"Vivi?"
"Yes?"
"Can you keep a secret?"
"Sure. What's wrong?"
Fuu sighed and pushed her hair back away from the eye she didn't keep hidden. "Well, nothing's wrong really…it's just that…Well, I like someone."
Vivi sat on her bed, watching her and she hugged her knees to her chest. He cocked his head to the side, asking a silent question.
She smiled. "Oh, I don't want to say his name. It's supposed to be bad luck." She chuckled. "Not that I believe in it, mind, I just don't want anyone to know. No, not even you. Not yet." She smiled. "It's just that I like him so much but I don't think I'll ever have the guts to tell him!" She sighed and flopped back onto her bed. "What should I do, Vivi?" she asked, staring at the ceiling.
"Talk to him?" the little boy replied.
"Oh, I can't do that. He's my friend! What if I mess things up between us?"
"I mean, it's not that I ever mess anything up. I mean, come on!" Seifer was pacing up and down the street while Vivi sat on a bench against the wall and watched him. "But still…I don't think she could ever like me…Even if I am perfect…she's more perfect." He sighed heavily and threw himself back against the wall, tugging his hat down over his eyes. "Vivi," he moaned. "What am I going to do? I always know what to do except when it comes to her!" He slid down the wall until he was sitting on the street. "She must really hate me, you know? She never even says anything…Not really…"
"And I can never say anything to him! I'm just so shy when I'm around him so he probably thinks I'm stuck up or something." She covered his face with her hands and groaned. "I hate that I can't talk to him. But I just don't know what to say!"
"Maybe you should try being yourself?"
"What, you mean spaz out like I am right now? Ha! No." She rolled onto her stomach and tugged at her hair, letting out a soft scream of frustration. "He'd probably just stare and me and pretend like he couldn't hear me. Or look at me like I'm crazy…"
"She'd probably think I'd gone mad. And then she'd probably walk off and never come near me again." He sighed. "It's not like I wouldn't deserve it, either. I'm so mean to her all the time, always bossing her around. What's with that anyway? I mean, really, can't I think of anything better to say to her? Ugh, I'm such an idiot. And I'm always trying to show off to her too, and I don't even mean to! I mean, look at me, always picking fights with those lamers. And I don't even think they're that lame! I just say that stuff so she'll think I'm tough or cool or whatever. But it's not working!"
"And nothing I try ever works to get his attention! It's like he doesn't even care that I exist!"
"Maybe he just doesn't want you to know he likes you?"
"Oh yeah, and I'm Roxas."
Vivi looked at her, smiling. "Well, I dunno…I think maybe I see a blond hair…"
She sat up and whacked him playfully on the arm, then hugged him. "Thanks for listening Vivi."
"It really helps, you know…having someone to rant to…especially since I know you won't say anything if I ask you not to."
Vivi nodded at him. "I promise, I won't say anything to anyone. Especially not Fuu."
"Thanks…Hey! Wait a second!"
"How did you know it was Seifer?"
Vivi giggled. "I guessed."
Seifer smacked his forehead with his palm, then patted Vivi gently on the head. "Guess you're too smart for me after all, kid."
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That night, Vivi formulated a plan. He sat up all night, thinking it over. Then, just before the sun rose, he carefully wrote out two different notes, making sure they would be just enough to work.
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"Seifer?"
"Hm?"
"This is for you." He handed him the first of his notes.
Seifer took it from him with a muttered thanks and shook it open. As he scanned it his eyes widened. He rounded on Vivi. He flinched, waiting for Seifer's anger, but it didn't come. "Vivi, when did you find this?"
"A-about ten minutes ago?"
Seifer paled and turned, running off toward Market Street.
Fuu found a note taped to her mirror the next morning. She opened it and read it carefully. She thought for a moment, then dressed quickly, heading toward Market street at a fast walk.
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They reached the designated spot at almost exactly the same time. Seifer ran up to her and grabbed her shoulders, eyes wild.
"Fuu, are you alright?" he gasped, trying to catch his breath.
"I'm fine," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Why?"
Seifer straightened. "Wait, what?"
"I'm fine," she repeated.
"You're not hurt? But this note said-"
"What note?"
He held it up for her to see. She took it and read it quickly.
"Who gave you this?" she asked after she had finished.
"Vivi, why?"
She sighed, rolled her eyes, and held up her own note. "I'll bet you anything he left this for me too."
"I…wonder why…" he said nervously. What was Vivi trying to pull anyway?
"Probably something I said yesterday."
"What was that?"
She fought down a blush. "Oh um…nothing important."
Before he could answer, they heard a soft little giggle coming from the alley between two houses across the street. They looked and saw the tip of a very long, yellow hat whip out of sight.
They sighed. "Vivi," they said in unison, smiling. They stood in silence for a moment.
"Well…I'll go," Fuu said, turning away from him. How could Vivi do this to me?
"Wait, Fuu!" She stopped and turned. He looked shocked that he'd called after her. 'Well,' he thought, 'better now than never.' He cleared his throat. "Well, since I've got you here, you uh…you want to go get some ice cream?"
She smiled. "Sure."