I'd noticed him all along. It's hard to miss that build. Heavy, imposing… eye catching, along with the fair hair and green eyes. Even without the trenchcoat.
My first thought had been, What the hell is he doing? In my restaurant? I'd been about to set foot on his butt and shove but it did occur to me that the restaurant was free to the public. After that, I'd restrained myself.
Still, he didn't cause a disturbance, and it seemed that he listened. They were good enough reasons to allow him to stay. I knew how he'd been treated at Garden – and still was treated – and I didn't intend to join that.
Nevertheless, the restaurant was something private and precious to myself, and I hadn't wanted to share it.
Although it was a little late, now.
But yesterday, I came in. I played the song I loved the most. I try to vary a little; sticking mainly to classical and a little rock and jazz for flavour. But I'd played too much of that lately. I wanted to return to roots. Remembering, as I played, the softness of Matron's arms, and Mother's, as they both taught me to play the piano. The utter innocence of childhood.
I looked up, and my eyes were drawn to him. He was smiling.
I'd never seen him smiling like that before.
It was as if the whole mess had never happened; that he was still the cocky ass that was Seifer Almasy, stubborn and overwhelmingly arrogant, sometimes touchingly vulnerable and most times annoying the hell out of me. Still, with no shadows and darkness. Annoying, but shining with promise. I was… bombarded with a strange sense of nostalgia and sorrow. Finding it hard to breathe.
I felt my eyes widen slightly in reaction, saw his widen also. Before he turned his head and purposefully ignored me.
As if that ever worked.
I got up and strode purposefully to him.
"Seifer."
*