Those Eyes Book One-Complete

Day Thirty-Seven

Zack POV

"C'mon, I told you I'd get you a bite to eat after the mission," I tell my nervous companion. "It would be very dishonorable for me to go back on my word."

He sighs. "Okay..."

"Great! I know just the place!"

I lead him to a little coffee shop in Sector 7. According to Sephiroth, this is where Sam works. Coffee and a fresh chocolate muffin made by her Aunt Jenna sound amazing right now.

"A coffee house? I thought you said-"

I interrupt him," this place is owned by the aunt of an old friend of mine, and she makes the best chocolate muffins. Plus, I can introduce you to her niece, Sam. We grew up together is Gongaga."

I throw open the door. "Sam!"

The tiny, purple-haired girl looks up from the table she was wiping. "You better be glad no one else is here. If you ever do something like that in front of my customers, I'll ban you."

"She's probably mad because our vacation got cut short," I whisper to my friend.

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Cloud POV

I don't respond to Zack. My full attention is on the girl with dark purple hair and bronze skin. She's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She's flawless in every way, like an angel.

"Stop bouncing, Zack, and go sit down...who's your friend?" the girl asks, spotting me.

My face gets hot. "H-hi, I'm...Cloud...Cloud Strife."

She smiles a radiant smile. "Nice to meet you, Cloud. Any friend of Zack's is a friend of mine. So, what can I get'ya both?"

"Two of your aunt's chocolate muffins and two cups of coffee, please," Zack replies easily. I wish I had his confidence and luck with girls.

When she heads off to fulfill our order, he leans over and says, "she's already got a boyfriend, sorry. And trust me when I say you don't want to mess with him."

I groan inwardly. Of course she has a boyfriend. What guy wouldn't want her? She's the absolute embodiment of perfection and radiance.

"They've been together about a month now. Kind of impressive, really, considering his past."

"Huh? Who?" I ask, confused."

"Her boyfriend. She and Sephiroth-"

I gasp in shock. "What!?"

"Did you not know I was dating Sephiroth?" the girl, Sam, says, placing two mugs of coffee and two still warm chocolate muffins in front of us. "I didn't quite believe it either. I mean, a backwater girl like me dating Sephiroth, the Hero of the Wutai War? Unbelievable, right?"

Not really. The most beautiful woman in the world dating the most powerful SOLDIER in the world is entirely believable.

I pick at my muffin dishearteningly. Why are all the most beautiful girls already taken? I bet even Tifa has a boyfriend by now. She had plenty of admirers when I left Nibelheim.

"Something wrong, Cloud?" Zack asks, already finished.

I sigh. "No...I'm fine."

He glances at Sam. "You know, I think you'll find the perfect girl eventually. Just you wait. I bet in a few years once you've grown a bit more, you'll have girls all over you."

I make a face. "I don't want girls all over me."

"Good, because that's dishonorable."

I laugh a little. "What's really dishonorable is flirting with a girl when you're already dating one."

He gasps. "Did you just pull a 'dishonorable' card on me?"

"Yes, I did," I reply proudly.

"Well, it's dishonorable to be so sassy to your superiors, child."

"What are you going to do about it, old man?"

"You didn't!"

"I did!"

"Well, it's very clear why you two get along so well," Sam states, wiping a nearby table. "You both talk too much."

"Cloud's not usually a talker," Zack replies, "it's just the coffee. Speaking of which, mine tastes kind of weird."

"It's decaf. I'm not dumb enough to give you caffeine, Zack Fair."

"What!?"

"The last time I made you coffee, you were literally bouncing off the walls of the vacation cottage. It drove Sephiroth crazy. Plus, you're hyper enough as it is."

"Way too hyper for a grown man," I add. "No wonder your nickname is 'Puppy'."

"I'm not a puppy!"

"Then stop acting like one!"