I don't own or have any association with Sword Art Online. I apologize for any grammatical or spelling errors that were made in to the text. Big thanks to the help from my friends.
Chapter 24:
Overnighters Part 2: Emporium
Saturday, August 25th, 2030 9:30 AM
Kazuto woke up to the aroma of eggs, hot oil and fresh coffee. "Asuna's making breakfast." He muttered sotto voce.
He sat up rubbing his eyes open, only to look to his left and find his future bride asleep.
She also woke up as the captivating scent traveled to her senses.
"If you're here then..." Kazuto bolted out of the bed and into the kitchen.
"Yumemi, are you-!" He paused when he was three plates filled his scrambled eggs and toast.
It's not burned down. He breathed in instantaneous alleviation. In an anime, this situation could have displayed as a the character's chibi self having large, bolded black lines and wavy light blue lines representing tears, while a round fist covering their heart.
Asuna walked in her sleeping gown rubbing the drowsiness in her eyes. "Did you make this?"
Yumeko nodded.
"We'll go wash up." Asuna blissfully took Kazuto's arm and ran into the bathroom.
When they got out, two porcelain white cups and saucers on the table filled with fresh coffee with steam flowing above the rim.
"Eat up before it gets cold." Yumeko turned off the stove after placing the light pan fried toast onto a separate plate.
The three of them sat down and started to participate in some talk.
"The reunion is coming soon. We should go shopping when there's still have a chance." Kazuto sipped the usual morning beverage.
"Himeko-chan these eggs are so good." Asuna praised in delight.
"Mama and Papa taught me some things in the kitchen." Yumeko smiled. "I can also make pancakes, cupcakes, muffins, fried eggs, tea, oatmeal and cereal." She drank half a glass of orange juice.
"Are you sure you're five?" Kazuto leaned his face closer to hers.
"I have doctor's papers." Yumeko finished her meal.
"Can you make dinner too?" The young man teased.
His fiance narrowed her eyes directly at him.
"What? She might as well do something besides raising our bills."
"Momentai, oji-san." Yumeko washed her dishes.
"Can you teach him not how to start a fire?" Asuna chuckled.
"Sorry oba-san, but I'm not a miracle worker." The girl bluntly spoke and to the living room.
"You know, someday your gonna make her cry again. Remember what happened last time?" Asuna put her hands on her hips.
"I didn't know that the mask was going to scare her that bad." Kazuto looked like he was in battle mode.
"She was only two and waking up from her nap." Asuna tsked and took his plate to the sink.
"Oh I almost forgot, I was talking to her the other day and Rika is going to bring her boyfriend then. They've been going out for a couple of months. We finally get to meet him." Asuna cleared the small counter and smooth top stove.
"Who has a boyfriend?" Yumeko asked.
"Rika." Asuna repeated.
Riri-san has a boyfriend... The kindergartner silently thought to herself.
"Which store should we had to first?" Asuna asked her groom-to-be.
"I need to get some shirts." Kazuto pointed at the nearest clothing store.
"Can I help you? Mama and I help Papa with his." His niece requested.
"Okay, then. After that we can head to your choice." He agreed.
Kazuto found an available changing cubicle as the girl and woman were looking through the hangers.
"No, no. That's not it. Try this colour." Yumeko held a hanger with a pink shirt.
"I guess it could work..." Kazuto reluctantly went back in the confined space.
"Grey would look nice on him. He wears too many dark clothes." Asuna began to think.
"I was thinking maybe a yellow or red." Her niece added and picked up a few different shades.
"A shade of blue or purple may do the trick." Asuna looked at a bunch of others choosing which shades could potentially match her partner's skin tone.
"How about a nice green?" Yumeko grabbed one to the collection in her hands.
"I'm scared to come out now." Kazuto spoke behind the door.
"I'm not the one who needs to learn to put more colour in his side of the closet." Asuna rolled her eyes.
He opened the door to show how the itching fabric really appeared to be on his body.
"It's a good fit." Asuna commented.
"Can't say much about the price tag." Kazuto groaned.
"Try the rest of these." The woman handed the all of the chosen clothing tops.
Feeling a little overwhelmed by the amount, he only took the red and blue ones.
Waiting for Asuna to get a new pair of shoes, Kazuto and Yumeko were sitting on a bench together in front of the store.
"Oji-san, do you think it's possible to be strong both inside and out?"
Hearing those words being used together to form a single sentence, caused the young man to blankly look at the child's face. Is this one of those conversations onee-sensei tells me about during work?
"I think that's a something to talk about when you're a little older Yumemi-chan." He patted her silky tied up hair.
"Do you think I'm strong?" She swung her legs playfully and put them back to their leg over leg position, adding a bit of allure to her stocking and skirt outfit.
"I think you are."
"Do you ever think science could be...scary?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" Kazuto requested for a bit of elucidation.
"I mean that, the fact that people landed on the moon. Searching for life on Mars. Going into a whole other universe with complicated machinery every day. I read something about an illegal mind control experiment before I was born. There's a micro chip that can be installed into the brain. Now there's going to be a device that can connect a person to the internet just with the nervous system at any desired will with an augmented reality function. What's going to happen next?"
Kazuto felt stunned about all of these words coming from such a young girl. A disadvantage of knowing a kid with a higher intelligence quotient. However, he couldn't deny that what she said actually made sense, after all he was still in the pain sticking process of taking part in an 'sensational scientific breakthrough' and the other project, with Rinko by his side. When is she going to find out about the what happened before the mind control incident? He couldn't think of anything else.
"Did you ever hear of that program called The Seed. Mama mentioned it when she was on the phone once, but I don't know anything about it."
Kazuto nodded and handed her a water bottle as her throat sounded dry.
"Why do you two have different full-dive equipment?"
"Oh, that's because in our teens, your aunt Suguha had an AmuSphere but I just liked my NervGear better."
"Did you ever think of getting an AmuSphere to match Asu-oba-san's?"
"No, I just like mine better."
She took a sip and exhaled. "Oji-san, which do you think is a the stronger species?"
"Your going to have to be a little more clear, Yumemi-chan. I'm not very used to having these types of conversations..."
She half-smiled. "I mean which do you think is stronger? Humans, flora or fauna?"
"Hmm, that's a tough one."
She decided to give her answer before him took a deep breath. "I think fauna and flora are stronger."
"Why is that?" He tried to understand her thoughts better.
"Animals only want to protect each other and only attack in self-defense. Plants and trees get chopped down or stepped on, but they somehow grow faster after living for so long. They live and die over and over again, watching what humans have done to forests, rivers and lands. Screaming so loud that we can't hear a single cry. Humans created wars as soon as they gain power, destroying so many things, like families, relationships, lives, faith in humanity and the once beautiful land that can never grow back. I still believe people have empathy, respect and love for each other, but the world is a cruel yet beautiful place. I wish it was a little less sad and little more happy." Yumeko looked at her shoes, her long hair covering both sides of her face.
Kazuto rubbed her back as she slouched in her seat, acting a little tired.
"Did you come up with that all your own?"
Yumeko eyes sightly widened. Her voice regained it's typical innocence. "My friend came up the part about humans, but I expanded on it by making up the part about animals and plants."
Kazuto wanted to say something however the chance drifted away as he spotted his fiance with a brand name plastic shopping bag in her hand.
"I'm done for now. What were you two talking about?" Asuna smiled.
Kazuto was going to answer but heard his niece's voice instead of his own.
"Oh nothing, we were just talking what restaurant we should have lunch at. I'm really hungry."
"You are? Well, no one is staying hungry on my watch and his wallet." Asuna tenderly took the small hand into hers.
I'd get hungry too, if I thought of all of that... Kazuto grabbed his bag of shirts.
"Hold on tight, Himeko-chan." Asuna warned as they headed near a very busy crowd near the food court.
A herd of people shoving hastily while some apologized and others grunted complaining of the lack of space.
Once the troubling trek was over with, Asuna felt like something or rather someone was pulled from her. Her hazel eyes widened in fear and shock as her niece wasn't next to her. Fear struck and shivered down her bones. The young woman's heart pounded. "K-Kirito-kun..." Her lips quivered.
"What is it?" His tone was influenced by the unsteadiness of hers.
"Himeko-chan...isn't here." Her forced, hoarse whisper was shaky.
Kazuto gulped as his eyes widened, then inhaled and exhaled. His hands were put onto her small shoulders, the onyx irises staring deep into her pair of hazel ones. "Everything's is going to be fine. You go to the lost and found and then ask some people, I'll try her cellphone. She couldn't have gone very far."
Asuna nodded, conforming to the instructions before the couple had separated.
Kazuto scrolled down his list of contacts, he had just received his niece's number that morning and the call he made to his sisterly mentor to authorize her daughter's presence at the recreational facility. Remembering that Rinko advised if anything like this happened during the excursion, not to call the little girl by her birth certificate name, like the scientist almost did once out of panic on a different shopping trip.
Shit, how can I not get a damn signal at a time like this. He gripped the cellular device in his fist. I need to find at least one bar...there's too many people here. He stared at the contact label with his niece's nickname typed into it.
A chill draws down her spine but oddly felt like surrounded by a protective shield.
The next thing she knew a warm tear runs down her face. Am I crying? The symbol of emotion struck the young girl as odd as she has always remained low-key in her regular daily life.
Yumeko sniffled and wiped her eye. At least I have my friend with me...
With no warning, a soft, small hand ruffled her straight long hair.
"It's okay." The small voice spoke from behind her.
"Take this. It may help you." The mysterious boy said and left a string attached to a blue balloon in her hand.
Yumeko turned around to thank him for the gesture, but discovered he had left without seeing his face.
How is this going to help me? Yumeko thought.
Checking the strength of her mobile's signal she saw one white bar and texted her aunt and uncle, her current location, informing them to watch out for the helium filled floater.
Kazuto hugged her tight while Asuna was giving the child a stern lecture, trying to camouflage the great relief after the fear in her heart was erased.
"Himeko-chan, where did you get that balloon from?" Her aunt asked.
"A boy gave it to me... He said it would help..."
"A what gave you the balloon?" Kazuto mouth dropped.
"Well what do you know. She's only five and already getting presents from boys." The strawberry blonde giggled like she was back in high school.
"I thought we had more time." Kazuto sounded like he was in incredulity.
Asuna elbowed him. "Looks like boys will be lining up on their doorstep after all." She playfully winked.
He glared with an annoyed look on his face. "She's not going to be a model."
"Said the guy who calls her Yumemi." She poked his shoulder.
"You know very well I was hit with a shinai that day." He grumbled.
"At least I'm not the one who called her an alien."
The black haired man sighed. "You're never going to let that go are you?"
Borborygmi. Yumeko grabbed her stomach and pressured air into it trying to lessen the embarrassing noise. In an anime, this would be drawn as a chibi with big angle brackets replacing the characters eye, while her mouth was replaced by a single bolded line, and to top it all off, pink wavy lines coming from above the naval area. The girl let out a yawn being covered by her other hand, letting go of the balloon.
Hungry and tired... That has to be hard for her. Asuna handed him her personal shopping bag and warmly held the child to her chest, lifting the kindergartener from the floor, rubbing her back and laying Yumeko's head on her shoulder. Maybe this way I won't lose her.
Kazuto began waking in front of them.
"Mama's heartbeat is my favourite music, but yours is good too." Yumeko whispered.
Asuna lightly blushed as she kissed her.
They stopped at a family-friendly restaurant.
"Have you figured out what store you want to go into next, Himeko-chan?"
"I think there was a bookstore near the clothing one."She thought aloud.
"Even when you're out all you still think about are books." Kazuto chuckled. "Why not just download some on your phone? It's more convenient that way." He suggested.
Yumeko half-smiled. "Yes, but a touch screen can't replicate the feeling or the scent of an actual paper copy."
"What are your favourite genres?" Asuna asked.
"Mama reads a lot of drama, comedy, picture and romance books to me, but before that Papa snuggles and brushes my hair."
Kazuto had a small cough after hearing of the final title. As they were in a public area, his only resorted form of showing displeasure was expressed by narrowing his black eyes at the girl delightfully enjoying the crab meat stuffed crepe.
"Here we are. Why don't you go to the children's section while I go find some cookbooks?" Asuna suggested.
Scanning through the numerous titles, Yumeko found one cover with a black and white cat in with a striped white and red hat alongside a matching red bow tie, walking with it's eyes closed, while holding a book, and a smaller cat with it's eyes open. I Can Read With My Eyes Shut! was the title she silently mouthed, and the opened to handful of pages, the bookworm admired the hand drawn subtle, clever, brightly coloured, whimsical designs of the characters and backgrounds with the rhythmic word play.
"Did you find one already?" Asuna's gentle voice came from behind her.
The girl turned with a smiling mouth and eyes.
By the eager demand made in the car trip back, Kazuto promised Yumeko that he will read the book to her after looking over some work he didn't finish the day before.
The girl calmly agreed as she needed to finish some of her summer homework with Asuna's assistance, before helping out the woman with the laundry and cooking dinner.
The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you'll go.That line of the book was repeated numerous times as the listener grew more and more fond of the philosophy.
"So besides reading, learning, writing and games, what other hobbies interest you?" Kazuto laid back on the living room couch.
"I like cooking, cleaning and combination puzzles. Right now, I'm learning to how to sew, crochet and knit."
"You spend a lot of time inside..."
Yumeko nodded. "I'm going to start my aikido training early next year so things will be a little different."
Kazuto half-smiled at the very mental image of the little girl going against other, possibly older children in a dojo, seemed out-of-character for her as she is well behaved and gentle like.
"What are you thinking about?"
Kazuto shook his head at aimed his attention back to her. "So did onee-sensei sign you up for it? There's no way your dad would have." He chuckled.
"Mama did, but it was my idea."
"How did you come up with it?"
"I saw a sign in a store window when Mama and I went shopping once. I guess it was a spur of the moment kind of thing."
"And your dad is okay with it?"
"At first he rejected, but that I brought up that he says that I'm stronger than a bull. I guess now I know why." She took a sip of the pink lemonade that Asuna left on the coffee table.
"Oji-san, why do you call Mama onee-sensei, instead of onee-san like the others?"
"That's because...at first we were just acquaintances before we started spending time together. Before I just called her sensei then she started to be more like an older sister."
"Oh, sorta like what you did with my nickname." Yumeko commented.
"In a way, yes."
"Can I ask you something else? But you have to promise to answer as honestly as you can." She extended her pinkie finger.
He wasn't going to like this.
"Promise." He wrapped his around hers.
"Do you guys only love me because I was born early?"
Kazuto blinked at the direct question. They were only teenagers in high school in that point in time. He managed to crack a smile and gave her a hug. "I think we'd love you just the same even if you weren't."
"How did I get this? Whenever I ask Mama or Papa, they change the subject." She traced the curved cicatrix on her foot. It stretched as she grew through the years, and showed to have been minimized as well. "I don't know all of the details, but you got that from a needle."
"I don't like it." She murmured.
"I think it looks good." He rubbed her head.
A few voiceless seconds passed by.
"Yumemi-chan, how did you get that journal?"
"Oh, I...went through Mama's purse to find her credit card to copy the number down for the hotel room but... I found that instead. Then I took when she was busy packing... I don't think she knows I did."
She hasn't responded to last night's email... Kazuto sighed thinking of a way to forward the conversation.
"So what's going to happen tomorrow?" Yumeko kindly asked.
"That's a suprise." He grinned.
I hoped you readers enjoyed the Dr. Seuss reference! Thank you very much for reading the chapter! Leave a review if you want!