Inside the always busy Square Studios, Reeve's FF8 crew are preparing for the next scene where Rinoa will be in it. The crew are busily working in and out, and the characters are taking their precious break. Cloud, which is Rinoa's manager and had not much to do most of the time, helped out Reeves with some labor work.
“Hey!”
Rinoa suddenly appeared from behind Cloud and made a wan smile and Cloud. Cloud looked aside and Rinoa followed his face and beamed her charm at him. Cloud then started to get irritated.
“That's not going make you win your bet. I am immune to that.” Cloud replied sternly.
“Oh, you are no fun!”
Rinoa said and then she stopped irritating Cloud. Cloud continued his job and Rinoa started to prepare for her next scene.
“Look at that guy! He so cool!”
A small ruckus was heard from the direction of the NPCs and more and more people are starting to gather around there. Filled with curiosity, Cloud and Rinoa stopped with what they are doing and headed towards the crowd, taking a look at what that was so interesting.
“Look at this one! Wow! I wished I can date him someday!”
Rinoa and Cloud pushed through the crowd and found them all looking at a book. The book is filled with ID cards photos of people in it, with quotes below it. This... is a yearbook! How did one get in here?
“A yearbook! Which high school was it from?” Rinoa asked the person holding the book.
“Sinata High. My high school. Ah...those were the days...”
Rinoa's face changed the moment she heard the name of that high school. The crowd didn't really noticed her but Cloud could sense that there something with her going on.
“Sinata High... that name sounds so familiar...” Cloud scratched his head and said.
“Of course. It's Rinoa's high school. Her bios stated it clearly.” Reeves said while appearing out of nowhere, stunning the crowd.
“Rinoa was in that school...? Hey! She is the same age as me! She must be in this book too!”
The yearbook owner said and ran through the book, with everyone around her aroused with interest, but Rinoa trying to stop them.
“Hey, I don't remember seeing you anywhere in this book, are you really...”
“That...is you...?”
A person in the crowded pointed out a picture of a really nerdy girl, wearing thick spectacles, with her hair poorly done, and a very dull smile. Underneath written: Rinoa Heartily, Quote: I was here.
At this moment everyone looked at Rinoa that was putting up a forceful smile. They can't believe their eyes. There is a resemblance, but the difference is really...
“I was... mostly concentrating on my studies... so...”
“Ah, this isn't anything! It is how she looks now that matters, right? Ha, ha, ha...”
Someone in the crowd started to set things right and the others joined him too.
“You guys took a break too long! Work! Work!”
Reeves shouted out to the crowd and the crowd obeyed him, as if he was rescuing Rinoa out of that situation. Cloud just stared at Rinoa, he suddenly felt that her high school life was more than what was contained in that yearbook...
“Oh yeah, Rinoa, here's a few extra lines in the script they just added just now, take a look and prepare yourself...”
Cloud said and handed Rinoa a few papers loosely stapled. Rinoa took a look at the front cover and had a shock. She immediately got Cloud's attention.
“The date... isn't today the 30th?”
Rinoa asked Cloud about the date on the script. Cloud checked his watch and replied.
“No... today is the 31th. Why?”
Rinoa's face went pale the moment she heard this. The 31th? This can't be...
Rinoa immediately rushed toward Reeves and got his attention. Cloud could see that it seems very urgent.
“What? Change the shooting to another day? I can't do that! The entire crew's waiting!”
Reeves voice was heard but Rinoa kept on begging Reeves.
“It's very important for me, I really have to leave. I can't say why, but I really need to go...”
Rinoa kept on begging Reeves till Reeves had no options but to let her go.
“I guess we can do other shootings today. I will get Squall and Zell.”
Rinoa's eyes sparkled the moment she heard that Reeves allowed her to go. She attempted to go but was stopped by Reeves.
“Where are you going?”
“Southern outskirts of town. I need to get there in half an hour.” Rinoa replied.
“You must be crazy! It's rush hour! You will either get stuck in a massive jam or be jam packed in the subway!”
“But... but...”
It is this time that Reeves reached for something in his pocket and then threw it to Cloud. Cloud catched it and realized that it is a bunch of keys. It looks like...
“You will find my motorcycle at my private parking lot. This way you can get through the jam easier.”
“You... got a bike?”
Cloud asked with surprise in his eyes.
“Quick. There isn't much time left.”
Cloud understood the situation and Cloud grabbed Rinoa's hand and sped towards the parking lot. The entire crew looked at the two sped away.
“Can someone call Squall and Zell back?”
From a bird's eye view of the center of the city, a motorcycle was seen weaving in and out of a massive jam. Though it progress not at a very fast speed through the jam, it is progressing much better than the cars stuck there. Bit by bit, the motorcycle escaped the massive jam and now it is already at the outskirts of city. It started speeding southwards to an unknown destination.
“We escaped the jam, can you now tell me where we are heading?!” Cloud shouted to Rinoa against the noise of the speeding wind and the rumbling engine.
“......”
“Well?!” Cloud asked again. This time Rinoa softly spoke out.
“Square Prison.”
Cloud was surprised to hear that she was heading towards that place. All sorts of thought came through his mind. What is Rinoa had to do with a prison. Is she...
Cloud didn't want to pursue it further. He knew that Rinoa isn't really willing to talk about. He just kept on speeding towards the destination, racing against time.
“We are late by 15 minutes now!”
Cloud said but Rinoa remained quiet. She looked very anxious before but now she seemed that she is nervous with the upcoming events. Something strange is really going on with her...
“We had arrived.” Cloud spoke while stopping the bike and Rinoa seemed like she had just awaken from her dream. She let go off Cloud and climbed down the motorcycle, removing her helmet. With the breeze blowing against her hair, she looked at the structure of the prison, a place that seemed so gloom and scary, a place that nobody wanted to go...
It is at this time, someone that was standing in front of the prison caught her eyes. He was a huge and masculine man, with a stern and dull face, carrying a luggage bag, looking at Rinoa. Rinoa slowly walked towards the man and the man towards her. They stopped the moment they are just a feet from each other. Cloud is some distance away, but he could roughly make out what the two are saying...
“It's been a while. You've changed a lot.”
“You too. I never expected to see you like this.”
“Sorry for being late, I... I...”
Cloud knew that he was breaching other's privacy and he knew that Rinoa would want to be with this person alone for some time. With a simple signal that he needed to leave, Rinoa replied with a smile of appreciation and Cloud just started up Reeve's motorcycle, making his way back to the city.
“That guy? ... Come to think of it...”
Cloud was now back at Square Studios, but without Rinoa by his side. He left Rinoa with that person, knowing that this person somehow will not hurt her, but even protect her. He knew that, somehow... Now that he is back, he asked the NPC that went to the same high school as Rinoa, trying to seek out things from Rinoa's past.
“I remembered that it was quite a big issue at that time. There was news that one of our senior students put up a brawl in some bar nearby and eight gang members were hospitalized while he suffer minor injuries. He was then sentence to prison for assaulting.”
Cloud listened carefully and knew that there are more to that story.
“Rumors had that person was actually protecting a girl. A nerdy girl, rumors say, but how much of that is true, no one knows for sure...”
Cloud listened and now he seemed to be able to put the pieces together. That person, that girl he was protecting, Rinoa...
“But those are just rumors! Don't take that too seriously!”
The NPC talking to Cloud told Cloud and excused herself. Cloud was now alone, thinking...
“Rinoa...”
Cloud shook his head violently. What is he thinking?! He was thinking of her face, her smile, being taken away by that man, he...
“I... I didn't fall in love with her! I didn't!”
Cloud said to himself, trying to convince himself that he was just worried about her, as a friend. But he couldn’t stop thinking about her. There is a possibility that she will be with him and...
“Cloud.”
Cloud's face went pale the moment he heard that voice and turned around. Rinoa was standing behind him, looking at him in a strange way. She didn't actually heard him right?
“I am sorry for leaving the scene like that. Can you ask Reeves for me when the replacement will be? And by the way... tell him I am sorry.”
Rinoa said and suddenly a crew member called for Rinoa that she had a call. Rinoa walked away towards the phone, while Cloud stealthly and quietly followed her, without her noticing him.
Rinoa picked up the phone and made some small talk with the other person on the other side. Cloud leaned against the wall, arguing with himself whether or not to eavsdrop on her. He knew that this isn't ethical but his curiousity is killing him. He had to know... somehow...
“Tonight... 10 at the Fireplace pub? ... Alright. I will be there.”
Those words immediately caught Cloud's attention. He had a feeling that the person she is going to meet is that man and now he got the time and venue of that... date... he could just go there and...
NO! He can't! He is directly invading Rinoa's personal life! No matter what he couldn't do that to her! No matter what!
“Cloud.”
Cloud was again awakened by Rinoa's voice and he somehow lost his voice to speak. He just stared at her stupidly.
“Can you please tell Reeves not to arrange anything for me tonight at ten?”
Cloud just nodded and Rinoa thanked him politely. It seemed like the two are now so far apart.
“Is it... him?”
Cloud asked and Rinoa just kept quiet. Rinoa didn't say a word and left Cloud standing there wondering. Cloud now have to make a choice. To go or not to go?
Cloud is now standing outside of the Fireplace pub,with a trenchcoat and a hat covering him identity, waiting, waiting...
He had a tough time arguing with himself whether or not to go. As Rinoa's friend, he didn't want to breach her personal life and respect her privacy, but on the other hand, his curiosity is killing him. What if the man is not what he thinks he is? What if he is still crook? He went to prison before, the NPC said that those are just rumors of the events that happened outside the bar. What if...
Cloud looked at his watch now and it was 10 o'clock sharp. He looked out into the streets and saw a cab stopping by and out came Rinoa, walking into the pub. Without much thought, Cloud followed her inside, still concealing his identity, observed her every move. He's right. She is here to meet him. The man from the prison waved to her when he spotted her and she smiled back and sat down on the couch across his table. Cloud continued following her by sitting down rather near to her, with his back facing the two. He at first heard them having small talk, about the past, their school life, occasionally breaking into laughter. After some time, Rinoa excuse herself and headed to the bathroom, when he first heard the man talking to him.
“You have been there long enough. It's not nice stalking others.”
Cloud was shocked to found himself discovered. He turned around and saw the man sipping a drink, but not staring at him. He kicked a chair skillful until it was position right next to the couch Rinoa sat, signalling that he wanted to have a ... talk... with Cloud. Cloud's sweat starts to ooze out from their pores. He didn't know what he will do to him. Still, he obediently stood up and sat on that chair.
“You... hey! You are the guy on that motorcycle right? Nice to meet you. I am Stefan.”
Cloud nodded and held his hand out, and shaked the man's hand. The man now had a smile on his face. He seemed to be very friendly, not like the person he imagined would be. Cloud introduced himself too, and Stefan nodded in acknowledgment.
“I.. actually have something to ask you about...” Cloud asked nervously.
“Rinoa?”
Cloud heart was like frozen to ice, after being so transparent to a guy that knew him only for the last few minutes. He wanted to deny it but the man intercepted him.
“You want to know what's Rinoa doing with a jailbird like me?”
Cloud can felt that his voice started to become harsher and he kept quiet. He just waited for Stefan to speak.
“Rinoa and I used to go out when we were in High School. Those are the days...”
Just as Cloud expected. This guy is Rinoa's High School sweetheart. But...
“... How?” Cloud asked Stefan as if he couldn't imagined the two being together.
“Did you know how Rinoa looked when she was in High School?” Stefan said and Cloud immediately related it to the picture in the yearbook.
“Well, when I first knew her, she was an insecure, weak and quiet person. At that time I know I wasn't good looking, big but slow, but there is a part of me that somehow wanted to protect her... I don't know, it felt like something I had to do...” Stefan paused for a moment.
“At that time, she was constantly being joked around as a nerd. People would say bad things about her in front of her, or worst... behind her back. It's high school. Kids can get so insensitive sometimes.”
“I don't know how, or why, but one day I stood up for her. I don't really remember the words, but I think is something like 'it's inner beauty that matters'. I don't know how it came out from me. But then, I somehow got her attention and affection. We started to know about each other, and then started going out. A nerd and a beast, they called. Every time the nerd was joked around the beast would come out and eat your hearts out. We don't really care about it, until...” Stefan face started to look more and more serious and he took another sip of his drink.
“One day, I accidentally saw her staring into the mirror. But it wasn't the Rinoa I knew. She let her hair loose down, her glasses were removed, her expression was pityful... ”
“It was then... when I finally knew that I was not right for her. I always was a protector to her, to protect her from being laughed about not having good looks. But at that time the Rinoa I saw... The guys and girls that joked about her is no match for her. They are nothing compared to her. At that time, I know that... I know that I couldn't protect her anymore, or more precisely, right from the start. She didn't need protection. And thus...”
Stefan didn't continue his story and then took another sip from his drink. Cloud felt guilty at this time. He brought out something from the past that Stefan didn't want to talk about. But his curiousity hadn’t died out. He still wants to know...
“Prison... how? ... why?” Cloud asked without complete sentences.
“Oh... that... It happened right after I found out about the true her... I asked her out to the bar that we occasionally go. I wanted her to break up with me. I don't know why, but I think I should. I remembered clearly I saw her from across the street waving to me, and then she stepped forward and knock against a few thugs. Her glasses fell off and the thugs looked at her as if they had never saw a girl before. They surrounded her and teased her... saying disgusting things to her. I remembered her nervous look, my rage...”
“Without hesitation, I crossed the street ignoring the traffic. I marched up to them and pushed them aside, pulling her out of her ordeal. The thugs stopped me, challenging me for a fight. I knew violence couldn't resolve anything, but they were too much... they...” Stefan said while gripping his drink tightly.
“I remembered a gasp escaped from Rinoa, and I saw one thug harressing Rinoa leg with his foot. I don't know what came over me, the next thing I know is Rinoa shouting 'no' and my fist was already in the thug's face. The other guys got violent too and I pushed Rinoa aside, smashing and bashing each one of them... I don't remember that very well. I only remembered how they plead for me to stop and begging like dogs. Then the police came and... you know the rest...”
“So... you and Rinoa...?”
“After I entered prison, we got further and further. The distance grew. It's difficult to keep a long distance relationship, especially when one is in prison. I accepted the reality, she accepted it too, we all started out our lives in different directions...”
“Why... why... do you give up on her?”
Cloud asked with anger in his eyes and Stefan just looked at him with a weird look.
“You did so much for her! You went to prison for her! After all you did, she must still have feelings for you! Why do you give up so easily?!”
Cloud said with a burst of anger and Stefan just kept him calm.
“Calm down...”
“I can't! You are stupid for thinking that you are not right for her. She like you all the time, and she isn't the person that toy with other's feelings! Why must you give up?!”
“You... like her?!” Stefan suddenly spoke out and Cloud's anger changed to fear. But He immediately recovered from that and scolded Stefan again.
“That's not the point! You...”
“In prison, I did a lot of thinking. I actually didn't take Rinoa as a lover for me. I only wanted to protect her, that's my only thought, to protect her...” Stefan started again.
“We grown apart, as a couple, yes. But we grown closer now, but from a different perspective. We are now closer than we are as couples... we are...” Stefan paused and Cloud waited. A moment of silence.
“Friends. In a sense, a level higher than lovers.”
Stefan said and then he stood up and got ready to go. He picked up his jacket and then approached Cloud and pat on his back.
“Friends. Go back and think about it. It will improve your mental capability.”
“Oh, and another thing...” Stefan said and Cloud just stared at him.
“For stalking my friend Rinoa, I will make you pay...” Stefan said and cracked his knuckles with a sinister look. Cloud pushed himself backwards as if he was afraid of him again now. He couldn't possibly...
“Waitress, the bill's on him!” Stefan said and pointed Cloud to the waitress. He then pat Cloud again and left the bar, laughing loudly to himself. Cloud found himself now sitting in his chair, thinking...
“Wow, you guys have a long conversation there huh?”
Cloud lifted his head and saw Rinoa smiling at him. Cloud actually forgotten that Rinoa is also here in the pub. Did she heard...
“You... like me?”
Cloud's eyes seemed be shocked but he kept on denying it. Rinoa seemed to be having fun teasing him.
“No, I didn't! I am just worried for you...”
“You are afraid that I will go back to him?”
“No way I'd bother about that! I didn't know much about him and he was just out from prison...”
The two remained this way all the way back to Square Studios. Combative couples? Well, you might have guessed it by now...
Da Author Wanna Say Somethin...
(Hm... the story gets deeper from here, though there will be other funny chapters once in a while. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, though the philosophy behind it isn't too agreeable with everybody. Anyhow, it's a fiction. Just enjoy the story, and savor the plot...)