While Cloud and Tifa drove to the restaurant Tifa had chosen, there was an awkward silence in the car. Tifa, worried that Cloud regretted his decision to go out with her, asked:
"Is something wrong?" Cloud gave her a short, surprised look before he concentrated on the road again and answered:
"No, don't worry. It's just…I'm nervous." Tifa smiled and gently patted his upper leg.
"No need to be, Cloud." Cloud blushed and smiled back, his nervousness slowly fading away. Finally, they reached the restaurant; Cloud parked his car, quickly jumped out and held the door open for Tifa before she even had time to open it herself.
"Thank you, Cloud." The brunette smiled. Cloud returned her smile and offered his arm to her.
"May I accompany into the restaurant, My Lady?" Tifa giggled and accepted the offered arm, hooking hers into it.
"My pleasure, Sir." The two walked into the restaurant, were immediately one of the waiters came running over.
"Did you reserve, Sir?" he asked, sounding kind of snobby.
"Yes", Cloud replied, "two seats for Strife." The waiter nodded and led them over to one of the free desks, where a small sign with the name "Cloud Strife" written on it. The waiter took the sign away and said:
"I hope this place is okay for you, Mister and Mrs. Strife." Cloud blushed furiously, but before he could tell the man that Tifa wasn't his wife, he had vanished to get the menus. Tifa giggled at her red boss and taunted him:
"So, honey, shall we sit down?" Cloud just nodded, speechless, and the two of them took a seat.
"Thanks for inviting me, Cloud." Tifa said softly. "I…" she stopped in mid-sentence and looked down at the desk. Cloud just waited until she was ready to talk on, and she was thankful about it. Finally Tifa found the strength to speak on:
"I need real friends now. After that thing Johnny did to me…" Cloud reached out and took her hand into his, causing her to look up surprised.
"I'm here for you, Tifa." The inspector softly spoke, and for the first time Tifa knew him, he seemed to be his old self – the man he had been before the tragic death of his wife. Tifa gave his hand a gentle squeeze, tears forming in her eyes.
"Thank you, Cloud." She answered hoarsely. "Thank you so much." Cloud smiled at her, his thumb gently stroking Tifas fingers. However, the atmosphere was destroyed when the waiter interrupted them:
"May I take your drinks?" Cloud quickly let go of Tifas hand, much to her dismay, and ordered soda water for himself, while Tifa decided to have an orange juice. The waiter vanished again and gave them time to decide what they would eat. Cloud studied the menu, but sometimes his eyes wandered over the edge of it and rested on Tifa for a while. The brunette didn't seem to notice, but she realized it every time – and was happy about it.
Two hours later, Cloud drove Tifa back to the hotel. Before she got out of the car, she thanked her boss for the nice evening:
"Thanks for everything, Cloud. It helped me a lot." Cloud smiled at her and replied:
"You help me too, Tifa. Probably more than you think." Tifa blushed and waved her hand, as if to make her boss' statement go away. Cloud chuckled at her movements and shook his head. That was when Tifa took him off-guard:
"Do you want to…repeat this evening sometime?"
"You mean, go out again?" Cloud asked, smiling, and Tifa nodded. Clouds smile grew wider, and he nodded.
"I'd love too, Tifa." Tifa smiled, and suddenly she leaned forward and gave Cloud a quick peck on the cheek.
"Thanks again." She whispered into the astonished inspector's ear before she hopped out of the car and walked into the hotel. Cloud was left sitting in his car, grinning from ear to ear. Finally, he drove off, and he grinned all the way home.