You know, I always wondered about this too but thought it was such a ridiculous thing to be wondering about that I didn't bother asking

Never thought of the shooting star, but now that it's been pointed out, it makes sense. I still think most people actually continue to *look* at what they're pointing at, but it's definitely the most plausible explanation.

Better than my theory that it meant "Single?" which made sense for the first fingering but not at the end (he does the same gesture back, and by that time neither of them are particularly classed as single)

As for Seifer's "come get some" gesture, I've seen that a few times since in Jet Lee films and the like, so I think that *is* some sort of common far-east battle gesture thing.