After her mission with Sora, Kairi had been left so confused. She'd thought, after that kiss, after that conversation, after the way Sora had looked at her, that he'd make a move. Ask to talk. Try to work things out.
But he didn't. He was nice. He was cordial. But there was a giant wall around his heart, and no matter what she did, she couldn't get past it.
Breaking up with him was the worst mistake of her life. She could see that now, and how she regretted it more than anything. Because it was done out of fear. She'd been scared of the future. Scared he'd leave her alone again and never come home. Not like he'd done it on purpose before, but when he told her he was planning on continuing to fight instead of going to college or settling down, a deep, awful feeling of dread had settled in her stomach.
Instead of discussing things with him, she'd talked at him and told him a bunch of things. Told him she was scared he was addicted to fighting and hopping from one world to the next. Told him she was afraid he wouldn't ever want to settle down and start a family like she wanted to. Told him she feared he'd leave again on yet another dangerous journey and never come back this time. Told him she couldn't live a life like that, couldn't live a life where she never knew when her husband would be home, a life where her kids might be abandoned without any clue as to what happened to their dad and she'd be left to raise them alone.
She'd never forget the look in his eyes that night on the beach. The hurt, the pain, the agony. The begging and pleading and promising to be everything she wanted and needed, then the tears and anguish when she told him it was over. They'd both cried their hearts out, and she assumed he would never forgive her after hurting him so deeply. Especially when he ran off the next day and avoided her for months afterwards. It wasn't until Master Yen Sid had assigned them to go on that mission together that she got to talk to him again.
How wonderful it was just to spend time with him once more. When she'd kissed him to fake out their enemies, it hadn't been fake for her. She'd missed him so badly. Missed his smiles, his laughter, his heart. His hugs, his warmth, his kisses. His sass, his humor, his love. She wanted to talk to him about what had happened. Apologize for breaking his heart and beg for forgiveness and explain that the problem wasn't him, no, it was her, it was always her, she was always the one making things difficult for them both—
But he'd been standoffish. He'd cut off her attempts to talk to him. Only near the end of the meal they'd shared in that food court was she able to confirm he still had feelings for her. It was his eyes that had given him away. It was always his eyes. They really were like the window to his soul, or more accurately, his heart.
So then why did he act so awkward around her afterwards? Why did he avoid her? She despaired and figured she'd blown her final chance with him. So when the cute guy who worked at the souvenir shop asked her on a date, she thought heck, why not. Why not give another guy a chance. He was nice and the date was nice, but the moment he tried to kiss her at the end of the night, she knew this was wrong. It was all so wrong.
Here she was, at the door to her parents' house, the moon and stars shining down on her and this perfectly nice guy trying to kiss her, and all she could think about was Sora. She couldn't get his face out of her mind, couldn't help but wonder how he would feel if he knew this guy had almost kissed her. Couldn't help but remember all the times he had kissed her.
Sora. It was always Sora. He would always have her heart. No matter what happened, that would never change.
"You okay?" her date asked with a frown. "I'm sorry, I should've asked first—"
"No, it's not you, it's me," she told him. "You've been wonderful and tonight was wonderful, but I… I can't go out with you again. I'm sorry."
She'd retreated inside the house and threw herself on her bed and cried. Sora was the only one she ever wanted to kiss for the rest of her life. Wiping her eyes, she dialed his number. It just rang and rang and rang. She tried texting him. Nothing. So she called his mother.
"I'm sorry, Kairi, but you just missed him. He said he'd be leaving and wasn't sure when he'd be back."
Her heart sank as she thanked his mom and hung up the phone. Her timing really was awful. And if he wasn't picking up her calls, she only had so many ways to reach him.
He avoided her attempts to contact him for the next few months until finally, finally, she got a lead. She was chatting on the phone with Olette when Olette casually mentioned that Sora would be visiting Twilight Town for the fall festival.
"Oh really?"
"Yep! Are you gonna come too? I thought you two were still broken up."
"We are, but I think he might still have feelings for me. And, to be honest, I still have feelings for him too."
Olette squealed. "Then you have to come!"
"Really?" Kairi asked, then chewed her lip. "You don't think he'd be upset?" She hadn't gone chasing after him because she wanted to give him his space. He hadn't blocked her number, but he hadn't responded to any of her attempts to contact him either. The message he was sending her was loud and clear: I don't want anything to do with you right now.
"Maybe he will be," Olette said, "but if he is, you can just apologize and leave."
"I don't know, I don't want to ruin his visit," Kairi said as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
"You won't, trust me. If things get awkward, we can go do something else. I really do want to see you and hang out, you know."
So that was how Kairi had ended up here in Twilight Town, cautiously following Olette into the gang's old hideout. Several different emotions warred on Sora's face as he registered her presence. Shock. Frustration. Anger. Pain. But then, when their eyes met… the hurt and anger melted into something soft and vulnerable as he stared back at her.
"Kairi?" he said, his voice far more tender than she deserved.
"Um, hey," she said back. "Listen, I know this is really last minute and unexpected, so Olette and I can go somewhere else if this is too awkward—"
"No, it's okay. It's… good to see you."
"It's good to see you too," she said, her voice breaking a little. They just stared at each other for a few moments until Pence cleared his throat.
"So, um, shall we?" he asked, gesturing towards the makeshift curtain.
"Let's go," Hayner agreed, and Sora stood. Kairi wasn't sure what to do. Should she walk beside him? Give him his space?
But their friends made that decision for them, because soon they were walking side by side through the back streets while Hayner, Pence, and Olette continued up ahead of them. Kairi loved seeing the little lanterns strung up between buildings and the fall leaves hanging on garlands, taking in all the delicious scents lingering in the air, and feeling the magical autumn atmosphere of the town. But no amount of good vibes could bridge the gap between her and Sora.
"How have you been?" she finally asked because the awkward silence was unbearable.
"Not too bad," he replied, and his voice was surprisingly chipper, all things considered. "I've been saving munny, talking to Hiro about going to San Fransokyo Institute of Technology, that kind of a thing."
She stole a glance at him. Saving munny? Going to a university? This was a far cry from the Sora who wanted to hop from world to world with no plan for the future.
"What about you?" he asked. She couldn't help but think he looked especially handsome today. Relaxed and casual and ready for the fall festival, and yet still put together. He always made everything look so effortless, even looking good.
"I'm still working at the crafts shop on Main Street," she said, avoiding thoughts of how nice a hug from him would be right now. "Except for missions of course. And I've been thinking about going to a university too. Not sure which one though."
He smiled, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'm sure you'll do great wherever you decide to go."
She smiled sadly at him. That was Sora, always cheering her up and cheering her on even when he was upset. She wanted to say more, but they were at the festival now, and it was getting too loud to comfortably talk. Booth after booth lined the streets of Twilight Town, the trolley was decked out in fall leaves and decorations, and a few stages had been erected throughout the area for performances.
First up for their little group were all the food booths, which was good because Kairi's stomach was growling and she was craving delicious festival food. Pumpkin soup with piping hot bread, warm apple pie with cold ice cream, roasted chestnuts and salty pretzels, and her favorite, apple cider to wash it all down. The non-alcoholic kind because she wanted to be fully aware of whatever happened the next several hours.
Sora got non-alcoholic apple cider too, as did Hayner, Pence, and Olette, and the five of them toasted each other. Sora's hand shook a little when he accidentally brushed up against her hand, and their eyes met as they took their first sips of the cider. But instead of immediately looking away, his gaze lingered on her for a few more seconds.
Those few seconds made her want to hold his hand, to hug him, to apologize and explain everything that had happened—
But then the moment was over and he looked away. She ducked her head and tried not to let it get to her. Of course he was still guarded around her. Anyone would be.
The five of them enjoyed the festivities in town for a while (Hayner, Pence, and Olette even gave a rousing karaoke performance of an old classic on Twilight Town), then hopped the train to go out to one of the farms in the surrounding area. Here was where the fun would really begin: a pumpkin patch, hayrides, an apple orchard, a corn maze, cozy campfires, falling leaves…
As they walked the short distance from the station to the farm, Kairi took in the scenery around them. The pathway was lined with trees shedding their brilliant red, yellow, gold, and orange leaves, and the temperature was perfect. If she and Sora were still dating, this was the moment she would've grabbed his hand and leaned against his shoulder and sighed happily.
But they weren't, so she kept her hands to herself and tried not to stare at his hands. They were so big and strong, so gentle yet firm. She always felt safe in his arms and melted at his touch.
"Alright, first up is pumpkin carving!" Pence said once they'd arrived at the farm. "So, we gotta grab our pumpkins from that patch over there, then once we've paid for them, the three of us always compete with each other to carve the best pumpkin, and you know what that means?"
"What?" Sora asked.
"You and Kairi are joining the competition too," Hayner said with a grin. "No backing out!"
"You're on," Kairi said. She grabbed Olette's hand, and they giggled and took off towards the pumpkin patch.
"We've gotta get the best ones before the boys take them," Kairi said.
"Absolutely," Olette replied. As they carefully scoured the pumpkins for the best-looking ones, Olette scooted closer and lowered her voice. Even though the boys were a little ways away, better safe than sorry.
"He seems happy to see you," she said.
Kairi stole a glance at Sora. He was currently fighting Hayner and Pence off of his choice pumpkin, laughing as he swatted their hands away, and when their eyes met, she couldn't help but smile.
"And you seem happy to see him too," Olette added.
"It's just nice to see his smile," Kairi said as she examined a big orange pumpkin. Yes, this one should do nicely.
"Kairi, it's totally obvious you're still in love with him and he's still in love with you! Why aren't you saying anything?"
Kairi sighed and hoisted the pumpkin onto her hip. "It's my fault we broke up. I'm the one who broke his heart, and he's been avoiding me for months on end. There's no way he still feels the same way he used to about me."
Olette sighed as she selected a white pumpkin and stood. "Maybe not, but it's clear he still feels something for you. Why are you denying it?"
"Because if he still loved me, he wouldn't be pushing me away," Kairi said, staring intently at her pumpkin like it held the answers to all her problems.
"Maybe he's pushing you away because he does still love you. Maybe being around you just hurts too much."
Kairi stole another glance at him. Was it possible? Was it possible he'd fled, not because he hated her, but because he still loved her? Was it possible they could fix what went wrong and make things better than ever? If only she could apologize. That was all she wanted, to apologize and ask his forgiveness. Then maybe at least they'd find peace.
Their eyes met again, and he smiled. A soft, gentle smile that reached his eyes this time, and she blushed and smiled back. Then Hayner grabbed his arm and Pence snatched his pumpkin away, and he let out a shout and chased after them, leaving her and Olette in stitches, they were laughing so hard.
When at last the pumpkin situation had been sorted, the five of them carried their pumpkins to the carving tables and got to work. Gutting the pumpkins was always messy, but the pumpkin seeds were well worth the effort. She would take those home and roast them later with oil and sea salt for a delicious snack. That taken care of, she stared at her pumpkin. What to carve? A typical Halloween creature, like a wolf or witch or bat? No, that didn't feel right. Wait, she had the perfect idea. She grinned and began, and before long, she was etching the same drawing she'd sketched on the cave walls of the Secret Place all those years ago. On a whim she included the paopu part too because why not.
When it was time for everyone to reveal their pumpkins to each other, Pence had made a very impressive ghost, Hayner had carved a vampire, and Olette had made an adorable cat. Kairi's nerves got the better of her when it was time to reveal her pumpkin, however, and she clammed up and said, "I'll reveal it later, when it's dark and everyone's lighting their pumpkins!"
That way she'd have time to get rid of this one and do another one that wouldn't pressure Sora or put him on the spot.
"Sora?" Hayner asked.
"Oh, um, I'll do the same," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Alright, next on the agenda isssssss… apple picking!" Pence called out like he was announcing the Struggle Tournament. They went to the entrance of the apple orchard, where a nice old woman handed each of them a bag and a pair of scissors and told them they could keep whatever they could carry.
The best part about apple picking on Twilight Town was the experience. While Kairi did intend on filling her bag to the brim with juicy ripe apples, a big part of apple picking was eating a couple of apples first before picking more to take home. There were so many different kinds to choose from, soft plump red ones, tart crunchy green ones, golden ones with a rich flavor, sweet multicolored ones with her favorite taste… a veritable feast of delicious fruit.
When they'd gathered the first round of their bounty, the apples they would eat right then and there, they sprawled out on a picnic blanket on the grass and munched away. Kairi's eyes traveled to Sora as they so often had today because she loved the perfect look of contentment he always got on his face when he was eating something especially delicious.
And these apples were delicious. Kairi had only plucked three so far because that was all she knew she could safely eat, but she wished her stomach were as big as her eyes. The apples were juicy and delicious and perfectly ripe, and she kept having to dab at her mouth and chin because the apples were just that good.
Once they'd had their fill and had filled their bags, they went to a special tent that would keep their goodies for them until it was time to go home. Their arms free once more, it was time for the corn maze.
"Hayner and I have already tried the one this year," Pence said, "and let me tell you, it's so convoluted it's easy to get lost. Some people call it the Eighth Wonder of Twilight Town."
"We'll see about that," Olette said with a smirk. "Bet I can beat your record."
"Oh, you're on," Hayner said, a glint in his eye. The moment the group entered the corn maze and were surrounded by stalks, Hayner, Pence, and Olette took off, leaving Sora and Kairi behind.
"So, that's a thing," Sora said with a chuckle. Kairi giggled awkwardly and glanced at the sky. They probably only had about another hour of daylight left, going by the sun's position.
"I hope we can finish this thing before dark."
"If we work together I bet we could."
She nodded. "Okay."
They walked largely in silence as they tried different routes. Some were dead ends, but little by little they were making progress. And it was nice to just… be with him again. Working together on something. The silence between them wasn't awkward the way it had been earlier today, either. It just felt safe. Comfortable. The crunch of crushed corn stalks beneath their feet was soothing, too.
Kairi wondered if now would be a good time to say something or apologize.
"Sora?" she said as they rounded a corner. One of the corn stalks brushed against his arm, and it rustled when it moved back into position.
"What is it?" he asked.
"Thank you, for letting me join you guys today. I know you didn't really want to see me, but I'm glad you let me stay."
He was silent for a few moments as they continued, an unreadable expression on his face. "Who says I didn't want to see you?" he said at last. "I have to admit, it took me by surprise, but I'm glad you came."
She fiddled with her sleeves. "I am too."
He looked at her, the sun setting behind him, and she thought he seemed more radiant than ever. How could she have agreed to be away from him for so long? She should've run after him the moment he ran away from her. The first time and the second time. She'd gone after him before, why had she let her fear and shame stop her this time?
She reached for his hand. "Sora, I—"
"There you guys are!" Pence called as he burst around the corner. "Buncha slowpokes."
Aaaaand the moment was gone. Sora ribbed on Pence for calling him a slowpoke, and soon Hayner and Olette joined them too, and together the five of them finished (or, in Hayner, Pence, and Olette's cases, re-finished) the maze.
But as she got a little badge from the booth at the end of the maze that congratulated her on finishing, she noticed Sora was waiting for her. He must already have his badge, so maybe he wanted to talk more. The other three had gone on ahead to get them tickets for the hayride, as it was quickly getting dark.
"You should put your badge on," she said as she joined him and they started walking towards where the hayride would start.
"Already have," he replied, pulling back his hoodie and pointing to the badge. Twilight Town Fall Festival Corn Maze Completionist! was written on it in tiny letters, along with a photo of this year's maze. "But you haven't put yours on yet. Here, let me do it."
As he gingerly lifted her shirt enough to stick the sharp part of the badge through, she wondered if he was as affected by their closeness as she was. He was focusing carefully on the badge so as not to accidentally poke her, and that meant she could take everything in. His scent, his warmth, his eyes. How she'd missed seeing him, talking to him, being with him.
"Thank you, for doing the maze with me," she said. "It was a lot of fun."
He smiled and met her gaze. "Yeah, it was, wasn't it? I missed doing this kind of thing with you."
"I did too."
A few moments of silence lingered between them. But then he took a deep breath and said, "Kairi, what were you gonna tell me earlier? Before Pence interrupted us, I mean."
Her mouth went dry and her palms got all sweaty. "Oh, um, I wanted to… I wanted to…"
He patiently waited, and she knew she had to do this, she had to get it all out.
"I wanted to apologize," she finally said. "For hurting you. For breaking up with you. I never should've done that."
He stared at her, his eyes wide and his mouth open. Something very vulnerable was in his expression too, and that vulnerability gave her the courage to continue.
"The way I handled it was awful too, just talking at you instead of discussing things with you. Maybe if I had, we wouldn't have—"
"Hey, lovebirds, the hayride is about to start!" Hayner called, and her chance was gone. Or so she thought.
"We'll be there in a sec!" Sora shouted back. "If you need to go, go on without us!" He turned his attention back to her. "This is more important."
She nodded and fiddled with her sleeves again.
"You aren't the only one to blame for this whole mess," he said sadly, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "I ran away like a coward instead of talking things through with you. I was so hurt that I—"
"Last call!" Hayner yelled, and Sora sighed, irritation flashing through his eyes.
"This hayride had better be the best hayride in all the worlds," he grumbled.
"It's okay," she said, "we can talk more about this later."
He nodded. "We will. I won't run or hide this time, I promise."
She dared to offer her hand. "I know you won't."
He smiled sadly and took her hand, and as they hurried to scramble onboard the hayride together, she couldn't help but hope that maybe, just maybe, things would be okay between the two of them. Sora didn't let go of her hand as they settled in on one of the bales next to Hayner, Pence, and Olette, so that was a good sign. And as their guide began telling ghost stories as the tractor and wagon rattled along, she rested her head on Sora's shoulder. He didn't push her away, just leaned his head against hers, and his closeness made her feel so warm inside despite the chilly night air.
She hoped and wished and prayed with all her heart that after this was over, they could mend the hurt between them for good.