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It may not have been very long since Naminé had a physical form, but in Kairi’s eyes, it was too long. Upon her request, Yen Sid allowed Kairi to take the other girl there. She wasn’t ready to start training again. The last battle was so devastating. Kairi lost her body, she choked when she had the opportunity to prove herself, and now Sora was gone after saving everyone. Soon she would have to get over herself enough to train more, to build her strength to start looking for him. But for today, she just needed the flow of time to stop. She needed to breathe, to cope, and she wanted to spend time with Naminé.
The secret forest was a special place. Time flows differently here, but it’s still always beautiful. Kairi only spent time here to train, but it was still a place she felt at peace. For a long while, she wanted to take Naminé here. The two girls never had a moment alone since they met.
It wasn’t fair.
Naminé hadn’t spoken much since she woke up again. After Riku picked her up in the Gummi Ship, the only place she had been was Destiny Islands. So many people were there, but Naminé wanted a more relaxed moment. That’s why she gravitated towards Xion. Together they gathered seashells and watched the sea. Naminé enjoyed those moments. She really was lucky to be able to have a joyous memory with Xion. Now, she was grateful to have one with Kairi, too.
The girls found themselves sitting on a large patch of grass outside the forest, the sky clear as can be. Kairi was busy making flower crowns out of the native wildflowers, while Naminé sat on her side with her hands folded neatly in her lap. She was soaking in the sun’s warmth—it was gentler and comforting here. On Destiny Islands the sunlight was harsher and brighter. Here, she felt safe.
Kairi took a look over at Naminé. She had been really quiet ever since the two arrived at the forest. Her face wasn’t sad, but her eyes seemed glossy, and her smile seemed fragile. While it was no secret that Naminé was more soft spoken compared to their other friends, it was odd for her to be this speechless.
“Naminé, is everything okay?” Kairi asked her gently.
Silently breathing in the fresh air, Naminé nodded. She turned to Kairi with a smile. “Everything is wonderful.”
Kairi smiled back at her. There was a lot she couldn’t understand about Naminé, but she knew that experiencing this feeling for herself was heartwarming. Kairi didn’t have a physical body for a little while, but that was nothing compared to what Naminé experienced. Everything Kairi experienced was with her own senses, her own body, her own heart. Naminé only lived most of her consciousness through another. Trying to imagine what it was like to feel, smell, see, and hear the world, even taste it, all at once, with no stakes or time limit was impossible for Kairi, but she could only imagine.
“How does it feel?” she asked, getting excited for her friend.
“Amazing,” Naminé replied simply. Her eyes stayed at the horizon, watching the sun reach its golden hour.
Kairi giggled. “That’s all?” she teased.
“What do you mean “that’s all?” Isn’t amazing more than enough?” Naminé asked back, her smile not leaving her lips.
“I just thought you would have more to say. It’s your first time seeing a place like this, right?”
Naminé paused, wringing her hands as she spoke. “Not exactly…”
This surprised Kairi. But admittedly, the two girls never had a proper chance to talk about anything before they met in The World That Never Was. Kairi just assumed she was there the entire time.
“Really? What do you mean?” Kairi asked, interested to hear what Naminé lived to see.
“When Sora was still asleep, and Roxas was separated from him, I lived in this old mansion. Nobody else was there, and it was run down and dirty,” she explained. “But, the mansion was hidden inside a forest outside of Twilight Town. Finding the forest was a bit tricky itself. I was mostly there alone, but I did get to look outside the windows a lot and admire the trees. This place… it reminds me of my old home.
“I think that’s why I like this place so much,” she continued. “It’s familiar, but without the loneliness I felt for so long. I’m here with you.”
Naminé turned to face Kairi fully, her smile wider than ever. “I’m really happy to spend this time with you, Kairi.”
“Me, too,” Kairi told her, her smile matching Naminé’s.
After sharing their smiles, Naminé stood up, walking closer towards the sun, wanting to take in the full moment. She stood about ten feet away from Kairi, her hands held behind her back as she was embraced by the wind and the sunbeams. Kairi continued to give Naminé her space, and started progress on the flower crowns again.
As Naminé overlooked the pasture outside the forest, her chest felt full, but not heavy. She felt light. The touch of nature around her felt welcoming. Even back when she had a physical form before she met Kairi, she never felt like this before. Could this be what having a heart really is?
And this was only the beginning.
Naminé never expected to feel so much from so little. Emotionally, and physically. Her entire body felt warm from the sun, but she also felt goosebumps from the wind tickling her skin. The wind felt like it was pushing her, but the grass made her feel secure, like she would never fall over no matter how strong the winds could be. Each blade of grass tickled the exposed parts of her feet that her sandals couldn’t hide. Most shockingly, she didn’t feel scared despite being so close to a cliff. Nothing here made her feel worried. Every leaf, every hum of insect wings, every flicker of the sun through the trees was incredible. Naminé didn’t even want to blink, because if she did, it was a moment she could never get back after missing it. She wanted to experience it all, and not let a single fraction of a second be wasted.
Being so caught up in all of her senses, Naminé didn’t even notice Kairi tiptoe up to her. Feeling something soft be placed upon her head caught her off guard, making her jump a bit at the new sensation. She still wasn’t used to feeling an actual heart pump in her chest. Her lips spread thin across her face as her fingers graced gently against the petals of the wildflowers. They were so fragile, but still so lovely. Naminé adored them.
Kairi took Naminé’s hands, holding them tight in her grasp. It was almost like she was afraid Naminé would disappear again. Naminé was a bit afraid herself, but she knew she wouldn’t fade away. After everything her friends did for her, she knew she was here to stay.
“This moment is ours,” Naminé told her, squeezing the other girl’s hands. “And it’s beautiful.”
Kairi just shook her head, her smile matching the blonde’s. “No, Naminé. This is your moment.”
Not understanding, Naminé tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
“We may be here together, but we are experiencing this in different ways. The way the breeze feels on your skin isn’t how it feels on mine. How the flowers feel in your hair isn’t the same as me. Even the way the air smells isn’t how it smells to me. We’re experiencing this together, but your perspective isn’t the exact same as mine. This moment is mine, but it’s your own moment, too.”
Hearing her words, tears were brought to Naminé’s eyes. Overwhelmed with warmth and adoration, she embraced the other girl. Her arms used all of her strength to hold Kairi close. She wasn’t afraid to lose her—she knew she wasn’t going to—but she wanted to use her form to show her gratitude. Kairi hugged her back just as tight, having no desire to let go of her dear friend anytime soon.
Two moments side by side, but never crossing. Parallel, no matter how close. They could be the same, just like the two girls. But, the two girls aren’t the same. They’re different. Each of them their own person, and every moment they share is the exact same as them, no matter how similar.
“Thank you, Kairi.”
“No, thank you, Naminé.”