There's a lot being laid out there, and Seifer... wasn't really prepared for how thoughtful it was. In his mind Squall should be one of those who hated him the most, so this preparation for him just doesn't make sense. Doesn't fit the narrative arc of the story of their lives.

Squall should be getting his happily ever after with Rinoa, and Seifer should be being fitfully 'punished' for his actions. None of this makes sense.

It leaves him glaring down into the heating pots of water.

"Garden won't want me there. No amount of love for you will make me more acceptable at any of them. Galbadia for what they will claim I led the military to do. Trabia for the destruction wrought there. And Balamb..."

Seifer shakes his head even harder. He knows what he did there. People he'd grown up with, maybe not respected but had definitely known, were dead because of him. There would be faces missing because of him. And they would know it was his fault and blame him for it.

Going back was never going to be an option.

"Why are you doing this, Leonhart? It doesn't make sense."