On a small path in the forest of the 22nd floor, Yusei and Asuna walked hand in hand. Both showed smiles on their faces, watching the sunlight spill onto the ground. Their moods were exceptionally good.
These past two days, they hadn't shared a room. Although they slept in the same house, they weren't in the same one.
Asuna had blushed and brought up the matter... but Yusei had refused. He was saving that opportunity for their wedding day.
Which would be on the night of their wedding, three days later. This made Asuna feel very happy.
Indeed, giving herself to her beloved on their wedding night would be the happiest thing possible.
"Hey, Yusei-kun, if... when we meet in reality, what would that scene be like?"
"Let me see... I'll have to think about it." Yusei pretended to ponder, then smiled, "I suppose the real-life Asuna would probably jump into my arms... and affectionately call me 'Anata', right?" (T/N: Anata can be said to be the same as Darling or Hubby.)
"Hmph, I would not! I wouldn't be so mushy." Asuna snorted cutely, putting on a proud act.
Yusei liked seeing Asuna like this, full of emotion... this kind of banter between a couple, he actually enjoyed it a lot too.
In his previous life, he had been in love, but it ended hastily due to some circumstances, so he hadn't tasted much of the sweetness of love.
Now, looking at Asuna beside him, Yusei felt quite emotional.
Therefore, he cherished this, bantering and joking with Asuna to deepen their relationship.
Yusei booped Asuna's cute nose and teased, "But if you don't call me Anata, I'll have no dignity in front of others. If a cute girl like Asuna calls me Anata, it would definitely be a point of pride."
Asuna's little face thought for a moment, then she said excitedly, "...Then let's make a deal. If you can make me happy, I'll call you Anata in front of others."
"What kind of deal?"
"Carry me, of course." Asuna looked at Yusei somewhat proudly, her beautiful face wearing an expectant expression.
Today, Asuna was wearing a flax-colored sweater... a fluffy top, a long skirt... giving off quite a mature, wife-like aura.
But right now, the youthful vibe Asuna was displaying was so lively and charming.
Having both the young girl and young married woman auras coexist on one person was extremely rare.
Naturally, Yusei agreed to Asuna's acting coquettishly... He immediately crouched down, letting Asuna climb onto his back.
This was his girlfriend. If he felt bothered by carrying his own girlfriend, then there would be no one left to cherish.
Carrying Asuna, Yusei didn't feel any weight. On the contrary, with their bodies pressed close, he could feel two soft mounds against his back.
Asuna seemed to realize this issue too, because she felt a bit of pressure on her chest. But she didn't say anything, just blushed slightly.
Judging by her expression, not only was she not disgusted, she even seemed a little... expectant?
The two had just fallen in love, constantly exchanging sweet nothings. Words that would sound cheesy to others didn't feel cloying or corny to them.
And Asuna couldn't stop smiling, teased by Yusei. Perhaps for her, being by Yusei's side was itself something worth smiling about.
Suddenly, Yusei's steps halted. He looked towards a part of the forest, his sharp eyes catching sight of a small girl collapsed in the bushes.
He was somewhat stunned and surprised, and also a little confused.
'If I wasn't mistaken... that was Yui, right? But I and Asuna had confirmed our relationship earlier than in the original work.'
'The time we bought the house was also earlier.'
'Why would Yui still appear before us? Logically, she should have collapsed here months later, roughly half a year or more from now.'
But regardless, whether it was the inertia of the plot or the fated bond between Yui and Asuna, Yusei naturally liked such a cute girl very much.
Immediately, he said to Asuna on his back: "Asuna, it seems there's a little girl collapsed over there."
"A little girl? Did she get separated from her family in the game?"
Asuna asked instinctively... but immediately she felt a bit silly for asking.
Because in SAO, friends have location displays... for those nearby, it shows directly on the mini-map.
For those far away, there would be a text description, like [Floor 19, Labyrinth Area].
"Let's go take a look first." Asuna's face reddened slightly as she got down from Yusei's back.
The two arrived where the little girl had collapsed. After Asuna was set down, they looked at the little girl on the ground and picked her up.
Looking closely now, they couldn't see a player marker above the girl's head, but similarly, no [Warning: Contact] or [Quest Triggered] text appeared either.
This scene puzzled Asuna, 'She's not an NPC?'
Her confused gaze turned to Yusei. Yusei said vaguely, "Maybe it's a bug. Probably a player from the Starting City. Not sure how she ended up here."
Asuna looked worried, as she also felt this was the most reasonable explanation.
She nodded: "In that case, let's take her home first. We can ask her if she has family in the game when she wakes up."
"Okay."
Immediately, Yusei carried Yui on his back. Their date was effectively over due to this unexpected incident.
By the time they returned home, the sun was high in the sky, about time to make lunch.
Back home, because he was carrying a little girl, both Shiro and Kanna looked at Yusei curiously.
Yusei could only briefly explain that she was a player they happened to find outside who had fainted.
Regarding this, Shiro wasn't particularly puzzled, just nodded.
Yusei placed Yui on the bed, covered her with a quilt, and let her sleep.
Their wedding would be held three days later. They only invited familiar people, holding a very small-scale celebration, but Asuna felt exceptionally happy.
What was a wedding, if not having others witness your love? So, it was just a matter of how many people attended the ceremony.
The afternoon passed in the leisurely time of afternoon tea. Soon, as darkness fell, the Kazami Household finished dinner.
Just as Yusei was about to go take a bath, he suddenly heard Asuna's voice from his bedroom.
"Yusei-kun, come quickly! She's awake!"