Hello and welcome to my new fanfic story of Sword Art Online. This story is a collab between me and a close friend. It is a retelling of the ALO arc from my OC's point of view. I really wanted to explore the idea of what it was like for a family member to lose someone to SAO, and since I hated the Leafa/Kirito story arc, I decided to give Asuna a sibling and write the story from her point of view. Yes I am aware that it is not canon as Asuna actually has a brother in the light novels. Well he does not exist in this story bwahaha!

Please enjoy, if there are any questions leave them in the review sections. Also, please review and let me know if you like this story and if I should continue! Please enjoy!

Fuzz

November 6th, 2022. The date was one forever burned into Reina Yuuki's mind. For 10,000 innocent people, it was the day that they would become prisoners for two grueling years in a madman's virtual world. For Reina, it was the day that her life changed forever.

November 6th, 2022 17:30 Standard Time.

Reina returned to her cramped dorm room after her last lecture of the day. She had only recently begun to attend Tokyo University; a substantial miracle by her parents standards. Granted, the acceptance letter had come as a surprise to Reina as well, she had never been a successful student, unlike her younger sister and she wasn't very popular amongst her peers. If Reina had to guess, it had been her family name that had granted her admission into such a prestigious school. She tried not to think of the reason that she had been admitted too often as it made her feel even less capable in her ability to succeed and instead she tried to enjoy the experience of living outside of her parents strict regulations. It was a relief to be able to live as she pleased and not be forced to withstand the constant reprimanding of her character. Reina was certain that the only thing she did miss about home was her younger sister. The two had always been close, but after Reina's departure to Tokyo, they hadn't been able to contact eachother quite as often.

Reina took out her cellphone and typed in a quick message; it had been awhile since she had communicated at all with her sister due to the intensity her coursework; nonetheless she felt guilty for her negligence.

Hey Flash, how ya doin'? How's that game I let you borrow, launched today didn't it? Call me when you get this!

Reina threw her phone down on her bed and crossed the room to sit at her tiny desk. She flipped open her laptop and clicked on the internet icon as soon as the little machine had loaded. She was immediately bombarded with an emergency news broadcast that flashed across her screen.

ATTENTION: The following is an important message for all citizens of Japan, Please stand by for the following broadcast….

Confused, and more that a bit alarmed, Reina bit her lip worriedly as the raw footage of two broadcasters appeared on her computer screen.

"Citizens, this is an emergency broadcast regarding the recent release of the VRMMORPG Sword Art Online."

A cold chill traveled down Reina's spine as she heard the name.

"As of 17:30 Standard Time, it has been discovered that the 10,000 players currently logged into the VRMMORPG Sword Art Online are unable to access the logout sequence. Attempts to physically remove NerveGear headsets have resulted in physical system deterioration and death within a two-hour period."

Reina's knuckles were white, clenched against her desk as cold dread spread its way through her entire body.

"Current details as to why the players have become trapped within the game are unknown. However our sources are continuing to investigate the situation. At this time we would like to rule out foul play and instead suggest that the issue is caused by a massive system bug. Nonetheless, we would like to advise all families against removing the NerveGear. Please have your loved ones moved immediately to emergency care facilities until the situation can be resolved."

The broadcast continued, but Reina was no longer listening. Her mind was racing. Reina had obtained a copy of Sword Art Online before she had received her acceptance to Tokyo University. When she realized she would not have spare time to invest in the game, she had offered it to her sister, who loved games almost as much as Reina did. Had she unintentionally sent her own sister into a death trap?

No, calm down, She thought. Who knows if she even played it? Maybe she got too busy with school. Maybe she forgot I even lent her the game.

A high pitched ringing made Reina jump until she realized that it was her cellphone she had left on her bed. She leapt across the room and snatched up the vibrating device, flipping it open without even bothering to check the caller ID.

Please let it be her. Please let it be her.

"Reina?" The voice on the other end was not the one she was expecting. It was full of grief and shaking with fear. Reina swallowed dryly.

"Mom?"

"Reina…Oh, Reina," her mother, usually so calm and reserved, was breaking down into absolute despair. "Reina…It's your sister. It's Asuna."

2 years later….

Reina sat back against the metal chair watching the rain drip off of the eaves outside of the hospital window. Her green eyes listlessly followed the drops as they streaked down the panes. The Death Game, Sword Art Online, had supposedly been cleared two months ago. Game Director, and mastermind of the entire SAO epidemic, Akihiko Kayaba was nowhere to be found, although authorities still searched insensately. Approximately 6000 players had awoken and gone through intense rehabilitation programs in order to reintegrate them into society. However, for some mysterious reason, 300 of those players remained in permanent comatose condition. Asuna was one of them.

Reina's excitement upon hearing of the completion of SAO was quickly crushed the moment she had entered her sister's hospital room only to see her lying on that same hospice bed, as still as she had been for the past two years. Her fear and anger had increased exponentially, for now, there was no obvious reason for her sister's condition. The game was over, Asuna should be free. Reina feared that she would never see the life in her sister's eyes again.

Slowly, her gaze drifted to the vase of flowers on the bedside table; now drooping and rotten. She quickly cursed herself for neglecting to bring fresh ones. Finally, she allowed her attention to turn to the hospital bed that sat in the middle of the room, where a frail figure lay absolutely still. Reina pulled her chair towards the bed, ignoring the unbearable screech it made. She reached out hesitantly and gently grasped her sister's fragile hand. It was cold, as if death had already claimed her.

"It's raining today," she murmured. "I know how you love the rain."

"Reina! It's RAIN-ing! Get it? C'mon let's go outside!"

Reina tried to ignore her ten-year-old sister as she burst loudly into their bedroom, interrupting the new MMO Reina had been experimenting with.

"Is that seriously the joke you're sticking with?" Reina groaned, swiveling around in her chair to face the intruder. Asuna's hazel eyes sparkled with glee as she stuck out her bottom lip in a fake pout, "I think it's funny. Come on, let's go play outside!"

"No thanks," Reina said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest. "I don't feel like getting wet."

"Please!" Asuna begged, placing her tiny hands on Reina's knees and staring up at her with wide, puppy-dog eyes. Reina held her position for only a moment longer before letting out a long sigh and cracking a grin, "You're lucky I'm such a great big sister."

"Yes!" Asuna jumped up and down in excitement before dashing out the door. "I'll race you!"

"Don't forget your coat!" Reina called, stumbling to catch up with the ball of energy she had so lovingly named The Flash.

Reina blinked rapidly, willing away the memory and reaching up to carefully brush a lock of chestnut hair off of her sister's face. Her expression was so still and empty-it was terrifying.

"When are you coming back, Asuna?" She whispered as if she expected a reply. The only response was the steady beeping of the machine that monitored her sister's vital signs.

Tears quickly clouded Reina's vision in spite of her efforts to stifle them, "Shit..."

The hospital staff eventually intervened in Reina's contemplation and informed her that she would be allowed to return during tomorrows visiting hours. She nodded mutely and left the room without glancing back at the figure laying lifelessly on the bed. The gentle rain that had accompanied her hospital visit had turned into a torrent and thunder rumbled menacingly in the skies overhead. Reina briefly considered calling and asking her parents for a ride home, but dismissed the thought almost as quickly as it had come, the Yuuki couple were the last two people she wanted to see right now. She flipped up the hood of her coat, taking advantage of what little protection it offered, and gripped the handlebars of her bike that she had left parked outside. She glanced up at the angry clouds briefly, letting the water pound against her face, before trudging through the flooded street towards the direction of her parent's residence.

"Oh my gosh Reina, I knew you were a dork but did you really bring a PortoSphere to school?"

Reina looked up from her NetMatch with one of the boys in her middle school class to see the condescending smirk of Aiko Konejo and her two insolent companions that trailed her like puppies, submitting to her every command; Reina had never bothered to learn their names. Aiko, on the other hand, tormented her enough to warrant acknowledgment. Aiko was rude and malicious, but also happened to be one of the most attractive and popular girls in Reina's class, at least according to the male population. Typical, Reina thought as Aiko puffed out her chest, doing her best to be sexy and intimidating simultaneously.

"PortoSphere's are the newest developments in virtual technology," Reina retorted coolly, returning her gaze to the match splayed out in holograph form before her. "If you were really as cool as you think you are, you'd have one too."

A couple of the girls and a few of the boys surrounding the confrontation sniggered. Aiko's face turned beet red and she puffed out her cheeks in a very unladylike fashion.

"Of course you'd say that," Aiko sneered, regaining her composure as she spoke. "You're such a nerd you'll probably end up a fat, sweaty otaku who lives in her parent's house until she's forty!"

Reina dropped her PortoSphere and stood abruptly, knocking her chair to the floor. Without so much as a word, she drew back her fist and smashed it directly into Aiko's perfect, perky nose.

Reina sat outside the principals quarters, kicking her feet back and forth as she waited for the principal to finish speaking to her father on the phone. She was screwed, that much was certain. But it had been so satisfying to see the blood cascading from Aiko's tiny nose.

"Reina," a little voice interrupted her thoughts. "What are you doing outside the principals' office? Did you get in trouble again?"

She looked up to see her little sister Asuna staring at her wide eyed. The two had been enrolled in a lower-secondary school together, so that even though they were three years apart, they managed to see eachother occasionally in the halls…and outside the office that Reina frequented quite often.

"I punched Aiko Konejo in the face for calling me a nerd," Reina grunted, swinging her feet harder. Asuna blinked in surprise before snorting with laughter and plopping down in the seat next to her sister.

"Sounds like she really deserved it."

"Yeah," Reina said, grinning ruefully. "But dad's gonna kill me."

Asuna leaned over and bumped her sister's shoulder with her own, "I can talk to him for you."

"Don't bother," Reina mumbled; it wouldn't be right for her to abuse her sister's sparkling reputation with their parents. "I probably deserve whatever punishment he's gonna give me. Can't be anything worse than being grounded for a couple of months, right?"

Asuna thought for a moment before placing a hand over her heart and addressing Reina with a solemn expression, "Well, then if you do get in trouble, I promise to spend all my free time being grounded with you!"

Reina couldn't help the smile that spread across her face. She raised her fist and bopped her sister gently on the head, "You're too loyal for your own good, kid."

Reina sat on her old bed in the room she used to occupy with Asuna before moving to the University dorms. The moment the SAO incident occurred, Reina had spent the majority of her waking hours at her sister's bedside, completely neglecting her studies and eventually flunking the term. She could've cared less, but the rage that had engulfed her parents was enough to cause a significant amount of animosity between the three Yuuki's. In spite of their initial protests, they had allowed Reina to move back home and into her old room provided that she would begin studies again at a smaller, more local university. Reina did well enough to keep her parents from arguing with her, but her mind was always far away.

The burning guilt she had first felt on that fateful day in November two years past had never quite left. Everyday Reina felt sick in knowing that it had been her actions that had sentenced Asuna to an encapsulating mental prison. A prison that entailed certain death if great caution was not taken.

It should have been me. I should be the one lying on that bed. She did nothing to deserve this. It should have been me.

These words had become Reina's mantra; her constant reminder that she was her sister's executioner. Absently, she rubbed her thumbs over the front of her Amusphere headgear. The new technology had been released when her father's company RECTO Progress had acquired all subsidiaries of Argus once the company that had developed SAO had gone bankrupt. The technology was relatively new, but supposedly much safer than its predecessor, NerveGear. Preparing herself for a fulldive, Reina lay back against her pillows and slipped the Amusphere over her head. Perhaps, just for a few hours, she could inhabit the skin of her avatar and forget the real world.

LinkStart!

Reina opened her eyes to the warm green glow that seemed to emanate from almost every light in Swilvane, the Sylph capital of ALfheim Online. All around her was the steady murmur of voices as various Slyph avatars wandered around, forming parties, making trades, or just generally chatting cheerfully. Reina opened her main menu and scrolled through her item slots; many of them were full, and with useless items, she might add. Recalling the previous night, when she had ventured out into the Ancient Forest, she remembered that she had massacred a large amount of Night Imps. They had provided her with a substantial EXP boost, but also filled her item slots a lot of impractical loot.

Well, it's not completely useless, she thought. Might as well sell some of this stuff.

Closing her menu, she headed toward the city's largest inn where she knew she could pawn off most of her wares to the NPC innkeeper. Upon entering the inn, and ridding herself of most of her wares, she decided to sit for a moment at one of the tables and enjoy a beverage before heading back to the forest for some more level grinding. Granted food and drink in this world would not do much to satiate actual hunger or thirst, it was the calming ritual of sipping slowly at a warm cup of tea while doing some simple people watching, that Reina enjoyed.

She had only been sitting for a minute or two at her table when a loud voice pulled her attention.

"LEAFA! You're here!"

Reina looked around to see a small Sylph boy leaping up from his own table to greet another player who was just entering the inn. She was adorned in classic, green Sylph clothing that revealed a substantial amount of her bust and sported a long, blonde pontytail that swayed across her back as she walked. Reina cocked an eyebrow in disbelief as she approached the homely Sylph boy. Way out of his league.

"Hey Recon. Sorry I'm late," the girl, apparently named Leafa, said as she took a seat across from her companion.

"It's ok, I'm just glad you logged on at all," Recon replied, rubbing the back of his neck boyishly. "It seems like I never see you anymore, even at school."

"Yeah," Leafa murmured absently. "I've been really busy helping my brother with his rehab."

"Rehab?" Recon seemed confused, momentarily. "Oh right, your brother was part of SAO wasn't he?"

Reina almost spit out her mouthful of tea. Damning subtlety, she stood abruptly from her table and turned to face the two Sylphs. This girl apparently had a brother. A brother who had experienced Sword Art Online. And most importantly, a brother who was awake. Maybe she would have the answers Reina was looking for.

She had taken two steps towards the players when a large red message flashed across her field of vision before turning completely white.

ERROR ERROR INCORRECT DISCONNECT ERROR

Reina blinked rapidly, fighting vertigo as the details of her room in the real world became clearer and clearer. At first she was confused, until she saw the white, panic-stricken face of her mother floating above her holding the Amusphere. It became obvious that her mother had torn the machine straight off of her head without bothering to switch it off or wait for Reina to log out.

"Mom, what the—"

"What have I told you about playing these games Reina?!" Her mother's voice was quavering and tears pooled at the corners of her heavily mascaraed eyes.

"Mom, for crying out loud, dad's company made this thing! I've told you it's safe!" Reina reached for the headset and missed, falling out of her bed inelegantly.

"I've told you how I feel about this! I won't lose another one of my children to this Virtual Reality nonsense!"

"Have you ever thought that this might be a way for me to connect to Asuna," Reina shot back, climbing to her feet to look her mother in the eye. "For all we know right now, she's still in cyberspace. This could be the only way to find her."

"Don't be a fool Reina," he mother's voice became low. "Your sister is gone. If there was a chance she was still with us, she would've awoken a long time ago."

"Then how come she's still alive, huh?!" Reina retorted, becoming angry that her mother would give up so easily on her favored child. "How come her hearts still beating while she's lying in that bed? The NerveGear hasn't destroyed her brain, she's still out there somewhere! I can find her!"

Kyouka's face was turning red and she looked positively livid, "And what happens when you become trapped just like she is? Who do you expect to go in after you?" Without breaking her stride she turned and tossed the Amusphere viciously against the wall.

"Don't act like you'd even give a damn what would happen to me if I disappeared!" Reina shouted, allowing previous arguments she'd had with her parents to dominate the current situation. A resounding slap echoed off of the walls of the tiny room. Reina blinked in disbelief as a dull ache sprouted in her cheek.

"Don't you dare speak to me that way," Kyouka muttered her shoulders heaving as she struggled against rage and fear. "You will not use that machine in this house, do you understand?"

Reina met her mother's gaze with as much resentment and rebellion as she could muster, "I will do whatever I have to to save my sister."

With that, she shoved past Kyouka, grabbing her jacket before flying out the door and into the pounding rain.

She ran as fast as she could, letting her feet take her where they would. Her emotions threatened to boil over as she pounded the pavement, tears burning the corners of her eyes. Her cheek still stung from where her mother had struck her. The shock of it all was what affected her most. Tensions had been running high in the Yuuki household of late, but neither of her parents had ever resorted to physical punishment.

By the time she had nothing left with which to run, she found herself outside the doors of the hospital. Of course, her feet would bring her here. Unfortunately, the hospital was closed to visitors at this hour. Reina paced around the building for a while before taking shelter in the eastern alleyway underneath one of the eaves. She flipped her hood up to cover her ears and brought her knees up to her chest. Closing her eyes she finally allowed the tears to fall.

Reina was at the hospital doors the next morning, the moment they opened. The nursing staff, shocked by her disheveled appearance, had offered her towels and a warm blanket and afterwards allowed her to visit her sister's room. Reina now sat by the edge of the bed once more, staring blankly at the patterns that decorated the white bed sheets as the sun began to rise in the sky.

There was a tiny click as the door to Asuna's hospital room was pushed open. Reina tensed, rubbing her face to bring herself back to reality. Expecting one of the attending nurses to make their way to the bedside, Reina was confused when the only thing she heard from the direction of the doorway was a tiny gasp. She turned around and saw that it wasn't hospital staff she would be forced to deal with, but a young man with shaggy dark hair and even darker eyes. He looked a few years younger than her by his stature, but his face told a different story. It was as if in his mind he was far older, wiser, and more experienced than anyone she had ever met. The two stared at each other wordlessly, neither making a move to introduce or explain themselves. Finally Reina found her voice and asked, "Who are you?"

The boy's intense, onyx eyes focused on her own and he bowed his head respectfully, "Sorry. My name is Kir-Kazuto. Kazuto Kirigaya. I…I was a friend of Asuna's in Sword Art Online."

A thousand questions exploded all at once in Reina's mind. You were in SAO? How did it end? How did you survive? Why are some of the players still asleep? However the only question that manage to pass her lips was, "You knew my sister?"

Kazuto's eyes widened in surprise, "Actually, I didn't know that Asuna had a sister."

Reina frowned, "She...she didn't tell you anything about me?"

Kazuto shifted uncomfortably. Reina noticed he moved his weight around a lot, as if he still weren't used to standing on his own two feet, "A lot of the players in SAO never really talked about their families in RL. It was too painful to remember, considering it was a definite possibility we would never see them again."

"But you're here," Reina said and her tone was more venomous than she had intended. Kazuto obviously caught the inflection in her voice as his eyes shifted meekly to the floor.

"Yes."

The two fell silent again. Reina was desperate to ask how this boy knew her sister and if he had any clue as to where she was now, but before she could ask Kazuto clenched his fists and blurted, "I'm sorry!"

Reina blinked in confusion, unable to summon a response.

"It's all my fault," Kazuto continued, his shoulder beginning to shake as he battled his emotions. "I promised...I promised Asuna that I would make sure she got out of SAO safely. I failed...It's because of me."

Reina felt her breath catch in her chest. She glanced back at the still form of her sister before returning her gaze to Kazuto, "W-what do you mean?"

"She sacrificed herself for me," Kazuto continued. "It's because of me…."

Perhaps pity should've flooded through Reina at that point, but instead all she felt was an absolutely inconsolable rage and a deep agony. If what Kazuto said was true, then her sister should be dead. If she died in game the nerve gear would send electrical impulses into her brain, boiling it, killing her. But she wasn't dead yet. Why? Reina felt her rage ebb slightly as she realized that somehow, even though her sister had died in game, her body and brain continued to live. Maybe it was just her consciousness that was gone? Had this boy made it impossible for her sister to ever return to them? Would she lay in this hospital bed forever because she had died for a stranger?!

Reina stood from her chair, took two swift steps forward and grabbed Kazuto by the collar of his coat, pulling roughly on it and forcing him to look her in the eye. "Why?" she growled. "Why would she do that for you?"

Kazuto just stared at Reina, his face becoming somber and aged. Reina's jaw clenched and she shoved him back, releasing his collar. He staggered slightly and for the first time she noticed how weak and malnourished he looked. Definitely a victim of the Death Game...Not an enemy...An ally of her sister...The reason her sister was still gone.

"What is it you're doing here Kazuto Kirigaya?" Reina murmured, crossing the room to stand by her sister's bedside.

"I...I just wanted to see her. ...To see if.."

Suddenly it all made sense, Reina's eyes widened as she realized that her sister had truly meant something to this boy and the same could probably be said for Asuna as well. Reina shook her head in disbelief, she should have considered that severely strong bonds would have been formed between the players of the death game. If she had been a part of it...no...don't go there...don't think about the guilt. Stop.

She looked up at Kazuto who met her gaze with an unshakable conviction. After a moment, she nodded once, giving him permission to come closer as she stepped back and allowed him to take her place. Reina crossed the room to stand at the window folding her arms over her chest and gluing her gaze to the pedestrians passing outside. She suddenly felt incredibly awkward standing alone in her sister's room, accompanied by this stranger with whom she had had an apparently very close bond. Her curiosity began to bloom as Kazuto remained deathly silent, no words of condolence or even sorrow came from him. Finally Reina dared to peek out of the corner of her eye; she saw Kazuto sitting by the bed, both of his pale hands clasping Asuna's. His face was a mask of agony, his onyx eyes filled with grief and conviction. Reina found herself staring, entranced by the obvious dedication he felt towards her sister. Kazuto's gaze flicked momentarily to hers and Reina nearly choked, immediately turning once more to focus on the street outside, hoping to hide her embarrassed flush.

A few more minutes passed in silence and Reina managed to regain her fractured composure. Finally, she heard the chair squeak as Kazuto stood up.

"I'll be leaving now," he said formally bowing his head to her once more. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Yuuki-san."

"Reina," she found herself correcting, turning to face him. "I'm Reina."

"Reina," Kazuto repeated, nodding solemnly. He turned and began to make his way slowly towards the door.

"Will you be visiting again?" Reina found herself asking. She cursed herself as soon as the words left her mouth. She should hate this boy; he had failed to save her sister. But at the same time, Reina was just as guilty as he and he seemed to care so genuinely for Asuna, it was hard not to be touched.

"Yeah," Kazuto murmured. "Within the next few days. I'll come back."

"Good," Reina said, feeling the need to reassert her dominance. "I have some questions I need to ask you."

"Right," was all Kazuto said before opening the door and disappearing.

Kazuto awoke to the squeaking of the floorboards as someone stepped lightly across his bedroom. He sat up and peered into the dark, vaguely able to discern the shape of someone small and lithe approaching him. He tensed, until the figure stepped into the moonlight that slanted through his windows and lit upon a head of flowing, chestnut hair.

"Asuna?" Kazuto breathed, unable to believe what he was seeing. She stood there before him, garbed in the same casual clothes he had seen her wear in their cabin in SAO.

Asuna smiled at him and crossed the rest of the distance between them, coming to sit on the edge of his bed, "I told you that I'd find you again in the real world again, didn't I?"

Kazuto blinked in disbelief, everything around him seem to have an air of unreality to it. How was this happening? He had seen her lying comatose in the hospital only a few hours prior to this moment, "I thought you were still…Are you really here?"

He tentatively reached out to touch her face, afraid that once he did, she would disappear before his eyes. She leaned forward and met his hand halfway, closing her eyes in contentment as his palm cupped her cheek. For a moment, Kazuto was overwhelmed with an intense desire to wrap her in his arms and never let go. He yearned to feel her warmth against him once more. But even as his fingers played lightly against her cheek, he knew that he was dreaming. Even so, he shifted forward closing his eyes and allowing his forehead to press lightly against her own. He let his hand wander through her hair, caressing the soft locks as they slipped through his fingers. He opened his eyes to see her gazing at him lovingly, a soft smile on her lips.

"This isn't real," he murmured, letting his hand fall to his side. Asuna looked at him sadly, her hazel eyes glistening with tears. It broke his heart to see her in pain. His took one last look at her face, shining in the moonlight, before squeezing his eyes shut and curling his hands into tight fists, "I promise I'll find you."

"I promise."

Kazuto awoke with a start his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. He sat up quickly and scanned the perimeter of his room. Empty. He was alone. It had been a dream. He slowly lay back down and pressed the heels of his palms against his eyes, rubbing furiously. Earlier that day when he had first entered Asuna's hospital room, he had believed for a fraction of a moment that she had been sitting up beside the bed, awake and unharmed. But at second glance he had realized that it had indeed not been her, the hair was too short and darker in shade, the eyes were green and not hazel, the nose a bit longer and she was taller and appeared older.

"Reina," Kazuto murmured to himself. Asuna's sister. He rolled to his side and clutched his blanket to his chest. She must hate him. Hell, the whole Yuuki family would hate him if they knew what he had done. He had promised himself to Asuna, she was his responsibility. And he had failed. He squeezed his eyes shut and willed himself to calm down. He was back in the real world now and no matter what, he knew would find a way to save her.

Over the next week, Reina and Kazuto met in Asuna's hospital room. Most of the time they sat in silence. Occasionally they made light conversation and rarely, Reina was able to glean some of Kazuto's experience in SAO. From the disjointed tidbits he had told her, she came to understand that Kazuto and Asuna had been guildmates for a time in an organization called Knights of the Blood Oath and that before that they had spent time raiding dungeons together when Kazuto played solo. Whenever Reina asked for details of their adventures and relationship, Kazuto became pale and silent. It was starting to piss her off.

"Seems like a pretty stupid idea to me," Reina said suddenly after a long session of silence. "Why would you risk playing solo in a game where death is so final!? I mean just because you might have issues with people in the real world, it seems like a dumb reason to let that get in the way of your chances of survival."

Reina regretted it the moment she finished saying the words. She sounded like her middle school tormentor Aiko Konejo. Kazuto flinched at her words and focused his gaze on Asuna as he responded, "I played solo to protect the people around me."

Reina didn't understand his reasoning, but Kazuto didn't offer any further explanation and she already felt guilty for sounding so insensitive. She cleared her throat and attempted to sound a bit more courteous when she spoke again, "But you decided that my little sister was worth hanging out with."

"Yeah," Kazuto said. "She changed everything."

Reina noted the blush that appeared on his cheeks as he said this and raised an eyebrow in response. It was obvious by this point that Kazuto had some very real feelings for her sister; and yet Reina wondered if the same could be said for Asuna as well. It must be true, since Kazuto had admitted that she had sacrificed herself for him.

"Asuna has that effect on people," Reina said finally. Kazuto perked up at the contented tone in Reina's voice. There was a brief silence as she continued to gaze at her sister's prone form. Finally she mumbled, "It was my copy of SAO that Asuna used the day it all happened."

Kirito blinked in response.

"I got a copy just before I got accepted into University. I didn't think I'd have the time to play it there, so I gave it to her."

Kazuto bowed his head as he heard Reina's voice begin to quiver, "It should've been me. I should be the one lying in that bed right now. It's my fault."

She clenched her jaw tightly and closed her eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

"I should thank you then," Kazuto said quietly, surprising Reina with a small smile. "If you hadn't let her borrow the game, I never would have met Asuna. I probably would never have gotten out alive either."

Reina snorted incredulously and turned away stubbornly, there was no way she would let him get rid of her guilt that easily, "Maybe so...But she also wouldn't still be in this mess if I hadn't let her have it either."

Their conversation was put on hold as the hospital door swung open and two suited men entered the room.

"F-father?!" Reina stuttered, leaping to her feet "W-what are you doing here? I thought you were working today."

"I am," Shuzuou responded, crossing the room and replacing the flowers on the bedside table with a boquet of fresh ones. "I brought a colleague with me to see your sister today."

Shuzou straightened and tilted his head slightly, offering his hand to Kazuto, "I don't believe we've met. I'm Shuzou Yuuki, Asuna and Reina's father."

Kazuto took the older man's hand and shook it firmly, "The pleasure is all mine sir, my name is Kazuto Kirigaya. I was a friend of Asuna's during out time in SAO."

Shuzou smiled, "Thank you both for coming, I know it makes her happy." He looked down at his daughter and brushed her cheek with the tips of his fingers.

"Sir," the other man said, and Reina finaly registered the identity of the other man who had entered with her father. Her breath caught in her throat as she took in the pinched nose, the beady eyes, and the dull brown hair that always seemed to be coated in far too much gel. Sugou Nobuyuki.

"Ah, Kazuto ,I don't believe you two have ever met, this is Sugou, Director of RECTO Progress' fulldive division," explained.

"I'm Sugou Nobuyuki, it's a pleasure," Sugou smiled. Reina narrowed her eyes. She had known this man to be a perverted and immoral sneak for many years, but he was able to put up a completely fabricated facade of decency in front of her father, gaining his infallible trust.

"I'm Kazuto Kirigaya."

"The same Kazuto who played as Kirito the famed Black Swordsman?" Sugou asked, hurrying to shake his hand. "You're a hero; it's an honor!"

"I apologize Kazuto," said shooting Sugou a warning glance. "I know we shouldn't speak of the events of SAO, but Sugou is a very important colleague of mine, practically family; he can be trusted." Reina snorted loudly and Shuzuo gave her a harsh glare.

"Actually sir, speaking of family, I'd like to take this moment to make it official."

"Ah...this is sudden," Mr. Yuuki murmured. "Are you sure this is what you want...I mean you're still young."

Reina glanced back and forth between the two men worriedly. Kazuto looked just as confused as she, but neither of them knew if it would be appropriate to ask.

"Thank you for your concern sir, but my heart is set on it. Even though she's like this, she's still beautiful, I'd like to see her in that wedding dress," Sugou murmured adjusting his glasses. Reina nearly choked as she finally understood what the older men were discussing.

"What?!" she shouted, drawing a dark look from her father.

"Reina," he cautioned. "Your mother and I have discussed this. We both agree that the sooner we prepare ourselves for the inevitable, the better."

"But-"

"This is not the time or the place to argue with me, Reina," Shuzou warned. "This decision is mine and your mother's to make."

Reina gaped, unable to assemble the words she needed to respond.

He bowed to Kazuto and Sugou before saying," If you'll excuse me, I need to return to work. Good day."

With that, he swept out of the room, neglecting to spare Reina even a parting glance. She turned to look at Kazuto, whose gaze was trained on Sugou, his fists clenched tightly to his sides.

"I understand that you and Asuna were lovers in the game," Sugou said breaking the silence. "Is that true?"

Reina choked at his brazen declaration but Kazuto seemed unfazed and merely grunted in response.

"I see, well that's going to make for one complicated relationship between us." He crossed the room and picked up a lock of Asuna's hair, pressing it against his face. Reina made a grab for his hand, "What are you doing, sleazeball?!"

"Please, Reina, calm yourself. This is my future wife, am I not allowed to caress her as a husband would."

"You're twisted Sugou, I don't know how you got my father to agree to this, but I'm stopping it before it gets out of hand."

"Oh are you now?" Sugou smiled, licking his lips. "The prodigal daughter, terrible grades in school, fights, bullies. The daughter with no goals or intentions. The one who flunked out of Tokyo University. I'm sure your father agrees you absolutely knows what's best for your sister, hm?"

Reina fell silent, boiling with anger.

"Who do you think you are," Kazuto growled. "You can't do this to her."

"You're right, not legally anyway, "Sugou conceded. "But once the Yuuki family adopts me it will be as if we are married, at least on paper. This situation is very favorable, for me."

He stood and crossed the room, pushing past Kazuto and sneering at Reina.

"It would be best if you two stopped visiting, but I'll leave you to say your final goodbyes." With that he left the room, leaving Kazuto and Reina to stare at each other hopelessly as the room filled with the warm, orange glow of the sunset.