turn the smile on

Of course, she didn't expect him to think the same of her. He was probably still getting used to the redhead but, maybe because of his connection to Sora, Kairi felt like she'd always known him.

"Yeah, I guess!" she said, jokingly mocking him.

"If you're willing to take me there, I'm willing to see it! That is, if you really don't mind being around me for hours."

"Hmm, I'm just here for the day, I guess!"

As the both of them set off in the direction of the coordinates, Naminé decided to start a conversation.

"I haven’t been here for very long. In truth I’m not sure how long I’m going to stay." The other girl was younger than her, she still looked like she could attend high school. What an enviable experience. "But I need something to keep me entertained, and exploration helps."

She threw her ombre hair over her shoulder, thinking about the shell the other had produced. “You know, I’ve never seen a seashell like that one before. Did you just find it?”

Kairi cheerfully walked alongside the girl, her happiness evident in every step that she took. Finally, some excitement! And with someone completely new, no less! The day couldn't get any more perfect. The redhead listened as the older girl made small talk, nodding.

"Well, you should stay for as long as you can!" she said, absentmindedly running her fingers over the smooth surface of the pink shell she still held. Kairi truly loved it here. She couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather live. At the mention of the shell, Kairi looked back down at it. "No, I found it the other day. Super pretty, though, huh?"

She ran thin fingers through her dark red hair, blue eyes glancing at the blonde.

"Yeah, I've lived here since I was 5! I love it."

"I have an app on my phone. It shows the geological location of caches, little boxed filled with treasure. We’re meant to find one, collect whatever’s inside, and replace it with something else."

Naminé flashed the phone so the girl could see they were twenty meters from the next treasure chest. “You don’t have any weird nicknacks on you, do you?” The blonde laughed goodheartedly, “The first time I found one of the treasure boxes I replaced the mechanical pencil inside with a lightbulb I’d found earlier.”

At the girl's question, Kairi reached into the black bag she kept belted around her waist. She rummaged through it, her auburn hair hanging in her face. She didn't have a whole lot in there, because she typically didn't need much. But now that she needed something at least slightly interesting, she wished she was one of those girls that carried around all of their possessions.

She did find something, though, and she lifted her head to smile at the girl and held out her hand. In her palm was a small pink seashell she'd found a few days ago.

"I have this!"