𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖢𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽 𝖮𝖿 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖯𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖾𝗍

26: Me and you.

"Random question, but... Why did you quit being a SOLDIER?" I asked Cloud as we were somehow passing through the tunnels.

"That is random." he said.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I smiled.

But he kept quiet. Being a chatty girl, I wanted to talk more and more.

"Um, did you have any SOLDIER friends? Any war buddies?" 

"No, not really." he said, cutting me off.

For some reason, I expected him to say Zack but that didn't happen.

"Oh, okay." I smiled again even though he couldn't see it since he was in front of me.

Without any other words exchanged, we reached outside soon after.

"There it is. The gate to sector 7."

"Looks shut. How do we open it?" Cloud asked with his cold voice.

I looked at him only to see he was already staring at me.

I felt a slight pain in my chest because I knew he wanted to probably get back home now. But no matter how much I tried to let it go, I felt really saddened at us having to part our ways.

"More importantly, how about we take a break? Sounds good?" I smiled, hiding my sadness.

"No, I don't have time for–" but I cut Cloud off, not wanting him to finish the sentence.

"Up there looks nice!" I said as I hurried to sit on the abandoned slide.

But he just kept staring at me, looking done.

Noticing that, I chuckled, "C'mon!" I urged him.

He sighed and went up to join me. I kept looking at him, trying to take in every single second of us spending together.

As he climbed up, I looked around and then sat down, having quite a view from this abandoned playground.

"You know, a long time ago, I used to sell flowers here."

"Oh yeah?" he said, somewhat as if he was interested.

He sat down next to me, but sat quite far away, just like before. And not being able to take it, I forcefully slid right beside him again.

He looked startled, but then looked away with a slight smile.

The silence was almost deafening.

"So, Cloud... You were a SOLDIER: first class, right?" I asked, cutting the thick air between us.

"Yeah." he said simply.

"Weird.." I looked at my feet as I was hugging my legs.

His warmth was radiating from him, making me realize he was right beside me. I wished we could stay like this forever.

"Really? What's weird about it?" he asked curiously.

I then got a vision of Zack, carrying unconscious Cloud before Zack would die.

"Nothing. Just that you were the same rank." I continued.

"Huh? As who?" he asked, his heading turning to me.

For some reason, this made me feel even sadder than before.

Zack was..

"The first person I've ever trusted besides my sister." I said sadly.

He seemed to take a notice of the sadness I was feeling, so he straightened himself, changing his sitting position.

"What's his name? I probably know him." he said with a hint of trying to help me track this person.