Chapter 12: Home
The two of them returned to town and sat on a bench near the central fountain. Hikaru leaned back, hands folded behind his head, a surprised tone in his voice.
"I didn't expect your cooking skill to already be maxed out."
Asuna turned to him with a curious glance.
"By the way, where exactly is this house you bought?"
She shifted slightly in her seat, feeling the weight of a few passing glances from other players. They were currently on the 27th Floor of Aincrad—a relatively quiet area, since most players either gathered on the highest unlocked floors or were still grinding on the lower ones.
Given their high-level gear and refined appearances, the attention they drew was understandable.
"It's on a small path near the forest on Floor 22," Hikaru replied, standing with a faint smile. "Wanna see it?"
"Well, I was planning to buy a house myself… so, yes."
"In that case, let's go."
— — —
Southwest of Floor 22, just a little off the main road from Coral Village, two figures appeared in front of a modest yet beautifully crafted wooden house. Hikaru and Asuna had just teleported down from the 27th Floor.
"This is... your house?" Asuna's eyes widened in awe. Her expression was both adorable and filled with wonder. In SAO, owning a house this size and quality wasn't cheap by any means.
"Welcome to my humble home." Hikaru pulled out a key and unlocked the front door.
"S-sorry to intrude…" Asuna said softly, stepping in after him with a slightly nervous air.
— — —
A hanging chandelier, plush sofas, a polished table, clean dishware—all neatly arranged. The living room was surprisingly spacious compared to most of the houses in the central towns.
Asuna quietly toured the interior before making her way to the outer balcony. From there, a breathtaking panorama awaited her—an endless lake reflecting the blue sky, mountain ranges in the distance, and a lush green forest swaying gently in the wind.
She closed her eyes and folded her arms over her chest, letting the warm sunlight wash over her. The breeze played with her chestnut hair as she stood there, still and serene.
The moment Hikaru stepped onto the balcony and saw her like that, his heartbeat quickened without warning.
It was clear from her expression—Asuna had completely fallen in love with this place. For someone as emotionally attuned as her, the natural beauty of this hidden sanctuary was irresistible.
Hikaru had chosen this location after carefully considering several areas. In the original storyline, Kirito had also purchased a house in this region.
— — —
Back inside, Hikaru had changed into casual wear—a light T-shirt and loose shorts—looking far more relaxed than usual. Seeing how much Asuna enjoyed the home, he decided to cancel their outing plans and simply rest in the living room instead.
He lay back on the sofa, closed his eyes, and sighed contentedly.
"No matter where you are, there's nothing like the comfort of your own home…"
"You're right… That's why I want a place of my own, too." Without him noticing, Asuna had returned from the balcony and taken a seat on the opposite sofa, replying in a calm voice.
Hikaru opened his eyes, smiling gently.
"By the way, the kitchen's fully equipped. Didn't you say you owe me a meal?"
"I suppose I did." She stood. "I'll go buy ingredients and be right back."
"No need." Hikaru yawned and gestured lazily. "Check my inventory. I've got plenty in stock."
He opened his menu and swiped through a long list of food ingredients, showing it to Asuna.
Her eyes sparkled with curiosity… and then widened in disbelief as she reached the bottom of the list.
"Are you… cheating or something? How do you have this much?!"
"Hmm?" Hikaru shrugged. "Maybe I'm just lucky. But I believe if your strength is high enough, your drop rate improves too."
"I guess that makes sense…" She accepted the explanation and kept scrolling through the items.
"Leave the cooking to me, then. I'll handle everything."
"My pleasure."
With a snap of his fingers, Hikaru materialized the ingredients and handed them over.
"…I knew it," he muttered with a grin. "You're secretly a food-loving gourmet, aren't you?"
He stretched back on the sofa, letting her do her thing.
— — —
In SAO, cooking mechanics were simplified. It didn't take long to prepare a dish.
Though Hikaru had initially wanted to help, his lack of cooking skill rendered him useless in the kitchen. He decided to leave it all to Asuna.
As expected, she was incredibly talented. With the addition of herbs and spices she had gathered herself, the dishes she prepared turned out both beautiful and delicious.
Within a short time, the dining table was filled with colorful, mouth-watering dishes.
"Asuna, you're amazing. Seriously."
Hikaru sat up with a wide grin. Asuna gave him a sharp look but couldn't hide her pleased smile.
"Well, I got to try all these rare ingredients. That's enough reward."
Hikaru picked up his chopsticks and practically drooled.
"Alright, let's dig in—!"
"Easy there," Asuna said, watching him stuff his face like a starving beast. A faint blush rose to her cheeks as she quietly began eating too, memories of earlier still fresh in her mind.
— — —
Several minutes later, Hikaru leaned back in his seat with a blissful expression. It was the first time since entering SAO that he'd felt this full.
"…That was insane. I had no idea you could cook this well."
"Thanks," Asuna replied, cheeks glowing. "Though your rare ingredients played a huge part too."
"You know," he said thoughtfully, "Every one of your dishes had this… consistent flavor. Do you have some secret seasoning or something?"
"You want to know?"
"Of course."
"I'm not telling you~~~" Asuna grinned teasingly, waggling her finger at him.
Hikaru let out a sigh. "You're cruel."
"It's my own special sauce. But… I might let you have a taste."
"For real? Okay—let's trade!"
"…You're so serious about it." Asuna couldn't help laughing. It was hard to believe this was the same elite player people talked about.
"Anyway," Hikaru changed the subject, "Let's have some tea. This batch is from a rare quest. Pretty limited stuff."
He pulled out a small pouch of green tea leaves, brewed two cups, and handed one to Asuna.
Brewing tea in SAO was simple—nothing like the complex rituals in the real world.
"Green tea?" Asuna took a sip and blinked in surprise. "Wow… I haven't had tea like this in over a year."
"Careful not to choke," Hikaru said, carrying his cup out to the balcony. Asuna followed him.
There, a small round table and two wooden chairs awaited them. The two sat down, enjoying the tea and the view.
"…Thank you for today," Asuna said softly.
The terror of earlier still lingered in her chest. Had Hikaru not come… she might've already been gone.
She turned to him with eyes full of quiet emotion.
"Can I ask you something?"
"You're wondering how I found you?" Hikaru replied before she could even ask.
He pulled out a red crystal and held it up.
"This crystal has a tracking function. Besides allowing teleportation, it also shows the location of the person it's linked to."
"…So that's how."
She looked down at her tea, lips trembling slightly.
Hikaru didn't say a word. He simply took another sip, letting the silence between them speak for itself.
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