>>Regret

Oneshot by Chiharu Tanaka

x: Namiku : x

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"I can't believe I missed the islands so much. Nothing has changed, has it?"

As the gentle wind slowly caressed the sullen façade of the brown-haired, blue-eyed teenage boy, he averted his eyes away from the dazzling, almost enchanting sunset and upwards to his friend sitting on the tree. Watching the man's pristine expression, he felt as if he knew the man sitting beside him, but at the same time not knowing him at all. Like a paradox...especially so since they had separated for two years or so. He lost count of the days.

"Yeah, Riku...nothing has changed. It's still the same old Destiny Islands we used to know as kids. Strange how we've grown up so much...we've gone through so much...yet Destiny Islands remains the same," replied the brunette.

Riku, who just nodded before raking a hand through his silver hair, replied after some silence, "Sora, do you want to know...what happened to me after we closed the door to Kingdom Hearts way back?"

Sora grinned. "Well, I heard you got trapped in the non-existent Castle Oblivion as well. But seriously, I do wanna know - I mean you had DiZ and King Mickey to tell you everything that happened to me, I deserve to hear about your adventures."

"Well then," said Riku, smiling somewhat half-heartedly. "Like you said, I did end up in the non-existent Castle Oblivion. It turned out that Ansem...or more specifically that bastard Xehanort's heartless...was still stalking me like a disgusting gay..."

Sora laughed. "Well, you have a point there...Xemnas was no different..."

"Anyway," said Riku, coughing a bit. "King Mickey helped me out, and we got help from Ansem the Wise too." After a long pause, Riku asked, "You remember Naminé, right?"

"Yeah...sort of. She's Kairi's Nobody, right?" said Sora.

Riku slapped Sora's head lightly. "You ingrate - she helped you restore your memories!"

"Ah, speaking of which, how did it disappear in the first place?"

"Well, the Organization had her at first, so they used her to mess up your memories, so that you'll forget Kairi. But eventually, since I suppose you're the all around nice guy, she rebelled against them, and you kicked Marluxia's butt, and she took about a year to chain them back together. Of course, to quicken the process, according to Ansem the Wise - we had to use Roxas...and I had a hard time capturing that brat...he's just like you."

Sora laughed. "So that's why you turned to the power of darkness? Because you couldn't capture Roxas?"

Riku slapped Sora's head again. "You ingrate - I did it because of you...it's not like I alone can kick the gay butt of Xemnas. Besides, Kairi missed you, don't you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah, I get you. So basically you were with Ansem the Wise and Naminé all the time? At Twilight Town's old mansion?"

"You didn't expect me to run around worlds looking like Xehanort's heartless, now do you?"

"But I thought you were an Organization member! King Mickey had that cloak too...where did you guys get it? Raid the Organization's Castle in The World That Never Was?"

"We got it from Naminé - she probably stole some for us. What's amazing is where she got the specific, 2-round ears cloak for King Mickey..." said Riku, laughing slightly. Sora chuckled again, and their laughter drifted off with the wind. "Remember at the castle...you asked me something..." started Riku.

"Is your memory failing you, old man?" asked Sora.

"No, I just didn't bother to remember what you said."

"Okay, okay. Go on with whatever you're saying."

"You asked me something...and I replied, ''cause I'm not a total sap like you'?"

"Umm...yeah. I remember you saying that. You made me look like a total sissy in front of everyone else."

"I've been thinking about that particular quote of mine..." said Riku, looking into the sunset. "And it's sad, once you think about it."

Sora turned to look at his older friend. He knew Riku always looked serious, but there couldn't be a more serious expression on his face like then. He crossed his arms as he leaned on the Paopu tree. They were most probably catching up with all they've missed for the previous year.

"What's sad?" asked Sora after a moment of silence.

"I'm jealous of you, Sora."

"Dude, I'm jealous of you too, but that's no reason to be sad..." said Sora, but Riku cut him off.

"No, I'm jealous of you because you're a total sap."

"Because I'm total sap?" asked Sora, bewildered.

"Yeah. 'Cause I'm not a total sap like you, I fell into the world of darkness."

"But..."

"Also, 'cause I'm not a total sap like you, I'm surrounded with loneliness while you have friends aplenty."

"Riku..."

"And 'cause I'm not a total sap like you, Kairi likes you better than me."

"..."

"But the saddest thing of all...it's because I'm not a total sap like you...I lost the girl I ever loved."

"You mean Kairi?"

Riku slapped Sora's head again. "No, dummy. Shut up and listen. I lost the chance to tell her...how I felt about her. I spent a whole year with her, yet couldn't sum up the courage to tell her I loved her because I'm not a total sap like you." Riku paused. "All I had to do was...come up to her...and tell her...it was as easy as that...yet I didn't. Now she's gone...united with Kairi," he said, in between sobs.

Sora was at a loss of words as he looked at his pal. "Riku, you..."

Riku didn't even bother to wipe away the tears that was already falling down his cheeks. His immaculate, yet surly face was stained by the salty tears from his aquamarine eyes. He felt his heart aching so much that he felt like dying - disappearing from existence - like her.

"I love her, Sora...I love Naminé. And now I've lost her."

/And it's all because I'm not a total sap like you./

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The End

Chiharu: Wahah, I actually forgot what Sora had asked before Riku said, "cause I'm not a total sap like you." Anyway, please review! Make me happy! Black Monday is here...ugh I'm getting my papers back...I bet you I'll fail something.