This was wrong. So, so wrong. Technically, Kazuto already had a girlfriend. But now that he thought about it, did it even count? It wasn't like he'd ever actually met Asuna in person. She was just an avatar, a voice on the other side of a headset. Who knew if she even looked anything like the character Kazuto had spent so much time with? For that matter, he barely resembled his own avatar. Was this cheating? The thought gnawed at him as he found himself face-to-face with Alice.
His heart pounded. Alice's presence was magnetic, almost overwhelming in its immediacy compared to the distant, digital affection he felt for Asuna. He tried not to stare, but she was right there, head tilted in a way that made her look almost impossibly cute.
"Have you seen anyone else up here?" Alice asked, curiosity flickering in her bright eyes.
Kazuto fumbled for composure, reminding himself to breathe. "Uh, no. Sorry."
His gaze lingered on her shoulders, bare and porcelain-smooth where her dress left them exposed. He wondered, fleetingly, how anyone managed skin that clear. He forced himself to look away.
"Hm, I see," Alice whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.
Kazuto shifted, trying to steady himself. "You were looking for your sister?"
"Yes. Catherine," Alice said, her lips turning down in mild exasperation. "She likes to cause commotion by disappearing whenever she's needed. That's why none of her windows open."
Kazuto couldn't help but smile at the resigned affection in her tone. "A troublemaker?"
"Something like that." Alice gestured vaguely to the room. Now that he looked, the space fit the description—rock band posters, grungy wall decorations, and a framed picture of someone he recognized.
"Daemon Spade!" Kazuto blurted, his eyes lighting up as he pointed at the poster on the wall behind Alice.
Alice blinked, a bit surprised by his outburst. She turned to see what had caught his attention, then shrugged lightly. "Oh, that? Yeah, she's into the gamey stuff."
Kazuto got up and stepped closer to the poster, tracing the stylized art of the series' main character with his eyes. He felt a strange comfort in the familiar logo, like a tiny piece of his world had followed him here. "It's one of my favorite series," he said, unable to hide the warmth in his voice.
Alice watched him with an amused smirk, her lips curling at his excitement. "Sounds like you'd get along, then."
He laughed, a little sheepish. "Ah, no, I'm not much of a troublemaker. If my parents ever caught me doing anything like that…" His voice trailed off, and he scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed by the thought.
Alice leaned back, teasing, "No good at keeping secrets, then?" Her eyes danced with playful challenge.
Kazuto shook his head, smiling despite himself. "It's not that. They live overseas, in Japan."
Alice's expression softened, something unreadable passing through her gaze. "Oh." For a heartbeat, she seemed far away, but the moment faded quickly.
He tried to fill the silence. "I'm here on a study program," Kazuto added, searching for something to anchor the conversation.
"Really? Where?" she asked, shifting her weight to the other foot, curiosity returning.
"Technical school. It's for people interested in, like, computers and stuff." He shrugged, feeling the old awkwardness creep back in.
Alice drew back just slightly, tilting her head in thought. "Then you'd really get along with Cat."
That sent a jolt through Kazuto. "What? No!" He felt strangely defensive. She laughed, the sound light and genuine. "I mean, I don't know. Maybe?"
"Well then, I should look for her." Alice smiled, her lips barely moving. "I don't think she's up here."
Kazuto hesitated. "You're leaving then?"
"She usually doesn't come back for a while unless I go get her. Saves a lot of commotion for me." Alice's tone was matter-of-fact, but there was something else, reluctance, maybe, or just exhaustion.
He frowned with concern. "You're going alone?"
Alice's gaze held his. "Unless you're coming with." Her voice was softer now, almost hopeful.
Kazuto's heart skipped. "Me?"
She nodded, her eyes steady. "Mhm. I'd like the company."
For a second, he forgot how to breathe. "O-okay."
They left the room together, Alice leading the way with quiet confidence. Kazuto followed, pulse racing, suddenly aware that this, whatever it was, felt almost like a date. The weirdest, most unexpected date of his life.
...
They left the funeral without any incident. He and Alice just stood up and walked out the door. Kazuto was too transfixed by how light her steps were, even though the air felt heavy enough to choke on. He glanced around. No one looked at them, but he could see their faces. Grief was something Kazuto had never really known. Seeing it paint every face so differently...
It was almost thick enough to breathe. The golden sun of the afternoon cut through a curtain, making the grief feel even heavier. Beautiful light, painful darkness. Weird combo.
But when they left, that feeling didn't follow. Not from Alice, anyway. They walked in silence for a while. Alice kept her arms crossed tight, but Kazuto couldn't tell if she was holding herself together or just cold. He kept his hands in his pockets, not sure if he should say something or just let the quiet do its thing. He couldn't read her at all. Was she comfortable, or just barely holding it together?
Their footsteps echoed on the pavement, sometimes matching up. Kazuto was anxious enough to purposely throw off the rhythm.
It wasn't until they hit an empty intersection that Kazuto realized they were in South Red Grave. The neighborhoods here were spotless, sidewalks never cracked, grass trimmed like a golf course. He'd never been around here. His world ended at the edge of East Side, where downtown started to get sketchy. Not that East Red Grave was a slum or anything. Just not as polished. Quieter.
They kept heading further north, farther from the funeral and all that loss. Kazuto tried, awkwardly, to fill the silence. "So, uh, do you like it here?" he asked, instantly regretting it.
Alice kept her gaze fixed forward, "It's nice." She didn't elaborate any more than that, and Kazuto let the conversation slip away.
Further on, he learned she was 17, a full year older than him. She'd graduated early, like her sister, and was already planning on leaving Red Grave for school at the end of summer.
"And after?" Kazuto asked.
"Move to Greece." She had mentioned earlier that she was studying Botany.
"Do they have nice flowers there?"
"Yes, in the spring especially." She didn't turn her head, but he could see her smile. Kazuto's skin tingled. It was weird, knowing someone even a little bit. It felt nice. Still, her life sounded so planned out. Kazuto barely knew what he'd be doing in three months, let alone four years.
They walked another block in silence. Just lawnmowers and the occasional dog barking in the distance. After she mentioned her studies, the quiet felt less awkward. Kazuto wanted to ask something else, to bring back that little spark of warmth, but the words dried up before he could speak. Was he just going to keep stumbling into these moments by accident?
"Kazuto?" Her voice was less gentle.
"Yeah?"
"You never said how you knew my dad."