𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖢𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽 𝖮𝖿 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖯𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖾𝗍

32: Victor of sadness.

"Tonight's Corneo Cup has been a spectacle like no other."

"And we shared your disappointment , ladies and gentlemen, when we told you that it was coming to an end."

"But nobody felt it more keenly than one Don Corneo... who has decided that a bonus match is in order!"

"Participating in this match will be this leading lights - the dynamic duo that has crushed all competitions so far! CLOUD AND YUI!" the moderators yelled which opened the grand gate.

But even despite the pressure I was feeling, I felt myself smile. I was happy I was here with someone, especially when that someone was Cloud.

The crowd was wild. The sudden volume was too intense that it made my mind taking me places into the fragments of my visions. They were all over the place and before I knew it, I got back to my senses when I was standing next to Cloud who actually beat the Hell House that Corneo prepared just for us. 

However, something was amiss. I knew I traveled in time, this time to the future without me controlling it, and I was suddenly confused.

I sensed Cloud looking at me with a proud smile. He was proud of how he and maybe me, beat it together. He raised his hand in the air for a high five, but I felt myself smile, suddenly feeling my worries melt away, as I ran into his arms and hugged him so tightly of how happy I was just by being beside him.

He was taken aback but he returned the embrace. The audience then started to cheer even more than before.

"We did it, Cloud!" I looked up at his face.

Our faces were so close to each other that I felt myself blush. From this close, he was even more handsome than he normally is, and it was truly frustrating for me. Was Cloud thinking the same? Or was I the only one who was fangirling?

"KISS! KISS! KISS!!!!!" the crowd started to cheer out loud. 

I looked away from Cloud to see the whole arena looking at us, all of them were cheering for me and Cloud. But as much as I would love kiss him, I knew I had to stay patient because he wasn't probably feeling the same as I was. 

"Let's go." said Cloud sternly as he headed back to the resting room.

I felt my heart drop at this reaction in front of many people. The crowd itself went from happy to surprised and I was now left in the ring as someone pathetic. Of course I was, and it was for the best surely. Cloud isn't someone to do this stuff in public and I'm sure I'm not even considered as a woman in his eyes. 

The only woman he has ever acknowledged probably, was Tifa. She had it all - great personality, good condition and she was very wise. Yet here I was, a village girl who would be nothing without her ability.

I felt tears spring into my eyes at my sad thoughts. 

No.. Don't cry. We are going to save Tifa. I should be glad to even be beside him!

I tried to give myself this pep talk internally, but nothing could just ruin my mood any more as that.

We haven't spoken a word until we reached Madam M's parlor. I wasn't in the mood to talk, and I knew if someone would ask questions, I would say I was tired.

"You're here. Good. I have everything I need to get started. I'm gonna put Yui in the most gorgeous dress you've ever seen. It'll be a real jaw-dropper." she fanned her face while she was beaming with so much confidence.

Whenever I was near her, I was feeling a sense of relief. I felt as if this madam had a shield from my problems - making sure I was feeling alright beside her without having to put my guard up.

"All right, then. Let's get started. Beauty takes a lot of work and preparation, far more that you'd know. You look like you haven't seen what the town has to offer yet, Cloud. How about you go and have fun while I have fun with the sweetheart here?"

"Not interested." Cloud said flatly, "Well then, how about you go and show the town what you've got to offer?" she then approached me without sparing Cloud a glance.

She closed her fan and put it under my chin to lift my face up.

"I've got to do something about this plain-Jane look, and village hairdo that you proudly wear in a town like this, however.. Your face is saved with your beautiful eyes and my borrowed yukata, sweetheart." she smiled slyly.

I felt the stab in the back of my head as she pointed out my village look.

"Ouch..." I said as the remark kind of hit my pride in me.

Madam M then chased Cloud away with almost zero effort because he was probably kind of in a rush because of Tifa. Just the thought of that made me feel a pang of pain in my heart.

Madam M seemed to take a notice as she spread out the dress in front of me.

"I know this look too well - a girl who is in love, getting her heart broken." she was smiling slightly.

"H-Huh? No.. There's no way I'm in love with Cloud.." I tried to avoid this topic.

"I didn't even say his name." she said with a chuckle which made my cheeks flush with embarrassment.