"This is a…new idea for a hangout," Jasmine said as she watched Sora use a bench near the beach to stretch out before they went on a run.

Sora raised his arms over his head and twisted his body, the bones in his torso and neck cracking loudly as he did so. "Well," he laughed, an awkwardness lingering about afterwards, "I've been bugging everyone else to help train me, but I never thought to ask you. Besides, how often is it that I can see my sis?"

Jasmine slipped her phone in the pocket of her gym leggings before she pulled her hair into a ponytail. She looked out at the beach lying ahead of them by boardwalk and quickly sank into her thoughts.

Late last night, Sora called her up to see if she would be willing to hang out with him for a bit. While the call did come as a bit of a surprise (as she did explain to her group of friends a long time ago that she couldn't spend too much time with them given the nature of her job), Jasmine was happy to spend some time with Sora. He was a great friend to her and she really did view him as a younger sibling in many ways. And even though things between her and Riku were strained, the two of them could see each other without it being awkward.

Plus, it gave her a bit of a break from her SOLDIER group.

But even so, Sora electing to spend the time together working out was definitely out of the ordinary.

"So, four miles around the island…is that okay with you?" Jasmine asked as she slipped off her t-shirt, revealing a sports bra.

Sora inwardly grimaced. He was hoping for something simple like a mile, maybe two.

"Four sounds good!" He replied cheerfully, knowing full well that he was going to regret this decision. Stealing a quick glance at Jasmine, he noticed just how much more lean and muscular her body had become even since the last time he'd seen her.

He immediately wished that he'd asked her to watch TV at his place.

Jasmine took off in a light jog and Sora followed right along with her, their feet pounding against the boardwalk of the Destiny Islands.

"How was Kairi's birthday party?" Jasmine asked casually.

"It was good!" Sora answered. "We had a lot of fun! I just wish you could've been there."

"I know," she replied, "but I had work and couldn't get away. I'm sorry."

"All good! Kairi understood. She really liked the flowers you sent her! That was really nice of you."

"No biggie. Besides, I figured that was the least I could do since I couldn't come."

"Well, she loved them," Sora said, adding a smile.

The pair ran in silence for a while with Sora trying his hardest to keep up with Jasmine. Even though he was still considered to be physically fit by general standards, he knew that she was miles ahead of him. Jasmine didn't seem to break a sweat and her pace continued to be very even and unwavering. Even her strides seemed to be more graceful than his.

But then again, Sora knew that it came from the intense training she had with SOLDIER.

Once the pair reached the halfway mark, Jasmine slowed to a halt and Sora followed suit. They were in a less populated area of the island near the docks where fishermen headed out. The pair stopped to rest at a nearby bench.

As much as Sora tried to hide it, he was exhausted. It was hard keeping up with Jasmine at such a brisk, quick speed. But still, he couldn't help but let out a few exasperated gasps of breath which caused Jasmine to smile ruefully.

"You should have told me to slow down," she told him with a rueful smile. Jasmine placed a hand on his shoulder and pushed him gently onto the bench so he could rest.

Sora wiped the sweat from his brow and tried to steady his breathing. It didn't help that it was hot outside today, even hotter than it usually was on the island for this time of year.

"I didn't want you to hold back," He said with a cheesy smile. "Though…I'm more than sure you were anyway."

Jasmine gave his shoulder a squeeze. He was right. She was holding back during the run. She knew he wouldn't be able to keep up. But at the same time, she knew that he wasn't in the same shape that she was.

"It feels like old days when Riku and I would race," Sora said thoughtfully as he pleasantly reminisced on the days from their past as children. "We would all go on that little island and play with sticks, have swordfights, go on scavenger hunts, anything you could think of."

'The old days,' Jasmine thought fondly, thinking of her first days back on the island. Everything was so easy back then. Well, compared to now.

"We would all fight Riku, including Selphie, and he'd beat us all," Sora said with a smile. "Even when the three of us tag teamed him. He was always the fastest and the strongest."

Jasmine took a seat next to Sora and stretched her arms. "That doesn't surprise me. He was a lot bigger than you guys at the time."

"But Wakka was bigger," Sora gently reminded her. "And he still took him out."

"Wakka is tall, but he's not as quick on his feet," Jasmine pointed out. "Even though he does blitzball, he's on the clumsier side."

Sora thought about Jasmine's statement. As usual, she was right.

"How is Riku?" Jasmine asked quietly.

Upon sensing the shift in the energy between them, Sora immediately felt bad for bringing up Riku in front of Jasmine. He knew it was still a tender subject for both her and Riku and apologized.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up."

Jasmine crossed her legs. For the sake of sparing Sora's feelings, she put on a small smile. "Don't apologize, Sora. Sometimes it's fun going back down memory lane. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to."

Sora gave Jasmine an incredulous stare. After all the drama her and Riku went through, he was positive that the subject would be bothersome to her. "Are you sure?"

Looking straight ahead at the beach, Jasmine placed a hand on the back of Sora's head and playfully ruffled his spiky light brown hair. "It's fine. Really, Sora." She paused, a genuine smile shining through. "I still remember the first day I met him. He was such an ass."

Sora laughed, recalling his early memories of Jasmine and Riku. "You guys really hated each other back then."

"I still remember when I kicked his locker shut. He looked like someone slapped him across the face," She sighed, chuckling at the memory. "That was a great moment."

"And then I remember how you guys would scheme to try and get me and Kairi together," Sora recalled. "You two would ditch us a lot and try and make things happen."

Jasmine shrugged her shoulders and tapped her foot against the sand. "You guys got together. At least that situation worked out."

The pair shared another moment of silence, each mulling over the events from years ago. It almost seemed unreal at how much things had changed. Neither of them would have ever expected their lives to take such a drastic turn. And even though there was a lot of drama and chaos, there still was some good that came out of it.

"Can I ask you something, Jasmine?"

Jasmine stopped shaking her foot. She could sense a heavy question coming her way. "Yeah. Go for it."

"Do you miss him?" Sora asked shyly, feeling more than hesitant in approaching her with such a loaded question. He knew that Riku and Jasmine still cared for each other. But he was also well aware of how strained their relationship had become after the events that transpired over the last couple of years.

Sora knew that Riku still loved Jasmine. His friend's "player" behavior was a thing of the past. In fact, Riku hadn't been with anyone since Aria. And Sora was curious as to whether Jasmine still had the same feelings she held for Riku years ago.

"I miss him every single day," Jasmine answered finally.

Sora snapped out of his thoughts and turned his attention to Jasmine. Even though he had an inkling that she might give that answer, he hadn't expected her to say it with such conviction.

"It's still hard," she continued. "Every day that I'm in SOLDIER, or see the scars on my body from the fights I've gotten into, or look at the ring he gave me, I can't help but think of him. Riku was always there for me, even though we fought all the time. He was always so strong and willing to help me no matter what the problem was. He was the one person I felt most connected to. He just understood me. It's rare to find something like that."

With that, Sora turned inward. He felt the same way about Kairi. Their connection was unlike anything he'd ever experienced before and she had his back no matter what.

And then, Sora imagined how different things would be if she and him were no longer together. Just the thought alone was enough to send Sora's heart into a panic. He couldn't imagine life without her. It would be like taking away the very air he breathed.

Even though he had no idea how Riku and Jasmine must have felt, he could imagine the pain each of them must be going through with this separation.

"Would you consider getting together with him again? If your situation changed at all?"

Jasmine was slow to answer. Even though she technically wasn't "taken", she still felt weird talking about getting back together with Riku while she was "seeing" Ventus. He had been nothing but good to her and even though they weren't in a traditional relationship, Jasmine still felt a strange level of commitment to him and felt that talking about Riku with Sora was a bit awkward to say the least. In a way, she almost felt like she was betraying Ventus.

But she wasn't going to talk about that particular situation with anyone, least of all Sora who very clearly still wanted her to be with Riku.

"I try to take things day by day, Sora," she answered slowly. "I just wake up, do my best, and keep it simple. Yeah, I think about it, but I don't want to get wrapped up in an idea that really doesn't fit into my life right now."

Sora pursed his lips. "You didn't answer the question," he pointed out.

Jasmine glanced over at Sora quickly before returning her gaze to the ocean. "I know," she answered dryly. "Because I don't have one."

Sora sighed heavily. He thought that he was going to get a different response from Jasmine. In truth, he expected a "yes" considering the deep history between her and Riku. Sora knew that they still loved each other so why not give it another shot?

And then it hit Sora. Part of him wanted to immediately reject the idea as it seemed to go against everything that Jasmine had said in the past, but now, he couldn't help but wonder if she was seeing someone else.

But who?

Sora knew better than to ask such a question. Plus, he was certain that Jasmine wouldn't answer it even if she was dating someone else. With her SOLDIER contract she had explicitly stated that she wasn't supposed to date.

But then again, Jasmine was known to break a few rules here and there.

"If it makes you feel better," Jasmine pushed herself off the bench and stood up straight, nearly towering over Sora in this instant. "I think about getting back together with him every single day. I know you're looking out for him and you care about us, but if it's going to happen, it'll be a natural thing. I wouldn't worry about it too much."

Sora jumped to his feet, surprised by how casual and nonchalant Jasmine seemed to be about the situation. It almost seemed like she didn't care as much as Riku did.

"Jasmine, Riku misses you," he pleaded. "Yeah he's doing a lot better but I know he still wants you in his life. And I know that you miss spending time with him too."

Jasmine held her composure. Deep down, she couldn't deny how much she missed their friendship (at the bare minimum).

"All I'm saying is," Sora said finally with a sigh, "you guys were stronger together, even as friends. Would you consider giving it a shot?"

Jasmine was touched by Sora's dedication to Riku. It was clear that he cared for his friend so much that he would go out of his way to try and convince her to at least see him. And even though she would never admit it right out, Jasmine did recognize that she had a soft spot for Sora. If he wanted something from her, the chances of her giving it to him were pretty high.

"I'll give it a shot," Jasmine said finally.

"Really?" Sora's bright blue eyes lit up in excitement.

"Yes, really. I'll reach out to him."

Sora practically threw himself at Jasmine when he went in for a hug, nearly knocking the two of them off their feet. "Thank you thank you thank you, Jasmine!"

Jasmine smiled and returned the hug. "You're welcome."

She held out the hug for a little longer than usual when thought crossed her mind. While she continued to hold Sora, she whispered to him.

"Also, tell Riku I'm watching him," she said softly yet sternly.

Sora's eyes widened and he pulled back, holding Jasmine by her shoulders. "Huh?" A look of confusion was plastered on his face. "What are you talking about?"

Jasmine offered him a kind smile, but her eyes were hard as a rock. "Riku has been spending a lot of time with Cloud and the others. I know he trains with you all but he's up to something."

Sora released Jasmine and took a step back, trying his hardest to keep his composure. "What do you mean?"

She grabbed one of his shoulders and gave it a firm squeeze. "I'm watching him very closely. SOLDIER isn't for someone like him. Riku needs to stay far away from them. I think you know that I could put a stop to that very easily."

'How could she have figured it out? She's barely even been around Riku.' Sora thought in amazement.

Riku had told Sora not long ago that he was thinking of joining SOLDIER. While Sora initially thought that it seemed like a bad idea, he agreed that if Riku was going to do it, then he would do it too in support for his friend. However, Riku made it clear that he didn't want Jasmine to know, at least not right away. So, it was startling for Sora to hear that she was already onto them.

"Both of you are a lot stronger than you were before, especially him," Jasmine pointed out casually. "And you're training with people I know. If that's what the plan is, you guys aren't doing a good job of hiding it."

Even though Jasmine had done a good job of doing her own research (Riku had even gone as far to state that she would probably find out) but Sora decided to play it cool and direct the conversation elsewhere.

"You know, Jaz," He said with a smile, "You don't belong there either. What's the difference from us and you?"

Jasmine rolled her eyes before pulling her lips into a smirk, something that Sora wasn't expecting.

"I'm surprised that Ven didn't tell you," She began slowly as she watched the color drain from Sora's face. "Yes, he told me that you and Vanitas had a talk. I knew the day you called him. And I'm glad you reached out to him – though you could have just hit me up instead and spared yourself the trouble."

Sora sighed in defeat. It seemed as though nothing went over her head. While he didn't explicitly tell Ventus to keep this a secret from Jasmine, he was still surprised that she knew so quickly.

"Ven doesn't keep secrets from me, Sora," she explained. "Next to Naminé, he's one of my best friends. Plus, we work together."

"That's not it," Sora said disappointedly. "I was hoping that he just might keep an eye out. I didn't want you to be any more stressed out than you already are."

"Which he is," Jasmine reassured him. "You did the right thing in telling him. But Vanitas is not going to hurt me."

"How can you be sure of that?" Sora lifted an eyebrow in disbelief. "Because the Vanitas I know has a pretty nasty track record."

"You're not wrong about that, but me and Vanitas worked a few things out. You can rest assured that, for now at least, he's not going to try and do something stupid. Plus, you know who I work with. I'm not saying that I can't get hurt, but he's not as far up on that list of people willing to come after me."

While Sora was still not quite assured that Vanitas would leave Jasmine alone, he had to trust her. And if she was certain that his psychotic cousin would play nice, Sora would have to take her word for it.

"And to go back to what I said earlier, it makes a lot of sense for me to be in SOLDIER compared to you and Riku – if that's of course what you guys were trying to do."

"I don't get it," Sora scratched his head, confused out of his mind by Jasmine's cryptic statement. "Neither of your parents were in SOLDIER. I thought all the Silvas went into politics or something."

Jasmine smiled ruefully before giving Sora's hair another fluffing. "You forgot the other side of my family. I changed my last name to my mother's maiden name remember? The Silvas were your typical white-collar family, but the Valentines are a different story altogether. Honestly, in hindsight, it was only a matter of time if you know the full story."

"WHAT? You can't leave me hanging like that!" Sora called out as Jasmine started jogging again.

"If you can keep up for the next two miles, I'll tell you anything you want to know!" She yelled, sensing Sora start off behind her.

Sora frowned and started panting. Jasmine was starting to run faster than they had originally had planned. What's more annoying, he knew that if she really started to run, he wouldn't be able to keep up with her.

'She's just like Riku,' he thought as he started catching up to her. 'No wonder they make the perfect couple – even though they won't admit it.'

Author's Note: Hey guys! Long time no see! I hope you all have been well. How did you guys like the chapter? It's been a cool minute since the last chapter and, in honesty, I feel like this one took me a little bit longer because, in truth, I'm starting to tinker with the structure of this story. I'm sure a lot of you are aware that Kingdom Hearts 3 is coming out next year (thank God) and, I'm actually trying to do more to incorporate some of that into this story.

I know that when I started out, this series was very high school/slice of life-ish. While I always had plans for the story to grow into something more authentic to the KH franchise, I was a bit stuck because I always looked to the games for inspiration. But, now that there's momentum on the game's front, I think I can actually start pulling from the games again.

Who's excited for KH3?

In fact, this story might have to be broken up into two parts because I'm quite honestly leaning towards adding some sort of time skip. Like, a several year deep time skip. But we shall see. Either way, I have a more solid plan for this story now so I feel that things should go a lot smoother when writing now. For a while, I didn't really know what I wanted to do with the characters plot-wise but now I think i've finally got something that I can stick to.

Also, I hope you all didn't mind that this was a Sora/Jasmine centered chapter. I'm trying to get better by utilizing the characters and (potential spoiler alert) Sora is going to become more of a major character than he was in the previous stories.

Spoiler alert: You will see a great deal of Noctis and Roxas in the next upcoming chapters.

I wanted to thank the readers, those who fave and alert this story and give a special shout out to hopefuldreamer1991, Amaya-vamp, and Rynxenvy for the reviews. You guys are awesome!

I hope to see you guys in the next chapter! Take care everyone!