Disclaimer: Squaresoft owns FF8. I love repeating things, don't I?

A/N: I don't know what to say. I did my best to update really fast today and I did this chappie while listening to my fave sweet songs as advice by a "Kawaii" friend of mine. Teehee...I need to work harder for you guys!!

CHAPTER 10: White realization

February 10

Detention hall (somewhere on 2nd floor)

9: 20 a.m

Seifer Almasy stood in front of the unfortunate Seeds Fujin and Raijin had recruited for detention. The room was grave silent; all eyes were focused upon Seifer's stern face. He was pretty sensitive right now. Any hint that was implying him about the 'incident' quickly makes him go ballistic. Actually, not all Seeds in the room were guilty of breaking Garden's law. The majority of them was simply the result of the 'You and your big mouth' case.

"Serves you right, criminals," he smirked. This was beginning to be a nice day now. Well, aside from the fact that some Seeds were depressed because he recovered, Seifer was once again reunited with his one and only pleasure: Busting the Criminals.

His green emerald eyes landed at the quiet Seeds' faces one by one. During his ambiguous state, he somehow remembered all those crazy things that he did. He recalled every detail of it just like being in a trance. It was like a dream, a hallucination.... A nightmare. He didn't have any control of the situation. Seifer just watched his character do all those mumbo jumbos and completely made a perfect moron out of himself.

'They better not think I'm a bimbo...' the thought was beginning to bother him again. Eventhough the news that the Love Potion was behind it all, he doubted that all of Garden would be able to imbibe that through their inane sense of realization. His growing nice day was starting to get dim now as he reminisces once more about it.

The place was really quiet. Seifer slowly gawked at the entire room. All Seeds were looking attentively at him. Like kindergartens that had been thoroughly scolded by a 500 pounds fat guy. He slowly glanced at his trusty posses. They were silently standing closely in both of his sides. Like side by side faces of the bun in a hotdog sandwich.... He was the hotdog.

It made Seifer's nerve twitched. Too much silence. It was blowing his mind off. Why did he have to drink that Gatorade? How come, of all the dimwits living in the Earth, must he be that idiot victim? Why? Why him?!

All of a sudden, Seifer pounded the table breaking the deafening silence all over the place.

"Darn! Darn it all!!" Seifer exclaimed. Everyone inside was startled by his unexpected outburst. The Seeds quickly braced themselves in their seats. All eyes were purely bewildered. Everything was just flowing peacefully in the Detention hall and then, out of the blue, Seifer will suddenly cause an unusual ballyhoo. What's up with that?

It must be the side effects.

The Seeds confoundedly exchanged glances with each other. Yup, that must be it. Seifer's two posses gaped at him. Somehow, they can understand how he feels. Well, if you had been bewitched, had blabbered nonsense, had done the unthinkable and had ruined your own reputation, wouldn't it be just normal if you react about it?

After giving the poor table another of his solid pound, he shifted his glare towards the Seeds in detention.

"What are you looking at?!" Seifer's emerald eyes pierced through the unfortunate Seeds in detention. His jaw clenched. Indeed, the former ex-knight's treatment was more than enough for them to swear not to ever break Garden's law again.

"Stay quiet, you sadistic Criminals! No madcap is allowed here in Detention!"

**

9:25 a.m

Classroom 2nd floor

Don't you mention that cursed drink in my presence!

The sound of the chalk echoed upon the walls of Instructor Quistis's classroom. Quantum Physics were always the least favorite subject of her students. Aside from the fact that it involved a hardcore math analysis, they had to set their computers aside and solve the problems manually by a long hand method.

Quistis Trepe stood in front of the black board, writing. She was still thinking about Seifer. Eventhough she kept telling herself to forget him, that stubborn part of her just won't give up and kept haunting her. The more she avoided it, the worse it gets. What exactly was wrong with her? She couldn't let this thing happen to her. A mere guy like Seifer Almasy wasn't always worth it. So what if the Love Potion once possessed him? That strange yet sweet man wasn't him. He doesn't exist anymore. When will she ever realize that?

One of the Seeds in her class groaned. She was on the tenth problem already and there's five more to go. It was killing them.

'Was he angry?' she asked at the back of her mind. From the looks of things, he must be. Quistis had known Seifer since childhood. He was the most ill tempered person she had ever met. He bicker with his classmates, bully the Seeds around him, and even tried to stamp Squall out of Balamb Garden. There can never be someone as worse as him.

Even if some things had changed, she doubted that Seifer's tetchy attitudes will be detached in his systems. He will always be the belligerent one.

'I shouldn't have acted that way..'

If for some reason she might ran into Seifer, she wouldn't know how to respond. Quistis regretted the fact that she was absolutely carried away by Seifer's words back at the Parking Lot. It's only a simple three little words but yet; it made such a great impact in her that she couldn't rub it off no matter what she does.

'What if he remembered?'

She tried to recall the things that she had spoken in front of him. Quistis was sure that she acted silly over the delirious ex-knight. There were times that she had blushed, ran out of words, and stared enthralled at how charming Seifer's smile can be. If Seifer happened to recall those, her world would probably shatter in deep mortification.

'Will he laugh at me?'

Her hands scribbled faster on the board. Chalk dust gently showered the floor like little snow in a midget's world.

'Will he tease me?'

Quistis began to feel uneasy, her chest ebbed. She detested the thought. Seifer always tend to take advantage of people's feelings. How can she be any different?

Or maybe....Just maybe...

'Will he like me...?'

She paused. Even if it's in a dream, that type of thing needed a miracle to happen. Seifer's heart of stone was way harder than the rock of Gibraltar. He never showed compassion to anyone. He wanted everyone to know how tough he was and that will always be it. Quistis can't do anything about it. She tried once already but she simply can't. He's the greatest failure Quistis always had. The guilt box of her soul. He was Seifer Almasy, the ever so fallen knight. She wanted so bad to change it, but can she?

Seifer...

A few Seeds gasped at her back.

"Seifer?"

Exaggerated gasps flung in the room once more. This time, almost all the Seeds reacted.

Quistis snapped out of her contemplating state and bafflingly turned to look at the Seeds. They seemed to be flabbergasted by something. Lips were partly opened, their eyes were drowning in disbelief. They constantly stared at her. She creased her eyebrows.

"What's supposed to be the matter?" she bemused. Everyone was looking so dippy in front of her. There must be something that caused this reaction to them. What is it?

"..........................."

Ignoring the Seeds' obtuse reaction, she fixed her glasses and decided to continue writing when....

'Eeee--Oh, Hyne!!'

Quistis almost swallowed her tongue when she saw the thing that was written before her very eyes.

Seifer

Amidst her stupid reflections, she absentmindedly written his name in the blackboard for everyone to see! This was it. Something was terribly wrong with her. She wasn't like this. She was calm and reserve. She can always hide her feelings and show it whenever she wanted to. Absentmindedness was totally out of her character. Quistis Trepe was always above the situation. She was always in control.

But, not until now...

All Seeds were still submerged in deep flummox. They didn't expected this to happen. Instructor Quistis was actually thinking about the rehabilitated Seifer Almasy? What was happening in Balamb Garden? How come unusual things kept happening and happening? They became speechless.

Quistis's azure eyes became shaky. The book that she was holding dropped. She slowly took a step backwards.

"Excuse me," Quistis hesitantly replied and quickly disappeared before the class. All her students were still dumbfounded with what they saw that it took a while for them to realize that their beloved instructor already took off.

**

12:16 p.m

Cafeteria

"Oooooh, those kids are going to be the end of me!!"

Selphie deliberately exclaimed as she stretches her beat up arms high in the air. Rinoa sat quietly beside her. Yes, once again, those disguised angels were back in Balamb Garden for more. Completely administering nuisance and annoyance between Rinoa and Selphie's incorrigible worlds.

"Tell me about it," Irvine wearily replied sitting across her. "Those wretched kids threw a rotten a tomato in my face first thing in the morning."

"Mpft!" Chunks of hotdogs in Zell's mouth almost flew out.

"Hey!" The adverse cowboy glared at the hotdog lover. "It wasn't easy washing off those stinky tomatoes in my face. I spent the whole morning in the bathroom."

" I tell ya, those orphans are nothing more than the mischievous sprite of Centra!"

"Oh, shut up Irvine! Don't tell me you believe that harebrained myth?" Selphie gawked at him, sickened.

"Mmm? You mean the myth that transformed the omnipotent Tonberry into a stupid little green thing?" Zell whimsically surmised.

"No, dim head!" Irvine touched his hat. " It's the myth about how Diablos became trapped inside that musty lamp."

"Oh, I see, the evil kids told him that Siren was in there naked and the sucker gave in." Zell pointed a finger at the cowboy.

"Yeah!" Irvine snapped his fingers. "And in the end, the blob took the little imps!"

"Now that was lame! That story doesn't deserve to be even called a myth! And how, in Hyne's name, did a blob actually get in there?!" Selphie irritably exclaimed.

"No Irvine, I think the blob was the sandman." Zell concluded and took another bite at his hotdog.

"HALT! Stop!" the energetic Seed demanded. "I don't want to hear it anymore!"

"Whatever ya say," Zell shrugged. "But can you explain why Diablo is residing inside that lamp?

"Don't know! Don't care!" Selphie immediately chomped at her pizza. "Whoever made that story definitely has serious issues in his head."

"But I still say, those kids are a pain in the neck." Irvine grumbled. Selphie acquiesced. If it weren't for Ellone and Matron, she wouldn't really dared to put up with them. Glancing at her surroundings, she noticed that Quistis wasn't with them today. It's all right if it was Squall. He was probably glued inside his office again, but Quistis? As she opens her mouth to speak, Irvine cut her off.

"By the way, how come Quistis and Squall aren't here?"

'Squall?'

The evoking Rinoa on the corner was suddenly hit by that word.

"Well, if you're looking for Squall, he's in his office as usual sulking all over an important business," the depressed sorceress answered all of a sudden.

"Again?" Irvine said a little fed up. "Can't he just stop by and say hi to Sis? He's been ignoring her since she came here with those kids."

Zell happily munched on his hotdogs without a care.

"Humph, those kids....." Rinoa muttered. A while ago...

--------flashback------

"Ms. Elle, just who ish this girl who keeps giving ush this papers?" A puny little blonde girl asked Ellone.

"Oh Darcy, this is Aunt Rinoa," Ellone proudly placed her hands over Rinoa's shoulders. "She's going to be my brother's future bride!"

Rinoa quickly blushed. She didn't know that Ellone actually thinks that way about her. She smiled at the little girl.

"Well if she ish your brother's future bride, then why ishn't he with her?" Darcy innocently asked.

"Isn't it obvious, Darcy! It's because he doesn't like that woman anymore," the older lad said pointing bluntly at Rinoa. The sweet smile upon Rinoa's face died.

"I can see why, me don't like her either," the freckled little redhead answered out of nowhere. A fat boy second the motion, followed by another and another and another. Until all of the kids were completely making noise.

"Now, now kids! That's not a nice thing to say." Ellone placed her hands over her hips. The kids' noise became louder and louder. They're starting to get wild again. Ellone turned to the goaded Rinoa, apologetic.

"Please excuse them, they can be so....so.." Ellone struggled for a word to say.

"Loudmouthed..." Rinoa finished the sentence for Ellone. "Don't worry, Elle. They're just kids," she patiently replied and smiled. But deep down inside, how she wanted to tear them apart. The kids were playing something now, Rinoa can barely hear it due to their noise.

"Aunt Rinoa haters unite! I'll be hater number one! You be number two!"

--------end of flashback------

Rinoa, depressed as she can be, began to smile catching both Selphie and Irvine's undivided attention. The two looked at the young sorceress, her smile turned into a giggle. This time, Zell noticed her.

"Uh Rinoa? You okay?" Selphie anxiously asked.

".....The mischievous sprites of Centra..." she mumbled to her breath then chuckled. After a few seconds of chuckling, her chuckle gradually transformed into a cackle. Her three friends glanced at each other wondering what has gotten into her.

Rinoa cackled and chortled in front of her stunned friends. It went on for awhile until finally she stood up on her chair and began to leave. Still laughing, of course.

The dazed Selphie, Irvine and Zell quietly stared at her as she laughed her way out of the Cafeteria. The table became silent.

".......Now, what is that all about?" Zell broke the silence and continued gnawing his hotdogs.

"I'm not sure," Irvine replied.

"Rinoa...." Selphie became fretful of Rinoa's welfare. 'She must be having problems with the kids....Or maybe with Squall..?'

"By the way, I couldn't believe Instructor Quistis would actually do that...." Two Seeds holding their own trays passed by their table.

"Yup, same here. Of all the wrong things to happen," the shorter Seed protested and shook his head.

Upon hearing this, Selphie and Irvine looked at each other.

What happened to Quistis?

Without hesitating, Selphie eagerly called out the two passing by Seeds to ask them about the blonde instructor.

**

6:27 p.m

Seifer briskly made his way out of the Quad. He and his posses had just finished their certain rounds for the day. Raijin was glad that was over. His lunch was always delayed. Seifer said that it was just all right for him since he was looking like a tub of lard anyways.

"Mmmmm, this is delicious, ya know?!" Raijin dramatically exclaimed as he takes another bite at his hamburger. Fujin shook her head at Raijin's sick etiquettes.

"Quiet, back there!" Seifer barked at them and continued treading over who knows where. He passed by a several Seeds who hurriedly stopped and gave way for him. He couldn't tell if they're afraid of him or simply despises him. Either way, he doesn't care. His life in Balamb Garden will always be like this. It couldn't get any better even if he wanted it to.

Seifer smirked at the sight of them and resumed walking.

As he reached the Main Lobby, he paused to look at the whole place. The vivid decoration of the Lobby quickly amazed him. He never really paid attention to it until now. The red carpet at his feet blended magnificently with the white walls of Balamb Garden. The floating banner was just enough to lift his downed spirit and flutter together with it. All the Seeds, although he hated them, that was giggling and teasing around the area were just so carefree. It added a much effervescent aura in the place.

'So that's why the whole freakin' place was red. It's going to be Valentine's Day here again....' he irreverently thought to himself. Despite of all the things that had happened to him and the awful lot of time he spent walking around Balamb Garden, he finally figured out the coming occasion.

Seifer stared speechless before the Main Lobby's beauty. No matter how extravagant this occasion can be for Balamb Garden, he knew he wasn't part of it. Valentine's Day wasn't for him. It was only for those poppycock couples who believes that love makes the drivel world go round.

"Bah!" he growled and swayed his hands implying that the place was just a big nonsense. Brushing his gray trench coat aside, he cockily proceed in his disoriented walk.

Eventhough everything was full of love in his surroundings, he still hated the essence of Valentine's Day.

"Er...Boss? Just where are we going, ya know?" Raijin dumbly speculated at his back. Seifer ignored him and continued walking.

"Uh...Boss?" the black Seed took a hefty bite in his hamburger.

"The Training Center..." Seifer calmly mumbled as he strides swiftly out of the Lobby.

"Towing Center....duh...Sorry boss, I didn't quite hear y'know?"

Seifer stopped and scowled at Raijin. "Just shut up and follow..."

**

Training Center

A lady in a peach battle suit entered the main entrance. The Training Center was a little peaceful right now. A perfect place to be alone and straighten one's mind. Quistis Trepe tightened her grip upon her 'Save the Queen'. She needed to cool off things. The pressure was just too much for her.

I'm still me....I didn't change.

She brushed aside the green leaves that was sticking out in the foyer and leisurely entered inside. It was a good thing the exterminated Grats were totally replaced by a perfectly fine ones. Quistis could finally spend her time sharpening and enhancing her skills without a single worry.

As she walked deeper inside the Center she heard a bashing of blade not very far from her location.

BANG!

A gunblade...

Quistis was absolutely sure that was a gunblade. Feeling a little apprehensive, she swiftly ran towards the source of the noise completely ignoring the prick of a few undergrowth shrubs. It was then followed by an earsplitting cry coming from a T-rex. She doubled her pace.

The extensive jaw of the T-rexaur was constantly oozing with blood due to the rock-hard blow of its slick exterminator. It's flaky skin was knitted with scrapes and scratches. It was getting terribly woozy now. The poor creature was going to give in any moment. In another earsplitting cry, that moment came with a loud thud right before Quistis's very feet. She was quickly taken aback at the sight of the T-rex's lifeless figure.

Quistis's deep blue eyes widened in surprise when she lifted her gaze to look at the man who brutally snuffed the T-rex. He slowly turned to look at her.

"S-Squall?"

Seifer and his two posses stood in the middle of the small hall of the Training Center. The blonde knight took out his Hyperion to check if it was in its perfect state. At last, after taking a long break from the cursed Love Potion, he finally made it to the Training Center once more. How he waited for this moment to come. He swung his Hyperion rapidly in the air as Raijin and Fujin proudly watched.

'Good, I still have it!' Seifer smirked to himself.

"Let's go," he officiously ordered and gallantly strode inside the verdant Training Center. The three were vigilantly walking over the shrubberies when they suddenly heard a loud thud.

"Gee boss, I don't think we're alone in here ya know?" Raijin tensely proposed. They tried to search around for the source.

"THERE!" Fujin quickly pointed to her left. The noise was just too loud to be ignored.

Seifer looked far over to his left. He couldn't really see what's on the other side because it was covered with thick green trees. Holding his sharp Hyperion even more, he spoke.

"Come on..."

Quistis looked thoroughly at Squall's cool gray eyes wondering what brought him here. She searched her mind for a word. She didn't expected this. Squall was just looking back at her. His face was unreadable.

"What are you doing here?" Quistis finally uttered a word. After taking a deep breath, Squall rested his Lionheart at its scabbard ignoring Quistis's query.

"Aren't we supposed to be in our office, Commander?" She gave out a smile to boost up a little courage in her.

"I'm taking a break..." he faintly replied and slightly looked at her from an angle.

"So you're finally taking my advice, huh?" Quistis placed her hands in her waist. She noticed the downed expression of the young commander in his eyes. The blonde instructor surmised that Squall was probably having another problem in his life or he wouldn't even bother to come out of his office.

Squall grunted.

"....Whatever.." he mumbled. He shifted his grayish eyes on the T-rex's cadaver, thinking about something.

Quistis sighed. Slowly, she opened her lips to speak....

"You know, you shouldn't think about him too much...." Quistis was suddenly caught off guard by Squall's ricochet advice. She was the one who was supposed to tell him that, not the other way around.

As the three posses approached the source of the noise, they heard somebody talking.

"Oooh, boss...I think someone's...Y'know?...Over there," Raijin fervently suspected. Fujin and Seifer turned to him, disgusted. Seeing the two's repugnant stare at him, Raijin nervously smiled and took out another hamburger in his vest. Boy, was he hungry.

"Quiet..." Seifer put a finger in his lips. He could swear that those voices sounded awfully familiar. He became intrigued and decided to listen. Tiptoeing their way towards the bushes, Seifer and his posses hid themselves and eagerly listened to the conversation.

"W-What are you talking about?" the female voice blurted out with a glint of denial in it.

Seifer wasn't satisfied with just the sound so he shrouded off the green leaves to get a good look at the conversing duo.

"You know what I'm talking about," the male voice firmly replied.

'Puberty boy?'

The first figure Seifer saw was Squall. A T-rexaur was lying lifelessly in front of him. Seifer concluded that he must be the one who took it out but eventhough, the former knight wasn't impressed. He can do a lot better than that.

Quistis was rendered speechless before Squall.

'Is this about what I wrote on the board...?'

Seifer brushed the leaves even more to see the other figure. It was then that Raijin softly jabbed at his back.

"What?!" Seifer irritably whispered.

"Er...Boss, are we allowed to eat here at the Training Cen--"

"Sssssh!!" Seifer immediately cut Raijin. What a dumb question to be asked at a dumb time. If it weren't for the fact that they were 'spying' about someone, Seifer would've massacred Raijin right then and there. Fujin nudged him to be silent.

"It's about Seifer."

Seifer's attention was suddenly magnetized by Squall's statement. Slowly, he turned to the conversing two and carefully brushed the leaves. His green emerald eyes widened in awe as the slender figure of a tall blonde lady revealed before him.

'I-It's the mediocre instructor...'

"H-How did you--" Quistis's azure eyes were as surprised as Seifer's emerald ones. She didn't know what to do.

"Your students were talking about it all over Garden..." Squall precisely stated and ogled around for any creatures that was lurking in the place.

Seifer became intrigued even more. This was new. He absolutely have no idea about what's happening in Balamb Garden anymore, not to mention Quistis Trepe. Pressing the leaves downward, he leaned closer.

"I..." Quistis sighed. She surrendered. There's no use hiding it anymore. Those Seeds of her sure know how to humiliate a dignified instructor.

Squall turned to look at her right in the eyes.

"Seifer had always been a puppet for others. You can't really blame him, it's natural...."

Silence.

'Huh?! W-What's that?'

Without any notice, the nerve in Seifer's neck gave in.

"Watch what YOU'RE saying PUBERTY BOY!!" Seifer violently roared and suddenly popped out of the bushes completely blowing their perfect cover.

"Seifer?!" Quistis and Squall bewilderedly exclaimed. They have no idea that Seifer was actually hiding from beneath the bush. The former ex-knight began to draw his Hyperion then charged towards the surprised Squall ready to take his head off. Squall, on the other hand, quickly drew his Lionheart. He was ready anytime.

Fortunately, Fujin and Raijin managed to hold him back. Seifer then kept barking and shouting at the introvert commander threatening to tear him apart.

"Wait till I get MY hands on YOU!!! I swear I--Let me go!!" he malevolently demanded over his posses.

"C-Calm down, boss! Y'know?!" Raijin and Fujin struggled to hold him back. He was so aggressive.

Quistis stared at the mad Seifer.

'How long have he been there?' Her chest began to hammer wildly. 'Did he hear?'

"How dare YOU, Puberty Boy?! Come on! Let's do THIS! You and ME!!" The two posses began to drag him slowly towards the exit of the Training Center. Squall just stared at him. His soft brown hair swayed when he shook his head at the sight of the reluctantly retreating Seifer.

"What's the matter, BOY?! YOU afraid?!" Fujin and Raijin doubled their grip and continued receding. Seifer kept resisting.

Both Quistis and Squall silently watched as the two posses tug the raving blonde back out. Quistis looked down. Deep down inside of her, she was definitely sure Seifer already got a glimpse of what she was feeling at the moment. Somehow, it didn't scare her. She didn't sense fear at all. It was totally different compared to the way she felt before him yesterday. No matter what it was, it felt good.

"Watch YOUR back anytime, Puberty!! I have MY eyes on YOU!!" Seifer struggled as they gradually made a turn over the palms.

Surprisingly, Quistis gave out a chuckle. Squall quickly noticed her and creased his eyebrows.

"...What?" he gravely asked the chuckling instructor. Quistis looked at his cute face, her smile didn't fade. "N-Nothing..." She shook her head and giggled.

"Do you hear me?!! Darn it! Let me go...!" Seifer's loud ramble became faint bit by bit. He must be at the very exit of the Center now.

Squall shrugged. "....Fine." Drawing his weapon back at his scabbard, he began to walk the other way.

"Where are you going?" Quistis gleefully asked him. Squall didn't answer and continued walking away.

"Squall?" her tone didn't change.

"You know what?" Squall uttered as Quistis openly faces him. His back was the only thing she can see.

"You really have changed...." After pausing for a while, he went on leaving Quistis standing in the middle of the Training Center. Her playful smile weakened as she realizes the actual truth.

**

10:18 p.m

Main Lobby

It was way past curfew and everyone was sleeping peacefully inside their own quarters. The Main Lobby was so quiet and a little dim. The glimmering tinsels from the banner was constantly reflecting the moonlight, on the high ceiling, serving as an extraordinary lantern all over the place. The hazy light dazzled amazingly over the goddess statue Aphrodite as if she was majestically enticing them to surround her. Amidst the splendor of the Main Lobby, an uncertain figure emerged from the dark.

'This won't take long...' Quistis Trepe slowly tiptoed away from the Dormitory's hallway. The things that had happened to her today was just enough to keep her away from the comfortable hands of Morpheus. She just couldn't sleep. Seeing this moment to be a fortuitous one, the blonde instructor decided to return the goddess's long lost necklace.

Her white satin pajamas glimmered with the moonlight as she carefully walks nearer towards the statue. Feeling a little nervous, she brushed her hair, which was still in a bun, and reached under her pocket for the chain necklace.

She stood in front of Aphrodite's niche. Its cream forte looked so suave and refreshing in Quistis's eyes. The goddess' crimson robe was elegantly wrapped around her wonderful physique. Aphrodite's long wavy hair was concurrently flowing together with it below the ground as the hazy moonlight mingles all over the statue greatly enhancing her beauty. Truly, it was a wonderful sight.

As she took a step forward over the statue, she suddenly heard a meek footstep behind her. Quistis's heart jumped.

"Who's there?" a stern voice abruptly called out to her. Talking about bad luck! This day was definitely not Quistis's day. If ever this was reported to the Headmaster, she was sure her license will be at risk.

Taking a big gulp, she slowly turned her head towards the voice.

"...?!"

Her azure blue eyes blinked a couple of times as she realizes the ever so familiar figure that was standing before her. Eventhough it was a little odd, all her worries started to melt.

"I-Instructor...." he choked in his own words. His green emerald eyes was thunderstruck at the moment it landed on Quistis's docile face. He didn't expect that he would see her here.

Standing a few feet away from him, Quistis couldn't figure out what she wanted to say. She was both afraid and somewhat happy at the same time. Piling all the courage that she managed to gather, she tried to say something but...

"S-Seifer.....?" was all she could utter.

.