Chapter Text
April 20, 2027
It was Monday morning, and Asuna sat quietly in her Calculus III class, staring down at the blank paper in front of her.
She had been on the first question for what felt like forever.
The numbers and formulas on the page blurred together as she tried to understand what she was looking at. No matter how many times she read the question over, nothing made sense.
From the front of the classroom, the professor looked at the clock before speaking.
“You have thirty minutes remaining.”
The words immediately caught Asuna’s attention.
Thirty minutes.
She slowly looked up from her paper and glanced around the classroom.
Everyone looked like they knew exactly what they were doing.
Everyone except her.
Asuna looked back down at her paper, her fingers tightening around her pencil.
Why can’t I understand this?
But right now, sitting in this classroom, she felt completely stuck.
Slowly, she placed her pencil down on the desk.
She lowered her head into her hands and let out a quiet sigh.
“I just want this test to be over,” she whispered to no one but herself.
She closed her eyes tightly, hoping the feeling would pass.
For a moment, everything went dark.
But instead of calming down, the silence only made the thoughts in her head louder.
Her leg began bouncing underneath the desk again.
She tried to stop it, but she couldn’t.
The nervous energy inside her kept building as she thought about the test, but whenever her thoughts started to spiral, they always returned to one person.
Yuuki.
Just thinking about her brought a small sense of calm to Asuna’s heart, but that feeling quickly began to slip away as another image entered her mind. Yuuki lying on the floor, unable to move, helpless and alone. The thought sent a wave of worry through her, causing the nervousness she had tried to push away to slowly return.
Asuna wanted to be there.
She wanted to sit beside her, hold her hand, and hear her voice.
Her eyes started to burn.
She squeezed them shut tighter, trying to stop the tears from coming.
But the harder she tried, the more they gathered.
Her breathing became uneven.
Why am I here?
The question repeated in her mind.
Why am I sitting here when Yuuki needs me?
Her head began to spin again.
The classroom felt smaller.
The sound of pencils moving across paper became louder and louder until she could barely focus on anything else.
Then she felt it.
A single tear slowly rolled down her cheek.
Asuna quickly lowered her head, letting her hair fall forward as she tried to hide her face from the rest of the class. She wiped at her cheek, hoping no one had noticed her crying.
But then the room suddenly became silent as the sound of pencils stopped.
Her heart froze.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
For a second, she didn’t want to look up.
But she already knew that everyone was staring.
As she opened her eyes she could see all the students had stopped working and were looking in her direction. Some looked concerned, others surprised, but all Asuna could feel was the embarrassment rushing through her.
Her face became hot.
She froze in her seat.
The only thought in her mind was the simple fact that she needed to leave.
She couldn’t stay there.
Not while she felt like she was about to break down in front of the entire class.
Asuna quickly stood up from her desk.
She tried to move as normally as possible, hoping she wouldn’t draw more attention, but every step felt heavier to her.
Without grabbing anything she walked toward the door.
The classroom remained silent.
She could feel the eyes following her the entire way.
The moment she stepped into the hallway, she walked faster.
Then faster.
Until she was almost running.
She didn’t stop until she reached the women’s bathroom.
Asuna pushed the door open and quickly stepped inside.
Luckily the bathroom was empty.
Still she looked around, making sure nobody else was in any of the stalls.
She then quickly walked to the farthest stall and closed the door behind her.
Leaning against the wall, Asuna finally let herself breathe.
Her hands trembled slightly as she covered her face as the tears she had been holding back finally started to fall.
Asuna felt her face become wet as the tears ran down her cheeks. She quickly wiped at them, but more kept coming. Her breathing became shaky as she tried to calm herself, but she couldn’t.
Her legs gave out, and she slowly sank down onto the floor of the stall.
She pulled her knees closer to herself and covered her face with them.
A broken sound escaped her throat.
Then another.
Until she couldn’t hold it in anymore.
Asuna started to sob.
Her shoulders shook as she cried, her breathing becoming uneven between each sob. She tried to stay quiet, afraid someone outside would hear her, but she couldn’t control it anymore. Everything she had been keeping inside for so long came rushing out all at once.
The helpless feeling she had been carrying ever since she had come back to college.
It all became too much.
She pressed her hands against her face as tears continued to fall.
“I just…”
Her voice cracked.
“I just want to be with you, Yuuki…”
Saying her name made her chest tighten.
Asuna closed her eyes, and her mind immediately went to her.
She imagined sitting beside Yuuki right now.
She imagined wrapping her arms and legs around her and holding her close.
She could almost feel Yuuki’s warmth against her.
The way Yuuki would smile whenever Asuna hugged her.
Asuna wanted that moment more than anything right now.
She wanted to hold Yuuki’s hand.
She wanted to tell her that she was there in person rather than her phone.
That she wasn’t alone.
But instead, she was sitting on the cold bathroom floor, crying because she wasn’t with her.
Her fingers tightened around her sleeves.
“I’m sorry…”
The words came out quietly.
Asuna lowered her head as another wave of tears came.
She knew Yuuki never wanted people to worry about her. But Asuna couldn’t stop herself from feeling this way.
She wanted to be there for every moment.
For years, whenever things became too difficult for her, there had always been someone beside her.
Kazuto.
Asuna pressed her face into her arms.
“Kazuto…”
His name came out as a quiet whisper.
“Please…”
Her voice trembled.
“Please come save me…”
She knew she was strong but right now, she didn’t feel strong and just wanted Kazuto to save her even if it cost her pride.
“I’m not strong without you…”
Asuna’s voice broke as she spoke.
“I need you…”
More tears fell as Asuna closed her eyes.
She stayed there for a moment, trying to calm her breathing, but the sadness in her chest refused to disappear.
Then suddenly...
Knock. Knock.
Asuna froze.
Her eyes slowly opened.
For a second, she thought she had imagined it.
Another knock came from the other side of the stall.
Her heart jumped.
Standing outside were two pairs of legs.
Asuna’s breathing stopped.
“Kazuto…?”
The name came out desperately.
Her voice shook as she held back the tears that threatened to fall again.
“Kirito… is that you?”
For a moment, she couldn’t believe it.
Had he really come again?
Had he somehow found her when she needed him the most?
Just like all those times before?
The sound of the other person’s voice reached her ears, but it was impossible to understand.
There was a ringing in her ears.
Her thoughts were too scattered.
All she could think about was that maybe Kirito was here.
Maybe he had come to save her again.
Asuna quickly wiped her face, trying to pull herself together.
She pushed herself up, using the wall for support as her legs felt weak.
Her hand reached for the handle.
Then she opened it.
The face waiting on the other side completely caught her off guard.
It wasn’t Kirito.
Standing there was Kamura Shikimi.
She had a smile on her face.
But Asuna didn’t smile back.
Instead, she stared at her.
Her eyes were still red from crying.
Asuna’s expression hardened instantly as she stared directly into Shikimi’s eyes.
The smile on Shikimi’s face slowly faded when she saw Asuna’s expression.
“Asu…”
Her voice was quiet.
Asuna stepped forward.
“Why the hell are you here?”
Her voice was sharper than she intended, but she couldn’t stop herself.
Shikimi immediately stepped back, surprised.
“What did I do?”
Asuna’s hands tightened.
“You know what you did.”
Shikimi looked confused for a moment before her expression changed.
“Is this about the hospital incident?”
Asuna’s eyes widened.
“Incident?”
Her voice rose.
“Is that all it was to you? Just an incident?”
Shikimi stepped back again.
“Asuna, I…”
“I can’t believe you would say those things about her.”
Asuna’s voice trembled.
“Yuuki means everything to me.”
Shikimi looked down.
“I’m sorry.”
Asuna stared at her.
“You’re sorry?”
Her voice became colder.
“Do you actually expect everything to just say sorry? You insulted my wife, and now you want to act like you don’t know what happened?”
Shikimi lowered her head.
“I honestly am sorry.”
She took a small breath.
“I know this is not an excuse but I wasn’t in the right head space at the time. I wasn’t fully honest with you either.”
Asuna’s anger paused.
“What do you mean?”
Shikimi looked away.
“The reason I was in the hospital…”
She hesitated thinking of something Asuna would believe without asking for proof.
“It wasn’t because I was helping people like I told you.”
Asuna watched her carefully.
“In all honesty…”
Shikimi’s voice became quieter.
“I was in a coma for about half a year. After that, I was going through recovery.”
Asuna froze.
The anger in her chest slowly disappeared.
“A coma?”
Shikimi nodded.
“Yeah.”
Asuna looked at her differently now.
“Are you okay?”
Shikimi gave a small smile and waved her hand.
“I’m fine now. Really.”
She shrugged slightly.
“It wasn’t... Well, it wasn’t easy, but I got through it.”
Asuna stayed quiet for a moment.
Then her expression softened.
“I’m sorry.”
Shikimi shook her head.
“Don’t be.”
She looked back at Asuna.
“I was the one who was rude. I shouldn’t have said those things to you.”
Asuna remembered the headaches and struggles she had dealt with after logging out of SAO.
“Okay…”
Asuna looked down.
“But please don’t insult Yuuki anymore.”
Her voice became softer.
“She means more than anything to me”
Shikimi smiled slightly.
“Good to know and I promise I won’t anymore.”
She nodded.
“And I’m sorry again.”
Asuna gave a small nod.
Then she suddenly realized something.
“Wait a second.”
She looked at Shikimi.
“Why are you even in this bathroom?”
Shikimi blinked.
“Hmm?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be back at the other school?”
For a moment, Shikimi looked surprised.
Then she laughed quietly.
“Actually, I’m visiting my boyfriend.”
Asuna tilted her head.
“Your boyfriend?”
Shikimi nodded.
“I just happened to come into this bathroom because I heard someone crying.”
She looked at Asuna.
“I didn’t expect it to be you.”
Asuna froze for a moment.
Then she realized what Shikimi meant.
Her face slowly became warm.
She quickly looked away, embarrassed that someone had seen her like this.
Shikimi tilted her head.
“Are you feeling alright?”
Asuna opened her mouth to answer, but no words came out at first.
She looked down.
“I…”
Her voice was quiet.
“I feel like…”
She stopped.
Shikimi leaned slightly closer.
“Like what?”
Asuna frowned, struggling to explain the feeling inside her chest.
“Like I’m betraying someone I love.”
The words were barely above a whisper.
Shikimi’s expression softened.
“Is it Yuuki?”
Asuna slowly nodded.
She looked down at the floor.
“Yeah.”
Shikimi stayed quiet for a moment before asking gently.
“Did something happen to her?”
Asuna quickly shook her head.
“No.”
She wiped the remaining tears from her face.
“She seems fine.”
Her voice became quieter.
“But I hate being away from her.”
Asuna clenched her hands.
“Every time I’m not there, I start thinking about whether she’s okay. If she needs something. If she’s lonely.”
She looked away.
“I just want to be with her.”
Shikimi watched her carefully.
“You really care about her a lot.”
Asuna nodded.
“I do.”
There was no hesitation in her voice.
Shikimi gave a small smile.
“You know…”
She placed a hand gently on Asuna’s back.
“I’m sorry.”
Asuna looked at her.
“For what?”
“For how you feel.”
Shikimi shook her head slightly.
“I can tell how much Yuuki means to you.”
Asuna lowered her eyes.
“I just feel lost.”
Shikimi stayed beside her.
“If you care about her that much, then maybe you should do the thing you think is best for her.”
Asuna looked up.
“What is it?”
Shikimi smiled faintly.
“I don’t know.”
She shook her head.
“You’re the one who loves Yuuki. Not me.”
Asuna was quiet.
Then she slowly nodded.
“Thank you…”
Her voice was soft.
Shikimi smiled.
“I’m glad I was able to help.”
Asuna wiped her eyes one more time.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
Asuna looked at Shikimi.
“I should go before the next class starts. I left my stuff in the room and don’t want to disrupt the next one.”
Shikimi nodded.
“Okay. Hope to see you around.”
Asuna gave a small nod.
She turned toward the bathroom exit and slowly walked forward.
Her hand reached for the door handle, but she paused for a moment.
She looked back at Shikimi.
“I’m not sure you will be able to.”
Her voice was quiet.
Before Shikimi could respond, Asuna opened the door and stepped out.
Shikimi remained standing there for a few seconds, watching the door close behind her.
Meanwhile, Asuna walked through the hallway.
The noise of students moving between classes surrounded her, but her mind was still focused on everything that had happened.
Her eyes were no longer filled with tears, but the embarrassment from earlier still remained.
She took a deep breath as she approached her classroom.
She could already imagine the way her professor would scold her like her mom did for failing the Quiz. The thought made her stomach tighten.
But her belongings were still inside, and she needed to talk to the professor.
Asuna stood outside the classroom door for a moment.
Asuna took another breath as she opened the classroom door.
The room was quiet.
The other students had already left several minutes earlier, leaving only the professor sitting on the edge of the teacher’s table near the front of the classroom.
Asuna stepped inside and closed the door behind her.
She tried not to look at him.
She walked toward her desk and picked up her backpack.
Just as she was about to leave, she heard the professor’s voice.
“Can I speak to you for a moment, Miss Kirigaya?”
Asuna froze as her stomach tightened.
After a moment, she picked up her backpack and walked toward him.
She stood in front of the desk, holding onto the strap tightly.
The professor looked at her carefully.
“Are you feeling alright?”
Asuna blinked.
“You usually seem to pay attention in class,” he continued. He glanced down at the test paper.
“But today, you didn’t even write any answers for the entire hour.”
Asuna looked away.
“I’m fine.”
Her voice was quiet.
The professor didn’t look convinced.
“Are you sure?”
He paused.
“It’s only the beginning of the year. Calculus III can be challenging, and sometimes the jump in difficulty can surprise people.”
Asuna gripped her backpack strap tighter.
She already knew where this conversation was going.
“I know what you’re going to say.”
The professor looked at her.
“I’m going to go and drop out after I leave this classroom.”
Her voice became smaller.
“I don’t have it in me to properly study anymore.”
The professor’s expression changed.
The serious look he had before disappeared.
Now he looked concerned.
“Asuna…”
He leaned forward slightly.
“Are you feeling alright? Is everything okay?”
Asuna stayed quiet.
The professor watched her carefully.
“Is something wrong at home?”
The question made her freeze. For a few seconds, she didn’t answer.
Then, barely above a whisper, she spoke.
“Yes.”
The professor softened his voice.
“Are you comfortable sharing what’s going on?”
He paused.
“Or would you rather keep it to yourself?”
Asuna looked down at the floor.
Her fingers tightened around her backpack.
“My wife…”
Her voice shook.
“She’s been very sick. And she recently returned home.”
The professor looked surprised.
“Was it serious?”
He hesitated before continuing.
“Do you want me to connect you with the mental health office? They can help you through situations like this.”
Asuna shook her head.
“No, thank you. I have some one else im going to go to”
She took a small breath.
“Her condition…”
She struggled to say it out loud.
“Yuuki has AIDS.”
The professor went silent.
“She still has it,” Asuna continued quietly.
“But she’s not dying, so…”
Her voice faded.
The professor’s expression softened.
“I’m sorry.”
Asuna looked down.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then the professor stood up.
“Is there anything else?”
Asuna sighed.
“Yeah.”
She looked away.
“I just want to be with her constantly.”
The professor watched her.
“Asuna.”
She looked up.
“Look at me for a second.”
Slowly, she did.
The professor looked directly at her.
“I don’t think you should drop out of school.”
Asuna frowned slightly.
“Why?”
Her voice cracked.
“I failed a test because I’m too dumb.”
The professor shook his head.
“No.”
He spoke firmly.
“You’re not dumb.”
Asuna stayed quiet.
“In all honesty, judging by your grades from previous years, I expected you to be one of the strongest students in this class.”
He gestured toward the test.
“One bad day does not change that.”
Asuna looked away.
“But…”
She hesitated.
The professor nodded slowly.
“I understand why your mind isn’t completely focused right now.”
Asuna let out a quiet sigh.
“Yeah.”
She looked down.
“But it doesn’t matter.”
The professor shook his head.
“It does matter even if it doesn't seem like it.”
Asuna looked at him.
He walked over to the classroom door and quietly locked it.
Then he turned back toward her.
“I’m not supposed to say this in front of other people.”
He paused.
“But I know what happened to you.”
Asuna’s expression changed to confusion.
The professor continued.
“I know you were involved in that FullDive incident a few years ago.”
Asuna slowly nodded.
“I was.”
The professor looked at her carefully as he didn’t say anything.
Then he spoke again.
“Can I ask you about it?”
His voice was gentle.
“I know it’s a sensitive topic around here, especially for people who were trapped in it.”
Asuna was quiet for a moment.
Then she let out a small sigh.
“It’s fine.”
She looked down at her hands.
“I got out alright. Mostly everyone I care about did.”
She paused.
“In a weird way I feel more free than I ever had before.”
A sad smile appeared on her face.
“It’s strange. I don’t know if I would have been the same person if it never happened.”
The professor listened carefully.
“It was horrible…”
Asuna continued.
“But in a weird way, it also changed my life for the better.”
The professor nodded slowly.
“I understand that feeling.”
Asuna looked at him.
“Something can be terrible, but somehow still lead you somewhere better.”
He gave a small smile.
“Life can be strange like that.”
Asuna nodded.
“Yeah.”
The classroom became quiet for a moment.
The professor eventually cleared his throat.
“Anyway…”
He looked back at her.
“You really are a smart student, Asuna.”
She looked away.
“Being smart doesn’t mean you will never struggle.”
Asuna stayed quiet.
“If you want to be at home with your wife, then you should talk to the guidance office.”
She looked up.
“They may be able to help you switch your course to something online.”
Asuna hesitated.
“According to the handbook, that’s not possible.”
The professor gave a small smile.
“Well, you know how the rules are.”
He shrugged.
“They’re very changeable, especially when there are special circumstances.”
Asuna tilted her head.
“Special circumstances?”
The professor looked at her.
“Asuna, not to glaze at you but you’re not just any student.”
She blinked.
“I’m just a SAO survivor.”
The professor shook his head.
“Yes, you are.”
He smiled.
“But you’re also the Lightning Flash.”
Asuna froze.
Her eyes widened.
“How do you know that?”
The professor chuckled softly.
“I read the book that was released about what happened.”
He leaned back against the desk.
“Judging by the stories people told, you weren’t just someone who hid for the entire 2 years.”
He smiled.
“You were a hero to many people.”
Asuna’s face became slightly red.
“And from what I read, you helped end the game alongside the Black Swordsman, the girl and the co-comander.”
She looked away, embarrassed.
“I don’t know about being a hero…”
The professor smiled.
“Whether you believe it or not, many people do.”
He nodded toward the door.
“I’m sure they’ll make an exception for you.”
Asuna looked at him.
“Thank you.”
She picked up her backpack.
“I really mean it.”
She started walking toward the door.
“Thank you, Professor.”
She reached for the handle, but then stopped as she heard him say “Do you my real name?”
The professor stayed quiet for a moment.
Then he smiled.
“My name is Professor Kyōju.”
Asuna nodded.
“Thank you, Professor Kyōju.”
She opened the door and stepped out.
Asuna walked down the hallway, holding onto her backpack.
…
Kirito rushed down the hallway toward the dean’s office.
The moment he saw the message from Asuna, his heart dropped.
She had only written that she was at the dean’s office.
His mind immediately started racing.
What happened?
Did someone say something to her?
Did someone hurt her?
Or…
No.
That didn’t make sense.
Asuna would never hurt someone else.
The more he thought about it, the more worried he became.
By the time he reached the office, he was already moving as fast as he could.
He pushed the door open.
“Asuna!”
He rushed inside.
He expected to see her crying or sad.
But instead, Asuna was sitting calmly in a chair beside the dean’s desk.
She looked surprised to see him.
Kirito immediately crossed the room.
“Asuna…”
He grabbed her gently and pulled her into a hug.
He placed multiple kisses on her forehead.
“Are you okay? What happened?”
Asuna blinked for a moment.
Then she smiled.
“Yes, honey. I’m okay.”
Kirito let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding.
Asuna looked at him.
“I had a talk with the dean.”
She glanced toward the desk.
“He said I can take my classes through Zoom instead of coming in person.”
Kirito looked confused.
“Wait…”
He looked between Asuna and the dean.
“Are we getting kicked out?”
The dean immediately shook his head.
“No, nothing like that Mr. Kazuto.”
He smiled.
“Don’t worry. Your wife came here because she wanted to switch to online classes.”
He looked at both of them.
“After speaking with the staff, we decided we are willing to accommodate both of you.”
Kirito blinked.
“Both of us?”
“Yes.”
The dean nodded.
“We can arrange for you to attend through Zoom as well.”
Kirito looked surprised.
“Why?”
He glanced at Asuna.
“Is everything good?”
Asuna became quiet.
Then she looked down.
“I just…”
She took a slow breath, trying to steady herself.
“I want to go back to Yuuki.”
The moment the words left her mouth, Kirito’s expression changed.
All of the worry he had been carrying finally made sense.
He stepped closer without hesitation and gently pulled Asuna into his arms.
“I’m sorry…”
His voice was quiet.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t by your side more.”
Asuna buried her face against his shoulder.
The warmth of his embrace was enough to break the last of the wall she had been holding up.
Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I can’t be away from her anymore.”
Her voice cracked.
“I keep thinking about her... wondering if she needs me constantly.”
Kirito held her a little tighter.
“I know.”
“She’s always on my mind.”
Asuna's shoulders shook as she cried.
“I know she says she’s okay, but every time I leave, it feels wrong.”
Kirito gently rubbed her back.
“You don’t have to explain.”
He rested his forehead lightly against hers.
“I understand.”
After giving her a few moments to calm down, Kirito placed both hands gently on her shoulders.
He looked into her eyes.
“Is it really that bad?”
Asuna slowly nodded.
She couldn't find the words.
She didn't need to.
Kirito understood.
He let out a quiet sigh.
“I’m sorry.”
His voice carried a hint of guilt.
“I should have noticed sooner.”
“You've been with me, I should have spoken up…”
She managed a weak smile through her tears.
“I just... I miss her every second I’m away from her.”
Kirito nodded.
“I know.”
He gently squeezed her hand before turning back toward the dean.
“One question.”
The dean looked at him.
“Will this affect our graduation or our degree?”
The dean smiled reassuringly.
“No.”
Kirito blinked.
“It won’t?”
“No.”
The dean folded his hands together.
“Your credits will remain the same. You will still complete every assignment and attend each class as normal.”
“The only difference is that your attendance will be through Zoom instead of in person.”
Kirito nodded slowly.
“Why did you agree to this?”
The dean was quiet for a moment before answering.
“A lot of our faculty and staff had friends or family members who were trapped during the SAO incident.”
Kirito looked up.
The dean continued.
“They know what happened.”
His expression softened.
“When they learned who you both were, and what the two of you did for so many people inside that game…”
He smiled.
“They felt it was only right to help you now.”
Kirito looked down for a moment.
“Oh…”
He wasn't sure what to say.
After a few seconds, he nodded.
“Thank you.”
He and Asuna sat down together.
Without thinking, Asuna reached over, wrapped both of her hands around Kirito’s arm, and leaned against him.
Kirito rested his hand over hers.
The dean opened a folder on his desk.
“There are a few details we need to go over.”
He looked between them.
“You will still attend your classes during their normal scheduled periods through video.”
“You’ll participate, complete the same assignments, and follow the professors’ instructions just like everyone else.”
He smiled slightly.
“This has never been done before.”
He paused.
“But we believe it can serve as a pilot program for students who have special circumstances.”
Asuna nodded.
“That sounds good.”
Kirito looked at her before smiling.
“Yeah.”
He gently squeezed her hand.
“Okay.”
The dean smiled.
“One more thing.”
“If either of you ever decides you want to spend a night during a test, your place here will still be waiting.”
He looked at both of them.
“You will always be welcome here.”
Kirito stood up alongside Asuna.
He gave the dean a respectful bow.
“Thank you.”
Asuna smiled softly as well.
“Thank you for understanding.”
Asuna kept her hand around his arm as they walked toward the door.
Before they left, the dean suddenly called out.
“Sir.”
Kirito stopped and looked back.
The dean stood up.
For a moment, he didn’t say anything.
Then he walked closer.
“Thank you.”
Kirito looked confused.
“For what?”
The dean’s expression became emotional.
He stepped forward and hugged him.
Kirito froze.
“You saved my oldest daughter’s life.”
The dean’s voice shook.
“You ended that terrible game.”
He held onto Kirito tightly.
“I can never repay you for that.”
Kirito looked surprised.
“Please, you don’t have to…”
The dean shook his head.
“I don’t care.”
He stepped back slightly.
“You don’t understand.”
His voice became quieter.
“Knowing that my daughter was trapped inside there…”
He looked down.
“The thought of her not coming home…”
He paused.
“It stayed with me every night.”
Kirito became silent.
The dean looked at him.
“Her not being dead because of what you did…”
He took a shaky breath.
“It means more than you will ever know.”
Kirito looked away, unsure what to say.
…
As Kirito and Asuna walked out of the administration building, Asuna quietly held onto his arm.
Neither of them spoke.
The afternoon air was calm, and students walked across campus, chatting with friends as they headed to their next classes.
Asuna barely noticed them.
She stayed close to Kirito, holding onto him a little tighter with each step.
Kirito glanced down at her.
Without saying a word, he leaned over and gently kissed her forehead.
As soon as he pulled back, he felt her shoulders begin to shake.
He immediately stopped walking.
“Asuna?”
He turned toward her, his voice full of concern.
“Are you okay?”
Asuna tried to answer.
Instead, a tear rolled down her cheek.
Then another.
She lowered her head.
“I’m…”
Her voice trembled.
“I’m so sorry…”
Kirito's expression softened.
“What are you apologizing for?”
“I’m being so weak.”
She wiped at her eyes, but more tears followed.
“I ruined your college experience.”
Her breathing became uneven.
“You were excited to come here, and now I’m forcing you to go back home because of me.”
Before she could say anything else, Kirito stepped forward and wrapped both arms around her.
He held her close against his chest.
“Asuna…”
She buried her face into his shoulder.
“I’m sorry…”
Kirito gently rubbed her back.
“Hey.”
His voice was soft.
“Look at me.”
Asuna slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes were red from crying.
Kirito smiled warmly.
“You're not forcing me to do anything.”
“But…”
She shook her head.
“You're leaving because of me.”
Kirito gently nuzzled the top of her head.
“No.”
He smiled.
“I’m leaving because I also want to spend more time with Yuuki.”
Asuna looked at him.
“I've been thinking about it too.”
He brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
“Maybe it really is better if we study from home.”
He chuckled quietly.
“College has been fun.”
He looked toward the campus for a moment before looking back at her.
“But spending more time with Yuuki…”
A gentle smile spread across his face.
“And Sachi…”
“I think that sounds even better.”
Asuna searched his face.
“Really?”
Kirito nodded without hesitation.
“Really.”
He smiled.
“There will always be exams.”
“But the chance to spend more time with the people we love has a experation date and I would rather spend as much as I can with them…”
He gently squeezed her hands.
“I don't want to miss that.”
Another tear slipped down Asuna's cheek.
This time, it wasn't only from sadness.
A small smile appeared on her face.
“Thank you…”
Kirito smiled back.
“You never have to thank me for choosing our family over more work.”
He leaned forward.
“I'd make that choice every single time even without you.”
Asuna's smile grew a little wider.
Kirito closed the small distance between them and gently kissed her on the lips.
When they pulled apart, he rested his forehead against hers.
“Let's go home.”
He smiled.
“Yuuki and Sachi are probably waiting for us.”
Asuna nodded.
“Yeah.”
She held onto his hand as they started walking together, both of them looking forward to going home.