A cool summer breeze was softly passing through the small village of Nibelheim. Although pleasant, something cooler captures the curiosity of a 4-year-old ruby eyed child. What she saw was the ocean, and it was neatly placed inside the gazing eyes of a young blonde peeking from behind someone who seems to be his mother.

"Tifa." Ruby eyes decided to focus her attention to a new pair of rubies, it was her mother's, standing beside a blonde stranger. "I'd like you to meet a friend of mine, you can call her Aunt Claudia."

She was a rather tall woman, with well-maintained blonde hair that was in a neat ponytail. She wore a rather long pair of beige trousers with an ivory long sleeved blouse tucked into it. She smiled at Little Tifa. "Hello, Tifa"

"Hello…" Tifa slowly stands up from the patch of grass where she was playing only a few minutes ago to properly greet the lady. Once she patted down her skirt, steals a look from her mother who gives her a small nod, she turns back to Claudia and replies shyly "…Aunt Claudia."

Claudia found this rather adorable, and let out a small amused chuckle. Small hands tightened their grip on her trousers, her son that was still hiding behind her was still staring at Tifa, his eyes full of wonder on who this girl was. Claudia lightly pushed him from behind and had him in front of her, bent down so that she could meet Tifa at eye level. Tifa openly stared back at the boy who never stopped staring at her. Claudia patted her son's shoulders. "Tifa, I'd like to introduce you to my son, Cloud."

Both of them stared, neither one was about to speak. "Would you please play with him while I catch up with your mother?" Tifa blinks and turns to her with a smile. "Okay!" She was always happy to make a new friend. Extending her hand, she greeted him. "I'm Tifa, Let's be friends?"

Although he was shy and hesitant, Cloud reached for her hand and nodded. "Okay, I'm Cloud."

Tifa beamed and then tugged his arm to follow. He didn't resist and they went off towards a basket under a large tree, where Tifa had apparently kept all of her toys. While the children get acquainted, both mothers observed at a safe distance.

Tifa, who was rather too eager, pounces Cloud just to have a close look at his eyes. Cloud who was taken in by surprise lets out a laugh, willingly giving Tifa freedom to keep exclaiming how 'blue' his eyes were. After some time, the two sits down beside the basket with Tifa enthusiastically showing off a robotic bird she took out. With a few turn, the bird began to move and started to imitate the movement of a pigeon. Its metallic wings slowly flapping while releases stream from under its wings. Within a few seconds it takes flight, although in a very low altitude, the children began to chase after it, Cloud shouting out his amazement and even calling out to his mother if she's seeing what he was. Claudia gives him a nod and lets him continue chasing the small machine flying around.

"Seems like they're getting along well to me. Don't you think so, Liz?" Claudia smiles at her friend. Eliza was quiet, but her smirk spoke volumes. Crossing her arms, she turns to Claudia. "I understand that you're just about getting the hand of things at the Strife Delivery Service. Are you sure its right to be adding another headache right away?"

"Liz, I've known your husband since we were in diapers, trying to walk and make something of ourselves in this village. I'm pretty sure he's told you on numerous occasions that I'm quite a stubborn backwater gal."

"It's just that Lloyd hasn't been…" Eliza couldn't bring herself to complete her sentence. Claudia lets out a sigh and places a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

"We're fine. It's alright, Cloud understands that he's gone." This doesn't convince Eliza completely. "Besides, this might just be something Cloud needs; a friend." Claudia then winks. "or a partner."

Eliza shakes her head, giving up. "I think we should let them decide on that."

"Oh we will. But looking at them right now, they do make a good match."

"There you go again, miss matchmaker" Eliza jokes while Claudia grins.

"You got Brian didn't you? Don't say I'm not good at this!"

"Alright, I won't!" the ladies laugh together, feeling hopeful as two kids run towards them holding hands, smiling from ear to ear.

Although they were never informed, Cloud was an observant child. The regular visits to Tifa since he was five years' old that's still ongoing now that he is nine is giving him an idea at what is actually going on. That, and the fact that he only does this visits quite often with Tifa and not with any other acquaintances. It stirred up an idea that got him itching for a confirmation. Cloud was considered quite mature for his age. This might be due to the fact that his mother had made him aware of his Father's passing, leaving him to be the man of the house. He tried to learn more about things even at a young age, and that included his possible responsibilities as the heir of the largest distribution and courier service company in Midgar. He needed to see his mother.

"Mom, we need to talk" bursting into his mother's office was not the right course of action. Cloud freezes and losses his complete train of thought the moment his mother stares him down while she sat on top of her desk, arms crossed.

"Since when was manners thrown out the window in this household?" Without raising her voice, Claudia Strauss Strife stared daggers into her son, making him jolt and straighten his posture.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I just-" before he could explain himself, Claudia sighs and stands from her desk. "I'll let it slide for now. Come on, Tifa and your Aunt Liz is waiting."

"Mom, About that… Why do we always visit Tifa?" Claudia stops in her tracks, raises her eyebrows and smirks.

"What do you think?" she knew her son was getting suspicious, but she didn't expect him to ask so abruptly. However, instead of answering her, she notices his cheeks getting rosy.

"Well…I…Are we…." Cloud couldn't get the words out, and this amused his mother even more. She walks towards him and bends down, placing her hand on his head, ruffling his spikes. No matter how mature he tried to look, he was still a child.

"Do you like Tifa?" she asked. She wasn't disappointed, seeing her son perk up and turn an even deeper red. Without muttering a word, he nods. "Then it's not a problem, right?"

"But she doesn't know" he argues. Cloud didn't find it fair that he knew what their parents were planning and yet Tifa had no clue.

"What makes you think she doesn't?"

"She does?"

"Why don't you ask her? Come on, let's go" Cloud rushes off not realizing his mother took out her phone and began to make a call. "Liz, he knows."

"Oh dear."

"We'll be there in a few minutes." Claudia hangs up. Eliza begins to worry; she steals a look at her daughter who was picking out a dress to wear.

"Tifa, dear, Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes." She chose a blue dress and began putting it on.

"Sweetie, what do you think of Cloud?" Tifa was quite silent for a few minutes. The moment she got her dress on, her mother zipping her up, she looks up at her with gleaming eyes and a pink tint on her cheeks. "He's sweet."

"Do you like him?" her mother smiled, brushing her hair now. Tifa replies quite enthusiastically. "I do."

"Like really like him?" her mother pestered her. Tifa was confused. She began to knit her brows and her mother amusingly watch the gears moving inside Tifa's thoughts. Her mother decided to clarify. "Do you want him to always be with you."

"You mean stay with me always? Like you and Papa?" Tifa was tilting her head in curiosity.

"Something like that." Eliza smiled at her daughter that started to brighten up. "We can do that."

Tifa was about to hug her mother with a gleeful squeal, but stops midway. "Does Cloud know? I don't really know if Cloud likes me."

"Why don't we find out later? You can ask him."

"Okay!"

The moment the two met, their mother's watched in the distance. They could see a very flustered Cloud asking a suddenly shy Tifa. They laughed together when the two suddenly perked up, Tifa suddenly hugging a red faced Cloud who had no idea what's going on.

"I think everything is going to be ok" this surprises Claudia. For once, a very skeptical Eliza is convinced.

"You are absolutely right" The two share a smile as they watch two innocent children playing in the distance.