Morning had fully settled into the neighbourhood by the time they reached the street.
The road stretched forward in a gentle curve, bordered by neatly aligned houses and low fences. Some gates stood open, bicycles leaning casually near entrances, while others remained shut, curtains still drawn behind frosted windows as if their owners were squeezing in a few more minutes of sleep. The neighbourhood felt orderly, calm, and familiar, the kind of place that rarely surprised anyone.
The scent of breakfast lingered faintly in the air—rice, grilled fish, and something sweet drifting out from a nearby house. It mixed with the crisp freshness of the morning breeze, carrying warmth without heaviness.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps between buildings, casting soft, angled shadows across the pavement. The sky above was a clean, pale blue, free of clouds—the kind of morning that felt unhurried, even as the weekday routine quietly began to move beneath it.
Rito's gaze wandered naturally as they walked.
The road was well maintained, smooth and clean, with barely a crack in sight. A small café sat along the corner, its sign already lit despite the early hour. Inside, warm lights glowed through the glass, and a few customers could be seen seated quietly, steam rising from cups placed carefully on wooden tables.
A vending machine stood nearby, humming faintly.
Rito slowed his steps and glanced toward it. Without much hesitation, he moved over and pulled out a can of juice, then paused and turned slightly.
"Want some juice?"
Mikan, walking just ahead, stopped for a moment. She looked like she was in a hurry, her steps already angled toward the intersection, but after a brief pause, she nodded.
Rito moved quickly, grabbing another can and returning just as fast. The metal felt cool against his palm. They resumed walking, passing the café and heading toward the crossing ahead. Before reaching the intersection, Rito tossed the empty can neatly into a dustbin by the sidewalk.
That was where they parted ways.
Mikan slowed and turned toward him. "I'll be off, Rito."
She lifted her hand in a small wave. There was something subtle in her expression—nothing exaggerated, just a faint softness that lingered for a moment longer than usual.
"Hmm. See you," Rito replied, nodding.
Without thinking, his hand moved.
It reached out and gently petted her head.
The motion was instinctive.
Mikan froze.
She blinked once, then again. Slowly, her face turned slightly red as she reached up and lightly pulled his hand away. Her pout was faint, more reflexive than annoyed.
"Don't mess with my hair," she said. "It'll be tedious to fix later."
Her grip on his wrist was gentle, almost hesitant. Then she let go and turned away, resuming her walk without another word.
As she moved ahead, two boys walking nearby slowed unconsciously, their eyes following her. They caught the brief flash of embarrassment on her face—just enough to be noticeable.
Especially one of them.
A boy who had once confessed to her.
And been rejected.
He looked from Mikan's retreating figure to Rito, his expression darkening slightly. His jaw clenched as an ugly thought formed.
'So that's it…'
'Is she dating someone older?'
'That's why she rejected almost ten guys by now?'
The misunderstanding rooted itself firmly in his mind as he continued walking, shooting one last irritated glance backward.
Rito, unaware of any of it, continued on his own path.
The road split, leading toward different school routes. As he walked toward his high school, the scenery shifted again. The number of students increased, uniforms filling the sidewalks, footsteps overlapping into a steady rhythm.
Suimei University of Art stood ahead, its buildings visible between the trees.
Rito glanced toward the campus gates as he approached.
'At least there's no stupid principal chasing after female students here,' he thought.
At least, there wasn't one in his memories.
Walking alongside the outer fence, his steps slowed almost imperceptibly.
His eyes caught sight of someone.
A girl walking alone.
Blue hair, long and neatly kept, swaying softly with each step. Blue eyes that reflected the morning light gently, giving her an air of quiet grace. She carried her bag close, posture composed, expression calm.
Rito's heartbeat skipped.
Then raced.
He recognized her instantly.
Sairenji Haruna. [Image.]
The girl he had fallen in love with.
Or rather, the girl he had liked since middle school.
The feeling wasn't something simple like infatuation. It had depth, built over years of familiarity, admiration, and unspoken moments. He didn't deny it or try to brush it aside.
He simply accepted it.
She was kind. Gentle. Easy to like.
And standing there, bathed in the soft morning light, she felt just as unreachable—and just as important—as she always had.
'Let's go and greet her.'
Rito muttered it under his breath as he lightly jogged forward.
The morning air was still fresh, cool enough to keep his thoughts clear. As he closed the distance, he noticed how early she had arrived. It wasn't unusual, but it still stood out to him. He himself had come early today, but his reason was simple—walking with Mikan, talking casually, sharing breakfast. Something small, something warm.
It wasn't something the previous him would have done without thinking.
Ahead of him, Sairenji Haruna slowed her steps.
"Hina-sensei, good morning."
Rito instinctively slowed as well.
Haruna had stopped to greet a teacher standing near the school entrance. Rito's gaze followed hers, landing on the woman she was speaking to.
She was beautiful.
Brown hair fell neatly past her shoulders, darker than the shade usually seen in anime depictions, yet it suited her perfectly. Her emerald-like eyes were gentle and calm, and her expression carried an easy warmth that naturally drew attention. Her posture was relaxed, refined, and confident in a way only adults possessed.
Tachibana Hina. [Image.]
Unlike her anime counterpart, her dark brown hair gave her a more grounded, mature charm. The morning light reflected softly off her features, making her presence stand out even among the flow of students entering the school.
She smiled at Haruna as they exchanged greetings.
For a brief moment, the scene felt almost cinematic.
Teacher and student standing side by side, both graceful in their own ways. More than a few boys walking past slowed down unconsciously, their eyes lingering longer than necessary.
Even Rito couldn't help but admire the sight.
Then—
A strange ringing echoed inside his head.
[Skill: Jog has been acquired by host.]
[The host can access the panel through the word 'Status'.]
Rito blinked.
Once.
Then again.
His step faltered for half a second before he steadied himself. A smile slowly spread across his face, restrained but unmistakable.
'Good. A cheat is here.'
The urge to shout nearly escaped him, but he swallowed it down, keeping his expression neutral. This wasn't the time—or place—to lose composure. He resumed his light jog, heart beating just a little faster now for an entirely different reason.
As he reached the corridor, he saw Hina-sensei and Haruna splitting off in different directions. Haruna now carried a small stack of books in her arms, held carefully against her chest.
Rito's mind short-circuited briefly.
'Wait… is she teaching us?'
In his memories, Hina-sensei had never taken their class. The thought lingered for a moment before another memory surfaced—another teacher who had been absent recently.
'…Right.'
She had been sick.
And she had been craving sour foods.
'That explains it,' he mused, the pieces clicking together naturally. Without overthinking it further, Rito walked up besides Haruna. "Hello, Sairenji-san. That looks heavy—let me help."
Haruna stopped, clearly surprised by his sudden appearance. Her eyes widened slightly before she smiled back at him. "Thank you for asking, Yuki-kun."
Her voice was soft, polite, and just a little shy. "It's alright," she added quickly. "It's not that heavy."
Still, Rito stepped in front of her and extended his hand, his intent clear. He wasn't backing down. For a moment, Haruna was left speechless.
Then, hesitantly, she handed the books over. "That's better," Rito said with an easy smile. "You should've let me help earlier. Also… just call me Rito. All my friends do."
There was a faint redness at the edge of his ears.
Even with memories of another life, his body reacted the same way it always had. Haruna noticed—and found it oddly amusing. Cute, even. It made her shoulders relax slightly, the tension easing.
"Then… I'll call you Rito-kun," she said. "Just call me Haruna too." She quickened her pace immediately afterwards, clearly trying to hide her face.
Rito followed her into the classroom and carefully placed the books on the teacher's desk. His eyes drifted briefly to the blackboard, where a notice had already been written.
Club Orientation.
'Hmm…'
At the moment, he had too many things he wanted to do. Club activities weren't exactly high on his list. Still, if there was something like a literature club or a novel-writing circle, it might be worth considering.
The classroom was empty.
Haruna placed her bag down and began checking something at her desk. Rito walked over and sat casually on the desk besides her. "Do you usually come this early, Haruna-chan?" he asked.
She nodded lightly. "I joined the badminton club."
Rito remembered.
He nodded in understanding.
After that, he returned to his seat and pulled out an empty notebook he had bought on the way to school. He uncapped his pen and began jotting down ideas, rough outlines forming quickly under his hand. 'Sword Art Online…'
The concept felt solid. Familiar. Proven.
He paused and pulled out his smartphone, checking quickly.
There was no Sword Art Online.
No novel. No manga.
No sign of NerveGear being developed by any genius inventor. But one thing stood out.
RECT Inc. existed. The company was founded by the Yuki family. Rito leant back slightly, eyes narrowing in thought. 'Then… there's a good chance Asuna Yuki exists in this world too.'
The possibilities quietly expanded before him as the classroom slowly filled with the sounds of approaching footsteps, the school day beginning to unfold.
The once-empty classroom slowly began to fill.
At first, it was just scattered footsteps in the hallway, followed by the familiar sound of sliding doors opening and closing. Chairs scraped softly against the floor as students took their seats, bags thudding lightly onto desks. The quiet air of early morning gradually gave way to low conversations and yawns that hadn't quite worn off yet.
Rito sat at his desk, pen moving steadily across the pages of his notebook.
The writing wasn't neat, but it was deliberate. Short phrases, arrows, half-formed ideas. He was focused enough that the noise around him faded into the background, his attention locked onto the page in front of him.
That didn't last long.
"Oi, Rito."
The voice came from behind him.
Before he could react, a familiar presence closed in. Saruyama and a few other boys gathered around his desk, leaning in casually, curiosity written all over their faces. Rito glanced up, then sighed lightly and shut his notebook, slipping it back into his bag.
"Morning," he said, shifting his chair slightly.
The conversation shifted naturally, jumping from random topics to complaints about early classes, homework, and rumors spreading through the school. It was casual, loud in places, and thoroughly normal.
As Rito listened, his eyes drifted toward the classroom entrance.
That was when he noticed him.
A tall, well-built figure stepped inside, posture straight but relaxed. His hair was neatly styled, his uniform worn properly, and his presence immediately drew attention without him doing anything at all.
Kadowaki Yuuta.
Rito recognized the name instantly.
The face too.
But strangely enough, he couldn't quite remember where he had first seen him. It lingered at the edge of his thoughts, just out of reach. Still, there was no mistaking the impression the guy gave.
Handsome.
Calm.
Approachable.
The kind of person who didn't need to try to stand out.
Thanks to that, in less than a week, Yuuta had already become well-known—not just in their class, but in others too. Mostly among the girls. Whispers followed him wherever he went, subtle glances exchanged whenever he passed by.
Among the boys, things were different.
He wasn't disliked. Not at all. But there was a natural distance, an unspoken gap that formed around people like him. Not out of hostility, but comparison. The kind that made conversations hesitate before starting.
And then there was the track team.
Rito remembered that much clearly.
As Yuuta made his way toward his seat, Rito stood up slightly and raised a hand.
"Yo. Good morning."
Yuuta paused.
He turned, clearly surprised that someone had greeted him so casually. For a moment, he studied Rito's face, then smiled.
"Good morning, Yuki."
That made Rito blink.
He hadn't expected Yuuta to know his name. Not yet, at least. But instead of making things awkward, it actually made everything easier.
Yuuta took his seat nearby, and Rito shifted closer, continuing the conversation naturally.
"So, how's the track team?" Rito asked. "Heard you're pretty serious about it."
Yuuta chuckled lightly. "Yeah. It's intense, but I like it. Keeps things simple."
They talked easily—about training schedules, morning runs, competitions. Yuuta answered without arrogance, honest and relaxed. It didn't take long for Rito to notice something.
Yuuta was aware.
Aware that Rito was deliberately pulling him into the group conversation. Making space. Bridging the gap between him and the other guys without making it obvious.
Instead of resisting it, Yuuta went along naturally.
Saruyama noticed too.
Before long, he joined in, asking questions about track meets and school events. The others followed, curiosity overtaking hesitation. The circle around Rito's desk grew louder, more animated.
Laughter followed.
And with it, attention.
Rito felt it before he saw it.
Glances.
From across the room.
From the girls.
They weren't subtle about it either. A group of boys laughing casually with Kadowaki Yuuta at the center was apparently more interesting than expected. Whispers spread quickly, heads turning just enough to observe without being obvious.
Rito caught a few looks and resisted the urge to sigh.
'So that's how it is.'
He had known, logically, that befriending Yuuta would be beneficial in terms of class perception. Someone like him naturally shifted how people saw the group around him.
But he hadn't expected it to be this immediate.
In just a few minutes, the atmosphere around their desks had changed.
People were more willing to approach. More willing to listen.
Yuuta noticed it too, though he didn't comment on it. Instead, he maintained his easy demeanor, speaking with everyone evenly, never excluding anyone.
Rito found himself appreciating that.
'He's a good guy,' he thought.
Not just on the surface.
As the bell rang, signaling the official start of the school day, students hurried back to their seats. The conversations broke apart reluctantly, chairs scraping as everyone settled down.
Rito leaned back slightly, glancing toward Yuuta's desk.
This… was useful.
Not just socially, but strategically.
Still, he hadn't planned on things escalating this fast.
He picked up his pen again, eyes flicking briefly to the front of the class as the teacher walked in. Around him, the energy lingered—a quiet buzz of attention that hadn't been there before.