- A Birthday Wish -

This fanfic is a present for my sister's birthday on July 26th. :D

It's really short, but oh well. Hope you like it. :3

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

"Happy birthday, Kairi!" He smiled happily and watched me blow out my eight candles, and I smiled back at him.

That was exactly seven years ago, and I remember him and Riku, us three and the island… I can only faintly remember him; he had deep azure eyes, auburn hair, and a smile that could cheer me up any time. But I can't remember his name.

I remember that day, how instead of giving me a present, he gave me a map of the island. He told me that my present was hidden and I had to find it using the clues written on the map. I went out and looked for it, and it lead me to a cave. I crawled in and found a box wrapped in a sparkly purple, my favorite color. When I opened it, there was a paopu fruit inside. It was a completely ripe, fresh paopu fruit that was the perfect color of yellow. Under the fruit were two bracelets: one blue, one red. I called him over and hugged him.

"Thank you!" I said happily.

He just smiled back. Then, he picked up a rock and started to draw something on the wall. I did the same. He looked at me before he was done with his picture. "Kairi, we'll be best friends forever, right?"

"Okay," I smiled.

"Make a promise!"

I let out a laugh. "Okay, I promise." I slipped on the blue bracelet. "You promise, too!"

He wrinkled his face. "Only on one condition."

"What's that?" My face was puzzled.

"Can I have one of those bracelets?"

I looked at my arm. "Okay, but aren't they too girly?"

"Nope, it's okay! They can be our friendship bracelets!"

I laughed and handed him the red bracelet. "Now promise!"

He put on the bracelet. "I promise!"

When we finished our drawings, I let him share a part of my paopu fruit.

"See, Kairi! Now we have to be best friends forever!"

I smiled, remembering the famous legend of the paopu fruit. "Okay, best friends forever!" I ate the last of the paopu fruit.

I can remember something like that… But I can't remember something as simple as a name?

I can remember the day he disappeared.

It was dark and stormy that night, and a blanket of fog covered the sky. I was always scared of the dark ever since I was born. Every time there was a storm, he would come over to comfort me if he had permission. If he didn't call by the time it was dark, it meant he was going to be there. If he did call, which he rarely did, he wasn't going to be there. He didn't call that day, and I waited for an hour after it got dark, but he never came.

That's when I went out to look for him. I don't know what was going through my head, but I know I was smart enough to know not to go out. The palm trees, once firmly standing on the island, were in rage and leaned with the wind, fighting for a steady position. The sand blew around, and it looked as if the tree house could topple over anytime.

I had to go to the secret cave.

I don't remember the rest of that day. Besides that, only small things come back to me.

"I'd like to see it, too. Along with any other worlds out there. I want to see them all."

"What's gotten into you? You're the one that's changed, Kairi."

…Deep blue eyes…

…A face…

…A smile…

"I'll come back to you, I promise!"

…A promise…

I know he's real. I know I didn't imagine him. I know for sure. Even though I can't remember his name… He's out there, somewhere.

Thinking of you, wherever you are.

We pray for our sorrows to end,

And hope that our hearts will blend.

Now I step forward to realize this wish.

And who knows:

Starting a new journey may not be so hard

Or maybe it has already begun.

There are many worlds,

But they share the same sky—

One sky, one destiny.

I rolled the piece of paper and placed it inside the bottle. I tightened the cork and let it float freely in the ocean.

Even after all these years, I still remember him. I looked down at my blue friendship bracelet and remembered.

…A promise…

…And a name.

"Sora," I said quietly and smiled.

I heard a soft whisper:

"Happy birthday, Kairi."