Tearing Each Other Apart

It could be said that Final Fantasy had left a very deep impression on Song Ren.

Especially its protagonist, Cloud.

Especially after learning the full chain of events in the game, which made Cloud's appeal even clearer.

Although Zack's DLC storyline, especially that final heroic sacrifice, had raised Song Ren's fondness for Zack to its peak.

After finishing the game and looking back over that long adventure—from Midgar to the Gold Saucer, Cosmo Canyon, and finally the Northern Crater—

Cloud's image still left the deepest impression on him.

At first, Cloud always came across as cold and unapproachable. He liked saying things like "Not interested" and constantly talked about "payment."

But that was only an illusion.

The real Cloud was passive, lonely inside, and a very fragile person.

As a child, he had wanted to play with Tifa and the other kids too, but every time, he could never bring himself to say it.

On the day Tifa's mother died, Tifa innocently went looking for her mother with the other children along a mountain path near their hometown.

When Cloud learned about it, the always introverted and withdrawn Cloud secretly followed behind Tifa. When he saw Tifa slip and get hurt, he tried to save her, only to lose his footing himself and fall unconscious.

Fortunately, Tifa and Cloud were found by the others and brought back to the village.

That made Cloud blame himself deeply, and he longed for strength so that he could protect Tifa.

So, after learning of Sephiroth's deeds, Cloud came to admire him and chose to leave the village to join Shinra. There, he met Zack, the most important friend of his life.

When he returned to his hometown, Cloud remembered the promise he had made with Tifa.

But because he was still only a