Today was just any other day; slow yet calm. We find our main hero (Not Kirito) working today at the Dicey Cafe while talking to a friend we all know and love.

"I'm telling you! Yamcha can totally beat Madara!"

"Klein, trust me; as a hardcore otaku, I'm telling you that Madara can beat Yamcha just by looking at him!" Ryu replied.

"Yamcha is too fast for the Sharingan to see! I mean, he once went up against the Ginyu Force and several aliens that invaded Earth during the Moro Arc."

"First off, that was a filler episode, so it's not canon. And second, he STILL got beaten up in that arc."

Ryu and Klein are arguing about who would win a fight between Madara and Yamcha. Klein was stubborn to believe that Yamcha may have a fighting chance. Ryu loves Dragon Ball more than Naruto, but he knows the cold harsh truth. As the two continues to argue, Takamine Momiji (Kureha) enters the cafe.

"Ugh, you guys still on that?" She said.

"This is an important conversation!" Klein replied. "I know with guaranteed that Yamcha can defeat Madara!"

"And I keep saying, that Madara just need to look at him in the eyes to win. He doesn't even have to use the Mangekyo Sharingan!"

Kureha groaned in annoyance.

"Oh, by the way Momo, shouldn't be you heading home now? I thought your shift ended."

"It did but I'm not heading home yet," She replied. "I promised Asuna that we'd go shopping after work so we're meeting up here."

Ryu nodded.

"Well, let me get you a drink to wait. On the house."

Kureha smirked, "You sure Agil going to be okay with that?"

Ryu shrugged, "It's going on my paycheck. I got it."

Klein muttered, "Didn't offer me a free drink."

"That's because you still owe Agil your bill," Ryu replied.

Takamine laughed and the three just kept talking until Asuna arrives. Before the girls left, Takamine replied to Ryu.

"Hey, I'm gonna be a bit late tonight so we'll meet up at the dungeon entrance tonight. Okay?"

Ryu nodded. "Sure, have fun Momo."

Kureha glared at him as she headed out. Ryu chuckled as he continues watching the cups.

"Man, you two are close," Klein commented.

"One of the many perks of being childhood friends."

Klein smirked, "You two must be really close after reuniting in real life."

Ryu blushed at Klein's comment and tries to focus on his dishwashing duties. Meanwhile, he started to remember how his reunion with Kureha went.

After the events of Fatal Bullet,Kureha agreed to finally meet up in real life. Ryuji was very nervous and anxious; he hasn't seen his best friend since she moved away. He fears that she won't recognize him all this time. He asked his sisters for advices and the only thing she said was...

"Just be yourself."

"THAT'S TERRIBLE ADVICE!" Ryu yelled at Hana. "She'll think I'm a loser and such a dork! It's bad enough what happened in GGO; I can't bare to lose her again..."

Hana sighs as Ryuji was pacing back and forth, anxious about his meeting. For as long as Hana can remember, Ryu has had a crush on Momo and that feeling was buried ever since, until he got to meet up with her again in GGO. Since then, Ryu entire mood brightened, both in game and in real life. So Hana is really happy that Ryu is finally reuniting with Momiji.

"Look, Ryu, I'm sure Takamine wouldn't care about all that. For Pete sake, you two met up in video-games. Just don't stress over this and just be yourself. You haven't change much since."

As soon as he arrived at the meeting place, Ryu waited for her. Nervousness was getting to him.

'Would she think I'd change a lot? What if she changed? What if she's not how she used to be? What if-'

"Ryuka?"

Ryu's mind went blank as soon as he heard her voice. He turns around and saw a young lady in her 20's, dark brunette hair color wrapped in a bun; Dark violet eyes and dressing in a brown coat; pink skirt and black sweater.

"M-Momo?" Ryu stuttered in shyness.

Kureha blushed, "Hey! Don't call me that!"

The sudden reply snapped Ryu back to reality and realized an important aspect. Kureha is too darn cute.

"Uh... h-hey Takamine! I-I-It's been a while."

She was still glaring at the sudden use of her nickname. "Still the same Ryuji, always acting without thinking."

His heart skip a beat as all the memories he had with Kureha, both in game and in real life, flooded his mind.

And he just laughs. All day, yesterday, he was freaking out on how he'll act when he meets her. He should've just listen to his sister's advice, just be himself. After all, Momo is still Momo. The same Momo who walked by his side every time after elementary school. The same Momo who would come visit and play games with him. The same Momo who would come and visit just so that he doesn't feel lonely when parents went off to work and his sister off to school.

The same Momo he fell in love.

"What's so funny?" She asked.

"Nothing... just thinking how stupid I was."

She scoffed and smirked, "Was?"

And just like that, it felt like they never separated. Like all those years away from each other never existed and acted like their old selves. Takamine and Ryuji headed toward a cafe nearby and talk about how their life has been before GGO. Of course, Ryuji knows a lot about her during their time in GGO. Ryuji talked about how his life has been since she moved away. He was doing pretty good in school and was almost done with college, though he's not sure his career choice will be. He'll figure something out. The two talked on and on about their lives and acted like they were long before she moved away. You'd think you see two young adults, but rather it's more like two teens some coming back from school. They went to the arcades and played some games, especially fighting games. They went to the karaoke bars and sang horribly (especially Momo). They went to get ice creams and just had an amazing time. Just as it was getting dark, they stopped by an old park.

"Oh hey! I remember here," Takamine said. "We used to come here after school and play before we headed home.

She grinned as they reminisce on the memories made on the playground. Ryu recalled that it was here where he first met her.

"Remember how we met? I was walking home and saw you by the swings."

Takamine chuckled, "I remember..."

The two sat by the swings and relaxed.

"It's crazy," Takamine said. "How much you changed since we were kids."

"And yet, still the same," Ryu replied.

"Yeah, only with insane luck and gotten more confident."

"I can say the same to you. You gotten more calm yet still have that adventurous vibe on you. No wonder your so popular in GGO,"

Takamine shook her head, "No... I'm still the same... Even though I was in GGO longer then you, somehow you managed to surpass me and became the top player in all of Japan."

"I couldn't have done it without you... I'd be struggling if not for you."

Takamine sigh. She knows its inevitable to argue with Ryu. But, she still has the same complex of not being good enough due to her older sister. Ryu is the only person she can ever rely on, so when she saw how much he's grown in such a short time, it pained her. She felt like she was losing her only pillar of support and everything was crumbling away.

"Can I be honest with you, Momo?" Ryu asked in a serious tone. "When... when you left the party... I was hurt. I felt like I was loosing you again and I couldn't bear that again. I mean..."

"I'm sorry..." Takamine apologized and the two sat in silence. She finally spoke afterwards, "How about we make a promise. Like we did when we were kids."

Takamine took out her pinky.

"Let's promise that from now on, we'll both reach out to one another. No more hiding any problems and be there for each other, no matter what."

Ryu was shocked at the sudden request, but would happily accept. He grinned and locked his pinky with her's.

"A promise for old friends..."

Two year has passed since then, and the two still kept their promise. They helped each other out no matter what the issue is. And yet, Ryu could not get the courage to confess his feelings.

"Man, it's been two years and you still aren't going out?" Klein said as he finished his drink.

"Says the guy without a girlfriend. And 2D and virtual girls do not count!"

"Gotta agree with Klein on this one," Agil arrives from the back with some containers of alcohol to restock. "Take from a man who's married. You won't get anywhere if you don't take chances. Beside, you two have a strong bond. Hell, even stronger then Kirito and Asuna."

Ryu scoffed, "Please, those two are the power couple. Eva and I barely managed the last time we fought them. There's no way we would stand a chance."

Agil chuckled, "Wanna bet on it? There's a new duo tournament coming up in GGO. Kirito and Asuna are gonna join due to the prize, a large amount of money and a new gear. It's a pair of accessories that if two players wear it together, they share the buffs, luck and EXP together. The downside is that they also share the Debuffs and status ailments."

"Woah really?! Who on earth made that an idea of an accessory?" Klein asked.

"I'm betting money it was Zeliska. She probably thought of it when she joined up with Kirito and Asuna that one time. I can still remember her rants about being single and wanting love. It's bad enough I'm hearing it from my sister, now I gotta hear it from her too."

Agil and Klein laughed.

As the day passed, Ryu thought hard about what Agil said. A tournament for a 2-team party may be a good way to strengthen his bond with Momo, maybe get the chance to have her see him as a potential lover. The hard part is how to ask her.

Only one way to do it.

In GGO.

Later that day, Ryu and Kureha met up in GGO, doing a dungeon run for some materials that Lisbeth needed. It's just the two since Hana needed help for a bounty up north and is using Adam and Eva for support.

"You sure we're gonna be okay without Rei?" Kureha asked.

"I'm sure we can handle a few bots and monsters easily," Ryu replied. He was still wearing the bounty hunter outfit he was given during his hunt for Texas Red. He also brought his photon sword since he got careless last time.

As the two ventured down on the dungeon, Ryu spoke.

"Hey, Kureha?"

"Yeah?"

"Well... There's a tournament coming up that requires a two-man party. The prize is a large sum of In-Game money and a pair of accessories."

"Oh really? You planning on joining it with Rei?" Kureha asked.

"Actually, I was hoping it can be just you and me?"

"Eh?!"

"It just, well, I feel like we can might win when it's just us, you know?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well... Kirito and Asuna are joining."

"Oh... then we already lost," Kureha laughed. "But, I'm still up for it."

"Really?!" Ryu eyes gleam.

"Yeah, we been working together for a while now. Plus we known each other since we were kids. I bet our teamwork will really blossom when we're up against the power couple."

Ryu chuckled. He always knew how competitive Kureha can be. But that's just one of the aspect he loves about her.

"Yeah, though, hopefully LLENN and Pitou don't join... I'm still feeling the shivers from our last encounters with them."

The two shivers and the remembrance of fighting off against LLENN and Pitou.

Long story short, both of them got slaughtered by two blood-hungry PK players.