CHAPTER 16

It had been a few weeks already since Johnny mentioned about AVALANCHE coming to town. And not surprisingly, it had been the talk of the town. Everywhere she went she would see their posters hanging.

Now that it was only a day before the concert, the venue of the concert was already opened up for a carnival. They sold the tour goodies. It made Tifa felt really out of place.

"Hey, you seem different lately," Elena stated as she put the last glass she had just washed on the rack.

"Really? You're just imagining things," Tifa said in dismissal. She turned her face away from Elena. Elena didn't feel satisfied with her answer.

"Am I? I'm not Johnny you know. I know something's wrong. And I know it got something to do with what Johnny mentioned a few weeks ago," Elena went to face her long term friend.

Tifa sighed and poured some drink for them. She took a seat and just stared at her drink. Elena joined her and sat beside her, waiting for Tifa to open her mouth.

"Is there anything going on between the two of you?" Elena asked. Tifa took a sip of her drink. She was really troubled with her thoughts.

"You're one lucky girl. Having such a man that had been looking out for you since high school and you're sighing about it now," Elena said as she looked around the bar.

Tifa just ignored her comment. She didn't know the truth. Actually, Tifa was scared with the thought of seeing him again even if it was just on the screen. The thoughts of him near her also made her heart felt like it was going to explode.

Tifa looked into her half- empty glass while in deep thoughts. "Do you still love him?" Elena asked in a low voice. Tifa turned slightly. "I don't know how I feel anymore."

Elena just let out a small laugh but then she turned to Tifa, "Then why aren't you taking off that ring?" Elena sounded serious all of a sudden as she held Tifa's hand, showing off the ring on her finger. Tifa just looked at Elena, "Loving and forgetting are two different things. I may not have that feelings anymore but I can't get him off my mind."

"May?" Elena repeated as she raised her brows.

Tifa just looked defeated. Elena picked up their glasses and washed them at the sink. She packed up her stuff and turned, "I'm going to the concert tomorrow. Johnny asked me to come along. You wanna switch place?" Elena asked.

Tifa shook her head, "No, you guys go on ahead and have fun." Elena just shrugged. "Suit yourself. Don't forget to lock the door," Elena said as she headed towards the door.

Once she opened it, she held it and turned slightly, "Isn't it the time for you to take some actions? Just waiting here won't do you any good," and with that she closed the door behind her, leaving a dazed off Tifa with her own thoughts.

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The store's business wasn't good that day. And she wasn't feeling well that day. Tifa wiped her nose with a tissue. She was catching a cold.

By evening most of her customers had left because most of them had plans for tonight. Tifa knew the reason, AVALANCHE's concert was supposed to be held that night.

Tifa sighed at the sight of Elena closing the bar as Johnny waited for her outside. "Hurry up, the queue is going to be long," Johnny called out. "Wait a second!" Elena replied in annoyance.

She turned slightly to Tifa. Tifa just gave her a small smile and waved at her. "Enjoy your evening!"

Elena narrowed her eyes while shaking her head, "I will. I hope you too and rest up. In case you haven't notice, you're got a cold. And I left my car here for tonight. The key is on the counter," and left the bar.

Tifa sighed as she sat on one of the stool. Ever since this morning, she wasn't able to focus at all, knowing the fact that he was just a few miles away from her.

She looked around the empty bar and wondered to herself. What did he really think of when she left that night? He told her that he didn't agree with her plan but he didn't suggest anything either. Tifa figured it was best for her to retreat, which she did.

Suddenly Elena's words rang in her ears. "Isn't it the time for you to take some actions? Just waiting here won't do you any good." "Ugh!" she slammed her fist on the table and the feeling of pain immediately took over her sense.

"Ouch!" she blew on her fist. It was stupid for her to do that. She quickly went upstairs and took a hat and a pair of glasses. She rushed downstairs and took Elena's car keys.

"I need some air," she said to no one and closed the bar. Outside, she almost bumped into a man and she looked up at him.

"It's you again!" the man smile and it almost made her gag. He picked the wrong moment to appear. "What do you want Don Corneo?" she asked coldly as she walked towards Elena's car across the street.

"Nothing, I just think that we were meant to be together since we keep on bumping onto each other," he replied as he followed behind her. Tifa felt very irritated and annoyed with this man's persistency. Somehow that night, she didn't feel afraid or fear at all. She just felt very agitated and angry.

"In your dreams," she murmured but Don Corneo heard her. He pulled her by her left elbow and it was obviously a wrong move. As Tifa felt his filthy hand touched her, she turned swiftly and gave him a firm punch on his face.

She was never that angry before and she knew she put all of her energy into her fist. "That hurt!" he complained as his face looked bruise a little. He looked up at her but without warning; she used her leg to kick him on his groin, hard.

The man doubled over and grunted something under his breath.

"You come across my vision line again, and you'll be incompetent," she said between her clenched teeth and got into Elena's car. She started the engine and drove off. In her rear-view mirror, he saw Don Corneo trying to get up but fall again.

Tifa blew out her breath roughly, feeling a little content, 'No wonder man likes to fight.'

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Tifa wasn't sure how she ended up at that place that night. She had rounded the whole town with Elena's car and the gas tank was nearly emptied. She looked at the car's watch. It was late already.

She parked her car by the roadside and looked around. This was where the concert was supposed to be held. She gulped as she came out of the car. There were a group of fans that seemed unable to enter the stadium and they just watched the concert from a huge screen outside of the stadium.

Tifa stood at the very back and heard them cheering and laughing as the band performed. She took a deep breath and looked up at the screen. Zack's face appeared as he talked with the audience. The concert had almost ended.

"And we would also like to thank our concerts' sponsor and all of you for coming here tonight! It had been fun and please come and see us whenever we hit the town again!"

Zack smiled and blew a flying kiss to the crowd which responded with more cheering and shouting. Zack smiled mischievously.

"And to wrap things up, the last song…" he stopped and turned to his side. "I'll let Cloud do the honor," he said and smiled.

The camera shifted to Cloud. Tifa's heart skipped a beat but she was unable to divert her eyes. The blonde held his microphone and placed it on the stand.

"This last song goes out for you. Wherever you are and whatever you do, there are times where you feel like you've done the right thing but in the end, all of it just hurt those important people. And you wish that maybe somehow, you can undone those mistakes," Cloud said and then he paused.

He looked at the camera, and Tifa felt as if he was looking directly at her. She stopped breathing immediately.

"This song is for you," he added, not moving his eyes from the camera. Tifa heard some of the girls around her squealed but she ignored them. Their partners just rolled their eyes in response.

"We're here to hear them sing not your screaming," a boy said to a girl. "It's your fault we couldn't get into the stadium!" the girl replied.

"Shh… it's starting," another girl silenced them.

The lights on the stage were turned off and there was a soft sound of guitar. Slowly the light focused on the center of the stage, on Cloud.

saa ai wo sagashite mite goran fukai mori no mukou e to

(real love, my dear, is not for sale.)

zutto me wo korashitemo boku wa mitsukerarenakatta kedo

(real love, my dear, is hard to find.)

go on, look for love, to the otherside of the deep woods
(real love, my dear, is not for sale)
no matter how I strained my eyes looking, I never could find it but...
(real love, my dear, is hard to find)

The lights started to lit up the whole stage and Tifa felt her heart beating faster and faster. Catching a cold at the moment didn't matter. All that important was she was too stunned to move.

kiite sekaijuu ga ayamachi ni kegarete itemo

kimi e tsunaida te wa itsumademo hanasanai kara

sore dake wa shinjite ii yo

listen, even if the whole world is corrupted by sin
I'll never let go of the hand I hold in mine
that's all you need have faith in

The camera shifted to Zack who didn't seem to notice it and he had a serious look on his face. A face Tifa had never seen. Zack had always been the cheerful one.

yatto te wo nobashite tsukanda ureshikute dakishimeta

(real faith, my dear, is far too fake.)

sore wa totemo hakanakute sugu ni karete kusatta yo

(real faith, my dear, is just a dream.)

at long last I reached out and grabbed hold, happilly embracing you
(real faith, my dear, is far too fake)
it passed so quickly, and soon withered to rot.
(real faith, my dear, is just a dream)

itsuka sekaijuu ga yorokobi to meguriau koro

kimi to deaetetara togirenai kanashimi nante

kesshite misenakatta noni

If I could have met you
when the whole world at last found joy
I would have never shown you
this endless sadness

Where can it be... in my heart.

Where can it be... in my heart

There was a long hold on the last note. But Cloud's eyes never leave the camera. It suddenly felt as if he was staring right into her soul although that was impossible.

Tifa felt her cheeks got wet and she realized she was crying. She took off her fake glasses and wiped them away.

kiite sekaijuu ga ayamachi ni kegarete itemo

kimi e tsunaida te wa itsumademo hanasanai kara

tatoe kono omoi sae... uso ni omowaretemo

kimi e no kagayaki wa itsumademo furisosoideru

sore dake wa shinjite ii yo

listen, even if the whole world is corrupted by sin
I'll never let go of the hand I hold in mine
even supposing, you feel like this feeling... is a lie
that radiance will forever rain upon you
that's all you need have faith in

The song ended with a cheer inside the stadium but for the people with her, there was only silence. Tifa looked around and saw some couples were holding hands while some of the girls cried, like her.

The couple that fought earlier, they seemed to have made up. The boy had his hand on the girl's shoulders, and saying something to the crying girl. The girl just nodded and cleaned her face.

"Come on, let's go there. They're going to come out in 15 minutes. AVALANCHE will go out first before the security let the audience out," a girl pulled her friend to wait at the stadium entrance.

Tifa just remained at where she had been standing while the entrance had already crowded with the fans. Tifa felt she should leave but she just wanted to see a glance of him. It was just to prove to herself that she wasn't holding on to him. Then, she would be satisfied.

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"Hurry up, we're going out before the fans do. If not, you'll have to push through," the security said as he held the door.

He pushed the door open and there was a small crowd waiting for AVALANCHE outside. It was usual for this to happen because at every concert there would be fans waiting to catch a glance at their favorite artist.

Cloud waited at the back as he let Vincent, Cid and Zack to go out first. That way, he could be prepared if the fans tried to do anything funny to them. Once he saw Vincent had stepped out, he followed.

Their van was waiting by the roadside where Yuffie was. The scream of the female fans almost made him deaf. It was obvious Zack's work. He was teasing the crowd.

Cloud smiled a little. After tonight they could rest for some time. It was very tiring but he felt contented.

Then, a figure standing a little farther from the crowd caught his eyes. 'No way,' he thought as he looked at the figure.

Although she was wearing a hat and a glasses, but he could recognize her immediately. Their eyes met, and there was something in her eyes flickered. He felt the time stopped.

But then, she started to move and turned away, as if she was caught doing something wrong. Cloud moved instinctively and pushed his way through Vincent, Cid and Zack. They looked at him strangely.

His eyes never moved from the retreating figure. Zack was about to pull him but Vincent stopped Zack. Zack looked at Vincent in confusion. "He must have his reason."

A/N – the song used in this chapter is My Dear by L'arc en Ciel… this is my most favourite song… especially when I understand what the song is about… and it was this song that inspired me to write this fanfic… the melody and lyric were done by Hyde himself… and there's no reason for not liking the song.