Chapter 2: The Voyage

We set sail at dawn, hoping to get to Disney Isles early. We knew it would take at least a month just to get three quarters of the way there. That's why we left so early.

We were going against the violent current for the first few days, but then the wind and the water worked together in our favor.

"Sora," I remember Kairi saying one night long ago. "Whatever you do, promise me that you won't leave me. And if you do, promise me that it won't be long." I broke that promise. I broke it two years ago. But now, I'm staying with her. She's too important to let go of.

"Kairi," I said. Her head popped up out of her arms. "Yeah?" she said.

"Do you wanna….talk?" I asked nervously.

"Sure, about…?"

"That promise that I made. Ten years ago."

"Oh, the 'I'll protect you,' promise?"

"Yeah, that one."

"It's no big deal. I know you broke it. It's not like you had a choice or anything."

"But I did."

"You did?"

"Yeah, I wanted to go with Riku. And then, because of my stupid mistake, I was looking all over for you and then…Kairi, I love you." She blushed under the moon-lit sky.

"Really?" She asked, still blushing. I nodded my head and felt my face get hot. "Well," she continued. "I kinda…" She stopped and looked at me and her face got really red. "I love you too, Sora."

"Well," I said. "It's getting late. We should eat." I said as I got my fishing pole. Kairi laughed and said "You should really fish before we have to eat." We both laughed.

The next morning, I caught a fish and began to skin it. Kairi woke up and saw what I was doing. "I could help," She said.

"Nah, I got it," I responded.

"No, it's okay, really. I have nothing better to do, anyway."

"What about swimming?"

"I'm too tired to swim," she complained.

"Yet you're awake enough to skin a fish," I laughed.

"Yep," she said as I threw her a fish and laughed. After we got done skinning the fish, we ate. I grabbed a bottle of water that we had prepared before we left and took a drink. Then, I looked down into the sea and I saw a dark figure, not like a shark, but…a person, swimming. I looked over at Kairi and she was still eating.

"Kairi, there's a person…and they're swimming!" I said.

"What? What are you talking about?" she asked in concern.

"Come over here and look," I said and looked back into the water. The dark figure that was swimming at the pace of our raft was now gone and I felt stupid.

"There's nobody here," Kairi said giggling to herself.

"I swear, I saw someone," I said.

"I think the sea is getting to you," she said. Her giggle became a laugh.

"Maybe," I said. "Want to go for a swim?" I asked. "Sure," she said. We rowed to a small island near by and I pushed the raft up into the sand. I started unzipping my pants and Kairi started to scream. "What? I wore my trunks under my clothes, smart one." I said, laughing at her reaction. "Oh!" she said. "Well, go away so I can change." She said.

I swam away and she soon joined me.

"You're so weird, Sora," she said as I floated on my back.

"And why do you say this?" I asked in confusion.

"I don't know…It's just—in certain ways, you're…"

"Weird?" I asked.

"Yeah…exactly. Weird." I started to laugh and she flipped me over.

"Hey! I was relaxed!" I laughed.

"Well, not any more!" She said back.

"The sun's setting, Kairi," I said.

"Yeah," she said. "We should get going."

We got out of the sea and dried off on the small island. I got dressed and looked away as Kairi got dressed. I untied the raft and waited for her to get on. We let the wind carry us as we watched the sun set under the golden waters. I smiled and looked at Kairi. She looked back at me with her light-blue eyes. Her brownish-red colored hair blew in front of her.

"I'm glad it's just you and me," she said, breaking the silence.

"Me too," I said as she leaned in. "What?" I asked. She smiled and said, "Isn't it obvious?" I caught was she was saying and then, we kissed.