WARNING: This story includes mature and sexual elements. Readers, proceed at your own discretion.

Chapter 11: What Romantic Dilemmas The Goddess Brings

If there was anyone in the world he felt that he deserved a good life above all else, he would have said Kirito as his first option.

Kirito was a good person. That was just how he was. Down to earth despite his incredible skills, normal despite all of his uniqueness, kind despite how shy he could be at times—he was a good person. The kind of person that Eugeo never expected to meet in his life, yet here he was.

It really did surprise him how easily the two of them hit it off, despite the distance he had kept with other people, including even his own family. He'd been in a brooding phase and Kirito wasn't the most outgoing of people, yet the two managed to bond with one another, a vague sense of connection between the two that allowed them to overcome any possible barriers of communication.

And coming to learn all there was about the ravenette—that he was an amnesiac, that he was a swordsman, that he'd done so much to help the people in his life including Yuuki—his respect for the other boy continued to grow by the day. It seemed like there was no end to the good he intended to do for the people around him, and Eugeo sought to become a man like him someday.

Hell, Kirito had helped him as well, bringing him out of his slump and giving him the strength to move forwards in his life. Uncovering the truth behind Alice's death would… well, he didn't dare say it would bring him closure, but if he could find out, he could at least live with the fact that her story would not go forgotten. And that had to mean something.

And someday, he would repay his best friend. Easier said than done, of course; his deed was far too great to ever settle. But nothing would be gained in doing nothing. Even in the little things like hearing him out or being his training partner, Eugeo promised himself that he would do whatever he could do to help his best friend—

"Eugeo, I need your opinion on something."

Even in the little things like this.

"It's kind of a long talk, though, so it'll probably have to be later. We have the same shifts in the morning, so let's meet up again after we're done. You good with that?"

Eugeo hummed, rubbing his hair with his towel. "Sure. Not sure how much it could help, but I'm down to listen."

"Thanks. I'd appreciate it."

"No problem. Is it bad, though?"

"Nothing I would categorize as bad, per se, but it's certainly not normal," he held back a snicker at that. With Kirito involved, hardly anything would ever be normal. "And I guess having another person's opinion would be nice."

"Well, if I can give you an answer, I wouldn't mind helping you out. But like you said, we best get moving."

With the two boys fully dressed up, they met the girls in the mess hall. Medina looked a little tired, having been occupied the night prior with settling a dispute between a bunch of hardheaded trainees. The rest listened casually, each adding their own insights or comments on the matter whenever they felt suitable.

Now, calling him astute was a large misnomer. Eugeo had a feeling that plenty of things could escape his notice if he wasn't trying hard to focus on the little details. Not to the level of Kirito (it's like he has selective focus, seeing how even an explosion can go off in front of him and he'd still not notice at times), but he was close.

Even knowing that, though, there was no missing the very obvious fact that there was a certain awkwardness between his best friend and Asuna. While the latter seemed fine, the ravenette seemed to avert his attention from her, not shy to say her name or look her in the eyes for a moment, though he would eventually look away.

Eugeo took note of that. Likely, whatever Kirito intended to ask him earlier this morning might be related to this. Thankfully, it didn't seem like they had any kind of argument; no cold shoulder, no outright disdain. Just the fact that Kirito seemed flustered over something.

'Whatever happened between the two of them probably caught him off-guard or something. I'll find out soon enough once he talks to me about it.'

Once they separated to go on their respective duties, Eugeo and Kirito found themselves stationed at the northern portion of town. The day proved to be cloudy and cool, and that was a relief because the past few days had been a little hotter. Getting a break from that was nice.

As they passed by an open-air restaurant, however, he noticed the way everyone sitting at the tables seemed to pause in their chatter, looking at the pair with interest. Kirito noticed it too, and the two found themselves coming to a halt to look at the group.

Eventually, someone stood up from their seat, gently saluting to him. "Sir Kirito, Sir Eugeo. A good morning to you two."

"E-Eh? Um," they traded glances, before saluting back. "Good morning to you as well."

As if that triggered something, everyone greeted them as well, a cacophony of noise that Eugeo was a little surprised by. The children were far more exuberant with their cheering, whereas the adults held an appreciative gaze that chased them even as they took their leave.

"Maaan. I still haven't gotten used to that."

"Same here," nervously chuckled Eugeo. "I mean, it was only a matter of time before people found out about you and Yuuki's relationship. They probably think she's helping this town precisely because of you two's friendship."

"Urgh. It's so embarrassing being seen like I'm some hero when it isn't me who's solving their problem."

"You sort of did," at his questioning look, Eugeo continued. "Remember; you were the one who caught Harry Antinous. And that snowballed to Aleas's arrest, the wrath of the goddesses, and Yuuki's arrival. People are naturally inclined to believe you saved this town."

"But I didn't..! Damn, I hate that that makes sense."

Things really had changed since that reveal. The people were openly admiring the boy, some having even approached him to gift him with food or drinks. And as always, he'd accept them with some shame, Yuuki and Asuna often teasing him for it at the end of the day.

As if his thoughts had summoned her presence, he could hear the sound of rushing footballs approaching them, making them turn around—"Kiritooo! Eugeoo!"

"Yuuki—Oof..!"

Completely unprepared for the charging bull that was Yuuki Asuka, the ravenette braced himself as the purplette collided into him, catching him in a tight hug. Eugeo could see the air knocked out of his lungs.

He chuckled at the sight. "Good morning, Yuuki. You seem in high spirits."

She promptly detached from Kirito, the boy wheezing while she flashed him a bright smile. "Mmhm! Just got a letter from some friends, and they told me that they managed to pull together some money to start a new shop over in Centoria."

"O-Oh yeah? That's good."

"Yeah! And since we'll be going there at some point, we'll be able to see them too. It'll be great! A complete reunion of all of us!"

"That would be nice…" He said that, but somehow, he looked like he was mentally unprepared for that point. Must be the nerves. "Ah, wait. Looks like you got some stuff in your hair. Hold still."

"Eh? O-Oh, okay."

Carefully, Kirito brushed her bangs with both hands, his motions delicate as he plucked twigs and leaves from her hair. Yuuki remained fixed to her spot and stood ramrod straight, shoulders hunched and bright crimson dusting her cheeks at the proximity.

Eugeo watched the entire interaction, and he could only picture two scenarios; two close siblings, or a lovey-dovey couple. He swore he could feel his blood sugar rising.

Once he was done, Kirito pulled back, satisfied. "There you go. Now you look a little more prim."

"P-Phooey! I'm Yuuki Asuka; I don't need to look prim!"

"You're a noble. You at least deserve to look the part," he snorted, patting her head. The other boy noticed how she seemed to learn into his touch. "Still, where'd you been that you managed to look this much of a mess? Wait, let me guess. Outdoors training?"

"Outdoors training."

"Figures."

"Yeah… So, um, Kirito. Have you, er, given what I told you some thoughts? It's been a week, after all."

The boy promptly froze up, looking nervous. "I, um, I have. But it's… I'm still thinking."

"That's okay. It was a pretty heavy thing," she rocked on her heels, smiling bashfully at him. "But, um, if you figure something out, let me know. Okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I will."

"Right… So, um, I guess I'll leave you to it! Bye, guys!"

"Goodbye, Yuuki," the two watched her leave, and it was only when she was well and truly out of their sight did Eugeo turn his attention towards his friend, whose uncertain expression remained in place. "Let me guess. What you wanted to talk about was about whatever Yuuki just asked you, right?"

"Huh? Oh, n-nah, it isn't that. It's not related in the slightest. Yeah."

So it was related. But he seemed extremely determined to pretend that it was, so he'll just let him have that.

Clearly, Yuuki was hoping for a decision from Kirito, who had apparently spent an entire week mulling over it. That he hadn't given her an answer, and yet she hadn't been offended whatsoever, meant that she'd probably expected him to take this long. What kind of question bore that sort of weight?

He shook the thought away. There was plenty of time to think about it later.

With that, they continued their patrol until late into the day.

Asuna and Medina had the fortunate timing of being assigned for the night shift, which meant that they had all the privacy they needed for an intervention. Kirito would likely prefer that as well, since Asuna was part of the problem as well.

After a good meal and a good bath, they retreated to their room, sat close by on the bed as Kirito fiddled with his hands, trying to put his words together. He was clearly struggling with it, so Eugeo just opted to keep quiet and give him all the time he needed.

Soon enough, he spoke up, gaze focused on his hands.

"Okay, so basically, I met this guy yesterday."

Eugeo fought the urge to roll his eyes. Asuna had taught him a way to, when asking a question related to themselves, deflect any attention on said person by using another person as a placeholder. Stuff like, 'I know this guy…', or 'There's someone I know…'. It made a person think that they were asking on behalf of someone else, when it was actually for themselves. Regardless, he supposed he could let it slide. "Okay. And?"

"And he's already… err, he's in a happy relationship with this girl. Both of them like each other," his words made him perk up. Was this him basically confirming his and Asuna's relationship?! He inwardly pumped his fist.

No sooner did he did, however, did the panic set in. "Did they have an argument?"

"Naw, they're fine," Kirito's response was too blasé, yet it gave him much needed relief. It was the next words that took the winds out of his sail. "But um. Let's say there was a world; a world where his girlfriend actually asked him to… take another girlfriend."

Eugeo blinked. He pinched his cheek, and when the pain registered, it confirmed that he wasn't in some form of lucid dream.

"What?" He blurted.

"Exactly that. That guy… he told me his girlfriend literally asked him to take this other girl, her friend, as his girlfriend."

Quickly, Eugeo charted a simple graph in his head to illustrate the situation. It should have been a love triangle drama, but this lacked all the elements of betrayal. "Uhh. Okay, I guess I see what's going on here. And then?"

"Well, nothing's happened, according to him. But he asked me out of the blue on what he should do, and I hadn't been able to give him an answer. Just came back here immediately after my patrol was done."

To his credit, he was really selling the story of this being someone else's situation rather than his own. But that still didn't do much to help with the confusion of the scenario. "I really don't get how this came to be. Was there any other information he shared?"

"She's apparently liked him for a long time. Like, a really long time. He never knew, of course. He only found out because his girlfriend brought it up, and then asked him to start dating her friend as well."

If this was a scenario pertaining to Kirito's situation, the only girls he could substitute 'girlfriend' and 'friend' with were Asuna and Yuuki respectively, which was… huh. Actually, it wasn't as unsurprising as he thought.

Yuuki had come here after finding out that Kirito and Asuna were living here. And throughout the month that she'd been with them, he hadn't been ignorant of how close both the noble and the ravenette were. The things they did often went beyond simple friendship, and he had seen signs of affection coming from both of them, more obvious on Yuuki's part.

Thinking on it even further, he supposed it was possible that all of the girls in Kirito's life liked him back before he lost his memories—and somehow, after his amnesia, he'd ended up with Asuna (not like either of them have confirmed it yet, but with what Kirito just said moments ago, he'll take it as the truth).

That wouldn't have changed things for the others, though. He'd heard people say that love was one of many things that could linger endlessly, hatred being on the other end of the spectrum. So it sort of made sense that Yuuki would have continued to like him even now.

'Still, if this is happening, then this is one of the craziest things I have ever heard,' digesting that, he continued to ask. "And what was his response?"

"He said 'no'," he answered, crossing his arms. "Seeing that he and his girlfriend were really in love with one another, there was no other reason to pursue another woman. He was happy with her," what a devoted partner. "But," he faltered. "She was really insistent on it, and in the end, the guy asked for a couple of days to think it over."

"Is he still hesitant?"

"I am—I mean, I would assume he is. He seemed loyal, and I've no doubt he meant every word he said. There's just no reason for them to invite another person into their relationship when he's perfectly happy with what they already have."

"Hmm. I see. This could be seen as a case of cheating on his girlfriend if he seeks to continue with this, and that would drive a wedge between all three of them since he would now have to divide his attention between two girls, and the possibility of the original girlfriend becoming jealous of the second girl."

"Precisely! That's exactly it," he nodded eagerly. "In that case, what would you do, Eugeo? What advise could you give him?"

Clearly, Kirito really needed an opinion on the matter, and the fact that he sought him out despite his lack of romance was flattering. Wouldn't really help him much, though, and there were no other individuals that he knew of who had ever been in a polygamous… wait, that's marriage-based. Polyamory? Was that the appropriate term?

Regardless, as the flaxen-haired boy thought about his situation with as critical of a mind as he could muster, the answer came to him with time, and one that he gave Kirito with absolute confidence.

"I think…" He began, meeting his friend's eyes. "I think this person should first start with asking themself; can they see themself in that world? Can they see a world where all three of them are happy together?" He nodded. "And is there a place in his heart that holds affection for this girl, whom he's known for so long?"

"And what if the answer's yes, or no?"

"Well, if it's no on both fronts, then he needs to see her and tell her directly that he doesn't want to pursue that relationship," which would suck a lot. Him and Yuuki were so cute together, he would have totally rooted for them if he hadn't met Asuna. "But if it's yes… then he needs to listen to his heart, and do what he thinks he is right."

"What he thinks is right…"

"Personally, I don't have any prejudice against multi-partners relationships. What matters is the establishment of trust in one another—the knowledge that, regardless of the number, everyone can devote an equal amount of love for one another with no monopoly of one person over the other. And if they really love each other…" He smiled. "Then they should go for it."

Kirito was quiet for the rest of the night, thanking him for his words and opting to ponder over them. It wasn't much, though he was glad that he was able to give him something to think about, and hopefully he'd reach a satisfying conclusion.

He adored Yuuki. He truly did. And the idea that she, Asuna and Kirito could find themselves in a happy, loving relationship was something that he truly hoped for.

But whatever Kirito decided on, he would support his choice. Because his best friend would know what was best for him and what wasn't. Now was just a matter of waiting.

Eugeo had been a massive help. More so than he would likely give himself credit for, and Kirito thought about getting him something nice. Not like it could be anything overly fancy, but it would at least be a nice gesture after all the trouble he went through to listen to him ramble about his situation.

Hopefully, he wouldn't be getting ideas that he was talking about Asuna and Yuuki… Oh, who was he kidding. Eugeo probably assumed that. It would be troubling if he knew the truth of the matter, but he supposed that, if there was anyone he could trust to keep a secret, it would be Eugeo.

Nevertheless, the day after came with a new contender, who was stationed outside of his room when he'd just returned from his shift. He thought about turning away, but a firm cough had him freezing up.

"H-Hey, Asuna," he greeted, noting her pleasant smile. Good so far. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. We both had the morning shift, though we were both stationed at different spots. I hope you didn't have any trouble on your patrol."

"Oh, nah. Nothing that needed solving," beyond two old ladies complaining about how bright it was. He couldn't do anything about that beyond accompanying them to a bench underneath a tree for some shade. "Aaanyways, I was thinking about heading inside to get some rest, so if you don't mind—"

"You've been thinking about Yuuki's request for a long time now," she said with a sigh. "When are you going to accept her, Kirito-kun?"

"But that's..! I don't get that part!" He palmed his own face, feeling exasperated. "Asuna, what Yuuki said to us that night… I couldn't just agree with that. It came out of the blue, and I wasn't prepared for it. I don't even think I should accept her in the first place."

"But I'm okay with that."

"But you shouldn't be! She wanted to be my girlfriend too! That's impossible!"

It was one thing to be visited by one of his closest friends when he'd just been done having sex with his girlfriend. And then it was another to be told by said friend that she apparently liked him, and that she wanted to go out with him. And to put the cherry on top, Asuna said yes.

Kirito didn't think he was exactly normal by society's standards—Aincrad had certainly left some everlasting damage to his psyche that even he probably failed to notice—but he was sure that something like that was beyond normalcy. Something that neither of them should have to contend with.

And, out of a fit of fear and disbelief, he'd told her that he needed time to think on that.

Yuuki was happy to give him time, which he felt guilty for because it felt like leading her on. He knew he needed to give her a response; a proper one. But there was no thought in his head that was coherent enough for him to work with in trying to figure out what he was meant to do.

At least, with Eugeo's help, he'd managed to figure out some things. But still!

"What's wrong with that? I am literally giving you my permission to date her as well, and you're being so hesitant about it. Why?"

"Because… Because it makes sense? Because that's what's normal?"

"And why do you want to follow the normal standards of things so badly?" She asked back. "Give me one good reason—a good one, Kirito-kun—and I'll consider giving up on this."

Because he already had Asuna. Because Yuuki deserved a proper boyfriend who could give her all the attention she deserved. Because she deserved a normal relationship. Because he saw her as only a friend.

And yet, with the millions of reasons read at the tip of his tongue, Kirito found himself faltering before her gaze, looking away shamefully. His fists balled tightly.

"Because…" He couldn't say anything. He ended up groaning. "Urgh, you're putting me on the spot here. This sucks so much."

"I apologize for that, Kirito-kun, I really do. But unless you can give me a good reason, I don't see any reason why you shouldn't be allowed to accept Yuuki's confession."

"It's just..! I just don't get it. The fact that she's liked me for so long," that, too, was quite the bombshell. "Like, since when was that a thing?"

"Hmm. Since you started helping her," she shrugged. "Since you built that probe for her to attend our classes. Since our two teams started hanging out a lot more together. Since you got attacked," she shook her head, sounding hurt. "When all of us got the news, Yuuki was devastated. She sounded so terrified, Kirito-kun… terrified that we lost you."

Yet another reminder that his death would have hurt countless people. He was selfish to think that, if he died, no one would have cared. How far from the truth that was. His parents, his sister, his friends, Asuna—they would be devastated, even if he would have preferred they didn't, and he felt terrible to know the pain he'd caused them after he'd gotten poisoned. Not exactly his fault, but guilt was never logical. It was stupid like that.

"And when we discovered a way to head into Underworld to find you and help you, she was onboard right away. She wanted to help really badly, and I couldn't turn her away. Not only because she's easily the best out of us, but because she loves you just as much."

"That's… That's hard to believe."

"Is it? Then tell me. How often have you two hung out together, just you, and done things together that would have been almost couple-like? Think back to even to 'ALfheim Online'."

Her strange question gave him pause, wondering why she'd ask him such a thing. They weren't the closest of friends. If anything, he treated her like he would the rest of their friends. Such was how it's always been.

But thinking back on it now, he realized that… yeah, Yuuki had stuck to him just as much as she did with Asuna. And there were more than a few occasions when it had been just the two of them that logged into the game together, the rest of their friends occupied with one thing or another. They'd always ended up tackling quests, going on picnics and even napping together in his log cabin. They enjoyed each other's company that much.

Thinking even further, they'd done a lot more things that went beyond simple friend things. She often leant against his shoulder, he'd stroked her head plenty of times, she fed him once or twice (away from everyone's eyes, and certainly embarrassed by the end of it), and he taught her how to fish. She'd always asked him for praise after every fight, and there was no missing the way she preened every time he did. And if there was any other girl besides Yui that he felt comfortable hugging, it was her—more so than even Asuna.

No way… All this time, he'd been so stuck on the idea that the things they did were just typical friend stuff, but the signs were all there; the way she'd visibly light up in his presence, her blushing, her frequent touches, her overall joy when she was with him…

Fuuuck. Had she been crushing that hard on him all this time? How did he not notice?!

"Because you have the observational skills of a rock," Asuna answered with a giggle, having read him just by his expression. "No offense."

"Ouch, but accepted," he sighed, banging his head against the door. "Maaan, this is so bizarre… How did our lives turn out this way?"

"Pretty sure it started when SAO became a death game," she chuckled. "But I understand your hesitation. You don't want to go after Yuuki because you're thinking of me and Yui, right?"

"Of course. Any idea of pursuing another girl is strictly off the table now," he looked her way with firmness, injecting every bit of honesty into his words. "I fell for you for so long, but I never wanted to stick to it because I was afraid I wasn't enough. And now that we're together, I wouldn't give up on that. I love you, Asuna."

"And I love you too," she smiled back. "And I love Yuuki. And I love how much she loves you. I want her to be happy, Kirito-kun. I want you to be happy. I want to be happy—and if you could give her this, I'd be happy too."

"That's just…"

"Had it been anyone else, I would have never given you up. I would have turned them away without a second thought, knowing that you belonged to me. And only me," the words were powerful, and he felt himself grow tense. "But Yuuki… she's different. She's never had the chance to learn these things. And if you're the person she's fallen for… then I want her to pursue that feeling."

"…But why? I just don't get it. Why her? Why me?"

"Because I love her, almost like a sister I never had. And I know you'll love me, even through it all. You'll treat her well, and make her a very happy girl."

Bloody hell. All of this was illogical. This was nothing more than the words of the heart, spoken with utter sincerity and a hope for something more. Societal norms and rationale simply held no room in this place, and she wanted him to take that step.

Yet, he refused to budge.

"I'm not good enough for her," he finally said out loud. "I think Yuuki would be happier with someone else—"

"Who else could she hope to fall for, if not for the boy that saved her life?" She shot back, making him pause. "Did you know? That, one time, when it was just the two of us, she once told me about how much she admired you. That she looked up to you for saving everyone in Aincrad."

"Wha—She knew about that?"

"It made the headlines, Kirito-kun. I'm pretty sure everyone knows about the incident," she rolled her eyes. "As for your involvement in the whole matter, no, that wasn't publicized," good. He'd have a heart attack if his name was out there for the whole world to know. He did not need that kind of attention in his life. "But, well… people who'd been in 'SAO', who migrated to 'ALO'—they talked about you with others. Klein, Thinker, Agil…"

'Gee. Thanks, guys. Way to go and talk about me behind my back.'

"And I suppose she really fell in love with that notion. She looks at you and thinks you're a living hero," she giggled then. "And then, she learns of the real you; teenaged, awkward, not fully confident and clumsy with his words…"

"Not complete untrue, but still…"

"And yet, so kind with the people around him. So gentle with his friends. Someone who everyone could confide in, despite his supposed introversion… And when you reached out to her, even after she pushed you away, to help her experience life beyond her confines… Was it little wonder that Yuuki fell in love with you, then?"

That… Wow. She was good at this. Really, really good at this manipulation thing. Granted, she did so not with the intent of tricking him into something bad, but to open his eyes to the fact of the matter.

The fact that Yuuki, his girlfriend's best friend, had fallen in love with him. And didn't that sound like a light novel's title?

Kirito groaned once more, planting his face in his hands. If it wasn't an attack from the goddesses that he had to contend with, it was a young girl's feelings towards him. Seriously. What was it with his life being needlessly complicated?

Soft footsteps moved towards him, and Asuna took his hands in his. Something about her complexion stole his breath, and he realized it when she began speaking once more.

This was the girl who had become an irreplaceable part of his life; and someone who wanted to give him all the happiness in the world, even if it meant sharing it.

"So please, Kirito-kun. Go talk to her. We have tomorrow off, right? Figure out what to do then. Make her happy."

"…And you're okay with that?"

She nodded, then kissed him. It was a brief exchange, yet it told him just how much he was loved. "I want all of us to be happy together," she whispered. "And I'm not afraid. Because I know you'll always love me, right?"

"Without question," he whispered back.

"Then go. Let her know what it's like to be a normal girl. And since we're in a world so far from home… why don't we give it a try?"

Romance was the one thing he had expected to live his whole life without experiencing. He just couldn't imagine himself with a girlfriend, or a wife, or kids—the whole concept felt so beyond him that he was more than content to live for himself and his own family, finding that more than satisfying enough.

And then Asuna entered his life, and never went a day where he didn't at least send his prayers of gratitude to whatever deity that thought it was okay that he deserved someone like her.

Granted, that she turned out to be… ahem, he says this with full respect and love, a little intense (in every way possible) was quite the shocker. But having learnt to accept that part of her, and to see every other sides of her, he knew that she was the girl he wanted to have a family with. Yui was the perfect final piece, though it wouldn't hurt to give her a sibling down the line.

And that was supposed to be the end of it. A guy happy with his one girlfriend. His romance was fulfilled and simple.

So how the hell did he end up becoming someone else's crush?

If romance seemed so impossible for him, the idea of facing a three-way dilemma like those dramas tended to portray was just fiction. And in those stories, it was usually the guy trying to cheat on his girlfriend, or the second girl trying to tempt him. In what world was the story instead portraying a scenario whereby the girlfriend actually asked him to take the other girl as well?

Apparently, that was his life now, much to his dismay.

'Okay, I just need to… calm down and tell her straight about how I feel. Hopefully, it goes well.'

Well for who, only the goddesses know. Guess he was about to find out.

Since she and her entourage would be staying in Zakkaria temporarily, they'd been granted a home in the southern portion of town; a sizable mansion that, while not as large as Harry Antinous's, was more than enough for her group. It had been renovated since, with fancy additions like the gardens, lighting, repainted walls and polished windows. Unlike the rest of the town, the building was a dark purple, better to distinguish it as the mansion of House Asuka rather than the rest of Zakkaria's maroons and crimsons.

Gulping, he stepped over towards the front gate, where two sentries were positioned. Upon noticing him, the two of them saluted.

"Sir Kirito. A pleasure to meet you."

"H-Hey, guys. Sorry to be a bother, but uhh, is Yuuki inside?"

"Milady is present, yes. At this time, she's about to finish with her training. If you'd like, we could ask her to meet you after she is done refreshing? You can wait in the tearoom in the meantime."

"Uh, sure. I'd like that. Thanks."

Heading into the mansion, he spotted a couple of maids were busy dusting up the corridor, and they spared him a quick bow before they returned to their work. He approached one of them and asked where the tearoom was, and she offered to take him there and prepare them some drinks and biscuits. He accepted the offer, and they moved deeper inwards.

The tearoom looked fancy. With two windows facing the backside of the mansion and the gardens beyond, the cabinets housing little chinaware and pots and blends of leaves. There were a few round tables with little chairs padded with a cushion. There was even a fireplace set to one wall, not lit at the moment since it wasn't too cold, though he imagined that would give this place such a lovely ambience when given the right opportunity.

"Please take a seat, milord. I shall ready your drinks and food in a moment."

While she busied herself preparing a pot of water, Kirito tried to think over what he wanted to say. Sitting here now, he felt incredibly nervous, wondering if it wasn't late to turn around and pretend he hadn't come here in the first place.

He shook his head. That would have been a real dick move, especially since her guards would have likely told her he wanted to meet her. He wasn't going to waste her time like that.

At least the scent of the blend—almost reminding him of nutmeg—helped calm him down somewhat. And munching on a jam biscuit took off the edge even further.

Eventually, his time was up because he could hear rushing and feminine screaming coming from the hallway outside. Bright purple hair flew about with her dress, looking frazzled in place yet looking so elegant he swore Yuuki had to be using magic to make herself look this good.

"Sorry, Kirito! I was training with some of my guards earlier and we lost track of time, so I took a little long trying to get ready and..!"

"Hey, hey! It's okay, Yuuki, really. I came unannounced, after all," he smiled. "Um, want to drink with me? Your maid prepared some stuff," quickly, he looked the maid's way. "Thank you, by the way."

The servant smiled back, bowing as her lady sat opposite of him and accepted her cup of tea. She blew on it, took a sip, and recoiled. "Owie! Itf hoft!"

"Well, she did just make that," he chuckled, making her pout. "It tastes great. Pairs well with the biscuits, too."

"Yeah. I didn't get that at first. Like, tea alone is nice, and so are the biscuits, but putting them together is good because apparently, since the biscuits are dry, it sort of compliments one another."

"They do, yeah."

"Yeah…"

The two fell silent afterwards, and the sound of them sipping their own drinks were the only thing they heard. That and his own heartbeat in his ears, the nervous energy far too dominating in the moment.

Well, this wasn't helpful in the slightest. He'd come here prepared to give her his answer, and here he was, just making the both of them anxious just by saying nothing. If their confidence was a visible bar, he could imagine it slowly trickling away.

Eventually, he caved in with a sigh, unwilling to let the silence drag on even longer as he simply looked the girl in the eyes.

"I… have to admit. When you showed up that night, you confessing that you liked me was the last thing I could have ever imagined," he began. This was starting off on a tangent, but he needed to get this off his chest no matter what. "If anything, I was scared of the possible outcome of the two of us being discovered as we were. There was no knowing whether or not you would have been enraged or disgusted. Hell, you might have even told someone."

"E-Eh? No, I didn't do that!" She stammered, face growing red. "I mean, I was a little surprised, but like… it wasn't any of my business…" Looking away, she seemed to shrink in on herself, looking even cuter despite her messy appearance. "And we always knew that you and Asuna were dating, so something like that wasn't…"

"Yeah. But thinking something and seeing it in reality can be a pretty big difference."

"I was really shocked," she admitted, smiling nervously. "But it made sense. We're in a different world, after all. And with the goddess accounts, it's not like any of us run the risk of getting pregnant on accident."

"Yeah. That's one relief…" He sighed. "Thinking back, I don't know how we ended up doing… all of that. To be fair, Asuna initiated things—" He mentally apologized to his girlfriend for throwing her under the bus. "—but I could have easily stopped her. But I guess I didn't want to."

"Because you two are in love."

"We are," he nodded. "God, Yuuki, I love her so much. All the things we've been through, the fights we had, the struggles… we faced them together, and we came out the way we are now," he smiled. "I love her. And I love Yui. They're my family. I wouldn't have wanted it any different."

"That's sweet."

"Yeah… And, that love I have for Asuna?" He looked her in the eyes when he spoke. "I'm sorry, Yuuki. But I don't love you in that way."

Time came to a still as the words, heavy as lead, fell from his tongue. His gut rolled as he spoke, almost nauseating, and it took everything he had to keep his composure in front of his friend.

Yuuki was quiet. Her expression gave nothing away save for the fact that she was trying her hardest to register the words he'd spoken, then understand them. But the moment it did, it damned him.

She smiled back at him, but it cracked with little effort. "O-Oh, I see," even her voice had grown shakier, any warmth in her tone having turned to ice at his words. "Yeah, that… t-that makes sense. I mean, you two have gone through so much with each other. That's… That's great!" She exclaimed, a little too loudly. "I'm happy for you two! You two are perfect for each other. Makes sense why you wouldn't want to consider some other girl. I guess I was being dumb," her chuckle lacked any real mirth, her throat clogging up as her breaths became more strained. "I-I'm sorry. I was just being an idiot. Let's just forget about it—"

"You weren't being an idiot," he chastised. "Yuuki, I… I don't know if there was ever a moment where I was misleading you. If I was, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. You were just being honest about your feelings. And taking that leap of faith—to bear yourself to the person you admire and tell them your heartfelt feelings—is something I could never do. You're amazing for just that."

She looked to him, and the faint glimmer of tears in her eyes made his heart wrench. She looked so hurt. So anguished by his rejection that he cursed himself a bastard.

This was his friend! He—He shouldn't be making any of his friends cry! He knew this! And yet! And yet..!

He needed to tell her everything. He needed her to know.

"Admitting that you like someone is just so brave. Even I didn't get that chance with Asuna. It… sort of happened," after she murdered a guy and kissed him right out of the blue. The less she knew about that, the better. "In any case, I shouldn't have turned you down so abruptly without really thinking it through. Asuna told me everything," he heard her suck in a breath. "I never knew you thought that way about me, Yuuki."

"…'Course I would," she scoffed, smiling. "Honestly, I couldn't remember what it was like to be in school and talking with friends, sit in a classroom, listen to the teacher… I missed that—"

"—And you gave me all of that, even after I got scared and ran away from you. Why?"

"Because Asuna cared about you. And any friends of mine… well, I'd want to help in any way I can, I guess," he shook his head. "I'm not selfless, Yuuki. I did all that because Asuna clearly wanted to do something for you, and I suppose I was lucky that I knew how to work with machines to make it happen."

"Mm… I never thanked you properly for that, didn't I?"

"You kidding? You've said it more than enough times."

"But I never felt like it was enough. No words would ever be enough to tell you how happy that made me. And I'd never gotten the chance to say it to when it's just the two of us, away from all our friends, in our own little world… So thank you, Kirito. So, so much…"

Somehow, hearing those words in this situation served to put butterflies in his chest, warming him. Goddesses, this girl was in a league of her own. It's no wonder everyone loved her. And it's why…

Taking in a deep breath, he counted to ten in his head before making a silent prayer for courage, speaking once more. He didn't know what the outcome of his following declaration would bring about, but life was all about uncertainties waiting to be answered.

The more you fucked around, the more you found out. And he was ready to find out.

"Yuuki, I stand by what I said. I don't love you the same way as I do Asuna. She's special to me."

"Y-Yeah, I know. It's okay! I'm not—"

"But I've looked into myself, and I've asked myself this question a dozen times. Over and over until I finally came to the same conclusion each and every single time," he paused. One. Two. "Yuuki, I… I like you."

Silence again. Yuuki stared at him again, her lips parting as she tried to understand what he just said.

"…Eh?"

Banking on her stupor, he pressed onwards. "I know that for a fact that there's a part in me that finds myself enjoying the times we spent together. When we hold hands, eat lunch, fight, laugh, nap together. I get excited, and I always think about how I want to keep doing those sorts of things with you because seeing you happy means the world to me, just the same with Asuna—"

"—And I know that things will be hard moving forwards, what with trying to make this three-way relationship work. But when I asked myself whether I was willing to give it a shot… I said yes."

Slowly, he laid his hands on the table and crept them towards Yuuki's, grasping them gently. That had her gasping lightly, red flush in her cheeks as she stared at their intertwined hands, then at him.

"I don't love you now, but that doesn't mean I'll never love you. I want to learn to love you just like I love Asuna. To give us a chance," he said. "My answer before would have been no, but… with Asuna's blessing, and after thinking things through, I want to try. So, if you're willing, do you want to go on a date with me tomorrow?"

The tears slipped free, but at that point, he wagered gravity was the culprit. Her earlier sadness had all but evaporated, leaving her a confused, stuttering mess.

"D-D-Date? Tomorrow?!"

"I know, I know. I'm being a bitch about saying one thing, then deciding on another. Kick me in the balls if it makes you feel better," his crass words had her stammering even worse. He smiled back. "But I was serious about what I said earlier. I think… if Asuna wants this, then I have to honour her request. Plus, you're a great girl yourself, Yuuki."

"E-Eh? Really?"

"In the short time we've known each other, I've gotten to know this incredible, beautiful girl named Yuuki Konno who's been nothing but an angel. And tomorrow, I want to get to know you even more. To learn more things to love about you. To confirm that my feelings here—for you, and for us—were in fact real from the very beginning. I want this."

The more he spoke, the redder she got. It was an interesting sight to behold, though a part of him feared that she might just overheat from the embarrassment, so he opted to just shut up and let her reboot herself, lest she actually pass out.

Eventually, as her breathing evened out and her hands tightened around his, she spoke again, timid, her characteristic confidence as Zekken nowhere to be seen.

"Are you… really okay with this?"

"I am. I like you, Yuuki, and I'd love to go on a date with you."

The next time she spoke, it was precisely fifteen seconds after her next pause, her voice breathless and high-pitched, yet with a smile so wide and filled with so much happiness that he swore to protect with his life.

"I-I'd love that!"

Author's Notes:

Fam, I wanted to update this last Saturday, but I had exams last week. Didn't have the time to write or update. Also, my PC's wi-fi driver is being a prick, so I'll need to look into fixing that later on.