Asuna was led to the back room, where she put on a maid uniform for the first time in her life.
"Whoa... it fits you terrifyingly well, nyan! Asu-nyan, won't you come work for Faris?!"
"I'm flattered, but I don't think I can. You know, with the games and everything..."
"True, true. Hmm, what a shame, nyan... I want to spend more time with Hachiman and Asu-nyan."
On a whim, Asuna asked, "Faris, do you really like Hachiman that much?"
"Yes! Of all the people I've met, he's in the top one or two most mysterious and interesting people, nyan. Plus, I just plain admire him and feel grateful to him. Maybe it's because we knew each other in a past life?"
"Past lives aside... grateful?"
"Oh, I'm grateful to you too, Asu-nyan. Several of our regulars were SAO players, you see."
"Oh... right. This is Akihabara, after all."
Hearing the same sentiment from Faris that she had from Daru, Asuna was reminded of how deeply that incident still resonated. While there were surely people who harbored resentment, Asuna decided to accept this gratitude with an open heart.
"Still, I'm jealous of you, Asu-nyan. Life with Hachiman would never be boring."
"Ah, well, you've got a point there."
"Faris wants at least a little piece of that fun while you're at the shop! So, let's get everyone together for a photo shoot!"
"Okay!"
The two returned to the room where Hachiman and Daru were waiting. Despite her shyness, Asuna gave it her best effort.
"Um... it's Asu-nyan-nyan, Master."
Hachiman stared blankly at her for a moment. Then, his hand moved on its own. He whipped out his phone, snapped a photo, and immediately set it as his wallpaper.
"Wh-wha?!"
Asuna, clearly not expecting such a lightning-fast reaction, turned bright red.
"H-Hachiman-kun! Having that as your wallpaper is way too embarrassing..."
Snapped back to reality by her voice, Hachiman looked at his phone in genuine surprise.
"Wait... what did I just do?"
"So it was unconscious..."
"Y-yeah. Asuna was so cute my consciousness just did a full lap around the galaxy."
Hearing that, Asuna buried her crimson face in Hachiman's chest, thumping him lightly with her fists.
"Honestly! You're unbelievable!"
"What's the big deal? It's a literal fact that you're cute."
"But Hachiman-kun, you're definitely going to show that to Rika and the others, aren't you?"
"Of course I am. You're too adorable not to share."
"Stop it! Stop it!"
Asuna continued her rhythmic thumping, while Hachiman, unbothered, reached out to stroke the cat-ear headband she was wearing.
"Fluffy cat ears are hard to beat, but these have their own charm..."
"I have fluffy ones too, nyan!" Faris chirped.
"What?! Why didn't you say so sooner?! Faris, get them on her head immediately!"
"Aye-aye, sir, nyan!"
"Faris, not you too! Seriously!"
During the ensuing photo session, Daru—who managed to get a picture with both girls—muttered through tears, "I have never been so glad to be alive as I am today..."
On the drive home, Asuna was scrolling through the photos they had taken, a silly grin plastered on her face.
(She was embarrassed, but she's clearly happy about it,) Hachiman thought, watching her.
"Hachiman-kun, let me see the ones you took on your phone."
"Sure, here."
"Thanks."
Asuna chuckled as she swiped through the images, but her hand suddenly stopped at a particular photo.
"H-Hachiman-kun? I thought I deleted this one..."
"Huh? ...Oh. Crap."
"You just said 'crap.' You definitely said 'crap.' Why is this still here?"
"That's weird. How did that happen? Must be a glitch."
The photo in question was the infamous shot of Asuna fast asleep, face completely relaxed, with a tiny bit of drool at the corner of her mouth. She stared at the screen.
"Honestly... do you really like this photo that much?"
"I like all your photos, Asuna. That one is no exception."
"Well, I'm sure you do, but..."
"Look, during a cutthroat war, these kinds of everyday photos are essential, okay? They're what heal my exhausted soul."
"But it doesn't have to be this one..."
"I've told you this before. You only show that kind of defenseless vulnerability to one person in this world: me. Every time I look at this, it's a physical reminder of how much you love and trust me. In other words, this photo is love!"
"Is... is it love?"
"It's love."
"I mean, I'm happy you feel that way, but..."
"It's love."
"U-um, well, I guess it is love."
"It's love."
Since she was in a good mood to begin with, Asuna allowed herself to be steamrolled by Hachiman's logic, officially sanctioning his possession of the photo.
"Fine, fine. But since it's 'love,' you aren't allowed to show it to anyone else, okay?"
"Yeah, leave it to me."
Thus, Hachiman's life was spared, and the treasure within his phone was successfully defended.
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