I met Seifer three years ago.
We didn't take an instant liking to each other. He was introverted and intense, shelling out only insults when he came out of his shell. I was loud, a little obnoxious, with a fast mouth and a quick eye (two, then). Raijin, a mutual friend, introduced us in the library. He had the very best of intentions, of course. He was probably thinking, Well, Fuu and Seif are in a bunch of classes together, ya know? So they should probably get to know each other. It worked in theory, but the notion ended up leaving a great deal to be desired when applied to real life.
"So who's this person you want me to meet, hmm?" I asked Raijin, leafing through a copy of Timber Maniacs.
"He's in a bunch of your classes, ya know?
I raised my eyebrows. "I know almost everybody in our year."
"Well, you don't know him." Raijin shifted his weight. "It's… I mean, he's…."
"I'm Seifer Almasy," a quiet, silky voice behind me offered.
I spun. It took me a moment to place his face – slick sun-bleached hair, sharp blue eyes, gunblade in a makeshift holster strapped to his back. It was the gunblade that gave me a clue. "Oh… Seifer. I know you." I laughed. "The hermit from Trepe's homeroom. Ventured out of the cave for the day?"
Raijin winced as Seifer bristled. "And I know you, Fuujin. Xu's your homeroom teacher. And…" he ran his eyes down my body. "I'm pretty sure you're a girl, but it's hard to tell."
I could feel my cheeks getting hot. No, I wasn't built like Quistis Trepe and I didn't dress like her either, and I didn't want to. It wasn't the verbal body-slam that bothered me, anyway; it was being caught off of my guard. "Why, you – "
"Yes, me," agreed Seifer, and he turned back to Raijin. "Well, Raijin, this has been an… entertaining encounter. But I'm afraid I'm required elsewhere."
"Okay," Raijin said quickly, before I could get anything out.
"Well, not so much required elsewhere," Seifer said thoughtfully, "As desperately failing to enjoy myself here. That's all right. I hear the cafeteria's got some hot dogs." With that, he turned and ambled off carelessly; I was left blushing and unsteady.
"Man, Fuujin," Raijin said. He looked embarrassed. "You probably shouldn't have cut into him like that, ya know? He's like – sensitive."
"HE'S sensitive?" I yelped, kicking Raijin in the shins. My tone was joking but the kick was real. "All I did was make a little joke and he called me flat!" I stuck out my chest at Raijin. "Did that have ANY validity WHATSOEVER?!"
"Fuujin," Raijin said awkwardly, averting his eyes as he turned red, "Please stop shoving your boobs at me. People are … y'know… staring."
I sighed and complied. "I don't even care," I mumbled. "He's a dick. Still, this has been an experience which definitely warrants payback."
Raijin raised his eyebrows. "Payback?"
"You don't have to come," I said cheerfully, and ran down the stone hallways towards the cafeteria.