fainthearted : various

memory of you : kirigaya kazuto

a/n: this is extremely long

Ever since that death-game started, Kirito tried to survive. He desperately wanted to survive. He didn't really care about anyone around him.

Until the day he met you.

December 4th, 2023, Floor 8th

If you were to say, it wasn't really fate, nor was it destiny. A simple meeting by chance.

Kirito first saw you on one of his quests. Other people were there as well, though they were in a guild, not like him, who was an all-on-my-own solo player. He didn't really want to party up with anyone, not even mention being in a guild. The quest took place in a forest of the lower floors. He looked around to match himself up with the other players when he spotted you. You were in a light (f/c) dress, you lightly walked on the grass with a light smile on your face, barefooted. As soon as you reached the crowd, you went behind a tree, just in case. Kirito was first confused, he couldn't just figure out what you would be even doing here, let alone in a dress, without any equipment. He decided he would find out later, but as soon as the quest ended, you were already gone.

January 16th, 2024

Next time he saw you was when he was casually walking down the shopping streets. You were leaning to a wall looking at every player there was. Sometimes you would go to someone, look at what they were doing, but they didn't really seem to notice you. Each time everyone just passed by, you would keep your smile. After some time Kirito staring at you, you seemed to look at him in the eye. You could tell that no one was behind you, so he was looking at you. As soon as you could think you run behind a building, him trying to catch up with you. He shouted to you multiple times, but it seemed like you didn't hear anything. Once he lost sight of you, you disappeared.

March 21st, 2024, Floor 50th, <<Algade>>

Third time he noticed you was at an inn. It was one of the nights he didn't lure around in the city. He saw you in the back of the room, hands under your chin, looking at everything and everyone. Kirito decided he was going to go up to you. He booked a room for himself, and not bothering to say thank you, he straight up walked over to you.

"Hey." He said, sitting down beside you, but you didn't notice.

He poked you in the side, which scared the living life out of you. You screamed, but no one did hear it except for Kirito.

"Don't scream like that, you're going to make me deaf." He said as he looked back at you.

"No, no, no, no, no, you shouldn't, it's not possible, it's no-," You stuttered as you tried to run out of the inn to disappear again.

"Why are you running away?" He asked while you were struggling in his grip.

"No need to know, just let me go already!" You shouted at him, and tried to escape from his hands.

"But I do want to know. I saw you on that quest first, then on the street. And now you are here. Every single time I see you, you just disappear."

"I- uh- it's-," You couldn't manage to respond to that.

"Excuse me sir, but who are you talking to?" The lady Kirito talked to before booking he room asked him.

"What do you mean? I'm talking to this girl right here." He said while pointing a finger at you, and you were desperately shaking your head.

"But there is no one here beside you, sir."

"Eh? What are yo-," He was about to question when he was dragged away by you, up to the room he booked.