Kairi fiddled with her hair. She didn't want to be a heartbreaker like that. She groaned and fell back onto her bed, "Namine... What do I do?"

Namine shrugged, "Well, both of you are at fault. Sora put his heart on his sleeve and leapt to the conclusion you were single, but that was because you act so open and close with everyone and forgot that not everyone is so... Coy." She then fiddled with her necklace, "Honestly you should have told him you were engaged in a relationship."

Kairi covered her face, "I know..." She huffed and flipped over into her pillows, "I'm so stupid."

Namine shook her head, "Not necessarily."

Kairi flopped around again to face Namine properly and hugged a pillow, "You didn't see his expression." She cuddled her pillow closer, "I didn't know a person could look so... Hopeless. Broken." She sighed and turned onto her back, "I honestly don't know how to explain all the despair in his eyes."

Namine reached over and smoothed Kairi's hair, "Heartbreak is never easy."

"Man, I'm not the one who's broken," Kairi lamented, "and yet somehow that's worse."

There were a few thumps at the door, "Kairi? Namine? Girls, it's time for lunch."

Kairi sighed, saying with a mix of sarcasm and seriousness, "Not now dad I'm having a midlife crisis over breaking someone's heart."

Axel opened the door and walked in, "Oh so that's what was up with the other day."

Kairi blew her hair back into place, "Yesterday, dad."

Axel leaned against the wall, shrugging, "Time's kinda just there. Doesn't really matter when things happen if you think about it." He then looked at Namine, "So who was the poor boy who realized my girl was already taken?"

Namine sighed, "Sora."

Axel stood a little straighter, "Oh really?" He relaxed, adding flippantly, "Huh, serves him right."

"Dad!" Kairi snapped, "He's not that bad."

Axel waved his hand, "He's only been around less than a week. I'd say he's a little suspicious and you should know him better-"

"And I maying he's displayed himself as someone who can be trusted, and is nice, hard working, adorable..." Kairi suddenly trailed off, her face turning red.

Axel left, "I'll leave you to sort that out."

Namine leaned in towards Kairi, "You don't think-"

"I-I'm not cheating on Ventus if that's what your insinuating!" Kairi sat up and hugged her pillow.

Namine chuckled, "Um, Kairi, since when did you use words like that?"

Kairi glared at her, "What, I can't have a better vocabulary-"

Namine shook her head, "No, it's just I don't comprehend why you're suddenly using more mature language."

Kairi shrugged, "Just feel like it."

Namine then got up, "Well, fine. If I were you, though, I'd go and apologize to Sora a little more formally than you explained." As the door quietly closed behind her, Kairi curled up and let the words ring in her head.

...

"I'm sorry that I inappropriately disclosed that my brother was dating the girl you were interested in and subsequently hurting your feelings to an extreme degree." Vanitas recited in a monotone while holding his hand out to Sora. He look was a hardly kind glare and directed to Ventus, but the offered hand seemed to be remotely friendly.

Sora accepted the apology and gently shook Vanitas's hand. His eyes were still a little puffy- maybe a bit baggy, too -from yesterday's crying session, and their gaze was devoid of life. Dull, like someone had stolen the light from them. The smile he wore wasn't quite there.

Roxas wrapped his arm around Sora shortly after as he pulled away, saying coldly, "Thank you, for the... apology."

Vanitas shrugged and walked away, "Hmph." When he thought no one would hear him he muttered, "The kid deserved it-" He didn't get to finish when Roxas grabbed him and punched him square in the jaw.

"Roxas!" Aqua, who had been presiding over the little make up, yelled, "I understand Vanitas was being rude, but that is not how we express anger around here!"

While Vanitas wiped up a little blood in surprise, Sora tensed. He was sure Roxas would go into a yelling frenzy. Which made it all the more surprising when Roxas only whispered, "You hurt him anymore than you already have and I will. Do. Worse."

He then wrapped his arm around Sora and turned them out the door, saying just as quietly but far more tenderly, "Let's go clear things up with Kairi, Sora."

Sora looked back to see Aqua scolding Vanitas, and Ventus watching them both with surprise... And maybe something more.

...

Kairi brushed her hair back and tapped the flowers and Paopu she'd picked against her thigh. She looked at them, worried that they would start wilting, "Okay, just an apology..." She suddenly began counting petals, "Apologize to Sora, give him the flowers, grab a Paopu and share it with him as a..." She sighed in irritation, "Well, not a date, but just a little apologetic hang out." She nodded, "Yep an apologetic hang out-"

"What was that about hanging out, Kairi?"

Kairi's head snapped up to see Roxas and Sora walking towards her. She brushed her hair back again, tittering, "O-oh I was just..." She bowed her head and held the flowers out to Sora, "I'm sorry."

Sora blinked, accepting the flowers. Compared to Vanitas and Ven's behaviors, this was utterly unexpected. If anything he figured Kairi would want him to apologize. Roxas smiled; maybe there was hope for them yet.

Kairi raised her head and leaned in while wagging her finger at both the boys, "This doesn't mean I'm done with Ventus!"

Nope.

Kairi leaned back and hugged her Paopu, "But I was just thinking that you and I could hang out by the beach and share a whole Paopu. Just you and me, to make up for the misunderstandings."

Sora looked at Roxas. Roxas smiled and scooted him forward, "Well, I'm good with that."

Sora then went along with Kairi, while she babbled apologies that eventually degraded into the best chit chat she could muster with Sora being unable to speak. Roxas watched him leave, wondering if maybe he should come along. He then turned around with a sigh, deciding maybe Sora should have a few moments with the girl he genuinely liked.

Sora, meanwhile, was feeling his heart rip itself to shreds all over again as he realized he would never, ever truly be with Kairi.

Kairi plopped down on the shore and held out a chunk of Paopu to Sora, "Here." Sora sat next to her and accepted the fruit while she dipped hers in the salty waves. He stared at it, drinking in the sight of it before he got his last taste of the fruit. Kairi quietly munched, wondering if there was any way to make this less awkward. Her stomach was knotting up.

Sora leaned forward and dipped his Paopu to make it salty, figuring if life was gonna be of a similar taste why not embrace it? He bit into it and swallowed a little uncomfortably.

"Listen, Sora..." Kairi sighed afterward, "I... I do like you." Sora stiffened, almost choking. Kairi DID like him? She liked him? It wasn't all over yet?! Kairi stopped a moment to help him, and after the panic subsided she fiddled with her bit of fruit in her lap, "You're nice, a little clumsy, got the right intentions with everything, and you seem pretty sensitive."

Sora nodded, leaning in with a smile growing. Kairi frowned with guilt at the reaction, "But... You know I barely know you. I've known Ven my whole life." She leaned over and reluctantly pursed her lips. Sora felt his eyes well with tearful hope, which soon fell lower than before when she only placed a kiss on his cheek, "I'm sorry, we just aren't meant to be right now." Kairi finished up her Paopu and stood.

Sora watched her go, wondering why he bothered to get his hopes up as he raised a hand the the echo of her lips against his skin.

ahhh nothing better than the feeling of being let down