(Kazuto Kirigaya)

8pm, about time to log in. I grab my cell phone and text a group chat to all my friends from ALO.

Me: (Hey guys, log in time 😆)

Suguha aka Leafa: (Really Kazuto?  I'm literally a couple feet away, lazy.)

Rika aka Lizbeth: (Hey! That lazy butt happens to be a cute lazy ass. )

Me : (Try to be appropriate, will you...?)

Rika: (Hehe 😌)

Me: (Um... ima call Asuna, brb.)

(3rd POV)

Tsuboi Ryōtarō aka Klein: (Awesome, it's just me and da ladies 😉)

Rika: (We like Kazuto, go away. 😒)

Tsuboi : (Why does Kazuto get all dat love? Show the Kleinster some sugar 😍)

Rika : (Ew no, get away! 😡👎 Shoo! 😷)

Tsuboi : (You're missing out Rika. On all of thisssssss 😚)

Keiko Ayano aka Silica: (Make him stooooop! 😭)

Suguha: ( KLEIN.)

Tsuboi: ( Yes Kazuto's pretty cousin? 😉)

Suguha: (I will pKO you when we log in if you continue. I'm being serious.)

Rika: (I'll join her.)

Shino Asada aka Sinon: (And I'll watch at a distance.)

Tsuboi : (Jeez, I just wanted to help you out. 😢)

Shino: (How?)

Tsuboi: (Kazuto's taken, you know? You don't wanna be hung up on a guy who loves someone already. You all deserve so much more than that. You all deserve someone who will love you back. I know I do. ❤)

Rika:(Klein... that was beautiful and... very brutal.)

Shino: (This conversation must be deleted before Kazuto comes back.)

Suguha: (You're right. )

Kazuto: (Alright I'm back.)

Kazuto: (Who's right about what?)

Kazuto: (Oh hi Shino! 😁)

Kazuto: (What were you guys talking about? Looks like the conversation is being deleted...?)

Keiko: (...)

Kazuto: (What did I miss?)

Shino: (Klein was being pervy. T_T )

Suguha: (He wouldn't stop. 😭)

Rika: (Why did you leave us Kazuto? 😭)

Keiko: (I will never be the same. My innocence, it's gone.)

Tsuboi: (I'm sorry, what?)

Kazuto: (Klein.)

Tsuboi: (I didn't even say anything! I swear!)

Tsuboi: (And why am I the only one being called by their online game?)

Rika: (Its better than your real name. 😒)

Tsuboi: ( 💔 )

Suguha: (So what's up with Asuna?)

Kazuto: ( "Really? I'm literally a couple feet away, lazy ass" )

Rika: (Ohhhhh! 😂)

Suguha: (Oh you be quiet. )

Shino: (What happened to Asuna?)

Kazuto: (She's not replying to any of my calls.)

Keiko: (😱)

Tsuboi: (😱)

Shino: (😱😱😱)

Suguha: (Welp, its the apocalypse everyone.)

Kazuto: (It's not funny.)

Shino: (Don't worry, I'm sure she'll call you back when she can.)

Kazuto: (Thanks.)

Keiko: (So we gonna play or no???)

Rika: (Keiko, the adults are talking.)

Keiko: (😡😡😡)

Kazuto: (No Keiko's right, we should play. I'm sure Asuna will get back to us. She must be busy.)

Keiko: (HA! 😝)

Rika: (Kids these days.)

Shino: (You sure Kazuto? It's okay if you don't want to.)

Kazuto: (I'm sure, let's go.)

Tsuboi: (You really think he's okay?)

Shino: (No.)

Suguha: (Nope.)

Rika: (Probably not.)

Keiko: (Let's play! Bet I'll beat ya there.)

Rika: (Such a kid.)

Keiko (😤)

They all turned off their cellphones and placed on their nerve gear, logging in, not wanting Kazuto to wait long for them.

***************************

(Kirito)

"About time you all logged in," I call out to my friends. We all up at a meadow area.

Sinon, Leafa, Lizbeth, Silica and Klein all walk up to me, frowning.

"What's with the frowns?" I asked although I knew perfectly why. I won't break down.

"No reason," Leafa replied, attempting to smile. Failing badly. Fake.

"So should we stay up all night?" Sinon asked.

"Woah, Sinon, I didn't know you were a big fan of slumber parties!" Klein said in a flirting manner, which led me to look at him sternly. He knows they don't like it when he flirts.

Sinon merely laughed, to my surprise.

"I have nothing important to do tomorrow, so why not stay all night with you guys?"

"I say we stay up all night," Klein agreed excitingly, which Sinon surprisingly didn't glare at him for.

Everyone just stared at each other, undecided.

"No one but me and Sinon? Alright! It's just gonna be me and you," Klein grinned, which surprisingly Sinon returned a genuine smile.

They've never been this close...?

"Sure why not," I replied nonchalantly.

"I'll stay too!" Silica chimed in right after.

"Kids need to sleep, leave the adult things to the adults," Rika teased which caused Sinon to blush.

"It's just a sleepover! If anything, sleepovers are for kids!" Silica nagged. Leafa patted Silica's head in comfort.

"So you admit to being a kid? Great," Rika poked her cheek with a small smirk.

"Anyone's welcome," Sinon added, which caused Silica to grin in her direction.

"I'll stay too," Leafa added.

"Fine, I guess I can stay" Rika added.

I need this, a night with my friends should make me take my mind of Asuna. This will be good for me.

I look over to my group of friends and smiled. I'm sure Asuna is okay. She just must be busy.

I miss her though.

"Kirito?" Sinon called, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I replied quickly, not sure what's going on.

"I was asking you where we should stay for tonight?" Sinon repeated, apparently.

"We can always stay at my place," I replied. They all got quiet.

"What? It's my house too, not just Asuna's" I said.

"Do you think she'll be there?" Silica asked.

"I don't know. Why would she?"

***************************

(3rd person)

The group was now in front of the doorstep, waiting for Kirito to open the door.

"I doubt she's here," Kirito said, drained. He turned the knob and entered along with everyone else.

"See, she's not here," Kirito said. Just as he spoke those words, Asuna walked downstairs, with Yui following.

"Papa!" Yui cheered, rushing to hug Kirito. Asuna, standing just a couple feet away.

"Hey Yui," Kirito replied. Kirito just looked at Asuna, who avoided his gaze.

"Hey Klein, why don't we go for a walk?" Sinon awkwardly added, trying to give Kirito and Asuna some space.

"Alright!" Klein chimed, linking his arm around Sinon's and ran off with her, which led me to raise an eyebrow.

That was unexpected.

"I'll go join them, Klein will probably try something dumb," Rika said, walking out the door.

"And we'll tag along as well," Leafa added, dragging Silica along with her.

"Mama, look! Papa's here!" Yui chimed. Asuna smiled down at her and nodded.

"Yes he is, isn't he?" she with a small smile.

"Asuna, you okay?" Kirito asked, worry drenched in his tone. Asuna tried to fight back a few escaping tears and smiled.

"I have some knews to share with both of you," Asuna wiped away the few tears that had rolled down her cheeks.

"Asuna."

"Momma?"

"I can't stay much longer. But I wanted to tell you before I left that I love you both very much." her eyes still glistening with tears as she spoke.

"Asuna, you're scaring me. What is it? Whatever it is, we can work through it. Right, Yui?"

Yui nodded vigorously, her balled up fists against her chest, grasping her dress tightly within her palms.

"No," she let out abruptly. She sighed at their alarmed reaction. She faced away from them, so now they can only see the back of her long locks.

"I have to get married in the real world," Asuna tried to say without choking in tears.

"Why? To whom? And why so sudden" Kirito asked desperately. He looked at his feet.

"I thought we were more than this. I thought we would eventually..." he paused.

"I'm sorry to you both. This is for my family. They really need me this time." Asuna replied.

"You don't have to," Kirito pleaded.

"You weren't there Kirito. If you're mother asked you in tears, would you deny her?" Asuna ridiculed. Kirito stayed silent.

"My mother hardly ever cries, I've only seen her cry once before in my life. So to have her ask me in tears, desperately, I couldn't object. This is also my own decision,"

"Since when have you cared? You defied them before," Kirito refuted.

"This time it's different. I and my mom actually communicate now. Ever since we came to an understanding, we've gotten closer. She had really been trying to be an actual mother to me," Asuna turned back to them. She no longer withheld her tears and let them stream down her face. Kirito kissed her hand and held it against this chest.

"You selfishly took a place in my heart that was only reserved for you. Knowing this might not work in the end. You know that, right?" Kirito asked, now threatening to be in tears. Yui helplessly held on to both of them.

Asuna only nodded, now her head lowered.

"You said you'd rather die than be without me. You said you only need me. You said all these things that made me feel secure in what we have. In the end, now after all we've been through, you want to break what we have?" Kirito ranted.

"What we had," Asuna corrected, still in tears. Asuna gently pulled away her hand that Kirito held against his chest. She bent over and gave a long forehead kiss to Yui.

"I need to go, be good Yui. Promise me," Asuna pleaded. Yui nodded, eyes full of tears.

"I love you. But its time I showed my mother just how much I do to her as well" Asuna explained. Kirito just nodded as he let go of her hand, letting his arm drop to his side.

"I'll miss you," Asuna reassured.

"And you won't come back?" Kirito asked.

"Maybe. To see how Yui's doing,"

"And not me?"

"I might be married by then. It'd be inappropriate to do so if that were the case," Asuna said grimly before she logged out.

"I miss you," Yui cried after Asuna left, and Kirito just gave her a hug.

"I know you do, so do I," Kirito said, patting her back.