Cloud and Aerith’s mutual two way “koui” quotes
Aerith’s Profile from the Ultimania Omega, page 29 has this quote:
クラウドに好意を抱き、あっという間に親しい仲に。
“Embracing her feelings (favor) for Cloud, the two become intimate (close) in a matter of no time." -Aerith’s description
Bigger screenshot of the 好意 “koui” or “favor” quote shown above.
好意 “koui” or “favor” is also used for Cloud in this Memorial Scenes passage from Marlene’s profile on pg. 63 of the FF 25th Memorial Ultimania Vol. 2 which shows that Cloud had a mutual 好意 “koui” or “favor” interest in Aerith as early as of the time she was kidnapped by the Turks:
— “Marlene is a sharp girl. Even though she’s only 4 years old, Marlene is perceptive and well attuned to the woman mind. This grownup behavior is demonstrated in the scene where she ascertains that Aerith has favor for Cloud and tells him so, then says “I won’t tell Tifa!”
— Japanese text: — マリンはおませんな女の子 まだ4歳なのに、マリンはおしゃまで女心に敏感。エアリスがクラウドに好意を持っていることを見抜いて彼に報告し、「ティファには内緒にしておく」と一人前に気をま わすひと幕も。
— Cloud’s canon response to Marlene telling him “I bet she likes you, Cloud!” is “Let’s hope so.” Marlene only tells Cloud “I won’t tell Tifa!” when that is his response.
好意 “koui” or “favor” is also used in Maiden Who Travels the Planet/Hoshi wo Meguru Otome (星を巡る乙女) by Aerith when she says that she came to love Cloud more than she had loved Zack:
— When her thoughts turned to Cloud, Aerith hurt deeply.
She had been carrying love for him. Initially, she thought he had similarities to her first love. Although they didn’t share faces, voices or disposition, his behavior and mannerisms made her wonder about this mysterious person — but that was alright almost immediately anyway. Because she had come to love him more than her first love. —
Japanese text: — よりわけクラウドに思いを巡らすと、エアリスはとてもつらくなった。 彼女が好意を抱いていたということもある。最初は、初めて好きになった人に何となく似ていると思っていた。顔も声音も性格も何ひとつ似てはいないのに、不思議とその人を思 い起こさせる仕草やクセ――でも、それはすぐにどうでも良くなった。なぜなら、初恋の人よりもずっと好きになっていたから。
If you notice the word 好意 “koui” or “favor” that were used in the above quote to describe Aerith’s feelings for Cloud and 好意 has been used since multiple times to describe Aerith and even Cloud’s feelings for Aerith in official Ultimanias.
Officially this chart has no two-way arrow from Cloud to either Aerith or Tifa and only arrows from both heroines to Cloud due to the fact that FFVII has not ended the love triangle. However, this chart is not accurate since Cid and Shera do not have two-way arrows indicating their marriage in Advent Children and even has arrows where Cid is shown to treat Shera “badly”.
The absence of the two-way arrow from Cloud towards any girl does not mean that Cloud currently has not made a choice between the multiple women in the game who have 好意 towards him due the fact that relationship charts frequently get updated in newer releases of Ultimanias. For example Wakka/Lulu have two-way arrows as “childhood friends” in the FFX relationship chart much like Cloud and Tifa have in the FFVII relationship chart, however the difference is Cloud and Tifa are never shown to have a difference in any sequel relationship chart aside from two-way arrows of “childhood friends” which means any 好意 koui reference from Cloud to Tifa is referring to his past affections/love for Tifa in pre-FFVII Compilation of Final Fantasy VII games.
In contrast to Cloud and Tifa, Wakka/Lulu relationship change is reflected in the updated FFX-2 relationship chart which shows their two-way arrow marriage in the game.
好意 “koui” has also been used to describe the canon couple of Cecil/Rosa in the FF20 Ultimania.
好意 “koui” has also been used to describe the canon couple of Locke/Celes in the FF20 Ultimania.
好意 “koui” has also been used to describe the canon couple of Squall/Rosa in the FF20 Ultimania.
If SE does not intend romance to be seen between Cloud and Aerith, it wouldn’t make sense for them to use 好意 koui as well when they used it to other canon couples in Final Fantasy. This is also not dependent on player choice or on the choices for the FFVII date at Gold Saucer since the Ultimanias also make it clear that Aerith is the canon date for Cloud.
Cloud and Aerith favors/fancied each other not only during FFVII but in all future Compilation of Final Fantasy VII movies and games. This is also being shown in the #FF30th exhibition where Aerith is being elevated in prominence and shown not only as the heroine of FFVII but his 好意 “koui” or “favor” and love interest.
