Sword Art Online (7)
Sword Art Online (7)
The investment proposal sent to Kayaba.
The guy accepted it easily.
What the bastard wants is to create his own world.
The more money he has, the more perfect he can make that world, so it must have been a sweet proposal.
But Seojun knew all of that, and he also knew what kind of shit the guy was going to pull.
'With this, I've gained the authority to interfere.'
You can interfere as much as you've invested.
However, just because I know what he's going to do, if I try to mess with it, there's no telling what that mass-murdering asshole might do.
That's why I plan to watch for now and plant some safety measures.
Well, anyway, that's it for that fucking Akihiko.
Seojun thought about the next agenda.
'There's no report yet that's enough to take down Sugou.'
But it's steadily piling up. The data on that guy.
Within two years at the earliest, three at the latest, I'll capture his true colors and drag him straight into the abyss.
That way, I can enter Sword Art Online with peace of mind.
"Hmm, look at the time already. Time to get going."
Seojun stood up from his seat.
Today is the day he has an appointment with Kirito. After quickly getting ready, he headed to the meeting place.
The meeting place is the Kirigaya household, in other words, Kirito's house.
Ding-dong.
When he pressed the bell, it rang.
Soon, a voice came from over the intercom.
"Who is it?"
A delicate voice.
It was Kirito's.
"It's me, Seojun."
"Ah, Jun! You're here early. Wait a second."
Click.
The intercom sound cut off, and soon Kirito came out, opening the front door.
"Welcome."
"Excuse me."
Seojun entered her house.
An ordinary Japanese-style home.
However, as it came with a private dojo, it had quite a large plot of land.
"Is anyone home?"
"No, it's just me right now."
"Is that so? I wanted to get introduced to that younger sister of yours, Sugu."
"Hmph, why?"
"Well, because you praised her so much for being cute, I got curious. And I can say hello to your sister while I'm at it."
"...Is that all?"
Kirito narrowed her eyes.
Seojun felt a little stung by her question asking if that was the only reason, but he didn't show it.
"Then what other reason do you need?"
"No. Well, Sugu will be here soon."
"Okay."
Creak, creak.
The two went up the stairs to Kirito's room.
It was quite bleak for a girl's room. It could easily be mistaken for a boy's room.
"It's a bit empty, right? I wonder if it's bad for a girl to have a room like this."
"What's wrong with that? I actually like it because it's so like you."
"Huh? R-really? Thanks."
Kirito turned her head.
She didn't seem to want to show her face, but her ears were clearly glowing red.
"A-anyway! Sit here."
"Then, excuse me."
Kirito offered him a seat.
It was a floor cushion.
On one side, a gaming TV was set up.
It was a typical gamer's room.
"Oh, right. This."
Seojun took something out of his bag.
It was a game package.
"Eh?! This is that new release! It was sold out everywhere, so I couldn't get it!"
Kirito looked at Seojun with eyes asking for an explanation.
He grinned and said to her.
"I saw you mention it last time, so I got it. Here, take it."
"C-can I really have it?"
"Of course. I told you I got it for you, didn't I? Come on, take it quickly. My arm's going to fall off."
"......Eek! Thank you, Jun! I won't forget this favor!"
Kirito suddenly hugged him.
She jumped up and down, expressing her joy with her whole body.
Seojun was a little flustered by the sudden hug, but seeing her so happy, he felt glad he bought it.
It was very rewarding.
"Ah? Aah! S-sorry!"
Coming to her senses, Kirito hurriedly pulled away.
Her face was red enough to explode.
"Why be sorry? I'm actually grateful."
"G-grateful?"
Kirito became even more embarrassed by Seojun's smooth talk.
Unlike the beginning, it's clear that she now fully perceives him as a member of the opposite sex.
Long live the Incubus trait.
"Ugh, I'll go get something to drink for a second!"
Kirito ran out of the room.
Seojun shrugged.
Unlike her boyish appearance, he liked Kirito because of those cute sides of her.
Well, anyway, he looked around the room leisurely until Kirito came back.
But even after waiting for over 5 minutes, Kirito didn't come.
Feeling something was off, Seojun came out of the room.
"Kirito?"
There was no answer even when he called.
It was right then.
Ding, a notification rang.
It was LINE.
[Kirito : Sorry! There was nothing to drink at home, so I came to the convenience store!]
"Aha."
So that was it.
Nodding, Seojun tried to go back up.
At that moment,
"I'm home!"
The door opened and someone entered.
It was a girl with short hair.
The girl, who was taking off her shoes, met Seojun's gaze.
"Ah?"
"Eh?"
The two hesitated for a moment.
And a short silence followed.
The one who broke the silence was the girl's shout.
"W-who are you!!"
Swish.
As the girl unwrapped the cloth she had on her back, a bamboo sword appeared.
She aimed it at Seojun.
"Wait a second."
Seojun showed both hands to indicate he had no hostility.
And then he started to explain.
"Uh, hi? You're Sugu, right?"
The girl, no.
Kirigaya Suguha's expression became even more guarded.
How on earth did he know her name, and a nickname that only her older sister, Kazuto, knew?
Reading her hostility, Seojun quickly continued.
"I'm, um, a friend of your older sister, Kazuto. My name is Seojun."
"Seojun? Are you, by any chance, Jun?"
"That's right. Kazuto calls me that."
"......Hmm."
Suguha looked at him as if sizing him up.
She figured out in her head whether Seojun's words were true or not.
Seojun's attitude and the words that came out of his mouth didn't look like lies. Actually, because she had heard about Seojun from Kirito before.
"If you can't believe me, I'll contact Kazuto right now and prove it."
"......Where is my older sister?"
"Convenience store. She went to buy something because there was nothing to drink at home."
"Haa."
Suguha sighed.
And then she glared at Seojun and said.
"Then call my sister right now."
"Okay."
Seojun quickly contacted her.
The signal went through, and Kirito's voice came from the other side.
"Jun? What's up?"
"Ah, well. Your younger sister came back, and I've been completely pegged as a thief."
"What? Hmm, okay, I get it. If Sugu is next to you, can you put her on?"
Seojun looked at Suguha.
She nodded.
Seeing that, Seojun handed over his phone.
"Hello?"
"Uh, Sugu......."
Kirito said something to Suguha.
Even while listening, she kept sending guarded glances at Seojun.
And how much time passed?
The two sisters' call ended, and the phone returned to Seojun's possession.
"I'm sorry!"
Suguha, who had put away the bamboo sword, bowed her head.
It was a perfect right angle.
"No, it's okay. If a stranger is in the house, it's only natural to have that kind of reaction."
Seojun laughed and waved his hand.
Honestly, it was actually better that she reacted that way.
Like the ground hardening after rain, through this incident, he had made a connection with her.
"B-but still."
"I said it's okay. So hurry up and lift your head."
"Ugh."
Suguha lifted her head at that, but her face was full of an apologetic expression.
Seojun gave a good-natured smile.
"If you're that sorry, I'd like you to be my conversation partner until Kazuto comes back."
"C-can that be enough?"
"Of course."
"......I understand."
Suguha, who had been thinking, nodded.
And so, the two chatted happily in the mansion.
"Ah, really?"
"Yeah, I'm telling you. At that time, how Kazuto acted was......."
Suguha had been awkward at first, but the more she talked with Seojun, that air completely disappeared.
The guard and hostility disappeared from her face, and a bright smile, typical of a young girl, appeared.
That appearance was quite charming.
'On the other hand, her chest is violent.'
Suguha's age is one year younger than Kirito.
But the growth of her chest was enough to say she could be Kirito's older sister.
To have a chest like that at that age, what should I say.
It was a bit amazing.
'We got close faster than I expected.'
Seojun thought it was definitely thanks to his face and the Incubus trait.
Well, besides that, there's the apology Suguha feels toward him, or the fact that he's her sister's friend, but... it's clear the first two played the biggest part.
'Thanks to that, things worked out easily.'
Seojun saw the effects of the Incubus trait clearly.
But there were still many items in the shop that could be bought with points.
If those also produce at least as much effect as the Incubus trait, future tasks will likely go smoothly.
"Since we've come this far, it's fate, want to exchange LINE?"
"Eh? Really? Is that okay?"
"Of course. If I can exchange with a cute girl like Suguha, it's an honor for me."
Seojun said.
Hearing that, Suguha was flustered.
"Hm? What's wrong?"
"Ah, that's. It's the first time I've heard a guy other than my dad call me cute...."
"Really?"
"Yes. Maybe it's because I'm a bit... boyish?"
Boyish, huh.
Seojun looked at Suguha's appearance.
With her short hair and boyish looks, plus the fact that she practices kendo, it definitely had a stronger boyish feel than a feminine one.
But this had its own feminine charm.
He had called her cute because of that, but it seems he unexpectedly scored points.
"No, in my eyes, you're feminine enough."
"T-thank you."
"More than that, let's exchange quickly."
Seojun exchanged LINE with Suguha.
And right after that, Kirito returned home.
"Oh? Looks like you two have gotten pretty close?"
"Well, something like that."
"Hmph... Sugu. You didn't get anything weird done to you, did you?"
"Eh?! Sister, what are you talking about!"
"Never mind then. Then, since it's come to this, let's the three of us hang out."
Kirito lifted the bag.
And so, the three of them chatted while eating the drinks and snacks Kirito had bought.
The game they originally intended to play was postponed for a later opportunity.
Kirigaya Suguha (Left: Reality, Right: Game)
Suguha's bust (based on 15 years old)