By Haruka

The silence was penetrating. When Seifer drew back from Squall, the younger boy turned his head away, his expression unreadable.
Irvine finally broke the silence, "Seifer, that wasn't funny."
"Hey, Squall, why don't you beat his head in?" Zell demanded. "That's what _I'd_ do!"
"As if I'd ever kiss you," Seifer remarked and walked back to take his seat between Fujin and Raijin, both of whom were staring at him in disbelief. "I believe it's my turn now."
"Whoa, wait, time out!" Rinoa cried. "You expect us to just drop it there?!"
"I was required to perform the dare and I did. I'm not obligated to explain anything."
"Maybe not, but in this case it would be nice," Selphie coaxed. "Come on, Seifer, you must know we're all flabbergasted here ...."
"Not all of us," Irvine pointed out, gazing thoughtfully toward Squall, who still wasn't looking at any of them.
"Squall," Rinoa said slowly, "did you know that Seifer found you attractive?"
"Of course he knew," Seifer answered for him. "He knew back before we scarred each other."
"Way back _then_?!" Zell squeaked. "Before he knew Rinoa?!"
"I was your instructor then, and I never realized it," Quistis admitted. "I thought you two hated each other."
"Well, you know Squall," Seifer said. "He never lets on about anything. But that day we scarred each other was our last as lovers."
"LOVERS?!" seven voices cried in unison, and all eyes turned to Squall. He had covered his face with his hand and was shaking his head.
"Explain," Rinoa ordered.
"Like he said," Squall muttered. "It's been over for a long time."
"We'd had some problems that week," Seifer answered. "Squall was making noises like he wanted to cool things off in our relationship so he could concentrate on the upcoming SeeD exam. I didn't say yes or no, but I offered to train with him. That's when we had the fight where we scarred each other."
"You mean you cared about him and you still tried to blind him like you did Fujin?" Irvine asked in disbelief.
Seifer shrugged. "Look what _did_ happen with Fujin. She became mine, devoted her life to me."
"And you expected the same thing to happen with Squall," Quistis concluded.
"More or less," Seifer said slowly. "I wanted him to carry something of me with him that he would always remember. I never expected him to retaliate as he did."
"So in an attempt to keep him, you wound up not even being friends," Selphie said.
"Don't forget," Seifer pointed out, "he said he didn't hate me."
Irvine shook his head. "Maybe we should give up on the game now. I don't think anything after this could shock me more."
"No, we're just starting to learn each other's secrets," Rinoa said, giving Squall a significant look.
"I agree with Irvine," Squall remarked, not looking at anyone in particular. "We should quit."
"Not before I ask my final question," Seifer said. "And to end the game on an interesting and fair note, you'll _all_ have to answer it."
"And what question might that be?" Quistis asked.
"What else?" Seifer grinned. "If you had to sleep with one person in this room, who would it be?"

End of Chapter 9

Story contents (c) 2000 Tenou Haruka No characters here are mine.

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