"Alright class. Please remember to read up on your projects this weekend. I'll give you Monday off if the majority of them are complete, we'll go down into the town of Balamb for some well deserved rest."

The class breathed a sigh of relief, and started chattering with one another as the clock ticked down the last ten minutes of class. Feeling generous, the teacher grinned. "Since it's only about five minutes to go, I don't wanna see your faces together like this til Monday. Get outta here."

He jammed a thumb towards the door. The classroom looked at him, with a mix of shock and astoundment, until they all broke out in grins and decided not to press their luck. Picking up their stuff and packing it into their back packs, they filed outside the door, waving to him every once in a while, especially the girls. He flipped his wrist at them, and as soon as they all left he leaned over his desk, looking through the grading papers and ripping out his usual red mark pen. Uncapping it with his teeth, he marked down the last paper, and threw it into the OUT pile recapping the pen and throwing it back into his desk. He leaned back in his wheel chair, and thought back to when he was offered the account of Instructor for the in class teachings. Irvine Kinneas, his back up, always stead in the classroom to help with the field exams. Gathering information, of course, he said.

Right now, the cowboy sauntered over to his desk and leaned down, grinning. "You look like shit, Almasy."

Seifer looked up to him and smirked. "Of course." He threw another pile of papers into the OUT box. "I don't know how..she.."

Silence. Irvine tensed up and walked up, running a hand through his chin length hair. He wanted to grow it back after.. hmph. He did. He tried. But something in his heart stopped him. Maybe the fact that he got a few more looks from the ladies now that he changed drastically. After the memorial he tossed his usual cowboy garb in for the traditional SeeD battle outfit, denim and leather suited with silver. He pulled down on his short jacket and grunted, zipping it halfway up his chest. His hand elt the back of his head again, his chin now to his chest.

"We still can't talk about her. Can we."

Seifer shook his head, and pulled his keys from hios desk drawer to lock up the classroom. "I can't even say her name."

Irvine nodded, and walked towards the door, leaning against it's frame. "It's been a year, man. A YEAR. Still can't believe it."

Seifer leaned back in his chair, nodding. "I know. Hyne, I miss her."

"The anniversary was two weeks ago. So it's been over a year."

Seifer nodded, bringing himself away from the desk and pushing himself towards Irvine. "Look. I'm hungry. It's the last class of the day. I missed lunch, so I'm gonna head down to the cafeteria and scarf something down." Leaning down, he picked up his briefcase and put it in his lap.

The former cowboy nodded, walking towards the back of Seifer's chair and griping the handles. So much has changed, Seifer thought as Irvine rolled him out of the classroom, turning his chair so he could lock the room. Fitting the key into the hole, he turned the trinkets to lock the door, and shoved the keys back into his pocket. He himself had taken to wearing the SeeD male uniform, instead of his traditional clothing. As they walked down the halls, three of his.. morning period?.. students saw him, and smiled. He nodded to them, giving them a wave, as two of the girls giggled while one of them smiled. Seifer shook his head and tossed back his hair. He still didn't cut it. She always liked it long. His heart didn't let his fingers trail near any scissors.

"Ya know," Irvine chimed in. "The good doctor wants to talk to you."

Seifer nodded. "Yeah. I know. She'll talk to me Monday."

Irvine nodded, rolling him up to a table. "Fujin and Raijin are gonna be back soon. Probably Monday, you know?"

"Yeah.." Seifer smiled. "The wedding was great. Shocked they got it all together so soon."

Nodding, Irvine stood up. "I'll get us both the usual. Then it'll be us males, gossiping."

Seifer glared at him and smirked. "Men don't gossip, cowboy. We commune with eachother. Or something, just go get me my chicken sandwhich."

Irvine's laughter filled the cafeteria as Seifer lifted his briefcase to the table. Opening it, he brought out about sixteen sheets of the up and rising SeeDs, and began placing them in their own squads. Intelligance, integral, weaponry, statistics. Alrighty, Seifer thought, Jahnya in squad B, Dimitri in Squad A, Allis in C. It would work well that way, he thought. Their SeeD mission was happening in about a week. The field exam was going to be tough, but he figured they had better pass. None of his kids where stupid, and with Irvine by their side to enforce the teachings and provide support it would be one of the easiest missions they would ever have to do. For the time being.

The tap on his shoulder was faint but he felt it anyway. Turning in his seat he saw Sahti standing there, chewing on her bottom lip. Her book was crushed against her chest and she twirled her hair around her finger. Seifer knew she was trying to vye for his attentions like half the female student body. Normally, he would feel some sort of pleasure out of it, but after the first few days, it got to be extremely annoying. Also what was tiring was the little club a group of them had decided on forming, called Almasy's Alurre's . He thought back to the Treppies and immediately knew how She had felt. She.

Hyne, he missed her still.

"Mr. Almasy?"

"Yes, Sahti?"

The young girl suppressed a smile. With all that make up that caked her face, she could have been forty two. But underneath all that crap was a school girl of seventeen. "Umm.. I was wondering if what we have planned for Monday, if you could help me with my project?"

Seifer groaned, and leaned back into his chair, fiddling with his pen. "I can't do that. I'm your teacher, and I know all the answers."

Sahti giggling, lifting a hand to her lips. "I know that! Well, maybe you can come over this weekend to my dorm. My roomate isn't here no more since she's off visiting her parents, and stuff, so we might be able to be alone-"

"Eh, I don't think so Sahti."

The young girl flipped her dark hair towards the voice, her hazel eyes meeting the face that said it. "Mister Kinneas?"

"Yeah. How 'bout I send my Selphie over t'night to help you out with your problem? Mr. Almasy is busy tonight. We have a few problems to discuss." Irvine grinned, sitting back down and setting a plate infront of Seifer. Sahti mumbled a "no, thank you sir" before walkuing off to join her friends. Irvine laughed and stuck a fork into his salad, taking a bite. "Poor girl."

"Why?"

"She's Almasy Alurre number one. The practical president. She's the chick who started the clique." Irvine laughed at his own joke, smiling while lifting another forkful into his mouth. "Sorry for shooting her down."

Seifer shrugged, and picked up his sandwhich. "It happens. She's got to realize that I don't want no freakin' 17 year old classman."

The man across from him stared at him, nodding. "No. You want a five foot six, beautiful blonde instructor with nerves as hard as the whip she commands."

Seifer looked up into Irvine's cold eyes and glared at him. He had to bring her up, didn't he? Irvine noticed Seifer twitch and cringe at the mention of Quistis and reached out to grip his wrist. Seifer tilted his chin to his chest as Irvine spoke. "I know. But it has to be said. You're still pining for her. We all know it but you. Admit it."

"I love her Irvine." Seifer whispered. Irvine squeezed his wrist tighter.

"Loved, Seifer. Loved." He whispered. "You gotta accept it. She's gone."

Seifer squeezed his eyes shut tightly, breathing deep. "I miss her like hell Irvine. I've loved her since we were freakin' children. Been in love with her since I joined Garden. I was just too stupid to come forward with it before.." He shook his head and pulled his arm away, and crossed them over his chest. "I can't believe she was ripped away from me.."

"So easily?" Seifer nodded. Irvine continued. "I understand. I love Sefie more then anyone else. Squall loves Rinoa, and Zell and Amie. We all haven't even thought once about losin' them."

Seifer groaned and looked at Irvine with cold emerald eyes. "You don't understand about losing someone you're in love with. All you've suceeded in that speech is throw it back in my damned face that you, Puberty Boy, and Chicken Wuss haven't lost ANYTHING." He spat at the stunned cowboy. "You, have NO damned idea how it is." He almost growled, bringing his gaze to the table. He traced the lines across the polished marble, and let go a breath. Tears threatened to fall at any given moment.

"Seifer.." Irvine continued. "Look, let's just stop talking about it, alright? I'm sorry I brought it up." Irvine stood up and took off his jacket, revealing a tight white T-shirt that stretched over his broad chest and shoulders. A tail from the side of his shirt fell out while he stretched, handing over the waistband of his leather pants. Sitting down, he hooked a thumb through the belt hole and leaned back into the chair, resting his other arm on his stomach. "How about Fujin and Raijin?"

Seifer looked up. "Yeah. I still don';t know how they hooked up.."

Irvine chuckled and shook his head. "Man, you were their best friend for a long time. Didn't see it commin' didja?"

"No.. I actually didn't." Seifer sat up. "It just happened out or the blue, afterwards.. a few weeks.. She just went up to Raijin, slammed a foot in his knee and screamed.."

Irvine puffed out his chest and threw his hands at his sides. "MARRAIGE!? Haha, yeah, and Raijin was all 'Uhh shouldn't we at least have dinner first ya know?' and what did she do?"

Grinning, Seifer looked up. "She said 'LOVE?' and pointed to herself. And he nodded. Two weeks later they were engaged and now.."

"Married."

"Yeah." His face fell then, as he looked off into a distant horizon that was non existant. "I wish.."

Irvine's arm reached across the table to his. "I know."

Seifer nodded and pull his arm towards the papers that still clouded the table, clearing them into his briefcase. "So, Kinneas, what did you wanna talk about?"

Irvine gulped down his soda before answering. "The good Doctor wants you to go to Winhil."

"What? Winhil? That desolate landscape? What for?" Listing his sandwich to his mouth, he finally started eating.

Irvine shrugged, and started piling his trash into a pile. "She feels that you need some down time, that all this stress of being an Instructor is hindering your ability to work. She wants you out by the weekend for some r an' r."

Seifer shook his head, gulping down a drink of his own. "Not possible. I have the kids to look after."

"Nope." Irvine chided in. "I'll take care of them. I know, give them some rest in Balamb Monday right? Got it."

"Hyne.." Seifer groaned, shifting his positions in his chair. "She is dead set on me walking isn't she?"

Irvine nodded. "Yep. You're going to Winhil, and stay at the Inn for about three days. While you're there, you'll meet up with the rich folk we saw a while back, and then they'll house ya for another three weeks. Careful of the suit of armor though. Thing's haunted I tells ya."

Seifer laughed and thrust the last of his papers into his case. His face fell, as he added up the time he was staying away from home. This was going to be a long long three weeks.