CAUTION: This post may offend FFX fanboys & girls and Cloud/Anything With a Pulse fanboys & girls.
Indeed. FFVIII is, IMHO, possibly the FF with the "strongest love story" (that or FFVII, Cloud+Aerith is devastating. But i'll stop now to prevent Cloud/Aerith, Cloud/Tifa, Cloud/Reno, Cloud/Vincent, Cloud/Sephiroth, Cloud/Yuffie, Cloud/Red XII, Cloud/Another Character That Creates an Incoherently Stupid Combination etc bashers from arguing).
Whereas in FFX it started early and Tidus being the sad, little 12 year old he is saw Yuna and went hard in bad places, FFVIII had a progressive kind of thing, which has bigger impact. "Will they? Won't they? Is Squall jealous of Seifer? COME ON MAN, JUST SAY IT!!" is definately better than "Yeah, they'll end up together/should end up together (SPOILER)except something will go wrong because it's a hideously obvious plot and OH MY GOD look, here comes the first ever FF SEQUEL that is a complete waste of time and money!.
Oh, and don't get wrong, I do like FFX, but come on. Lack of plot, romantically or otherwise, much.