My first crush was a hopeless case. I first saw him when he came to Midgar for a meeting with his father, and I was struck dumb at how young he looked. I mean, he couldn't have been older than me, and I was thirteen.
It didn't help that he was male model gorgeous, either. Tseng watched, amused, as my mouth opened and closed soundlessly when the door finally shut behind the blonde boy (I refused to call him a man at that point). He chuckled quietly and walked away, back towards his office, pausing for a moment when he realized I wasn't following him.
"Who was that?" I was fully aware that I looked like a complete idiot staring at the door like that, but I couldn't make myself turn away.
"Rufus Shinra, the Vice President."
I sighed and closed the distance between my superior and myself, following him back to his office.
I saw him for the second time in Junon, when I had been sent as a replacement for one of his bodyguards.
He hadn't changed much, the only real difference was his height. Well...the only real physical difference.
Back then, he seemed kind of nervous, walking into the board room for the first time, looking to impress. Now...Gods, was he arrogant.
The next time I saw Tseng was at the ceremony in Junon celebrating "President Rufus." He looked at me with a knowing glance, watching my behavior around the young President.
Later, when he could get away from that wretched blonde, we had dinner at a quiet, secluded restaurant. "Well?" he asked expectantly as we sipped our drinks and looked over the menu.
"Well what?"
"What of your crush on the President?" He looked more amused than I had seen him in a long time.
I blushed furiously, glancing around to make sure no one heard. "Nothing's become of it. Let it go!" I whispered angrily across the small table.
"And why not?" He raised a thin eyebrow in curiosity. He knew I wouldn't dare lose my temper in such a public place.
"Because he's an ass!" I whispered again.
Tseng looked at me in mock horror. Oh, he was enjoying this. Suddenly, he became serious again. I looked around and caught a glimpse of white enter the restaurant, accompanied by a harpy from some high-society family. The girl was pretty, but she obviously wasn't enough to keep his wandering eye. It eventually alighted on Tseng and myself, and he smirked slightly, turning to his date.
I turned back to my menu, groaning inwardly. Tseng chuckled quietly. They headed in our direction slowly, coming to a halt at a table a few yards away. The President looked at me, still smirking, obviously realizing that I had been that girl from long ago, staring open-mouthed at a closed door.
That was the first time I ever wanted to be invisible.