Forever

Part 1

"Kisu"

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, or any characters used in this story.

The school bells rang. The time read 3:00pm. Children's faces lighted up as the schools were now closed for two whole months. Summer. The best time of the year if you're a kid. Freedom. This particular summer vacation was also the last time three special seniors would be able to be finished with high school, and never return. They were the last to leave the school. The first senior was a girl. She was tall, thin, had long, deep red hair, and shining blue eyes. She skipped down the front stairs in her white blouse and blue checkered skirt.

"It's finally over," she beamed. "Summer. We're free, guys!" Next out of the school was a well-built young man in a blue suit with shoulder length silver hair. His green eyes stared at the sky.

"Now we can finally go on some real adventures," He smiled at the girl. Then they both turned at the door. A second boy, slightly shorter than the first, came waltzing out in his blue suit. He had spiked brown hair, and dreamy blue eyes.

"Well what are you two waiting for?" He said, pointing off into the distance. "We're seniors. We're no longer bound to this petty school system! We can do what we want now. Forever."

"Forever's a bit long wouldn't you say?" the first boy noted.

"Hey, guys," The girl called out. "Let's go to the island!"

The cool island breeze swept the hot, white sand. The three children rowed over to the small island off the shore of Twilight Town. The redheaded girl was the last to leave. As she prepared her boat, another senior girl with short brown hair came running up to her.

"You're not going back to that island again, are you, Kairi?" She asked. "Every summer it's the same. You spend the entire vacation with them at the island." She pointed to the two boys in their boats rowing away.

"So?" Kairi said back. "What's wrong with them? They're my best friends!"

"You never spend any time with me and your other friends anymore." The brunet said back. "Besides, those boys are..."

"They're fine, Selphie," Kairi sighed. "Tell Hayner and them that if they want to hang out with us to come over to the island." With that, she waved, stepped in her boat, and rowed toward the island. And Selphie did just that. She walked over to a small alley. It was a little damp, but she proceeded. A sign hung above a gate reading "The Usual Spot". Inside she found several other kids, seniors like her. One girl, four boys.

"Hey Selphie," one of the blonde boys said. "Where's Sora, Riku and Kairi?" Selphie sighed.

"Kairi, as usual, went back to the island with Sora and Riku. I don't trust them. I don't feel right leaving her alone with them. Let's all go to the island."

Kairi closed her cellphone.

"Who was that?" the brunet asked.

"That was Selphie." Kairi replied. "She said that she's bringing Hayner, Pence, Olette, Tidus and Wakka here."

"Whaaat?" The brunet whined. "I don't want to have a whole party here. Just you, me, and Riku."

"That's what I wanted too, Sora," Kairi pouted. "But I guess they won't be spending the whole summer with us... Right?" Sora shrugged.

"I hope not," he scowled. "Hayner really gets on my nerves. So does Tidus. I'm going to go warn Riku." Kairi nodded, and Sora walked off. He had taken his shoes off, and changed his clothes. The sand felt cold between his toes. Sora entered a small shack, and walked up the stairs. Through the door, he was outside again, and in front of a bridge. Across the bridge was a small patch of land with a single tree on it.

'That's where Riku always is,' Sora thought to himself. He crossed the bridge and found Riku sitting on the bent-over tree. Riku had changed as well. He wore blue jeans and a yellow tank top.

"Hey, Riku" Sora called. Riku turned his head. "We're gonna have some visitors. Apparently, Selphie invited the whole gang over to the island." He gave a grunt.

"She always ruins everything..." Riku sighed. "Hayner pisses me off..." Sora hopped on the end of the tree. Riku picked a star-shaped fruit off from a leaf. He took a bite.

"Do you always eat paopu fruits alone?" Sora asked.

"I never wanted to 'intertwine my destiny' with anyone." He went on chewing.

"Not even Kairi?" Sora asked. Riku shook his head. "What about Olette?" He shook his head again. "What about me?" Sora smiled, jokingly. Riku sat still. Sora thought nothing of it, and went on. "Oh I know you want to give that to Wakka." Sora elbowed Riku in the ribs. Riku smiled, placed the half eaten fruit on the tree, and tackled Sora to the ground.

"How about this. I'll give the fruit to Wakka if you eat sand!" He pushed Sora's face to the ground, getting it covered in white sand. Sora lifted up his head and began to cough.

"You asked for it!" Sora shouted. He ran and tried to head-butt Riku off of the edge, but Riku dodged, and grabbed Sora in a headlock.

'Just like the good old days,' Sora smiled to himself. 'We always horsed around on this little mini island. It was ours to play on...' Riku let Sora go.

"We're not kids anymore," he sighed. "We used to play real dangerously." he flipped his silver locks aside.

"But it was fun." Sora squealed.

"Yeah, but we're adults now. We have to start thinking about our life beyond this little island."

"If I recall correctly, it was you thinking about life beyond the island that caused that whole ordeal last year." Sora slyly eyed Riku.

"Oh leave me alone. It wasn't entirely my fault. I don't want to argue about it."

Selphie and the others all arrived in their tiny wooden boats. Riku and Sora heard someone yell 'Party under the bridge', and 'Anyone have any booze?'. They knew Hayner and Tidus had arrived. They both had blonde spiked hair. Wakka had flame red hair that stuck straight up, and Olette had brown hair that was in two braids. Wakka came a few minutes later, with several six-packs of beer. Tidus shouted 'Yes!' Sora rolled his eyes at Riku who just kept his steady gaze at the horizon.

"You know... Sometimes I wonder." Riku said. "We've been around the same people all our lives. We've been in the same place. Done the same things. But school's over for us. For good. All of us. What's going to happen when this summer is over? We can't just stay in Twilight Town, or even here, on Destiny Island, forever. We'll have to get jobs, go out beyond this tiny town. Start families, stuff like that."

"Jesus Christ, Riku you need to stop thinking." Hayner shouted, coming up behind Riku and Sora. "It's freaking Summer Break for crying out loud! Think about jobs, and family some other time, buddy, because Wakka's got the booze, and we're gonna party all night long!" Hayner gave a thumbs up to Sora who rolled his eyes. He turned around and met Kairi and Selphie half way across the bridge.

"I say we knock him out, put him in a boat, and have him float out somewhere." Sora laughed. Riku nodded, taking another bite of the paopu. He hopped down from the tree.

"Have you ever..." He paused. He looked at the blue sea. "... Felt such a strong love for anyone, that they're all that you think about day after day? They're always on your mind. You can't shake the feeling either." Sora was quiet. He thought about it for a long time.

"If you mean that you think you're in love," Sora finally said. "Well, I thought I was in love once."

"...I thought you still were." Riku cocked an eyebrow. "What about.."

"Kairi? I've realized I don't like her as much as I thought I did. Yeah, we're good friends, but that's all." Riku nodded, flashing a quick smile, but turning away so Sora wouldn't see.. He stepped closer to Sora, right in his face. He handed him the paopu.

"I'm not hungry anymore," he sighed, walking across the bridge. He joined in the conversation with Kairi, Hayner, and Selphie. Sora stood, staring at the half-eaten fruit in his hand. He could have just eaten the rest of it and gone on with his life, but no. Sora thought about it.

'A paopu fruit. Everyone knows the legend. When two people share it, their lives become intertwined. They become a part of each other. They'll be together forever. Forever. And Riku just gave me a paopu that he had a part of. He wouldn't just give it to me because he wasn't hungry. He planned this out. Riku wants to share the paopu fruit... with me! Riku wants to share his life with me. Forever. And it was so subtle. He just handed it to me. No dramatic stare, no almost-kiss. Just handed it to me. Maybe he thinks I wouldn't suspect anything. Or maybe he knows that I'd figure it out. Maybe he was counting on it. Why was Riku talking about love? What was he hinting at? I knew he was hiding something! Does Riku love...? No. That's foolish to think. Or is it? No... I understand. Things are starting to shape together! The fruit, the talk, the smile!'

Sora turned quickly to face Riku, Kairi, Hayner and Selphie, tears in his eyes, and a smile on his face. The conversation ended when they all turned to stare at Sora's bizarre expression.

"Uh, Sora?" Kairi finally broke the silence.

"I knew it." He finally said. "I knew it all along." Tears streamed down his face. He started gnawing on what was left of the fruit, then sprinted forward, wrapping his arms around Riku.

"Uhh Sora!" Riku gasped, blushing. His whole face turned bright red.

"Why didn't you just tell me how you felt?" Sora smiled and leaned forward fast and landed a kiss right on Riku's lips.

Author's Note: Coming Soon! Part 2! (It doesn't have a name yet...) But it's almost finished, so sit tight.