Her~ Kirisuna

No "Right" Time

Asuna's POV:

I would like to say today was a good day.

It wasn't.

Kirito signed a bill making the cost of living more affordable for townsfolk. We went into town greeting people, who shockingly took a greater liking to me.

Yui kept a frown on her face.

"What's the matter?" I whisper to her out of earshot of Kirito.

"Why do I have to be nice to fake people. This won't last very long."

"Yui! Be respectful at least. Real or not."

"You need to tell Papa."

"I will when the time is right."

"There will never be a 'right time'" she crossed her arms.

I knew I didn't have time to deal with her today, that's for sure.

Later we received a message from the Northern Territory. They had offered to share more resources with the Dark Territory. Our visit could now wait.

The castle rejoiced! We could function well another day.

Yui refused to cheer.

"What's wrong, little one?" Kirito pinched our daughters cheek softly.

"A-"

"Actually she ate too many sweets at the park. She needs to lie down. Sugar crashes. Ha. Ha." I interject. I grasp onto the back of Yui's sleeve and drag her to our room.

"Do you not want a dad, huh? Do you want Kirito to be miserable every single day of his life? Is that what you want?"

"N-no. I just-"

"You just what? You can't wait to tell your father about the very thing that broke him? You want him to hate us ?"

"Maybe he'll feel differently if we talk to him."

"Yui. You are a human resource program. Designed to comfort humans in despair. How can you not see that telling Kirito something like that would destroy him?"

Yui's eyes turned big. A smile twitched its way onto her face. That bothered me.

"What would destroy me?"

My heart sunk to the pit of my stomach.

"K-Kirito. Um. We were talking about some details about uh.... Your birthday party!"

"Honey. You know you're bad at lying. You always act too finicky. Just tell me what's going on." Kirito slid through our door, shutting it behind him.

I couldn't believe this was happening to me. I could upchuck any minute now.

"Yui wants to tell you.". I mean... she did .

"Papa, sit down. I know you've had some pending questions. Im here to answer them."

Kirito sat down on our bed, a little too chipper for answers he wouldn't want to know. At the same time, I couldn't look away.

"Im ready." He smiled. Tears timely brimmed my eyes.

"Papa. In real life. You've suffered a great loss. My bro- I mean you and mommy's new born passed away."

I held my mouth to keep from gagging and left the room. Still nearby to hear, but far enough to cry in peace.

"What..."

"My baby brother had died in the car with you. In fact, the accident caused Klein, Silica, Liz, Sinon, Leafa, and Alice to die."

"W-What?" Kirito sounded confused more than sad. "I'm not following. If they're all dead, how are they here?"

"That's the thing. You ran away from home. You asked for your memories to be wiped. Now Mommy and I are trying to bring you back home."

"So... Asuna lied to me? About being forced here and needing to be saved.... That was a lie?"

"It was with good intentions."

"If I didn't want to remember, why are you making me remember? What's with the sudden change, huh? First it has to be on my own and now you're coercing me?!".

Kirito sounded more distressed by the minute.

"Papa-"

"No. What am I supposed to do with everyone here? Do their lives not matter? Has my whole life been a lie? I've been here for years and now nothing?!!"

"PAPA ENOUGH! I should've listened to Mama. She was right, you aren't ready. But you needed to hear this. You're so engulfed in your own suffering that you've failed to see the suffering around you. Mama and I lost people we loved too and YOU abandoned us. She came all the way to convince you to come back home and you don't even want to be there! I thought telling you would bring you to your senses."

"That's not fair, Yui. You know that."

"Guess what? Life's not fair. But life is precious, and you're wasting it lying around in this false fantasy instead of appreciating the wife and daughter you do have!".

Silence was all that could be heard from where I was. I hid under a curtain so they couldn't find me. I wiped the droplets that fell from my bowed nose.

The curtain was lifted.

"Eugeo?" I question his intent when he hid under the curtain with me.

"I heard everything."

"Oh."

"Do I exist in your world? Still?"

"You never existed there. Kirito had a hard time with that too."

"Hmm...I know where you guys can log out."

"You do?!"

"Shhhh! We're hiding, remember?"

"Oh yeah." I giggle. I wanted to go home, that was exciting to me.

"There is a crystal panel Cardinal accessed at the top of the Centoria building. I think the only way you could get up there is by flying."

"The only one who could fly for that long is Sinon."

"Right... get him home safely Asuna." Eugeo offered a warm smile. The kindest I've felt from him.

I hug him in thanks. "We named our baby after you".

Eugeo accepted the hug, allowing me to stay in his embrace as long as I wanted.

"When this world is over. I promise, we'll all take good care of him."

__________________________________________________________________________________
A/N: hello readers! Another dramatic chapter drop in. I'm editing all my stories at the same time as writing so I'll be back to uploading regularly.

I went to my friends funeral today so I feel a bit better and more inspired.

Thank you guys for also inspiring me and giving me the support and encouragement to keep writing! I can't thank you guys enough ♥️!