CHAPTER 19
AUTHOR'S NOTE: THE RISING ACTION I THINK...XD.
Professor Barret gulped hard, afraid to talk.
"Professor, what's wrong?" Reno's eyebrows met.
He stood up while having a fake smile on his face, "Uhm…" he cleared his throat, "Good evening, boys…"
Marlene sighed, "Papa!"
"Just say it, sir," Johnny blurted out.
"It seems that papa can't say it…" Marlene looked at the professor.
"No, no… I can…" he took a deep breath.
All of them were ready to listen.
"Remember the day when we went to the bar?" the professor asked.
"Of course! It is one of my most memorable days!" Vincent grinned.
"Something strange happened that night, right?"
"Strange? I don't remember anything…" Rufus shook his head.
"All of you felt sleepy at the same time…" Professor Barret sat down again.
"Huh? What's strange about that, professor? It is not bad to sleep…" Reno raised his eyebrow.
"I know, but… When you woke up, who was the first person you saw?"
Rufus looked at Tifa, "I saw her first…"
"I can't remember, but I think she is also the first person I saw…" Reno said and pointed at her.
"Same…" said Cloud.
"I first saw Tifa, as well…" Denzel smiled a bit.
"Am I the only one who didn't see Pifa first when we woke up?" Vincent pouted.
"Who did you saw first?" the professor asked curiously.
Vincent pointed Rufus, "Him!"
"Who is the first girl you saw?"
"Oh! It's Pifa!" he grinned.
Professor Barret heaved a sigh and tapped his chin, "You also told me that night that you, all, like her, right?" he looked up to Tifa.
Tifa blinked her eyes many times. The boys didn't answer. Denzel just smiled shyly; Vincent showed his creepy smile; Reno scratched his head.
"I like her…" Cloud and Rufus said in unison. They looked at each other. Tifa turned red and looked down.
"Listen to me… Including you… Uhm… What is your name again?" the professor glanced at Tifa.
"It's…" before she could tell her name was, Vincent interrupted her. "Pifa!" Vincent grinned.
"It's TIFA, not Pifa," Yuffie whispered.
"Pifa… Please listen to me, as well…" the professor said to her.
"Professor, it's Tifa," Rufus smiled.
"Oh… Uhm, whatever is your name, just listen to me…" he cleared his throat, "I can say that all of you like this girl." He pointed at her.
Denzel, Reno and Vincent just turned red, Rufus looked at Cloud and Cloud looked at him back.
"What you feel for her is not true, boys," the professor looked down. All of them looked at him with their eyes popped out.
"Huh? What do you mean by that, professor? I like Pifa," Vincent grinned and blushed a little. Yuffie stuck out her lower lip.
"The time when we were in the bar, I've used my latest experiment to all of you."
"What kind of experiment?" Cloud asked oddly.
"I… I don't know how to explain it perfectly," Professor Barret massaged his head and continued talking, "I called that experiment ai. If you drink that, you'll feel sleepy at first and the first person, with opposite gender, you see when you wake up, you'll fall in love with that person."
"Wait… Professor, how did you made us drink your experiment?" Reno gulped.
"At your drinks. I've poured it on your drinks…"
"Professor, maybe you're just mistaken. Maybe, your experiment failed again," Rufus was taken aback.
"Rufus," Professor Barret sighed, "The signs are obvious. I am pretty sure that my experiment worked this time. All of you fell asleep and when you woke up, you first saw her…" he glanced at her, "And, you like her, right?"
"Woah," Vincent leaned on the sofa, "So that means I am just like this to Pifa because of that experiment?" he pouted.
Cloud looked down at Tifa. Tifa felt relieved, 'They're just like that to me because of that experiment,' she thought as she smiled a little.
All of the boys looked disappointed. 'So that means I really don't like her?' Denzel questioned himself.
"One thing…" the professor sat up properly. All of them looked at him again. Professor Barret held out two small tubes that filled with fluids, "One of you didn't have a chance to try my experiment," he looked closely at the small tube, "I wasn't able to pour this one on your drinks last time… I got six of this test tube so it means the other one is an extra"
"So, professor, you mean…" Reno gulped.
"ONE OF US REALLY LIKES HER!?" the five boys said in chorus.
Professor Barret nodded. The boys looked at each other and back to the professor.
"IT'S ME!" they all raised their one hand. Reno suddenly shot a glance at Denzel, "Hey, stop it already. It's pretty obvious that you're one of professor's victims!"
Denzel looked at him, "Why did you say so?"
"You like Marlene, Denzel!" Vincent snorted.
"You like her before we go to the bar," Cloud said like he's just stating a fact.
Denzel sighed while smiling, "How many times should I tell you that Marlene is just my bestfriend?"
Marlene looked down, 'Bestfriend…'
"And, how did you say so that I like her before? Any proof?" Denzel smiled a little.
"You are very sweet to her!" Reno crossed his arms.
Denzel laughed a bit, "Guys, listen… It doesn't mean that I am sweet to her, I like her already. Look, I am sweet to Marlene because she is my Bestfriend, got it?"
"Whatever you say! But, still, we are 100% sure that you drank professor's experiment!"
The boys kept on arguing who didn't drink the professor's potion.
"Alright! Stop it now!" Professor Barret stood up, "Let's eat dinner all together, shall we?"
"Papa, should we just order outside?" Marlene looked up at him.
He nodded, "Order pizzas, okay? I'll just go upstairs…" he stood up, stretched his arms, and started walking upstairs.
"Professor, wait… Is there an antidote for your experiment?" Rufus ran towards him.
He looked at Rufus and yawned, "I will make one, don't worry…" he patted his shoulder and walked upstairs.
"Pifa, eat with us, first!" Vincent pulled Tifa in her arm.
"But, I really need to go now," Tifa awkwardly smiled at him and stood up.
"I'll take you home," Cloud offered. She just shook her head, "It's nice to meet all of you," she bowed and walked towards the front door. Cloud followed her outside.
"Hey, I told you I'll take you home," he held her elbow when they've reached the gate.
"It's okay. I can go home by myself," Tifa smiled.
"It's dark already. I won't let you walk alone, it's dangerous," he smiled and leaned closer to her to find her eyes. She looked anywhere except at his eyes. He chuckled and pinched the tip of her nose, "I'll walk you home, okay?"
"What can I do? You always win," she just pouted and started walking. He just laughed and they started walking.
"We should go now, too," Yuffie elbowed Aerith.
Aerith nodded, "Sephiroth, let's go now…"
"Reno, I think we should go now, too," Sephiroth stood up and came closer to Reno.
"But! I thought you'll eat dinner with us today?" Reno pouted.
"It's getting dark now and I need to take them home," he smiled.
"Hmm… Okay… But, promise me, you will eat dinner with us next time. You, also!" Reno pointed at Aerith and Yuffie who just nodded. Reno lead them to the door, "Take care! Take care, Yuffie! Take care, Aerith!" he waved at them.
"Bye," Sephiroth waved back. Aerith just smiled.
"It's nice to meet you. Bye!" Yuffie waved. Before she should step outside, Vincent grabbed her by the collar, "Where do you think you're going, huh?"
"Hey!" she slapped his hand, "I'm going home now, can't you guess?"
"It's too early to go home!"
She looked at her watch. It was already past 9. She sighed, "It's getting dark now. I need to go home."
"But…" Vincent pouted and held her arm.
"Let them go home now, Vince. It's very late now," Denzel suddenly popped out behind him.
'This guy is really an angel,' Yuffie thought and bowed at them.
"Vince, could you walk her home?" Denzel asked.
"No," she waved her hands in front of her, "It's alright! I'm with Aerith and Sephiroth, anyway. It's okay…" she smiled.
"Are you sure?" Denzel smiled.
"Yes, I am sure! And, besides, my house is near at Aerith, right?" she looked at Aerith.
Aerith nodded, "You don't need to worry about her."
He nodded, "I hope you can visit us here again. It was nice meeting you all," he bowed.
"Thank you for inviting us here," Yuffie bowed, as well. They bid goodbye to them and walked away.