Author's Note : Sorry for the delay again, I was focused on fixing my bricked Android. Thanks to KarakuRoku , killingtex, my new bestie Riilustra Y.S.S., reggieVII and FiffyRocks for reviewing.

Small favor! If you're reviewing, please make sure there are no typos or etc. I need to understand them, so don't just type like you're in a frenzy. :)

Nothing big in this chapter.

Chapter 35 – Life After Redemption Part I

~Friday, Dawn High School Gates~

It has been four days since Kairi's interrogation in the court on Monday, and she was unable to attend school today because of another session in court. Sora in the meantime, still had not sorted out his problem, his feelings although were beginning to drive towards Namine and more further away from Kairi. He thought his feelings for Namine were more brighter than Kairi, but he still was not able to say a word to Kairi regarding of the issue.

For now, Sora was just glad this week went great as he wished for, although there was a small problem he had with Professor Lightning earlier the week. Namine had been told of the situation, she had also forgiven him for his actions. There was still some things to be dealt with, but for the moment Sora wanted to go home and get some sleep.

The weekend has arrived, and Roxas has to stay back at school to work on a report he was assigned to together with Cissnei.

"So when do I come pick you up?" Sora asked.

"I'll call you when me and Cissnei are done." Roxas said to his departing cousin in front of the school gates. Then, a nearby Axel said, "Done doing what, Roxas?" the tall redhead teased and proceeding laughing. His friend Saix however was just as silent as ever. Xion and Namine were waiting for Namine's mom to pick them up.

Roxas rolled his marine blue eyes, clearly aggravated. Over the past few days he was constantly teased by Axel, because of the amount of time Roxas had been spending with Cissnei. "Give me a break, Axel. What will Cissnei think if she heard any of those crap you were saying?"

"Oh… Concerned, eh?" Axel winked.

"Shut up…" Roxas said. "For the hundredth time, Axel, me and Cissnei are just friends, and that's how's it gonna be."

"Right… Who knows what were you two 'actually' doing all those…" Axel continued.

The raven haired girl Xion overheard what Axel said, and noted how Roxas was frequently teased by Axel this week.

"Axel, that's enough. He did say he and her are just friends. Get on with it." Xion said.

"Ha! Why are you so worried about them that Xionny?" Axel asked.

"W-what?"

"You heard me. Maybe you're just jealous Cissnei gets to be with Roxas a lot. Am I right?"

"You gotta be joking." Roxas said.

"N-no! That's not it! Why would I be jealous of Cissnei!? She can have Roxas if she wants to! I'm not jealous!"

"Woah… Okay, Goddess Xion. What's with the sudden outbreak?" Axel asked about her behavior.

"Uh… Um…" Xion looked at Roxas, and blushed. "Err…" Xion turned away from Roxas' sights.

'Oh god. Why am I blushing? Snap out of it Xion!'

"Okay… I'm… I'm going back inside." Roxas said and ran off into the school in a hasty retreat.

"Guess I'm leaving too. Hey, you're still my friend Xion in there, right?" Axel asked.

"Y-yeah. I'm f-fine. Bye, Axel…" Xion said.

"Right. Take it easy, got it memorized?" he said and left with Saix.

"You okay, Xion?" Sora asked the raven haired girl, she had a quite troubled look on her pale face.

"Y-yeah." Xion answered. She looked beside her at Namine, then back again at Sora.

"I, uh… I'll let you two have some privacy." Xion said and went to sit down at a nearby bench.

Sora and Namine stared into each other's eyes.

"Namine… I'm sorry."

"For… for what?"

"You know… about everything." Sora said. Namine placed one of her soft hands on his cheek, slowly caressing them.

"Sora… it's okay. I forgave you. Please don't be hard on yourself."

Sora shooked his head.

"I'm sorry…"

"Sora, you've been saying that all week… Please… Please don't be like that. I… I want to see you smile, laugh… be the Sora I love…"

"Nami…" Sora took hold of Namine's hand and brought it down from his cheek. He slowly rubbed it lovingly and leaned his forehead against Namine's. Some girls around the area were squealed in admiration.

Near them, two girls were bashfully admiring Sora.

"Aww… I wish I was Namine…" A girl said.

"Me too… What a lucky girl that blonde is… To have a boyfriend like him…" another girl said. They continued admiring the sweet scene Sora and Namine were having.

Sora leaned nearer to Namine, close to her lips… then a car honk sound came. It was Helen, here to pick up Namine and Xion. Sora quickly pulled himself from kissing Namine. It would probably be a bad idea to do that in front Namine's mother.

Xion noticed the older Robertson's arrival, and stood up from her seat. "Namine, come on! Your Mom's here. Bye, Sora!"

"Bye, Xion!" Sora said to a leave-taking Xion. "Well… You gotta go home..." Sora said.

"Y-yeah. I'm sorry…"

"Huh? Oh. That's okay, Nami. I'm pretty sure we'd have another time for that." Sora said. Namine blushed, and launched forward to hug Sora.

"Maybe… but there's nothing wrong with a hug, right?" the blonde said.

Sora wrapped his arms around Namine's waist, "I guess…" The brunette tightened their embrace. "God… I love you so much, Namine."

"Likewise…" Namine whispered to Sora softly.

Another honk came front Helen Robertson's car.

"Go on, Nami. I don't wanna upset your Mom."

"Okay…" The two teenagers broke their embrace, and Namine slowly walked towards her mother's car. She turned back to look at Sora again, and they smiled at each other.

"Bye…" Namine said tenderly.

"Bye, Nami…"

~Highway leading to Dawn~

A group of school buses from Dusk High School was heading towards Dawn City. In the back backmost bus…

"Wooh! I'm all charged up!" Tidus said out loud in confidence. "Just you wait! I'll prove we can win with me as the captain! Our team will definitely beat Dawn again. Even without Sora!"

"Don't know, man. I've been feelin' a bit uneasy, ya?"

"What? What for?" Tidus asked.

"Tidus, we're gonna take on Sora. As in 'Sora', man. He's our friend."

"Wakka, he 'was' our friend. If he was our friend, he wouldn't taken position as those asshole's new cap."

Wakka sighed. "Dude, Sora just did it to move forward. You can't expect him to let go of the thing he does best."

"Whatever. I don't care."

"Hey, shut your preaching ass would ya, Tidus!?" a boy named Reno shouted.

"Grr… All of you just focus in the match on Monday. We've got a fucking reputation to fucking keep."

"Ha! Reputation the school got because of Sora!" Reno said.

"Fuck Sora! I don't wanna hear that bastard's name again!"

"Whatever, a-hole…" Reno said.

~In another bus~

Rikku was looking outside the bus, her mind drifting away in thoughts of her former crush. A small smile formed on her face, as she reminisced how happy she was for years together with Sora. Rikku sighed. 'How I wanted to tell him…' The smile vanished quickly when she returned to reality. Sora has a girlfriend now.

Rikku buried her face in her hands, and shooked her head. 'Why… Why didn't I tell him before he moved?' The blonde gasped when she realized what she just thought. 'No… I should be happy for him… He's… He's my best friend…'

The girl looked beside her at her friend Paine, who was reading another novel.

"Hey, Paine." Rikku called.

"Hm?" Paine asked, her eyes still glued onto the novel's pages.

"Um… Do you think, Sora had changed?"

"What do you mean?" Paine asked.

"You know… You think he's still the cheerful Sora we know?"

Paine shrugged. "Don't know. He better have not changed. I can't accept him any other way."

"Yeah… me too." Rikku agreed. "I really wanna see him…" Rikku suggested.

"Can't wait till Monday?" Paine asked.

"Well, not that. … Okay maybe that's it. But I just wanna make sure he's alright and all."

"Fine by me. Hold on." Paine bookmarked her novel and took out her phone. "I'll call Roxas and tell him we're coming to Dusk."

Paine used the speed dial on her phone and called Roxas' number. After a few seconds, Roxas picked up the line.

"Hey, Paine! What's up? How are you and Rikku?"

"Fine, fine. What about you?" Paine asked.

"Likewise. Sorry I haven't been able to call, things sure have been wild for some time."

"Can't wait to hear it. Listen, we're coming to Dawn with our school's soccer team. You know about the match, right?" Paine asked.

"Yeah, Sora told me about it. So you and Rikku coming to watch, huh?"

"That's right."

"Wait, the event's not until Monday. Where are you two staying?"

"Some hotel at Dawn." Paine said.

"Don't have to! Just wait at the hotel's entrance. I'll make sure Sora comes and pick you and Rikku up. You can stay at our mansion."

"No, no. That's fine, Roxas. The hotel will do."

"The hotel can go scramble itself. Just wait for Sora. He's gonna pick me up from school in a few minutes and we'll come get you."

"… Are you sure it's no trouble?" Paine asked, even though she and Rikku have stayed for many nights with the Young family when they lived in Dusk City.

"Of course not! We're best friends! Heck! You're like a sister to me. See ya later!" Roxas said.

Paine put back her phone in her bag.

"Well?" Rikku asked.

"Just like old times…"

"Old times?"

Paine nodded. "You might not like it for now, but we're staying with Sora's family."

Author's Note: Phew. I'm so happy cuz I fixed my phone. Anyways, the next update might take some time, since it's a 'holiday season' here, and I might have some 'family time' here and there.