At the same time, in the heart of central Tokyo, at a fountain square.
A girl sat on a bench, gently swinging her slender feet as if she were waiting for a lover. A warm smile occasionally appeared on her face, captivating the attention of passersby. Many boys walking by couldn't help but steal glances at this stunningly beautiful girl, their eyes alight with admiration.
Several boys whispered among themselves, pointing at her, until one gathered enough courage to approach and strike up a conversation.
However, each attempt ended with the same response:
"Sorry, I already have a fiancé."
The girl's gentle and radiant smile shattered countless hearts upon delivering that statement.
As a result, one boy after another approached her, only to walk away dejectedly, forming a peculiar yet oddly amusing scene.
Throughout it all, the girl said nothing more, continuing to swing her legs lightly as if the entire episode was of little consequence, waiting patiently for the fiancé she spoke of.
Of course, while some accepted defeat, others refused to believe her claim of having a fiancé, assuming someone as young as her couldn't possibly be engaged. Undeterred, they pressed on, trying to woo her.
"Come on, don't say that. We're just inviting you to karaoke."
"Yeah, don't treat us like we're bad guys."
"Look at us—we're rich. If there's a gift you want, we can buy it for you."
"Just join us."
"Please!"
A group of rowdy teenagers surrounded the girl, one after another chiming in with playful smiles. Even though she reiterated that her fiancé would be arriving soon, they paid her no heed, persisting in their attempts.
Were it not for the girl's exceptional demeanor, it was evident these boys might have tried to drag her off by force.
The girl's serene smile gradually faded. Her brows furrowed, revealing her displeasure. A few righteous boys nearby, driven by their sense of justice, prepared to intervene but were cowed by the thugs' menacing glares and scurried away.
"You all—"
Just as the girl was about to speak, her gaze caught sight of a boy walking towards her. Her eyes brightened, and her face lit up with a tender, joyful smile.
Seeing this, the rowdy teens became even more smitten with her charm.
At this moment, they decided to act more assertively.
But before they could make a move, a calm, nonchalant voice rang out.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
As if straight out of a romantic drama, the boy delivered this cliched line, ignoring the stunned delinquents and walking up to the girl.
"How was it? Got bored waiting for me?"
The boy smiled slightly at the girl.
In response, the girl returned a completely different smile from before—a smile reserved for someone dearest to her.
"Not at all. You're just in time."
With that, the boy and girl naturally clasped hands and stood up together.
This sight broke the hearts of countless boys watching.
"So, where are we going next?"
"Anywhere's fine."
"Then how about Agil's shop?"
"Sure, we can discuss the next clearing while we're there."
"Looks like you're excited."
"Of course!"
The boy and girl casually chatted, walking hand-in-hand as they exited the group of rowdy teens, ready to leave the square.
Finally snapping out of their daze, the group of delinquents erupted in fury.
"Hey!"
The apparent leader stormed forward, reaching out to grab the boy's shoulder.
But the next second, the leader froze, his entire body rigid as if paralyzed.
Because—
"I was planning to ignore you all."
The boy stopped, turned his head slightly, and cast an icy, piercing gaze at the thugs.
Though his face bore a nonchalant expression, his eyes glinted with an icy, bone-chilling light that seemed to pierce through their very souls.
That glint alone was enough to petrify them all, as though they were prey being stared down by a fearsome predator.
"Don't make me do something you'll regret, alright?"
With a faint, meaningful smile, the boy left those words behind and turned to the girl. With an affectionate smile, he continued chatting with her as they walked off, leaving the square.
The group of delinquents finally snapped out of their paralysis, drenched in cold sweat.
By then, the boy and girl had already vanished into the distance, heading towards the shopping district.
---
"Hehe."
Asuna chuckled softly, covering her mouth as she reminisced about what had just happened, her expression cheerful.
"And you're laughing?" Rozen rolled his eyes and grumbled, "If I hadn't come in time, you'd have been harassed! How can you still laugh?"
Hearing this, Asuna ignored Rozen's exasperation and instead retorted, "And whose fault was it for meeting another girl and leaving your fiancée in such a place?"
Asuna puffed out her cheeks, making Rozen chuckle.
"Don't make it sound like I was cheating on you." Rozen tapped her on the forehead and explained, "I told you, I went to help that girl out."
"Then why couldn't I go with you?" Asuna protested while rubbing her forehead, "I wanted to meet that girl, Shinon. She seems so pitiful."
Clearly, Asuna already knew about Shinon's situation.
So, when Rozen decided to help Shinon, Asuna expressed her desire to join him. However, Rozen had refused.
"People don't like others uncovering their hidden wounds. Investigating her issues alone was intrusive enough—taking you along would have been too much. I told you to wait for me at the fountain."
This was Rozen's excuse.
In reality, he simply didn't want Asuna witnessing his use of mystic abilities.
"And what about her? Will she be okay from now on?" Asuna asked with concern. "Can her illness be cured?"
"It can." Rozen's tone was firm. "Trust me, I'll handle it."
"Alright." Asuna nodded, choosing to believe him without any doubt.
However—
"This incident worked out, but Red-Eyed XaXa's appearance served as a reminder," Asuna said with a worried tone.
"That even though SAO has been cleared and the death game is over, the enemies from that time still exist if we're still here."
Asuna was clearly referring to the Laughing Coffin members.
"Do you think more of them will turn into killers in the real world and harm others again?" Asuna's concern was evident.
It was a thought shared by everyone aware of this recent event.
To this—
"Didn't I tell you to trust me?" Rozen smirked.
"Whatever you can think of, I've already accounted for."
With that, Rozen had already taken measures against such dangers.