Aside from Squall, there were 6 other kids living there; Selphie, Zell, Quistis, Irvine, Seifer, and Ellone. This orphanage was the place they had grown up together, and they had all become fairly close. All of the children came to know Ellone as "sis", since she was like a big sister to them, and they loved her very much.

When she was around 9 or 10, Ellone was sent away for her protection and, aside from Squall and Seifer, everybody was adopted. The game doesn't say if Squall liked his life at the orphanage, but we can guess that he was somewhat happier, as this was before he had become so cold and distant.

「 Balamb Garden 」 Complete with a cafateria, infirmary, training center, dorms, and all that other stuff any good school needs, this place is like a mobile home. It swims, it flies, it serves hotdogs, is there anything Balamb Garden can't do? Ask Edea, both Garden and SeeD were her ideas in the first place.

Squall is comfortable living here. By the time he turns 17, it's the only home he knows. Use of the GF has caused him to forget about living at the orphanage, aswell as the people he lived with, so when he does meet up with them again, he doesn't remember them.

When Squall finds out that Balamb Garden is going to be bombed, he becomes worried. He doesn't have anywhere else to go. He's already lost enough in his lifetime, he can't lose this too. He even says a few times (in his thoughts) that Balamb Garden is his home, and that it's important to him. Regardless of how uncaring he makes himself out to be, he would be upset if something happened to Garden.