I had NO idea that people out there thought Clerith was the intended couple.
I never thought it was the intended couple as in "this is the RIGHT one", but I thought it was intended as a valid choice. The game allows you to have Cloud express affection for Aerith and avoid romancing Tifa. Nothing about the ending or story or Cloud's character growth gets screwed up by saying "he fell in love with Aerith", or "he loves Tifa platonically"; you aren't punished for getting the low affection scene with Tifa under the Highwind. Obviously the Compilation afterward chooses a run of the game where he kept his romantic feelings for Tifa and went through the high affection scene, but it's only natural that when you have a situation like VII, where the main character's relationships can be affected by the player like that, one run would have to be chosen and others discarded. And, frankly, it's better Cloud/Tifa was pursued rather than Cloud/Aerith; I imagine that would have made things awkward for writing Tifa into scenarios, and she's a good character. (Even though I preferred Aerith, I'm not sure I ever
have gotten the low affection scene for Tifa.)
My first LTD was over on gamefaqs, before AC came out. I was just annoyed that some of the people took the stance that Cloud/Tifa was the only reasonable possibility and Cloud/Aerith was a stupid pairing. ...And I'm sure I annoyed some of the people arguing for Cloud/Aerith because I took exception to their arguments (one being that Cait Sith's fortunes had anything to do with
anyone's compatibility). I came to this one because sometimes it seems like the only active discussion related to VII here.