Boring Legal Disclaimer: FF8 belongs to Squaresoft. As if you didn't know that.



The room was lit with a golden aura. Some people danced while others discussed issues and topics that wouldn't interest much of anyone.

Others just stood and watched.

Seifer sipped a bit of his drink. Not much else to do at this boring inauguration party.

Especially when you're not a SeeD, a voice inside said bitterly.

He shrugged and watched the fireworks. He secretly wished they were meant for him too.

They won't ever, he thought spitefully. What can I do now? When all I have is a dream that I'll never have come true.

Seifer tipped his wine glass towards the sky, letting the lights glimmer through it like some sort of amazing kaleidoscope.

" To dreams," he whispered and took another sip. Seifer opened his eyes and saw her. He almost dropped the glass. She walked in the room and it seemed her presence had brightened it. She flipped her long black hair behind her shoulder and looked around.

It was Rinoa. A girl who he had spent the last summer with. She actually came. He thought she wouldn't make it all the way from Timber, where she had been staying.

Don't fail now. She asked for your help with convincing the Headmaster to assist her in a certain long term project.

Isn't that partly why I wanted to be a SeeD? So Cid could send me to help the Timber Owls? Then I'd get to spend more time with her and be her hero. I wanted to be her hero.

Seifer shut his eyes and took another drink to calm his nerves. As he sipped, he opened his eyes and saw Rinoa dancing gracefully.

Beautiful angel, he thought as he recalled the times they had danced on dates. She never failed to take his breath away.

He couldn't see who she was dancing and laughing with. She was too far off now. The other dancers had also helped block the mystery man.

Rinoa stumbled. Another dancing couple sneered.
Then Seifer saw her mysterious dance partner. He had the same gray eyed loner look. His hair messy as always. His face held very little emotion, a trait he had expressed throughout the years.

Squall... I thought Rinoa had more refined taste than that, his thoughts of hate started to rise.

" What a joke," Seifer muttered.

Squall was on my team to Dollet. Why interest could she have in him? He's a real prick

He had remembered talking to Rinoa about Squall last summer. Rinoa was interested in why Seifer was one of the gunblade expert and he was about to tell her about his rival, but he didn't. The moment was so amazing and he didn't want to ruin it.

What is Squall to me? In a strange way, he seemed like a brother. Like a worst enemy I just couldn't kill. I had the courage, the strength, and the knowledge of how he fights to do it, but I couldn't. It would have been much more simple growing up in the Garden if weren't true.

Rinoa waved goodbye to Squall and headed over to the Headmaster. As she walked by, she smiled at him, unaware of the betrayal she had just committed.