Chapter 3:

AUTHOR'S NOTE: ADVANCE HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE… THANK YOU FOR LEAVING SOME REVIEW FOR MY STORY… I REALLY APPRECIATE IT… HERE'S THE CHAPTER 3... ENJOY READING…. =3

At the window, Zack is watching as Cloud and Tifa leave the hotel as if he was expecting this to happen. He then turns his view to his assistant, Aerith.

"Everything's prepared" Aerith said

"Good and…" Zack said. Aerith looks at him "And?" but Zack just turn his back and stares at the lights engulfing the city of Midgar as he reminisce some of his past…

FLASHBACK

It was seven years ago.

Zack was a grade-schooler that time. He was in their mansion lying on a couch alone. He made up his mind that he will never associate that much with others as he kept himself away and isolated because of a certain things that he wants to hide.

"I can't be the successor for this family…" he muttered to himself. Then suddenly, someone knocks on the door.

"Young master Zack, we're coming in." the maid said as she opened the door holding a girl with brown hair and green eyes wearing a red dress. Zack sits at the couch.

"Who is she?"Zack asked the maid in a boring tone.

"She's the daughter of Mrs. Gainsborough." The maid answered. The girl in red dress bowed to him. "I'm Aerith Gainsborough. I'm glad to see young master." She said without any trace of emotion crossing her face.

"From Gainsborough Family? I never heard of them. What do you want?" Zack asked examining the small figure of the girl and thought 'she is weird'

"She said that she wants to see you and played with you young master" the maid answered him.

"Okay, leave her to me" the maid then bow and leave.

"I'm sorry to dis-" Aerith was interrupted when a plastic ball hit her head. "-turb you" she then pick up the ball and return it to Zack who throws it.

Zack then stands up and hold her face up using his finger under her chin "So you wanna play with me?"

Still without emotion, Aerith answered him looking directly in his eyes "I wasn't to play with young master."

'What is she doing? She should be scared now and leave me' Zack thought as he get a cold water then pour it into Aerith's head "Well sorry for not behaving properly but I do glad to meet you" Zack said in a teasing manner.

Aerith's eyes widens "Y-You do glad to m-meet me?"

'What the hell is she thinking?' Zack thought

Suddenly the maid arrives "I'm sorry young master, I knock but you didn't-" she stops when she saw Aerith's wet figure. She hurriedly gets her "Young master, what are you trying to do to her?" the maid then turn and bow to Aerith "I'm apologizing for young master's behavior Miss Gainsborough"

"Apologizing? Why?" Aerith emotionlessly asked. Both the maid and Zack look at her in disbelief as she continues "The young master is very nice. He said he was glad to meet me"

The maid then took Aerith out of the room.

"Is that being nice? What the hell is she?" Zack asked himself in disbelief.

The next day at their school, Zack saw a bunch of kids going home together. What caught his attention is that the girl from yesterday, Aerith is one of them walking like a doll without emotions at all.

"Are you kidding us transfer student?" a boy asked Aerith "How can the super cold young master from Strife Company be glad to meet you?"The other girl pushes Aerith that made her sit on the ground.

"But you said we'll be friends if young master talked to me" Aerith answered.

"Why would we believe in you?" another kid asked her then everyone started to laugh and called her a liar.

That time, Zack, who heard everything, snapped and runs towards them "EVERYONE WHO GETS IN MY WAY WILL BE PUNISHED" with his shouts, everyone run away except for Aerith who manage to stand up.

Aerith then bow her head and greet him "Good afternoon Young master" emotionlessly. Zack just stopped running and started walking and ignore her.

After that day, many rumors about Aerith, the transfer student, spread.

"That girl is really weird. No emotion at all. She's like a stone. I don't want to be her friend." Students says as they passed Aerith who emotionlessly walking.

Zack was there seeing what happens and hearing all about the rumors. "Weird... a girl without emotion is that really that weird?" he whispers to himself as he recalls some lines he heard.

'The only daughter of Gainsborough family'

'Why are you apologizing? The young master is very nice; he said he was glad to meet me'

'y-you do g-glad to m-meet me?'

'Good afternoon young master'

'The young master is very nice….'

'That girl is weird there's no way we can be friends with her…'

Then his mother's lines came to his mind "some people want to get stronger so that they'll be able to go on without crying no matter what"at his realization, Zack runs fast and search for Aerith.

Zack found her at the rooftop looking down at the students walking at the ground. Aerith then notices Zack and greet him "Good afternoon young master" as always without emotion "why is the young master here?"

Zack then approaches her with a serious face "how come you're not crying?"

"Eh? Crying…" she whispers.

"You want to be friend with them"

"But they don't believe me when I say that you talk to me"

"That's not it!"

Aerith silence for a while then "because I'm weird? Everyone says that."

Zack then turn to his back "do you know why they said you are weird? It's because you're not showing your emotions."

"Emotion? Like Crying? Nut Dad said before he dies that crying is not a solution. Nothing will come from it… I should grow stronger"

Zack turns to Aerith again "IDIOT! YOU ALSO NEED THE STRENGTH TO BE ABLE TO CRY WHEN YOU NEED TO…and crying is not the only emotion... Do you understand?"

Aerith didn't answer as she stands still in silence with wide eyes.

"DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Zack repeated in a louder tone.

"Y-yes" suddenly, tears came down from her green eyes. She touches it and looks amazingly at it. "I feel kinda relieve… is this what they called tears?"

Zack then turns his back then smiles "we should go now."

"Thank you" Aerith said as she wipes her tears. Zack stop walking and look at her "Before you thank me, make sure to wipe your tears and" Zack turn to his back and started walking with a smile across his face "you should try to smile first"

"Y-yes I'll try to!" Aerith answered and added in a low tone "b-but how?"

Zack stops walking, "From now on, you'll be my assistant whether you like it or not." He then started going back. "That way… I may help you learn how to smile" he muttered silently.

FLASHBACK ENDS

AT THE DIRECTOR'S OFFICE OF Midgar High, Aerith and Zack stood looking over the window

"Do you really need to do this?" Aerith asked

"It's the only thing I can do for them" Zack said with a melancholy smile as he sits at the chair followed by Aerith who sits beside him.

Then suddenly, Yuffie arrives "Welcome back Zack~ you too Aerith! ~" as she sit and started to discuss something with them.