On the day of the Christmas event, Sagami Minami watched from the shadows. The event ran smoothly, a testament to the new student council president, Isshiki Iroha, who was orchestrating her first major event with impressive finesse.
"Not to toot my own horn, but compared to the sports festival, this is about on par," Minami muttered to herself.
As the event wrapped up, her gaze lingered on a particular staff member. The Christmas event had something the sports festival lacked—a certain smug loner, Hikigaya Hachiman, wearing a satisfied expression that screamed, I pulled it off.
"I still hate that guy. Really hate him…" Minami whispered. Yet, tears welled in her eyes unbidden.
"…If I hadn't messed up at the cultural festival, would he have looked at me like that? Could I have smiled like that too…?"
With a lonely murmur, Minami wiped her tears roughly and said, "Time to head home…"
She trudged home alone, her steps heavy. Shortly after, disaster struck. While out shopping, Minami received a frantic call from her mother. Assuming it was about picking up groceries, she answered casually.
"Mom, slow down! I can't understand you!" Minami urged.
Calming slightly, her mother told her to hurry home and check the news on her phone before hanging up. Annoyed but curious, Minami browsed news sites, only to find them dominated by one word: SAO. Her face paled as she read the details. Her father, Sagami Jiyuu, despite his unassuming appearance, was an avid gamer. That morning, Minami recalled him eagerly unwrapping a new game—Sword Art Online. Heart pounding, she leapt onto a train, desperate to get home. The train felt agonizingly slow as passengers around her buzzed about SAO. When she finally arrived, a police car was parked outside her house.
"Mom!" Minami cried.
"Minami! Your father… your father…" her mother sobbed.
Hours later, Jiyuu was rushed to the hospital, and Minami spent a sleepless night. The next morning, during homeroom, she learned Hachiman was also trapped in SAO.
"Same as Dad…" Minami whispered.
Unable to share her fears, she saw her father's fate reflected in Hachiman's, crying for reasons different from her classmates. Months later, Minami found herself isolated. Frequent hospital visits to see Jiyuu left no time for friends, and her social circle dwindled.
"Stupid Dad… because of you, I don't have a single friend left…" she muttered, resentment creeping in.
Yet, she couldn't stop visiting him, gripped by a fear that abandoning him might mean his death. Choosing isolation, she continued her routine—until someone reached out. Yuigahama Yui.
"Hey, Sagamin, is something bothering you? I'm here if you wanna talk," Yui offered.
Minami appreciated the gesture, but her strained relationship with Yui—stemming from the Hachiman incident—made her hesitate. She declined politely.
"No, it's nothing. Thanks for worrying, though. Sorry."
Yui, undeterred, pressed on. "Then at least eat lunch with me?"
Before Minami could respond, Yui grabbed her hand and led her to the Service Club room.
"Yukinon, sorry for the wait!" Yui called.
"Uh, sorry to intrude…" Minami mumbled.
Yukino's eyes widened at Minami's arrival but she welcomed her without complaint. Feeling awkward, Minami joined them for lunch and, almost impulsively, asked about Hachiman.
"So… how's Hikigaya doing lately?"
"He's still asleep," Yukino said softly.
"Hasn't woken up at all," Yui added.
Their calm expressions struck Minami as different from her own grief over her father. Curious, she ventured, "Sorry if I'm misreading, but… aren't you two worried about him?"
"Of course I'm worried," Yukino said.
"Super worried!" Yui echoed.
"Oh… right, sorry for asking something weird," Minami said, shrinking back.
Yukino pulled something from her pocket, and Yui followed, digging into her bag.
"Are those… matching scrunchies?" Minami asked.
"Yup! Hikki kinda gave them to us," Yui said with a grin.
"Kinda? What's that mean?"
"Apparently, Hikigaya-kun prepared them as Christmas gifts for us," Yukino explained. "His sister, Komachi-san, found them and passed them on recently."
Minami was stunned that Hachiman would do something so thoughtful. Another question surfaced.
"That's sweet. But… why show me something so important? I mean, I know I caused you guys a lot of trouble, so I thought you hated me…"
Yukino smiled gently. "Because you asked about Hikigaya-kun's well-being first, despite whatever you might feel inside. And when you looked puzzled that we weren't grieving openly, I felt we owed you an explanation."
"Oh… guess it was written all over my face," Minami said, blushing.
Yukino continued, unfazed. "We decided to protect this place until he returns. These scrunchies were one of the catalysts."
"Mine's blue, and Yukinon's is pink—funny, right? What do you think, Sagamin?" Yui asked.
"It does feel backwards," Minami said honestly.
"Right? But it's Hikki's choice, so when he comes back, we're gonna cry and show him these scrunchies," Yui said. "Until then, we're holding off on tears. If we're crying, he can't fight with a clear head."
Minami admired their strength, wondering if she could ever be that resilient. Unable to answer, she pivoted. "If it's okay… could you tell me more about Hikigaya?"
Hoping to find strength in their stories, Minami listened as Yui and Yukino shared tales of Hachiman. From then on, she ate lunch with the Service Club or joined Yui's group with Miura Yumiko. Though she declined invitations to hang out due to hospital visits, Yumiko was surprisingly understanding, never excluding her. Minami grew fond of Yumiko, and later Yukino and Yui, too. A year passed, and with neither Hachiman nor Jiyuu free, Minami graduated.
"Hikigaya never came back, huh," Minami said.
"But we kept the Service Club safe, so we can face Hikki with pride," Yui replied.
"Now we just wait for him at university," Yukino added.
"Good thing we all got into our top schools," Yui said.
"Yeah!" Minami agreed.
Minami had barely passed her entrance exams, thanks to Yukino's occasional tutoring. She'd grown to like Yukino's quiet support and Yui's warmth. Their company also gave her access to real-time SAO updates—mostly the highest floor reached, but enough to fuel her hope for Jiyuu's return. Thinking of her father inevitably brought Hachiman to mind, and Minami found herself growing fond of him, too. While drifting apart from Yukko and Haruka, she connected with others, ending high school in a bittersweet but meaningful way.
University life began, and Minami was alone again—but not as lonely as before. College lacked the rigid cliques of high school, and solitude felt natural. She stayed in touch with Yukino and Yui, occasionally visiting Hachiman together or alone when back home. Strangely, she often ran into Yumiko during those solo visits.
"My school's nearby," Yumiko would say, looking slightly embarrassed.
Months later, still groggy from a late-night call with Yui, Minami was half-asleep. Yui had mentioned SAO's current floor—75—guessing it'd take another year to clear. Then her phone rang, her mother's name on the screen.
"Hey, Mom? What's up so early?"
"Minami, your father… your father…"
Minami's heart lurched. It's too soon for the game to be cleared. No, it can't be… Then her mother's words hit.
"He's awake!"
"Really? I'm coming!" Minami cried, her mind snapping awake.
Rushing to the hospital, she found Jiyuu awake, just as her mother said. He looked thinner, but his eyes shone brightly, easing her fears.
"Welcome back, Dad," Minami said softly.
"I'm home, Minami. I fought to see your face again," Jiyuu replied.
Minami threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. Jiyuu stroked her head until she calmed. When she asked why he was freed at the 75th floor, Jiyuu was vague, hinting at a major event he wasn't ready to discuss. Minami decided to wait patiently for his story. He did share some details: his player name was Godfrey, someone saved his life, he fought as their subordinate, and despite being incapacitated, that person and their allies defeated the final boss, allowing his return. With a joyful smile, Jiyuu named his savior.
"Thanks to them, I'm here. Silver Shadow Hachiman, Commander; Flash Asuna, Vice-Leader; Black Swordsman Kirito; and Throwing Blade Nezha. Those four saved me…"
"Wait, Dad!" Minami interrupted, her heart racing.
"What's up?"
"That Hachiman guy…"
"What, you into the Commander?" Jiyuu teased. "Not surprised—he's pretty cool. But give it up; he's got the Vice-Leader. Those two are perfect together, haha!"
"Dad, are you still stuck in the game?" Minami huffed.
Jiyuu scratched his head. "Right, sorry. What about the Commander?"
"Uh, maybe I misheard," Minami said, dropping it.
Jiyuu's description of Hachiman as "cool" made her wonder if it was a coincidence. In truth, Yukino and Yui knew Hachiman's player name but never confirmed it, making this a twist of fate. The next day, news reported a hundred players still trapped, and Jiyuu raged about "Kayaba," the game's creator. Unaware Kayaba was the final boss, Minami just nodded, thinking his anger was understandable.
Two months later, the SAO crisis ended. After confirming Jiyuu's safety, Minami called Yui to check on Hachiman. Though she felt detached from the hundred still trapped, the full resolution brought her true relief. Busy with Jiyuu's rehab, she missed her chance to visit Hachiman.
A year later, Jiyuu had fully recovered, returning to his old job with vigor. With her worries gone, Minami made friends at university and thought of Hachiman less often. Then Yui called, inviting her to a quasi-reunion through mutual friends. Hachiman's image flashed in her mind—a chance to confirm Jiyuu's story. Arriving late, Minami slipped into the venue.
"What? A hero? Who can prove that? Just him saying so?"
"No way! If he's a hero, then we're all heroes!"
Yukko and Haruka's familiar voices cut through the noise. Realizing they were mocking Hachiman—the very topic she wanted answers on—Minami mustered her courage and stepped into the fray.
"Um, excuse me…" she said timidly.
"Oh, it's Sagami," Yukko said coldly.
"You're here?" Haruka added.
"H-Hi, long time…" Minami replied.
Their icy dismissal stung, but to her surprise, Hachiman spoke to her warmly.
"Hey, Sagami. Been a while," he said.
"Yeah, hi," she answered, heartened.
As she shared what she knew and mentioned Jiyuu's player name, Godfrey, she saw Hachiman's expression shift. When he mentioned Asuna, Minami was certain: Hachiman had saved her father. Fighting back tears, she called Jiyuu to the reunion. When Asuna arrived, Minami wanted to thank her but was struck silent by her beauty.
She's stunning… Minami thought, watching Hachiman and Asuna's warm interaction with envy.
When Jiyuu arrived, he threw himself at Hachiman, sobbing with gratitude. Dad's so happy… Minami thought, quietly crying unnoticed. Later, roped into Elsa's plan, Minami hugged Hachiman, kissed his cheek to thank him, and learned the truth of the SAO incident. Now, watching Yukko and Haruka slink away, Minami felt nothing for her former friends. At Haruno's suggestion, Hachiman, Asuna, and Jiyuu moved to another venue to catch up as SAO survivors, with Minami, Elsa, and Haruno inexplicably tagging along.
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