The Blacksmith and the Warrior

The Hardin Family

The next morning...

"Are you sure this looks fine? I feel lazy. I can change into something more dressy." Rika looks at her clothes and asks me that for the fifth time in the thirty minutes she's been at my house. At this point, it's getting a little annoying. I look over to her, looking down from her white button-down shirt to her black leggings and red high-top shoes. Compared to me, wearing a blue polo shirt and black jeans, yeah, she's fine.

"You're fine, Rika."

"How are you so comfortable in that?"

"It's my parents and grandparents, that's how. Have you not known me long enough to know how laid-back I am? They're the same outside of work."

"Ugh, okay fine." She walks over to the kitchen table, taking a seat beside me on a stool and propping her elbows up. "I get that I'm probably going crazy, but I want them to like me. Mine like you, but that was easy. You protected their daughter from the death game. Add in your real life, who wouldn't want their daughter paired with an heir to a entire company? But on the flip side, I have to prove I'm not some gold-digging bitch."

"Well, you're not a gold digger."

Rika scowls. "Ha, ha. You know what I mean."

"I do. And if they do, so what? It's not like we're getting married soon. I don't have a position in the company. It really doesn't matter now."

"Okay, but what about ten years from now? Today could impact that?"

She's thought that far? Wow. "You think we'll be together in ten year's time? We've only been dating for about three months, plus whatever last year was between us. That's our romance, Lis."

She sighs as she takes a hand of mine. "I know, but… I like to dream of the future. SAO could've taken it from at any moment. So yes, I dream of a future in ten year's time with you. We'd traveled to your home in America and other places, seeing all the sights I've dreamed of, taste all the sweets…you know, all that. Of course, that's after university and stuff."

"You've really thought all this out, but who is gonna stay with Keiko. I mean, I have no problem with sightseeing and eating with her, but...there's parts of traveling she can't be included in, if you catch my drift."

"Ah. Well, there's Suguha, maybe they'll become friends. Maybe donate some breasts to poor Keiko."

I drop my jaw. "Wow, you're wrong for that, after all that teasing you did to them both."

"Hehe, well, be honest. Forget that I'm your girlfriend and Kazuto is your best friend, would you think Suguha is pretty hot, especially with those things?"

"Yes. Oh yes." Rika doesn't look happy with my immediate response, but it isn't like I needed much time. "What? I seen her almost everyday for three months. Those things have been literally visible to me all summer, and her avatar doesn't make it easy to forget. Yesterday did not help."

"But if I ask you about Asuna, Kotone, or Nijika…"

I raise my hands up in defense. "Good boobs are good boobs. Everyone we know except Keiko just happen to have acceptable sizes. Strea is pushing it, though. But I didn't choose you because of yours, I'm not superficial like that."