"Big Sister, why are you here?" Immediately, a look of panic flashed across Kaede's face, and the coldness she had shown when facing Titan's Hand vanished in an instant.
"Kaede..." Asuna looked at Kaede and asked directly, "Kaede, have you been wanting me to pay a little more attention to you all this time?"
"Uh." Kaede's eyes widened. "Big Sister knows?"
"It's Kirito!" In an instant, Kaede realized that Kirito had told Asuna.
And Kaede's reaction was tantamount to telling Asuna that it was true.
"So, that's why you went to clear that boss, to get the resurrection stone, just for my attention?" Suddenly, Asuna understood everything. Imagining Kaede's forced smile at that time, her heart ached more and more.
The little girl in front of her had grown up quite a bit without her realizing it, but she hadn't known, always treating her like a child.
Asuna should have noticed it earlier. She should have noticed that Kaede became a child when she was by her side, even younger than when they first met, but she hadn't noticed. And even though Kaede had been alone these days, away from her side, she hadn't noticed anything wrong. She was too incompetent as a big sister!
Immediately, Asuna felt her heart ache even more. She walked over and stroked Kaede's hair.
"Um, Big Sister... I." Feeling the warmth of Asuna's palm, Kaede couldn't help but squint her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Asuna said.
"Uh!" Kaede's eyes widened. She looked at Asuna and waved her hands hurriedly.
"No, Big Sister is not wrong. Big Sister can't be wrong!"
"Kaede, forgive me." Pulling Kaede into her arms, Asuna rested her chin on Kaede's shoulder and whispered in her ear.
Seeming a bit aggrieved, tears welled up in Kaede's eyes.
"Big Sister... Kaede just wanted to stay by your side..."
Then Kaede froze, completely froze!
That's right, she had just wanted to stay by Asuna's side at the beginning. When did it become like this, craving for all of Asuna's attention to be on her!
When exactly did it become like this?
"I'm sorry, Big Sister. I was too greedy. It's Kaede's fault."
"That's not true. Kaede is very good; you're not wrong. It's Big Sister's fault."
"Big Sister, I only wanted to stay by your side at the beginning, but now I want you to always pay attention to me. I've become greedy. It's my fault, Big Sister, not yours." Kaede suddenly felt as if she had figured things out.
"Kaede, don't keep hiding from now on, okay?" Asuna said. "Don't keep acting like a child by my side, Kaede. Big Sister wants to see you genuinely step out, don't be like this anymore."
"Big Sister..." Kaede looked at Asuna, looking at the tears in her eyes, and her body couldn't help but tremble.
"I know my Kaede has grown up, so don't keep suppressing yourself anymore!"
Finally, Kaede wiped her tears, voluntarily pulled away from Asuna's embrace, and forced herself to smile.
"Okay, Big Sister!" Tilting her head, trying hard to maintain a smile, trying hard not to let her tears fall, Kaede tried her best.
"Hmm, Kaede, Big Sister's place is always your harbor, so fly!" Asuna also smiled, and tears couldn't help but flow.
Kaede nodded, smiled, cried, and understood.
Why did she have to play the role of a child next to Asuna? Because, she seemed to have always treated Asuna as a mother. In front of a mother, what was wrong with Kaede becoming a child?
But, now it has changed. At this very moment, Asuna's identity in Kaede's eyes finally began to change. As for what it changed into, there's no need to say more.
"Kaede, let's go eat cake! To celebrate."
"Yay!!" Her eyes widened. Kaede had just talked about flying, and now, well, she had landed directly.
"You little foodie~" Looking at Kaede with a bit of helplessness, Asuna laughed.
"Mm-hmm." Kaede grabbed Asuna's hand and ran towards the cake shop.
It seems that even if she stops acting like a child, that foodie nature is still hard to change~
Watching her stuff her face like a hamster, Asuna looked at her little sister and realized that she should also change her own perspective! Although she had refused to let Kaede call her mother, she had always treated Kaede as a child.
One seeing the other as a mother, the other seeing the first as a child.
That's why their relationship was so strange.
However, watching Kaede's eating movements, Asuna felt her own stomach rumbling, so she couldn't help but start eating too.
At the first bite, it was exceptionally sweet.
"It seems that Kirito was right. This place can really be said to be another world."
...
Early in the morning, Kaede arrived at a place and waited there.
A while later, a figure slowly walked over from afar.
With black clothes, a black sword, and black hair paired with a slightly youthful face, it was the typical trademark of the Black Swordsman, Kirito.
Arriving in front of Kaede, Kirito shrugged his shoulders and said, "I asked your sister out yesterday, and today you've asked me out. Really..."
However, the next moment, Kirito's eyes constricted violently, and he did a somersault to dodge the sudden sword strike from Kaede.
"You!" Kirito looked at Kaede, a bit confused.
"Draw your sword!" Kaede looked at Kirito, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
"Why?" Kirito frowned.
"It was you who told my sister those things, right!"
"Isn't that a good thing?" Kirito said.
"As I thought..." Kaede swung her sword again, but this strike didn't even touch the hem of Kirito's clothes.
"Draw your sword! Fight me!" Kaede looked at Kirito, anger showing in her eyes.
As if understanding something, Kirito nodded.
"As you wish!"
The next moment, Kaede and Kirito's weapons collided.
In almost an instant, their surroundings were filled with sparks from the clashing weapons, and the light from the blades was flaring wildly.
Kirito was a bit stunned at this moment. He had always known Kaede's speed was terrifyingly fast, but now, actually facing her, Kirito finally understood the extent of that speed; it was absolutely terrifying.
However, Kirito wasn't afraid. It was easy for him to defend, especially since Kaede was currently fighting without any technique, just swinging her sword wildly to vent her emotions; she definitely couldn't hurt him.
"I'm done fighting!" After a while, having finished venting, Kaede turned to leave.
"Hey, hey..." Kirito felt a bit dizzy; she had asked him out just to vent like this.
Kaede paused for a moment, then continued walking, leaving behind three words.
But these three words made a smile appear on Kirito's face.
"Thank you."
"Ah, you're welcome."
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