Serenade Of The Silver Witch

A Conversation Between Girls

Koharu

"We're still in the safe area, Koharu," Jaymes murmured as he placed his back against a tree, sliding down with his arms crossed. "There won't be any monsters around; even if there were, you two could take them on."

Koharu smiled at his protests and knelt beside him. He may not have wanted to come here, but she knew he'd stay put for her sake, if nothing else. "I know, but just in case a villager comes by, you can ward them off."

He sighed and removed his sword from his back, placing it in his lap. "...Yeah, I know. Just don't take too long. Listening to girls bathe is bad for my health and mind. And if coincidences happen, I bet Sanya will try to kill me. I'll kill her first, though." He might've said that jokingly, but his tone was serious enough that Koharu reflexively reprimanded him with a slap on the shoulder. He barely winced and looked at Koharu. "Yes, yes, I won't joke about that...for the rest of the night."

"Geez, what am I going to do with you?"

"Won't go on a date with me, that's for one."

"As I've said before, when you grow up, I'll consider it. Though we hadn't taken a true break since the tenth floor, huh? Hmm..." Koharu was unsure of what Jaymes was asking her out for. Did he mean a friendly date or a date date? Like a date couples go on? Like a date lovers go on? When he asked, it was so casual that she took it in jest, but if he was serious, then she felt terrible. Koharu's inexperience with boys plagued her.

Granted, she's almost fifteen years old. She should be worried about entrance exams for high school right now, not surviving a video game. But whether it was school, gymnastics meets, or piano lessons, Koharu's last thoughts were boys. Sure, she's been confessed to many times, but she didn't have time for them back then. Maybe high school could've changed that.

The last two months certainly did. Between Jaymes and Kirito, she learned much about boys, though they're far from what she'd consider ideal. They're both reckless, self-sacrificing, overprotective do-gooders. The only difference between them is their personalities regarding social skills, especially women; Kirito is more awkward, while Jaymes starts has a mean streak with confident women such as Sanya and Asuna. But underneath that rough exterior was the kindest boy Koharu had ever met. Someone who, over the last two and a half months, she could call her best friend and her cherished partner.

Now, she cannot say she held romantic feelings for him, but she knew she was pretty possessive of him. It was unreasonable, but there had been times she got insanely jealous when Jaymes interacted kindly with other women who were insanely beautiful in her eyes. Or, in the case of Silica, a girl younger than Koharu, he doted on her like she was his little sister. She hid those emotions well enough, but if that was a precursor for what could come, Koharu didn't know what to do.

She is right on one thing: they could use a "date" and remind themselves that they don't have to dedicate their entire lives to the frontier. Being teenagers every once in a while couldn't hurt. Her mind set on a break, she placed her hand on his shoulder again, this time in a gentle grip. "Hey... After we clear this floor, how about we take a break? Not from the front lines completely, but we relax in the next town for the rest of that day?"

"Huh? Are you getting tired, Koharu?"

"N-no... Well, maybe, and I'm sure you are, too. As I said, it has been a while since we took things slow. If we want to beat this game, it's best to rest occasionally. We should do that next time, provided we don't run into a quest like today."

He pondered that with a frown, and Koharu was almost sure he'd deny her. Yet he smiled softly and raised his hand to hers. "Yeah, that'd be nice. Taking it easy won't hurt. Now take your bath. Don't want Sanya figuring out you got me here, do you?"