Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

Obsidian Raven

The day was August 21st. I awoke in my pyjamas like any normal day and had breakfast when there was a knock at my door. I got up with a yawn and approached it.

"Package for Shino Asada?" An innocent mans voice said at the door.

That made me freeze. Package? I didn't order anything. I opened the door and was handed a wrapped box with a bow on top. I gripped it and looked down, then looked up to the man who's face I didn't recognize. He nodded.

"Happy birthday." He said with a smile and walked away.

I went back inside and was left confused. Who knew it was my birthday? Who sent me a present? And more importantly, what is it? On the top of the box was a card in an envelope that was sealed with a heart sticker. I opened it and took out the lovely card. I unfolded it and read the message inside. It read:

"Without you, I cannot see. Without you, I cannot breathe. Without you, I cannot conceive. You are my light in the dark, my waking burst of energy, my counterpart. You are my other half and without you, I am not whole. I am drawn to you and only you for as long as I shall live. You give me life and fill me with confidence. I cannot live without you and now that you are found, I cannot love another. Happy birthday my love."

After reading it, I was filled with warmness in my heart. Then I got to the bottom of the page. All that was there was the letter K. My jaw dropped and I became more excited at what could be inside. As I tore open the wrapping paper, I began to think. How did he find my address? What did he send? Even more important, how did he know it was my birthday? Behind the wrapping was a small cardboard box taped shut. I looked around for a utensil but found nothing. I spotted a pair of scissors on my desk in a cup so I got up to grab them. I came back and cut into the tape gently, then put the scissors off to the side. I opened the box to reveal a large sized black T-shirt with a black wolf howling in an orange moon. I held it up and looked at it longingly. Upon doing so, I noticed that this shirt was not brand new. Out of curiosity, I brought it close and smelled it. It smelt of boy. It was a comforting smell. Something about it though... it made me feel safe and happy. In that moment, my ringer went off to tell me someone was calling. I went and grabbed my phone to answer it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Happy birthday my little sniper!" K's voice yelled from my phone.

"H-how did you know it was my birthday?" I stuttered.

"I know you in real life! How could I not know?" He inquired.

I was still stunned at the fact that he even knew at all. Perhaps I don't give him enough credit.

"Did you like your present?" K asked me.

"U-uhm, Yeah. Is this your shirt?" I looked at it again in my hands.

"Indeed it is. I hope it makes you feel safe and protected whenever you're upset." K told me.

"Thank you K." I say from the bottom of my heart.

"You should put it on and send me a picture!" He suggested.

My face flushed red.

"P-picture?" I was caught off guard.

We had never done anything like that before.

"Yeah! Just you wearing it. Nothing more than that." K didn't want me to feel uncomfortable.

"U-uhm... O-Okay." I say and put on the shirt.

Then a realization hit me. K had never seen me before. Only ever in game. What was worse, I was mad about before when he shot down my offer at the end of the after dark game. I bit my lip and did what I had to do. I took off my pants and changed into his big shirt, leaving it to cover most of me. I sat on my bed, held up my phone and aimed it to capture the shirt and my exposed thighs only. Then I took a breath and sent it.

"Holy shit." K was shocked.

"W-what?" I was scared.

My heart pumped at a thousand miles a minute.

"You're fucking hot." He stated out of nowhere.

"O-oh..." I blushed red again.

"You're very brave to send a photo like that with so little hesitation. You didn't have to, you know." K comforted me.

With his shirt now on me, I felt like he was actually here with me. I felt safe, just like K said I would.

"This really means a lot, K... not many people give me things on my birthday." I pulled the shirt collar over my face.

"Really? Don't you have friends in the real world who give you things?" K asked.

I thought for a second.

"...No." I told honestly.

"Well, forget all that. I'm gonna send you something every birthday. We'll make it an event." K assured me.

I was filled with happiness. K really did care about me. It wasn't just some kind of fake in-game love that forged in the blink of an eye. No. It was an eternal connection that knew no bounds. I could not thank K enough for that. He accepted me for who I was and not many could say that. I began to cry.

"Thank you K... I love you..." I didn't even think twice about it.

What I didn't know was that was the first time I had ever said that to him in the real world.

"I love you too, my Shino." K said.

I shot up and looked at my phone. He knew my real name? And how to pronounce it? I got happier somehow.

"Thank you..." I weeped.