Episode 8 "School, School, Far, Visit"

 the next day　

"That's why the gyro is too sensitive... so we need to have more leeway in the parameters around here."

"But wouldn't it lag when there's a sudden movement?"

“In that regard, we have no choice but to expect the learning effect of the optimization program.”

"... um... hey, not yet! The lunch break is over!"

“Kazuto, is it still going to take?”

　

In an empty classroom, Kazuto continues to work with his friends, looking at the screen of his laptop computer and continuing to argue about what to do and what not to do.

As expected, time was approaching, and Asuna and I asked without thinking.

　

"Okay, for the time being, this is fine for the initial settings... Yuuki-san, can you hear me?"

"Yes! I can hear you well! "

"Okay... I'm going to initialize the lens area, so please let me know when the field of vision is clear."

"Hey, got it! "

　

Kazuto continued to operate the computer.

　

" ···There!

　

Yuuki called out, and Kirito continued to operate.

　

"Okay, this completes the settings. Asuna, I've installed a stabilizer for the time being, but please avoid sudden movements."

"roger that!"

"Lotus. I'm sorry, but don't ask me about Asuna and Yuuki-san."

"Ah, I'm in charge. Then let's go, Asuna, Yuuki."

"Yes" "Yeah! "

　

I called out to the two of them, and we decided to set out to explore the school.

　

　

　

Well, why did this happen... The story goes back to what happened yesterday...

　

To put it simply, if you use the "Two-Way Communication Probe" that Kazuto created, which was talked about before, Yuuki might be able to go to school as well...

Thinking that, Asuna and I immediately consulted with Kazuto. Kazuto, who was consulted, was happy to approve it, and had been doing things like connecting Yuuki's Medicuboid and installing and setting up probes.

　

By the way, I went to the school to ask the teacher for permission to visit Yuuki's school before class.

　

...so now we're moving from the classroom building we were in to the building where our classrooms are located...to whom is this?

　

"Wow...it's a big school."

"I'm sorry, Yuuki. I wanted to show you around the school first..."

"Because it took more time than I thought... the lunch break is already over."

"Okay, okay. Just being able to observe a class is fun! "

　

Yuuki didn't care about Asuna's and my apology, and returned it cheerfully.

　

"Okay! Then let's go and say hello to the next class teacher!"

　

After hearing Asuna's words, we decided to move to the staff room.

　

　

　

"... huh..."

"...What happened?"

"Um... I've always been not good at it, staff room."

"It's okay... there are only teachers here who don't look like teachers... excuse me!"

"II'm sorry...! "

(... when we met for the first time, I thought it was really okay...) "Excuse me."

　

Yuuki answered my words with anxiety. With Asuna's words of encouragement in mind, I followed Asuna into the staff room.

As it is, I head to the next class, the Japanese teacher.

　

"Hey, Otoya-kun, Yuki-san."

"Excuse me before class. This is the matter I consulted with you this morning..."

"Oh, I don't mind... what did you say the student's name was?"

"Ah, yes! Yuuki...I'm Motoki Konno."

“Hmm… Konno-san.

"""eh...?"""

　

We were all surprised at the teacher's unexpected suggestion.

　

"From today, I'm going to do Ryunosuke Akutagawa's 'Trolley.'

It becomes boring.”

"! ···Yes, thank you! 』

　

Just like that, we left the staff room,

　

""... haaaa..."" "... phew"

　

I was breathing a sigh of relief...the greeting was completed without incident, and we headed straight to the classroom.

Arriving at the classroom, Asuna headed over to the group of girls she was friends with. As expected, I didn't have the courage to mix with them, so I watched them from afar from my seat. Asuna and Yuuki quickly attracted attention and were bombarded with questions from their classmates.

　

(This will continue until class starts...)

　

As I was thinking about that, the chime rang just in time, the teacher entered the room, and Asuna and the others were released.

　

"Then, from today, I'm going to start reading Akutagawa Ryunosuke's Torokko. Open the textbook to page 91... Now, let's read it from the beginning.

・・・Konno Motoki-san, can I ask you something? ”

"...Hawawa !? "

　

Not only Yuuki but also Asuna was surprised by the unexpected nomination... I was a little surprised too.

　

"Is it impossible?"

"I can do it...! "

　

Yuuki's voice seemed a little tense when he answered the teacher's question.

I was watching the situation with my heart in suspense, but...

　

"The construction of the light railroad between Odawara Atami began..."

　

Listening to Yuuki's words, which he began to read smoothly, I thought that my worries were unfounded, so I listened to Yuuki's reading in a relaxed mood.

　

After the class ended, we somehow managed to escape from being bombarded with questions from our classmates again, and we came to the bench in the schoolyard.

　

"Oh, that was fun! "

"... good..."

“Asuna, Fon… Thank you so much for today! It was a lot of fun! ”

“The teacher said that you can come tomorrow too…wouldn't it be interesting to come every day from now on? There are still many things I want to show you.”

"...yes...thank you very much"

"...That's right! There's still time, and is there anything else you'd like to see, Yuuki?"

"... um... well, one thing... can you listen to me selfishly?

There's a place I really want to go to.』

"Where?" "Where?"

　

Asuna and I tilted our heads at Yuuki's words.

　

　

　

Near Yokotetsu Hoshikawa Station・・・Tsukimidai Residential Area

　

We put Asuna behind us, rode our bikes, and headed to where we were in front of a house.

　

"Is this Yuuki's house?"

"···yes. I wanted to see you again...'

　

Yuuki's request...it was that he really wanted to see the house where his family used to live. I parked my bike on the side road and looked at the house with Asuna and Yuuki.

The vegetation withered, indicating that no one had lived there for a long time.

　

"Do you want to go inside?"

"...No, this is enough... Now, if you don't go home early, you'll be late, won't you? "

"It's still fine for a while! Ren-kun will take you home."

　

Asuna replied that there was no need to worry about Yuuki's worries. Well, it's not that far from here to Asuna's house, so I'm sure it'll be fine.

　

“I lived in this house for less than a year.

But I remember each day of those days very well. I used to run around with my sister in that garden all the time...we had barbecues and built bookshelves with my dad!

...was fun...'

　

Yuuki reluctantly told me about his memories.

　

"But... this house is about to be demolished..."

"Eh...why!?"

"My aunt... she wants to demolish this house and turn it into a convenience store or sell it..."

"...that's...!"

"...that's why...for the last time, I wanted to see it again before it was demolished."

　

(But... no matter how much parental authority you have, you shouldn't be able to act against the will of the person who owns it...)

　

Probably deceiving Yuuki, who doesn't know about it... It's a dirty way of saying it, but maybe my aunt is planning something like that... Such a suspicion crossed my mind.

　

"Then, how about doing this? Yuuki, you're almost 15, aren't you? When you're 16, you're going to marry someone you like."

"...Eeeee !? 』

"Then you'll be considered an adult, and you won't have to listen to your aunt."

``Ahahahaha! Asuna, you're thinking of great things! But I don't have a partner...'

"... isn't there... right next to me..."

""...eh...?""

　

Asuna's words unintentionally made me and Yuuki's voices come together.

　

“What about Jun? Isn't it nice?”

"Oh, oh...! Ju, Jun !? Hey, you're too childish...! "

"Is that so!? Yes, yes!!"

"What's wrong, both of you?"

　

I was relieved to finally understand the intention of Asuna's words.

　

(... well, why are you so relieved...?)

　

While wondering about such things, the story of Yuuki's marriage partner continued.

　

"Then what kind of person does Yuuki want to marry?"

"Umm... well, someone as strong as me... I never get tired of watching... someone who really cares about me. Maybe someone who scolds me even if I get angry? "

"... Huh? That could be ... "Stop! Stop!" Eh !

“What's wrong, Yuuki!

"No, it's nothing !? Ah, Asuna, get some distance from Fon...! "

"No...!"

　

After saying that, the girls left...

I was suddenly put outside the mosquito net, so I was at a loss as to what to do.

And when the girls come home...

　

"This is the end of the story from earlier! Nice!"

" Good, Fong !!! 』

"...I understand."

　

I had no choice but to nod obediently at the words of the two men who were extremely spirited...

As it was, the conversation moved on to Yuuki's family...and Asuna's family.

　

"You know... I can't hear my mother's voice... even if I face her and talk to her... I can't hear her heart... I can't even get my words across."

"...a..."

"Yuuki, I told you before... 'Some things don't get across unless you bump into them'..."

"...yes"

"When I saw Ren-kun and Yuuki yesterday, I thought...how can I become as strong as they are..."

"... I, I'm strong..."

"...it's not like that...I'm scared and shy when I just look at people's complexions..."

"...that's the same with me."

""···eh?""

　

I was interrupted Asuna's words... Perhaps because I heard Asuna, who was in the same situation as me, I felt like talking about something I hadn't talked about before.

　

"Me too... I'm not really sure how to deal with my family.

...especially with my father."

"···Father? 』

"...Ah. In the old days, if I scored 100 in a test or won an award...they would praise me, even though they were unfriendly. But since I was in middle school...

For some reason, I don't understand my father's thinking."

"·····that's"

"At that time, I thought that I had to take over my father's work... I was studying hard... It wasn't like I stopped doing things I liked or lost friends. But, even though my father always said something to me, he didn't say it...

On top of that, I got caught up in SAO... and when I came back, even if I was talking to my parents...

It's like... I feel like I'm out of place..."

"...phone..."

"... I can't say it well... but I feel like a total stranger..."

"... lotus-kun"

"Ah, you know, Asuna. Hwon and I weren't strong when we were in the real world, were we? "

""···eh?""

　

Yuuki, who was listening to me and Asuna's words, said so. Asuna and I raised our voices in surprise at those unexpected words.

　

“I wanted to keep my mom and dad from feeling sad… that's why I wanted to stay healthy even if I pretended to be like Hwon. Even in acting, I thought it would be fine if I could spend more time smiling.

... At that time, I didn't think that my illness would be cured ... I thought it was a waste of time to refrain .

「「・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・」」

"That's why, Boom from the beginning! I thought it was okay to be hated by the other person... it doesn't change the fact that I was able to get close to that person's heart...'

“…That’s right…Because Yuuki said so, we…we’ve become such good friends over the past few days.”

"...No, that's not me"

"eh...?"

"Even if I ran away, Asuna and the others chased after me...

If I was weak, Hwon would scold me and get angry for me...

So, like that time...why don't you both talk? I think that if you try to convey your feelings properly, they will be conveyed.』

““………………””

"It's okay! Asuna is much stronger than I am, and even Von can defeat me... I'm sure I can do it! 』

"Is it possible...?"

"I can do it! After all, both Asuna and Fon are Dawn! And you bumped into me!

That's why I thought I could entrust everything to these people... that's why..."

　

After hearing Yuuki's words, we slowly looked up at the sky... At those words, both me and Asuna's eyes lost their hesitation.

　

　

　

Next time: SAO ~Phantom War Demon~

　

"...I want to go here... but where should I go...?"

"····mother·····!"

　

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, oh...!"

"... oh my father...?"

"··eh···?"

　

"...what are you saying...is this child lotus?"

「・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・」

"... um... yeah, it's me, dad... it's lotus."

　

"Symphony ~The World Seen by My Son~"

wake up! Release the chains of fate!

　

　

---

So next time it will be an original episode.

Yuuki is on vacation...I'm sorry to all Yuuki fans.

Fong's mother also makes an appearance.
And the problems of Feng and her family that I touched on from the prologue . a way, it is another theme of the Mother's Rosary arc.