Chapter III

Date

I do not own «Sword Art Online», just my OC's. © All rights reversed to Dengeki Bunko and Reki Kawahara

Thank you Satoru Tomaki for your review. =3

Sunday April 06, 2025 «Rinko's Apartment Building» 11:00 a.m.

Klein rang the doorbell. A moment later, he heard a lock reset and the door sqeauk while opening eidley. In the doorway was a middle-school aged boy with an expressionless face. "Are you hear for Rinrin-Oba-san?" He asked vaguely. Klein nodded and entered into the apartment. He heard the door shut behind him.

"Oba-san is still getting ready, please sit down. Would you like to drink something while you wait." The red head turned around to the young boy. He had yellow/blonde hair to his ears and brown eyes to match. "No thanks." He replied taking a seat on the green sofa. Rinko had mentioned she lives with two other people people; a very close high school friend and her son, when he had 'overheard' the girls' conversation the night they had all met, courtesy of Kazuto.

"I'm guessing that those flowers aren't for me." The boy's eyes lowered to Klein's right hand. "She might take some more time. I should put these in a vase before they die of thirst until then." Klein reasonbly nodded and handed the bouquet over to him.

"Oba-san said that she had a nice time at the cafe that night." The middle-schooler then bowed in front of Klein. "Thank you for taking care of her. She was happy when she came back, she even told us that she almost started to cried because she was laughing a lot. She wouldn't tell you or anyone else this but she's been a bit down lately." The blonde haired one stood up from his current stance. "My name is Nakamura Takato, I am 12 years old and a first-year at middle school. It's nice to meet you." He greeted but his tone hasn't changed.

"I'm Tsuboi Ryoutarou. My friends call me Klein, you can call me that to if you want. You don't have to be so formal around me." Klein pulled his hand and Takato shook it. "I'll think about calling you that."

"I see that you're still in your pajamas, Takato-kun." A female silhouette came from the small hallway followed by heavy footsteps and appeared into the light. She was wearing a dark blue teagan blouse and black maternight skinny jeans and matching black beribboned ballet flats with light grey liner socks. The sight of her made Klein's forehead sweat a little bit.

"I see that you had to make your date wait five mintues after he got here." He raised his left eyebrow.

"My alarm didn't go off..." Rinko trying to make an excuse.

"I guess after 7 times it decided to end it all unplug itself. The poor clock could only do so much." Takato tsked and turned around into the kitchen and got a bowl and a cereal box. Klein's face looked like he had unwittingly entered some kind of warzone, or at least a women's shoe sale at the mall. Inside a manga there would be lightning bolts over their heads while their eyes are set focused on the oppontents faces as liek they were given psychic powers.

Rinko smirked, she heard the home phone rang and answered it. "Hello?...Yes, this is she... I see... Thank you very much and have a nice day." She turned it off and put it back down on the phone carrier and sighed.

"What's the matter?" Klein asked hoping it wasn't too serious.

"Its my ultrasound that was scheduled for next week." Rinko began to answer. "They had it rescheduled for today for 12:30 p.m. They said there was a mix up of some sort." She shook her head over the situation that was decided a by third party.

"I see. That doesn't have to be a problem, we could make it apart of our day together. It'll be nice." Klein got from his seat and put his hand on her head.

"Your not upset that we may have to spend most of our day at a hospital?" Rinko asked in a somewhat surprise manner.

"Nah, at least I get to have a more updated picture before the girls do. More importantly its about your health. Isn't that right, Yumeko-chan?" Klein placed his hand on the swollen stomach.

"Speaking of going to the hospital. Can you give his to Mom? She forgot it." Hiro gave the bento lunch box he had made.

Rinko grabbed her hand bag as she was stepping out the door with Klein.

"Have nice day oba-san, 'Meko-chan and Tsuboi-san." He said with a slightly warmer tone and closed the door behind them.

11:07 a.m.

Rinko was in the front passenger seat while Klein was behind the steering wheel.

"I know he may seem unemotional at times but he's a good kid, he's just a little uncomfortable around strangers." Rinko was looking out at the window.

"I know this restaurant where you could get a nice breakfast from, you want to go try it out?" Klein suggested not taking his eyes off the road.

"Sure why not? I'm not supposed to go to an ultrasound on an empty stomach." She concurred.

"You know for a pregnant lady, you sure are calm." Klein bit his lips as he realized what he said but to his unfortunate choice of verbal communication the light was still at red.

"I'm always calm in public or in a moving car." She blandly spoke to him unamused.

The traffic signal than turned from red to green. Oh thank, heaven the words came to Klein's mind.

In about five to six mintues time they had reached the suggested eating area. He opened the door twice for her; both the car and the building.

This place doesn't seem too bad. Rinko thought as she was standing in the front with her date.

"You might feel more comfortable near a window right?" Rinko nodded at the question and then walked to a table. She pulled out her own chair after stopping Klein from doing so. "I might be expecting but I'm not helpless." She reminded him. The two sat down and looked through the menu a waiter came and gave them glasses of water.

"You could eat as much as you like. Its no trouble at all." The red head smiled lightly.

"Are you calling me fat?" She hissed like a snake about to strike its prey.

"N-no of course not. I just don't want you to feel uncomfortable." His palms were starting to sweat again.

"I'm sorry... its just that...that ... I'm just a little nervous." She frowned a little bit and lowered her eyes. She had a reason to be, as for the last time she had an ultrasound she was diagnosed with her condiction. Once it had gotten so bad she was on strict bed-rest for a three day time frame. She had always been independant frm a young age.

"At least you have some moral support this time." He smiled again and the woman nodded and sighed. She put the menu back up to her face, "what do you want to eat?"

Soon enough a waiter came over to take their food order.

12:20 pm «Hospital»

Just 10 more mintues left until my turn. Where is Namie? Is she even here today? Should I call or text her? No she's my doctor. Is there something wrong? Wait a minute, was this 'mix-up' planned by her? Did she find something else wrong with me? Rinko shut her eyes tight as her thoughts kept swirling in her mind. Her body sinking deeper into the her seat. She opened her eyes as a soft pressure on her closed left fist.

"I don't think she like your thoughts right now." She looked to her left side so she could see his calm, gentle face.

"He's right you know." They turned their heads to see a young woman wearing pink scrubs, white shoes and a golden name tag. Her brown eyes were fixed on a smiling Rinko. Takato said you'd be here." The long dark green haired woman sat beside

her friend. "I'm on break right now. So do you have my lunch for me?" the nurse playfully asked.

"Same old Fuko. Prepared for anything that comes after her but manages to forget herself at the same time." Rinko shook her head and handed her the box from her purse. "They could take me to any restuarant, but they simply cannot be compared to my son." Fuko took the bento and chopsticks and placed it on her lap. "I bet the cake he helped with was good." The nurse smiled proudly.

"Trust me it was." A male voice interjected between the women's conversation.

"I'm sorry, I'm being rude." The apologetic woman, stood up and bowed. "I am Nakamura Fuko. Thank you for taking care of her and bringing her here." Klein lowered his head and chest. "Tsuboi Ryotarou. My friends call me Klein. Nice to meet you." Fuko nodded at his greeting and sat back down.

"I can't believe he's middle middle school now. He grew up so fast, I didn't even realize it." The nurse sighed wondering how fast time skated by like a summer breeze and placed her hand on Rinko's swollen stomach.

"Pretty soon you'll be in middle school too. Isn't that right 'Meko-chan?" The women felt a little movement. "I bet the boys will be all over her when she's in school." Rinko blushed at the comment and Fuko chuckled lightly.

"Don't joke about that." Klein spatted out in a second.

"Hit a soft spot did I? Fuko looked over to him and smirked.

"You aren't allowed to date until your 30." Klein wagged his finger at Rinko's inflated adomin.

"I don't know, Koko was quite popular with the boys in middle school and high school." Fuko a playful grinned, the not-so-little detail made Klein's right eye twitch.

"Don't you have a lunch to eat?" Rinko interupted the conversation that could end with having Klein a heart attack.

"There you are, sorry I'm late there was a big line at the coffee machine." Another soft feminine tone came along.

The slender figure's red buttoned blouse, long pink shirt were covered in a long white (badass) coat, her noticeably silky blue hair was wrapped in a bun.

"Well if it isn't the third musketeer?" Rinko's face lit up as she and the other woman stood up to hug their friend.

"It's been a long time since we've been together, Namie." Fuko hugged the doctor.

"Takato is in middle school now isn't he? He grew up so fast." The doctor adjusted her grey glasses, "he's turning 13 next month, I can't believe it myself." Fuko's eyes looked like tears was forming in her eyes. "And pretty soon, Yumeko-chan will be." Rinko's began to sinffle as her eyes were started to well up.

"Does anyone need tissues." Klein's arm made way in between the weeping threesome and looked at Namie and lowered his head and said his name. "Namie Orihana." she bowed and thanked him.

"Now, now, we have a job to do right now. Lets all enter the examination room." Namie regained her composure and took Rinko and Klein and said goodbye to Fuko.

2:58 p.m.

"Alright I got the new results back." Namie entered and sat at her desk.

"Your results are a little better that they were two weeks ago, when you were diagnosed." She continued to go through the file comparing the results.

"It seems that your blood pressure is still high. Your heart and lungs are fine. You are still vomiting a lot, lost sudden weight and have those serious headaches and visual disturbances." Namie closed the file and looked at her friend.

"I'll get you another urine and blood test once I get the other results back. Keep taking those anti-nausea pills 3 times a day. If anything else happens to you, don't hesitate to come back. Everything will be okay, Koko." The enormity centered in the doctor's eyes was starting to make the abundant woman worry once more about the exact sureness of her health. All Rinko did was nod as she fingers turned white, latching on to the brand-new ultrasound image. She had gotten up and left the office, after saying goodbye and making another appointment.

3:02 p.m.

"The girls might kill me if they found out I have more recent picture then the one you e-mailed them." Klein pointed out as they were exiting the hospital parking lot.

"I'm gonna send the new one to them once I get back home." She spoke but kept her sight outside the window looking at the passing buildings and trees.

"Where are we going now?" She noticed as the car was moving in an unexpected direction.

"I thought we could both rent a movie and grab and pizza while were still out. You looked a little sad after you walked out of Namie-sensei's office. So when you went to the bathroom, I talked to Fuko-san again and she told me a bunch of your favourite films and snacks. She also said she might come home late so don't stay up waiting too long." Klein pulled up at a large public building.

"You rent movies from a library? Isn't that a little outdated?" Rinko looked out to the metropolitan structure.

"Says the woman how still uses the ancient method of rubbing ink onto dead trees." Klein flicked the switch the driver's side to unlock the doors.

3:42 p.m.

"I forgot what it like to be in actual library. I used to go to the one by my house a lot growing up. Now I just watch tv and films satellite cable, play vintage video games, lie in bed for an uncomfortable amount of time, vomit and take medicine." Rinko went on and on like child who had just came back home from a fairground.

"Nice to see her smile again." Klein thought as he was slowly backing up of the lot.

6:01 p.m. «Klein's apartment»

After managing getting the snacks, pizza and drinks to go along with their chosen film the couple finally got to Klein's apartment.

"That damn rush hour traffic took an hour to settle down," Klein grumpled "at least the pizza is lukewarm."

"This is a nice apartment. You've done nicely for yourself." Rinko complimented as she was taking off her flat shoes. I hope the swelling won't cause too much of a problem. She thought silently.

"I had a little bit of help from a couple of friends." Klein placed two small plate each with a slice, two salad bowls and drinks.

The woman thanked him grabbed a plastic bottle from her purse and took out a pill.

The two had started eating, but after finishing her first slice, Rinko started to walk to the bathroom and stayed inside for two and minutes with nothing happening. Thank goodness a false alarm she sighed in relief but the anxiety still lingered inside her sense. Still why am I so scared?

NOTE: I am very sorry for not being on time for this chapter. Due to school starting and a few social functions happening I was not able to write/update fast enough. Thank you for reading! =3