Disclaimer: Don't own SAO (I or II), or any of it's characters.

Rating: T

A sort-of interquel, taking place after both Family stories, but before A New World.

RL

August 1st, 2029

Kazuto breathed out, not looking forward to this – he was already nerve-wrecked with what he was gonna do, but this felt like the biggest hurdle he'd ever faced. His family was one thing, but Asuna's parents...

Well, one in particular anyway.

Knock knock

He waited... then the door opened.

Kyouko barely gave him a once-over, not changing expression. "If you're looking for Asuna, she's out shopping."

"I know that, Mrs. Yuuki" he said, determined. "I also know Shouzou's with her, helping get business materials. I'm actually here to talk to you."

Her eyes shifted, no doubt having ideas about what he meant.

"About me and Asuna."

…

Slowly, he sipped at his tea – Kyouko sat in a chair a good distance away, before she settled in, looking straight at him.

Barely a second, he breathed out. "You disapprove of me" he said, fairly blunt.

Her lip moved, just the slightest. "Yes" she said, arms crossed. "However, at this point, I'm recognizing certain things. Your sheer persistence alone has forced me to abandon thoughts that you're merely using my daughter... as is her conviction that she will have no other but you."

"She's been used enough" he thought darkly, but knew that wouldn't be a smart thing to say; he couldn't afford to be anything but serious in front of Kyouko. "I love her, Mrs. Yuuki, with all my heart. And that's partly why I'm here today; to tell you how it happened, and why. To help clear things up, along with the air, as it were."

She said nothing, merely sipped at her tea, eyes focused on him – both to listen, and probably to see into his soul for all he knew.

He breathed out, looking out into space, seeing it all. "It didn't happen right away" he started. "For the first year, while we knew about each other, we kinda had issues – she thought I was too carefree or something, while I thought she was too serious."

Then he told her about that moment things changed, where she'd found him napping, and started chewing him out. Then he'd started explaining things, that while he knew the seriousness of the situation, and he would always fight his hardest, they all needed a moment to enjoy themselves, and just relax – it didn't matter if the world was virtual or not. Next thing he knew, he'd found Asuna asleep beside him, and he sheepishly recounted his own surprise and shock that she's actually 'taken his advice'. But of course, he stayed behind, watching over her, keeping her safe.

Kyouko's eyes had changed a little, when he mentioned him keeping her safe from sleep PK'ers – whether she liked it or not, she did owe him for saving her daughter in ALO.

"I begin to see what you were always on about, that the virtual world is little different from the real one."

Internally, Kazuto was really surprised, but decided not to press his luck. "Yeah" he breathed. "We knew that world wasn't our own, but while we were trapped there, it was our real world, because it was the only one we were able to live in."

Anyway, he'd continued with his story; after that moment together, they'd gradually grown closer as friends, and stayed that way for most of the next year. He talked about when he thought she'd started hinting that she liked him, including the aggressive way she'd goaded him into joining a party with her. For his part, he believed he'd started to think of her that way after the wonderful meal she made for him, using that S-class ingredient. Though honestly, he wasn't sure if he was seeing her hints right, so he never acted on them out of caution... though, he got more and more sure as time went on. Then came that fateful day, with Kuradeel-

"Asuna had saved me" he breathed, faint. "But in the process, to save us both, I had to... I-I had to..."

Kyouko's expression tightened slightly; he knew that had been one of her issues with him, before Asuna pointed out she was guilty of the same thing (or so she'd told him, during the story). He thought Kyouko might be gauging how torn up he was about the deed, before she slowly leaned back: "Go on."

He remembered it vividly:

"I'm sorry... t-this was... all my fault, wasn't it?"

Plop

That sound was enough to break him out of his shock, and he gasped a little, slowly turning. "Asuna-"

"I'm sorry..."

He further breathed out, eyebrows furrowing.

Asuna's tears were falling rapidly, and she was shaking. "B-But I- I s-should... stay away from you..." she breathed, before struggling. "...for your sake."

He reacted out of pure instinct, grabbing her by the shoulder with his free hand – utterly lost and confused, her face wet with tears, she looked at him near-unseeingly. In that moment, he saw more of what he felt inside: that it was tearing her apart inside just to suggest this, and even more to actually do it, but she was doing it for him. She truly cared about him-

-he couldn't let her do it.

Shakily, moving on impulse, he slowly pulled her closer to him... then he took the plunge, kissing her. It was the best thing that ever happened to him, even if he briefly worried that he overstepped himself, because of the way she'd tensed up (from surprise). But then, she kissed him back just as softly, and secure in the rush of feelings, he said his life belonged to her (a sentiment she returned). Then he'd asked if he could stay with her, for the night-

"What an extremely poor choice of words" Kyouko noted, not impressed. "So then you slept with her."

He forced himself not to do anything, other than trying his hardest not to gulp. "Well, I've admitted that choice of words was my mistake... either way, I didn't plan on that; I did just mean stay with her, to keep her safe... but there was an incident, because Asuna thought I meant the other thing" he admitted slowly, those events just as vivid. "But, neither of us forced the other – it was purely our choice, after everything was said and done."

She didn't answer that, though when he looked up, she was glaring at him... but, she was Asuna's mother; kinda her job, even if she weren't so strict.

"But, that was the only time" Kazuto continued, determined, despite his embarrassment. "Virtual world, or real world, that was the only time we've done it. I mean, we were still teenagers and all that - plus, kissing, hand-holding, and just holding each other close... that was enough for us."

She kept up the look for the longest time, and he was certain it was to make him uncomfortable; to make him crack if he was lying. And more than that, he was also certain she'd use the slightest crack as arguments against him, having the highest standards.

He met her gaze evenly, knowing this would be it – he would not back down.

Eventually, something gave: "As I've said, your persistence has been something to observe" Kyouko said, reluctant. "Asuna refused to believe there was anyone else out there for her; she would not yield on the subject, even after years. It seems you've proven her words true."

"But you'd still rather she marry someone already rich, or has connections" he said, heart pounding. "Someone who's future is already assured."

Though she barely moved, he could see all her attention focused on him in an instant – his question had more implications than what it sounded like, and they both knew it.

"...yes, I would."

He slowly stood up. "Mrs Yuuki, I swear to you upon my life, I will make Asuna happy" he breathed, entirely focused and determined. "And more than that, we will both live up to the Yuuki name, even if it takes us some time."

A few moments, then she sighed. "If you're gonna ask what I think you're going to ask, my answer-."

"No, not just yet."

She raised an eyebrow, giving hints of 'he'd better have a good reason' type thing.

"I came here to clear the air, and show how serious I am" he continued, still determined. "Before I can do that, there's one more thing you should be aware of, Mrs. Yuuki."

"Oh?"

"The results of my research" he said, feeling nervous already.

/

Later

"Kazuto, what are we doing here today?" Asuna breathed.

He didn't answer as he worked the controls in the lab, but he did smile a bit – judging by the fact he'd brought his Amursphere though, she got the sense that it involved Yui. But at the same time, she knew her dad AND mom were there on the upper level, watching whatever it was he had planned.

She gasped a little. "Wait a minute, does mom-?"

"Know about Yui?" Kazuto finished for her, turning. "Very shortly, she will."

"But... why?" she asked, worried. "If mom gets mad-"

"Honestly, I've already told her everything else" he admitted, though hesitant.

She gasped even more, embarrassed and shocked, before Kazuto took her wrist (distracting her).

Kazuto's mouth twitched a bit, but he gave her a reassuring smile. "I had to, Asuna" he breathed, with a similar tone. "It was important that she understood, about how much we love each other. Plus, I said was clearing the air, making sure we understood each other - if I keep this away from her, eventually she'll find out, and then there'll be trouble."

Slowly, she nodded back, seeing the sincerity in his eyes (and also that the process was still ongoing, which worried her). "Okay" she whispered, though still worried. "Now... what's this about?"

"You'll see."

So he said while he turned his Amursphere on, but didn't put over his head - then he glanced at her, kinda sheepish: "Can I borrow your phone? I kinda forgot mine at home..."

Surprised, she took a moment, but soon rummaged around. "Honestly" she playfully chided, making him crack a smile, before taking her phone. "You'd lose your head if it weren't attached."

"Yeah, yeah, make that joke the rare times I forget something" he answered mildly, playful (she giggled), before clicking a certain app. "Anyway, here we go... Yui?"

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, it's me" he continued, gentle.

"Well, this is a surprise; usually it's mommy who calls like this. Are you using her phone?"

Kazuto glanced at her, "Uhhhhhh..." he breathed uncertainly.

"He is" she added, trying hard not to laugh. "But apparently, he's got something he wants to talk about, Yui, to both of us."

"Hmm?"

"Well, Yui, remember that whole hologram thing?" he asked, entirely soft. "I believe we have enough software now to give it a try."

Yui gasped the same time she did. "Really!? - You're serious!?"

Kazuto just chuckled at the onslaught. "Yeah, I am serious" he continued, still with a smile. "Though of course, I gotta test it first – Yui, I've established a connection between my Nervegear and the two cameras in this lab. Just look around our ALO house for something small, put into the virtual recreation of the lab, and then I'll take over from there."

"You got it, daddy! I'm so excited!"

"Me too" Asuna breathed, touching a hand to Kazuto's shoulder – he smiled back, touching his hand to hers.

…

"A little girl who exists only the world of ALO? Who calls them her parents?"

"I know what you're gonna say" Shouzou said, hands behind him. "They haven't done anything to her settings, this was by choice of everyone involved, and the little girl knows they're not her real parents – she doesn't care though. Yui loves them, and they love her; listen to them down there. Does that sound like 'merely' a machine?"

Kyouko didn't say anything for awhile, even as the sounds of Kazuto, Asuna, and Yui came up to them. Their motions and words were almost impossible to mistake, affection-wise.

"To those two, she is real" he added. "In his quest to bring Yui into the real world, Kazuto's already pioneered new techniques in real world/virtual world connectivity. In addition, almost by accident, he's made a small improvement to the Medicuboid."

"In what manner?"

"An adjustment to the suppressant system; rather than purely toning down pain, it can now stimulate the immune system, improving the patient's overall chances in most cases."

"So you believe he's got potential?"

"My staff certainly thinks so, and I trust them... for what that's worth."

A moment, then she turned toward him, her gaze faintly severe. "The fact still remains you've known about this 'Yui', and didn't tell me."

"And what would you have done if you knew, all those years ago?" he asked, not affected.

She looked at him, expression remaining the same for awhile, then she turned back to the glass. "Perhaps physically intervened" she merely answered, watching as below, multiple bursts of light were trying to converge (form the object in question; an apple). "Though in hindsight, if I had, Asuna would have cut herself off from us to be with him, no matter what I might have said. Or so she's made clear."

Sadly, that didn't surprise him at all – however, he knew at the same time, that was one of the few things Kyouko could not bear to have happen. Even if nothing else but a secure future, she did want their daughter to succeed... she was just stubborn in making sure it was 'already' achieved, rather than working toward the goal...

/

Getting Asuna to go home while her parents hung around... yeah, he was sure she was thinking this was something big, and she'd worried about him. He'd done his best to assure her, but he could tell she only half-bought them- ehehe.

So, there he stood, nerve-wrecked again, alone in a room with Shouzou and Kyouko.

"So... you chose to hide this from me."

Kazuto fidgeted a bit. "Asuna thought that if you heard she was already a mother at that age, even in the adopted sense, and also with a virtual daughter... well, she thought you might restrict her options even more" Kazuto said slowly, but determined not to falter. "And that if that happened, she might be forced to do more drastic measures, which we both wanted to avoid."

"As did I, and that is why I supported them" Shouzou said, half-turning toward Kyouko. "You understand the reasoning?"

"I do" Kyouko said shortly, flicking her eyes between them. "But though it is late, I still hold that against your record."

Somehow, Kazuto wasn't surprised...

"But that is for back then" she added.

Slowly confused, he glanced at Shouzou – the older man gave him an expression, something along the lines of 'This is her way of-'.

It took Kazuto a few moments to get it, but he had to struggle hard not to slump with relief... whatever 'back then' meant for her, Kyouko's record deduction for him was apparently being turned the other cheek on account on some detail. Barely anyway-

"Thank you, Mrs. Yuuki" Kazuto breathed, before he moved a bit. "Now, I believe you know what I was about to ask."

"It is not that simple" she stated. "I intend to thoroughly examine your plans for the future, your commitment, before I let you marry my daughter."

Neither he nor Shouzou were particularly surprised. "I understand" he breathed, hands behind him. "For the future, I plan to be a creator, first of virtual MMO games like ALO, with some beta testing involved – later, I intend to create an interface that will replace the full-dive system, basically shattering the boundaries between virtual and reality-"

RL

August 17th, 2029

"What do you think, Kazuto?"

"Hmm" he breathed, bent over the listings on his phone, scrolling to go over all the details. "Well, it definitely has enough room, but look at the inside pictures."

Asuna leaned in, right beside him on the park bench. "There's not that many" she slowly stated, glancing at him.

"Exactly, and the ones that are?" he pointed out, scrolling again. "They're rather darkened. Not enough to hide the contours, but enough to hide the mostly unseen decay on the corners and walls."

She opened her mouth to say something, then something else seemed to strike her. "Wait, did you adjust your brightness settings to see that?" she asked, a little exasperated.

He smirked a little. "Maybe."

She sighed, leaning back. "Well, that'll make it the fifth one that's rejected due to a detail they're covering up" she breathed.

Putting his phone into sleep mode for now, he looked at her. "Homeowners, am I right?" he asked mildly, arms crossed above his head. She gave him a little look (and an eye-roll), but otherwise didn't answer. "But seriously, we'll find one, Asuna" he continued, smiling as he took her hand. "We'll find the right home, and make it our own."

Her gaze softened considerably. "I'd like that, Kazuto" she whispered, curling her fingers around his. "I'll always miss our little log cabin on Floor 22, but our new home will be great as well, for both of us."

"Don't forget about me, mommy!"

Asuna giggled, glancing at her pocket, where her phone lay inside. "Of course we haven't forgotten about you, Yui" she said sweetly. "I'm just saying that for now, it'll be your father and me, but it will be your home one day."

"I can't wait!"

"But first, we still have to find it and decide" he added mildly, Yui giving a little 'Mmm-hmm'.

Asuna just gave him a little smile. "So much for our romantic park date" she said, arms crossed, but not hostile.

"Eh, we've had plenty of those lately" he answered, but smiling.

She just shook her head at his usual ways, which she loved and hated (mostly loved). "Well, okay then" she breathed, sitting closer. "Let's keep going over those listings, shall we?"

"Sure."

/

Later

"You think so?" Kazuto asked.

"Yeah" she breathed, leaning very close near him. "Room for a min of three bedrooms, near a lake, well-maintained, reasonably-priced-"

"Reasonable?" he snarked. "Even with our two newest jobs, that's gonna make us near broke for awhile."

"Oh, stop exaggerating" she teased. "It's a little steep, but it's not gonna wipe us out, if we decide to buy it. And I like it, Kazuto."

"Well, you have me there" he said gently, looking back at the pictures. "And I'm starting to myself."

"Oh, how I wish I could see the pictures!"

Jolted a little, he looked at Asuna's pocket, then at Asuna. "Can't you you do that, Yui?" he asked.

"Unfortunately, no" Yui breathed. "This special app allows me to communicate, but, I don't have access to the rest of mommy's phone, except for certain functions like search engines."

"Well, don't worry too much about it" Kazuto assured her. "That'll just make the first sight of it in the real world all the more meaningful. Okay?"

"Okay, daddy."

Asuna took his hand, smiling. "We still have yet to decide if we're buying it" she reminded him gently. "And even if we decide that it's the one, we can't just buy it so easily."

"Yeah, I know" he answered, a little dour now. "Tons of paperwork, payments, and such."

She just giggled, then to his surprise, she stood up (purposefully pulling him along). "Don't worry, I've marked it down for consideration on your phone" she breathed to him, fingers curling in his. "Right now though, how about we just go for a little walk, and enjoy this perfect day?"

"If you say so" he said, trying to sound playfully against it; Asuna's answer was a playful eyeroll as well, before she gently-but-firmly pulled him along (and he didn't resist).

...

It truly was perfect - despite the season, it was fairly warm, and the sun lit everything so well. The two of them stopped at this pond area, a bridge built over the middle, and the water deep enough that you could see the fish swimming around below you. She just leaned against the railing, smiling as she felt the wind pull at her hair and her shirt, enjoying it all. Kazuto touched his hand to her left hip, and she felt warmer, stepping closer to him - it reminded her of that first time they'd bought the log cabin, standing outside together.

"Did I say perfect, or did I say perfect" she teased, looking at Kazuto.

He chuckled, giving her a smile and a little look. "Impossible to say that you didn't" he teased back, and they laughed a little over this before he fully turned toward her. "And it's great."

Noticing he didn't intend to turn away from her anytime soon, she slowly faced him, hands on her hips (but smirking). "Okay, what are you planning now?" she lightly challenged.

Kazuto just laughed, holding out his right hand between them - which was lightly clenched into a fist.

"...so?"

"So it's a game" he said mildly. "You try to pry my fingers open, and I resist. If you win, there's a prize. If you lose, same prize."

She raised an eyebrow. "And the nature of this 'prize'?" she asked softly.

"Classified" he teased, with a small grin to match.

Glancing at his fist, judging just what he could fit in that small space, she already had a good idea what he was doing - and she loved it. "Okay then, I'll try to pry this 'secret' prize out" she breathed, feeling warm. Even if it wasn't what she thought it was (though unlikely), she was glad they were together, even after all this time.

And soon, the game was on, she trying to pry his fingers loose - playfully, he resisted, even trying to use his thumb to throw off her fingers. She worked hard to get them open, but not so hard that she'd yank his fingers + dislodge what he held. She was determined to win though, and soon with a little grunt, managed to pry them all off at the same time. The prize? This beautiful little white ring.

Despite her instincts, she gasped, her vision already starting to blur a little - and suddenly, she felt as warm as could be, shaking a little.

Kazuto just smiled, warm. "I didn't ask properly the first time" he said softly, glancing down for a moment. "Actually, I didn't even ask at all, when you think about it. Do you want me to this time, Asuna? Big speech? One knee? Both knees? It's all you; just say the word."

For a moment, she looked at him - he was completely serious; he would do anything if she wanted him to.

She just giggled/hiccuped, a tear or two falling, but her smile was warm in return. "I appreciate you giving me that choice, Kazuto. Truly" she assured him, as soft as she could make it, slowly moving her hand out. "But, doing things the normal way kinda isn't your thing."

He tilted his head, still with that lovely smile. "It's the normal stuff I fight for though" he breathed gently, slowly taking her hand with his left one, the ring hovering just near her fingers.

"Indeed" she whispered, softly slowly stepping closer, slipping her finger through the ring. "Our friends, Yui-"

He got even closer, curling their fingers together, the ring now among them. "And of course, you, Asuna" he whispered, really close.

They kissed, and she kept him there for a long time, public behavior be damned.

"There's no way I'd ever say no, Kazuto" she told him afterward, extremely soft and just pressed against him. "You gave me a home, a family, and I'll never forget that."

He slowly made a 'Heh' sound, looking at her, an inch away. "Well, I had to officially ask anyway, since I doubt virtual reality is legit to the law" he breathed, but understanding.

"Well, it should be" she whispered, slowly giggling, kissing him several times - then they just held each other for a little while.

"It should" he agreed, holding her close, his fingers moving a bit. "I've been wanting to ask you since that night."

"Mmm. That night" she breathed softly, remembering; she couldn't hear too well, having just woken up for the first time in 2+ years, even with her family's obvious therapy on her body. And then there he was, her love, Kazuto Kirigaya- "Me too" she continued, shaking from happiness. "Part of me wanted you to ask me right then and there – I knew you wouldn't though, not until you felt we could take care of each other. I'm glad you just did though."

"To quote you, Asuna, I don't care that it was the virtual world" he breathed, extremely soft. "My feelings for you are real, and I consider our marriage just as real."

She was sure her eyes shone like you wouldn't believe – then not moments later, there was a gasp and a string of happy sounds (that didn't come from her).

"Yui?" they breathed, surprised, glancing at her hidden phone.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry if I'm interrupting your moment mommy, daddy, but I'm really happy; daddy just proposed to you in real life!"

She glanced at Kazuto, who like her, wasn't really irritated or anything about their moment being interrupted – they both just smiled. "He did, in his own way" she agreed, her tone a little teasing, Kazuto giving her a little playful look in the process. "And because there's no other answer for me, mine was 'of course I would' – he didn't need to ask, but it's still sweet of him."

He just laughed a little at her playful tease, putting his arm around her shoulder, keeping them close.

"I'm glad he did though, mommy."

"As am I." Kazuto breathed, her blushing a little. "Still, soon enough, we'll have that long drawn-out ceremony, and it'll actually be official this time. It'll be worth it though."

"In more ways than one" she agreed, touching his hand.

"And we'll all be together one day!"

They couldn't agree more - still, even as the seconds went by, she held his hands close.

"So" she breathed, a little unsure. "How did this go over with my mom and dad, Kazuto?"

His smile slowly disappeared as he thought back on it, but he didn't really frown, which relieved her. "Well, I didn't expect it to be easy, and it wasn't" he answered, looking back at her. "Shouzou knew how much I meant to you, and when I said the same, that I'd do anything for you (she blushed a little), he could see that I meant it."

"And mom?" she breathed, worried.

He slowly rubbed his head. "Well, I'm pretty sure she was either glaring or piercing through my soul the entire time..." he said sheepishly, trying to play it off. "You know, making sure that I meant every promise I was swearing, there and in the future, and all that."

"Yeah, that's mom" she said faintly, not surprised – still, internally, she was thinking he must have talked with them, that day in the lab (would have explained why he took so long).

He slowly went 'heh', but then he squeezed her hands, drawing her attention. "But, she did listen" he said sincerely, "I said I told her everything, and I did. About how much you mean to me, how sincere I was about being with you, making you happy; everything, really. After gauging how serious I was, what she ultimately said was along the lines of 'if you both accept, I'll expect big things from both of you, no exceptions'."

She slowly looked down. "...which will likely include that same reminder when I get home, and tell her the news" she whispered. "We have reconciled, but her opinion of what's best for me still favors the best-of-the-best opportunities. But that's not only what I want – I want what makes me happy too."

For a moment, nothing happened... then Kazuto kissed her forehead (she gasped a little). "Then why not tell her so? What you've decided, and why?" he asked gently. "That I will make you happy, and we will be successful enough to uphold your name, enough to satisfy even her. I will meet her expectations, just the same as you will. Me, you, and Yui, together forever."

"Mmm-hmm!"

She looked at him for awhile, then she smiled tearily, feeling very warm. "Thank you" she breathed, just holding onto her now-fiancee. "Thank you!"

June 11th, 2030

Kazuto grunted, trying to get the wires to cross correctly - this had to work, he willed it.

At the same time though, he knew he was pooling his exasperation into the work - that it had taken this long to book a grand hall for the wedding. Though admittedly part of the wait had been making absolutely sure their buying a house worked out first, to make sure they had a home to go to; that had taken awhile. He also knew it would take awhile to set everything up, had other marriages to book, and otherwise had schedules to work around with, everything like that business-wise... still, 10 months?

He just grunted at the thought again, then worked to use it to fuel his work even more.

At the same time though, his thoughts drifted to the work he was doing right now. Good news was, the hologram thing worked, and with many modifications, could enable a little more than just sight and hearing. Bad news... the tech needed to generate this hologram were room-sized, with similar energy requirements. Ie, it could be done, but certainly not easily or suited for on-the-go... in fact, it could be done even less than their special phone app. Still, he really hoped Shouzou was doing his best with that 'other' option...

He heard the upcoming footsteps, but didn't let it stop him.

"Hey, what's down, buddy?"

"Working on something important, Klein" he breathed, not looking away, even as he saw Klein's feet shift in his peripheral vision (because he was under the equipment with his legs sticking out). But at the same time, he thought Klein wasn't alone, as there was a second pair of feet with him-

"Look, I understand you want Yui to be part of this, but it's gonna work!" his best friend added. "You don't have to kill yourself making sure it's running perfectly!"

Just as Klein said that, he finally got the wiring just right, and he breathed out before scooting himself out from underneath. "I know that, Klein, but this is a big event, and it's hours away" he said, slowly standing up; wow he was a little stiff. Still, he was right; Agil was there with Klein - but also, let's see, Amursphere connected + on-

Klein just shook his head, arms crossed and amused, like 'What am I gonna do with this one?' "Btw, you seriously don't want a party?" he asked, hands in his pockets - beside him, Agil just held a hand near his head, sure he knew where that was going.

Kazuto slowly sighed, really annoyed. "For the last time, Klein, no" he said firmly. "I'm not having a bachelor party, no matter how tame it could be."

"Is this because it's too tempting?" Klein teased. "All the other girls out there?"

He slowly hung his head, highly annoyed. "Geez..."

"Just let it go, man" Agil said (to Klein). "Even if he wanted to, that'd only put him in trouble with Asuna, and he'd hate to do that-"

"Gee thanks, Agil" he breathed, still annoyed; Agil just gave him a small grin.

"Relax, relax, I can respect that" Klein said mildly, hands now up, though also with a little smirk. "I still think it's a wasted opportunity, but it is your wedding."

"Thank you, seriously" he answered, sighing a bit, before slowly pressing a button on his cellphone. "Now, onto testing. Yui?"

"Yes, daddy?"

"I've got the equipment all ready and hooked up; wanna give it another try?"

"You bet!"

He smiled a little, then started throwing switches before he looked back at the hall itself (as did Klein and Agil). At points all along the ceiling, special projectors powered up, then cast these sorta beams of light into a specific location – in this case, just down the central lane. All of them focused together, working digital magic to create a representation of Yui's human body. It was semi-transparent and clearly a projection up-close, but otherwise convincing. On her spot, the holoprojection of Yui slowly opened it's eyes, blinking... then when she looked around, she quickly saw him and waved.

"Daddy! I can see you! You, Agil, and Klein!" her voice said, though still coming from the phone (he could only assume the projection didn't have that detail, though he wasn't sure). "And this building, it's so big and grand!"

Kazuto waved back, keeping his phone in his other hand. "I'm glad you approve" he said gently, glad things were working. "But you're not just here to watch; I still wanna test one more thing, to see if I can get to work, even if only for day."

"Like what?"

"To see if we can make your projection solid enough to handle objects, at least for a little while."

"You can do that!?"

"I'm certainly gonna try" he said mildly. "It'll take a lot of power, no matter how it goes, but even for five minutes would be enough."

Klein chuckled, half-turning toward him. "And it'll be a big surprise to the audience."

"You said it, Klein" Agil agreed.

/

Around the same time

"Is it just me, or does this look a little tight?"

Asuna surveyed herself in the mirror again - dressed completely for her wedding, hair unbound and everything.

"I don't know about 'looking' tight, but it doesn't feel anything other than snug" she said softly, almost on the verge of tears again, just at the thought of today; it was finally happening!

Beside her, Suguha made a sound, stepping back to look her mirror image over.

Asuna hummed. "Though, the lining could use some adjustment..." she breathed, trying to get a grip, but the gloves were making that difficult.

When Suguha didn't respond, Asuna slowly looked up, and saw her looking (unseeingly) at the mirror. "Suguha?" she breathed.

Her eyes slowly glanced over, with the faintest smile. "Nah, it's nothing – I'm just thinking about something."

Asuna wondered at that, but couldn't place it without more info – and anyway, Suguha looked over her back like this hadn't happened, which didn't help (her thoughts, that was).

"Hey" Asuna said softly. "You don't have to make so many minor adjustments; I think it's perfect."

Suguha looked at her for a moment, then backed off, slightly playful. "If you say so" she breathed.

She opened her mouth to say more-

-the door opened behind her. "Asuna, how are you doing?" Liz asked, already wearing her bridesmaid dress, as did Silica beside her. "Woah girl, you look great."

"You said it, Liz."

Asuna smiled. "Thanks everyone" she said gently, though her heart was pounding; she pressed a hand there, glancing around them. "Hey, where's Sinon?"

"Right here" the woman said, hurrying in, though fidgeting with her dress. "Honestly though, does it have to be matching? This is really not my style, or color-"

"It's traditional, Sinon" Suguha said, hands in front of her. "If nothing else, we have to be respectful."

"Well of course!" Silica added, stepping forward. "I mean, what kind of friends would we be if we did otherwise?"

"Fun friends?"

"Not funny, Liz."

"Honestly guys-"

"What, Sinon?"

Asuna slowly breathed out, sheepish, as this became a four-way-friend-argument thing - it was both embarrassing, and a little relieving. After all, they'd remained good friends, while slowly letting go of their love for Kazuto, partly out of respect for her... and also the reluctant realization that he simply didn't think of them that way. After all, Kazuto teased pretty much any girl he interacted with; it was his thing, and he never intended it as leading someone on. So, they'd worked at it together, Suguha in particular... though Sinon denied that she'd ever fallen for him in the first place. The others had been suspicious, but after years without changing her mind, apparently was the truth now.

That and more passed through her mind; it could have been full of so much more drama, but instead everyone was perfectly fine.

And now... now it was about to be done.

Kazuto would be hers, forever, no exceptions.

The heart over her heart tightened, even as her vision blurred, but happily - she touched her proposal ring for the umpteenth time.

/

*Tap tap*

"This thing on?"

His voice echoed reasonably well, so he just went 'heh' a little – meanwhile, many of the guests were clearly a little confused, because microphone announcements weren't a usual thing at weddings (if at all). Then again, the best man, officiant, and maids of honor were all assembled, and he could only assume Asuna was as well.

"Okay" he continued easily, smiling. "Ladies and gentlemen, I realize it's a little unusual, but you deserve a little warning; our flower girl today is an Artificial Intelligence."

A confused murmur arose from much of the crowd, though select individuals didn't react at all – including all of his + Asuna's friends, and Kyouko, who remained like she usually was.

"Yes, you heard me right" he said to the assembled crowd, mild, before nodding at Klein. "Let me introduce you to her."

Click

Soon the entire crowd turned their heads, just to see the multiple beams of light converging at the opposite end of the hall. It took a little while, but eventually a form emerged from it, then opened her eyes."Hi everyone" she said sincerely, polite, her form still half-transparent, her voice echoing through speakers now (connected and/or right next to his phone on speaker).

"Everyone, this is Yui" he continued softly. "Someone very special to the bride and groom, and our gathered friends."

Yui giggled, before approaching the bowl of flower petals, which she hesitantly tried to grasp. Much to his relief, it held in her holographic arms, to Yui's delight and the crowd's further surprise. "Now let's make this day great!" Yui announced brightly, taking a fistful and throwing it around, giggling/twirling in it all.

"Yes, let's" he said, chuckling after he put the microphone away, watching as she continued to skip up the aisle.

'Here Comes The Bride' began playing, which the assembled crowd hastily stood up for, turning. Yui was curious, as she'd never heard the song before, but she continued moving up the aisle, throwing flower petals. In the seconds after she came to the end, he gently had her go beside Agil, who would make sure they kept an eye on her. Kazuto saw this out of the corner of his eye, but mainly he only looked at the end of the hall, where Shouzou stood waiting, his heart beating rather fast... and then-

-there she was.

Wearing pure white, she looked as beautiful as ever, if not more so – and this time, she wasn't wearing her braid. She seemed almost radiant, from happiness if nothing else, and even from this distance he could tell she was holding back happy tears. Still, Asuna took her father's arm, and she walked down that aisle gradually, never once looking away from him. He smiled back warmly, and in what seemed like seconds, Asuna walked up those steps and took her place, turning to face him.

He was seriously considering her smile now a challenger for happiest/sweetest smile he'd ever seen. Still, he returned it as he took her hands, which she eagerly did as well.

Honestly, at least immediately afterward, he only remembered half the vows said by the marriage officiant; all he could look at was Asuna, especially her eyes and smile. If he had to guess though, Asuna was doing much the same, but still hearing enough that she wouldn't be caught unaware... hehe. When the time came though, he willingly slipped Asuna's wedding ring onto her finger as he said his vows, never once looking away from her. After that, aside from a shared moment at the 'If anyone objects-' phase (no one did), he was kinda out of it again, until:

"Do you, Kazuto Kirigaya-"

There's his cue to be serious again; he tightened his grip a little, and Asuna returned it.

"-take Asuna Yuuki, to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, until death do you part?"

"I do" he spoke. "Forever."

Asuna's smile softened at that, knowing he meant it.

"Do you, Asuna Yuuki, take Kazuto Kirigaya to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, until death do you part?"

"I do" she spoke, eyes shining. "Forever."

He softened his own smile in response, feeling warm.

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now-"

He didn't wait for that last part to finish, and moved his hands to her shoulders - however, Asuna was faster, and she managed to dip him. He stared at her in surprise as she playfully smirked, before he went 'heh' and reached up toward her; she willingly met his lips.

He loved it, and wasn't aware of the crowd's applause whatsoever.

That night; new house

"Relax, honey."

Oh trying to soften her up, like usual. "Give me a reason to" she invited.

He smirked, coming closer and kissing her, even as she snaked her hands into his hair – they were supposed to be finishing up unpacking, but that could wait easily. And as they kissed, she was glad they had changed out of their wedding clothes; as much as the dress was beautiful, it was a bit of a pain to wear full-time (she kept on the veil). Right now, she wanted the simple pleasure of being with Kazuto, of holding him close... he didn't disappoint. And even then, recent memories of the wedding reception kept bursting in: the first slow dance, which had made Kazuto nervous, as he wasn't much a dancer hehe - still, he enjoyed it when she rested her head against his shoulder; remembering the other girls discussing this apparent tradition, where the guests would pound tables to 'cue' the married couple to kiss... she didn't get it, but apparently it was a Western thing; and of course, the near countless glances she'd directed at her marriage ring, snugly fit beside Kazuto's proposal ring.

Their kiss intensified throughout, and she hugged herself closer to Kazuto – it seemed like only seconds had gone by when he pulled back, but their breathing spoke otherwise.

When he recovered, he looked at her with a little smile, which she returned, touching her fingers to his hair.

"What's say we turn in for the night, Asuna?" he asked gently, before nodding at their unfinished move-in preparations. "That can wait, very easily."

She slowly stepped closer, which he easily adjusted to. "That does sound appealing" she admitted, blushing a little. "But, what exactly do you mean by 'turn in'?"

He slowly raised an eyebrow, his smile curving into a smirk. "What, you mean like actual turn-in, or wedding night tradition turn-in?" he teased.

She physically felt the blood to her cheeks speed up, but refused to react with more embarrassment than that - Kazuto seemed surprised for a moment, before going back to smiling. "Well, honestly, I meant the first one" he admitted, hands at her waist. "I mean, we could do the latter, but it's been a long day and... it just doesn't feel 'right', you know?"

She took a few seconds to answer, but she had to admit, as much as she was embarrassed, he had a point... she didn't feel any burning need to be that close now. "No, it doesn't" she whispered softly. "It will never be perfect, but... I want the buildup to be spontaneous, out of passion and love, as it should be."

He slowly nodded, before he kissed her softly. "In that case, how about we go up to bed then?" he whispered softly.

"Mmm" she breathed against him, their foreheads together.

…

Almost like that, they were upstairs – when she came out of the bathroom, she was surprised; Kazuto had removed his shirt. She wasn't the only one surprised though, because Kazuto jolted (and blushed a little) when he saw her in her nightgown.

She fidgeted a little, shy. "I-It's not that much, right?" she whispered gently, moving her fingers over the fabric.

He blinked, but that seemed to bring him out of it. "No, no, it's fine" he assured quickly, hands before him. "I mean, it's just- I-I've never seen you in that before, so I was surprised."

That made her smile, even as she slowly stepped toward him – he returned her kiss easily, then he started to adjust, making room for her. She smiled more, before going under the covers herself, comfortably laying down on Kazuto's right side. She looked at him, feeling shyly embarrassed a little, even as a slow warmth went through her body as he smiled. The first time they had been in a bed together, it had been a night of virtual passion, and they'd fallen asleep directly afterward due to a strange system thing. After that, aside from a few moments together the morning after, and when they'd first met Yui, they'd slept apart, as they had still been shy teenagers.

Now though, this would become a regular thing...

She blushed more, before turning onto her side, snuggling herself closer to Kazuto. "I love you, Kazuto" she whispered gently, as his strong arms came over her.

"And I love you, Asuna."

She held him even closer, just enjoying his warmth; she knew he was doing the same.

A few obstacles in-story, but only a matter of time :) Also to have, at some point in the future, a real-life first-time lemon follow-up