One day before the festival. One more day and everything should go back to the way it was before, I'm sure of it. I dug my feet into the light gravel, coming to a slow halt.

I really don't know why I'm here. Practice is over, I've done all I can save get a good nights rest, but for some reason my feet just don't want to propel me home; they opted to plop me down on this swing set instead. The chains of my swing creaked from being thoroughly loved over the years. I wonder how many children in the past sat here, playing in this tiny little park. The adventures they would have shared together without ever even leaving the sandbox. Where would all those children be now? And how many still treasured that warm childhood bond they forged in this place? Time pushes us forward, and memories of simple days in the park long ago are just one of many infinitely small grains of sand in the hourglass of our life. But no matter how small those grains are, they are still necessary, and will always be part of who we are. Yet sometimes I almost wish we could go back to that time. Back before anything was complicated, when we could just lay all night together under the stars in a makeshift tent held up by string.

Those same stars glittered down over me, but they offered so little comfort that I felt lonelier than ever sitting in that tiny little chair. Why did it feel like there was always something hovering between us, always left unsaid? He is always so open and honest with me, it feels like I want to do the same, but I can't put a single fragment of these thoughts into words.

I shoved the same gravel pile back and forth between my shoes, feeling my nostalgia bubble into a growing frustration with myself. I just kept making the same mistakes over and over again. I can't believe he hasn't gotten more fed up with the way I've been behaving. I wish I knew why those bothersome intrusive thoughts keep popping up when I'm around him. I've almost been afraid to be alone with him this entire week just in case I did something embarrassing again.

"There you are!" I heard his all-too familiar cheery call and spotted him approaching, school bag hanging loosely over one shoulder.

Sora…

Just seeing him made all my apprehension melt away.

He dropped his bag down into the gravel, taking a seat on the other swing next to me. "You should have told me when your practice was over, I was sitting around waiting forever for you!"

Probably anyone would have been a little fed up, but he looked so positively glowing with happiness at having finally found me that I felt really guilty for slipping out without checking that he hadn't already gone home first.

"I'm sorry...I had no much going through my head, I..."

He waved off my apology with a laugh. "Hey, don't worry about it, I found you, didn't I?" His smile was so utterly contagious.

The chain of my swing squeaked again and he glanced up at it, his eyes then making a quick sweep of the playground. "So...uh, why are you here?" He grinned. "Don't tell me you've just realized your dream to be a swing set inspector!"

I laid a hand dramatically over my chest and sighed towards the sky. "It's my secret shame! And now that you've found me out I must run away and start a new life the next town over!"

Sora leapt up off his swing and stood right in front of me, wrapping his hands around the chains just above my head. "If you're running away you'll have to take me with you!"

I prodded his shoe with mine. "But that would defeat the purpose of hiding from you, wouldn't it?"

"But..." I could see him struggling with his answer. Whenever it looked like he started to say what he wanted, he would catch himself and fall silent again.

After a moment I had just about enough watching him struggle, and I flashed him a smile. "Okay, you win. You can run away with me."

I stood up from the swing while he was still leaning over it, putting myself just centimeters away from him. Startled, he released the chains and stumbled backwards, his heel catching on the edge of my book bag, sending him thumping to the ground. I rested my hands on my hips, staring down at him with a sigh.

"But only because you are so eloquent and graceful."

He laughed in that sweet, hesitant way of his when he knows he did something silly, rubbing at the back of his head. I offered him a hand to help him stand up, glad that he hadn't accidentally hurt himself. As he lifted himself up off the ground I saw his eyes spot something down just near my feet and I checked to see what it could be.

Oh, just one of my books spilled out from the bag after he tripped on it. He opted to retrieve it for me, dusting it from gravel and handing it over as he stood, but not before checking the title on the spine.

"Tales of Princess Sakuya? What class is that book for?"

"It's not...um..." Oh how lovely, of course fate had to deign for that book to fall out of my bag. Thank goodness Riku isn't here right now. "It's the legends about the Volcano Goddess. I...thought it would be fun to read up about the mythology surrounding her before the festival, since it is supposed to be in her honor."

"Oh..." Well, he looked half convinced anyway.

I stuffed the book back into my bag and glanced around the small park in hopes that I could find something else to talk about, just to draw his attention away from thinking about it. "Anyway, um...I just came here to sit down and relax for a while since tomorrow is bound to be pretty crazy, so...I should probably be getting back home soon."

He couldn't hide the disappointment on his face. "Can I walk you at least?"

How could I say no to a face like that? I nodded and he scrambled to grab his bag back from over by the swing where he left it. I started to make my way back to the path, but each step I took felt heavier and heavier until I stopped in my tracks altogether. Sora, bless him, was just waiting patiently for me, not saying a word about my sluggish pace.

What a funny thing, for that book to fall out of my bag. The stories in it reminded me so much of all the questions swimming around unrestrained in my mind. It's probably where they came from. And I felt such a nagging desire to just stay here. Stay with him.

"Sora, do you know much about her story?" I turned back to face him and waited for him to connect the dots about what I was referring to.

"The Volcano Princess? Not really...I mean, I remember the basics from first grade when we had to draw pictures of what we thought she looked like."

I smiled to myself, remembering his...artistic brilliance. If I recall correctly, he had drawn her with marshmallow sticks jutting out from her hair so she could roast them at her leisure over the lava, or so he reasoned. But his drawing was so...scratchy it instead looked like she was being attacked by obsessive-compulsive aliens with incredibly square space ships.

Rather than continue leaving the park, I let myself stroll over towards the jungle gym structure and sat down on the bottom ledge. I'm sure to a child it would be a task to climb up to it, but it only came up slightly higher than my waist. Sora followed, not even questioning why we were continuing to stay. He was probably just enjoying the company. He's always been that way: being around his friends gives him endless energy. And I wanted to linger here. I still don't know why, but I know that I wanted to.

He leaned up against the same ledge, looking up at the stars peeking through the clouds.

"It's...actually quite a sad story, in a way. I was surprised." I broke the brief silence, kicking my legs around freely, taking care not to bump him.

"Sad? I thought it was supposed to be a love story!" He groaned. "Don't tell me it was all a lie and everybody dies in the end or something horrible. I hate that!"

I stuffed my hands under my knees. "No, no, it's not like that, don't worry."

He breathed out a big sigh of relief and half turned a bit to face me. "So...why is it sad, then?"

"First maybe you should tell me what you remember." I wasn't keen on telling him the whole story.

"Oh, geez." He winced a little. "Uh...she was a Volcano Princess? And...she fell in love with some guy, and made our island."

"Well that's...not wrong." It certainly left quite a few details out, though. I guess I had to explain much more than I thought.

I settled in, ready to try and summarize things as simply as possible. The legend really was quite romantic, but still poignantly sad when all things were considered. It did make me wonder how much of it was based off of reality and how much was just a story. One never really can tell with fairy tales, sometimes.

"Her full name was Princess Konohana Sakuya, daughter to the god of all the mountains of the world, sister to the ocean spirit, and of the spirit of the tallest reaching palm trees. Her family loved her so much because she so resembled their mother who had died in childbirth. It is so rare for a goddess to die, but I suppose it can happen in some cases. Her father kept her hidden away from the world to protect her, and she loved her family, but found ways to sneak up to the human world. One day, while walking along a beach she found a human sailor who had drifted ashore after his boat had been destroyed in a storm. She secretly helped nurse him to health, making friends with him the whole time. Eventually, the two fell in love. But her father was so angry when he discovered this, he refused to let her be with him, let alone marry. For he said if she did so much as kiss a human, she will bear a terrible curse. One kiss would rob her of her future and her past. She would be cast adrift in the ocean, forgotten by the other gods, forgotten by her friends and family, surely to drown. But, believing in her love, she kissed him anyway."

I was surprised that this seemed to hold Sora's attention so well. Normally he disliked long stories. Maybe he was just humoring me, but he was listening quite closely, so I continued. "She was then cast out to the ocean, no longer a goddess, no longer remembered. With her last remaining power she created our island from a powerful volcanic eruption, so that the two of them would not drown in the endless ocean. However, because she lost her goddess powers, the volcano subsequently became dormant, never to erupt again. We might think this is good, but the death of the volcano, meant the death of her godly immortality. They say she gave up everything for love, and as a result we have our home here to cherish forever. She is remembered fondly, for her willingness to accept a life as fleeting as a blooming flower."

I could tell Sora was a little upset. "Aw...you said no one was supposed to die."

"She doesn't die right away! There are quite a few smaller stories about things she does on the islands after they were formed. So even in the legends she was around for at least another ten years or so."

"That's still too short. She gave up everything to be with that guy, the two of them deserved to have a long happy life together." He crossed his arms in frustration. "That's definitely how I'm choosing to believe it happened."

"Yeah, she did give up everything..." I slowed the kicking in my legs, withdrawing my hands from underneath, placing them instead on my lap. "When I think about her story, there are three things I always take away from it. I see that love is an incredible force that can even make islands rise up from the sea, and that human life is a fragile, fleeting thing so we should cherish every moment we have with those we love. But the last message...frightens me a little."

Sora jumped up backwards to join me on the ledge. It was a bit snug with both of us sitting on it, since it was designed for children, but I appreciated having his warmth next to me. "What's frightening about it?"

"Her story almost seems to suggest that...part of growing up and making your way in the world might mean being forced to leave your past behind. The memories would still be there, but all your family and friends might not be..."

I felt Sora tense next to me. "Is that why you came here? To think about the past and stuff?"

"Maybe. I don't really know." I looked over at the swings, hanging empty in the air, swaying lightly on the wind as if they were dreaming of their next young passenger. "I know we can't stay young forever. But how much of this are we really meant to lose?"

Sora abruptly turned, his face twisted in a silly expression that made me snort. "It's not like one day you wake up and poof there goes your childhood. You keep it with you in here." He tapped his chest with a confident smile.

I knew he would say something like that. I also knew he was right. So...why did my mind keep coming back to this, over and over? There must be something I'm missing. Something that is making me feel like he's going to be pulled away from me. Unless I...unless I do, what?

He was watching me with a face so concerned I felt like I had to say something to ease his mind. "Well, I guess then all I have to watch out for is a mysteriously handsome ocean boy to unexpectedly drop into my life, sweep me off my feet and carry me off onto adventures unknown."

Sora burst out laughing."Yeah? Like in the story? You say it like it's a bad thing, but I have a feeling you might actually really like that."

I huffed at him, knocking into him with my shoulder. "Well! I'd like to think I have some higher standards than just a pretty face."

He bumped me back. "Yeah but maybe he has some magical kiss powers that can hypnotize you to want to stay with him forever."

"Oh come on, like a kiss can really be all that great." I rolled my eyes at him.

"How do you know, have you ever tried it?" Sora was obviously trying to tease me to get me in a better mood, so I decided to mess with him a little.

"Mm, yeah I have, but it wasn't too special."

His face was absolutely priceless. He looked like he had been smacked with a wet sponge and wasn't sure how to even process it yet. "W-wait are you serious? You have?"

"All the time. I even kissed him this morning when I got up." I kept my voice light and as sing-songy as possible.

He looked dizzy. "When you...this m-morn...a-all the time?"

Okay, that was far enough. He was starting to look really distressed now, probably thinking I had some whole secret life I never told him about. "That's what all those snugly stuffed animals are for, aren't they?"

He pulled a sour face and jumped on me, tickling my sides. "You sneaky liar!"

I wiggled my way out of his arms, jumping back down to the gravel below us. "I didn't lie! Just...misrepresented the truth a little."

"That's the same thing!" He chased after me, immediately starting to reach for that vulnerable spot of mine just under my left arm.

I dodged around one of the nearby poles, doing my best to keep it between us so he couldn't entangle me in a tickle hold. We darted past each other back and forth across the playground, kicking up dust as we ran, his fingers struggling to nip me where he knew I was sensitive. Unfortunately for him, I knew all of his secret little spots as well, like that tiny place just behind his ear.

I leapt towards him, going suddenly on the offensive and throwing him off balance. He gripped both of my wrists, trying to keep them away from his body. Of course fending me off meant that he couldn't attack me back. Just as I planned. It was obvious he could easily overpower me if he really wanted to, so I really appreciated at least being given a fighting chance. I managed to wiggle my finger close enough to gently brush against the side of his neck and he shivered, ducking a bit away from me, just out of reach. I knew he was just about ready to retaliate now, so I hastily yanked my arms free and turned to run again.

I felt my foot catch on something and the world started plummeting towards my face. It wasn't until I felt his arms around me, holding me steady that I realized I had almost fallen flat on my face like a dummy. He helped me up, tickle fight temporarily forgotten while he checked to see that I was alright. I noticed his arm still tightly clutching around my waist but I really didn't mind. In fact, the way he was holding my other hand we were almost in the perfect waltzing position.

Just as he released his arm from my waist, I did a swift little curtsy and placed his hand back where it came from. "Why sir, I do apologize for that little tumble. May I thank you by offering you this dance?"

"Sir?" He said indignantly, but his smile brightened and he swung me around in a half-circle. "Sure, I'll dance with you, but don't expect me to be any good."

It's not like I knew what I was doing, either. There wasn't any music to use for a tempo, so we ended up just mostly spinning around each other, creating dragging lines in the sand. And as we played our silly game under that starlight I finally felt warm again. I love the way his eyes are smiling so earnest and blue back at me. I love the gentle yet firm way his hands are supporting my body. I…

I love…

My back lightly bumped the edge of one of the swing set support beams and he stopped spinning me, his body pressed oh so lightly against mine. I wanted to bury my face in his chest and stay here all night.

It was suddenly so much harder to breathe. Maybe I need to practice dancing more if just doing that little bit has gotten me so winded. But...I didn't feel tired at all. I felt more alive and awake than ever. And yet that lingering poignant sadness still remained, as I heard the light squeaking of the swings, sitting empty, behind me.

I stared up at those remarkably kind and unflinching eyes of his. "Does...falling in love always mean we have to change and leave our past behind? If so, I'm not sure I..."

"No way! If that does happen we both know you're far too stubborn to let go of me forever."

I leaned back up against the pole, pulling him closer against me. "You're pretty stubborn yourself. I bet even if I tried to run away you'd never stop searching until you found me again."

"I'd follow you anywhere." He said this quite seriously, but had a lingering smile on his lips. Ha! I bet he came up with that line twenty minutes ago when we were on the swing set and is oh so pleased he can finally crank it out now! "Unless...you didn't want me to."

I gave him a look to suggest he was being absolutely ridiculous and he laughed again. There was something so...warmly natural about having his body so close to mine. With anyone else it would probably be incredibly uncomfortable, but with him…

With him I only wanted more.

That same intrusive thought kept flashing through my mind and I tried so hard to swallow it back. That voice in my head was soft, yet insistent and demanding. I had almost been swept up in the thought of it at least once before. Together when we clutched each other, wet and shivering by that fountain that was all I really wanted him to do.

Why did I keep thinking about that time? About when he pressed his lips to my cheek later that night, so sweetly and yet so full of unbridled joy it felt like I was holding a cup filled with sunbeams as it bubbled over into my hands. I wanted to feel that way again.

I know he was joking back then, but maybe he was right. Maybe kisses really were dangerously magical things and I had already strayed too far down a dangerous path with him. But I can't help but wonder if maybe deep down inside I feel that I want my first kiss from someone like him, someone who makes me feel so safe, someone who will always be special, because no matter what changes come in the future I know someone like that will stand by me. Is that why my mind kept ordering me to make that move? To jump into his arms and press my lips against his?

But...surely I must only be thinking of it because I've been so insecure about the future lately. That must be all it is. He's such a sweetheart he would do anything if he thought it would help me. And that's exactly why I can't joke about that sort of stuff for a while or I might slip up again and ask him to…

He leaned in a bit closer to me, his right hand sliding up slightly to grab onto my shoulder while his other arm squeezed at my side. I suppose he's wondering why I've fallen so silent. He tilted his face cheerily down towards mine.

"Hey, I'm really looking forward to seeing your...whatever it is, tomorrow. But once it's all over with let's go somewhere nice and relaxing, okay? You pick! Anywhere you want for as long as you want—I'm sure we can make up some excuse that sounds reasonable."

I giggled and ran my hand through his hair, loving the way it always bounced back under my fingers. "Sora, I'm not going to ditch school to go on a vacation. Can you imagine the make up work we'd have to do?"

"Ugh, it's not fair. If we're out helping people the least we should get for a reward is being excused from homework."

It was definitely a big point of contention for him and I'd heard this rant many times over. But I didn't care if I'd heard it one hundred times before, I just wanted him to stay like this, smiling right in front of me, his voice so lively and excited.

And I wanted to ask him. But it would be such a huge favor to ask. Too much, I'd think. But even as my thoughts tried to convince me against it, my inhibitions just...melted when I saw that smile.

"Sora, do you...do you ever wonder what a kiss would be like? A...real one? Do you really think it could be as powerful as they say it is in all those fairy tales?"

He choked and swallowed hard, clearly not expecting the question. I saw him avert his eyes a little and felt increasingly guilty for having brought it up again. Thankfully, after a moment his smile returned. "I don't really think it's the kiss exactly. More the love between the two people, don't you think?"

It certainly sounded right, but I was still strangely hesitant to let this subject drop. "But maybe...maybe it couldn't hurt to..." Everything inside of me was shouting in conflict. Half of me wanted to continue, the other half begging me to shut my mouth. But the words just kept spilling out. "If only as a test...to know for sure...w-would you consider..."

I'm sure he could probably hear how loud my heart was from where he was standing. I don't even know if he quite understood what I was asking of him, but maybe that's for the bes-

"Mm, okay."

S-so fast! He really does need to think more carefully before agreeing to everything!

But...he is serious, isn't he? His face was so full of light he was positively glowing and I didn't feel a single hint of hesitation with his answer. I almost wanted to splutter out that I was just kidding, that I didn't know what I was saying just like last time, but...that really would be a lie, wouldn't it? After all, it's Sora. He will always be himself. No matter what darkness pulls at him. No matter what the future holds he's always going to be there, smiling cheerfully towards me. And I want him there. At my side…

Everything felt so warm. My face, my body, his touch against me. The hand on my shoulder brushed the side of my face, gently lifting it up so he could see my eyes. They locked onto his immediately, and I felt shivers along my whole body. Was this...wrong?

"Sora, I...I'm sorry I keep asking you such..."

But his bright expression was all I needed to lose my fear completely. I smiled up at him, amiss to find I was absolutely rooted in place, unable to lift myself up to my toes to cross that space between us. I think he understood my struggle, because he was hovering the smallest distance away from me too, not moving away but not moving any closer.

Perhaps...if I close my eyes…and wait for him to...

Nothing happened.

Nothing, and then his warmth was gone, his hands abruptly dropped from around me. I opened my eyes to see him no longer gazing into mine, but instead focused on the path just to his right. What could have made him stop so suddenly? I looked over, trying to find what he was staring at.

Oh...

Someone was coming up the hill towards the park. And not just any someone. Trudging along apprehensively was Ophelia, the one I had given explicit advice on how to win Sora over. I hastily ducked under Sora's arm and rushed towards her, hoping to be some sort form of interception.

"O-Ophelia! What are you doing out here so late?" I immediately felt a horrible twinge in my stomach. Why was I trying to stop her from reaching him? What purpose would that even serve other than to just be needlessly cruel?

She glanced up past my shoulder, probably checking to confirm that Sora was with me. "I...um..." She lowered her voice to barely a whisper so only I could hear. "I really wanted to talk to him before the festival, to ask him out, you know? And someone said they saw him coming up this way...I'm so relieved I actually found him! Do you...do you think I could borrow him for a minute? You weren't discussing anything too important, were you?"

My voice caught in my throat and I could only do my best to choke it back down. I wanted to tell her that maybe now isn't the best time. That we really were discussing something very important, top secret even. But she doesn't deserve being lied to like that. After all...I don't even know what I was thinking back there with him. I should have never said any of that to him and put him into such an awkward position again. Maybe her coming here and breaking me out of my stupor was really for the best. I could have almost made a huge mistake.

I took a deep breath and shook my head. "No, it's...it's fine."

She prodded her shoe into the sandy dirt. "I thought a lot about what you said and I think I decided he's the sort of person who likes experiences more than presents. So...I was going to see if he wanted to do a little fun mini date at the festival."

"Th-that sounds...mm, I'm sure he'd appreciate that." That horrible pain again. Go away, already! "But he might already have plans with a lot of our friends who are coming to visit..."

"That's okay! I figured he would be pretty busy, but I'll just be happy to get a few minutes of his time."

She really does care about him, doesn't she? Maybe this all really is for the best…

It's not right for me to be meddling with his love life, after all. He needs to make his own choices. I turned back to see him, waiting with a confused look next to that old swing set. He noticed Ophelia eyeing him and he waved back cheerily, calling out to the two of us.

"Hi! Are you a friend of Kairi's!? Nice to meet you!" I smiled at that silly bouncing wave of his. He's always been so friendly. Maybe too friendly, today...

I could tell Ophelia was incredibly nervous, as she started visibly trembling next to me. I laid a comforting hand on her shoulder and kept my voice low. "Everything will be fine."

I hope those words do her more good than it's doing for me right now. I still have this horrible knot twisting around inside of me. And subsequently this growing realization that this is not my place to be any more.

Ophelia swallowed a deep gulp of air and walked over towards the swing set, giving Sora a very meek bow. "H-hi."

He tipped his head back and forth, probably trying to piece together where he had seen her before. "You're...not from C class, are you?"

"N-no. I do Ikebana with Kairi every other week..."

"Oh!" He laughed and gave her a quick head nod in greeting. "I'm Sora, always glad to meet another one of Kairi's friends. Uh...sorry, I don't know if I caught your name though. What was it, again?"

"O-Ophelia..." She had the most hopeful, genuine smile that I've ever seen on her.

I focused back on Sora and gave him as warm a wave as I could manage. "Sora, I…I really should be going now, so..."

His smile dissipated instantly. "H-huh? But I was going to walk y-" He started taking a few steps but I stumbled away from the two of them.

I swung my hands back behind my back and gave him a gentle smile. "It'll be fine, really. No need to trouble yourself. I'm sure Ophelia would appreciate a safe escort, though."

She positively beamed. Sora lifted his hand towards me, and I could tell there was a lot hidden behind his face that he wanted to say. I felt guilty just dropping out on him so suddenly. But everything I've done tonight was littered with careless mistakes. What in the world was I thinking? Sora and I...we're not supposed to be...

Ophelia is a good girl. I'm sure things will go really well for them. I excused myself as fast as possible with another wave and rushed over the hill before he would have the time to extract himself out of his situation to chase after me.

I keep pushing him into the most uncomfortable places ever because I can't stop my mouth from saying such bizarre things and he's trying to be a good friend. Once the festival is over I can apologize to him properly. I won't be as stressed, so everything should go back to normal.

The heaviness in my feet returned, as I forced them to press onward, thudding against the hard ground. I realized far too late that I had left my bag lying down somewhere in the park, but it would be far too awkward to go back and retrieve it now. Maybe Sora will spot it and rescue it for me. If not...I suppose it wasn't likely to be...stolen…

Stolen...

I felt such horrible dread sweeping across me, my feet tripping across the ground. Sora was going to fall in love. He was going to experience all that wonderful sweetness of companionship that I'd only been able to dream of, and read of in my childhood stories. We shared everything together; our memories, our food, I even sometimes grabbed up clothing of his to wear when it looked cute or warm. But this would be maybe the first thing we simply couldn't share together. Because, he would have her...

This frustration in me is so muddled, so wrong. I wanted to scream and cry and run straight into the ocean. Anything to make this clenching inside me go away. I started to run, a desperate uncontrolled run, my breath pouring out in gasps. With each breath my throat tightened even further, but I kept running.

He deserves so much. He deserves everything. I should be so happy if he ends up finding love out there.

But I...I always wanted to be…