. ''Before you punch the purple out of each other though, can you guys test this chess and checkers board? Argo asked me to make them, but I have hardly ever played these games.''
''Why don't you ask Tore? Didn't he say he used to be a regional chess champion?'' Dale suggested.
''Oh yeah, he mentioned something like that during the goblin campaign. Well, then I wait before he returns,'' Ojima responded before he continued with a second request. ''But can at least someone check this checker's set?''
''Depends. Do you know the rules?'' Mitchos asked with a curiously raised eyebrow.
Ojima shook his head. ''Nope. No clue how to play.''
''It is on,'' Mitchos replied as he stood up, sat at the opposite side of Ojima, and placed the black checkers on his part of the board. How the players did not know. The only thing they knew was that at the end of their game, two large towers of red and black checkers stood on top of the board.
To survive the torturous wilderness, gruesome monsters, and nightmarish bosses, one had to train their skills to the best of their capabilities. From the powerful combat skills to the supportive skills: they were all meant to keep the players alive in a world that wanted their demise.
Kirito had faced those obstacles more than once, and it was easy to say he was one of the strongest players currently residing in Aincrad. However, today, he was facing an obstacle even more dreadful than any other.
''Does this look good on me?'' Asuna asked as she made a little twirl, her eyes fixated on her reflection in the mirror.
''Yeah, I...'' Kirito tried to say only for another voice to interrupt him.
''It does look...decent. However, with your figure, everything looks decent. We have to find something that says, 'Yes, this is it!'' Ashley exclaimed loudly. ''Something astronomical.''
Just as Asuna was nodding happily to the tailor's words, Argo and Liz appeared both in a new set of clothes. Argo wore a pretty odd outfit. White shorts with a black and white form-fitting vest and black stockings with it all being held together by various green straps. Over her shoulders was a short cloak with white trim and an emerald clasp. ''What do you think, Kii-bou? Do I look spicy enough for ya?'' She asked cheekily.
''Isn't this a bit too girly? I feel this is way too sweet,'' Liz commented as she inspected the light-red dress with vertical lines. The red color changed to white around the bust area, and the white color perfectly pictured how developed the blacksmith's curves actually were. A little red bow with yellow stripes finished the model.
''Maybe, but I...'' Kirito tried to respond again, only to be interrupted again.
''You say as if that is a bad thing, Li-chan.'' Argo interrupted playfully before she leaned closer and whispered, ''If I am the spice, you can be the dessert.''
Liz blushed heavily at those words, matching her outfit quite well. *Bonk!* ''Stop making sexual comments! I swear, sometimes you are just the worst,'' Asuna growled as she had struck Argo on the head with a simple knife-hand strike.
''What was that...?'' Argo retorted annoyed, only to be momentarily shocked before showing her familiar grin. ''Well, well, well, Aa-chan. How daring.''
Asuna looked confused before she followed Argo's stare. Only then, she had discovered she had forgotten to put on her next wearings, meaning she stood in Ashley's store with nothing but her undergarments equipped. Her face turned tomato-red, and without even a moment of hesitation, she equipped the next set of clothes. Kirito had already averted his gaze as he was already expecting a freezing cold glare from Asuna, even if he hadn't done a thing. To his surprise, that glare never came.
Asuna was averting his wondering eyes as her face was still burning red from embarrassment. Liz was tomato red for a different reason and Argo was just grinning from ear to ear. The girls slowly regained their former color on their faces, but the show was far from over.
Due to the equipment change button, the number of clothes the girls went through in such a short time was insane. Kirito barely looked away for a second, and they wore already something completely, or slightly different. They wore only casual clothing though, and nothing that you could expect from your typical dress-up MMO. At some point, Kirito wondered where Ashley hid all her creations, for her inventory space could never be as big as the collection Asuna, Liz and Argo just went through. Another question that was roaming his young mind was if Ashley would create the extravagant clothing that he was familiar with in normal MMOs. More importantly, would they give exceptional boosts as well, or would they just be for the show?
Two hours after the start of the dress-up and Kirito's torture, it was finally the girls' turn to be the observers. Not that Kirito minded because he rather was a participant than an observer. Taking in so much information while sitting on the sidelines was mentally exhausting, thus having the virtual blood pumping even only a bit was a blessing for Kirito. At least, that was what he was hoping for, but Ashley did not give him the chance to breathe.
''You are kind of a hard model to dress up, Kirito-kun. You have the body for almost everything, but I can't see you without black. I need a fresh pair of eyes for this.'' Ashley said troubled as she opened her menu and send a quick message to someone. ''This might take a few minutes, but I have just the man for the job.''
''And who that might be?'' Asuna asked curiously.
''Paolo,'' Argo and Liz before answered simultaneously unimpressed as Ashley looked irritated. ''Tell us we are wrong,'' Argo said to the tailor as she gave her a challenging look.
''I have more associates than just one, Argo.'' The extravagant tailor answered proudly before she looked away embarrassed and added, ''But yeah, it is Paolo.''
Argo wore a smug expression on her face while Liz responded, ''Well, I guess he is the best person you can advise for this.''
''Isn't that the guy who colored your hair?'' Asuna asked as she remembered the name from an earlier conversation.
''And who helped us prepare for the party the other day?'' Kirito asked a bit worried. Especially since the extravagant self-proclaimed best stylist of Aincrad wanted to style Kirito's hair in more ways than he was comfortable with. This is going to be a long day...
Although the alliance had taken a rest from the frontline, some people needed a bit more time before they could adjust to the situation. It was not easy to lose the tensions of adventuring in a single day, after all.
From taking dozens of hits a day to almost taking none was too much of a change for Silica, and she couldn't get used to it. Thus, with a group who felt similar to her, she started venturing on the 26th floor for camp requirements.
''Pina, please wait. I know there are no monsters around us, but you can't just fly out on your own that far away,'' Silica spoke worried to her little dragon, Pina giving her no hearing as he just floated around like he owned the floor.
''I see your familiar is as joyful as ever. Perhaps this floor reminds him a bit of where he came from,'' Kizmel commented joyfully as they were returning to the soon- 20th elf camp.
''Do you think so?'' Silica asked before he looked around, taking in the scenery real good, and trying to compare it to the 14th floor. ''I can see the resemblance a bit,'' She looked a bit worried at her familiar as she loudly thought, ''You don't think Pina has any homesickness?''
''I highly doubt so,'' Tobe answered reassuringly. ''If she would have been homesick, she wouldn't want to stay at your side, nor be so happy now. She probably likes the climate on this floor.''
''Well, that makes one of us,'' Darius complained. ''It is raining a bit too much on this floor for me,'' He explained as the afternoon sun dried his wet clothing.
''In your case, that is a good thing. You were beginning to stink, so now you at least got your free shower,'' Tobe commented grinningly, receiving an elbow in the side as a response.
''That would explain the lack of monster encounters before the rain,'' Kizmel concluded, resulting in Cuchulain spitting his drink and the entire group laughing.
''You gotta need a healing crystal for that burn,'' Tobe mocked his friend with a wide grin.
''Don't bully him like that,'' Silica said to defend the blue-haired dagger user.
''It is okay, Silica. I will slap them with a fish or pan when we get home. Probably both.''
''I can see the newspaper title for tomorrow already: ''Man unlocks dual-wielding to slap teasing guild members with a fish and a pan.'' Wolfgang joked as he spread his arms to illustrate a giant invisible title.
''The legend of the dual-wielding Masterchef begins!'' Rince added jokingly.
''Dual-wielding Masterchef defeats floor boss with a golden fish and a golden pan!'' Niaf added with a laugh.
''How would I be a Masterchef? I can't even cook,'' Darius asked confused, only to receive a finger to his mouth.
Beowulf shushed him. ''Sssh. Nobody's gonna know. Nobody's gonna know.''
''They're gonna know.''
''How are they going to know?''
''Oh, I don't know. Maybe because I can't cook!''
''Those are only small details. If anything, we can pretend you are an honor student under Kirito and Asuna.'' Wolfgang commented.
''That's...Actually a legit solution...'' Darius responded surprised.
''Chirp!'' Pina chirped happily, not being aware of the conversation and just enjoying the weather. He just lived the AI life.
That didn't change despite the different situations it was in. From fighting with other monsters, or just following his master into the incomplete elf camp filled with other NPCs. Pina didn't care. He was just happy to be included. And he was just happy he didn't have to hunt for food anymore, as Asuna, Kirito, and her tamer were good enough to provide that.
It was thus no surprise that he was chirping extra loudly when they finally returned to their home and the scent of fresh grilled fish filled the room.
Gaco, 10:00 AM, 17-07-2023.
The 12th floor. When this floor was opened, a new mechanic was discovered that took the players by surprise. A damage-over-time mechanism due to the hot temperature of the floor resulted in the players either taking damage or dressing in a way fitting the floor. Thus, the first armored bikinis and swimsuits appeared in public.
With the frontline fifteen floors higher, the lack of armor was no longer a problem for the experienced players. The monsters too did not provide much of a reason to come there, as they didn't drop anything life-changing. However, the sunshine and beach settings still provided a perfect setting to visit the floor for other reasons.
''Aha. This is the life,'' Dale sighed in total peace, a glass with a specially-made drink in his hand while lying down on a sort of sunlounger.
''Tell me about it. No care in the world. Just us enjoying the sun, the beach, and the beautiful view,'' Klein commented beside him. Their sunloungers head sides were slightly raised to have a perfect view over the water. The reflection of the virtual sun on the surface of the water. The beautiful contrast between clear blue water and almost golden sand. Lastly, the sight of players enjoying those cold waters without any care in the world.
''Please don't go too deep into the water!'' Sasha warned at the side, her clerk-attire changed to a fully covered one-piece swimsuit. Despite the modest choice of clothing, you could see the caretaker had been blessed by fortunate genes. ''Are you sure this is safe?'' She asked the person standing next to her.
''Very. We have an eye on every part of the area. Do not worry about it, Sasha-san,'' Heathcliff responded as he kept his gaze on his in-game wife. Sasha still looked concerned. Only when two mobs spawned on the left side of the beach and the three elves parties that accompanied the players targeted the monsters, did she feel relieved. ''As I said, we are as safe as we can be.''
''Relax, Sasha-chan. You are surrounded by more than eighty frontline clearers, of which at least fifteen are well-versed in long-distance combat. Let's enjoy this day while we still can,'' Rechka commented grinningly. The brown-red swimsuit she was wearing suited her well.
''D..Do you really have to call me chan? I am one of the oldest here.'' Sasha responded with a blush.
''And I am probably the oldest. Now, enough chit-chat and let's get in!'' Rechka grinned as she pulled Sasha with her into the cold water. The kids laughed while their caretaker was dragged in by her friend. It did not take long for Sasha to eventually lose her tension and finally enjoy a bit of relaxation.
On the other part of the water, some players were having a splash battle. ''Pina, go!'' Silica shouted as Pina took a big breath of water in, and used Water Gun right in Liz's face.
''I knew it! Pina is a water type!''
''What kind of reasoning is that?!''
''The best kind!''
Alice let out a deep sigh to the bickering of her guild members as she stood on the bottom of the lake, her shoulders just above water level. Alongside her, Mai was floating on the water. ''Not sure how you keep yourself so calm with those blockheads there?'' She asked, slightly annoyed that she could not do it.
''Whatever I do or wherever I go, those idiots will be there anyway. If they are there anyway then there is no stressing about it.'' She explained, floating on the water like a fallen leaf.
''It helps she is as flat as a pancake!''
''Take that back, you oversized buffoon!'' Mai shouted almost instantly, losing her cool and her floating capabilities.
''And we're back to square one,'' Alice muttered with a small smile hidden by her annoyed expression as she saw Mai standing up to Helios.
On another side of the beach, Sakuya and Mortimer were lounging on the newly created loungers. ''This is absolute bliss. Not a care in the world. Just the warm and bright sun, the beautiful clear blue water, and not having to pay attention to any monsters.'' Mortimer sighed in total relaxation.
''That last one finishes the deal, doesn't it,'' Sakuya commented as she too enjoyed the sun. Despite the beautiful weather and the real moment of peace they had in quite some time, Sakuya's thoughts were continuing about something curious.
The green-haired officer knew she was no super-model, but she was confident enough to know every man would take a peek at her if she showed some of her blessed curves. Yet, despite wearing a bikini that perfectly showed those curves, Mortimer had not even looked at her once. If it was only now, she had not considered it so strange. However, this wasn't the first day she tried to get a reaction out of him.
On the 25th floor, it started as a simple tease. After seeing all the love-Dovey couples, Sakuya grew interested in the feeling, but nobody of her friends and associates picked her interest. Nobody except Mortimer, who never took a glance at her. She was determined to change that.
However, when she tried to get a reaction out of him by pressing a little too close to him in the tunnels of the 25th floor, he did not respond at all. When she tried it again later during the collection of the items needed for the bases, or during their time stuck in the 26th dungeon, he again showed no response to her flirting. Even now, while she was lying with nothing but a dark-green bikini on, he did not peek at all.
''Can I ask you something personal?'' She asked after a few minutes.
Mortimer looked up from his lounger, seeing her sitting resting on her elbows, her gaze quite serious for their situation. ''Depends on the question. What do you want to know?''
''What do you think of me?'' Sakuya asked almost immediately.
Mortimer smirked. ''That's all? And I thought you would ask me something worrying.''
''I am being serious here,'' Sakuya responded agitated.
''I am serious. You got nothing to worry about in my eyes. What do you want me to say? You got a keen eye; you are social; you are smart; you do not back away from danger, but you are still aware of it; you are strong; you are well-cared; you have quite the leader; you are respectful; you are well-dressed. How much more do you want to know?''
Mortimer summoned up those ten compliments as if they were nothing, but Sakuya was completely taken off guard. The critical hit was delivered, and it had hit hard. Sakuya's face was bright red as she couldn't think for a moment. ''Are you okay?'' Mortimer asked, slightly amused by the response of the almost always reserved Sakuya.
*Cough* ''Yeah, I am fine,'' Sakuya answered, trying to regain her cool. The truth was that Sakuya was quite confident in her appearance, but she had never really got a compliment train like this before. Usually, a boy would walk up to her and tell her maybe once or twice she looked beautiful. But nothing else except for that, although sometimes she was complimented for being kind in her rejections. But as Sakuya regained her composure, she realized that compliment was not given. She looked well-cared, and she was well-dressed, but not a single compliment was aimed at her own appearance. Not sexy, beautiful, or even pretty.
She showed a defeated smile as she commented, ''I believe that was the first time a man complimented me without a single compliment about my looks.''
''You don't seem satisfied with it,'' Mortimer responded observantly.
''I was kinda hoping you would at least say something about my looks. I have been kind of flirting with you for the past weeks but you wouldn't even respond to my advances,'' She answered a bit saddened.
Mortimer's response was an unexpected one. ''Oh, that is why you have been acting so weird the past weeks. Don't feel too bad about it. I would have been shocked if you actually succeeded.'' He commented while smiling, laying back on his lounger.
''What do you mean by that?'' Sakuya asked confused. Although the words sounded offensive, the way Mortimer said them told Sakuya there was more behind those words than a simple insult.
''I am saying you would be the first one who ever got a reaction like that from me,'' Mortimer answered. The words were whispered, indicating to Sakuya the topic was a sensitive one.
It took Sakuya a few seconds to find the true meaning behind those words, but after that moment, she realized how unusual they actually were. ''Wait, you have never been in love or been attracted to someone else before?'' She asked in a whisper. ''How does that even work?'' She wondered out loud, not getting the concept. Sakuya had been the typical student, with a boyfriend or two in her adolescent years. There had always been a flame that started that relationship. Just a moment where she was completely mesmerized by her boyfriend. As her naive younger self would call it, there were moments she could say she was in love.
''I don't know, and I don't really care. It hasn't disturbed me in my social life or in my studies, so I am okay with it.'' The vice-leader commented without worry.
''Aren't you even a bit curious?'' Sakuya asked curiously.
''I would lie if I wasn't curious, but I am not in a hurry to look for it,'' he answered honestly.
''So you wouldn't mind if I tried to make you feel that way?'' She asked.
''As long as you don't break any logical boundaries, I have no problem with it. That said, keep it modest, please. I don't have to see any of that embarrassing stuff in Aincrad Today.''
Sakuya chuckled in amusement. ''I would promise you not to embarrass you that openly.''
Mortimer smiled as he closed his eyes, and continued to enjoy the virtual sun for the rest of this relaxing morning.
While the weeks passed by in normal Aincrad, and the frontline started their holiday, the situation in the hollow area did not slow down. Sinon stayed on the move with her friends while a hollow maniac was after her life. At least one time a week, she had to trap or kill him at least once. It always ended the same way; her assaulter dying with a burst of maniacal laughter. If it wasn't for those hollows she could call friends, she would have either died by his hands or turned crazy from the angst and despair she experienced. At this moment, their presence was no longer a convenience for her. It was a must for her well-being, both physically and mentally.
''Cheers, you pipsqueaks!'' A drunk Helios shouted happily while nearly bumping Mai aside.
''Can you stop calling us pipsqueaks already, you big dumbass!'' Mai complained loudly as she punched his arm, the younger girl was also drunk by the virtual alcohol that had yet to appear in the real game.
Normally, Alice would step in at this moment to break them up. However, let it be the day the reaper of the frontline was drunk as well and had made a comfortable pillow from Ren's legs. ''Your legs feel so nice,'' the reaper almost purred in satisfaction.
Ren responded by petting her hair, resulting in Alice closing her eyes and purring in satisfaction. Is that really something guys like? Sinon wondered before she shook her head. Wish I could get drunk. This is just embarrassing... She internally complained as she watched more of her hollow companions succumbing to the alcohol.
''A drink for the lady?'' a friendly voice asked from behind the bar.
''Surprise me,'' Sinon answered, receiving her drink with an experienced slide. Taking a sip, her tongue tasted a fresh and sweet taste. The aftertaste was a bit sour, and she could feel her tongue tingle a bit for reasons unknown.
''How was it?'' Agil asked.
''Tasteful. There was something tingling in it. What was it?'' the Azure girl asked a bit curious.
Before she could get a response, the door to the tavern slammed open. The room turned awfully quiet as the four players walked to the bar, each player dressed in weird clothing. The clothes were a bit worn out as well, and if it was possible to be dehydrated in Aincrad, they definitely were. As the men stopped in front of the bar, Agil turned around, placed his fist on the bar, and asked, ''Very nice to meet you, gentlemen. What do you like to order?''
''Ice Tea,'' the middleman answered. Although Sinon did not know why the tavern was shockingly silent.
Four long glasses were placed in line on the bar. Two ice blocks per glass were placed before Agil poured the ice tea in as a true man of business. The four men grabbed the glasses and drank them in one sitting. With a heavy slam on the bar, the four men finished simultaneously.
The moment they did, several players celebrated loudly. ''Yeahh! You guys nailed it!'' Darius commented. What did they do?
''That was absolutely perfect. You make the Jojo gang proud!'' Helios celebrated.
As the group was getting more drunk and louder, Sinon decided it was time for her to retreat. Besides, the few players she truly had grown close to were not even present. Where are they? Sinon wondered as made her way to their shared stay. Kirito's guild had hired a full inn for their stay on the current floor. Obviously, when you fought monsters and bosses each day, that was easily affordable.
The distance between the tavern and their stay was long enough for Sinon to find comfort in the lonely night. Poh had been killed yesterday, so it would take at least four days before he became a threat again. Only the buildings in this city were a safe zone, but Sinon was far too strong for the mobs here anyway. Thus, she truly could take a break and enjoy the beauty of the night. A beauty it was.
Due to the lack of light in the city, the sky was filled with stars. It was extraordinary, so beautiful that it was. Sinon knew those stars were fake and nothing else but data. Despite that, she couldn't help but want to reach out to them. But no matter how far she reached, she could not touch them. Why does everything feel so far out of my reach? she wondered. No matter how strong she was, just like those stars, the way out of the hollow area, the solution to her bug, and the end of Aincrad seemed so far out of reach.
There was one more thing out of reach for her. After spending so much time with her hollow companions, she grew intimate with them. But there was one she cared for the most. The way he stood beside her from the start, despite having no reason to help her at all. The way he led his group, spending time and quality on each and every one of his guild members. The way he had saved her as her knight in shining armor. She normally would hate to be so dependent on someone else, but to her shock, he agreed completely with her. He trained her so roughly that she could not think of anything except the battles they had been going through. She had fallen for him, and that shocked her the most. She was falling for a character that was more intelligent than an NPC, but not human at all. How could she fall for him?
Once she arrived at the inn, she opened the door, walked straight through, thus activating the safe zone message, and headed toward the stairs. She wanted to go to bed as quickly as possible, and she hoped tomorrow something of her hollow situation would change. However, she heard a familiar voice after arriving on the third floor, where her room resided. ''Ah...Ah!'' She heard a loud moan, a similar moan she had heard prior. ''Please don't stop!''
It was currently 00:35 AM, and Sinon had been up for approximately twenty hours. Thus, instead of thinking about what those sounds could mean, the only possible logical answer to Sinon's mind was the massage skill she had been fooled by before.
Irritatingly, she walked to a slightly open door, opened it, and shouted while stepping into the room, ''Can you guys at least keep it down? Nobody has to hear you guys getting mas...''
The moment her eyes took sight of what was in the room, her mind stopped. What she thought was an innocent sound of the massage skill was something far more mature, and not something her tired mind could process.
''Hi, Sinon-chan. You've got to wait your turn with Kii-bou.'' Argo grinned while she lay on the left of the bed, her naked body hidden by only the blanket while the bed continued to rock.
''After us, that is,'' Liz commented with a lovely smile, her face showing an expression Sinon was not used to.
The two in de middle did not even have time to respond as they were too busy connecting on a level Sinon had not experienced before. Sinon's face turned extremely red as she dashed out of the room and smashed the door shut.
Lore. Another word for the story within a game. Some games do not pay much attention to the lore, especially if the game was heavily focused on just shooting or slashing away. Other games focus heavily on the lore, trying to engross their players into the story to make events much more meaningful and emotional.
Sword Art Online had been a game where a major part lay in the lore of the game. After all, the campaign quests had been far more rewarding than any of the other quests, and if you didn't know what was going on, you would have a hard time. Although failing one was almost impossible, unless you did something completely stupid, you would always make it to the end. However, taking a different route meant you would get significantly less experience.
Despite the frontline being on the 27th floor, the lore of Aincrad was still not unraveled. The elf campaign had shown glimpses of it and yet had revealed only a little. The goblin campaign had a small play in it as well, but that was yet to be discovered. A few loose quests continued to give the players glimpses of the truth, mainly the Twelve pieces of Cardou's quest and The Master's fall quest. Yet, even those quests did not give enough information to unravel the mystery.
The story so far that was known is that Aincrad was once a place that was on vast earth. There, different species lived in harmony until the gods banished them to the skies after the great war, taking away their magic and imprisoning them into the world that is now known as the floating castle of Aincrad. According to the Twelves pieces of Cardou, there are supposed to be twelve species who were banished into the sky. Aside from the elves and the goblins, the other species are still a mystery. There was also the sanctuary that had yet to be discovered, where the supposed to be enemy of the gods were imprisoned. On which floor this sanctuary was, and how you were supposed to get there, remained a mystery. Lastly, the frontline assumed the symbols in the tunnels of the 25th floor and the Master's Fall quest had something to do with the lore, but what their purpose was, was yet to be revealed.
The campaign's stories were easier to unravel, and the players who had unraveled those stories knew how rewarding they could be. If those smaller campaigns were already this rewarding, how much had the entire lore of Aincrad had to give them?
The lore of Aincrad became so much of a topic, that several players devoted themselves to trying to deceiver the truth. Translators who studied the ancient languages; players who devoted themselves to strengthening the camps for personal interests, and hoping to receive more information on the subject; groups of players who spectated and tried to find clues from the many events and quests thus far. But despite their best intentions, no real progress was made. Even for players who had translated the messages of the bosses, there was yet too much unknown.
A little thing none of the researching players accounted for was one specific event that held as much value as the campaigns. Then again, nobody really knew what the purpose of the 19th-floor event had been. The event had remained a mystery to this day.
There was another event that was connected to this one on a much higher floor. However, only one group had finished this quest so far. and they had thought nothing special about it. After all, what is so special about escorting a blind man from one city to another?
5:30 PM, 29-07-2023, Giltstein.
It had been a month since the vacation of the frontline started, and a month since Aincrad Today came into existence.
It was a hectic start back then were a few scared kids took interviews with players they visioned as out of this world. To fight monsters on daily monsters and face death in the eyes each day; there was no way they were just normal players like them.
As the weeks passed by, those same players discovered that was just one big misunderstanding. The players they saw as unearthly showed how human they actually were. The readers, who only had complained until then, finally realized how much the frontline had been through. Aincrad Today had become a major success.
That was not the only thing that had happened in the past month.
Although the alliance was enjoying their holiday, it did not mean they had done nothing in the past month. Their storage had been filled to the brick again, giving them some peace. The Divine Dragons alliance had finally formed, and they were almost ready to join the frontline again, according to Argo's notes. The other alliances were just as close, meaning they finally had some backing on the frontline again.
On top of these changes was another significant development. Boss recruitment continued to be a thing and Argo had been relentless in her hunt. If there was something important in those little AIs, Argo made sure they had them in their possession. Seven were acknowledging Kirito as their father, a significant amount but not as much as you would expect from the Last attack stealer from the frontlines. Currently, the following bosses, the ones they acknowledged as their father or mother, and their levels were as followed:
- Suka, Ilfang the Kobold Lord, Kirito, 31.
- Ban, Bulbonous Bow, Asuna, 25.
- Belco, Nato the colonel Taurus, Kirito, 24
- Nigi, Baran the general Taurus, Kirito, 24
- Accomo, Asterious the Taurus king, Kirito, 25
- Renald, Aranea Regem, Yuna, 23.
- Blossa, Nerus the evil Treant, Kirito, 23.
- Leonardo, Biceps Archelon, Mitchos, 24.
- Cora, Wythege the Hippocampus, Kirito, 22.
- Zed, Scourged Undead, Klein, 22.
- Diven, Fuscus the Vacant Colossus, Kirito, 21.
- Forte, Quadratum Consternatae, Dale, 24.
- Billy, Phezzonna the Vegetarian King, Agil, 20.
- Wiggles, Allghoi Khorkhoi, Klein, 20.
- Akili, Shesepankh the Desert Lord, Ren. 19.
- Spike, Dasypi Anguiris, Heathcliff. 18.
- Slacky, Mapinguari the Sloths descendent, Yuuki. 15.
- Max, Dragonbat, Alice. 15.
- Sirena, Akiya the Cursed Witch, Kirito. 14.
- Chops, Bellator Prodigium, Yuuki. 13.
- Aga, Kagachi the Samurai Lord, Asuna. 15.
The twenty-one bosses that the frontline had to fight on the 19th floor had all been recruited, some easier than others. For example, Leonardo and the early reincarnations had been incredibly easy as they just followed anyone interesting or food, but Cora was a girl they had to find by using their boats and searching the wild waters of the 4th floor. Zed was found in the graveyard on the 5th floor, and Diven could be found in the deeper parts of the catacombs. He survived in the wilderness because he could blend well with the surroundings, a quality that did not help to find him.
Forte was an easy find, but Billy was only found with the help of special fruit seeds made by Athi. Wiggles was easy to find as well, but hard to catch as the little boy was running all over the place in the capital of the 7th floor. Akili was harder to find, and only after traveling for half a day did the search members find her sitting in the desert.
Spike and Slacky were easily located, although they had to climb the tree in the middle of the 8th-floor capital to actually get the latter. Max was quickly found, but got scared easily and was annoyingly evasive. With the lack of ability to see far on the floor of darkness, that evasiveness proved to be a pain in the butt.
Sirena was found in a tree in the wilderness when they found her. It was the same spot Kirito and Argo had found Rain as an answer to a certain mystery.
Chops was easily located as he was one of the tallest NPCs in the capital. Aga, on the other hand, was the trickiest to find. She was always on the move, and unlike the other reincarnation, she had started her training before the alliance recruited her. Only when Asuna defeated her in a battle did the little samurai acknowledge her as her master.
Recruiting those bosses was one thing, but training them was another task entirely. NPCs grew by the day, their childish appearance and simple AIs changing to sophisticated NPCs with unique fighting styles and appearances. The players who guided them had to be flexible, strict, and yet kind enough to ensure the AIs trusted them. That sounded not like something difficult, but the fact that Blossa usually ran away in tears due to pressure, Max fled when he had to face tough monsters, and Wiggles was bouncing all over the place as an overenergetic kid proved this was no easy task.
Luckily, those annoying traits came mostly out during their training. In other words, the festival that was about to begin was not a problem for any of them.
''Papa, how do I look?'' Suka asked as she wore a red kimono, fitting well with her dark-red eyes and long red hair. She had grown five levels in the past thirty days, resulting in a small change in both appearance and attitude. She was more adolescent as her body had grown, her speech had slightly changed to a more polite manner, and her hair had even grown more in volume.
''You look beautiful, Suka,'' Kirito answered smilingly as he wore a suit himself.
''How much longer will this take? I want to have some fun!'' the blue-haired Nigi complained. The reincarnation of Baran was impatient, and it was noticed both on the battlefield and
''Calm down, Nigi. You are going to upset father.'' The gray-haired Accomo spoke maturely. As expected of the reincarnation as the boss of the 2nd floor, Accomo acted as an older brother to his sub-bosses.
''It is okay, brother. Father doesn't get upset easily.'' Belco commented relaxed.
The AIs were leveled enough to hold normal conversations, although their voices were still a little emotionless. The AIs that had reached level 20 or higher, began to show more humanized speech patterns and emotions. That said, even though Suka had come a long way, she was not on a level yet you could call natural.
The other players had already set out for the party since everyone had been looking forward to the festival. Since more players were willing to help to set the festival up, and players knew what to do now to set one up, the expectations were even bigger than before. The town of Beginnings was once again the spot to be, and even more players showed up.
The moment you stepped out of the teleporter and onto the plaza, the festive ambiance easily overwhelmed you. Right in front of the teleporter was Ashley's shop, where the tailor sold all kinds of kimonos and other fun stuff to bring around. This included new chibi's of famous frontline players, including the red Samurai, the green Samurai, and the twin-tailed tank. The streets were filled with stalls and lights colored the city in various beautiful colors.
''You are finally here. What took you guys so long?'' Liz asked as she was part of the welcoming committee of the festival.
''Gimme a break. The boys took some time to get dressed.'' Kirito tried to explain, but Liz wasn't buying it.
''Maybe if you returned from your training earlier, you didn't have to use this excuse.'' Liz retorted. Kirito wanted to say that wasn't true, but Liz was already looking at Suka to confirm her words. Knowing his virtual daughter was the perfect lie detector, he sighed in defeat.
''Fine. I get it.'' He complained before he set his eyes on Liz's attire. She felt nervous because of his gaze, but she didn't mind him looking. ''How do I look?'' She asked blushingly. She wore a traditional dark red flower kimono, held together with a yellow scarf around her waist. Since summer had started in Aincrad, her sleeves were short, and her knees were barely visible under her kimono.
''You look stunning,'' He answered blushing.
''Stop flirting with mama and let's go, papa!'' Suka shouted cheerfully. As several looked players looked surprised their way, Kirito looked away embarrassingly. ''See you later?'' He asked in a whisper as he let himself be pulled towards the festival. Liz smiled as she nodded, waving him goodbye before she continued with her duties. A small multi-colored stone shimmered while she did so.
The festival was everything Suka remembered from her systematic memory, and even more. Everything was bigger, flashier, and prettier than before. It all looked so magnificent. Her learning system continued to improve and adapt to the situation, mixing new inexperiences with old ones to try to act accordingly to the task. That fact she regularly lost sight of her companions proved that was yet a task too much for her. Kirito didn't mind, since he could easily keep an eye on her due to her being in his party.
The only one Kirito truly had to pay attention to was Sirena. Although her silver-white hair stuck out like a sore thumb, Sirena was yet too undeveloped to walk alone in the masses. Unlike the other AIs, she had not received the power to join a party, thus she required constant attention.
''Kiritard! There you are. We have been waiting for you, man!'' Klein shouted as he waved at his leader. Zed walked alongside him, his eyes as emotionless as what you could expect from the zombie reincarnation.
Kirito looked momentarily to Klein's side and noticed a lack of presence. He sighed as he asked, ''Wiggles ran away again?''
''Alice is trying to catch him. I swear that kid is so fast.'' Klein answered with an awkward smile. He looked at Kirito's side and grinned. ''It seems you can't keep them close as well.''
''You have two of them, though. I have eight to take care of.'' Kirito responded.
''I don't want to kick you down, but you are missing seven. I am missing only one. I am winning this competition.''
Klein looked triumphantly, but Kirito wasn't impressed. ''Almost right. You are missing two, not one.''
''What?'' Klein asked as he looked at the side, and noticed Zed missing. ''Come on! Not again...''
''Luckily, he is already level 20. You can just keep track of him in your HUD.'' Kirito commented as he was keeping his eyes on his 'kids' as well through that method.
''You look so calm while saying that. You are telling me you know exactly where all your kids are?'' Kirito nodded to Klein's question. ''I am not sure how you can keep track of them that easy.''
''I had a few months to practice with you guys,'' Kirito joked as they started walking through the festival, following Zed on his trail to find good stalls.
''That joke is getting old,'' Klein commented dryly. ''Besides, most of us had to babysit your ass. The only real problem kids were Mitchos, and maybe Harry-one.''
Kirito immediately raised a skeptical eyebrow. ''Yeah, right. The only reliable one among all of you was Dale. You guys made a mess out of everything.'' Klein wanted to comment on that, but Kirito had read him like an open book. ''Because of Kunimitzz's accidents, I had to do that stupid cow quest five more times. Do you have any idea how annoying that quest was? Or that moment when you met Liz, Argo, and Asuna.'' Kirito continued to complain as they stopped at a food stall. He bought two River Crab skewers and handed one to Klein.
''Fine, that was my fault. But we helped you more than enough as well. It wasn't all that bad and we changed a lot since then. Oh, that's hot!'' Klein exclaimed as he blow some cold air on his skewer.
''Sure you have, but not at the start. Remember when Dynamm caused that Little Neplent ambush?''
''How can I forget? One moment you think you see a little plant, the next moment you fight ten two-meter-high carnivore tentacle plant monsters. I had nightmares for days after that...''
''I guess that didn't change,'' Kirito sighed as they continued to stroll through the festival.
''It has been less than before though. The holiday definitely helped a bit.'' Klein smiled before his eyes caught sight of a particular game stall. ''Anyway, let's enjoy ourselves now. I challenge you to a ball game.''
Kirito glanced at the stall and smiled, ''Sure, but no sword skills. I don't think the stall can take it.''
''Fair. Loser buys the next treat.'' Klein proposed as he grabbed one of the small balls.
''You're on.'' Kirito accepted as he prepared to hit the line-up cans.
~Five minutes later.~
''Of all the snacks you could order, you had to go for the most expensive one,'' Kirito complained, most of their little NPCs walking close by.
''Of course! Rechka said this was her best creation so far. You cannot expect me not to try it,'' Klein responded as he took another bite of the sweet taste of the upper limitations of a B-ranked dish. ''Here, try some. It is perfect.''
''Hm. It is delicious,'' Kirito exclaimed. Once again, Rechka's creation has surprised his expectations. A little further in the back, two girls were walking alongside each other gazing at the two boys, two NPCs walking alongside them.
''And here I thought I would have to fear competition from other girls,'' Alice Rue joked lightheartedly.
Asuna chuckled. ''Shall we get going then before we truly have to worry about that?'' She proposed.
''Sounds like a plan.'' Alice Rue agreed. As they walked, a red and a black stone shimmered just between the two.
''Are you all enjoying yourself?'' A cheerful voice asked the enormous crowd that had gathered in front of the podium. The spectators were cheering loudly to her voice, as most of them knew her all too well. She was the first real singer of Aincrad, and she slowly became one of the idols of Sword Art Online.
''Thank you all for coming today! I hoped you liked our opening act. Kimora, you were amazing!'' Yuna cheered as the audience followed her. The female DPS of Divine dragon alliance blushed heavily behind the curtains from that applause.
''She is doing better than I expected. She isn't nervous at all.'' Dale commented from behind the stage.
''She is a natural. I can't say that for everyone.'' Darius mocked as he stared at the nervously- pacing officer.
''Why did I agree to perform again?'' Ojima complained loudly.
''Because without you, neither Yuna nor Seven would perform. Basically, you got no choice.'' Tobe explained.
''So I am blackmailed to participate. Great...'' Ojima complained again before he asked, ''What the hell are you guys doing backstage anyway? This place is for performers and workers only.''
''Your security sucks,'' Darius answered as he tried to take a peek at the stage before he got picked up by the back of his yukata.
''Oh sorry. Guess I have to pick up the slack.'' Helios complained as he held the dagger wielder up, and switched his glare to the tank. ''No access for you here as well. Get out before I drag you out too.'' He ordered.
''I got it, I got it. Good luck, buddy!'' Tobe spoke before he vanished behind the curtains.
''And now, without further ado, let's continue with the performances! Give a warm welcome for our next stage. Seven, Rain, the stage is yours!''
As the known gray-haired singer and the unknown red-haired violist appeared on stage, the audience was holding their breath. They knew how great the young girl was, but nobody had ever heard of Rain.
Argo was sitting on the roof of one of the nearby buildings with a curious grin, watching the spectacle unfold. ''Well, now let's see how profound you really are.'' She didn't have to activate her skills to notice the player slowly walking toward her. ''Evening, Kii-bou. Or should I say darling?'' She teased. A yellow stone reflected the light from the nearby hanging lanterns while she did so.
''Please don't. I am trying not to draw too much attention to it.'' He responded as he sat next to her. A ring with a three-colored stone shimmered around his left ring finger. It was a ring with a small, almost diamond-like stone, coloring in mellow yellow, pink, and red. It was a meaningless item game-wise, giving nothing more than a bit of agility and luck. Sentimental, it was the most important item in his storage.
During his visit to Lyusula, Kirito was gifted a viscount title. Although that change seemed insignificant at first, that proved not to be the case. The first real visible change was how many allied NPCs Kirito could call to fight alongside him. A second change was how he was treated within the camp foundations. Even in the normal elf shops, they greeted him with title, and he received a discount on the goods.
Lastly, there was another change found.
There were different kinds of bonds a player could have with another player. A player you never met or didn't care about was a stranger. A player you could talk with and enjoy playing with was a friend, belonging to the friend list after adding them. Alliance members were a bit closer, seeing personal information about each other's build and character. Party members had similar possibilities. However, a marriage bond within SAO was the strongest.
It was a simple procedure. Four taps within the menu. Then, one last tap while facing the player you wanted to marry, and a confirmation would appear at your partner. A confirmation meant the entire storage between the two players was shared, alongside their Col reserve, location unless specifically blocked, and friend list to a certain degree. While you would not be friends with your partner's friends, you could see who was his friend if you met them by a different color in their name.
The marriage option was usually only limited to one partner. Polygamy was not allowed in Aincrad, or at least normally. There was one exception to the rule, and that was when you were gifted the rank of a noble, while your partners too had a rank in the same campaign. Only then, you could marry more than one partner. However, the second husband or wife still had to get approval from the other partners.
Thus, while preparing and investigating those possibilities, Kirito made the spontaneous decision to ask them for marriage.
Still thinking about that moment made Argo feel warm inside, and being able to see Kirito's status made her feel even more connected than she had ever felt before. Feeling glad to have some personal time with him during this festival, she lay her head on his legs while watching the stage.
Kirito just let it happen, although he still wasn't used to it yet. Argo blushed as well, but she smiled, feeling happy to be so close to her darling. ''It seems those two will be the next two idols of Aincrad.'' She commented.
''Yeah,'' Kirito responded as he softly brushed through Argo's hair. Her hair was soft, and she smelled really nice. Argo was not doing it on purpose, but she was purring to his touch. ''It seems Lisa's songs are liked by the audience,'' he commented
''As expected. She is a natural after all.'' Argo responded. ''Would be nice to have a talent like that.''
''Maybe, but you know that is not all talent. She worked hard to create those songs.'' Kirito smiled before he turned his eyes on Argo. ''Also, please don't sell yourself short. You have a talent just like her.''
''Remembering and collecting information is no talent. It is just dedicated work.'' She complained, her eyes staring into the emptiness in front of her.
''Nah, that is a talent. If I would try to do your work, I could never make it as precise or extensive as you.'' Kirito complimented with a sincere smile. ''To keep everything so organized and precise while separating important information from useful information to useless information. It requires talent to not only understand it but also guide it within the right lin...''
His mouth was shut with a sudden kiss. Argo pulled back a little, a healthy blush visible as she whispered, ''Please stop complimenting me. It is embarrassing to be complimented so much.''
The old Argo would never have a problem with him complimenting her so much. Argo in information broker mode normally wouldn't have a problem with it either. However, this side of Argo that was exclusively for him alone to see, was easily flustered by his kind words.
''Sorry,'' Kirito whispered, his expression revealing that he actually enjoyed that shy side quite a bit. ''Stop thinking I am cute,'' Argo said embarrassed as she turned away again, sitting with her back against him.
''I hadn't even said anything,'' Kirito responded with a guilty smile.
''It is written on your face. You are a terrible liar, Kii-bou.'' Argo explained as she tried to hide her embarrassment. As she heard the applause from the audience, she tried to change the topic. ''They will be the next idols for sure. We might have to test our security.''
''You think someone will do something bad to them?'' Kirito asked worriedly.
Argo nodded concerned. ''You know how fans can be. Especially when those idols might be the only good thing in their lives right now.''
Kirito stared at the stage in thought before he asked, ''Is that why you convinced Ojima to participate as a singer and presenter?''
''Obviously. If there are more idols of different genders or just more idols in general, the chance is different fan groups will form. This will create a healthy competition instead of an unhealthy obsession. Diavel's theory.'' She added.
''It is worth the try. In the worst-case scenario, we have Mitchos stand on guard duty,'' Kirito joked. He wasn't even aware anymore that he had pulled Argo closer to him. Argo smiled as she had her hands on his hands. They radiated a comfortable warmth.
When Rain and Seen's performance was over, Yuna came jumping back on stage. ''That was amazing, right everyone? Can I have a big applause for Rain and Seven?'' She cheered once again. Seven jumped cheerfully once she was behind the curtains, and Rain could not help but smile from ear to ear.
Yuna had been extra cheerful the past days. It started when she heard about the festival and many believed she wanted to perform that badly again. They were incorrect.
Although Yuna liked to sing, performing wasn't something she felt comfortable with yet. The applause was heart-warming, but before the applause came, you had to perform well first. Yuna did not have the confidence to perform so casually, as she could worry about everything. No, there was someone else she could see perform after all this time.
They practiced on a regular basis in the mansion, rehearsing the songs she, he, Seven, Lisa, and sometimes Rain came up with. That, however, was not the same as seeing Ojima perform on stage. There was something unique about that particular scene that made it so thrilling. It was the best birthday gift Yuna could ask for.
''I hope you all are ready for the next act because I certainly am. Most of you will remember him from his wise words in Aincrad Today, others will know him during our first performance together. He is my teacher and my dear friend, and I hope to share that great personality with you all. Without any further ado, give a warm welcome to Ojima-san!"
Though she had practiced many times with him, what the officer had done in his free time, she did not know. She didn't want to insert herself in every detail of his life, although she was curious about what kept him busy so much that he had barely any free time.
She expected Ojima to start to jump immediately on the stage. Instead, the lights dimmed completely, and only after a few seconds, a light circle lightened the middle of the stage in its brightness.
Ojima stood in the middle of the circle, but he did not make a sound. The only sound that could be heard was an acoustic guitar-like sound, a familiar but easy rhythm that was strangely soothing. But he wasn't playing any instruments, so where did the sound come from?
''Would you know my name?
If I saw you in heaven
Would it be the same?
If I saw you in heaven
I must be strong
And carry on
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.''
It was a gentle song, but it was surprisingly powerful. Yuna had heard it maybe once before in her life, and she was surprised to hear it here again.
''Would you hold my hand?
If I saw you in heaven
Would you help me stand?
If I saw you in heaven
I'll find my way
Through night and day
'Cause I know I just can't stay
Here in heaven.''
It was a very slow song, but that didn't matter. The audience was listening with undivided attention.
''Time can bring you down
Time can bend your knees
Time can break your heart
Have you begging please
Begging please.
Beyond the door
There's peace, I'm sure
And I know there'll be no more
Tears in heaven.
Would you know my name?
If I saw you in heaven.
Would you be the same?
If I saw you in heaven.
I must be strong
And carry on
'Cause I know I don't belong
Here in heaven.''
As the last notes of the guitar faded away, the lights returned to their original state and complete silence was all that was left, the players applaud as loud as they could. Some players started to show tears in their eyes as if the song brought memories of old into their lives.
''Thank you. Thank you!'' Ojima greeted, slightly taken aback by how well the song was received. Lisa was truly a terrifying talent in the art of music. ''Glad to see you all here. This might come as a surprise, but I will be your second host for tonight.'' The crowd cheered loudly. ''You guys are absolutely amazing. Keep up the energy, because we have plenty more to come for the rest of the evening. For now, let's continue with our next performer of the evening before we will have a small break. Dila, the stage is yours!''
While a new performer stepped on stage, ready to show her instrumental skills to the public, Ojima stepped behind the curtains. ''That was amazing, Ojima-senpai!'' Seven greeted him cheerfully, completely mesmerized by his song.
''It was all thanks to Lisa. Thank you for helping me out there.'' Ojima thanked the black-purple-haired girl who just had her wooden guitar dematerialized.
''No problem. I am glad to be able to perform without anyone noticing it was me. Also, I should be thanking you for listening to my selfish request to sing that song.'' Lisa thanked him as she bowed. ''If you excuse me, I have to prepare for the next act.'' She said before she took her left.
''We got to prepare too. We still have two more performances later this evening.'' Rain said. ''Are you coming, Seven-chan?''
''Right! Let's practice immediately!'' Seven responded cheerfully.
As the duo left, Yuna came closer to Ojima and whispered,'' You were absolutely amazing out there. I had never expected you to sing such a classic.'' She was a bit embarrassed as she added, ''I am happy you wanted to sing despite all your protests. I am really thankful for that.''
Ojima smiled despite a heavy blush present. ''I am glad you liked it, but can you next time not praise me so heavily before I even have to perform? It doesn't help for the nervousness.'' As Yuna laughed awkwardly, he added, ''Well, I am thankful I could give you something on your birthday, even if it is something as small as this.'' Yuna looked shocked to Ojima's relief. ''So I was right. Sorry if that was a secret, but you were not that discreet in keeping it a secret.''
''How did you figure it out?'' She asked in a whisper.
''You referred to the day differently. The last time we had a festival, you referred to the festival and not the day. In the past weeks, you have been more referring to the day than the event. Together with the fact that you have been extra cheerful the past weeks, and that you talk into your sleep helped me give an adequate guess.''
''You have been listening?!'' She asked, blushing bright red.
Ojima turned red as he answered, ''If you keep whispering my name, I have no chance but to listen...''
''Forgot about whatever I said in my sleep immediately!'' Yuna shouted with tears from embarrassment, drawing the attention of several confused players.
''Now you are just being unreasonable!'' He shouted back before he pulled a jewelry box from behind his back and whispered, ''Happy birthday, Yuna.''