The hum of the neon sign outside filters softly through the half-closed blinds, painting faint stripes of red and gold across the bar counter. The last of the evening’s regulars have left an hour ago, their laughter now just a memory fading into the hum of the city.

You sit at your usual spot, third stool from the end, nursing the drink Tifa mixed just for you. A mellow blend of fruit and whiskey, smooth but quietly strong, just like her.

Behind the counter, Tifa moves with quiet ease, her rhythm unhurried. She’s wiping down glasses, humming a tune you don’t recognize, something soft and nostalgic. The sound blends with the faint music from the jukebox, a slow, bittersweet melody that seems to hang in the air between you.

“Kind of nice when it’s like this,” She says after a while, glancing your way. Her voice breaks the quiet in the gentlest way.

You smile. “Yeah. Feels peaceful.”

She nods, setting down a clean glass, and leans against the counter across from you, arms folded. The lamplight catches in her hair, bringing out that soft chestnut sheen. For a moment, she just studies you, eyes thoughtful, almost searching.

“You know…” She starts, tracing the rim of a glass with her fingertip, “I used to think silence meant something was wrong. Like… if no one was laughing, or fighting, or moving… something bad was about to happen.”

You tilt your head. “And now?”

She smiles, small but genuine. “Now I think silence can mean things are okay. That we’ve earned a bit of quiet.”

The words settle between you like warm dust, comforting in their simplicity. The hum of the city beyond the walls feels distant, as if you’ve both stepped outside of time for a moment.

You take a sip of your drink and say softly, “You deserve the quiet, Tifa.”

Her eyes lift to yours, and the warmth there catches you off guard. She leans in just a little, her voice barely above a whisper. “So do you.”