That day I went fishing with Genesis and Angeal, Akemi stayed with Gillian…

Akemi stood in the kitchen wearing a long flowing white skirt and a black tank top. Sephiroth stood next to her watching her wrap several sandwiches in cling film, something he always got frustrated doing.

"You're sure you don't mind being left here with Gillian all day?" He asked her, he did not want her to feel left out at all.

"Sephiroth, you make it sound like you're leaving me with a monster or something, and for the thousands time! I DO NOT MIND!" She sternly told him, he had been asking her that question all day…

Sephiroth smiled. "Just making sure…I remember how emotional Genesis' mother was when her husband would go fishing…"

"Genesis' father is called Exodus…right?" She questioned curiously.

Sephiroth nodded. "Right…"

"You would have thought that Genesis' and his name would be the other way around…" Genesis means first after all… She thought.

Sephiroth laughed lightly. "It was his mother that named him…Exodus wanted to call him John."

"I don't think that name suits him…what's his mother called?"

"Lucia…She's a very emotional woman."

Akemi nodded and turned around. She dumped the bag of cling-filmed-sandwiches in Sephiroth's arms and practically pushed him out the door. "Go and enjoy yourself!"

Neither had noticed Gillian in the doorway smiling at them both.

"I understand now why you're the best woman suited for him." Gillian said, taking Akemi by surprise. "He always needed someone to give him a push and a gentle touch at times."

"W-we're really not together like that!" Akemi nervously replied, holding her hands up.

And we are certainly not together anymore…Though it was not her fault…

Genesis and Angeal were at Genesis' home, waiting for Sephiroth. Genesis had no choice but to sleep at his house for two reasons, Gillian's house did not have enough room, and two, his mother would have dragged him back and bound him to his bed, she always insisted on babying him…being her only child and all, though he had been told that she had three miscarriages before he was born.

Angeal had spent the night in one of his spare rooms, so that Sephiroth could sleep on Gillian's sofa and Akemi could have his old bed.

Angeal and Genesis saw him coming, Genesis sighed while Angeal held out his hand. "Come on, pay up." A five-gil-note was put in his hand.

"What are you betting on?" Sephiroth asked them both.

"Genesis said that Akemi would change her mind at the last minute and not let you leave, he thought she'd make you go on a long romantic walk with her or something…as if you were bound in chains. I obviously understand her mind better than he does though…"

Genesis frowned. "Angeal don't be ridiculous, women do not have minds…they replace their brains for shoes…"

"Akemi doesn't have luxuries like that…she enjoys the simple pleasures in life…" Sephiroth snorted.

They all began walking down the path that led to the giant pond they used to enjoy jumping into at a young age. They had to stop when they were thirteen, since Lucia and Gillian had caught them skinny-dipping.

Meanwhile, Akemi walked through the village with Gillian. "How long have you lived here?" Akemi asked.

"We moved here from Midgar just before Angeal was born. His father and I did not want him to have a city life. So we've been here for almost twenty-six years."

"That's a long time…" Akemi said; smiling as several small children ran past her.

"You like children?" Gillian questioned, noticing the longing look Akemi gave the children.

Akemi smiled. "I can honestly say that I don't know. I never spend much time around children; Sephiroth said that he doesn't either."

"So, you and Sephiroth have already discussed having children. I think that you're the first girl Sephiroth has ever been this interested in."

"I really can't see why, there are other girls much better than I am."

Gillian said nothing. Sephiroth had had girlfriends before, Angeal had written to her all about them, usually blonde-haired tarts with an IQ of two.

I went back to Gillian's house at seven in the afternoon with Angeal; Genesis had gone back to his house with the buckets of fish. He and his father were going to gut and de-scale them since we all knew that Gillian would not have them in her home.

Akemi was sitting at the table laughing with Gillian when Sephiroth walked in, he looked happy and had a smile on his face. The black jacket he had been wearing was soaked and draped over his arm.

"Where can I put this?" Sephiroth asked, holding his jacket up.

"Outside on the windowsill,"

Sephiroth put it outside and then walked back in. "Did you have a good time?" Akemi questioned him.

"Yes, Genesis said some inappropriate things so we chucked him in the water, of course he said he was cold and huddled up in my jacket, the reason for it being wet." He explained cheerfully as he sat at the head of the table.

"Did you catch anything?" Gillian asked.

Sephiroth nodded. "Other than old shoes, Genesis has taken the fish home."

"Where's Angeal?" Akemi wondered.

"Somewhere, he was behind me…I think he went to the shop to get something quickly."

Both women nodded.

"What did you do while I was gone?"

Akemi smiled. "We went for a walk and talked a bit, went shopping for things to cook, prepared dinner, and then sat here and talked some more."

"That Genesis…" Angeal growled, storming through the front door and dropping the plastic bag on the table before sitting himself down.

"What's he done now?" Gillian sighed.

"He's told Exodus that we're not doing anything tomorrow. So he's arranged that Sephiroth he and I go to the other village for the beer festival."

Akemi looked confused. "But you're not doing anything tomorrow, so it's not like it will get in the way of any plans…"

Sephiroth stared at her, surprised. "You mean you don't mind?"

"Of course I don't. I don't keep you on a lead and tell you where to go and what to do…"

All I could do at the time was smile, and ask her if it was all right. If I could go back to that moment and change everything, I would…

Sephiroth could not lie, he did have a good time at the festival, and he did not get to drunk though they did get home at six in the morning. Akemi once again said that she had a good time with Gillian, but Genesis kept arranging things, and Akemi, though being polite was getting fed up with being left all day.

"You're going out again?" Akemi said, standing outside the house talking to Sephiroth. "Where this time…?" Her arms were folded and she frowned at him as if he was her husband.

"Genesis has tickets to go to a nearby Theatre—"

"Perhaps Akemi would like to go then?" Gillian interrupted, she had not been too happy with Sephiroth for many reasons.

"It's…not that kind of theatre…" He mumbled.

"Well what sort is it then?" Gillian nagged.

"Ask Genesis…"

"He's not here, you know so you'll tell me!"

Sephiroth sighed. "Let's just say that there are no costumes…and an entirely female cast…"

"Sephiroth…!" Gillian sounded disgusted. "I thought you were above all that!"

The child in Sephiroth kicked in. "Angeal's going too."

Akemi let out a sigh and walked away. "Where are you going?" Genesis asked her as she walked past him and Angeal.

"For a walk…" She sighed, trying to hide the frustration in her voice.

Genesis tilted his head to the side but then carried on walking towards Sephiroth. "She sounded…" Angeal trailed off, having heard the tone of voice before.

"Depressed," Genesis finished.

"I want a word with you Angeal!" Angeal flinched at the tone in his mother's voice.

We soon found where Angeal had learnt to give his lectures…Though; Gillian did have some very good points once she dragged us into the sitting room…Less to say none of us went to the theatre, not only because of Gillian, but Angeal had not the slightest clue what we were going to see…

"Sephiroth…! Akemi is you're girlfriend, no?" Gillian scolded; her hands on her hips as she looked down at Sephiroth now sitting on the sofa between his two friends as if they were naughty children.

Sephiroth was unsure how to reply, especially when he had everyone's eyes on him. "I…suppose…"

"Suppose…? You suppose!" Sephiroth sighed. "You can sigh all you want! How do you really feel about her? I would expect this from Genesis but never from you!"

"I do like her…but at the same time she's the one giving me permission to do these things."

"Oh, so that makes everything okay does it? I don't think you have ever heard the word politeness have you. If it was the other way around what would you say?" Sephiroth was silent. "I think that's enough of an answer. Now go after her and spend your last few days together!" She shouted, practically flinging Sephiroth out the door. She looked back to the other two and prepared herself to scold them next.

Akemi walked along a path surrounded by tall trees and bushes and lakes, she had left because she could feel herself getting angry with Sephiroth, and one of the things her aunt had told her before she died was that when you feel yourself getting ready to lash out, walk away. That was what she had done.

She did not blame Sephiroth for what had happened, two days and they would be going back to Midgar, back to work and a busy lifestyle.

When Sephiroth had gone to the festival, it was obvious that he had been drunk, the reason Exodus had dragged them back at six in the morning when Sephiroth and Angeal were only tipsy, minus Genesis who was thoroughly stoned and unable to walk on his own. She had been a little angry then, Sephiroth could not remember what he had done, but Genesis in his drunk state had said that Sephiroth had been dancing with a stripper on a table for the entire place to see.

No matter how much she tried to kid herself into the fact that she was not in a relationship with him, reality always won, and Gillian had said how Sephiroth would look at her when her back was turned.

She lifted a blackberry to her lips; she had a handful of them that she had picked a few minutes ago.

Akemi was not expecting a shadow to start looming over her and wrap its arms around her. She gasped and heard the figure give off a chuckle that sounded much like Sephiroth's laugh.

Gillian had sent me after Akemi, it took me a while but I finally found her. I would be lying if I said I did not feel guilty for leaving her. When I think about it, after the first few times she had let me go, I began to take advantage of her.

"I'm not going." Sephiroth whispered in her ear.

Akemi could not help but smile. "You're not? I won't say I'm not pleased."

"Neither will I." He told her, standing straight and walking to her side so he could hold her hand. "I have a surprise for you." He said; guiding her back along the path she had just walked on.

"What is it?"

"If I tell you it won't be a surprise."

We got to one of the fields in Banora; it was a beautiful grassy spot on the Rhapsodos estate. I could only pray that Akemi liked what we had done.

"Close your eyes." He told her, putting his hands over her eyes as they neared the area Genesis he and Angeal had prepared.

He moved away his hands and was almost shocked at the nervous feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Open them."

Akemi slowly opened her blue eyes and gasped at the beautiful picnic laid out on a red and white cover on the grass. All her favourite foods were there, jelly, a tub of ice cream, cake, olives, orange-juice, everything…

"Sephiroth…" She breathed. "How did you…?"

Sephiroth smiled. "When I was looking for you, Genesis got his mother's cooking that would never be eaten out of the fridge and cupboards; he explained the situation to his father who guided him to this spot on his estate." He explained proudly, for once they had all thanked Lucia for her cooking-to-much habits.

Akemi wrapped her bare arms around his neck, drawn to tears with what he had done for her.

Genesis and Angeal stood under a nearby tree and smiled at the sight, they were the ones hosting this, and doing their usual spying on the couple.

"She's right for him…" Angeal muttered quietly, happy that Sephiroth had met his match.

"I think I hear wedding-bells…" Genesis added. "I wonder which one of us will be best man?"

Out of all the times I had been out and had picnics this had to be the best one, Akemi did not know that Angeal and Genesis were watching us, there was no need to call them over, they disappeared from sight but I soon found they were hiding behind a tree to make me think they had gone, but it was nice, feeling like it was just the two of us…

Akemi laughed as Sephiroth finished his story of how he had been punished as a child for being to cheeky to Exodus.

"You sound like you were a horror!" She laughed, lifting one of the egg-mayonnaise sandwiches to her mouth and taking a bite.

"That's right, I was terrible…but Genesis was worse…"

"I dread to think of what the three of you were like together!"

Sephiroth smirked. "We were naughty to the point of enjoyment…"

Akemi laughed. "I never would have dared to do the things you three did!"

"How about you and I go on that scenic walk tomorrow? Minus Genesis and Angeal…" He asked her, he had personally longed to go on the walk with her, in the summer it was beautiful, the path was surrounded by trees and flowers, lakes, and when it ended a few miles later there was a nice shop and place to eat. Gillian would take them there when they were younger; it had always been something to look forward-to.

Akemi nodded. "I only got a few steps along that road before you showed up. I'd love to see the whole thing."

Sephiroth smiled.

If I could go back to that moment now, I would.

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