บท 1752: -1733- Truly wasn't easy
Although Asuna hung up the video chat, she quickly called back, her face red, asking Rozen to bring Kirito and Suguha to Agil's bar for a gathering.
Since it was Sunday, Klein, Silica, Lis, Sachi, and others were planning to join. Asuna mentioned that after Rozen had shifted to GGO, they hadn't met up much. Even though some of them attended the same school as Rozen, his time was mostly spent with Asuna, so before the BoB tournament began, it was a good chance to catch up.
Rozen naturally had no objections.
After transitioning to GGO, he hadn't interacted much with his friends and guildmates. At home, he spent time with Kirito and Suguha; at school, he was with Asuna, and the rest of his time was devoted to hunting in GGO. Meeting everyone after a week felt perfectly reasonable.
Thus, after informing Kirito and Suguha, the three siblings headed to Agil's bar together.
"Ding-ling!"
The melodic chime of the wind bell announced the arrival of the Kirigaya siblings into the bar.
"Welcome!"
Standing behind the counter, Agil looked up from mixing drinks and smiled at the trio.
The others, chatting and laughing at the counter, turned toward them the moment they entered.
"You're late!" Klein was the first to complain.
"Long time no see, Rozen-nii," Silica greeted with a sweet smile.
"Long time no see, Silica," Rozen replied, stepping forward and ruffling her hair. Silica blushed and lowered her head shyly, while Rozen's gaze met Asuna's, earning him a red-faced glare. Rozen could only chuckle wryly.
"Looks like this young lady is still hung up about earlier," he thought.
"Good morning, everyone."
Suguha peeked out from behind Rozen and greeted the group, her face beaming with genuine joy.
"Good morning, Leafa—oops, I mean, Suguha-chan," Sachi greeted warmly.
After nearly a year of gaming, the group had grown very close. Even Suguha, who wasn't an SAO player, had seamlessly integrated and shared a mysterious bond with Sachi, often whispering together.
However, according to Suguha, their conversations always revolved around one topic: Kirito.
"I don't know why, but whenever we talk about anything else, Sachi only nods and agrees without offering her own opinion. But once Kirito comes up, she gets strangely enthusiastic," Suguha remarked once.
As a result, they couldn't help but frequently discuss Kirito. While Suguha enjoyed sharing embarrassing stories about her brother for fun, Sachi seemed to savor every word. This dynamic amused Suguha but annoyed Lisbeth to no end.
"I don't gossip behind people's backs!" Lis declared.
But Lis always made a point of confronting Kirito directly, like now, as she walked straight to him, ignoring Suguha and Sachi's camaraderie.
"Why are you always trailing behind Rozen? Can't you take the initiative for once and organize a gathering or prepare something yourself?" Lis scolded, hands on her hips.
"Since we're family, it's natural to come together," Kirito replied, scratching his head helplessly.
"You're just lazy. Honestly, you're such a game addict. Can't you go out more?" Lis sighed dramatically, leaving Kirito visibly wounded.
"It's not his fault. Don't be too hard on him," Sachi said softly, stepping forward to defend Kirito. Her concerned gaze and tender tone made Kirito feel even more awkward.
"Ugh," Lis groaned, clearly fed up.
The entire group exchanged knowing looks.
Then...
"Sigh..."
Rozen, Suguha, Silica, Klein, and Agil all sighed simultaneously.
Even Asuna seemed to momentarily forget her earlier grievance, leaning toward Rozen.
"Those three haven't changed at all in the past year," Asuna complained softly, clearly exasperated by the recurring scenario.
Every time they gathered, Lis would chastise Kirito, Sachi would shyly defend him, and Kirito would respond awkwardly, sparking Lis's frustration.
Rozen shrugged.
"It's obvious what those two girls feel for Kirito. You don't even have to guess. The problem lies in how they handle it," he commented. "Lis is like one of those immature kids who express affection by teasing or scolding their crush to grab their attention. Sachi, on the other hand, is too timid to openly show her feelings, so she just quietly supports him in the background. Naturally, nothing changes."
At least, that was Rozen's assessment.
However, Asuna, standing beside him like a supportive partner, didn't agree.
"Lis and Sachi have their issues, but Kirito's indecisiveness is the real problem," Asuna said, fixing Rozen with a pointed stare. "Lis has outright said she likes Kirito countless times, even back in SAO when she declared she'd pursue him. Sachi may be shy, but her feelings are obvious. Kirito knows it too—his awkward reactions make that clear. And yet, he refuses to respond properly. Do Kirigaya men really need girls to confess first?"
Her tone was filled with such grievance that Rozen couldn't laugh it off.
Her words weren't solely directed at Kirito; they were meant for him too.
Thinking back, Rozen had indeed never formally confessed to Asuna. During their time in SAO, she had consistently shown her affection, even going so far as to move to the 22nd floor to live with him. Her intentions couldn't have been clearer.
But what had Rozen done? Nothing.
Just like Kirito, he had never given a straightforward response.
No wonder Asuna sounded so resentful.
Even with Edelweiss, Rozen had been the one running away, while Edelweiss pursued him for two years before he finally responded.
Faced with Asuna's accusations, Rozen could only scratch his nose and look away sheepishly.
"Sigh..." Asuna sighed again.
"Sigh..." Silica, Klein, and Agil joined in unison.
Finally, Suguha delivered the conclusion:
"Both of my brothers are idiots."
Her cold remark stabbed both Rozen and Kirito right in the heart.
Defeated, the two exchanged a look and slumped their shoulders in sync.
Being a "winner in life" truly wasn't easy.
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