CHAPTER 13

It was the day of Shinra's anniversary. They were supposed to be on stage in 5 minutes. Tifa took a deep breath and adjusted her mask. She thought the mask was pretty but when she put it on, she looked funny.

"Get a grip Tifa. AVALANCHE will come up the stage from that side and you from this side. The stage will be dark so, follow what the staff tells you. Then, when the curtain is lowered, the music will play off you go, okay?" Yuffie briefly explained to her.

Tifa nodded in nervousness. She had done this in practice. She could do it! This mask would hide her face from the crowd. That would be a good thing.

"Next up! AVALANCHE performance! Get ready!" Tifa heard the stage manager announced. She took one long and deep breath before exhaling it quickly. "Here goes," she said as she followed the staff onto the stage.

She was lead to what she believed her microphone stand and she could hear whispering from around her. "Good luck everyone!" she whispered. "Yeah! Let's do it!" Zack's voice was heard. Then, they heard the cue.

The curtain lowered and Tifa could hear the music started in the background. She closed her eyes to get the feelings for the song. The feelings she had back when she composed the melody of the song.

When she opened her eyes, the lights slowly shone on her and then the rest of the stage. She looked up ahead and opened her mouth and started to sing.

If you haven't changed your mind
Soba ni ite hoshii yo Tonight

If you haven't changed your mind
Then I want you by my side Tonight

Tsuyogaru koto ni tsukareta no
Osana sugita no Everytime I think about you baby
Ima nara ieru I miss you
It's so hard to say I'm sorry

I'm so tired of always having to bluff
Everytime I think about you baby, I feel so young
If I could just tell you I miss you
It's so hard to say I'm sorry

She looked at the crowd who was obviously surprised by her appearance and somehow, she could feel their admiration towards the song.

Tatoeba dare ka no tame ja naku anata no tame ni
Utaitai kono uta wo
Owara nai story tsuduku kono kagayaki ni
Always tsutaetai zutto eien ni

You see, I want to sing this song, not for just anyone
but just for you
An ENDLESS STORY that keeps on shining
Always, I wanna show you, forever and ever

Memories of our time together
Kesa nai de kono mama don't go away

Memories of our time together
this way, they don't go away

Atatakaku toke dashite tashikameru no
Yasashisa no shizuku kono mune ni hirogatteku
Setsu nai hodo ni I'm missing you
Kasaneta te hanasa naide

Once I knew that the warmth between us had disappeared,
gentle tears started to spread over my chest
This is not where it ends, I'm missing you
please don't let go of my hand

Tatoeba kanau nara mou ichido anata no tame ni
Utai tai kono uta wo
Owara nai story taemanai itoshisa de
tell me why oshiete yo zutto eien ni

You see, I wish I could sing this song, just for you
just one more time
An ENDLESS STORY of undying love
tell me why, please tell me, forever and ever

There was a pause for the lyric and the music was played in the background. Tifa closed her eyes once again and saw only one face in her mind. Once she got her cue to start singing again, she opened her eyes and automatically, her tears overflow.

Tatoeba dare ka no tame ja naku anata no tame ni
Utaitai kono uta wo
Owara nai story tsuduku kono kagayaki ni
Always tsutaetai zutto eien ni

You see, I want to sing this song, not for just anyone
but just for you
An ENDLESS STORY that keeps on shining
Always, I wanna show you, forever and ever

Tatoeba kanau nara mou ichido anata no tame ni
Utai tai kono uta wo
Owara nai story taemanai itoshisa de
tell me why oshiete yo zutto eien ni

You see, I wish I could sing this song, just for you
just one more time
An ENDLESS STORY of undying love
tell me why, please tell me, forever and ever

The last word of the song was continued by a guitar solo by Cloud. She turned her head slightly to him and saw him as if he was bathed in lights while playing the guitar. Tifa thinned her lips and let the last drop of her tears fell onto her hand that was holding the microphone.

When the song ended, the stage was darkened once again but this time she heard a loud cheer came from the crowd. She could see their faces, some of them shed some tears like she did, and some were holding their partners' hands while others just smiled.

She even saw Rufus Shinra clapped his hands with a smile across his face. Lastly, she turned to Cloud and he nodded at her slightly. She smiled and felt as if her heart soared above the sky. For once, she felt free.

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Tifa looked around the hall, feeling a little out of place. She had already changed her outfit and her mask so that people wouldn't know she was the one singing up the stage.

"Good job you did up there," a familiar voice greeted her. She turned and saw a lady beside her. "Aerith?" she asked. The lady just nodded as she removed her mask for a moment and put it on back.

"I… uh," Tifa didn't know what to say. "Don't worry, my lips are sealed," Aerith said as she got what Tifa meant. Tifa nodded and smiled in relief. "You came by yourself?" Tifa asked.

"Yeah, I'm meeting someone," she said with a smile. Tifa raised her brows in curiosity. Aerith noticed her reactions and giggled. "You haven't heard?"

"About what?" Tifa asked her back. "I was dumped by Cloud," Aerith said. It made Tifa even more surprised. "What? He didn't say anything about it," Tifa couldn't believe her ears.

"Well, he did," Aerith blew out her breath. "But, I'm okay about it now. So, don't worry about it," Aerith said with a reassuring smile. Tifa just let out a small smile in return.

"I gotta get going. I have to find my manager first," Aerith said and left Tifa standing in the crowd by herself.

Tifa turned to the stage when the MC announced the next performance was from AVALANCHE again. They were on stage once again.

Cloud went to the microphone and cleared his voice. "This song is fully written and composed by Zack Fair. I have to admit that I like the song from the bottom of my heart and tonight, I'm singing it in a different version. Please listen to the Love Song."

Kitto kimi yori mo ii hito nante mou inai

Ima yatto kizuita

Dakara mou ichido boku no

Soba ni ite kurenai ka...

For sure, there's no longer anyone better than you,

I've finally realised that now

So won't you come and be by my side once again?

Itsu made mo issho ni iyou ne tte Futari chikai atta kedo

Futari no shiawase na jikan wa Toki wo kizamu no wo yameta

We promised each other, that we'd always be together

But the happy times we had have stopped ticking

Ima machigai ni kizuite mo

Boku no ayamachi wa kesu koto ga dekinai

Kimi no koto omou to itooshisa de mune ga itai yo

Even though I've realised my mistakes now, they can't be erased

Whenever I think of you, the love makes my heart hurt

Itsuka moshi mo mata guuzen dokoka de aetara yarinaoseru no nara
Tatoe nani ga okita tte hanashitari wa shinai
Kitto kimi yori mo ii hito nante mou inai
Ima yatto kidzuita
Dakara mou ichidou boku no soba ni itekurenai ka

If, just if we could meet by chance again someday, and if we could start all over
If, just if anything happened, I'd never leave you
For sure, there's no longer anyone better than you,
I've finally realised that now
So won't you come and be by my side once again?

Yeah…

It was the first time Cloud held the notes that long and it surprised Tifa that he could pull it off without breaking his voice. Surprisingly, the next lyric of the song was sung by Zack. And it made the crowd went wild.

Aenai jikan ni kuzureta ai no bun dake kitsuku dakishimeru kara
Tatoe nani ga okita tte hanashitari wa shinai

When we didn't see each other, all I could do was hold tight to what was left of our ruined love
So if anything happened, I won't let go

Then, the two males combined their voices and sang together.


Kitto kimi yori mo ii hito nante mou inai
Ima yatto kidzuita
Dakara mou ichidou boku no soba ni itekurenai ka?

There's certainly no longer anyone better than you
I've finally realised that now
So won't you come be by my side once again?

Soshite itsu no hi ka kimi to eien no ai ni chikai o
And so, someday, a promise of everlasting love with you…

The crowd cheered as always and Tifa looked at the blonde who seemed to be shining with lights. She didn't really understand what he thought and the way he did things. They seemed very different from each other.

Seeing the bright lights enveloping him she wondered, 'Will I be able to match his shine?'

A/N – the first song I used is from Yuna Ito entitled Endless Story…it was from Nana the Movie OST…and the second song was from NEWS Yamashita Tomohisa..the title is Love Song…but this version is the one where Tegoshi Yuya sang in their Spring Concert…I really like that version and decided to put it up…

And lastly, thanks for all your comments. I'm motivated to continue the chapter!!