Kira was in agony. He wasn't Yang Hui—a young body housing a mature soul. Nor was he Lacus, raised in complex circumstances that demanded constant pretense. He couldn't bear this weight alone. At this moment, Kira felt utterly abandoned by the world.
"Ahhhh!!!"
"Kira! Are you okay?"
Miriallia had followed after hearing Yang Hui's words. Along the way, she encountered Katz when they both heard Kira's anguished cry. Only then did they realize that being a Coordinator hadn't brought Kira happiness—only immense suffering. They finally understood the crushing pressure he'd been shouldering.
Sai had also been worried about Kira, but with Flay needing his attention, he entrusted his share of concern to Miriallia.
"Katz... Miriallia..."
"Kira..."
"I don't know what to do... I really don't! So what if I'm a Coordinator? It's not like I chose this! I don't want to fight! Not at all! But I have no choice! You're all on this ship! Yang Hui is here too! I have to protect you! I'm the only one who can! But... why... just why!?"
"Kira..."
Miriallia and Katz ached for him, yet they couldn't share his burden. They never wanted Kira to fight alone—that's why they'd volunteered for bridge duties.
But... anyone who'd witnessed it knew how grueling MS combat was. Yes, Kira was a Coordinator, but he wasn't a soldier. Thrust onto the frontlines piloting the Strike Gundam to protect them—who could truly comprehend his pain? Who understood his pressure?
"It's okay, Kira. Whether you're a Coordinator or not, we're friends. Comrades. The best of comrades," Miriallia reassured him.
"Right, Kira. We can't pilot MS, but we'll fight alongside you," Katz added.
"Katz... Miriallia..."
"So let it out, Kira. Cry if you need to. We're here for you."
"You're not alone, Kira."
"Wuuu... Ahhhh!!!!"
Finding sanctuary in his companions, Kira finally released his pent-up anguish, sobbing uncontrollably into Katz's shoulder.
From around the corner, Yang Hui watched before quietly departing. His absence wasn't indifference—he simply couldn't comfort Kira. After all, Yang Hui was the architect of this suffering. Kira would never confide in him, nor vent to him.
Only Tolle, Sai, Katz, and Miriallia could truly help Kira now.
After several minutes of cathartic weeping, Kira gradually regained composure.
"Thank you... thank you both. Katz, Miriallia."
"Don't mention it, Kira. We're comrades, aren't we?"
"Exactly! And don't take Flay's words to heart. She's just grieving. After you left, she said the same things to Yang Hui. It wasn't personal..."
"Flay... Yang Hui..."
"Yeah, Yang Hui. Though he kinda deserved it, being the one who brought us aboard this ship. Plus..."
"Katz!" Miriallia stopped Katz. Although she also disliked Yang Hui's methods, now wasn't the time for such discussions—after all, Kira and Yang Hui were friends too.
"Uh... sorry."
"No, it's fine. But you've misunderstood Yang Hui. He's not that kind of person. He cares more about his comrades than anyone else," Kira wiped his tears and explained on Yang Hui's behalf.
"Huh? But he..."
Kira then relayed everything Lacus had explained to him to Katz and Miriallia.
"Wait, really?"
"I'm sorry, Kira. We shouldn't have..."
"Yang Hui... he's shouldering far more than any of us, but he never tells others. The reason I chose to keep piloting the MS and fighting... was because I wanted to share some of that burden with him..." Kira gazed out the window at the endless starry sky as he spoke.
"I see..."
"Maybe it's because his position is too high... Yang Hui really... I feel ashamed."
"He wouldn't mind that, but Flay..."
"This isn't your fault, Kira." Seeing Kira sinking into self-blame again, Miriallia and Katz quickly reassured him.
"No, I... I might not have been fighting seriously..." Kira admitted guiltily.
"Huh?"
"What do you mean?"
Katz and Miriallia gasped in surprise.
"Well..." Kira then confessed everything—how he and Athrun, the pilot of the Aegis, were friends, how they met on Heliopolis, and how he had hesitated during battle. This secret had weighed on him for too long, and he felt he owed Katz and the others the truth.
"So... that's how it is..." Katz and Miriallia were at a loss for words, only able to lament the cruel twists of fate that turned close friends into enemies.
They didn't blame Kira for it. If they were in his place, they might have hesitated too, might have struggled just as much. Besides, Kira was a Coordinator, and so was Athrun. PLANT was the nation of Coordinators—if they had faced the same discrimination on this ship, they might have defected outright.
"It's okay, Kira. We don't blame you."
"Right. Fighting against that... Athrun guy must have been painful for you, huh? I'm sorry we never realized."
"No, no, you don't need to apologize, Katz, Miriallia. Really, it's my fault for not telling you. But now that I have, I feel much better." Kira smiled, his face brightening with a genuine warmth that had been absent for far too long.
"Alright, enough of this. Just remember, Kira—we're your best comrades. That's all that matters."
"Yeah. Me too."
"Sigh... who could've imagined? The first half of the journey was so safe, but after the attack, everything became so dangerous. Even the Vanguard Fleet... sigh."
"By the way, Kira, did you see those mercenaries Yang Hui hired? Their mobile suits!"
"Yeah... I saw them."
"They looked so similar to the Strike! And they were amazing—even better than you, Kira!" Katz exclaimed.
Not only Katz, but everyone on the bridge had witnessed it—Gai Murakumo's Astray Gundam Blue Unit, Setsuna's Gundam Exia, Lyle's Gundam Cherudim, Tieria's Gundam Virtue—four MS that bore striking resemblance to the Strike had suddenly appeared, all displaying formidable combat prowess. No one could ignore them.
"Hmm... maybe..." Kira began to speculate but suddenly stopped.
"What is it?" Miriallia and Katz pressed eagerly, their curiosity piqued even if it was just a guess.
"Nothing. Let's go. I'm fine now."
"Honestly, Kira! Why do you always keep things from us?"
"Exactly! What happened to being comrades? You're such a..."
"Ahaha..."
...
While Kira was being interrogated by Katz and Miriallia, Yang Hui, who had just finished eating, was summoned by Murrue, Natarle Badgiruel, and Mu regarding the four newly appeared MS.
"Don't you have anything to say about these four units?" Natarle pulled up the images of the machines and questioned Yang Hui.
"Oh? Is this an interrogation?" Yang Hui shot back.
"Of course—"
"Of course not, Yang Hui. We're just curious. If you don't want to talk, we won't force you. But you know the procedure—we'll report this truthfully," Murrue interjected, cutting off Natarle as she explained to Yang Hui.
"Actually, there's not much to hide. This unit—I believe I've told you about it before?" Yang Hui pointed at the Astray Gundam Blue Unit while addressing Natarle.
Natarle certainly recognized it—it was the same model they had seen earlier at the Junk Guild. But what she wanted to ask about weren't this one, but the other three, which clearly didn't belong to the same series.
"I wasn't referring to this one."
"Then you'll have to ask them. They're mercenaries—we only have a contractual relationship," Yang Hui replied dismissively.
"You—!"
Mercenaries? A contractual relationship? Did you think we weren't there when you contacted Sumeragi?
"Enough, Natarle." Murrue rubbed her temples wearily, signaling Natarle to drop the subject. If Yang Hui wasn't willing to talk, they wouldn't get any answers.
Among the three present, Mu knew the least, but as a seasoned veteran, he could immediately sense the underlying issue. Still, he wouldn't pry—after years in the military, he understood one principle well: the less you know, the better.
"Yang Hui..."
"Sorry. No comment."
The look in Natarle's eyes was no longer stubborn or demanding, but pleading—she was begging Yang Hui not to hide the truth from her. She wanted answers.
But Yang Hui wouldn't tell her. This involved Orb's classified secrets. If he revealed them, would it mean he was betraying his country? Or that Murrue, Natarle, and Mu were betraying the Atlantic Federation?
"...I understand."
A familiar, resigned response. But Yang Hui noticed something new in Natarle's tone—a hint of distance. Even the way she regarded him now felt colder, more unfamiliar.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
"Thank you for your time," Murrue said.
Yang Hui waved his hand without turning around, but before leaving, he still reminded them, "Remember my identity. Don't get too close to me, especially now."
With that, he departed, leaving behind a somewhat sorrowful silhouette in their view.
"Dammit!" After Yang Hui left, Natarle Badgiruel slammed her fist on Murrue's desk. "What does he mean by 'too close'? We were never on the same side to begin with! So now that he's used us, there's no connection anymore?"
"Natarle..." Murrue and Mu exchanged glances, both shaking their heads helplessly. They remained calm and understood Yang Hui's meaning—it wasn't that he didn't want any association with them, but rather that he was warning them not to associate with him.
"We're with the Earth Forces," Mu reminded Natarle.
"..."
"And he... is a high-ranking official in Orb," Murrue added.
Even if Natarle was slow, she grasped what Murrue and Mu were implying—and what Yang Hui had meant. He was protecting them.
"Tch..." Though irritated, Natarle inexplicably felt a surge of warmth.
"Alright, let's leave it at that for now. Next is the matter of returning Lacus Clyne. Let's prepare for that."
"...Understood."
"Understood. Seriously, what a mess."