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Recovery
January

"How was it" Klein asked

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"How was it" Klein asked. I glanced down at my hands half expecting to see blood.

"It was great" I muttered before locking myself in the bathroom.

What was that? I completely snapped. It's like I wasn't even in control anymore! This was his plan after all wasn't it. To create a world full of heartless killers.

"Rei?" Klein's voice resonated. I wiped the tears away from my eyes and opened the door.

We're all damaged. We'll never be the same as we were before. It's the price we pay.

"Want to go get some pizza?" He smiled grabbing my wrist. As if I'd have a say anyway. You'd guilt trip me in seconds.

<>

The small parlor wasn't far from his house. It wasn't busy either. Three others walked through the door and Klein introduced me to them. I recognized them as his other guild mates.

"This is Dale, Dynamm, and Issin" Klein smiled.

"How's it going Ryotoro?" Dale smirked nudging him with his elbow. I had forgotten his name wasn't really Klein, but he said it didn't matter. After years of using those names it just became habit.

Klein sat next to me and the others across from us.

"I don't think I got your name" Issin smiled.

"Rei" I muttered. Suddenly I was pressed against Klein and he was grinning like an idiot.

"She's my girlfriend!" Such a child. I thought you were supposed to be 24. Seriously.

"Going for the younger ladies aye?" Dale winked.

"U-Uh I don't know" he stuttered embarrased.

"It's only a three year gap. Not that big of a deal" I sighed drinking my soda. They looked at me with disbelief before bursting into laughter. What's so funny?

"She's fiesty"

"I've told her that a million times" Klein groaned patting my head. I swatted at his hand until he backed off chuckling. I blushed. He held my hand tightly under the table and I smiled to myself.

I could get used to feeling like this.

<>

We ended up spending a few hours in that small restaurant with his friends. At the end we parted ways promissing to meet up again someday.

Klein opened the door to his apartment and I saw the nerve gear placed on the shelf instantly making me sick.

"What's wrong?"

I hadn't noticed he was already inside.

"N-Nothing" I uttered taking my shoes off and sitting on the couch next to him.

"Man we have it rough" He groaned covering his eyes.

I gave him a questioning look and he got up to get drinks. Ah yes, alcohol. The solution to zero problems.

I took the glass from him and sniffed to see what it was.

Gross. I'd prefer something that doesn't reek like my old man.

I took a swig and waited for him to talk.

"I mean look around us. Kirito's wife... or girlfriend is she, is trapped inside ALO and being married to some snob while she's in a coma. Meanwhile you look as if you've seen a ghost every second of every day"

I giggled. So that's what my reaction seemed like? Pretty stupid.

"This can't be real can it? The evil man at the end of the story is supposed to be defeated and there's a happy ending. So why is he missing and Asuna is still suffering? It's not fair" I groaned inspecting my empty glass.

Klein shrugged his shoulders and lied down with his head in my lap.

"Life isn't fair. We either recover, or die trying"

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