Darkness falls over the Town of Beginnings as other party members talk about the quest and how they're going to dominate the Boss. I'm sitting in a corner with no one to talk to, so I've taken to watching the boy Kibaou pointed out. He doesn't look like a threat; his eyes are too kind-looking. And he just shared something with that girl in the pink hood, who doesn't seem to know him at all. He seems vaguely familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.

He finishes talking to the girl and starts to walk towards me. I try to hide my face, afraid that I remember him from something bad. But when he looks at me, his face doesn't show any signs of bad memories. He just looks at me weirdly. Then he smiles.

"Haruko-san?"

I look at him. He does know me, but I don't know from where. I scan the area around his head. His name is Kirito. I don't know anyone by that name.

"Do I know you?" I ask.

Kirito laughs. "You know, not many people use their actual name as their character's," he says. "It's me, Kirigaya."

Kirigaya Kazuto. He goes to my high school; we're both first-years. Or I guess we were before this death game. I smile and shake his hand.

"Sorry about that, Kirigaya-kun," I say. "I thought you looked familiar. I didn't know we weren't supposed to use our real names in the game."

"It's fine," he says. "And you can call me Kirito. It is the game, after all."

I motion to the seat next to me. He sits. "So what did Kibaou want with you today?"

Kirito shrugs. "He's probably just mad because I'm a Beta Tester. People get jealous when you play the game before they do."

"I guess you're right," I say. "Do you get that a lot?"

Kirito gives a chuckle. "Yup," he says. He looks around. "Who are your party members?"

I motion behind me, where a group has formed around Diabel. They're talking and laughing about who knows what. "I teamed up with Diabel after I found the Boss and ran screaming."

True to his nature, Kirito begins to laugh. "Haruko-san, if there's one thing I know about you, it's that you never run." He stands up from his seat. "I'm going to get some sleep. I guess I'll see you in the morning."

I wave. "Bye," I say. Then I look up at the sky and think. Why did I run from Illfang? It was stupid. I decide one thing, there and now.

If I can help it, I will never run again.