A/N: Okay, I've made up my mind. Contrary to this chapter's title, this is not the last chapter, but the third last, so fret not— this is not the end (yet)! There will be thirty-four total chapters. You can mostly thank Caelum for that as it was because of their help that this chapter was extended!
PROJECT: TEENAGE WASTELAND
XXXII | last hurrah
When Riku opens the door to the freezer in the kitchen the following morning, he finds himself frozen in place (much like the contents inside) at the sight that greets him.
Sora, who's backed up against the cool rails with his hair more disheveled than usual, is joined by Kairi, who just appears to have gotten to her feet. Fleeting, misty clouds are released from their warmer-than-usual breaths, and their cheeks are stained red.
"R-Riku," Sora stammers, clearly not expecting anyone. "Hey. Kairi was just helping me read the labels on the lower rack, weren't you sweetie?"
"Mhm!" Kairi says innocently, playing along. "There are three tubs of sea-salt ice cream down there."
The eldest of the trio almost snorts. Not that he needed to prove a point, but he knew for a fact that all the ice cream was in the back most rack, and that the one on the left was reserved for seafood.
"Uh huh," Riku voices, clearly unconvinced. "Well, I'm going to leave you two be now. Least I don't have to worry about you two freezing to death this time. You look plenty warm in there." And just as he turns his heel to take his leave, he sends Sora a blank, inscrutable look. "The button of your shorts is undone, by the way."
The freezer door shuts to leave the wide-eyed, busted couple inside, and Riku shivers to shake the image of his two best friends getting it on out of his head. He moves on to fulfill other work duties (clearly his fellow Funtertainer was going to be occupied for a while), but before he can, he receives an urgent text from Xion.
In the hallway, a row of hollow knight sculptures rattle as a series of rushed, heavy footsteps runs past them. With panicked strides, Riku hastily turns the corner, bursts through the doors leading into the den, and does a quick scan of the premises.
"You called an emergency meeting," he says breathlessly when his eyes land on his girlfriend. "Everything okay?"
Xion nods, looking perfectly fine, and in the exact moment Riku releases a sigh of relief, his eyes land on two other figures in the room. On the spaceship-shaped couch, Roxas and Axel appear to be waiting with crossed arms.
"What's going on?" the silver-haired teen asks.
Roxas shrugs. "Beats me. Xi didn't want to start without you."
Riku arches an eyebrow before making a motion to join the other two boys on the couch. When they're all seated and give her their undivided attention, Xion clears her throat and clutches her tablet to her chest excitedly.
"Thank you all for joining me this morning," Xion starts. "I'm sorry if the timing was inconvenient, but I just really wanted to show you something."
She then projects her tablet onto the big screen, and three boys begin to read an email that appears to be addressed to Xion from the Medical Association of Twilight Town.
To: Xion Shidehara
Subject: Thank You
Dear Ms. Shidehara,
I hope this email finds you well. I write on behalf of the entire Geostigma Research Department when I say that we are so thankful for your incredibly generous donation. Your efforts in spearheading your #fightgeostigma campaign, as well as the kindness of your friends and supporters, will assist us in making big strides that will help so many current and future patients of the disease.
Words, however, will never be enough to express our thanks. For your generosity, I would like to make you an offer. The munny you have raised will go towards funding a groundbreaking discovery that has been underway, and if the trials are successful, we would like you to be one of the first patients treated at no charge. If and when you are eligible, your family doctor will be in touch regarding next steps.
You have a kind heart, Ms. Shidehara. Your willingness to help others is an admirable quality, one that we are so appreciative of, and the least we could do is help you in return.
Sincerely,
Dr. Invi Kobura
Director of Geostigma Research
Medical Association of Twilight Town
"So… what does this mean?" Axel asks upon finishing the email. He has his suspicions, but at the same time, he doesn't want to get his hopes up.
"It means that if the department of geostigma research is successful, Xion is going to get her treatments for free," Riku explains, still in disbelief.
"It means that there's still hope," Roxas simplifies with a warm smile. Soon enough, Axel finds himself reciprocating it.
Riku, however, stands up and walks up to his girlfriend with purposeful strides. He embraces her, taking it all in, and starts to think that maybe, just maybe, things would be okay after all.
That afternoon, the gang attends the resort's Multicultural Festival: a volunteer-based outdoor event with many booths showcasing vignettes of every world and a central stage for cultural performances.
For their first stop, they visit the Land of Dragons. After listening to the teens at the booth give a brief but intriguing history presentation, half the group goes to admire some ancient artifacts, and the other half tries their hand at the pole climbing station. Similar to the challenge in the movie Mulan, each participant is provided with two heavy medallions: one representing discipline, and the other strength, and are tasked with removing the arrow at the top of their pole. Having seen the trick in the classic film, the Destiny Islands trio, alongside Axel and Hayner, tie the medallions together and painstakingly hoist themselves up their poles.
"Swift as a coursing river!" Sora cheers when he reaches the top second to Riku. The two redheads join them after, but Hayner unfortunately slides down two thirds of the way up and hits the ground butt first with a loud and painful thud, causing the four that had made it to the top to wince ruefully.
Olette, who appears to be holding a few scrolls nearby, drops them and runs over to the dazed gamer.
"Hayner, are you okay?" she asks with concern.
"My balls are on fire," Hayner whimpers.
At the Kingdom of Corona booth, Axel and Riku, the only two of legal drinking age in the group, try some craft beer while the younger teens purchase purple flags with suns, art supplies (in Naminé's case), and pretzels among other snacks and merchandise. Sora and Kairi in particular try their hand at learning a traditional folk dance, and their energy is so infectious that they're joined by many pairs nearby.
After sampling some delicious soup at the Kumandra booth, Hayner, Pence, Axel, and Xion find themselves at home.
"Oh yeah, it's ice cream time!" Axel cheers as they approach the Twilight Town booth.
As he and Roxas leave to purchase a sea-salt ice cream bar for everyone, Naminé feels her heart tighten in her chest at the selfie station, which was a replica of one of Twilight Town's most iconic landmarks: the famous clock tower. It's so well done and extremely well-constructed that she can't help but feel her lips tingle as she recalls experiencing her first kiss there over a year ago.
From afar, the artist suddenly feels someone's eyes on her. She turns and finds her ex-boyfriend's eyes burning into hers with longing from the lineup, but when she catches him staring, he quickly turns away with tinted cheeks, and Naminé tucks some platinum-blonde hair behind her ear with a small, flattered smile.
As they all dig into their frozen treats beside the clock tower replica, they share stories about how each sweepstake winner got their winning popsicle stick. For the most part their tales consist of purchasing an ice cream bar at a store and jumping in excitement when they'd read the word Winner upon finishing it, but Axel recounts a more entertaining tale.
"I fought someone for mine," the redhead confesses.
Roxas snickers. "You would do that."
"It was the last bar at the campus tuck shop," the redhead justifies. "It was late and I was hangry, so I straight up punched the other guy going for it."
While his girlfriend cackles, Xion shakes her head in disapproval. "Oh, Axel…"
"Don't worry though, he wasn't awake to see that I won," he assures.
"Oh yeah, because that makes it so much better," Roxas teases.
"Hey man, I'm here aren't I? If it weren't for my audacity, you guys could've been stuck with a totally random dude in my place," Axel points out.
"And what a shame that would've been," Riku comments jokingly. Everyone laughs, surprisingly even Axel.
"You laugh now, but if it weren't for me, you never would've met your girlfriend," Axel reminds.
Riku blinks twice in surprise. That was the first time he'd ever heard Axel say the label out loud without cringing. Xion, too, seems to notice, because she squeezes his hand with a grin, happy to see that her older brother figure was finally starting to accept their relationship.
"Yeah," Riku agrees. "Thanks, Axel."
The redhead only nods and starts making his way to the next booth with Larxene.
At the trendy and innovative San Fransokyo booth, Hayner immediately purchases a poster with the logo of the city's prestigious Institute of Technology.
"A fan of San Fransokyo tech?" Kairi asks, coming up behind him.
"Are you kidding?" Pence asks. "He's only dreamed of going there since he was a kid."
The gamer nods, confirming his best friend's words. "It's my first choice."
Kairi's eyes travel to her roommate, who appears to be admiring a Baymax plushie. "Huh. That's Olette's first choice, too."
Hayner heart skips a beat upon hearing the words. He and Olette wanted to attend the same university? Suddenly, visions of them holding hands on campus wearing matching hoodies and presenting their latest project at the school's showcase together flash through his mind. A spark of hope lights up inside him, one that has a future for them both, and he holds onto it whenever the thought of them parting and being undefined drags him down.
After tasting mint tea from Agrabah, learning about Greek mythology at Olympus, carving jack-o-lanterns in Halloween Town, and decoding Norse runes at Arendelle, the group eventually reaches the Radiant Garden booth.
"So what is Radiant Garden known for anyway?" Hayner asks.
"Well apart from the academy, it's renowned for its grand architecture and picturesque fountains," Olette starts. "Also, if you haven't already guessed from its name, vast gardens. Oh, and their university has the best arts program."
"It's also home to the largest and oldest Keyblade Arts facility," Kairi adds. "It has the largest museum, library, and training grounds."
While everyone goes to the flower cart to admire the vibrant collections on display, Kairi can't help but feel a stabbing sensation in her chest. The Destiny Islands booth was next, and it was but a mere five feet from the Radiant Garden one. Here at the festival, they were so close, but in reality, they were actually a five-hour flight apart. Much like how she felt upon receiving her acceptance letter from Radiant Garden Academy, her heart sputters at the thought of being apart from Sora. Their glorious summer, one where they had spent every day together, was coming to an end, and with it would come their eventual departure.
As if sensing her change in mood, her boyfriend comes up behind her and lovingly embraces her. She looks back at him with a forced smile, but it quickly becomes a real one when he places a plumeria flower that he'd purchased in her hair.
"For your performance later," Sora explains with that thousand-watt grin of his.
As a thank you, Kairi kisses his cheek gratefully. "Speaking of which, we should probably start getting ready for that."
Sora nods and calls out to Roxas and Riku, both of which had volunteered to perform as well, and the four of them take off to prepare.
All around the center stage, teens gather on picnic blankets and tables to enjoy a wide range of delicacies while waiting for the show to start. It opens with The Noize performing a song with similar soundscapes to their home, Shibuya, followed by a group of girls from Agrabah wowing the crowd with a cultural dance number. A few more performances pass, and after some teens from the Land of Dragons demonstrate an ancient fighting style, its Destiny Islands' turn in the limelight.
With a few of the hula sisters that performed at the Ohana restaurant, Kairi, clad in a patterned bandeau and hula skirt, tells a tale of Thalassa (the spirit of the sea) through symbolic and graceful movements. While the girls receive applause for their splendid performance, the crowd oohs and ahhs in amazement when Sora and Riku expertly perform a fire dance similar to the one they had done for Kairi's sixteenth birthday. For the final performance, Roxas Akiyama treats the crowd to a lighthearted song number accompanied by his cousin on the guitar and Kairi on the ukulele: the same one he and Naminé had gifted her for her seventeenth birthday. As expected, Roxas receives a standing ovation, and all the performers at the festival bow to tumultuous applause.
When Roxas and the Destiny Islands trio regroup with their friends, they find them clapping at a picnic table with a large pitcher of juice from the Destiny Islands booth.
"You guys did great!" Naminé compliments. "We thought you'd be thirsty afterwards, so we got a pitcher of freshly squeezed paopu juice to share."
"Aww, thanks guys," Kairi gushes while evenly pouring the juice into multiple cups. Sora and Riku begin passing them around.
"Say, isn't there a legend behind this poopoo fruit thing?" Axel asks when he receives his cup.
Kairi corrects her fellow redhead with a chuckle. "Paopu. And yes, there is."
"They say that when two people share one, their destinies become intertwined," Sora explains.
"They'll remain a part of each other's lives, no matter what," Riku finishes while passing a cup to his girlfriend with a subtle wink.
"Sounds like a load of bull if you ask me," Axel comments before taking a swig.
Roxas hits him upside on the head. "Good thing no one asked then, you douche canoe."
Everyone laughs as Axel begins rubbing the back of his head in pain, but as they drink, they silently contemplate the legend of the paopu fruit and wonder if its powers would work on a ragtag group of teenagers that secretly wished their summer vacation would never end.
On the second last evening of their stay, the group hits up Arcadia for some glow-in-the-dark bowling. At the alley, neon lights and the thumping bass of music enhance the retro atmosphere, and the sound of balls rolling and pins clattering to the ground fill the air. In between lanes thirty-three and thirty-four, a table is littered with multiple pitchers of soda and a nearly finished giant platter of nachos. The group had split up boys versus girls style, and whichever team had the lower combined score was responsible for paying for the winning team's arcade cards.
The last two bowlers were Sora and Kairi, and as the scores were currently tied, the two teams convene to discuss their game plan.
"Mess this up for us and I will eat your first born child," Hayner threatens.
"Wow," Sora comments as he picks up his bowling ball. "That wasn't morbid at all."
The couple approaches the start of the lane together and throws their bowling balls. While Sora knocks six pins down, Kairi knocks down four.
"All right Sora, take her down!" Roxas encourages with his hands cupped over his mouth for emphasis.
"You got this, Kairi!" Xion cheers from the girls' side.
With her lavender-coloured ball back in hand for her second turn, Kairi confidently approaches the lane beside her boyfriend again.
"Don't worry sweetie, I'll make sure it doesn't hurt too much when you lose," Sora teases as he takes aim. Kairi, however, isn't fazed by his comment. Instead, she looks down and notices that one of her shoelaces is untied.
"Oops," she says while bending down slowly. "My shoe's untied."
Just as Sora swings his arm back, he catches a glimpse of the cleavage so generously provided by his girlfriend's blouse, and the sight makes him stumble and throw his ball straight into the gutter. While the boys throw their heads back with a groan ("Pure evil!" Axel whines), the girls hold their breath as Kairi takes aim. She swings her arm back and, without any disruptions, lets the ball roll. She takes another four pins down, and the girls jump up and shriek at their victory.
"Oh come on!" Sora complains. "That's hardly fair!"
"Sorry not sorry!" Kairi giggles while joining the festivities with the girls.
After the boys pay for the girls' arcade cards with begrudging looks at Sora ("I am not apologizing for falling victim to my girlfriend's seductive charms," the brunet huffs), they all make their way to the arcade portion of the complex. After multiple games of Kingdom Karts, Flappy Chocobo, and Verum Rex against their friends, Sora and Kairi take to the photo booth. After emerging with a handful of silly photos that they were likely to display in their rooms, the two make their way to the Dance Party stage; however, when it's their turn, they're stopped before they can select a song.
"Hey, are you guys up for a group dance?"
The couple turns around to face Yuna Riel and Tidus Clearwater standing before them hand-in-hand. While the pop sensation looks excited at the prospect of a group dance, the star player of the Zanarkand Abes is the happiest Sora and Kairi have seen him all summer. It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and he was living his life the way he truly wanted to. It's in observing this that Sora finds his anger towards him thawing, so when he notices a few teens gathering in anticipation behind the celebrity couple, he gives them his answer.
"Well we don't want to deny the audience a show," he says with a grin. "Let's do it!"
While their friends make their way back to the castle, the late hours of the night find Sora and Kairi at The Pier amusement park, not wasting any precious time apart. With the scent of fried dough and the promise of thrill in the air, the two daredevils take advantage of the lower volume of traffic and eagerly make their way around.
After getting off a series of rides with loops, corkscrews, and steep drops, Sora insists that they go on the log ride next, but Kairi refuses.
"Aww, why not?" Sora pouts.
"Because it's a chilly summer night and we're going to get wet!" Kairi explains.
"Psh, no we're not," her boyfriend assures. "It'll be like a drizzle of rain, max."
A drizzle of rain, however, ends up being a giant bucket of water similar to the one at the heart of the Atlantica water park.
"A drizzle of water, huh?" Kairi asks while twisting her hair to squeeze the water out.
"Sor—" Sora starts, but before he can finish his apology, he takes a good look at his girlfriend and feels his cheeks grow hot at the sight of her soaking wet with her blouse clinging onto her like a second skin. He tries his hardest not to gawk, but thankfully he doesn't have to try hard, because a nearby group of teenage boys wolf whistles, forcing him back to his senses. Sora's eyes gleam like sharp blades when one of them licks his lips at Kairi, but before he can make any moves, his girlfriend grabs him by the back of his–wet–hoodie.
"Ignore them," she insists. "Come on, let's get some new clothes."
At a nearby shop, Sora manages to snag a sweater and jeans easily enough, but Kairi takes her sweet time. After about twenty minutes, she emerges wearing a sweater and a denim skirt.
"Ew," she says when her eyes land on her boyfriend leaning against a nearby wall. "We match."
As Sora pushes himself off the wall, he nearly laughs at their matching Mickey and Minnie sweaters.
"You look good," he compliments, admiring how adorable his girlfriend looked even in the simplest getup.
Kairi playfully flips her hair. "I know."
"You could say I look good," Sora suggests jokingly.
"No, 'cause then I would be lying."
Sora sighs. "I can't win with you."
His eyes flutter open in pleasant surprise when he suddenly feels something soft and wet hit his cheek, and he smiles dazedly when girlfriend pulls away with a tender, loving look in her eyes.
"I think you look great," she says.
Sora blushes, flattered, until an idea suddenly comes to him. "Oh! Be right back. Going to complete our look."
He emerges from the shop two minutes later wearing Mickey Mouse ears atop his spiky head, and his hands, he holds the matching Minnie Mouse ones.
"This is so cheesy," Kairi comments when Sora fastens the headband onto her head.
"Do it for the gram!" he pleads. He pulls out his phone, pulls his giggling girlfriend to his side by her waist, and snaps a few selfies.
"Okay, they're cute," Kairi admits when they review them afterwards.
"Yes you are," Sora agrees while booping her nose. "So where to now, my lady?"
Kairi pulls her boyfriend towards a ride near the back of the park. The instant Sora's eyes land on it, his jaw drops in sheer terror. They'd been to The Pier plenty of times during their stay, but it was often too crowded for them to make their way around the rides; but now that the thrill had worn off for most of the frequent visitors, they hardly even needed to use their fast passes, and this is the first time he'd ever laid eyes on this particular ride.
"Um, are you sure?" Sora squeaks. "You know I enjoy a good adrenaline rush as much as the next guy, but this one's a bit extreme."
"Oh, don't be a baby!" Kairi says while dragging him closer to the entrance of his doom.
"But I am a baby. I'm your baby."
Kairi rolls her eyes. "Yes, and now you're my baby that's going on this ride with me. Besides, it's the least you could do for the log ride incident."
"But that log ride was so innocent! This one goes off the rails, Kairi!" Sora whimpers. "What kind of roller coaster goes off the rails?"
"I'll buy you churros," Kairi tempts. At the magic word, Sora stops fighting her entirely—that is, until they're secured and strapped into the ride.
"We are going to die today," Sora concludes dramatically. "How many seconds do you think it will take before I go into cardiac arrest?"
Beside him, Kairi shakes her head. "You're being silly."
"I definitely got the short end of the stick," Sora babbles, a sure sign that he was actually frightened. "Because I'm definitely going to die before I even get to eat a single chu—ahh!"
The coaster suddenly shoots forward, and for the duration of the entire ride, Kairi laughs like a maniac while Sora clings onto the supports for dear life.
"I feel like my soul's been ripped out," is the first thing Sora says when the nightmare is over.
Kairi giggles while punching his arm. "Oh, quit it."
As promised, she hands him a plate of churros from a nearby vendor, and he immediately scarfs one down.
"Okay, this was worth suffering through that death trap," he says as he savours the delicious treat. He bites into the second one, but offers the other half to Kairi Lady and the Tramp style. With a chuckle she bites into it, and their lips meet in a sweet, sugary kiss.
"All right, I think I'm drawing the line on thrill rides for the night," Kairi suggests, much to Sora's relief. "I don't want you puking and having to buy another shirt."
"Cool with me," her boyfriend says while finishing his last churro. "So… gentle rides and carnival games it is?"
Kairi nods, and the two lace hands as they head for the Ferris Wheel.
"Why do I feel like this was a personal move?" Kairi asks when Sora helps her into one of the seats.
"Well forgive me for wanting to give you a new memory on it," Sora says, recalling that the last time Kairi had been on this particular ride, Tidus had kissed her to boost Teenage Wasteland's ratings and viewership.
"If it's consolation, I thought of you when it happened," Kairi wholeheartedly admits when he brings it up.
Sora raises an eyebrow as the ride slowly begins to move. "Oh?"
"Yeah, I thought of our first kiss," his girlfriend confesses with tinted cheeks, and Sora's heart swells. He recalls being down in the dumps with Riku that night, but it seemed like all three of them were unsure where they stood in their love lives at the time.
Thankfully, that was no longer a problem for them now.
"Our first kiss was pretty memorable," Sora says, and they both laugh when they recall how he'd fallen off the dock when Kairi had told him that she reciprocated his feelings for the first time.
"Agreed. We should reenact it," Kairi suggests while scooching over onto his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. Despite the fact that they aren't treading in water like their actual first kiss, Sora's smile broadens.
"You're always full of great ideas, but that's the best one you've had all night," he whispers before bringing their lips together, and sparks of pleasure rocket beneath their skin at the sensation, more thrilling than any ride they'd ever been on. When they part, Kairi's heart feels warm and glowy, and as she rests her head on Sora's broad shoulder, she can't help but think that while the view from the top was certainly nice, she didn't need a Ferris Wheel to take her there. Being next to Sora, cuddled in his arms, was enough to make her feel like she was on top of the world.
"Psst, Kairi," Sora whispers when he points at something in front of them.
"Hmm?" Kairi hums as she reluctantly raises her head. She looks ahead, and in the cart in front of them, Neku Sakuraba and Shiki Misaki appear to be kissing. While Kairi squeals (they did end up getting their happy ending, after all, so no hard feelings), Sora goes for a less subtle approach.
"Finally!" he whoops. The couple in front of them breaks apart, and with startled looks, they turn back to the source of the outburst. Shiki locks eyes with Sora, her ex-partner in crime, and waves at him. Neku, on the other hand, silently looks away, red-faced.
"You're so meddlesome," Kairi comments.
"Yeah, but you love it," Sora insists while squeezing her hips.
With a giddy smile, Kairi snuggles into him further. "Yeah, I do."
After a handful of carnival games, the two make their way back to the parking lot where their trusty golf cart awaited. Sora guides Kairi from the boardwalk onto the sand, but Kairi, who clutches a Chirithy plush to her chest, suddenly finds her steps growing heavier and heavier with each step on the shoreline. The further they walked from The Pier, the dimmer the colourful lights were against the water, and it was in a similar location where she'd experienced her most heart-wrenching moment yet the year previous.
Destiny Islands, one year ago, 9:24PM
At the main island, sixteen-year-old Sora stands at the shoreline of the beach, waiting for the arrival of his girlfriend. Beside the canoe that he has ready for the play island, he paces back and forth nervously, as it was so unlike Kairi to text him so late, but when she arrives five minutes later, concern outweighs his nervousness.
"Kairi, is everything okay?" he asks, worry etched all over his face as he takes both her hands in his. She looks frail and as pale as the moon casting its light over them. He'd only ever seen her like this on one occasion, and that's when she received news that her grandmother in Radiant Garden, her only remaining blood relative, had passed away. For her to be acting this way, something must have been really wrong. He then feels something in her hand and feels her lucky charm, something she only ever gave away on rare occasions, and the realization hits Sora like a gut punch.
"We…" he starts, his voice quivering. "We're breaking up, aren't we?"
For the first time that night she looks up at him, eyes shimmering with tears, and even in her lowest moments Sora can't help but find her beautiful, and that's what hurts the most, because this beautiful girl was already slipping from his grasp. It had been three days since he'd found out about her acceptance at Radiant Garden Academy. He'd given her space to think about what would become of them, and he'd tried to prepare for either outcome, but he was really hoping against this one.
"Kairi, please," Sora pleads. "We can make this work."
Kairi shakes her head in disagreement, and there's a firmness and finality in the gesture that tells Sora that she's made up her mind. In her eyes, this is how they'd stay friends: by removing the romance, and no amount of persuading or arguing would change her mind. Any words or actions now would be futile, so with a shuddery breath, he nods in defeat as if she'd just placed the tip of her keyblade against his neck.
"We still have a few days before you need to leave," he reminds hoarsely. "Should we…"
Kairi shakes her head again, knowing where he was going with his words. Her father had tried warning her about this the moment Sora had gotten his official permission to date her, but she didn't think it would hurt this much.
"We should just do it now to cushion the blow of waiting last minute," she whimpers.
Reluctantly, Sora nods again, accepting their fate. "Well, do you… need any help?"
Kairi almost laughs amidst her tears, which begin to hit the back of Sora's hands. It was so like him to try and help others despite how he felt, something she'd always loved and admired about him.
"No, I'll be okay," she insists, but months of pain and uncertainty after that moment would soon prove her wrong.
"Well..." Sora starts, "I guess this is it then?"
At his words, Kairi looks at him again and notices that, despite how broken he sounds, his face is oddly calm and his eyes are dry.
"You aren't as upset as I thought you'd be," she comments out loud. As Sora wasn't afraid to cry (yet another quality she'd also admired about him), she'd wholeheartedly expected waterworks, prepared for them even, but she never expected none at all. Had their relationship not meant as much to him as she thought?
"Oh I'm dead inside," Sora assures while squeezing her hands, "but I just don't want your last memory of me as your boyfriend to be a sad one."
And at those words, Kairi breaks like a dam. So like Sora, thinking of her before himself…
"Kairi," Sora whispers when he can no longer contain it. "Can I kiss you… just one more time?"
Unable to deny herself one more kiss with the boy she so dearly loved, she leans in, and the passion behind it is dizzying. She feels his lips against her own, firm and loving, but when she feels his tears mix with her own, she recalls that the moment they part, they'd no longer be together in the way they'd both wanted. The thought destroys her, so she clings onto him for as long as she can, but when they eventually have to part for air, she turns her heel to run in the other direction, unable to bear looking at him.
She sobs the whole way home and leaves him with nothing but a broken heart and her lucky charm in hand.
She didn't know it then, but she'd replay that kiss in her head a thousand times, each time stinging more painful than the last.
"Kairi?"
Upon hearing Sora's voice in the present, Kairi feels as if her head has just resurfaced from deep, treacherous waters. She's no longer on Destiny Islands, but Kingdom Hearts Resort, and it's no longer heartbroken sixteen-year-old Sora in front of her, but bright-eyed seventeen-year-old Sora, although he doesn't look too happy right about now.
"Everything okay?" he asks, but it's purely a formality. Apart from being her boyfriend, he was her best friend, and that meant that he could read her thoughts in a heartbeat. Fully aware of the memory that caused her to space out, he pulls her into a firm embrace and runs his fingers through her hair, calming her.
"Hey, it's okay," he says soothingly.
"I'm sorry," Kairi murmurs against his sweater. "It's just, I can't believe the summer's already almost over…"
Their week had passed in dreamlike bliss. It had been a wild haze of parties, laughter, water balloon fights, and sweet nothings whispered in the dead of night, but as sublime as their time back together was, it was fleeting.
"I know," Sora agrees, upset at the prospect of having to part so soon, "but we're not the same Sora and Kairi from a year ago. It won't be like last time. We aren't as fragile, and we really are going to make things work."
Kairi gazes into his eyes, which blaze with determination.
"You and me, we're going to be okay," he assures while holding up his pinky finger. "I promise."
And this time, when Kairi returns the gesture and says "okay", there is noticeably more confidence in her tone, and there are no tears.
tbc
Chapter inspirations: The songs that were playing at the bowling alley were Last Hurrah by Bebe Rexha and SummerThing! by Afrojack and Mike Taylor. The songs that inspired Sora and Kairi's breakup were Fallout by Marianas Trench and Summertime Sadness by Lana Del Ray.
Other inspirations include Never Felt a Love Like This (with Hook N Sling) (feat. Dotan) by Galantis and Kiss You Inside Out by Hedley.
A/N: Not going to lie, after I wrote that line about them being a "ragtag group of teenagers", the feels started hitting me real hard. Much like the title of this chapter, I think it's because I know that this story will be my last lengthy fanfiction hurrah, and it was just getting so surreal… but I always have to remind myself that this isn't the end, but the start of something new!
So I'd like to give a special shoutout and thanks to Caelum for thinking of bringing back the Worlds Showcase from the original TW! This time round, however, it's in the form of a Multicultural Festival. After I thought about it, the ideas just started flowing, and now I can't even imagine the story without it. It also gave me the chance to plant some seeds that will play a part in the epilogue, which is only two chapters away now. Ouf... gotta keep the feels at bay.
I also realize that I'm kicking the story into high gear as the gang's last day together is approaching, but I wanted to give readers the same sense of fleeting that the characters must be feeling right about now. "Oh, it's ending already?" Yeah, that's how they feel, too!
Special thanks to Tyjet Ansatsu, Caelum (btw yes, you did inspire that RikuShi line in the previous chapter!), HuaFeiHua (totally agreed about your comment regarding the chapter numbers, btw! Thankfully it ended up working out with the addition of the festival scene, but had that not been included, I definitely would've went with your recommendation of thirty-three total chapters), Mr. Spinner, and Aundielen for reviewing the last chapter! I apologize if I missed or misspelled any pen names.
I hope you all enjoyed the thirty-second instalment of Project: Teenage Wasteland! Please kindly leave a review to let me know your thoughts and/or feels, I apologize for any grammar errors that I might have missed, and I'll see you all in the second last chapter!
xoKyorii