A yawn escaped my lips, breaking the silence I had gotten so comfortable in. A content smile was plastered on my face as I stretched my hands into the air. I was seated on the steps that led down the beach, my head going back to resting on my hands to continue watching the waves rolling into shore. As I pushed a few strands of hair from my face, my eyes flickered towards the direction the group was supposed to meet at. Considering how much time I had spent taking my break, I couldn't help but think it was time to meet up with everyone.

Footsteps against the sandy ground caught my attention before I could decide though. My head perked up until I caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance. My eyes brightened up at the sight of Kairi making her way down the beach. I was about to call out her name when I noticed where exactly she was going. A frown began to form on my face as I watched Kairi come to a halt right where Sora was sleeping. The sight of that slacker made my mood go completely down the drain.

Opting to not getting caught in the act like Sora, I moved to my feet and dusted off the sand that clung to my clothes. After doing so, I grabbed the logs and rope I had set out to gather in the beggining before I had decided to rest.

"Whoa!" Sora's voice reached me and forced me to look over just in time to catch Kairi laughing at him. "Gimme a break, Kairi," the young brunette said as he sat up, but joined in with his own laughter in a quick second.

"Sora, you lazy bum. I knew that I'd find you snoozing down here. Now, all I have to do is find Andy," Kairi said as she straightened up and glanced around. Unconsciously, a grin formed on my face at the mention of my name. That girl just knew me so well.

"What? No! This huge, black THING swallowed me up! I couldn't breathe, I couldn't—" Sora began to babble, causing me to scoff at the excuses he was saying. The ridiculousness of it was enough to cause me to make my appearance.

"It was only a dream, Sora. No need to cry about it," I called out as I made my way over to them. Kairi blinked, clearly caught of guard, but smiled a few seconds later at my direction.

"It wasn't a dream!" Sora snapped at me, but doubt soon filled his mind, "... or was it? I don't know." He sighed. "What was that place? So bizarre..." he mumbled to himself. My courisity wanted to ask what the dream had been about, but thankfully my pride kept my mouth shut. Instead, I settled with watching Kairi making her way closer to the ocean with her hands holding each other loosely behind her back.

"Say, Kairi, what was you hometown like? You know, where you grew up?" Sora suddenly asked. How quickly the boy could change topics both surprised and annoyed me to no end.

"Hasn't she explained this a million times?" I demanded at him.

"That's because you and Sora keep asking me," Kairi added with a teasing tone. A light blush warmed my cheeks from embarassements and it grew when Kairi giggled at my reaction.

"I don't ask that much, do I...?" I muttered under my breath and quickly averted my eye gaze from Kairi who was only making me feel more consious than I liked to be. Thankfully, she turned back towards the ocean and let me calm down.

"Like I've told you guys before, I don't remember," Kairi stated after a pause and without looking back at us.

"Nothing at all?" Sora pestered, causing me to roll my eyes at his behavior. Couldn't he just let her be?

"Nothing," Kairi responded simply.

"You ever want to go back?" Sora questioned. This time, my eyes shot over to Kairi, interested in what her answer would be.

"Well, I'm happy here."

An involuntary smile appeared on my face. "Really," I said, clearly happy with Kairi's answer. That is, until Kairi continued talking.

"But you know... I wouldn't mind going to see it," she added. My smile faltered the tiniest of bit because of it.

"I'd like to see it too. Along with any other worlds out there! I want to see 'em all!" Sora agreed, his voice filled with excitement that was almost enough to get me to agree with them. The thought of Kairi going back home though - her original home - and the possibility of her liking it more than here scared me to be honest.

I didn't want them to notice my discomfort though, so I forced a grin and the next words out of me, "So what're we waiting for, then?" As I adjusted the log in my arms, Kairi looked back at us and smiled.

"Hey, aren't you guys forgetting about me?"

I quickly turned behind me at the familiar voice. The sight of Riku standing there, with his own log in his arm, made me smile. "So, I guess I'm the only one working on the raft."

"Hey! Can't you see what I got?" I questioned, trying to show off the log I found along with the rope. Riku grinned in return and walked closer. He threw the log he had been carrying at Sora before stopping by me and Kairi.

"And you two are just as lazy as he is!" he declared. My mouth parted in shock that I had just been compared to Sora while Kairi just giggled.

"So you noticed. Okay, we'll finish it together. I'll race you!" Kairi declared just as Riku plopped down besides Sora. Her words caught my attention immediately. Race? That meant a there was going to be a winner, right?

"Huh?" Sora questioned with a tired tone.

"What, are you kidding me?" Riku added.

I rolled my eyes at the two since I already knew them both well. They were as competitive as anyone could get. I wasn't far behind on that though and I'm really not sure whether that was a good or bad thing.

"Ready? Go!"

I snapped out of my thoughts to see everyone shoot out running. "Hey!" I shouted as I stumbled after them. "That's not fair, I'm carrying stuff!" I snapped as I struggled to keep the log from moving too much as I fought to catch up to them. Kairi's laughter rang besides me soon enough and I found myself joining her.

For some reason it hit me, right then and there, that I was happy.