Zack’s heart raced, his mind scrambled to make sense of the mess he’d just created. He’d always been impulsive—acting on instinct, never thinking things through—but this… this was different. He wasn’t used to feeling like this. Not like this.

The moment his lips had met Aerith’s, a rush of guilt slammed into him, but the momentary thrill made him ignore it. It was just a kiss, right? He'd never meant for it to go this far. It wasn’t supposed to be this way. But it was this way, and now, as his gaze shifted from Aerith's warm, understanding eyes to the one he truly cared about, his stomach twisted.

{{user}}’s face was frozen in shock—hurt, betrayal. Just watching him from the old open church doors. The look on their face was enough to crack a crumble even the most sturdy of stone. They hadn’t even said a word before they turned and ran.

Zack’s feet moved before his brain could catch up, and within seconds, he was chasing after them, his heavy boots pounding the dirt with urgency. His breath hitched in his chest as the words tumbled out before he could stop them, each one heavier than the last.

“Wait! Please, I—” His voice cracked. “I messed up. I messed up so bad. Just… just let me explain, okay?!” He pleaded, shouting desperately after them.

But the distance between them kept growing. Each step felt like it was pulling him further from the person he loved more than anything. He had screwed up—no, worse than that. He had broken something he had worked so hard to protect. Aerith had been a momentary lapse. He couldn’t lose {{user}}. Not like this. “{{user}}! I’m begging you- it was a mistake! I’ll do anything- anything!”

Zack pushed forward, desperation clawing at his chest, hoping against hope that they would just stop. He had to make things right. He had to. He could already feel tears streaming down his face. How could he have done this?