Spring

Spring was always one of his favorite times of year, and he didn't exactly know why, although right now, he could tell you exactly why.

Spring was the time of rebirth after the dormant winter, after everything was killed off, birds chirping, bees buzzing, and most of all… It was when Sora, Kairi, Terra, Aqua, Vanitas, and Ventus came to visit him.

He had long since moved from Tokyo, and with it, left his best friends behind because of his health taking a turn for the worst, and when golden week came around, the friends would never hesitate to spend it with him, despite the travel costs. He was always looking forward to it each and every year.

But this year, his illness was getting worse, and he could barely make it up out of the bed to greet them with a simple nonchalant 'hey' even though he wanted to squeeze them all to death, but somehow he still did it and put on the illusion that he was fine. Aqua had a ring around her finger, and definitely glowed with happiness, and Terra had a matching band around his finger as well. Ven constantly swatted at Vanitas' hands to keep them off of him. Kairi was going on about what had happened in school and all that she had learned, while Sora was going on and on about the trip here and all that had happened within the past year accompanied by eccentric hand motions.

The first day was spent getting settled in, everyone unpacking their things, Terra helping with Aqua's suitcase, much to her protest. After that, they decided to go swimming for a while in the lake just behind Riku's home, spending a good amount of time within the waters and laughing. After that, they dried off and ate dinner, sitting around to tell scary stories, Riku still able to come up with some of the best stories out of all of them. When the time was right, they assigned sleeping areas and headed off to get ready to sleep.

The second day was pretty languid, as Riku's mother had to take him to the doctor's office in town. He didn't want them coming with him at all, so he suggested that they do what they wanted around the house and tell him what happened when he got back. It wasn't until late that he got back though, the tests run and results back, telling everyone that he was fine and he was getting better, which seemed to ease them a bit as they explained what they did over the course of the day, Riku eventually falling asleep against Terra's shoulder during the stories.

The third day was better, as they all decided to go into town and see the festival that was going on, participating in all the activities. Many people congratulated Aqua on her condition and asked her how long she had left to go. It was only a few more weeks. Ventus won a stuffed toy off a stand, and Vanitas won a bigger one, taunting the blond with it before switching. All of them were fitted with kimonos matching their personalities. They wore them for the rest of the night as they watched the fireworks.

The fourth day was their adventurous day, as Riku suggested that they explore the forest just outside his home for the day, so they packed up their lunches and left for the day. Along the way, Ven had gotten lost in the trail, and so had Sora, that Vanitas had grumbled and went back to find the two huddled up together, knocking them upside the head. Aqua had stayed behind with Riku's mom during this at Terra's request. Most of the journey went smoothly for the silveret, although he was starting to have issues breathing and walking, passing them off as simple fatigue, so they stopped for lunch by a creek, then continued on. He continued through the fatigue, and even answered that he was alright when Kairi asked. It was sunset when the group returned, having found nothing of interest within the forest, but at least bonded a bit more during the time frame.

The fifth and last day was the most memorable, being the day that they all spent out within the sun on the grass, dreading their impending departure in the early morning. All of them were lying in a circle and just laughing together as they brought up old stories of the good times they had together, until something they hadn't expected happened:

"Sorry guys." The voice was quiet, full of sorrow and knowing at what was going to happen very soon. Everyone turned to look at him as the words passed his lips, but they were the last words he would ever say. Sora was the closest one lying to him, and noticed how his chest wasn't moving, and the first to react by crying out and trying to get the teen to wake up and talk, the other's going over and doing the same, trying to get him back, but it was just not meant to be.

On that warm, spring evening, surrounded by friends on the grass, Riku had finally passed away to his disease with a smile on his face.

He would never see the child of Terra and Aqua that shared his name, never see Vanitas and Ventus finally get engaged and married, never see Sora and Kairi's wedding day that he had always joked about them doing…

And every golden week, the six friends and their families come back to that same house in the countryside, and have fun like they always did, and lighting a paper lantern on the last day in memory of their departed friend, sending it to the heavens.