File 17: 4 Days, 16 Hours & 10 Minutes » Volume 1

Merry Christmas!

Now you're thinking, what does that title mean? The answer: that is how much has past since last chapter. Now, this story need to keep moving forward because I noticed the drama/angst comes from Roxas and Namine's storyline. It's done and there can be action, humor and whatnot.

I know so are asking: when are you going to put more Sora/Kairi moments? Don't worry. There is one in this chapter.

Genre: Adventure/Romance

Disclaimer: The following characters of "Secret Agent Kairi" are from the video game, Kingdom Hearts. Square Enix and Disney rightfully own them. The setting-taking place in the story is original also and does not exist anywhere in Japan. The story, plot, and maybe some original characters are under my name. There will be some references to the game. Don't attempt to copyright.

(Hayner's voice) – "Previously on Secret Agent Kairi"

"Kairi, Namine is missing," Roxas tells her.

"What?!" Kairi screamed making Sora come by her.

"Roxas, do you know why Namine is acting like this?" Xion asked him and he definitely did not want to answer it. "You were the last one to see her right?" There was just a small silence between the two. "Answer me Roxas. We have to know." Finally, he gave her an answer.

"I don't know why Xion. I dropped Namine off at her house and she seemed fine," he lied right off the bat. "I don't know what is causing this." Just a few feet away, his brother could hear them and his blood was boiling.

"Kujūkuri, she told me that she likes going to the beach at Kujūkuri," Roxas answered Kairi.

Yuffie, Hayner, Pence, and Olette were running towards the station and noticed the train hasn't arrived but that it already left from some other destination. From that point, they knew Namine had to be in town somewhere. "Where could she be?" Olette questions. "All of us are on a wild goose chase looking for her."

"How can you say that?!" Rinoa howl. "Did you know what I was put through during that time? Hell Leon! You just suddenly abandon me after prom night and the year after ignored the rest of the year."

Aerith was with Cloud and couldn't help but think of a time when she had to look for a missing person, her husband Zack. She couldn't help but tell Cloud this story. "You know, this reminds back then when I had to look for my husband Zack."

"I thought you said he died on a mission?" Cloud asked.

"Just stop it! I don't need any of this from you!" Namine shouted at Roxas.

"I wanted you to feel like you were noticed and not a nobody," Roxas explains. "Like you were like everybody else. There is one thing I do want from you." Now, how come he can't feel the same way but say all those things. Namine actually felt like slapping the guy. Anyways, she had to continue to listen to him. "I wanted you to be happy."

"It's your fault this happened and you know it." Man, this has been the most harsh Sora has been to him but who could blame him since it was true.

Roxas was in another stall alone from the others. What's going to happen to him now this is over? What is going to happen when they return for school tomorrow, I mean, later in the day. He just felt so lost and sad that he was tearing up. Then he noticed he still had something in his hand. It was Namine's necklace. Should he return it to her? Nah, she probably forgot she even lost it. Maybe he will keep it just for her. Just maybe.

"Tsuki Girl here and boy what another great week at school. It only seems yesterday our dear sweet nobody Namine had gotten her heartbroken from none other than Roxas Hikaru. Having gone mute, the two have avoided each other since Valentine's Day and their friends seemed to have taken Namine's side especially Riku. He just suddenly started to appear with the gang. Does he have an interest her? As for Roxas, these past days must've been odd for him seeing how he has made himself distant from his friends. The new girl Kairi says otherwise still wanting to be his friend. Careful Kairi, don't wanna get caught in the middle and cause another problem do you?" That was the latest entry from Tsuki Girl and the buzz has always been around Roxas and Namine this past whole week since Monday when they returned for school. Kairi and her friends try to get Namine talk but she hasn't since that night. Guess it will take a while to pick up the pieces.

School had just ended and Namine was standing on the rooftop. She griped onto the railings looking down on the other students. Not talking made her feel a little better but not much. She just didn't feel like talking at all. From afar, she could hear footsteps coming up the stairs. Turning around to see someone she hasn't seen in a while. It was Roxas. Then she noticed he was holding something. It was a… present?

"Today is your birthday… right?" Judging from his voice, he seemed scared to be talking to her. He actually remembered it was today? That shocked her. "It's okay… I know you won't talk but it's right here if you want it." He puts the present down onto the ground and descends down the stairs as she just watches him disappear. Namine just stared at the present. It was neatly wrapped and it had a bow on it and wondered if she should accept it. Then she heard someone coming up the stairs again. It was a familiar silver hair guy coming up.

"Hey Namine!" he shouted. "I knew I would find you here." He then noticed the present on the ground but did not know whom it belongs to. "Presents already?" He picked it up walking towards her. "So who left you this?" Riku forgot she was in a mute phase and didn't expect a reply. Namine just looked at him blinking her eyes. At least she still looks like a normal teenager. A silent teenager that is. "Come on," he took his hand, putting it around Namine. "You're friends are waiting for you." And she just followed him as he gave her Roxas' present. She held it with both hands staring out it wondering what is inside.

~ Secret Agent Kairi ~

"Namine's birthday is today you guys and I have no clue what to do," Olette says. "And am the one who comes up with great party plans right off the bat."

"I guess it's because we didn't expect what the aftermath would be like," Hayner answered. "It's been an awkward weird depressing week for all of us."

"He's right, can we think anything right for her?" Yuffie answered crossing her arms. "I'm starting to feel like in a drama here and things to lighten up a bit cuz' me no like drama."

"Hey," Kairi interrupted. "Did you guys ever noticed Riku has started hanging out with Namine more this week when he heard the news about this? I find it odd."

"Course Kairi, the dude likes Namine," Yuffie replies but she added one more thing to that sentence. "I think." It's true; they see Riku more often now that he had heard the news about Namine and what she is going through. He has never left her side actually when it was before and after school, during recess, and lunch. It was like he was helping her but another question raised.

"But can she give her heart again to someone after just getting hers broken recently?" Kairi asked. "Am no expert but what I see in Namine's TV shows, it takes a while."

"Now you've been watching to much TV," Sora tells her.

"What?" Kairi shot back. "When I'm bored and we're at her house, I chose to watch one of her DVD sets. Now I'm interested in those shows. Anyways, back to her birthday."

"You guys are planning already without us?" Riku said behind them with Namine by his side. "Now that is just not fun." Olette apologized and noticed the present in Namine's hands. It was a fair size and wondered who gave it to her, so just had to ask Riku.

"Who gave her the present Riku? Did you see the person give it?" He shook his head in respond.

"I didn't see the person drop it off. Must know Namine though if he or she knows it's her birthday today."

"I wonder…" Kairi thought.

Roxas was off as a loner sitting by himself by the fountain just reading a book listening to his earphones. Too bad it ended when Kairi sat by him and pulled his earphones away from him. "Hey! I was listening to that!"

"Look, I know you're the one who gave Namine the present," Kairi confronted.

"What?" he rudely said. "Gonna tell the others and have it taken away because it's from me?" Roxas sure wasn't in the mood to talk to either one of his friends but Kairi would be the only one trying to at least speak to him once in a while. He should at least be happy she is still talking to him.

"No, my question is why?" she asked him. "Why give her present after what happen?"

"Look Kairi, you should leave before Sora gets mad at you for being with me," Roxas warned her. "You saw what happen when you first tried to make contact with me."

"But Roxas…"

"Just go okay," he ordered. What can Kairi do to repair their friendship? He is the one why Namine is what she is today but at the same time it feels like Namine had taken away all his friends including his brother from him. It just didn't feel right. "Go Kairi." With that she left him alone. She walked off taking a last glance at him. "Roxas… please don't be like this."

Namine's friends were tempting her to open the present but she would just shake her head gripping onto the item. When Kairi was about to return, she could see the whole thing happening. It looked like the present was too special to open, so she intervenes the situation. "Guys! Don't tempt Namine to open her present. It could be from a secret admirer," she sang poking Namine with her elbow. "No?" Namine shook her head. "Okay, well, it was better off when you had your portable dry erase board. Can't believe you forgot it at home today."

Cloud was in the kitchen feeding Hoshi. He puts the dog food in his bowl when at the same time; Hoshi was already staring and drooling at the food from the ground below. Once he puts it down, he just dived his head in. "You were that hungry boy? Man can you eat fast." He leaves the kitchen taking a seat on the couch in the living room. For the past days, Aerith has been on the agency's computer seeing any traces left of her husband. Guess after the search for Namine influenced her to do the same with her husband. He would want her to finally rejoin her lost husband but at the same time, he didn't want that to happen. He wanted her for himself. Talk about being selfish right?

Aerith was coming down with a shoebox with her. "Wow, I found this all of a sudden," she said. "And guess who it belongs to?"

"Let me guess… Zack?" Cloud answered.

"Yep, you're right." Aerith then just dropped the box onto the coffee table. "I forgot I actually brought this along since we left." She took a seat next to Cloud and opens up the box bringing it to her knees. The first thing in the box was of course a set of pictures in separated by envelopes. "Pictures!" Each one would always have in it either with his friends, family, and some of his accomplishments. While looking at some of the pictures, Aerith noticed. It was a familiar blonde and Zack himself. "Cloud, is that you?" Cloud stopped looking at another set of pictures and looked at the one Aerith was showing him. She was right and it was he and the two just stared at the pictures.

~ Secret Agent Kairi ~

"Cloud do you know Zack?" Aerith asked him.

"I… I don't remember," he answered rubbing his forehead. After, he started to get a headache and just went into the kitchen to get some water. While he gets water and ice from the fridge, he begins to see images in his head of an island and him and Zack running away from something. He was having some kind of flashback, which he did could not remember.

"Cloud?" Aerith had her left on his right shoulder to check up on him. "What's wrong?" Next thing she knew, he just fainted to the ground. "Cloud!"

Kairi and her friends were in Namine's room still figuring out what to do for her birthday. Her, Sora, and Namine were on Namine's king size bed while the others were on the ground watching TV or playing their portable system like a DS or a PSP. "How bout we head into the city and go to the place where you and me got together Sora?" she suggested lying on Sora's chest on her back. Namine swiftly wrote on her board and wrote in caps: NO. Along with: That's should be you and Sora's special place.

"Thanks Namine," Kairi wonderful said. "But seriously." Her voice then changed tone to serious. "We need a way to celebrate your special day."

"I was thinking another sleepover here," Sora suggested. "We can just be here all night, play games, watch movies, and do some fun things. Heck, we'll even bake a cake for you Namine!" He smiled at her and she too.

"Good thinking Sora," But wait, we don't have extra clothes," Kairi pointed out. Namine then wiped her board and wrote something new. It said: Don't worry; my house has clothes for us that I'm sure we can all fit in.

"That reminds me," Olette slyly said. "So Namine, when does uh… the spring line come out?" she asked. Again, Namine gave a reply on her board that read: Wait women! Everybody laughed at the response including her but she just would make a giggle not opening her mouth. Next to her, she saw her sketchbook. She remembered all the depressing pictures she had drawn the past week and was deciding to buy another already. There was still a few pages left but want did not want to look back on that particular one in a while. Then there was Roxas' mysterious present sitting on her desk wondering what he had given her.

"Then I guess that's the plan. A nice fun party here at Namine's house!" Hayner cheered with his fist in the air.

"Yeah Hayner," Pence said getting up slowly putting his raised hand down. "You're no superhero." Another a few laughs rang in the room at the scene.

Cloud was slowly waking up in him and Aerith's bedroom. He was staring up at the ceiling and got up. It was still the afternoon and the sun was still up in the sky as it shines down the bedroom window. Aerith then came in noticing him awake. "Oh, you're awake now," she said taking a seat on the side of bed. "You gave me quite a scared when you feel to the ground like that."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Like I said, you feel to ground and blackout. I asked if you knew Zack but you said you don't remember, got a headache, went to kitchen to get water and that's when you fainted."

"I'm sorry to have startled you like that."

"It's okay." She handed him a cup of water and he accepted it taking a sip. "I'm used to it. Seen it happen many time in my lifetime."

"Aerith…"

"Yeah?"

"What was the mission Zack went on? Did it ever involve some… island?" he asked her.

"As a matter of fact, it did," she replied as she saw his head shot up while holding the cup between him. "I know this may sound weird but back then, Kingdom Hearts was interested in the paranormal. I guess it was like that because Aqua had a strange past. Did you know she had a brother?"

"No, I really didn't know," Cloud answered while he listens to the story to see if some things would make sense to him.

"Yeah, neither did any of us knew but one time she told us about him. It was when she was a teenager and it was wintertime. Her brother had disappeared and went out to look out for him. He had told her where he was going but didn't return. That was when she came upon a mansion but not just any mansion. It was the Himuro Mansion." (In the original "Fatal Frame", that was the name of the main setting of the game. You can see where some things will be going BUT it will be part of the story. Not some filler made-for-fun chapter)

"The Himuro Mansion?" Cloud asked. He has heard about that place. It was reported one of the most haunted places in Japan because it is said that a family was murdered there.

"Yep, she finds out about this ceremony and what happens there. She stopped from there saying she didn't want to speak of it again but that was when she lost her brother at that time."

"And the island connection?"

"Right! Sorry, moving forward. Yes, his mission was to investigate an island and he had a partner with him."

"Was I his… partner?" he asked.

"I don't know. I never met the guy but if he is you, then how come you have no memory of it or him up until now?"

"I still don't know the answer for myself."

Roxas was hanging out at the Highwind by himself and Cid gave him his order asking him where the other at. Of course, he lied about that saying he had to run some errands while they had free time. He never felt so alone so much because he would always be with someone by his side. Even when doing homework or studying, Sora would be with him but that's all change since he practically abandon him and their parents are wondering why the sudden change. He even sort of isolates himself from his family with Sora and his dad helping their mom with the baby coming into their lives in the near future.

On the table, he also had his book of songs that he had written. The recent ones that were written have been sad, depressing making all of them ballads. He knew him and Namine were in such an emo state but each day it would slowly feel less badly than what it did before. Another song came to his head and got his pen and started to write.

"Hello Roxas," said a familiar voice. Roxas looked who it was and it was his principal, Rinoa. "Funny to see bump you here. Shouldn't you be with Kairi them? I heard it's Namine's birthday."

"Really Ms. Heartilly? You know why I'm not with them," he said nicely trying to have a hint of anger in his voice. He wouldn't want to be talking back to his principal. She walked to him and took a seat across from him.

"Sorry, it's just that this week has been drag."

"Got that right?"

"So how are things?" Now he felt like he was in therapy.

"Okay I guess."

"Your lips say you are but your eyes say something another thing." Damn, she was good. Did she major in psychology or something for college?

"It's just, my friends don't really like me anymore after what happen. They distant themselves from me and so have I," he explain to her principal. "And I feel like I can't be friends with Namine anymore because I know she can't forgive me. And if she did, she most likely to have doubts letting back in."

"Now, not to chose any sides here but I can says liking was your decision Roxas. You can't blame yourself. You can't force yourself to just have feelings for someone when you really don't. Although I don't approve of you not telling time her sooner about it either." Wow, even his principal was right but what he liked about it was that she wasn't taking sides and being judgmental. She just sat there listening to him to elaborate what's going on and to help him.

"I still feel like crap for treating her Namine like that," Roxas admits.

"Maybe this will all blow over later but you have to give it some time, you know, take some baby steps," she told him. "Now did you ever give her present?" He nodded.

"Yeah and surprisingly, she accepted it. I went back to the rooftop to see if she did and it was gone."

"That's could be a good start. What was in it?"

"I rather keep that a secret Ms. Heartilly. It's something I know she would love but now I question if she is going to open it or what she thinks if she did open it."

~ Secret Agent Kairi ~

Sora and Kairi chose to make the cake. Making the cake would take hours, so it had to be done now. However, Kairi had no experience in the cooking field and neither did Sora. Now both were wondering why did they volunteer to make the cake and ask for no help. "Okay, so uh, where do start Sora?" Kairi asked looking clueless around the kitchen.

"Hmm…" he was thinking rubbing his chin. "We get a cook book."

"Of course, I knew that!" Kairi dumbly said going through some of the cabinets. "Which would be where?" she asked not finding a single trace of it. Sora then just pointed to the cookbook on a stand on the island that was in the middle of the kitchen. Kairi opened the book and asked Sora what cake should they make. He had no clue either.

"Hey Namine!" Sora asked from the door of her room. "What is your favorite type of cake?"

"Namine writes…" Riku trailed off waiting for Namine's response. "Red velvet cake. You think you and Kairi can make that?"

"Pssh… of course!" Sora answered. None of their friends question if they could even cooks seeing how they volunteer to do it while they were singing and dancing in the room. "One red velvet cake coming up!" Sora comes down the stairs and into the kitchen as Kairi was going through the cook. Her mom made cooking look easy and being her daughter was just sad.

"What are we making Chef Sora?" she asked.

"Red velvet cake Namine said," he answered while Kairi flips through the book searching for it. She kept repeating the cake name to memorize the name and found it.

"Got it, the cool part of this is that it says the difficulty level and this cake is…" Kairi darted her eyes to see it. "HARD! It says we have to make from scratch if we don't have the mix! Sora," she whined in a baby voice. "We can't make this if we have no experience."

"Don't worry, we will make it!" he confidently said.

"Yeah," she copied what he did.

Namine was flipping through some magazines about fashion. She never really cared for fashion but just decided to get into it seeing how she would just get a new set of clothes each season. Her closet was becoming a mall but lucky Olette and Xion were there to take some with Yuffie taking a few too. By her side was Riku. He sure has been hanging with her and her friends more but mainly here. It made her feel like he was here to help her. To heal her and to move on. But if she were to grow an attraction towards him, can she let him in after what happened with Roxas? She just didn't know, so she just had to watch out for herself.

"Namine!" Yuffie pulled her out from her bed. "While Kairi and Sora bake your cake, we will have a fashion and everyone has to participate." Emphasis on the word: everyone. "That include you too gentlemen." Their reaction was a groan while the girls cheered wanting to see it happen. "Don't worry, Riku and I are your audience. Now I will be the spokesperson explaining while everyone tries on whatever is in that mall of a closet. Now go!"

"But I don't want to do it!" Pence complained getting dragged by Olette whom was also dragging Hayner was dragging.

"Oh yes you will!" she demanded.

"I can't fit in one of those!" Pence told her.

"We will make it fit!"

"Great, I'm going to have a 'White Chicks' moment!" Pence complained.

Yuffie pressed the play the button on the iHome and the song, "Crazy in Love/Hair" from "Glee", played in the background. "Alright, time for the fashion show!" she shouted. "And our first model is…" Olette then appeared wearing an orange dress with flowers on it and a matching big hat that had feathers. Then strut down her way on the carpet floor like it was a runway. "Here is Olette wearing an elegant orange dress with cute flowers." Yuffie then noticed something. "Hey! You have something similar to that only it was a top!"

"Now is not the time Yuffie." Xion came up and was wearing a short black pajama top made of silk.

"Whoa! Sexy over here! Xion is a beautiful short raven-haired girl and loves to help people. And boy can she really help you out," Yuffie said. Next up were Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Now everybody in the room was wondering what was going to happen. The song kept playing and the three came up with the guys wearing wigs. Namine was between Hayner and Pence and both just walked the "runway". The ones watching including Olette and Xion were cheering. Hayner and Pence then just wipe lash their hair around and Hayner's one came off.

"Don't hate me cuz' I'm beautiful," he said in a really feminine voice.

~ Secret Agent Kairi ~

Sora and Kairi were making… some success. They manage to make the gather the ingredients, measure how much was need, and preheat the oven that took them ten minutes to figure out. "Okay, let's just listen to instructions from the book," Kairi said. "Do as I say Sora."

"Got it!"

"Now mix the eggs, vegetable shortening, and sugar in the bowl," she ordered. Sora just stared at the items required and decided to just dump them whole with the eggs still intact. The cracking noise made Kairi look what he was doing. "Sora! You were supposed to crack open the eggs! Don't you see your mom do it?"

"No, I usually get ready first before eating breakfast," he replied. Now they have to start over since Sora messed it up.

Later on…

"Now everything is going smooth. The frosting is turning out very well," Kairi said while mixing it with the electric mixer. "Cake is in the oven and all is left is the frosting."

"And all this mess we made," Sora said looking at the mess. Kairi just sighed.

"I really don't wanna clean that up but we mine as well. We dropped some eggs…" Kairi was looking around but couldn't see the egg mess. "Somewhere and someone could slip you know," she said turning off the mixer. "Time to clean up, so-" Kairi soon slipped onto the floor. There were the eggs.

"Kairi!" Sora ran to her aid to have slip on the eggs to and one way or another, he hit the pack flour, which was open still, with his hand and it fell both on him and Kairi. Now their uniforms where ruined. "My favorite tie is ruined!" Kairi had an aversion look.

"There all the same!" Then Kairi raised her eyebrow. "Hey Sora, got something on you face."

"What?" Next thing he knew, she flicked flour in his face even though was already covered in it. The two slowly get up. "Hey Kairi," he said picking up two eggs and Kairi was afraid what he would do next. "I just learned," He smashed them together sending it to the top of Kairi's head. "How to crack an egg." The two just glared at each other. Before you know it, both started to grab random things off the counter top into their hands and throw it. There were screams, ducking, and throwing all over the place.

Soon Kairi eyed the frosting bowl and so did Sora. Both were out of ammo and the kitchen was already a huge mess from their little food fight. Kairi lunged for the bowl and caught while Sora just missed and fell to the ground. Kairi was now carrying the bowl chasing Sora as he got up and ran around the kitchen. "Imma get you Sora!" Kairi screeched throwing pieces at him.

"Not in this life-" Sora slipped again on eggs.

"I got you now!" After, Kairi slipped and fell on Sora chest letting a breath out of him but where was the bowl? Kairi rolled off Sora's chest as both looked at the ceiling, but it was actually the bowl coming down on them and it fell on them including the frosting all over their face. Lucky the bowl was made of plastic. Sora then used his finger wiping off a piece of frosting off her face tasting it.

"Mmm, taste good." Kairi leaned over him and licked his cheek tasting the frosting.

"Yep, taste good!" The two then locked lips on the kitchen tasting the sweetness of the frosting also.

"What happened here?!" a familiar face screamed. Too bad their moment was ruined and the two slowly revealed where they were making a small laugh. "Sora! Kairi!" That voice belonged to Yuffie. The ones who did the small fashion were still wearing their outfits. Namine wrote the same thing Yuffie previously said.

"We made your cake didn't we?" Kairi weakly said and the timer went off indicating the cake was done.

Later on again…

Kairi was sitting in front of Namine's mirror brushing her wet and shiny hair. Took them a while to clean the kitchen after the mess she and Sora made but lucky their friends were nice enough to pitch in to help. Her friends and boyfriend were in pajamas already including her. The cake was sitting on the nightstand by Namine's bed. It was time for movies and everybody was going to eat the cake. Namine thanked her and Sora even though they complete thrashed her kitchen. While brushing her hair, Namine came into view and showed her what she wrote. It said: You know who gave the present don't you? Kairi closed her eyes for a second and nodded.

"Do you know what is in it?" she asked her friend. Namine shook her head. That means she didn't open it yet and it was the only present she got. "I was wondering do you still hate him?" Again, she wrote another message. It read: Not anymore but I just don't wanna be part of his life anymore. I want to forget him." Was there a slight chance the two could be friends again? Some hate Roxas such as Sora, Xion and Olette while some feel mutual like Hayner, Pence, and Yuffie.

"Riku seems to take an interest in you, you know," Kairi spotted. Namine did not give a response and she would know why. If he did, can she trust another guy to see if he does have real feelings instead of just pretending like Roxas did? She just didn't know. "As your friend Namine, I say it's your decision and you will find the answer sometime." Namine then just smiled and hugged her.

Yeah, I know. Roxas showed up like only three times but he has to become distant from the gang thus less scenes. Nonetheless, I do have a story for him but I need to find a way to start. You see, that last scene with him and Rinoa was never really planned. It was when he meets Axel (Lea) but it felt out of place, so I decided to do it later on.

Next up, the story will move forward to March to capture their spring break. And, Merry Christmas you guys!

Thanks for reading this chapter and review please!