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“Kairi, come closer!” Sora cried. They were on their honeymoon, and while he wanted to be with her always, right now he also wanted her to join him on this particular hammock.
They were on a world tour, starting on the Destiny Islands. They'd already spent a wonderful night and day together after the wedding, and the sun sank low over the waves, setting the world on fire.
Kairi lingered in the surf, one with the sea, just like her name suggested. The golden sunlight glinted on her ruby-red hair that graced her shoulders, and even her silhouette was stunning. She wore a purple bikini and floral sarong wrap that together hugged her curves in all the right places, teasing him and drawing his gaze.
She turned to him and smiled as she tucked her hair behind her ear, and it hit him all over again just how lucky he was to be her husband. His face flushed and his heart raced and his mouth returned her smile.
“Gimme a sec, I have something I wanna give you,” she said. He perked up, intrigued, and she giggled into her hand in her charming Kairi way. When she walked right past him towards the cozy bungalow where they were staying, however, he couldn't help but whine.
“Not that kind of gift, silly, though there will be plenty of that later," she added with a wink and a knowing smile, looking him up and down with an admiring gleam in her eyes.
Gulp. He could've melted into a puddle on the hammock right then and there. He stared after her even after she'd entered the bungalow, blushing and grinning to himself like the lovesick fool he was.
When at last she reemerged from the bungalow, its twinkle lights sparkling like little stars, she held something behind her back as she strolled towards him. He craned his neck, trying to see, but she playfully chided him.
“Not just yet, there's something I want to say first," she said as she came to a stop in front of him. She seemed almost…shy, which was so unlike her, especially after everything they'd shared over the course of their lives…and last night.
“Sora, over the years I've written you letters," she began, and he smiled and nodded. He treasured every single one of those letters and had them all still. They'd gotten him through some tough times.
“But what I haven't told you, what I haven't told anyone, actually…is that I've also kept a diary with letters addressed to you.” She presented it, a thick red volume with worn edges like an old, familiar friend she'd returned to often.
Sora was speechless for a few moments, his mind and heart trying to process it all. “You really…for me?” he finally managed, accepting the precious book from her outstretched hands with trembling fingers.
“Yup," she said, biting her lip and smiling. “I started when…Well, you'll see.”
He opened the book to start reading, but she yelped and slammed it shut. Confused, he searched her eyes for answers.
“Sorry, could you read it later, like when I'm asleep?” She ducked her head, a flush spreading up her cheeks. “I'm a little embarrassed is all."
"Embarrassed? Why? This is such a beautiful gift, Kairi.”
She met his eyes and smiled. “Thank you. I just get self-conscious about what I've written sometimes, and this is all so personal."
“Well, I'm sure I'll love it. I just wish I had something like this for you.” All this time, she had been planning this special gift just for him, and he was just sitting here empty-handed.
She smiled and joined him on the hammock, her familiar warmth and the scent of strawberries and flowers greeting him. “Just getting to be with you is enough," she said, leaning against his shoulder and sighing in contentment.
“You can say that again," he replied, leaning his head against hers and taking her calloused hand in his scarred, weathered one.
For so long, this moment hadn't been possible, and now that it was, now that it was real, Sora was never gonna take it or Kairi for granted, not ever.
Together, they watched the sun sink below the horizon and the stars come out to greet the night. He and Kairi were together, and he couldn't imagine a more perfect way to close the day.
Later, when Kairi was fast asleep beside him, the two of them curled up together on their bed in the bungalow, he smiled and kissed her cheek. A breeze blew through the open windows and cooled them down, and he pulled the cover over her bare shoulder. She stirred slightly before settling back into her dreams, which he hoped were pleasant ones.
It was time. He grabbed the red diary from the bedside table and opened it to the first page. A letter in purple ink greeted him.
Dear Sora,
You're gone, and even though the stars are back, it feels like there's no light left in the sky. And yet I know we'll meet again, like we promised.
I went to the secret place and found your drawing. I hope you see what I added to it someday. I want to share the paopu fruit with you for real.
When you sacrificed yourself for me, I realized just how much you mean to me. I wish I'd realized sooner and could have told you sooner. Now we’re separated again.
Well, I'll tell you here until I can tell you for real. I love you, Sora, and deep down, my heart tells me I always will. I think you love me too, and I'll always trust you to come home to me, just like we promised.
Love,
Kairi
Sora wiped his eyes and smiled. Fourteen! Kairi had only been fourteen when she'd written this letter. He glanced at her sleeping soundly beside him and wanted to lift her into his arms and hold her tight.
But no, she needed her rest, and there was still so much diary left to read. The next few entries were general life updates and hopes he was doing well. Then there were increasingly panicked entries as her memories of him slipped out from under her fingers.
His heart ached for her. Forgetting him must've been so awful.
The entry the day she remembered him, though? Sheer joy and relief. His own heart filled with gladness for her as her anticipation over seeing him again grew and grew and grew. He was swept into her journey as he kept reading, the highs and lows and everything in between.
His loss for over a year was a low that still scarred her heart, and he laid the diary aside temporarily to kiss her cheek. She smiled in her sleep, and it eased his mind a little.
Picking the diary back up, he continued. This book had been to Quadratum and had accompanied Kairi on her journey back to his side—and for everything that had happened since.
The final entry was from the night before their wedding.
Dear Sora,
What a wonderful journey it's been these past seven years. I can't wait to marry you tomorrow and spend the rest of our lives together. We'll go on so many more adventures hand-in-hand, I just know it.
I love you, with all my heart. You're always on my mind, and I'll treasure every memory of you for the rest of my days—your smile, your laughter, your jokes, your eyes as big and beautiful as the sky. Your strong arms and gentle hands that always protect me and draw me close. Your big, kind, tender heart that beats for our friends and for me. Your spiky brown hair no one can tame.
You're a part of me, and I'm a part of you, and nothing and nobody can ever take that away from us.
Tomorrow, we’ll make what we promised long ago official in front of our friends and family. I can't wait to call you my husband in front of everyone and for you to call me your wife. It just feels like it was always meant to be, and now the day is almost here.
Well, until then!
Love,
Your wife, Kairi
Sora slowly closed the diary, happy tears dripping out of his eyes and a big smile on his face. The very first streaks of dawn stretched across the sky outside, a brand new day with a whole bunch of possibilities. He wiped his eyes and searched the bungalow as quietly as he could for some paper and a pen.
He knew exactly what he wanted to do.
Kairi awoke to the delicious smells of breakfast wafting to her nose. Yawning, she sat up and stretched. Sunlight streamed through the window. Sora wasn't by her side for morning cuddles, nor was he at the little breakfast table nearby. A delicious-looking spread graced the table though, and she stumbled out of bed and threw on one of Sora’s shirts, then went over to investigate.
He'd made all her favorites—grilled fish, freshly caught, piping hot miso soup, tasty pickled veggies, and several slices of ripe paopu fruit. He'd even made her favorite kind of tea, strawberry with vanilla, and propped in front of the steaming mug was a carefully-folded letter. She sat down and started reading.
Dear Kairi,
I read your diary to me last night. Seven years worth of entries and memories in precious letter after precious letter. I asked myself, how can I ever begin to repay such an amazing gift?
Then I realized: one day at a time. I'm gonna write you a love letter every day for the rest of our lives, even if it's more like a short note or even just a text some days when we’re on missions. Of course I'll write proper letters like this when I can. I just want you to know each and every day how much I love you and how much you mean to me.
I'll pick something different to focus on each time, and for this first letter, it has to be your smile. I love seeing you so happy. I love seeing the look in your eyes when you're smiling at me, how soft and tender and affectionate and playful it is. I can't wait to wake up next to you and see your beautiful smile day after day, and I'm gonna find every reason in the world to make you smile.
I'm so glad we got married and that we've got the rest of our lives to look forward to together. You're the most wonderful person I've ever met, and I'm so proud and happy to be your husband.
Thank you, Kairi, for choosing me.
Love,
Your husband, Sora
Kairi wiped her eyes, a big smile on her face. Leave it to that sweet, romantic dork to make her cry on their honeymoon. She set the letter down and searched for him. The food could wait for now. She wanted to hug him and kiss him and—
There, outside. He was standing on the beach, feet in the surf, face towards the horizon. He wore a simple black tank top that accentuated his arm muscles nicely, plus a pair of his favorite baggy shorts. The golden light shone on his spiky hair, and she couldn't help but smile at seeing him, her heart skipping a few beats even after all this time.
“Sora!” she called as she raced towards him. He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled as bright as the sun. He held his arms out, always ready to welcome her into his warm, loving embrace.
She threw her arms around him, and he held her tight. “Thank you for the letter and for breakfast,” she said, breathing deeply of his comforting, familiar scent of sea-salt breeze and sun mixed with his favorite cologne.
“Thank you for the diary, Kairi. I read every last page last night. Couldn't put it down.”
Her eyes widened. “The entire thing, all in one night?" she asked, pulling away to search his face. She supposed he had said in his letter that he'd read it, but she assumed there had been skimming of certain parts and that he hadn't made it all the way through just yet.
He nodded, grinning. ”The entire thing, all in one night. And I meant what I said in my letter."
She smiled and squeezed his hand. ”I know. I want to do the same for you. Keep writing you love letters for the rest of our days."
His smile got bigger. ”Please do," he said, then kissed her tenderly. A wonderful greeting good morning kiss promising a lifetime of possibilities.
Afterwards, she found his hand and led him to the bungalow. “I need to finish eating, and you probably need some sleep," she explained.
He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head. “That I do. I haven't slept a wink yet."
“Sora!" she playfully chided, then made a big fuss of tucking him into bed and kissing him good night…er, good morning. He loved being fussed over and was soon fast asleep, a contented little smile on his face.
“Lazy bum," she said softly, her heart full of love as she kissed his cheek. Then she ate her now-cold-but-still-delicious breakfast as she glanced at her snoozing husband.
After cleaning up, she reached into her suitcase and pulled out another diary. This one was blue, and on the first page, she’d written “Our Life Together," and the next few pages were already filled with letters from their wedding night as well as last night.
Smiling, she turned to a blank page and began a new one.