-Aerith-

I think I was a bit too fast in revealing things, I thought innocently then giggled.

Watching the blonde making different expressions was amusing. He never saw magic being performed in front of his eyes before from the looks of his face now. But, wait… what was I doing? Should I allow myself to go through this again?

"So, you knew it all along?" He asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

I stared at him for a second, and then nodded slowly. I always knew there would be an opposing factor that will haunt me for having these powers. Unconsciously, I narrated to him what had happened two years ago.

I lived in a small town with my parents. Even though we lived a simple and normal life, we were happy. However, everything changed when my father, a brilliant scientist, was promoted to head of the Science Department in the institution and was transferred to the big city. My mother and I stayed in the province for she has a weak body. Everything was going well like before until one day, my powers came to me. This troubled my father, for surely, word will spread out that I could perform magic. We kept the secret to ourselves in hope that no unnecessary events will occur. The peace was short-lived when I healed a dying traveller. Turns out, that person worked in the media—and who wouldn't want to know about something that nobody has ever seen before? He televised the news about the miracle and it reached the ears of the institution. My father delayed my retrieval, prompting us to transfer from one place to another. The constant resettlement and emotional strain took a toll on my mother's health and finally she died of her illness. It was a dark time for my family, but that wasn't the last of our misfortunes. The institution, tired of hearing my father's reasoning, sent a SOLDIER to retrieve me without my father's knowledge.

I paused shortly when his part of the story came up. Mentioning him like this after two years stung a bit but I will be able to handle it. I needed to let him go.

The SOLDIER was a carefree man who always had a proud grin on his face and never failed to bring one of those into my own. He made me forget about the loneliness and sorrow that my mother left behind, and made me smile and laugh. He was my first love. He told me all about his mission, and how we will escape the institution. He always talked about his dreams and how I will be a part of them. But, the institution became wary. An inside intel warned him of troops that will arrive in our town ahead of the scheduled date. It was the first time I saw him furrow his brows in panic.

I could still remember that scene… like it only happened yesterday.

He grabbed my shoulders firmly, but with gentleness. He looked at me with fierce blue eyes that held both horror and determination. He spoke with a steady, yet rattled voice.

"Aerith, you gotta go somewhere safe! The farther, the better!"

"What are you talking about? I'm not leaving you here alone!"

When tears ran down my cheeks, he embraced me so tight, like… he was saying goodbye.

"Listen, I'll come for you after all this. Look at the stars and remember our promise." He cradled my face in his warm, shaking hands and smiled softly. "I'll come for you… so go!"

He assured me that he will talk to his superiors and everything will be ok. I left without looking back. I left with only a picture of his smile etched forever in my heart.

"Those were his last words…" I paused and exhaled heavily, the burden of his memory slowly lifting. I turned to the blonde and smiled from the bottom of my heart. "I never saw him ever since."

-Cloud-

What was she thinking, telling me this crap all of a sudden?

It was midnight and I sat on a wooden swing overlooking the sea, thinking about all that happened during dinner. I recuperated only moments after being shocked of seeing magic, and then I have to listen to her autobiography? What is her motive? Does she expect me to soften up to her tragic love story?

Frankly, my plans were muddled by her sudden confession. What will be my new approach now? In what way could I deliver her safely across towns to the big city without physically harming her? Though these questions were a huge puzzle for me, she answered them herself.

"I'll go," she whispered with a gentle smile. "It's time I stopped running and faced them once and for all…" She paused for a moment as her eyes darkened, then continued, "I also want to know what happened to him."

Him, meaning the guy who dumped her two years ago. For many years I trained myself to shut my whole being from my surroundings and never get involved with none other than myself, but curiosity got me asking… Who was this SOLDIER? If he was in the institution, did I know him? Seeing Aerith still not taken by the institution, had he successfully talked with the superiors in suspending her acquisition?

My thoughts were disturbed when the chocobos started cooing to the full moon that peeked from the clouds that passed. Moonbeams showered upon their bodies, making their golden feathers glow a silvery sheen. Boco stood out among them; the king chocobo, I named him. Then, my eyes turned bloodshot. My lips were curving on their own! Was I smiling all this time? I composed myself and repeated the words Aerith had left hanging before she ran up to her room.

"Sorry, Cloud, but you have to wait 2 more days before we leave," she said with a bitter smile as she caressed the old walls of the inn. "I've got to close my inn down properly and say goodbye."

Closing my eyes, I took a whiff of the salty breeze that the ocean wind brought from the seas. I still have 13 days to deliver her to the city. 2 more days won't hurt. After that, my promotion is inevitable. A proud smile graced my lips before I drifted off to golden dreams of power and glory.