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In an alternate universe, Kairi gives Sora the charm before they 'set sail.' Maybe they never do set sail, maybe the heartless still come and swallow their island up. That sunset on the pier, where Sora says 'You've changed, Kairi,' she says instead, 'Maybe. Here. I made this for you. So that we'll always find each other.'
And Sora looks at her in question, because in his mind, they'll always be together. Even if the raft works, and they leave this place, and find wherever Kairi came from - or maybe some place new. But she knows better. She lost everyone she knew before this place, before Sora greeted her on one of her first days here, with his big smile and warm gaze. 'You never know what will happen, once we set sail. I want to make sure our destinies are intertwined.'
Sora laughs, taking the charm, and says, 'Of course, we'll always be together.'
Because he doesn't know. He's never gone through it before. He may not be able to imagine what's coming. Even if the darkness didn't swallow up their world later, even if they managed to sail the raft to some other world - together - life would make them grow apart. That's what happens, when you grow up. Sora doesn't understand yet, all the things Kairi fears. That she knows about. That Sora will know too, eventually.
In another universe, Riku still throws Sora the paopu fruit, and says, 'You wanted to try one, didn't you?' But in that universe, he continues, 'We can each have a piece. That way we'll always be together.'
Sora looks at him just as confused, just like he did the way it really happened. But this time, he might say, 'Why wouldn't we be? You're my best friend. You're acting weird, Riku.'
And maybe, if Riku was really brave, in that universe he'd say that he has been a bit strange, lately. That there's so much held inside, that he's scared to say, but he'll say anyway. Things like 'You know how much I want to leave the island, right? I think if we leave, I can learn to protect you better.'
Sora, with that way of his, would look at Riku with his head tilted and his voice more joking uncertainty than mocking: 'You don't need to protect me, Riku! I'm just as tough as you. Our score is one to one, remember?' Then he laughs, hoping the awkwardness ends.
But Sora doesn't get it. Doesn't remember the men who showed up on their beach and said strange things when they were little. Maybe he's never heard the voice beyond the door with no handle, in the Secret Place. Maybe he's never felt the creeping shadows, the way they seem to get bigger every day.
And maybe Riku doesn't want him to get it, not completely. Because he wants to spare Sora the pain of knowing. So he still chooses not to elaborate, and just laughs too, letting the moment end.
More selfishly, he doesn't want to admit that he also wants to keep Sora for himself. Ever since Kairi arrived, years ago, Sora's split his attention. Which was normal - Sora spends time with all the kids, he's friendly that way. But then they all got older. And Kairi started to look at Sora with a peculiar look in her eye. Started to want Sora to speak with her alone, without Riku around. And Riku thinks she wants Sora to herself.
Sora wanted Kairi to come with them. When they planned this trip to leave. Riku agreed, because he'd give Sora anything, and Kairi is Riku's friend too, after all. But he heard from Selphie, the other day, she heard Kairi suggesting they leave without Riku.
How can Riku protect Sora if they leave Riku behind?
Maybe if Sora shares a paopu fruit with him, then he'd know Sora still wants him nearby. Whatever changes, however Kairi feels.
But in their universe, Riku just throws the paopu and doesn't ask to share it with Sora. Instead he wonders, if he gives Sora the choice to simply use it, if Sora will only think of Kairi - and leave Riku behind.
In their universe, Riku holds his hand out to Sora as the darkness is engulfing them - and Sora doesn't take his hand.
In another universe, Kairi manages to tell Sora she loves him, while they're in The World That Never Was. Even though there was never a perfect time, and even though she wanted to get them back home as quickly as they could. Despite the hallow emptiness of that place, the unsettling atmosphere, for the first time in a long time, she felt like she was really home. Because Sora was there again, finally there, with her. And for as long as she can remember, home is Sora.
In their universe, a door opens, and she goes through, and Sora doesn't. Sora and Riku stay behind, prevented by some force or thing. They're gone for a while, and she fears the worst. She fears more long waits until she can see her friends again.
She fears that Sora has chosen Riku over her.
Then Sora and Riku finally arrive, thanks to a letter she threw out into the universe a while back. She doesn't need to tell Sora - he must know. He must know how she feels, right? He came back to her, after all.
In another universe, Riku tells Sora, on that dark beach, as the waves crash, how much Sora means to him. But even in the dark, with hope of ever escaping vanishing by the minute, he's terrified. To voice aloud how he feels, is to risk the finality of learning Sora doesn't feel the same. There's a chance that in that other universe, where he does tell Sora he loves him, that Sora says he doesn't love him back. What a scary thing.
And so in this universe, the reality that occured, he says he cares. But not the extent.
Sora is so happy, when they return to their other friends. Riku realizes it's selfish, it leads nowhere good, to harbor some irrational hope they would have stayed in that darkness forever - together. That's what led him down this whole road, this mess with Ansem the Heartless and being so consumed for so long. He was jealous. Jealous of losing the person he treasured most, jealous of the whole world stealing Sora away, and Maleficent fed into it, made that feeling grow.
Now he realizes, he's yet another thing he must protect Sora from. Sora deserves the world, and all those people in it, all those people he opens his heart to and shares it with. Sora has enough love for all of them, Riku doesn't have to fear it will exclude him.
Though, in a way, he still does. He knows Kairi feels the same.
Both of them let jealousy get the better of them, eat them up inside, at least a little. And now, they're both playing nice.
Riku does care about her. He's just as glad to see her on their island, as he is to see all their other friends. But that special look she gives just to Sora - Riku knows how that feels. He looks at Sora the same way.
And he doesn't know if Sora understands. If he realizes Riku and Kairi look at him that way. If he knows what it means. If he does, then he never mentions it. And if he doesn't? Well, Riku wouldn't be surprised. Sora's always been slower to mature than them. Always been ready to give his heart away to everyone, to insist he's got enough room for the whole universe, and yet not realize what it is he wants for himself.
In another universe, Kairi's charm works. Riku wishes he'd made Sora share a paopu fruit with him, and just worked up the nerve to ask him to eat one together, all the way back at the start of this journey - as silly and embarrassing as the request would have been.
But Kairi's charm doesn't work. And Riku's will to find Sora, no matter the cost - to keep him, to keep him safe (even if he's happier with others) ends up just a promise he can't keep.
Kairi takes Sora up on that tree, where the three of them sat together and watched the sunset for endless nights, and Riku thinks - whatever happens, at least Sora can choose. Can tell them what he wants. Whatever that is. He'll always be their friend.
And then Sora disappears.
Apart from them both.
They don't know how to find him. All the things they could have done different, and still they would be left here. Desperate to see him again. Terrified they might not.