Seifer Almasy: arguably the best gunblade wielder to make his way through Garden to date.
Squall Leonhart: smaller, younger than his rival, and yet no less deadly with his weapon of choice.
Those in Garden tended to notice Seifer, even if they didn't want to. He was brash and he was loud, but he was also impossibly charming and knew what to say to people to get them to like him. It was only when they looked too hard that they noticed his bullying tendencies, the way he would beat his way to the top with little regard for anyone else.
No one really noticed Squall, who was quiet and solitary by nature.
Seifer noticed him. Seifer noticed him a lot, and maybe that was why he was always making it a point to make Squall notice him, too.