We Will Make It [Sword Art Online]

Two

This was it... As the crystal faded and fell heavily onto the tabletop, I let all the tears I held back fall onto it. This was it for me... I wouldn't... No, I couldn't move on without her... I know that now. Beating the game, saving everyone that was trapped here, returning to the real world, these have always been our goals. With her gone, those goals and dreams are wasted. She's gone. My Asuna is gone... This feeling... An empty feeling that I never thought I'd be able to feel in a virtual world. I knew what I had to do, now. I went into my inventory and took out my own recording crystal. I tapped it to begin recording. Just as I did, I glanced at my left ring finger, my wedding ring glinted in the light. I used the same hand to wipe my eyes.

"H-hey Asuna. Remember me? What the heck, of course you do. Um, where do I start? There's... Th-there's so much I wish I could tell you in person. It's Valentine's Day, and I... I miss you. You were killed, fighting one of the boss monsters. No, he didn't kill you... You're still alive... Somewhere in this virtual world... I... I know it. You can't be gone forever... You can't..."

I couldn't stop the childish sobs that came out of my mouth.

"I never wanted you to see me like this... I always tried to stay strong for you. But now you're... You're gone. How dumb can you be to waste your life on someone like me? I don't deserve to live. I don't deserve your love... If you didn't love me, you'd still be alive... But... What am I saying.

I waited too long. I never got to tell you how I felt. But now you're gone forever and... Asuna, I love you. You're my everything, and you mean the world to me. You're the reason I'm still fighting. I want to be with you all the time. I want to take you and move back to our lake house on Floor 22 of this flying fortress of Aincrad. I want to start a family with you, live and laugh with you, grow old with you, I want to die with you... But... Dying isn't an option in this world, Asuna. You hear? You can't just die... You can't... Please...

This world... Where dying here virtually means dying in real life... What kind of world do we live in, where love is divided by hate? Selling our souls for no reason, we're dreaming this life away. You have to stay with me forever, Asuna. Nothing in this cruel world can separate us. Not even death. So come back, Asuna. I'm tired of waiting. I want to see you right here, right now, with me.

Asuna... Please promise you'll come back someday. I want you to come back. I want to see you when we've finally beaten the game and woken up in the real world. If I get there, and you're not awake, I'm going to be pissed..."

My strength and control were wavering as I paused for a moment.

"I'll take you up on your deal, though. In fact, I'll go there now. I'll be waiting for you, Asuna. I don't want you to keep me waiting, so you better come back quickly. Come back to me, and don't forget Yui, too. Yui is our daughter, how do you think she'll cope with the loss of her mother?

Please don't take too long getting back, Asuna. Yui and I are waiting for you. We love you so much, and right now we'd give anything to get you back. Please remember us. Remember all those nights we spent together, all those days, all those fights, all the players lost in battle. We promise that even if you don't make it back, we'll both make it out alive for you. We will make it. I just know it. Remember that as your husband, friend, and partner, I love you so much. Happy Valentine's Day. Love, Kazuto Kirigaya."

I tapped the crystal to save the recording, then tapped it again to send it out to Asuna's deceased Avatar. Though I still felt very anxious and dead, this recording meant the world to me.

Suddenly, within minutes, I received a message. As soon as I opened it, I got up and ran out to the tree. I stopped in my tracks as tears poured down my face.

"Hey, Kirito. Happy Valentine's Day."