A/N: This is the second to last chapter… enjoy!!

Chapter 31 - Leaving

School was cancelled for the rest of the day. Those who had licenses and drove their cars to school were able to leave first, but the rest had to wait for either their parents or for all of the buses to arrive. Kairi didn’t drive to school that day, so she had to wait for her mother and father to get her. She sat in Mr. Kingsley’s office as he patrolled the hallways and escorted everyone out safely. All she could do was sit in the chair and wonder why—why in the world did all of this have to happen to her? She was actually starting to wish that she never talked to Sora; that if she just left him alone then none of this would have ever happened. She never would’ve fallen in love, she never would’ve been so distant from her family and friends (not that she wasn’t already) and she never would’ve felt so much pain in her life. If she never talked to Sora, she probably would’ve been much better off…

Kairi straightened up as Mr. Kingsley walked in and went over to his desk, taking a seat in his roller chair. He smiled at her briefly and then took out a pen and a piece of paper, signed his name and set it aside. He seemed extremely anxious.

“Uh… excuse me—“

“Not now… the Channel Six news is coming… I don’t want to talk to them…”

“It’s not like you did anything…” After realizing she spoke aloud, she apologized.

Mr. Kingsley mumbled something and headed towards the door. Just as he was about to open it, there was a knock. Kairi’s parents appeared.

“K-Kerrie… Jun…” Mr. Kingsley’s eyes widened. Kairi’s father stood there in shock as well. She stood up so she could see them better. It was a very awkward and confusing moment for all of them.

“Shun Akinori, eh?”

“What??” Kairi exclaimed, repeating the last name in her head once again.

“It’s been a while,” Mrs. Hanoi seemed to be glaring at the principal. Kairi looked back and forth from her parents to Mr. Kingsley, completely confused as to what was going on.

Mr. Hanoi stepped forward, grabbed the principal by the collar and raised him up in an angry manner. “So this is where you ended up, eh?” He yelled, throwing the skinny man down. “After running away from the situation and leaving me to deal with everything? You almost got me killed, you bastard!”

“Jun… seriously, I never meant to--“ Mr. Kingsley cowered in the corner. Kairi ran in front of her father.

“Wait! Dad, we’re at school! You can’t do this!”

“I got out of it just in time… I knew you would’ve killed me next… I knew it! I made a mistake for asking you to help me!” Mr. Kingsley was trapped.

“Actually,” Mr. Hanoi said ignoring Kairi, “I probably would have… but by you running away and leaving me to pay the consequences, I think you give me an even better reason to do so! You told the police on us, I know you did!”

“Honey, calm down…” Mrs. Hanoi tried to stop him, but he pushed her down.

“Mom!” Kairi ran to her.

“Jun, you don’t want to do this… I was your friend! If I didn’t tell on you, how else could I have stopped you?”

“They couldn’t keep me in jail! I am the richest person in the world! Before you met me, you were nothing! But that was your plan all along, wasn’t it? You knew I had the power and you wanted it all for yourself! It wasn’t just about getting rid of your family… you wanted my money, didn’t you? That’s what they all want!”

“They? Who are they?” Kairi asked aloud, but no one answered her.

“N-no… I just wanted a way around the legal system and I knew you could cover up everything! I never wanted any—“

Mr. Hanoi kicked him. He was turning into a monster. The principal was close to tears. He merely stayed put, taking all the pain. Kairi begged for him to stop, but it was useless. Just as her father was about to make his next move, someone knocked and opened the door.

“What’s going on?” One of the teachers appeared.

“Oh… n-n-nothing! Mr. Kingsley rose. “This is an old friend…”

“Stop covering up the truth!” Mr. Hanoi yelled.

“Sir, Channel Six news has arrived…” she told him, looked back and forth at everyone suspiciously and then left.

0.0.0

Kyoko and Sora stood in the middle of an all white room. She smiled at him, but Sora couldn’t do the same. He just stood there and waited for her to say something.

“Rita and Kerrie were my best friends in high school. However… Kerrie became distant from us when she met Jun Hanoi, one of the richest people on Destiny Islands. She wasn’t much herself; the daughter of a middle-class woman, something Jun’s father hated. You see, Jun’s father was the boss of a mafia…”

“A mafia?” Sora asked, unsure if he wanted to know or not.

Kyoko pondered for a moment, almost not wanting to tell him herself. She straightened up and said, “Yes. They become extremely wealthy from stealing, illegal business transactions, drug trades and had done so much more… and the thing is nobody ever noticed because they were so good at being secretive. I don’t even think Kairi’s mother knew what her husband did until about ten years into their relationship…”

“So if his father hated her, why did she even date him in the first place?” Sora thought of Kairi and how much she loved him even though her father hated him. “Uh… nevermind…”

“I think that she showed him something nobody else had and almost changed him… their relationship had many struggles. Usually Kerrie would come crying to me about him on a weekly basis but I have no idea why she stayed with him. I guess it’s a good thing because you met that girl, didn’t you?” It almost sounded as if she was teasing him. Blushing, Sora shook his head.

“That’s not what we’re talking about! Stay on topic!”

Kyoko laughed and calmed down. It probably wasn’t the best time to bug him about a girlfriend, so she just continued.

“Anyway, Jun was pretty paranoid… a lot of gangs were out to get them. He would often look down on others and say how weak they are, making himself seem like somewhat of a god. Once his father was shot by a gangster, Jun took over the position and began to change a lot of things. I think that’s when he truly started to hate the ‘poor people.’ He was very close to his father and wanted to be just like him, so he didn’t want to associate with anyone ‘underneath’ him.”

“Wait… so why did my so-called father want to break it off with you so badly?”

“He hated me. I was more successful, I made more money and I was just better than him in general. He also thought I cheated on him; every time he would look at you he would be disgusted. I’m surprised he even talked to you at school.”

“But… why did he become a principal?”

“I don’t know.” Kyoko said. “Maybe he wanted a way to keep up with our lives because he knew he didn’t have the heart to kill us.”

“So he asked Kairi’s father to help him get rid of us?”

“Yes. Your father wanted a way around the legal system and since he was friends with Jun Hanoi, he decided to ask him and his mafia to ‘take us out.’ He didn’t know any other way to deal with the situation. If that mafia did kill us, nobody would’ve known. They started to form a plan that would get me in trouble so nobody would care if I died… and I guess that’s where the antidote came from. After that, my husband disappeared and the issue seemed to have subsided… but not knowing about it, the research lab wanted me arrested and locked up for good…

“I had to run. You were the most important to me and I wanted to protect you somehow. Kerrie told me that Rita would take you in, so I dropped you on her doorstep, kissed your forehead and left. After that I wrote almost every month to see how you were doing.”

“So you were running from the research lab?”

“Yes. Your father and Jun seemed to have ceased all involvement…”

Sora guessed he understood his mother’s decision to leave him, but he still was extremely hurt by it. None of this had to happen, it all could’ve been solved some other way. Of course everything happened for a reason, but Sora just wished that he never knew any of this.

“So now the kids are being punished for their parent’s actions…”

“Sora… don’t say that…” Kyoko started to walk towards him, but Sora stepped back.

He tried to suck in all of the information. He didn’t want to hear anymore, but he couldn’t help but wonder what his life would’ve been like if none of this ever happened. If his father just sucked it up and accepted the fact that his mother was ‘more successful,’ if they would’ve just worked out their problems, where would he be right now? He wouldn’t be standing in front of the woman that left him; he probably wouldn’t know Kairi, Yuki or Roxas or be as strong as he was today. He used to be so carefree, always wanting to help others and make them happy, but what was he now? What could he have been?

That’s when it hit him. Sora had to appreciate the way his life turned out. He loved Kairi. He loved Yuki. Roxas was his best friend. What had he done? He had put them all through so much pain because of his own selfishness… Kairi missed him dearly and was waiting for him to come home… Yuki was waiting for him to come and rescue her, and Roxas just needed his friend back. As much as he denied it, his heart belonged with them. Destiny Islands was his home no matter how poor he was, no matter how bad the situations always were; they meant something to him. Sure, Kyoko Akinori, his biological mother was standing right in front of him, but that’s the only title he could give her. He didn’t know her, she didn’t know him.

“I… must find my sister and return home.” Sora said after a while with determination in his voice. He stared at Kyoko, not noticing how much she resembled him with her brown eyes, her nose, everything. Blood may have been the only thing that brought them together at this point. This search for his real mother made him realize what really mattered in his life. He finally found what he was missing all along.

“I’m… glad I got to meet you.” Sora said and with that, he began to head up the stairs and back to the foyer. His mother followed him, not saying a word. Sora stopped at the front door.

“Maybe one day I can introduce you to them.”

“Sora?”

“Hm?” Sora stared into his mother’s tearful eyes. He didn’t really feel too bad for her. How could he? He finally got what he came for—a purpose. It might sound mean, but Sora knew his relationship with his biological mother would never be more than what it was now. He probably won’t see her for another ten years anyway. Who knows where life will take him…

Kyoko couldn’t speak at first. She still believed that what she did was right.

“Are you happy with the way things are now?”

“They could be better.” Sora answered almost immediately. He then thought, “But… I’m glad things turned out the way they did.”

“That’s good.”

Sora nodded. After seeing that she wasn’t going to say anything else, he bowed and left the mansion. Coming here only made him stronger. Everything was of some value now; no longer did Sora believe he was just standing still. He now had a new purpose…

As he left the grounds, Sora took one last look at his mother’s mansion. It was still in top condition. It was definitely a nice place to live. However, being rich and alone sounded so much worse than being poor and happy. He finally began to sympathize Kyoko. Whether or not what she did was the right choice, she only wanted the best.

“See you later…” He headed back to town.

As he walked the empty streets, Sora felt like crying for all the pain he had caused everyone else. Why was he so afraid of love, yet he know how much loved those three all in different ways? Why was he so distant all the time? After Rita Ishiwata died, he went crazy. He even made Yuki cry, something he’s never done before.

“I hurt them all so much…”

He came to the corner of the street and stopped. He was back in Tram Commons, but was unsure of where to go next. All the shops were closed. A cat ran by, startling him at first. He took a few steps forward. Sora heard some voices coming from the left. Some people were going up the stairs to a house. Squinting his eyes, Sora thought the little girl looked really familiar. Unconsciously he began to walk towards them. One of the older girls turned around and spotted him. The little girl saw him as well.

“Y-Yuki?”

0.0.0

Kairi was laying in her bed when she heard a knock on the door. She sat up and waited for the door to open. Her mother walked in. She was holding something that looked like a piece of paper in her right hand. She gave it to her.

“Mom! Why are you…?”

“That’s a check for 100,000.”

“What the Hell…” Kairi didn’t mean to say it, but it just slipped. Her mother ignored it and just starting talking.

“I bought you a house on the other side of town.”

“Why? Mom, I’m not even eighteen yet!”

“Holly will live with you. That money will help you.”

“But… mom… why?”

“Your father and I are moving. I’m pretty sure you would not want to go.”

Kairi blinked a couple times, trying to let it all sink in. So that was it? So her parents thought they could just get rid of her and that was that?

“F-Fine…” her voice was shaky, but she couldn’t cry. She had been hurt so much she had run out of tears by now. She knew her parents didn’t love her, so why stick around?

“We’re leaving tomorrow. I’m giving you the Mercedes. The address to your new house is already in there. Go ahead and pack up.” Without another word, her mother left the room. Kairi sat there for a while. How was she going to finish school? Did she need a job? Kairi never had a real job before… she didn’t know anything about paying bills, credit scores, mortgage, etc. She was more afraid now than ever. Kairi knew she had the money, but this was way too sudden…

She started packing about ten minutes later. Kairi never realized how much stuff she had. She had enough clothes for five closets, enough shoes to fill two, tons of jewelry, expensive furniture and so much more. The problem was, she didn’t know what she needed and didn’t need. Her suitcase was getting full with clothes. She only had three suitcases. Kairi had to prioritize. How had she been so ignorant of these things? She liked her clothes and all her other stuff… she couldn’t see herself getting rid of it.

“What am I going to do…”

Holly appeared at the door carrying a laundry basket. She saw that a lot of Kairi’s clothes were all over the floor.

“Kairi, do you have any dirty laundry?”

She looked up at her. “No, I’m just trying to pack so we can leave tomorrow. By the way, when we live together, you don’t have to do the chores by yourself. I’ll definitely be helping you.”

Holly nodded and walked off. She wasn’t too phased about the whole idea of moving, but she really didn’t have a choice. It was either Kairi or her parents, and of course Kairi was the better choice of the two.

“This is unbelievable…” Kairi fell back onto the floor and rested.

0.0.0

Sora stood there in shock as he watched Yuki run up to him. She flew into his arms, holding onto him tightly without letting go. Kiyoshi, Olette and her parents headed over to him. Sora couldn’t believe that she was here.

“I missed you so much!” Yuki cried.

“I—I missed you too… every second…” Sora pulled her closer and hugged her back. After a few seconds, he moved away so he could look at her. “Wow… you’ve grown.” He said as he stroked her long, black hair. “And… new clothes?”

“You must be Sora.” Olette said. “We’ve… heard so much about you…” there was sadness in her voice.

“Y-yes… who are you?”

“Well… we…”

“Sora, they adopted me…” Yuki said, feeling a little regretful.

“…Oh.” Sora knew this would happen. Suddenly the atmosphere turned blank. The silence lingered throughout the air. Yuki stepped back a little.

“I thought… maybe you forgot about me…”

“What?” Sora was shocked. He bent down onto his knees and put his hands on her shoulders. “Yuki… you know I would never do that!”

“But… I went four months without seeing or hearing from you… I thought… you didn’t care about me anymore…” The little girl started to cry.

“Yuki, don’t cry… it’s okay. He didn’t forget you…” Olette tried to comfort her, but Sora immediately pulled Yuki closer to him and glared at her. Returning his gaze to Yuki, he tried to wipe her tears away.

“I waited and waited… I thought you were going to come and find me… but you didn’t… so then Kiyoshi and I found Olette and her family. They were nice… they cared about me… Sora, I know you still love me but I just missed you so much! I didn’t know what to do… I thought you would never come back…”

“Yuki… none of this is your fault.” He paused, not really knowing how to word this. “I didn’t know where you were… but even then I should’ve tried harder… I’m sorry…”

“It’s getting late.” Olette’s mother said, trying to wrap things up.

Sora looked back at his sister as she cried right in front of him, wondering what to do next. Tomorrow he would return to Destiny Islands, but he couldn’t take her with him. He didn’t have any shelter to provide for her, barely had any money, and just couldn’t take care of her. However, the family standing in front of him looked like a pretty nice middle-class family that could provide so much more. Conflicted, he finally came to the conclusion of what he had to do.

“Yuki, look at me.”

“Hm?” She sniffled.

Sora sighed. This was going to be much harder than he thought. He stood up and walked in front of Olette. He bowed and said, “Please take care of my sister!”

“W-what?” They all said at the same time.

Sora faced them once more. “I’ve done everything I can up until this point. Reality is starting to kick in and I know that she’ll be much better off with you.” In a way he was starting to sound like Kyoko Akinori, but he tried to block that part out. Yuki was surprised and tried to stop him. However, Sora stood his ground.

“I cannot take care of her now. I need some time to get back on my feet. Don’t get me wrong… I love Yuki more than anything. She’s the reason I am where I am today.” He faced his sister. “Yuki…” he said in a much calmer voice, “go with them. They have a house, plenty of food and can even send you to school.” He hesitated. Looking into her teary eyes made him want to cry. “I… I love you very much… but this is the best way.” Sora sniffled. Tears were forming. He hid himself from her, trying to be strong enough but it wasn’t working. “I’ll visit you as much as possible… I’ll write letters, I’ll do everything this time… please, Yuki… try to understand…”

The little girl merely nodded. She knew Sora couldn’t do anything; besides, legally she was already a part of Olette’s family. There wasn’t much she could do but say goodbye.

“I love you Sora!” She hugged him again, crying on his chest. Sora hated himself for doing this to her. As they parted ways, Yuki turned around to say one last thing.

“Happy birthday, brother…”

0.0.0

A/N: Awww! Did Sora do the right thing? One more chapter left!! Review, please!