Johnny escorted Aerith home through the streets of Sector 5, which were beginning to empty out for the night. The streetlights flickered gloomily, a stark contrast to the neon brilliance of the Upper Plate they had just left behind.
They parked the motorcycle near the settlement, then continued on foot across a small wooden bridge spanning a stream of wastewater. The water below flowed sluggishly, reflecting the faint light that managed to slip through the gaps in the steel sky above.
abruptly, Johnny's heavy footsteps came to a halt in the middle of the bridge.
"Aerith," Johnny called out stiffly.
Aerith stopped as well. She turned around, the night breeze tousling her long brown hair, framing a face that still glowed with the remnants of the day's happiness.
"Yes?" Aerith asked, her eyes blinking with doe-eyed innocence. "Did we leave something behind, Johnny?"
Johnny didn't answer immediately. His throat felt dry—drier than when he had faced down the Queen Grashtrike.
Moving with the rigidity of a robot in desperate need of oil, Johnny reached into his jacket pocket. He pulled his hand out, then hesitantly extended it toward Aerith's face.
Slowly, Johnny uncurled his fist.
Resting in his palm—a hand that was massive, rough, calloused, and mapped with the scars of sword blades—lay an object that looked utterly alien.
A Satin Hair Ribbon. Bright pink, pristine, and soft.
The object looked incredibly small and fragile against Johnny's giant hand. The contrast between "Violence" and "Tenderness" was stark and undeniable.
Aerith stared at the ribbon, then looked up at Johnny's face.
Johnny's face was already burning crimson, redder than his bike's taillight. He looked away, staring resolutely at the wastewater stream below the bridge, too terrified to witness her reaction.
"I... bought this for you," Johnny mumbled hoarsely.
He scratched his cheek—which didn't actually itch—with his left hand.
"I saw it in the market earlier, before the church. The color... it reminded me of you. It's bright. Unlike this place."
Johnny swallowed hard, then added in a voice so low it was almost a whisper.
"And I thought... it would match your red jacket. So... take it."
Silence hung in the air for a moment.
Johnny's heart hammered against his ribs. Intrusive thoughts began to assault him: Is it tacky? Is she offended? She liked that black floral ribbon before!
Suddenly, he felt delicate fingers graze his rough palm. Aerith picked up the ribbon with extreme care, as if she were lifting the most precious gem in the world.
"Johnny..."
Johnny worked up the courage to look back at her.
Aerith was holding the ribbon against her chest. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears, reflecting the dim streetlights. Her lips curved into a wide, radiant smile—a genuine smile that melted Johnny's heart instantly.
"It's so beautiful..." Aerith whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. "You already bought me a protective staff today, took me to see the sky, treated me to delicious cake, took me to the theater... fixed up the church, and now this?"
Aerith shook her head gently, amazed.
"You spoil me too much, Sir Shield. Thank you."
Then, Aerith did something that caused Johnny's brain to cease functioning entirely.
The girl stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She stood on her tiptoes, resting a hand on Johnny's muscular arm for balance.
Her face drew close. The scent of vanilla and lilies flooded Johnny's senses.
And then...
PECK.
A kiss landed on Johnny's right cheek.
It was quick, light, and soft. Like a butterfly landing momentarily on a rock.
Aerith pulled back, but she didn't step away. She whispered right into Johnny's ear.
"Thank you for today... Johnny."
Johnny froze.
His body went rigid, like a stone statue in a museum. All the blood in his body seemed to be forcibly pumped into his face. It felt hot. Exploding.
His brain short-circuited. Guts, the slayer of a hundred men, the challenger of the God Hand, was paralyzed completely by a single kiss on the cheek.
Inside Johnny's jacket pocket, Puck bit his own lip with all his might, punching Johnny's thigh from the inside to stifle a hysterical scream.
"KYAAAA! BOSS GOT A KI—MPH!!!" Puck slammed both hands over his mouth.
Meanwhile, on Aerith's shoulder, Ivalera smiled with satisfaction, crossing her arms proudly. "Excellent progress, Princess."
Johnny remained standing like a statue as Aerith finally took a step back, waving her hand with the new ribbon in her grasp, then trotted toward her house, humming cheerfully.
Johnny touched his cheek. It still felt warm.
He turned to watch Aerith's retreating back. Under the dim artificial lights of Midgar, Johnny's gaze shifted.
Gone was the shy boy. In his place was a gaze that was sharp, dark, and filled with absolute determination. The gaze of a hellhound guarding the gates.
"If a single being—whether it be Shinra, a Monster, or a God—dares to make this girl cry..."
Johnny's hand gripped the wooden railing of the bridge until the timber cracked and splintered under the pressure.
"...I will grind this world into dust."