It was almost nine o'clock in the evening when Seifer finally straightened from his job of fixing the concrete walkway. He felt sticky and hot from all the sweat and dust clinging on his body. He had removed his coat a little after starting his work, but still he had started sweating like a pig. He wiped the sweat off his face with a hanky as he finally took his tools and placed them on the wheelbarrow. Then after throwing one last loathing look at his work, he took his coat and started to roll the stuff away.

It was quiet already, with most of the students asleep. The Discipline Committee were making their nightly rounds, but they already knew what he was doing. He continued to walk in the darkness, looking at the destroyed shrubbery and incomplete buildings. As he stored the tools and wheelbarrow on the tool shed, he scoffed and wondered what people still find in the place.

"…Its hopeless."

A tiny, sobbing voice caught Seifer's attention and he looked around to see who it was. He noticed that he was near the cemetery, so he immediately crept up on one of the rose shrubs and peeked through its leaves.

Meiou kneeled on one of the graves, the one with a leather jacket hanging from it. She touched the ground for a while and said, "It's useless, Kazuya-. I don't know if I'll be able to handle this by myself. There are only a few students here and the reinforcement don't help at all. I feel so hopeless…" She sobbed, "I just wish you were here. Only you can give hope to all these people." She giggled a little as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, "Actually, there's someone here who is just like you. His name is… Seifer Almasy."

Seifer perked up as she mentioned his name.

She shrugged as she brushed a leaf away from the tomb, "He's cold and callous… a major pain in the bottom, that's for sure. He acts like he knows everything, like he's the captain instead of me. He threatens everybody, swishing his blade around, and acts like he's some hotshot when all he is just a forced help. He can't even cement a walkway properly."

He seethed underneath and he clenched his fist in anger at her words, but he continued to listen to her as she shifted her legs.

"But I can see inside that he can be a great leader. He's brave, strong and he has guts, I'll tell you that. All he needs is the proper training. Maybe that's why Matron put him here..."

Seifer's blue eyes widened at her words.

"Seifer… is just so – I don't know – arrogant. He's so much like you in so many aspects." She laughed as she said, "It's just too bad you weren't able to meet him. You would've liked him a lot!" Then just as laughter subsided, she started to cry. "Oh, Kazuya… I wish you didn't die."

Something in Seifer's heart pinched him so hard that he actually blinked in pain. To see her cry was something that hurt him, even if he considered her as one of his enemies. I see… so she lost someone here. No wonder she wants to rebuild it so bad. He thought, Then I'd better leave her here. Besides, I still have work tomorrow. He started to back away when he accidentally stepped on a branch. It made a cracking sound and he held his breath when he saw that Meiou turned.

"Who's there!" She cried, as she unsheathed her sword.

Seifer sighed when he realized he had been found. He lifted the branch and he showed his face, "It's me…"

Meiou's eyes widened before she turned abruptly. He could she that she was trying to dry the tears on her face and straighten her uniform. He smiled a little, So… lost your composure, did you?

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Seifer came forward and stood by the headstone. "I just finished my job. I was putting the tools back to the shed." He mentioned to the headstone. "So, this is the Captain's big secret, eh?" He cocked his head and read the engraving, "Kazuya Murasaki… died on the day of the bombing? I see… did he die from being hit by a debris or from being trampled from running in panic with the other students?"

A loud smack rent the silence of the night as Meiou's hand came down hard on Seifer's cheek. He realized he had hit a nerve and wanted to hit her for it. He was about to raise his fist at her when he saw something that immediately made him stop.

Meiou stood beside him, her eyes flashing in anger. But her eyes were filled with tears and several of them fell to her cheeks. He stopped breathing for a second and put his fist down.

"Kazuya died protecting me!" Meiou shouted in anger and hurt. "He was the first to realize that the rockets were coming towards us! He saved all of us! He saved me! You have no idea how much sacrifice he did for our Garden!"

Seifer shifted uncomfortably. He realized that he was a sucker for tears and decided to apologize for his own sake. "I… I'm sorry."

Meiou cursed as she turned away. "Your apology is useless, Mr. Almasy. Your words had already done damage…"

She was about to walk away when a hand grasped her arm. She looked up to see Seifer clinging to her.

"Please… accept my apology." He swallowed hard as though the words he was about to say was hard for him. "I didn't know… I had no idea. I didn't mean to mock his bravery. It's just that I… didn't lose anyone when Balamb was bombed…"

"That's because they were able to escape. Unlike us…we had to face it head on." Meiou hugged her shoulders, "We had no idea…"

Seifer swallowed again, "I'd like to know how it happened… how he died."

Meiou sat down on a nearby bench as she said, "When we learned that the rockets hit Trabia's center, we tried to save everyone who wasn't near it. But as we were doing that, I found out that one of the junior students were trapped under a burning building." She looked at one of the buildings and sighed, "I was able to guide the student out, but a gas tank blew up and trapped me inside the fire. I cried for help… and Kazuya helped me. He realized that another gas explosion was about to happen." She buried her face in her hands, "He came inside the fire, shouting orders to the others. And when he was inside, he embraced me just in time the gas tank blew up. He was burned to a crisp, and I wasn't. By the time it was over, he was dead and I was left with scars to remind me of his death…"

Seifer's heart ripped into pieces as he whispered, "Meiou…"

But she wasn't able to speak anymore as she started to sob uncontrollably. Seifer had no other choice but to try and comfort her by running his hand on her shoulder. But as her thin shoulders shook from crying, he embraced her to stifle the action. He tried to soothe her with his words. "Hush now, Meiou. It's going to be okay. I'm here… I'll help you if I have to…"

Meiou realized what he was doing and she smiled to herself. But as Seifer's warmth and scent enclosed her, the fatigue, sadness and heat of Seifer's body lulled her to drowsiness. She whispered, "Thank you… Seifer…" before promptly falling to sleep.

He looked over his shoulder to realize that she was asleep. He looked at her and he smiled to himself. "You know… you look kind of cute when you're sleeping like that and not holding my gunblade at my neck." She didn't answer so he shifted her between his arm and body, took off his coat and gingerly placed it on her shoulders. Then checking her weight, he lifted her to his arms and carried her. The Discipline Committee had been more than helpful to show him her room.

In one of the tents was her bed, and he laid her down on it carefully. He realized that she had clung on his coat like blanket, so he decided to leave it with her. Then before he could stop himself, he gave her a quick peck on her cheek. She shifted on her sleep, but she never woke. He smiled to himself, "Now I know your secret, Meiou… and I'd be more than willing to keep it for you." He turned and left the flap, but not before leaving one of the roses he plucked off the rose bush and placing it on her vase.