Not Everything Can be Bought by Money

Chapter 5

Kazuto's POV
21st of February 2025
6pm

Asuna stands at the end of the stairs with her hands over her mouth, I can see tears start to form on her eyes. "K-Kirito-kun...?"

"Do you know him, Asuna?" Yuuki-san asks.

Asuna doesn't say anything, she just nods her head slowly. "I see. Well, you two go ahead and talk for a moment. I'll call you when dinner is ready." Yuuki-san says before he walks away from us.

I still stare at her as I walk closer to her slowly. I raise the bouquet and hold it out to her, "It's really nice to finally see you again, Asuna." I say with a smile.

"Kirito-kun..." She says as she takes the bouquet. "I miss you." She steps down on the stairs and hugs me. "I'm so happy I can finally see you too." She says.

I chuckle at that as I caress her hair. "I miss you so much." I say.

She lets go of the hug and I move my hand to her cheek as I move my thumb gently. She holds my hand with a smile, "Asuna, dinner is ready!" Her mother says.

I pull back my hand with a chuckle, "Let's go." I say. 

She holds my hand as we walk into the Dining room. Her parent is already sitting on their seats. I sit across from Mrs. Yuuki while Asuna sits next to her. "So, what do you do for a living, Kirigaya-kun?" Mrs. Yuuki asks.

"I do a lot of things, actually. But, mostly, I become the advisor for any companies."

"Advisor, you say?" She asks.

"Yes. But, sometimes, I just sell my inventions to any company that want it."

"So, you don't work in an office?"

"I do. Just not in one company. Though, usually, I just stayed in the office in my home and help through video calls."

"I see." Mrs. Yuuki says before she starts to eat her food. After that, we eat dinner quietly.

After dinner
6.30pm

"We'll wash the dishes. You two go ahead have a talk in the backyard." Mrs. Yuuki says.

Me and Asuna do as she told, so Asuna leads me to the back door. The backyard is quite big, there are a gazebo and a small lake with flowers around it. 

"It's nice here." I say as we walk around the lake with our hands lock to each other.

"Where were you for this past month, Kirito-kun?" Asuna asks as we stop in front of the gazebo.

I inhale my breath as I look up to the bright moon. "Let's take a seat there." I say as I point the gazebo.

We take a seat inside the gazebo, Asuna gives me a little worried look. "You see, I'm not..." I stop in the middle of my sentence. "I'm not from a happy family like any other kids." I say. Asuna lets out a slight gasp. "For my whole life, I'm trapped inside the house. Doing nothing except working and studying. I couldn't do anything fun like any other kids. I didn't go to school where I can meet new friends. I just stay in the office all day long."

Asuna holds my hand and squeeze it gently. "I let them do as they please for years until 3 weeks ago, I guess. I ran away from home thanks to my sister."

Asuna doesn't say anything, she just caresses my hand. "It's okay now, really." I say with a smile to assure her. "You're already here and no one is forcing me to do anything. So, I'm okay."

She leans forward to me and our forehead rest on each other. "That's right, I'm here now. No one is going to hurt you." She says.

"I love you."