Some people, they say, are born for their profession. 3 year olds that are called Picasso's and 4 year olds doing algebra. You could say I was one of these kids, out of the womb and pounding out code on a keyboard. And here I was doing just what I was best at. " What are you working on Fumiko?"

" Oh Kayaba sensei just some uh finishing touches to SAO," I said trying to cover my screen.

He smiled lightly and moved my hand. " What is this? I haven't seen this before."

" Would you like me to show you?" I asked. Akihiko and I went over to the nerve gear and we logged into SAO. Kayaba used a base character while I used my save and we started in the fields of level 1.

" You designed a new weapon?" he asked interested.

" Ya since you refused to put magic in the game I thought we needed a good distance weapon. Introducing the bow and arrow DLC," I said and drew my bow. " You can either power it up for a more powerful attack or rapid fire for weaker but faster attacks."

The power up loaded and I shot at the nearby boar. He died in one shot. I then demonstrated the quick fire, which killed the boar in three shots. " Excellent"

" There's more," I said then went into my inventory and pulled out a different bow. " That was just a level one wood bow. This is a level 47 bow. Now I got a special stone and-"

" This is why you are my second in command. No one else besides me has this kind of mind."

" Yes thank you sir but listen to me. This update is ready to install now. We've got 5 days until launch I really think-"

" No." Kayaba said surprisingly stern. I blinked and his light smile came back. " The game is perfect in it's current form, no more last minute changes. These last 5 days should be spent perfecting it understood?"

I put my hands up in defeat. " Alright, you win. But I want healing in the DLC."

Kayaba laughed and patted my shoulder. " Ok fine. Now let's head back. You have worked enough overtime this week."

We logged out and I stretched in my chair. " Are you sure you don't want help retouching those NPC's on level 83? Or maybe write in a few more quests? Or even-"

" Go home Fumiko. Actually go out, enjoy a nice evening for yourself. Call up some friends and have a party."

" Um ok. Good night senpai," I said grabbing my coat. He gave a wave and out of the corner of my eye as I left I saw him typing away. I sighed as I walked down the halls towards the exit. What friends I thought to myself. Since I wrote my first game the computer has been my only friend. The world outside the shiny screens was harsh and cruel. I waved to the security guard as I left the building. The streets were still crowded even at half past 1 but this was Tokyo what did you expect. I kept my head down and avoided any eye contact. At a stoplight I looked in a shop window and saw and advertisement for Sword Art Online.

It was followed by a picture and brief story on Kayaba and then on me. " Fumiko Mori has yet again done amazing work under Kayaba's influence. But we already knew this video game wiz was going to add even more perfection to this game didn't we? Graduating college at 15 and entering the gaming industry was a cinch for this prodigy. She's sure to shine even brighter after working with Kayaba Akihiko," the reporter said.

People shoved past me and I saw we had the green. I walked across the street and saw a ramen stand and decided on a bowl to warm me up. After ordering a veggie bowl I sat quietly on the end and looked at my phone and through my emails. A group of men stopped in and they were bantering quite loudly. They all ordered at least three bowls of ramen each and kept on with their conversation. " Yo."

I turned slowly and saw a red head smiling at me. I turned to the other side and remembered I was sitting on the end. " H-hi," I said nervously and looked back at my phone.

" Whatcha doing out so late?"

Why was this guy talking to me? Did it look like I wanted to be talked to? " I did some over time at work… what about you?"

Oh my gosh I was actually conversing! I took calm breaths to keep in the excitement. " We're about to go wait in line for SAO! Got to fill up you know?"

" Are you going to wait at the store across the street?"

" Ya why?"

" No you need to go to the one on 8th street they have more copies than anyone else in the city."

" Really? And how do you know about that?"

Oh shit I wasn't supposed to tell anyone that. " I uh know the store owner."

" Oh so I guess you already got your copy reserved then so damn lucky."

" No I was in the beta," I said absentmindedly as the noodle bowl was handed over. I slurped then looked over as the red head and his friends stared at me in awe.

Immediately I was surrounded and slammed with questions on the game. Whether it was about frame rate or how food tasted I did my best to answer until my bowl was empty. " I got it," the red head said paying for my food.

" You didn't need to do that," I said shyly.

" Are you kidding? It's the least I could do."

" Well thank you for the meal but I should go home now," I said and left with a small wave to everyone. My stomach was still rumbling a little so maybe I'll hit up the convenience store and grab a pack of pocky.

" Hey wait!"

I turned back and the red head from earlier ran up to me panting. " Did I forget something?"

" No I uh… I thought we could meet up some time," he said and handed me a piece of paper.

I looked down and saw it had a phone number on it, most likely his, and a username and password. " You don't even know my name though," I said nervously.

" Well I'm Tsuibai Ryoutarou and you are?"

" F-Fumiko"

" Nice to meet ya Fumiko. I'm going to be busy the next few days but maybe you can come over to my place on the release day?"

" Y-ya that sounds nice."

Klein smiled. His friends called him back over and he gave me a wave before running back. My face must have been bright red by now. Some guy just asked me out for the first time in my life. People stared at me the whole walk home as I smiled like a maniac. I entered my apartment and grabbed a drink before heading to bed. I paused and looked in the mirror. I pulled out my hair tie and my magenta hair fell down going past my shoulders then took off my glasses looking into my pink eyes. This girl just got a date! Giddily, I jumped into bed and under the covers. This was going to be the best week of my life!