Yuffie yawned as she glanced at the clock. "Tifa… do you have to get up so early? We don't open until 9am! That's 5 hours from now!" She whined. Her voice was raspy and forced, the way one's voice is after a rough night of sleep.

Tifa laughed at the pitiful sight of her friend, "Yuffie, it's 4pm, not am."

Some said the year had done Yuffie well; she had gained a bit of weight and with it some curves. But those who knew her well knew better. She had started drinking heavily, moped around, and cried whenever she was alone. She was just plain miserable. She had loved the daily adventures the group had. The split had left her feeling empty and alone. She had been asked to go to Wutai to help rebuild but she refused. She hated her homeland, finding nothing there but fights with her father.

"You got drunk again last night, Yuffie." Tifa had gotten used to having to end every sentence addressed to Yuffie with "Yuffie." Yuffie paid even less attention to people these days and otherwise wouldn't notice anyone ever talked to her.

"Oh." Yuffie said blankly realizing she was still in yesterday's clothes. It was a common occurrence lately, Yuffie couldn't remember the last night she didn't spend dulling her senses with some alcohol. She stumbled clumsily out of bed, "I feel like shit." It was a statement that had lost meaning to her.

Tifa tired to keep the smile on her face as she watched her friend. "Oh yeah, Trint stopped by earlier."

Yuffie rolled her eyes, her back was to Tifa though, "What did he want this time?" She was whining again and flopped back down wearily onto her bed, grunting as she did so.

Tifa shut the blinds so her friend could get some more sleep. The only time Yuffie really seemed happy was in her sleep. "Well you know he is you fiancé."

Yuffie cringed at the reminder, "Gah! I know I know… " She sighed, "I might as well get up." She stretched, moaned, and rolled onto the floor. Tifa couldn't help laughing. Yuffie stuck her tongue out at her friend and with an exaggerated strut made her way out of the room towards the bar. Tifa laughed again as she made Yuffie's bed.

Trint was waiting in the bar when Yuffie finally found her way there. She had made a stop at the bathroom along the way to fix her hair, reapply her eyeliner, and change her shirt. She usually wore an undersized tee with "THE BAR" on the front and "STAFF" on the back with khaki pants that were a size or two big for her. She never bothered with shoes much since she didn't leave the house much. When she did leave, she wore the same shoes she had on all the adventures with her long lost friends, just about the only thing she still wore.

"Yuffie!" Trint exclaimed as he walked over to her. "You shouldn't drink so much." He put his hands completely around her waist and lifter her up. Although Yuffie had gained weight she was still quite small; Trint was also tall and had long strong hands to match the rest of him. He could quite easily fit both his hands around her waist. He was 18, two years older than Yuffie, with deep red hair that hung in his face just right. His eyes were deep blue and gave him a permanently calm, comforting expression. His mood usually matched his eyes; he was easy going and most had never seen him angry, nor could they picture him ever getting angry. He was very lean and graceful, but still quite strong. He was the type of guy every girl dreams of and every parent feels their daughter deserves. No one understood what he saw in Yuffie. It was simple though; he was infatuated with her. He couldn't get enough of everything about her; from the way her hair fell around her face to her clumsy way of presenting herself.

Yuffie felt woozy but stabled herself by resting her hands on his shoulders. "And you shouldn't care so much." Tifa walked in and could sense the irritated tone in Yuffie's voice. Trint couldn't, he was lost in Yuffie's deep brown-red eyes. He gently put her down and leaned in for a kiss. Yuffie turned her head so he could only kiss her cheek before squirming out of his arms. Trint waved as he left, allowing Yuffie to start work. He stood in the doorway for a moment, just watching Yuffie. Tifa pitied him; he idolized Yuffie. To him she had no flaws; she was the sexiest woman he had ever met. It was all built up because she barely even let him kiss her. She knew Yuffie cared for him, far more than any of the other boys at least, but she didn't love him. Tifa wasn't sure if Trint loved Yuffie though, either. She saw more lust than love him those kind eyes when he watched her. The whole thing worried her.