Kirigaya Kazuto, known within several VRMMOs and to his friends as Kirito, was still below eighteen years of age. As such, required to go to school by law. Nearing seven in the morning, close to a time he should be rising for the day. Typical for most of Japan's schools, it starts at eight-thirty. Staying on his bed in the fetal position until his phone forced Kazuto awake.
Three high-pitched bells in a simple two-four melody played. Kazuto's other half of the pillow pressed by his head. When his eye open, firmly black, his nightstand with his digital alarm clock, phone, and AmuSphere was there. Just like last night and other days. Starting with a yawn and getting off the bed.
A brief stare to check the time, several minutes past seven. Kazuto stretches his neck while he makes for his closest. Swaying several clothing articles hung on a metal bar out of the way once he discovered his school uniform. Fit to his size, standard issue for all male students of SAO Survivor School. Once in his hand, he goes to clean himself up for the upcoming day.
Over fifteen minutes, less than an hour and fifteen minutes before the school day starts for him. Coming to the living room when the appearance of two bento boxes to his eyes wrapped in a cloth for each. His hair damp, slightly shivering from the water evaporating from areas unabsorbed from his undershirt, hidden with his uniform without his shoes.
His sister Suguha, a six months younger than Kazuto, with short black hair and similar eyes to him. Her hair was bobbed compared to her brother's messier look and wearing a girl's uniform for another school. There to greet him when he entered the kitchen. But, he passes by towards the entrance to their home.
Kazuto initiated before she could when he was about to reach the room closest to the front door, "Ohaiyo, Sugu."
Suguha looks up, beaming when she replies, "Going already, Onii-chan?"
"I'm fine without breakfast."
She pouts her cheeks after seeing her brother ignore a meal. Nothing much she could do to change his mind this early in the day. She finds her bento and sets it in her backpack. Bringing Kazuto's to him in a rush. Intercepting the boy just as his hand reached to slide the door open.
"S-Sugu!"
Her hands-on a zipper of his backpack, Suguha opens it to put his lunch inside, zipping it shut once inside comfortably with his other stuff.
"Don't forget your lunch. Mom also wants you to walk me to school."
He sighs, "What school is it?"
"The high school several about two kilometers east from here."
He walks and sits outside at the porch, getting to putting his shoes on. Responding to what Suguha said about her school.
"But if I need to walk you. I can't use my bike to get to my school."
"Could you just take the bus or use the subway?" she counter asked, getting her shoes on her feet as well.
Kazuto rises to his feet again, glancing Suguha, "Fair, I have my student ID on me."
Suguha hops tall to her full height and starts going ahead of Kazuto.
"Wait up!" Kazuto begins following her sister.
A few minutes of walking between the two siblings on their way to the first school produced little to no results. Leaving them to pass at least six houses, albeit one stood out to Suguha. Unafraid to let her brother know it exists via a slight shove to Kazuto's shoulder.
Kazuto spots the home, painted in cherry blossom pink. Unnatural for the rest of the housing in the local area. However, not the time to question or in a position to try and tackle the trouble. Instead, shrugs and looks away from the house.
Albeit, except for a person rushing towards them and shouting a name.
"Kirito!"
He looks again, noticing another girl. Having short brown hair, brown eyes, and in the same type of uniform as him but with a skirt, the female uniform of SAO Survivor School. Having a backpack in her hands rather than resting on her back. Having the name of Rika Shinozaki, or was known in VR as Lisbeth.
Suguha looks to the girl and smiles. Waving towards Rika while Kazuto and her began a conversation, which she was able to hear.
"You don't go through here, something going on? Suguha's with you too for that." Rika said with a tilted head, briefly turning to Suguha to wave back slightly.
Kazuto shakes his head, "Nothing's wrong. My parents told me to walk Sugu to school today."
"Are you gonna get to school on time yourself? Kirigaya-san?"
"I got this under control, Lis. I'm taking the bus today."
"Oh, can I come along?"
He'd smirk a little, "If you help with making an addition to Excalibur for me after school."
Rika facepalms at his demand, shrugging, "Fine…" before slinging her backpack across one of her shoulders.
She went along with Kazuto and Suguha. Heading for a crossroads to head across the street and a back pedestrian-only section to the first school.
But on their way there, several kids on the street wrapped in body bags on their way to the morgue with several police blockades and cops. The flow of traffic detoured, the trio forced to follow along, due to the accident and authorities present.
Kazuto pulls his phone out once brought out from the main street. Connecting to the internet with the local hotspot to gather at least a basic idea about the situation. Eventually finding the cause derived from road rage. Causing him to sigh, the plain stupidity of the incident puzzling him. Less than an hour to go until school starts for him and Rika.
"What's wrong?" Suguha asked, seeing her brother put his phone away.
"That crash was entirely preventable if the driver didn't decide to ram his car into a few kids." he looks at Sugu.
"How many of those kids died?" Rika raised her voice, slowing their walk through the side street.
"Three, this article from NHK stated they were playing tag when the driver tried to take a sharp turn to the left. Accidentally, shifting the wheel too much to the right and slamming the body against them."
"That's horrible!" Rika said, but sighs. Raising her head so they could follow along and get back on track.
On their way, another SAO Survivor School student entered their view. Light brown hair in two short twin tails with similar-colored eyes. Keiko Ayano was her name, her online name Silica.
"Silica!" Suguha goes ahead of the group, intercepting Keiko and sending a high five towards her.
The other two catch up to Suguha, finding she wasn't lying about Keiko being there. Relieved it wasn't a trap guided by her energy. Looking towards Keiko when she noticed Kazuto and Rika's presence.
"Both of you as well!?"
Rika nods while Kazuto, like before, readies to explain. Embarrassed more than with Rika, considering Keiko's younger than Suguha. But, the less developed looking girl follows along anyway, hands behind her head.
"Both of you don't come across here. Why's that? Rika-chan?"
She scratches her cheek while she briefly recalls what Kazuto brought up, "Raging driver crashes into children."
"Not the children! Those cute little kids who just wanted to play..." Keiko tugs some of her hair over her ears.
"They've arrested the man," Kazuto reassured, wanting to avoid his friends and sister from becoming depressed.
Silent walking from Kazuto, Suguha, Rika, and Keiko persisted when they made across the full detour to the side of an avenue. On a projected path to her school that Suguha went through multiple times already. Guiding the three SAO survivors past it in quick succession.
Passing across once the vehicles respect their right of way, Keiko's stomach began to rumble while she clenches it with her hands in pain.
"Ow…"
"What's wrong?" Rika turns around to notice her.
"Hungry," Keiko said.
"Looks more like you're on your period," Kazuto joked, needing to find some humor in all of what's been happening. "Sugu makes that same face when she's having one."
Suguha pouts, red filling her cheeks, "Nii-chan…"
Keiko turned red immensely from what her friend just said.
Rika joined in, crossing her arms, "That's not nice!"
"What are you gonna do about it?" Kazuto said back, this time with a firm face.
She opens her hand, swinging at Kazuto's cheek, leaving behind a visible mark. "I'm telling Asuna when I find her."
Kazuto crosses his arms, "It's only a joke. I'll get her something to eat."
"Not funny," Suguha finds a cafe in front of them.
Several glass panes separated the interior of the place from the outside. Including its steel-framed door having tinier windows for maximum visibility inside. Several tables for small settings and use of the Internet proper alongside the counter for the tenders and to designate the start of the staff-only part from where customers were allowed. With only forty-five minutes to spare before the beginning of the day for them.
Suguha opens the door, allowing Rika, Keiko, and Kazuto to come in. Following the three into the establishment once they were in. Greeting the barista collectively with a slight bow, as part of Japanese cultural custom.
"Hello," the barista said to them, having simple short hair with an earring on the left ear.
"I'd like a…" Keiko pauses while looking at the soft food items sold at the place. Turning quiet for the moment while she had to think about it.
Rika stares and just says back, "I'm getting a small milk boba."
Kazuto opted not to order anything to preserve his money since he'll maybe need it elsewhere at some point during the day.
"I'm getting glazed doughnut holes…" Keiko finally responds.
He walks to the counter, taking his wallet into view when he opens it and takes a thousand Yen bill to pay the barista with.
The entourage waits for Keiko and Rika's stuff to be ready. Kazuto stares his phone, less than forty-five minutes remained. Slowly causing him some level of concern, the thought of punishment for being late along with Rika and Keiko. Tapping his foot when he slowly grew impatient from how slow things were moving.
After what seemed to be forever to Kazuto's head, Rika's small cup of boba and Keiko's doughnut holes got to them. Finally allowing them to get back on track to Suguha's school.
Several minutes, thirty-seven minutes remaining, of yet more walking. The school was in sight, but Keiko slowly following behind while her feet started to ache. Eventually complaining about it.
"My feet hurt…"
"We're resting once we get to the bus stop," Kazuto said, trying to provoke some sense of purpose in fighting on.
"But they still hurt!"
"You aren't going to die before we get there."
Right at the front gates to entering the school building, Suguha starts jogging inside, a final wave to her brother and his friends. Leaving the SAO Survivors on their own to fend off what happens next.
Taking the lead for what's next, Rika turns around, backtracking to the bus stop off the side of the avenue they took. Sitting at the bench there and patting a space for Keiko, who accepts quickly.
Kazuto remains on his feet, watching for a bus to arrive. Checking the time on his phone.
"Thirty minutes left,"
"Only thirty?" Keiko turns her head, the red ribbons she used to tie her hair slowly loosening themselves.
Kazuto nods, however, Rika cuts him off, "Ayano-chan, your hair."
Keiko's eyes go to Rika, head tilted, "What about it?"
"It's becoming undone."
"Wha!?" she moves her hands across her hair, which makes her panic more when it becomes obvious she missed some steps.
Her two ribbons fell to the ground, caught by Rika when she offered, "Let me help you."
Keiko remains silent, permitting Rika to redo her hairstyle from semi-long brown hair with fizzes to two short, tidy, puffy twin tails.
By the time Rika finished bringing Keiko to a more presentable state, the bus stops in front of the stop, lowering the deck to open the doors. All three walk through the front, sitting next to each other. Now, until they reach the school or closest stop to it, a proper time to rest under air conditioning and in seats.
"Silica-chan," Kazuto said, leaning his back to look at her.
"Yeah?" she leans against the edge of the side of the bus.
"Are you going to get on ALO after school?"
"I have a club meeting today."
"What club is it?" Rika suddenly gained interest, keeping her voice quiet to the others in the area.
"It's the music club!"
Kazuto faces Keiko, smiling, "Seeing YUNA sing and stuff moved you, I guess?"
She shook her head, "I had an interest all along!"
He looks away, not wanting to perpetuate it any further when there isn't much else to talk about. Turning into a sigh when he couldn't get her to play ALO. But understood they had stuff going on and he couldn't control their lives.
The scene changes every few moments during the bus ride. From lower buildings in the areas within the metro area of Tokyo to areas within the metropolis itself. Slowly, minutes turn into groups of minutes, getting under ten minutes before school starts. Hoping that at least someone in the group knew how to navigate the bus system. Due to it being unlike the subway, with an easier to know stops.
In another suburban area on the way there. The vehicle went to a stop, permitting three individuals to walk inside. Including another female SAO Survivor School student. Causing Kazuto to raise his head at the sight of who she was. Causing him to make a space next to him to Rika and Keiko's expense, congesting their area as a result.
Long hazelnut brown hair with two braids at forehead level, tied together at the back of the head. Ferrying a purse with her and had gentle light brown eyes. Immediately noticing Kazuto and sitting next to him.
Immediately, Kazuto's arms connect at her shoulder, closing his eyes as he'd felt the woman's warmness.
Rika and Keiko sigh, "They're at it again…"
"Kirito-kun," the woman said, a voice recognizable to the three, but directed at Kazuto.
"I know, I'm stupid for bringing Lis and Silica along, Asuna."
"You're making it hard for me to breathe."
He immediately loosened his hug and sat upright. However, still had his hands close to Asuna. Staring towards her eyes while he was waiting to explain his presence on the bus.
"You don't take the bus usually, what happened?" Asuna asked, permitting her boyfriend to hug her the way he was.
"I had to walk Sugu to school. Lis and Silica were in the way, a few things I didn't have control over got in the way…"
"He also got me doughnut holes," Keiko brought herself into the conversation, restraining her want to convey it further.
"Kirito also bought a boba for me, Asuna." Rika joined, staring at the couple's intimate moment.
Asuna looks at them, nodding. Patting Kazuto's head with her hand several times in comfort. Certain he'll like it after all the stuff he'd had to manage for the past hour.
"You had a busy start, let your stress out."
Kazuto mumbles, firmly looking at her eyes, basically giving the stare if she'll play VRMMOs later today. Getting a nod, being read through his body language. Meanwhile, as the bus slowly pulled into the SAO Survivor School's outer walls, he raises his head to stare the building.
A/N: I hope you like it, constructive criticism is appreciated regarding this short story.