Two weeks later, Naminé finds herself in one of Twilight Town's most renowned wedding venues, helping Olette with the finishing touches on her dress while Selphie fastens the veil onto her head in the chapel dressing room.

"You look beautiful, Olette," Selphie gushes when the three girls admire their work in the mirror.

With watery eyes, the bride sniffles at the sight of her two best friends on either side of her and pulls her two maid of honours into a group hug. No more than six years ago, they'd just shared their first group hug in their dorm room, and now the first of them was getting married.

"Thanks so much for being here, guys," Olette says. "I couldn't have made it here without you, and I mean that even outside the scope of this wedding. Although seriously, Hayner couldn't even get the glue gun working for the invitations, so thank you for everything."

The three girls chuckle at the thought of Olette's soon-to-be-husband struggling with said glue gun and snuggle into the embrace further.

"We wouldn't miss this for the world, Lette," Naminé voices.

"And as much of a bonehead as he is, I don't think anyone could love you any better," Selphie assures.

"And I don't think anyone could make you any happier, either," Naminé adds.

"And if we didn't think that, we wouldn't be standing here with you, now would we?" Selphie reasons with a cheeky grin.

Olette giggles at the reasoning. "No, I suppose not."

"Now let's go," Naminé suggests after glancing at the clock. "We don't want you to be late for the ceremony."

The maid of honours gather the rest of their things before lifting the train of Olette's dress, and the three slowly make their way outside.

Twilight Mill, located at the edge of Twilight Town's enchanting forests, was a restored mill that easily won over the hearts of many locals with its rustic charm, locally sourced cuisine, and scenic waterfall. As the three girls make their way to the open-air chapel, Naminé feels her gummiphone vibrate in her crossbody purse and reads the name Axel Kiryu on the screen.

"It's Axel," Naminé announces. "I think he might need help finding the ceremony."

"Go help him," Olette says, much to the artist's surprise. "We can hide on the edge of the chapel until you're ready."

"What? I can't hold up your ceremony," Naminé argues.

"Something tells me that they can't start without her," Selphie teases, "so I think we're good. Go get him, Nams. We'll be fine."

Naminé glances at her gummiphone again, pressured by the decision, but eventually nods in defeat, though with much hesitance.

"Okay, I'll be super quick, I promise," she says while scurrying off towards the entrance. As she makes her way to the front with haste, Naminé answers the call and presses her gummiphone to her ear.

"Hey Axel," she greets somewhat breathlessly. "Did you just get here?"

"Um, not exactly," he answers on the other line.

"Oh," Naminé says with dismay. She glances at the time on her phone and grows nervous. "But the ceremony starts in five minutes."

"Yeah, I know," Axel says. She hears him inhale sharply before speaking up. "Look, I really hate to tell you this, but I actually don't think I can make it today. I've caught a cold, and I'm bedridden right now."

He coughs, and it's the fakest one Naminé has ever heard.

"What?" Naminé asks, her tone teetering between both disappointment and disbelief. She stops walking entirely, just by the entrance parking lot. "But you're the one who wanted to come in the first place, and I already reserved your spot."

"I know, and I'm really sorry that I can't make it," Axel apologizes. "But if it makes you feel better, I won't let my slot go to waste. If you don't mind, I've asked someone else to go in my place."

Just as he finishes saying the words, a cab pulls up to the front of the entrance, and Naminé's heart stills at what his words might imply.

"Axel," Naminé starts, her voice shaking. "Who am I supposed to expect?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Axel chuckles, and he hangs up shortly after.

Naminé slowly walks up to the cab, trying to find someone in the passenger or back seat, but when the driver rolls down his window, he appears to be the only one in the vehicle.

"Excuse me, miss," says the friendly voice of the driver, "but do you happen to know where the exit is?"

Naminé's heart deflates.

"Um, yes," she answers, pointing a shaky finger in the direction of the exit. "That way."

The driver salutes and thanks her before rolling his window back up and driving away. As she watches the cab drive into the distance, Naminé reflects on her earlier excitement and laughs at herself. How stupid of her to assume such fantastical things. It couldn't have been who she'd guessed earlier. That stuff was only reserved for the glorified romance novels and unrealistic movies—certainly not real life. By another person, Axel more than likely meant Isa, and he was probably already on his way to the ceremony.

With a heavy sigh, Naminé turns her heel…

… and stops dead in her tracks when she sees Roxas, dressed for the occasion and handsome as ever, standing right in front of her with her bouquet in hand.

THE EVENT HORIZON
ten | lebenslangerschicksalsschatz

"Hey, Naminé," he greets, his voice nervous but eyes earnest.

Because of her initial shock, it takes her a few moments to register that he's actually there, but when it finally clicks, she finds it in herself to greet him in return.

"H… hey," she stammers, unsure what to say. What are you doing here is among the first on the list, but her throat can't seem to execute the words; besides, she thinks she already has a pretty good idea as to why he's standing in front of her and not on Destiny Islands.

"You look beautiful," he then offers, admiring her peach-coloured floor length dress, wavy hair, and natural, fresh-faced look that had caught his attention from the moment they met.

"Thank you," she whispers, subtly admiring the way his formal navy blue suit complimented his form. She notes that he's slightly tanner than she remembers (closer proximity to the beach did mean more sun exposure), but apart from the small bags forming under his eyes, not much had changed. He was just as undeniably handsome as she remembered.

Her eyes then land on the bouquet he has in hand, and she cocks her head to the side in confusion. "Where did you get that?"

"Pence," he answers simply.

Naminé shakes her head, even more confused. "Wait, do my friends know you're here?"

Roxas sheepishly scratches the back of his head with his free hand. "I… may have asked them if I could attend a few weeks ago."

Naminé's eyes narrow in suspicion. "So Axel…"

"Was never going to attend," Roxas confirms. "I just used him to get my foot in the door."

Naminé laughs half-heartedly. Of course her friends had known about this and kept it from her.

"I feel like you guys always seem to be plotting behind my back," she comments.

"Yeah," Roxas answers, although distantly. She can sense that there's plenty of words dying to escape his lips, particularly an apology, but she stops him before he can even begin.

"Look, I know we need to talk," Naminé starts, "but it's Olette and Hayner's day today. I don't want to cause any drama during their wedding. If you don't mind, do you think we can talk towards the end of the reception?"

"I think that's a good idea," Roxas says while nodding in agreement. He then extends her bouquet out towards her, and Naminé accepts it with a gracious nod. The two then start to make their way towards the outdoor chapel, enjoying each other's company in a comfortable silence. Halfway through, however, Naminé turns to look at Roxas with a warm smile, and his heart stills when a ray of sunlight seeps through the trees and shines right down on her, making her glow.

"It's good to see you," she tells him despite what's happened.

He grins contently in response. "You too."

The ceremony passes smoothly (although a few disbelieving head shakes may have been involved on Naminé's end upon reuniting with a giggling Selphie and Olette), and as promised, Roxas respectfully keeps his distance until the reception.

Much like the entire venue, the reception paid respect to both nature and history, all with a touch of class. The walls, predominantly made of wood and stone, were accompanied by glass panels that offered a scenic view of the forest, waterfall, and millstream. In the middle, Hayner and Olette were seated on an elevated podium, overlooking their guests with their modestly-sized wedding party seated on either side of them. To Hayner's right sits his younger brother and Pence, and to Olette's left, Selphie and Naminé, who conveniently have the pleasure of having Roxas in their direct line of sight.

She tries not to pay much attention to it, but Naminé catches him sneaking glances at her in between his conversations with Tifa, Cloud, Denzel, and Marlene every now and then. It could bother her, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't doing the exact same throughout dinner.

After the festivities such as the cake cutting, champagne drinking, and speeches are over, Olette and Hayner open the dance floor after their first dance, and Naminé finds herself conversing with the bride as the guests take over and move their bodies to the current hit that the band was playing.

"So was this everything you dreamed it would be?" Naminé asks, basking in the high energy of the room.

"Better," the brunette answers while stealing a loving glance at her husband. He appears to be with Pence and Roxas on the other side of the dance floor, chatting animatedly. Olette then looks at Naminé expectantly and wiggles her eyebrows suggestively at the latter. "So... have you and Roxas spoken yet?"

Naminé playfully rolls her eyes. "Briefly, but not about where we currently stand, if that's what you're getting at. Which reminds me…" The artist narrows her eyes in suspicion. "Why did you let him come?"

"I wanted everyone to be happy at my wedding," Olette answers simply.

"Are you implying that I wouldn't have been if he wasn't here?" Naminé asks. "You know I would've been happy for you regardless, Lette."

"Oh I know," Olette says. "Selphie and I just knew that sorting things out with him would put you at peace. Besides, if it was between him or his friend Axel, I'd pick Roxas every time. The last thing I want is Axel hitting on Tifa again and Cloud punching him in the face at my wedding."

Naminé giggles at the reasoning just as the band decides to change their pace with a lighthearted and upbeat acoustic cover. "Fair point."

Olette then watches as Hayner excuses himself from his conversation and walks towards her with his hand outstretched.

"My lady," he says, bowing slightly. Knowing what he was getting at, Olette only chuckles as she accepts his hand in response.

"Have fun," Olette whispers, winking at Naminé as she's led to the dance floor. The artist only scoffs at the comment but can't help the oncoming blush making its way to her cheeks at the sight of Roxas walking towards her with a nervous grin.

"May I have this dance?" he asks while outstretching his hand.

Naminé thinks back to the Roxas she met in The Usual Spot: the one with the cocky grin and overconfident strides. Back then he'd been devastatingly charming and his eyes alluring, and while the former still held true, his eyes now held more promise and certainty. Back then, she'd been hesitant to even entertain the idea of being with him in fears that she'd just be another girl on his roster, but now she definitely knew that wasn't the case. If it was, he wouldn't be standing in front of her now when he should've been halfway across the world. Back then he'd been evasive; reluctant to get close to anyone, but now not only was he physically close, but emotionally as well, and this was certainly not the same Roxas from before.

That being said, Naminé gladly accepts his hand and allows him to lead her onto the dance floor.

After crossing through the sea of dancing couples, the two situate themselves just to the right of the bride and groom. While Naminé rests her hand on his shoulder, Roxas places one on her waist. In one fluid motion, he raises their intertwined hands together, and the two sway slowly to the beat of the music. Naminé smiles contently as she reacquaints herself with the familiar smell of his cologne and his firm, but secure touch. It had been a while since she'd felt it, but it was just as warm and comforting as she remembered.

"So how has Destiny Islands been?" she asks him, initiating their long-awaited conversation. From the sidelines, she tries to ignore an overly enthusiastic Selphie practically begging Pence to snap photos of them from afar.

"Well," Roxas starts, "much hotter, for starters, but work has been good. Hours have been flexible, and the food in our area is good, too. There may not be a Raijin Ramen nearby, but the view from our building is incredible, and the beach is still the same from when I left for university."

"Crystal white sands and clear blue waters?" Naminé asks, trying to envision what the island was known for.

"Yeah," Roxas answers with a nostalgic grin.

"What would make you want to leave such a place?" Naminé then asks.

"Well, it's missing a couple of things," Roxas admits.

Naminé raises an eyebrow in curiosity. "Like what?"

"An annoyingly obnoxious redhead, for one," Roxas jokes, and Naminé chuckles at the thought of Axel. "Perhaps a brooding guy with blue hair, too. And oh, we can't forget about our scrappy blonde artist."

"Oh no, wherever will you find one of those?" Naminé teases.

"Not sure," Roxas answers, playing along.

"How about Sora and Kairi?" she then asks as he leads her into a half turn.

"They're doing good," Roxas replies, her back to him. "Focused on planning their wedding, but still good. By the way, they told me to tell you that you're totally invited to that if you're open to it. Expect a save the date in the mail sometime soon."

"Looking forward to it," Naminé says as he spins her back out, and the two resume their original position.

"They also told me something interesting," Roxas then says, changing the tone of their conversation to a more serious one. Naminé cocks her head to the side, waiting for him to clarify. "They told me that Riku spoke to you," he explains. "How was that?"

"Ah," Naminé says with a nod. "It was nice, being able to finally get some closure." She feels his grip on her tighten a bit at the words. "Why, what did you think of it?"

"Honestly?" Roxas asks rhetorically. "I was a bit worried that he'd try and win you back or something, so it was really hard for me not to get on a plane right then and there and sock him right in the face, but I'm glad it turned out well for the both of you."

Naminé shakes her head, albeit with a small grin, at the thought of a jealous Roxas.

"What about your family?" she then asks, changing the subject to a (hopefully) lighter one. She recalled that his parents, as well as his brother, lived on the island as well. "Have you gotten to see them?"

"Yeah," Roxas answers, smiling. "I'm used to seeing them once a year, so it was nice having them only a twenty minute drive away. My parents are doing fine. They've got a few more years until they retire, but they're holding up well."

"And your brother?" Naminé asks.

"Roxas is doing great," he answers with a playful smirk, and Naminé's eyes widen. "Oh, did I fail to mention that I'm Ventus right now? Roxas asked me to attend in his place."

Naminé rolls her eyes at the joke.

"All right Ventus," she says, playing along. "If that's the case, why did Roxas want you to come here?"

As the band begins to play another song, Roxas takes a deep breath, sifting through the thoughts that have been circling his head for the last two months. He'd rehearsed what he wanted to say so many times on the five-hour plane ride to New Twilight, but being in front of her made it difficult to remember. He tries to gather his thoughts after starting with what he knows has to be said.

"Roxas wanted me to tell you how sorry he was," he starts, his voice shaky, "about how things ended between you two."

His grip on her hand tightens again, but this time, Naminé returns it, letting him know that this time round, she was willing to listen.

"It's his biggest regret, not telling you that he was moving," Roxas (or rather, "Ventus") continues. "He really should've told you. You were the best thing that's happened to him in a long time, and he shouldn't have let you get away."

Naminé's heart flutters at the confession, his eyes nothing but earnest.

"For a while, he tried to distract himself with flings," Roxas explains, "and he knows that isn't an excuse for his behaviour, but it seemed like the easiest way to get his mind off things. But despite that, he wanted you to know that he wasn't using you as a distraction at all, Naminé. He really did care for you, and his moments with you felt like a breath of fresh air."

Naminé's eyes start to glaze as he leads her into another turn.

"He also told me to thank you," he whispers, her back to him again. "Destiny Islands is great and all, but in all honesty, he prefers Twilight Town's charm. He may have been raised on the island, but he discovered who he truly was in Twilight Town. A place like that just held a special place in his heart, but for a long time, it was haunted for him."

For a brief moment, Naminé's eyes shut, knowing what he meant.

"It was suffocating just to be there," he continues. "That's why he wanted to leave. But in the few relieving months that you two had together, you managed to help him breathe its air again. With you, it wasn't monochromatic anymore; it was colourful and vibrant, and it makes him confident that he can come home again."

As he spins her back out, Naminé's heart skips a beat at what his words might entail.

"And truth be told, Naminé," he whispers while pulling her close, "he hasn't been able to get you off his mind. He realized that it hurt more to be without you, and I…" Roxas pauses, noticing that he'd slipped. "He," he corrects, "he's really hoping that you can somehow find it in yourself to forgive him."

As the two sway wordlessly for a few moments, Naminé moves her hand from his shoulder to his chest, and she feels it hammering beneath the palm of her hand. He moves the hand that he has on her waist overtop her own in response, and she comfortably rests her head on the crook of his neck.

"Well," she starts, murmuring into his blazer, "you can tell Roxas that I forgive him."

She feels his heart skip a beat at the words.

"R-really?" he stammers, wide-eyed.

She pulls away to look at him and nods. "Yes. Besides, he wasn't the only one in the wrong. I was too… for not hearing him out; for not giving him a chance to tell his side of the story. But once all the anger subsided, I found it in myself to finally listen."

Roxas' eyes soften at the apology. "Thank you, Naminé."

"Although," Naminé starts, "I do understand why you hid it from me."

And for a brief moment, Roxas turns away, refusing to make eye contact. "You do, huh?"

Naminé then moves her hand from his chest to his cheek, gently forcing him to look at her. He's reluctant at first, but he eventually melts into her touch, though with shaky breaths.

"Yes," Naminé answers. "I know now that you hid it because you were afraid to lose me, but I'm right here, Roxas. I'm willing to listen if you want to talk about it."

Roxas shuts his eyes tight, reliving a fragment of the painful memory, but eventually nods. If they were going to make any progress together, he had to be able to talk to her about it.

"Okay," he whispers. "I'll talk, but… can we go somewhere more private?"

After a supportive hand squeeze, Naminé nods and leads him outside, away from the people and the noise. Outside, where the atmosphere was more calming and intimate, the two head towards the small on-site waterfall and stop halfway across the bridge, far enough from the event to have a private conversation.

A few preparatory breaths later, Roxas begins scrolling through his gummiphone and hands it to Naminé after releasing a very heavy sigh. Curious, she takes it, and her heart (and nearly Roxas' phone) drops in shock at the sight of an all too familiar figure sitting next to a younger version of Roxas in the photo. Beside him, sitting on the edge of the clock tower, was a happy young woman sporting short, jet black hair, strikingly blue eyes, and an undoubtedly cozy black sweater paired with a white skirt.

"Her name was Xion," he tells her, speaking her name into existence.

Naminé's wide eyes remain glued onto the photo, memorizing every detail about her. It couldn't be possible, but there was no denying that this was definitely her "neighbour" Xion, though there were some very obvious differences. In the photo, her eyes were brighter, her skin warmer, and her smile livelier. Overall, she just seemed more alive, which then raised the question…

If this Xion had passed away, could the Xion she met never have existed physically at all?

"She used to work at Icing on the Cake, and she was the first girl I ever loved," Roxas continues, a distant and melancholic smile on his face. "Granted, my definition of love was very different back then, but I knew I felt it for her, nonetheless."

Naminé wracks her brain for a memory of the girl working at Icing on the Cake; the one Axel had mentioned in his story; the one she couldn't quite remember the face of, but now that she thinks back, Xion's face is the only one that seems to fit. The first time she'd seen her reading on the balcony of her apartment she knew there was something oddly familiar about her, as if they'd met before, and now she knew why.

Who would have known that the girl tucked away in the corner of the bakery stocking shelves would have such a large impact on her now?

"She was adventurous," Roxas continues, "always curious, annoyingly smart, but above all, incredibly caring. She was the youngest of us, but alongside Isa, she always watched over two reckless boys."

The pieces all start to fall into place, and the more Naminé thinks about it, the more it all starts to make sense. From the very beginning, Xion had always encouraged her to befriend Roxas and Axel despite her rocky start with the former. She'd been curious about their side project, and whenever Naminé doubted her relationship with Roxas, Xion was there to smooth things over. Even though she didn't know them personally (or so Naminé thought), she always managed to sway them in the same direction somehow.

Was that her way of making sure that her friends were taken care of in her absence?

"We were actually planning on renting your apartment unit," Roxas informs sadly, and Naminé's initial shock increases tenfold. "Obviously we never got to it, but we were about to sign a lease and everything."

Naminé's lips part ever so slightly at the new information. That's why he was so nervous the first time he visited her apartment. She could still recall the feeling of his hands shaking against her bare skin during their first time.

"So when I found out that you lived there, I thought it had to be some sort of weird sign," Roxas confesses. "A sign telling me that you two were connected somehow. I thought it was her way of telling me that you were special, as if she handpicked you or something."

Naminé thinks back to the first time she'd been made aware of the posting for her current apartment. A gust of wind had blown the newspaper right at her chest, almost as if it were delivered straight to her. It shouldn't have been possible, but could that have been...

Naminé loses her breath when the last of the pieces fall into place. If Roxas' theory was true, and Xion did handpick her, then that only confirmed her earlier suspicions. For the last few months, Xion (or rather, her guiding spirit) had been helping her friends and family through her. Through her, she managed to fulfill any unfinished business.

Through her, she made sure that à la mode had been completed to support her parents and keep the magic of their business alive; through her, she made sure that Axel and Isa had another scrappy little sister figure to either look out for or look out for them; through her, she made sure that Roxas could find not only love, but himself again. Through her, he wasn't wandering aimlessly anymore; instead, he was living with purpose again. Somehow, someway, Xion was the omniscient viewer of all the events revolving around her loved ones since her death. She'd orchestrated everything perfectly to make sure that they would be cared for, and in the last few months, she'd found her final piece and began writing her last chapter.

The final chapter, the hardest chapter, was Naminé. After Naminé, she knew it would be time to close the book and let go of her connection to the world, but despite that, she knew it would be for the best. If her loved ones had begun to find peace, then she, too, could. Now that they were taken care of, she could rest.

You've already helped were Xion's last words to her. More than you know.

Naminé chokes back a sob when the realization hits her all at once, and Roxas pulls her into a tight embrace. She immediately accepts the supportive gesture, grabs onto him, and holds on.

"I'm sorry," Naminé apologizes into his shirt. "I shouldn't be the one crying. You're the one mourning."

Roxas gently places a hand on her head and runs a hand through her hair.

"It's okay," he assures. "It took a while, but I've accepted the fact that she's gone. The only thing that really makes me sad these days is not being able to share anything with her. Apart from being my first love, she was one of my best friends."

Naminé rests her head on his chest and offers him a subtle nod in understanding.

"There's so much I would've wanted to tell her, so much I wish she knew," Roxas explains softly as he calmly continues to run his hand through her hair. "I wish she knew about the shop. I wish she knew that Axel was finally close to quitting smoking and that Isa has been cracking a few more smiles. I wish she knew that I've managed to find someone again and that we're all actually doing okay now. Knowing her, she'll never really rest until she knows we're okay. I just wish there was a way to tell her that we are."

Naminé looks up at Roxas with hopeful eyes as the sun shines down on both of them.

"You know, Roxas," she starts, thinking back to the distant, but satisfied smile that Xion had given her before she left, "something tells me that she already knows."

One week later

At New Twilight Airport, in the midst of rushed tourists and locals, three boys find themselves in front of a familiar security gate; however, this time round, they happen to be accompanied by an additional member of their party.

"I really hope we don't have to get used to this," Axel confesses, initiating their farewells. The last week had passed in a blur, but it was pleasant one filled with laughter, successful basketball shots, ramen, and mindless button mashing at the arcade. It was just like the good old days, and much like before, Axel was hesitant to part with it.

"I'll visit again soon enough," Roxas promises while going in for the heartfelt bro shake. When he turns to say goodbye to Isa, he immediately notices the pleased and content look on his face.

"I see you figured things out," Isa says, his eyes stealing a quick glance at the female figure standing beside Axel with her arms behind her back.

Roxas nods proudly. "Yeah, I did."

"Good for you," Isa says, and he means it. "I'm glad you found your way back."

Roxas briefly thinks back to the days where he'd felt lost, but thanks to his support system, those days were behind him now.

"So am I," he says, a smile tugging at his lips. After saying their farewells, Roxas slowly approaches Naminé while running a hand through his hair, his strides nervous. Isa and Axel sense their need for a private moment and strike up a conversation further away from the two blondes.

"So what happens now?" Naminé asks, rolling back and forth on her heels.

"Hm," Roxas starts, tapping his chin in thought. "Well, my contract with Destiny Islands ends in six months, so I guess until then I'm going to be flying back and forth on a few occasions to visit my friends... and to win back the woman I love."

Naminé turns absolutely red at his use of words. It was the first time he'd ever admitted to loving her, and judging by the confident smirk on his face, he was very much enjoying the flustered look on her face.

"Then?" she asks, struggling to get past the surprised lump in her throat. She briefly considers saying it back, but although she knows that she feels very strongly about him, she wasn't quite at that level of certainty just yet. If and when she said it, she'd be sure.

"Then," Roxas says, giving no indication that he was bothered by her not reciprocating the 'L' word, "when I move back to Twilight, I'm probably going to have to suck it up and live with Axel for a bit seeing as I no longer have an apartment here. Thoughts?"

The ends of Naminé's lips twitch upward into a pleased smile at the thought of being able to see Roxas on a more frequent basis again.

"I think I can warm up to this plan," she admits.

He snakes an arm around her waist and pulls her into a soft embrace at the answer, and she turns even redder at the intimate gesture.

"Good," he whispers. More than anything, he wants to press his lips to hers to show her just how much he cared, but much like every other instance over the last week, he resists the urge as they hadn't quite figured out what they were just yet.

With that in mind, Naminé slowly pushes on his chest with a heavy sigh and looks up at him.

"But…" she starts.

"Damn, this was going so well," Roxas teases, though with a knowing look. From the moment they met, she'd always been cautious, but he knew it was for good reason.

"I think we should take things slow," Naminé advises. "Over the last year I've come to realize that there are still some things I need to discover about myself, and I just… wouldn't feel comfortable being with you fully if I didn't understand myself enough just yet. It's going to be a journey, but it's one that I'm ready to have you help me with again. It may not entail a romantic relationship right away, but would you be okay with that? Waiting for me?"

Roxas doesn't think twice. All that just for a chance with her? Without question.

"Of course," he answers, and Naminé's eyes noticeably soften at the immediacy of his response.

"Really?" she asks. "Even if it means that things between us might change or... not end up how you want them to?"

Roxas nods without hesitation.

"I know we may not have that earth-shattering kind of love just yet," he reasons, "but I certainly think we have a very good chance of getting there, and I'm willing to fight for it."

Naminé's heart stops at the answer, thinking back to when she'd first said those words. On their anti-date, she'd used them to describe her relationship with Riku, but back then she'd confessed that although they strived for that level of love, it felt like they weren't going anywhere. But now, with Roxas, it seemed possible. Their relationship, though undefined, was passionate, inspiring, and playful all at once. It felt like it was actually heading somewhere, and if he, ex-playboy Roxas Akiyama, was convinced that they could get there, then she would be, too.

But before she can get too caught up in her thoughts, a message from the speaker informs them that flight 108 to Destiny Islands would be departing shortly. The two immediately lock eyes, both already looking at the other with longing. Naminé's heart clenches, and without saying a word, Roxas pulls her close and holds her tight. He desperately tries to memorize the feeling of having her close, knowing that he'd miss it the instant they pulled away from each other, but the moment is gone almost as soon as it comes.

"Just kiss already damn it!" Axel yells in the background, his hands cupped over his mouth to amplify his voice. Roxas pulls away to flip him off with an annoyed frown, and Naminé chuckles at the gesture.

"I'll see you," she tells him, a sweet and excited smile playing on her lips.

Roxas nods with a grin as she slowly slips out of their embrace; this time, however, he keeps her hand in his. This time, he wouldn't let her get away.

"See you, Naminé," he says while squeezing her hand as a firm promise.

Four years later

In front of The Usual Spot, twenty-eight-year-old Roxas finds himself nervously pacing by the entrance, emotionally preparing himself for the events to come. With his hands in his pockets, Roxas eventually stops his pacing and leans against the brick wall, willing himself to calm down. He looks up at the moon shining against the night sky and musters a longing half-smile.

"Hey, Xi," he breathes, hoping that somehow, some way, she could hear him. "It's Rox again. I hope I'm not interrupting you or anything. I'm sure there's a library filled with tons of riveting books up there, or some arcade where you hold the highest score in Verum Rex, but I could really use your help right now."

After a few moments of silence, a light breeze passes—her way of telling him that she was listening, and his longing half-smile transitions into a full one.

"I found her, Xi," he wholeheartedly admits. "I didn't think I'd find her, but I did, and now that I have I just…" Roxas sighs heavily. It had seemed so much easier in his head, but saying it out loud was an entirely different story.

"Nothing will ever change the fact that you were my first love," he croaks, "and you'll always have a special place in my heart, but if it's okay with you… I'm hoping that you'll approve before I pull through with what I have planned for tonight. I know it's a lot to ask, an impossible thing really, but… if there's some way that you could tell me that you're okay with me truly moving on, I'd really appreciate—"

Roxas is silenced by a strong gust of wind—one that manages to whip an empty soda can from the ground right into his arm, and he lets out a chuckle while shielding his eyes from any other oncoming debris.

He could almost hear her now.

Of course I'm okay with it, you idiot, she'd say while playfully punching his arm. Now go. I have books to read and places to be. Good luck.

The wind dies down, and just as Roxas lowers his arm from his face, someone walks through the front door of The Usual Spot.

"There you are," says a sweet and familiar voice. "I've been looking all over for you."

Roxas turns to face his newest best friend of four years and girlfriend of three with a smile. He recalls seeing her face for the first time nearly five years ago in the exact same place. Back then, he'd been awestruck by her at first glance, but somehow, she'd managed to become even more beautiful overtime. Time had proven to him that beyond that pretty face was an imaginative mind: one that made his heart swell and his entire worldview colourful again.

"Everything okay?" Naminé asks, her head cocked slightly to the side with concern at his silence.

Roxas nods after snapping out of his daze. "Yeah, sorry. Just needed some fresh air. It was getting a bit hectic in there."

Naminé giggles into her hand. "Yeah. Game night tends to get pretty hectic."

Roxas smiles as he outstretches his hand towards her. "Shall we head back inside?"

She accepts his hand with a nod, and he raises it to his lips for an affectionate kiss. He smirks as he always does at the flustered look on her face and leads them back inside, hoping that she'd be more than just his girlfriend the next time they passed through those doors.

Inside The Usual Spot, their friends occupy majority of the café. In the centre, Axel, Isa, Sora, Kairi, Selphie, Pence, Hayner, and a newly pregnant Olette find themselves in the middle of an entertaining game of Truth or Dare Jenga. To the right of their table, Axel seems to be struggling to walk in a pair of red high heels. While the two blondes watch with confusion, an entertained grin plays on Isa's lips, and Selphie twitches in fear that one of her designer heels could snap at any given moment.

"Come on Axel, you're almost there!" Sora exclaims, cheering him on two tables away at the supposed 'finish line'.

"It's harder than it looks okay?" the redhead whines. After a few helpless wobbles and close calls, Axel eventually makes it to the end, and the crowd cheers at the successful completion of his dare.

"All right, who's next?" Pence, now Naminé's new business partner in their shared multimedia startup company, asks.

"Me!" Sora says. He slowly walks up to the tower and circles it multiple times while rubbing his chin in thought.

"Dude, we don't have all night," Roxas teases.

"Shh," Sora shushes dramatically. "Let the master do his work."

After a few more unnecessary laps around the table, the brunet finally picks a block off the side and reads out his truth or dare.

"What is the most valuable thing you've lost?" he reads.

In the background, Axel subtly whispers "your virginity".

Sora sends him a look before really answering the question.

"Well, in first grade I lost my heart," the brunet confesses. He then walks up to his wife and scoops her up into a loving hug. "But it's okay. It's always been in good hands."

In the midst of cheesy aww's and a sweet kiss on the cheek from Kairi, Axel yells "Boo!" and tosses a block in Sora's direction.

"Okay, who's after Sora?" Olette asks, eagerly moving the game along.

"Naminé, I think," Selphie answers casually. All eyes turn to the artist, and she takes a deep, preparatory breath.

"All right guys, get ready for the night to be over," she teases nervously.

She slowly walks up to the tower, holds her breath, and just as Roxas had predicted from their countless games of Jenga over the years, she hovers over the block in the middle. With careful, strategic movements, she pushes the block forward and wedges it out from the other side.

After a relieved sigh, she takes hold of the block and nearly drops it upon reading the contents.

Marry Roxas, the messy calligraphy reads.

Her lips part in surprise, and as she lowers the block from her view, she finds Roxas getting down on one knee before her. With nervous breaths, he reaches into his pocket and presents her with a dainty engagement ring. In the background, Pence appears to be recording everything on his camera, confirming Naminé's suspicions that this was yet another plan that her friends had helped scheme behind her back.

But in all honesty, she wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

"Nam," Roxas starts, "I know I can be a lot sometimes, and I know Axel is a heavy burden to bear…"

Their friends (with the exception of a narrow-eyed Axel) erupt into a fit of giggles, and Naminé, too, finds herself chuckling at the joke through watery eyes.

"But I'll love you to infinity and beyond," Roxas promises, his tone now serious. "Beyond the vast unknown, no matter what life throws at us. I know we've gone through some tough times, but there's no one I'd rather share life's triumphs and failures with than you. It's been a journey, but together, we've built that earth-shattering, squeal inducing kind of love, and without a doubt, I know you're the one I want to spend my entire life with. That being said… will you marry me?"

The café goes silent, waiting for Naminé's response, but it doesn't take much thought on her part. Amidst the heavy heartbeat ringing in Roxas' ears, he makes out a yes from her lips, and he feels air rush into his lungs again as he gets up to catch her as she crashes into his chest. He embraces her tightly as she holds into him in disbelief, and after her shaking subsides, the two lock eyes as Roxas raises her left hand. He slips the ring onto her finger, and it rests comfortably in place.

After admiring the ring in the light, Naminé raises her hand to his cheek, and he melts into her touch. By unspoken agreement, the two lock lips, and the cheers, which had already been loud before, become unbearably so.

"All right! This calls for a celebration!" Axel screams. "Sake bombs at Raijin on me!"

Amidst the roars of agreement, the foreheads of the newly engaged couple touch, savouring the moment.

"I love you," Naminé says, the words escaping her lips freely and with certainty.

"And I love you," Roxas whispers without a moment's hesitation.

"At long last, is it finally game over for playboy Roxas Akiyama then?" she teases while poking his nose. Roxas rolls his eyes at what was now a memory and throws an arm over her shoulders after a quick kiss on the cheek.

"All right, how about that sake bomb?" Roxas then asks, and everyone hurrahs in agreement.

Outside, the wind lets out a low howl and dances across the entrance of The Usual Spot.

the end

Chapter Inspirations: The songs playing at Hayner and Olette's wedding were Celeste by Ezra Vine and Hold of Me by Dean Lewis. Other musical inspirations include Let's Hurt Tonight by OneRepublic and Bones by Galantis. The ending of this story was also inspired by Nicholas Sparks' Safe Haven.

Fun fact: If you haven't watched How I Met Your Mother (one of my all time faves), lebenslangerschicksalsschatz is a made up word that means "lifelong treasure of destiny".

A/N: And that, everyone, brings us to the end of The Event Horizon! Woo, we made it! I'm usually sadder at the end of these, but perhaps it's because I finished the story beforehand and breezed right through the updates that I don't feel as emotionally attached. Don't get me wrong, I'm still sad, and I'm going to miss this story, but that just means turning my attention onto the next project! Will it be back to an update for Project: Teenage Wasteland, or will it be entertaining this other SoKai story that I'm excited to flesh out? We'll see where the writing winds take me.

I'm also very proud to announce that this is another item I can cross off my "2019 Goals" list. Finish another story was up there, and I'm happy to say that it's been fulfilled. I've also included it in my "2020 Goals" list as well, so let's hope I can keep this up.

Before we finish up, I'd also like to take this time to thank someone very special (apart from my boyfriend of course, who made sure that I kept working at this story and kept my passion for writing). I was doing my weekly walk through Chapters/Indigo a few months ago, and I stumbled across an author telling people about his book. I asked him what I could do about my writer's block and how I could ever finish another story again, and he told me to "Focus on completion first, then perfection". To constantly edit a story as you write it is like trying to taste a meal before it's done, so he told me to try and complete my "dish" first before critiquing it. The result? Voila, another completed story, and I'll be carrying his advice with me for any other future works, fan fiction or not. The author's name was Yahaya Baruwa, and I'd like to thank him for his kindness. If my writing path ever calls me to try and make it outside of fan fiction, I'll also have him to thank.

Okay, last round of thanking reviewers (at least for this story): special thanks to ChuckleBunny, Tyjet Ansatsu, Michelle, Aundielen, chrome-scale09, and Mr. Spinner for reviewing the last chapter! I know there aren't many of you out there anymore, but it truly does mean a lot to see familiar pen names constantly reviewing, and seeing familiar pen names back from my teenage years baffles me. Thank you all for following me on yet another writing journey. Eighteen-year-old Kyorii would've been happy to see that twenty-four-year-old Kyorii finally finished what she'd started. It may not have been exactly what she planned, but at least it was written more realistically and actually saw the light of day. For years this project had been put on the shelf, collecting dust, but every time I looked away it just kept calling. Oh, the relief of completing it!

I hope you all enjoyed The Event Horizon as much as I did writing it! Please kindly leave a review to share your thoughts and/or feels, I apologize for any errors I might have missed, and I'll see you all in whatever update comes next! Stay tuned!

And because I likely won't have a chance to say it before the end of the year… have a prosperous New Year everyone! #bringiton2020