When a Normal Day Becomes Memorable
Today was the last day of the final year in college. Tifa Lockheart, one of the most popular and stunning girls in her batch, woke up at the crack of dawn. Inhaling the fresh but cold air, she rested her elbows against the windowsill. Her long, mahogany hair rocked gently in rhythm to the wind. Her brownish red eyes stared out of the window, observing every detail that was within her sight. Even in her nightgown, she still surpassed other girls with her perfect vital statistics and beautiful figure. One might think that all day long, she would be surrounded by tons of males in college.
That was not the case however.
Tifa sighed out loud. It was during times like this that she would start pondering about life, her life. It was already her final year… yet she was still single? Even her best friends had great dating partners. When would be her time to have hers?
Sighing again, she shook her head and inhaled deeply. Remembering the reason for her getting up early, she grinned. Today was The Big Day! Smiling enthusiastically, she went to the bathroom, humming to herself. 10 minutes later, she came out, wearing a towel around her wet hair. Turning towards her closet, she pondered, "What should I wear today?"
"Err… the usual?" her inner-self piped out with a grin.
Tifa rolled her eyes, ignoring her dual mind's suggestion. As she was brooding over her closet, her handset started beeping. Frowning slightly, she groped for it and answered the call, her eyes transfixed upon her wardrobe.
"Yes?"
"Good morning babe! Want to be my partner for today?"
Recognising the familiar voice, she groaned inwardly. "Of course… not," Tifa replied, sarcastically. She could hear him sigh in disappointment on the other line. "Reno, how many times have you asked me that question?"
"Umm… three times?"
Tifa rolled her eyes. "Correction. That was the fifth time."
"Whatever. Oh c'mon, Tiff. Please?"
"No, Reno. And that's final." She could hear an audible sigh. "Reno, you should know me by now. We've been friends for a long time…"
"… That is precisely why you should give me a chance, since we've known each other for so long." Reno quickly cut in.
"Reno, quit persuading me before I get a headache and marched over to your place to give you a piece of my mind," she threatened over the phone. "Just find yourself another date. I'm sure you can get one in no time. Girls fall for your charm, right?" Tifa added.
"I'm sure," Tifa's inner self drawled.
"Yeah, every girl. You're the only exception," Reno muttered, hints of regret evident in his voice. His response was her merry laughter. "So whom are you going with? Don't tell me… you're paired up with Cloud??" he asked, jokingly. Cloud was the college's famous football player and one of the most sought after playboys in college. However, a playboy remained as a playboy. He tried his tricks too far with Tifa and the result was… a broken neck, a couple of black eyes and bruised arms.
Never play with a martial art student.
"Reno…" she growled.
"I was just joking. Frankly, he's not a bad looking guy. Every girl falls for his blond spiky hair and muscular body. How come you're so different from other girls? You're not charmed by my distinguished looks…" Tifa gagged a little, "…or Cloud's so-called cool and boyish looks. I wonder what type of guy that you like. A Goth?" Shouts of laughter rang through the phone.
"Yes very funny, Reno, but I fail to see the humour. You have countdown three minutes starting now for you to say anything else. Otherwise, I'm hanging up," Tifa spoke coldly.
"Relax, girl. Growing wrinkles now is not getting you any younger. Getting back to the original subject, who will be your partner tonight?" he asked again.
"Why would you want to know anyway? It's really none of your business," Tifa said, while drying her hair.
"Ouch. That really pricked my heart, Tiff." Reno grimaced and placed his palm against his chest.
"Yeah right. I know you better than that. Okay, I think two minutes just passed. Is there anything else that I can help you?" Tifa questioned, cynically.
"Tifa, just tell me who are you going with and then you can put down the phone. I won't bother you after that," he promised.
"I don't know, Reno. Nobody asked me yet… well, except you. Who knows, I might be alone tonight. Maybe I'll just hang out with the girls." Tifa sighed.
"You want to be a light bulb the whole night, girl?" Tifa's inner-self resurfaced before disappearing again with a chuckle. The girl started cursing but stopped when she heard Reno's exclamation.
"What?! That really sucks. Okay, Reno to the rescue. I'll help you find a partner. I promise you won't be alone tonight," he offered.
"Reno, it's okay. You don't have to do that…"
"Tifa, you're like my sister. I don't want to see you with a glum face throughout the whole day," Reno intervened, a small smile grazing on his lips.
"Thanks a lot. Wish you luck, though. Bye." Tifa ended the call and started blowing her hair dry. Brushing her luscious locks, she debated on what type of hairstyle that would suit her today. Finally, she decided to just leave it naturally. Heading towards her wardrobe, she adorned on a black t-shirt with white stripes plus a white skirt that reached her knees. After putting on light make-up, she made her way towards the college.
Sounds of punching bags being tossed about soon reached Tifa's ears. Out of curiosity, she walked up to the front door of the gymnasium and listened. She could not hear any audible sound coming from inside when she stood outside the door. She turned the handle and peeked inside. The first word that came across her mind was… messy. Empty bottles of water were thrown everywhere. Some were miraculously stuck in between windowpanes. Crumbled up food wrappers could be seen in every corner of the hall.
"Is this the dumping hall?" Tifa's dual mind wondered.
Feeling disgusted at the sight of the room, she turned her head and headed towards the main door. Suddenly, out of instinct, her arm lashed out behind. To her surprise, her attacker blocked her sudden move. She was shocked for a moment and did not notice the second attack aiming at her side. She stumbled and fell to the ground. Her attacker stood above her and smirked.
"Oww… that hurts…" Tifa groaned and tried to stand up. She stumbled on her right foot and slammed right into the guy's arms.
He steadied her against his body and mumbled, "Are you all right?"
"Do I look fine?" she snapped back at him, her cheeks turning redder when he smirked.
"Sorry. I just wanted to test out the girl who's famous in martial arts. Guess I did give you a whack, huh? For that, I humbly apologise." He released her and gave her
a slight bow.
Tifa shook her head. "Don't bow to me. I'm not that old, you know." The attacker smiled slightly at her response. "Never mind about the blow. It taught me something today."
"Oh. And that is?" he asked.
"To be alert at all times," she replied cheerfully. He chuckled. Then, she asked, "So, who are you and what are you doing here so early in the morning? I've never seen you in here before."
"Not that you come here often, girl," her dual mind said.
"You started talking to me when you don't even know who I am? And here I thought I'm "supposedly" famous among the girls." The blond guy stared at her and cocked one of his eyebrows.
She rolled her eyes. "Aren't you full of yourself."
"Well… I feel chatty today," Tifa replied lamely. He stared incredulously at her.
"What a lame answer," his inner-self mumbled.
"Whatever. I'm…"
"Hey, Rufus! Stop flirting with the chick. You're wanted at the auditorium." A messenger cried out from the door, causing Tifa to jump slightly. He grinned mysteriously and winked at Tifa before leaving the room.
"Are you performing tonight?" Tifa asked, curiously.
"Violin and piano performance. Make sure you're there tonight. I don't want a beautiful lady to miss my limelight." Rufus winked then smiled at her.
"Sure, I'll be there." Tifa blushed slightly and turned her head.
"Well, I must go now. Nice meeting you, Miss Lockheart." Rufus extended his hand and smiled.
"Yeah. Same here." She shook his hand and returned his smile. She watched as he picked up his bag before leaving the room. She followed him out of the gym and headed to the main hall to meet her friends. "Rufus…" she thought with a smile.
Now why did that name sound familiar?
"Tifa! Good morning!" A bunch of girls chorused.
Tifa spun around and grinned widely. "Hey, everyone! Morning."
Aeris and Yuffie ran to Tifa and gave her a squeeze. All of them had big smiles on their faces. After all, today was the last day they would be together. Who knew when they would meet again? Tifa inwardly shrugged at the thought. Aeris would further her studies in economics and gardening at Midgar whereas Yuffie would train under her strict father to be his successor in Wutai. She herself would study further on martial arts to succeed her mentor, Zangan.
Moments later, some boys came to join the group gathering. Zack, a tall, black spiky haired guy with a well-built chest grabbed Aeris at her waist and pulled her into a hug. Reno swung Yuffie into his arms and pecked her cheeks. Tifa raised her eyebrows at the red-haired guy.
"That was real fast, Reno."
All the same, she felt a pang of jealousy ran through her veins. Tifa scolded herself for feeling that way. They were her best friends. They deserved to be happy and she would be the last one to grudge them of happiness, especially on a great day! So she cocked her head and said, "Get a room, you guys!"
"Sorry, just got carried away," Reno said, sheepishly. Zack gave her an impish grin and blushed.
Tifa rolled her eyes. "So, I take it that you're all paired up for tonight?"
"Yes! I'm so excited about tonight, Tiff. It'll be the greatest night ever!" Aeris declared.
"I can't wait for night to come!" Yuffie chimed in.
"Yeah… hurray for you…"
Aeris immediately sensed the change of mood and gave a slight cough. "Don't worry, Tifa. Your beauty will captivate many guys when you're wearing your dress." She winked. "You will have a partner. Don't worry, okay?" Aeris lightly patted Tifa's shoulder.
Tifa gave a sigh. "All right. I didn't want you guys to see me all depressed and stuff. Come on. Pull a cheerful face and just ignore my papaya look, all right?"
"If you say so… Just remember, you're never alone…" Yuffie managed to squeak out that sentence before Reno covered her mouth again.
"Good job. Keep it up, you guys!" Tifa's inner self lashed out.
"Reno, you really should control yourself in public. There is no need to show your affection in the middle of the road."
Tifa turned around and smiled. Rufus reciprocated before smirking at Reno's tomato face.
"I thought you were wanted at the auditorium. How did your rehearsal go?" Tifa asked, gaining the look of amazement from everyone.
"It went smoothly. Hopefully, it will turn out well tonight." Rufus flipped a strand of his yellow bangs that partially covered his eyes. He stared at Tifa, more likely past Tifa and then widened his eyes slightly. "I must go. Sorry to leave so inappropriately again." He hurried off in the other direction.
Tifa frowned and turned around, just to catch a bunch of giggling girls and bimbos tearing down the gates where Rufus had disappeared. She shrugged to herself and sighed. How could she ever rival his fan girls? They had the perfect vital statistics that any man would want.
Wait a minute. Why was she having these kinds of thoughts?
A waving hand in front of her face suddenly interrupted her chain of thoughts. She blinked her eyes.
"Tifa, since when did you get hook up with Rufus without us knowing?" Aeris demanded.
"We were never hooked up with each other. We just… met," Tifa replied.
Reno couldn't help letting out a snort. "And you're telling me pigs can fly."
"I've never seen you talk to him before. I never thought you knew even his name!" Yuffie exclaimed. "When did you start talking to him?"
"Since this morning…" Tifa sighed and wiped her forehead when she received dumb looks from her friends. "I met him in the gym. I thought I heard a sound coming from inside so I decided to explore. Then…"
"… you saw Rufus and went up to him and started talking. I see," Yuffie replied knowingly, while bobbing her head up and down.
Tifa glared at her and started to continue her interrupted speech when a car came up to them. The driver wined down his window screen and Rufus popped his head out. "Care to join me for a drive?" he asked, directing that question to Tifa.
"Of course! Thanks, Rufus!" Yuffie cried out, enthusiastically.
Rufus gave her a look. "I wasn't talking to you. Mind your own business."
"Shut your trap, Rufus." Reno came to the rescue and comforted his disappointed Yuffie.
Tifa smiled and replied, "Sure. Thank you." She turned back to her friends. "Sorry guys, I'll continue my story later. Bye." She headed to the front seat and opened the door. She hopped in and they disappeared out of the college compound.
Cherry blossoms greeted her eyes as they zoomed down the road. From the corner of his blue orbs, he observed her childish yet cute looks when she looked out of the window. A happy smile that could be seen on kids when they received presents from Santa Claus. He chuckled lightly when the car went over a bump and she knocked her head slightly on the window. She gave him a mocking glare and rubbed her bruised head with a pout. Rufus chuckled again at her reaction. She pursed up her lips and turned abruptly to the side, causing her long hair to swing in his direction. He continued driving until they reached a traffic light. He let go of the steering wheel and glanced at the time.
11.00 a.m.
Rufus sighed inwardly. He didn't know why he ask Tifa to keep him company when he could have easily gotten hold of any other girl to be with him. He just wanted her to be with him until the day ended. In some ways, he admired her ability to smile so freely and at the smallest things. For some odd reason, he wanted her to smile.
He could not forget the first time he saw her in college. The only thing that caught his attention was her sweet innocent smile. Although the female population were doing their best to get close to him, none of them seemed to succeed. But the sight of the mahogany-haired girl smiling at her friends warmed his heart. Perhaps he had never seen such beautiful expression of love before.
He made a silent vow to protect her from anyone who caused her to cry or shed tears.
"Damn! I'm falling for the girl already. Wonder if she had gotten herself a partner for tonight? Wouldn't be surprised if she had, though… her body…" He shook his head, breaking his thoughts from travelling too far.
Tifa noticed him shaking his head and frowned a little. "Are you okay?"
"Y… Yeah. I'm fine," he replied, after a while. Suddenly, he asked, "Do you have a partner for tonight?"
"No. Why do you ask?" she enquired.
He looked at her, searching for the truth beneath her answer. "You sure you don't have a partner? Hard to believe that though… because…" he trailed off, a small smile appearing on his face.
"Because… what?"
"Oh! Nothing." He brushed it off. "Anyway, where do you want to go?" He changed the subject.
"Are you sure you can trust him? You barely know the guy," Tifa's inner-self objected.
Tifa raised her eyebrows. "Umm… anywhere's fine with me."
"Let's stop at the dairy then."
She looked at him with bewilderment. "Okay. Tell me why are you doing this?" Rufus just gave her a look in response. "I mean, you barely know me and…"
"I'm trying not to appear where my fan girls can get me. They've been hammering at my house every morning since last week, screaming out "Rufus, be my partner!" and embarrassing me with their pathetic squeals." Rufus rolled his eyes as he droved towards the dairy.
Tifa giggled. "You can't blame them. They loved chasing after rich and heart-melting guys." Rufus smirked at her praise. "Plus, they're beautiful…"
His smirk turned into a snort at the last word she uttered. "I don't think they deserved to be labelled pretty, so how can they be beautiful?"
"What's your definition of beautiful?" she countered.
Rufus thought for a while. "It's hard to explain it in words. Pictures in reality are more powerful than words when it comes to describing things. I'll tell you tonight." He promised. "Anyway, we're here," he added.
He got out from the car and proceeded to open Tifa's door at her side. She smiled at his gesture and stepped out from the car. Instantly, the chilling wind swept past her, blowing her hair to and fro. She shivered, regretting that she didn't wear anything warmer.
"Curse this weather!" she thought with a frown.
Seconds later, she felt a thick garment enveloping her body. Masculine scent reached her nose and subconsciously, she inhaled deeply. Rufus came up behind her.
"You shouldn't have worn that kind of clothing in this weather," he scolded, lightly.
"Yes, Daddy," she replied. "And thank you for your sweater." She gave him a smile and he smiled back.
The sight of warm, hot chocolate greeted her wine-coloured eyes as they entered the dairy. Delicious aroma swam to her direction, causing her stomach to growl. Rufus cocked his head and laughed. Tifa frowned and stomp towards an unoccupied table for two. He followed her from behind, chuckling at her grumpy face.
"Stop pulling on a grumpy face. It doesn't suit you," he murmured into her ear when he reached her side. She blushed slightly.
They sat down and waited for the waitress. She soon appeared and winked seductively at Rufus.
"Good afternoon. How may I be of your service?" she asked in a slurred voice.
Rufus frowned but quickly replied, "Hot cocoa for me." He turned to his side and stared at the view outside the dairy, admiring the colour of cheery blossoms during winter and totally ignoring the flushed waitress.
"One hot chocolate, please," Tifa ordered.
The waitress nodded and walked away. Rufus turned back to Tifa and sighed. His fan girl base was getting bigger day by day. Sometimes, he wondered, was it a blessing or a disaster to have great looks? He honestly had no idea. One question suddenly popped into his head. "Tifa, don't you have any club of your own? Like, your fan boys?"
"No. Lucky for me that I'm not rich or that striking looking to attract attention," she declared proudly.
He just shook his head. "Yes, you're absolutely lucky. At least you don't have crazy blondes and brunettes to deal with every morning at 6 a.m."
She laughed at his response. The conversation was interrupted when the waitress brought their orders. Tifa proceeded to take out her purse, but Rufus held out his hand.
"I'll pay." She gave him a huge grin and started drinking her hot chocolate eagerly but with care.
After that, Rufus started the engine of his car and drove towards Tifa's house. Silence enveloped the occupants of the car during the journey. When they reached the driveway, Rufus stopped the car and turned to Tifa. "I'll see you tonight then."
Tifa nodded. "Oh! Before I forget…" She took off the sweater and handed it back to him with a smile. "Hope I haven't tainted the smell."
"Nah… you smell nice."
"Right, and now he is a sniffling wolf. Splendid!" Tifa's other voice commented.
She flushed and got out of the car. Suddenly, Rufus leaned over and grabbed her hand. Startled out, she gave a small yelp. He quickly let go of her hand and said, "Sorry."
"Never mind." She studied his face carefully. "Is there anything that you want to ask?" she inquired.
Rufus raised his eyebrows and sighed. "Actually, yes. Will you…" he hesitated for a second. "Will you be my partner?" he blurted out.
"Was it very hard to ask that simple question?" Tifa's inner-self muttered. "What are you waiting for? Grab the chance!"
The brunette inhaled sharply. Then, a huge smile appeared on her face. "Sure!"
Rufus grinned widely at her. "Thanks. See you later." She opened the door and stepped out. She waved at him until he disappeared down the main road. Tifa unlocked the front door and went inside, her heart jumping for joy. She could not believe a smashing male had just asked her to be his partner. Tifa giggled and hugged the pillow when she reached her room. She knew just what to wear for tonight.
After Rufus parked his car in the garage, he went up to his room and started searching for his attire. He finally found the perfect suit after rummaging through his closet. Then, he searched thoroughly in his treasure box where he kept all his gifts and presents. He frowned a little but finally smiled in satisfaction as he held out a blue satin box. He unlatched the clasp and closed it again tightly after checking the contents. A discreet smile could be seen on his face as headed to his bathroom.
He couldn't wait for the night to come!
7.00 p.m.
Tifa quickly picked out her evening dress and laid it out on the bed. She showered and came out ten minutes later. She unzipped the dress and slipped it on.
"Now, how am I going to zip this up?" she wondered.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. She went downstairs and opened the door partially. Aeris and Yuffie were standing there, shivering slightly from the frosty weather. They rushed in before Tifa could say hi.
"Girls, a little help here…"
Aeris looked at her unzipped dress and went behind Tifa. She pulled the zipper up and spun the girl around. She gasped softly and smiled. Tifa looked gorgeous! Her long, dark brown hair was brushed until they shone. Silver, dangling earrings caught the light and they glimmered proudly, showing off their unmatched beauty. Aeris stepped further away to inspect her. Tifa wore a bluebell dress, with small sequins lined up neatly at the waist, forming small patterns of flowers. The sleeves were puffy on each side, making her bodice extremely endearing. Tifa laughed gaily and twirled around.
"Tifa, you look marvellous!" Yuffie exclaimed. Aeris just nodded in agreement.
"Thanks. All of you look great too," Tifa said.
Aeris was dressed in a long, sleeveless, pink dress that showed off her curves. There were long slits up to the thigh at each side. She had added a red silk bow to her neck. Yuffie wore something similar to Aeris, except that her dress was green in colour. A diamond tiara had replaced the usual headband that she wore daily.
"Reno would be very pleased," Tifa thought.
"So, what are we waiting for? Let's…" A loud knock on the door made her sigh and she opened it. Her bright red eyes widened and slowly, her cheeks took her eye colour. Rufus, dressed in a black tux with a white shirt inside and a black bow tie, extended his hand with a smile. Tifa unconsciously placed hers on his and he pecked her hand. He smirked at her coloured cheeks.
"Hey! You're one to talk about affections. Move it!" Reno whined.
"You're blocking the way. We want to meet our ladies too," Zack said.
Rufus chuckled and stepped inside the room. Zack and Reno followed suit. They stopped dead and stared at Aeris and Yuffie. Tifa gazed at both parties. She waved a hand in front of the girls' faces and sighed when there was no response. She looked over to the guys and saw Zack approaching Aeris. He pulled Aeris into his arms and kissed her passionately. After a few minutes, Reno strode to Yuffie to give her the same treatment, except that his was more forceful.
Tifa rolled her eyes and went up to her room. She settled in front of her mirror and did some final touches.
"Do you remember our discussion on definition of beautiful?" Rufus asked, scaring Tifa out of her wits.
"Rufus! Don't you know how to knock?" Tifa cried out loud as she placed her hand on her chest.
"Sorry." He shrugged. "Anyway, do you remember?" he asked again. He walked into her room and sat on her bed.
Tifa raised her eyebrows slightly. "Yeah. What about it?"
"I told you pictures are more powerful than words, right? I'll tell you my definition of beautiful." Rufus stood up and walked towards Tifa. He grabbed her arms gently so as not to scare her and guided her to the mirror. "This is what I call a beautiful lady," he murmured into her ear.
Tifa was blushing like mad now as she stood in front of him, gazing at her reflection.
"Close your eyes," he instructed. She did as she was told. Rufus took out the satin box and held the jewellery gingerly. He unclasped the hook and placed it on her neck. He tapped her shoulders, telling her that she may open her eyes. Tifa's eyes widened tenfold and touched the new item. It was a pure diamond necklace with an exquisite heart-shaped pendant with small ivory charms in the middle.
"I can't accept this, Rufus! I can't! I…" Tifa began protesting, but Rufus silenced her with a finger on her lips.
"Take it as a present from me because you agreed to be my date," he said with a smile.
"Thank you Rufus. I-I don't know what to say. It's really beautiful," Tifa said gratefully.
She gave him a sudden hug, making him stagger backwards as they fell onto her bed with Rufus supporting her from behind. Tifa quickly got up from her position but Rufus held her back. He rolled over and appeared on top of her, grinning slightly.
"Now you've done it. You messed up the hair!" inner Tifa screamed.
"You look really cute with your flushed face," he commented. He shook his head and corrected himself. "Actually, the label cute doesn't suit you."
"T-Then, what word suits me tonight? Beautiful?" she whispered, trying not to be affected by their intimidating position.
"No. Not even beautiful. You're… seraphic." Rufus smiled sincerely and kissed her. She was in shock the whole time they locked lips, but managed to kiss him back. Both of them had flushed cheeks when they broke apart a few minutes later. Rufus stood up again and straightened his tux. He extended his hand to Tifa, who took it graciously.
"Ready to go?" he asked.
"Y-Yes," she stuttered, still a little shaken by the incident earlier. She walked to the dressing room and took her handbag. They walked down the stairs in silence.
Boom! Boom! Bang!
Fireworks greeted the three couples when they reached the college compound. They walked into the auditorium and took their places. Rufus went to fetch his violin case and prepared himself. Reno gave him a thumbs-up while Tifa gave him a peck on his cheeks, making Reno stared in wonder.
"Tifa, I take back my words about what I said on the phone," Reno admitted. Tifa nodded and smiled triumphantly.
Rufus went on stage and took out his violin. Tifa's heart melted when he started playing a music piece. She closed her eyes and felt herself sway in the midst of the music.
"He really can play," she thought.
When the song ended, everyone clapped loudly as Rufus bowed before walking over to the piano. Once again, he spell bounded the audience with his incredible art of playing.
"He really has a flair for music! He plays both the violin and piano marvellously," Tifa smiled to herself. There was a thunderous applause when he finished his performance. He stood up and bowed with a grin. He left the stage and joined Tifa's table, much to the dismay of other girls.
"How was it?" he asked.
"Great, man! You were terrific!" Reno exclaimed. Aeris, Zack, Yuffie and Tifa nodded their heads and smiled.
Rufus grinned around and sat next to Tifa. He found her hand and held it tightly against his own. She blushed at the sudden contact of skin but did not pull away. After a while, a brunette waltzed up to their table and winked seductively towards Rufus. He looked at her, disgust plainly written on his face.
She whined out, "Rufus dear, dance with me?"
"NO." He abruptly turned to Tifa and held out his hand. She accepted it and they walked hand in hand towards the dance floor. "Can't believe that woman," he muttered to himself.
Tifa let out a giggle. She placed her arms behind his neck and he encircled her waist. They waltzed together, following the rhythm of the music. When the song ended, they went to the counter for a drink.
"Let's go outside for a walk, Rufus," Tifa suggested.
He nodded and they went out of the room. The winds during winter were blowing hard to her face. She cursed the weather silently as they walked. Noticing her slightly shivering figure, Rufus stood behind her and rubbed her arms up and down. Unconsciously, she leaned nearer to him and placed her head gently against his chest. They were standing on a bridge facing the river. The moon created a romantic atmosphere by lighting up the river, making it look like a bed of crystals.
"What are you going to do after college?" Tifa asked.
"I'll probably continue my studies on martial arts first. Then, the rest I'll decide later," he ended, while scratching his head. "You?"
"The same." He raised his eyebrows at her answer. "I don't like gardening or any of those feminine courses. So, I'll probably train myself to be a martial arts trainer next time." She smiled up at him. He looked very handsome, staring down at her. His blue eyes matched with his well-toned body.
Oh, if only…
"Tifa…?" She snapped out of the daze look and nodded. He looked at her, then at the river and finally at her again. He sighed heavily before closing the gap between them. Before Tifa could blink her eyes, he claimed her mouth with sudden ferocity. He softened the kiss when he felt her not responding. They broke apart, feeling breathless after their sensational moment. No words could describe how Tifa felt at that time. She could only stare at him, her lips parted slightly.
"What was that all about?" Tifa and Rufus's inner-selves inquired.
"Does this initiate a relationship?" Tifa asked finally.
The blond closed his eyes, his head lowering until his forehead touched hers. "Yes… if you would accept me."
Tifa widened her eyes. "He is asking me for acceptance when he could have gotten any other girl anytime?"
"Is this for real?" she asked, softly.
He revealed his brilliant azure orbs and examined her face before smiling sincerely. "Definitely." He hushed her up with his heart-melting kiss again.
THE END