Asuna had originally planned to take a taxi home, but now that someone was accompanying her, she didn't mind taking a leisurely walk with him, even if the distance spanned dozens of kilometers.
Unfortunately, the Yuuki family home wasn't too far from Ichiyo Gakujuku, only about a forty-minute walk. Her mother had told her to take a taxi for safety. On holidays, if classes ended early and her mother had taken the car, Asuna would also walk home from the tutoring center.
She used to complain about the torturous distance, but now, even if the path stretched to the ends of the earth, it didn't bother her. Since meeting Yuu, changes were everywhere.
Time seemed to melt like ice under the sun, passing by unnoticed.
Putting away the umbrella and gazing at the clear night sky above, Asuna tightened her grip on the warmth in her hand, not letting Yuu fold the umbrella. Instead, she continued talking with a sweet smile.
"Then my brother secretly told me lots of good things about you, to the point I almost thought you'd asked him to brainwash me into liking you…"
Yuu rolled his eyes. "I'd be crazy to ask him to do something like that, or I'd want you to hate me… Besides, even without anyone's help, wouldn't you still like me?"
Asuna's eyes widened, then she raised her chin haughtily, as if scoffing and ready to retort.
"You think you're that popular? I wouldn't… pfft."
Before finishing, she couldn't help but shake her head and laugh, her slender shoulder nudging him slightly. "You're so narcissistic! Really~"
Yuu raised his brows. "It's called confidence. Did I say anything wrong?"
Asuna thought seriously for a moment, turning to look at him for a long time. Then her smile bloomed like a flower, radiating a hint of sweetness.
"Alright, you're not wrong!"
Along the way, they talked a lot. They chatted about the game and the real world, about happy things and bothersome ones.
Yuu shared the difficulties he faced preparing for the recent Autumn Club Exhibition, including dealing with a hard-to-please club president and the lack of a third member.
Asuna talked about being forced into an arranged marriage and her first act of courage in defying her mother. She also expressed her desire to return to that world soon to complete their missions.
The night was never silent; they seemed to have endless things to say, walking side by side past rows of streetlights, their steps and voices gradually spreading from the commercial area to the residential one.
Asuna suddenly remembered something and asked with a hint of worry, "Yuu-kun, escorting me home like this, won't it take you out of your way?"
"No, it's about a thirty-minute ride." Yuu shrugged, his plan flawless, even the train route home already prepared.
"That's pretty close then."
As they neared her home, Asuna unconsciously slowed her steps, her fingers brushing from her brow, tucking her windblown bangs behind her ear. Her gaze fell to the ground, and she whispered as if murmuring, "So… from now on, after school, can we walk home together like this every day?"
Looking up, Yuu gazed at the boundless night sky, as clear as a lake's reflection under the moon.
"If you want, I'll stay with you until the end."
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the Host for receiving a reward: Time Calculation (Status).]
Like a child receiving a Christmas gift, Asuna couldn't help but smile, her steps light on the pavement.
"Hmph, you talk a good game~ But I believe you!"
"Since you've said that, I'll try to convince my mom to let me walk home every day, so she won't need to pick me up from tutoring… She might even be happy to have one less task."
Yuu nodded, saying little.
In the upscale residential area ahead, a standalone villa gradually came into view, its white walls glowing with warm yellow light under the streetlamps.
"That's my house." Noticing his gaze, she confirmed his guess, then naturally changed the topic.
"Hey, Yuu-kun… If there were no Sword Art Online connection, us walking home holding hands like this would be just like a normal couple, right?"
Knowing she'd eventually forget these moments, Yuu answered casually, "If you don't mind skipping all the steps in between, you can think of it that way."
"What's that supposed to mean? You're so nonchalant!"
Her brows furrowed in displeasure, Asuna puffed out her pale cheeks like a squirrel, eyeing his expression with suspicion.
"Is it because you have a lot of dating experience, so you act so indifferent? Or like the internet says, the one who loves the most always acts recklessly?"
The grip on his hand tightened, her gaze gradually sharpening, like the flash of a rapier's blade.
Glared at angrily by the girl, for some reason, Yuu couldn't help but smile, hiding a bit of amusement, and said in mock surprise:
"I chased you all the way to the real world, and you still think I'm indifferent?!"
"Well…"
Asuna fell silent, the sharpness in her eyes quickly softening under his gaze. Her small teeth lightly bit her pink lips, then she smiled with a mix of shyness and joy.
Yuu pretended not to notice, lowering his head and sighing heavily, as if complaining. "I came to find you today with the resolve to be seen as a stalker, asking your brother all sorts of things about you… And yet, you didn't feel my effort at all."
"That's not true!"
Her voice was clear, carrying an undeniable resolve. In front of her house's gate, Asuna tightly gripped his hand, turning her slender, well-proportioned body to face Yuu. The streetlight illuminated her flushed cheeks, her clear brown eyes glowing softly and brightly, looking at him with serious focus.
"Yuu-kun, when I was avoiding and unwilling to face reality, you kept sending messages worrying about me. That really touched and made me happy."
"If it were me, I probably couldn't be like you, so persistent with a stranger I met online in such a short time."
Asuna raised their clasped hands, covering them earnestly with her other hand, letting their warmth meld further. She closed her eyes, whispering softly, "Even if it's just acting, even if it's just pretending to be husband and wife… when you hold my hand, that gentleness holds no falsehood."
"Maybe because of that, I ended up liking you unintentionally."
Her crescent-shaped eyes curved, a small smile blooming at the corner of her lips as she sighed contentedly.
"Our feelings aren't a one-way street."
"…"
In silence, Yuu gazed at Asuna's calm, serious face as she poured out her heart.
He asked himself inwardly: (She likes me, but do I really like her?)
This question was easier than deciding what to eat for dinner tonight—of course, he neither liked nor disliked her. In the game, Yuu was always playful, and his closeness to Asuna was to achieve his goals, to feel inner satisfaction. Though there was a hint of liking, in such a short time, he couldn't truly like a second person.
So, from start to finish, Asuna's feelings were a one-way street. His acting fooled her but couldn't fool himself again. Perhaps because of that final mission, which left him with PTSD…
Even so, Yuu wouldn't tell Asuna the truth. To make her smile even brighter, he said:
"What can I do? That game feels too real to be taken as a joke."
Smiling helplessly, he squeezed the soft hand in his grip. "Once I hold on, it's not easy to let go, you know?"
"…Mm, just as I wanted."
Asuna leaned forward, gently resting her forehead against his chest, as if taking a deep breath. Under her soft chestnut hair, her ears were already red, but faintly visible was a sincere, satisfied smile from her heart.
"From now on, I'll get closer to you every day… until we become the most important person to each other, in both the real world and the game."
A faint sigh drifted with the breeze. Yuu set the umbrella on the ground, wrapped his free arm around Asuna's head, embracing her, and whispered softly:
"In both the real world and the game, I'm so grateful to have met you, Asuna."
"Me too, Yuu-kun."
As if letting the darkness of the night swallow them, the two embraced in front of the Yuuki family home, savoring the warmth of the moment in silence.
Yuu closed his eyes, his expression slowly calming.
—Giving sincerity to the deviant, lies to the honest.
Regardless, his starting point was good intentions, only differing in methods. For him, it was the best choice… Yes, as long as this lie wasn't exposed.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the Host for receiving a reward: Studying (Proficient Level).]
[Studying (Proficient Level) has reached three, automatically combined—]
[Congratulations to the Host for receiving a reward: Studying (Expert Level).]