This one was frustrating to size-down; there was so much more I wanted to say! I guess that's why they call it a challenge though, huh?

Also, two points that should be addressed:

1) Swingdancer23 commented about this challenge hopefully being KaixClaire, when I actually planned it to be KaixPopuri! I hope that this doesn't disappoint anyone too much; I felt like I should set the record straight before continuing, just to assure that I don't get anyone else's hopes up for a KaixClaire story. I think of Claire and Kai more as best friends, so that's probably how they'll be portrayed (if at all). I didn't mean to mislead you all with the previous chapter, and I hope that you're okay with the official plan, because I think that these two are adorable together x).

2) For the purposes of my writing, Kai is a sailor, a fisher, and the cook at the Snack Shack. I'm not sure if he sails or fishes in the game (pretty sure he sails, not so sure about the fishing part), but in my world, he does all three. Yup :).

Now, moving right along...


Warmth

"Wait up!" Kai turned to find a pink-haired girl running towards him. He sighed. She's so stubborn…

"Why…do you…have to leave?" Popuri asked, breathing heavily.

"I'm a summer-chaser." he explained.

"What do you mean?"

"I follow the warm weather. Who wants to eat burgers and ice cream in winter? I'd be out of a job if I stayed here!"

"So…you'll come back then?" Kai nodded.

"Good!" she said, giving him a smile that in itself seemed to hold all the warmth of summer.

If only I had that smile all year long, he thought. Then, maybe someday, I could stay…