About ten minutes later, Yang Hui finally saw the people he had been waiting for.
Natarle Badgiruel was still dressed in her red coat with a black inner layer, a tight-fitting miniskirt, black stockings, and Martin boots—only missing the concealing sunglasses. Her mature demeanor was accentuated by a heroic air. Murrue, on the other hand, wore simple casual clothes—a plain blue shirt with jeans and a pink baseball cap—completely opposite to Natarle's mature and dashing style, appearing lively and sunny instead.
"Whew—ow!"
Yang Hui whistled in admiration of their beauty but winced as it tugged at the swelling on his cheek. Though he had been holding an ice pack to it, the redness hadn't fully subsided yet.
"Hmph, serves you right!" x2
Honestly, at this moment, anyone looking at Murrue and Natarle from the outside would never guess that the two were actually full of conflict and disagreement. Their tone of voice, the angle at which they turned their heads, and even the blush of embarrassment were exactly the same.
"Ahaha..."
Not daring to provoke the two women who were acting in perfect sync, Yang Hui could only chuckle and invite them into the car, taking them toward Orb's city center.
As they drove along the coastal road, the cool breeze brushed against their delicate faces, lifting their hair gently.
"Yang Hui, where exactly are we going?" Natarle asked.
"Downtown, like I said."
"...This... that... you're only sixteen..."
"Exactly. So you two better hurry and secure me as a promising prospect."
"...Since when did you notice?"
Murrue and Natarle were different. While Natarle was known for her strict and serious demeanor, that was only at work. Outside of duty, she was full of adorable contradictions—awkward around children, flustered when trying to make conversation with colleagues, and tongue-tied in front of someone she liked.
Murrue, however, was a woman who was truly mature in both appearance and mind. She knew Natarle had feelings for Yang Hui, and she also knew that Yang Hui already had two fiancées in Orb. So she had always kept her own affection for him hidden, especially in front of him—or so she thought.
"...Ever since you changed the photo in your pendant," Yang Hui paused before answering calmly.
Murrue froze, then took out her pendant and opened it. Inside was a photo of Yang Hui—one she had secretly taken. At the time, she had thought to step aside for Natarle and believed nothing could come of her own feelings, so she had taken the picture as a keepsake.
Originally, the pendant had held a photo of her mentor and most respected superior—Duan Halbaton. That she had replaced it with Yang Hui's photo spoke volumes about her feelings.
But what Murrue didn't understand was—how had Yang Hui known she had changed the photo? She never took the pendant off.
"The North African desert. When I was injured, I went to your office once to discuss something. You didn't have time to put it away," Yang Hui answered the question in her heart.
"...You know, we..."
"Impossible?" Yang Hui asked the two of them with a bright, charming smile.
"...You're only sixteen. The age gap is too big, and... you're Orb, we're the Atlantic Federation. We..."
The final words remained unspoken. Neither Murrue nor Natarle could bring themselves to say it aloud. Even knowing the inevitable outcome, they refused to acknowledge it—too afraid to admit it, too terrified that voicing it might irreversibly alter Yang Hui's attitude toward them.
Yang Hui's smile faded as well, leaving only silence.
His discovery of Murrue's feelings had been accidental, while Natarle's affection was impossible to miss—even for him. No longer inexperienced in matters of the heart, Yang Hui recognized the emotions behind Natarle's gaze.
He had confided in Sumeragi and Wang Liu Mei about both women's feelings. With his own partners, Yang Hui believed in complete honesty, never deception or omission.
Upon learning about Murrue and Natarle, Sumeragi and Liumei had simply smiled, each taking one of his arms without another word. To Yang Hui, their silence spoke volumes.
As for his own feelings—did Yang Hui feel nothing for Murrue and Natarle?
Of course not!
Who could resist the charm of a tough-as-nails soldier with hilariously poor life skills? Or a mature, beautiful, and kind-hearted older sister? Both women were exceptionally capable—future flagship commanders in their own right. Why would he ever push them away?
Besides, if he'd truly been indifferent from the start, he wouldn't have sought their company in the first place.
"Then let's cherish this time together," he said softly, "every moment we have."
"...Mm." Both women nodded in unison, visibly relieved.
The future remained uncertain—would they part ways? Become enemies? Rather than dwell on possibilities, they chose to treasure the present. Even if fate eventually separated them by life and death, they'd have no regrets.
This was Murrue and Natarle's resolution. Yang Hui's thoughts ran deeper.
Unable to reveal what lay ahead, he could only strengthen their bonds. Only through deeper connections could he ensure his future warnings would reach them when needed.
"Corrective Force," Yang Hui prayed silently, "take anything else, but please... spare them."
Natarle's role as a key antagonist in the Gundam SEED world's later stages weighed heavily on him. Even if she chose to believe him when the time came, he feared unseen forces might still turn her against him.
The Corrective Force—elusive yet omnipresent—left him only this desperate plea.
...
The brief walk passed quickly, the earlier tension replaced by warmth as Murrue and Natarle embraced the moment, their hearts now open.
Their first stop: the downtown shopping district. What romantic outing would be complete without it?
Though most men considered shopping a form of torture, Yang Hui gladly endured it. After their harrowing escape, Murrue and Natarle deserved this taste of normalcy—a proper date to ease their strained nerves.
"Th-this entire outfit?!" Natarle's face burned crimson as Yang Hui handed her a dress, her whole body practically steaming with embarrassment.
"Try it on. You'll look stunning."
"Absolutely not! This is... this is... shameless!"
"You can't say that, dear customer." At that moment, the familiar, charming shop owner reappeared, becoming Yang Hui's strongest wingwoman. "This is our most popular design. Many socialites have pre-ordered this outfit, and what you're holding is the very first one. You won't have to worry about outfit clashes anytime soon."
"I... how could I possibly wear something like this!?"
"You should at least try it on? Always covering yourself up so tightly is such a waste when you have such a great figure."
"But... but..."
Natarle Badgiruel's heart was conflicted. On one hand, Yang Hui wanted to see her in it, and she was willing to wear it for him. Though traditional at heart, she harbored a girlish side she dared not show. On the other hand, her strict upbringing made her feel utterly embarrassed.
"Just try it first."
Not giving Natarle any chance to refuse, Yang Hui directly pushed her into the fitting room.
Natarle stared dumbfounded at the dress in her hands, her face burning so red it might drip blood. After an internal struggle, she finally decided to try it on.
Having picked clothes for Natarle, Yang Hui naturally didn't let Murrue off either. With similar shyness on her face, Murrue was handed an outfit and gently pushed into another fitting room.
As it turned out, once you compromise under pressure, there's no going back.
For two straight hours, Natarle and Murrue put on an amateur fashion show for Yang Hui, changing into at least twenty different outfits of various styles.
Surprisingly, despite Natarle's short hair and usually cool, heroic demeanor, she looked perfectly natural in youthful, girlish styles. Paired with her shy expression, she nearly gave Yang Hui a cuteness overload!
Murrue, meanwhile, effortlessly pulled off mature, glamorous, sexy, aloof, elegant styles—truly a versatile beauty!
"We'll take them all! Charge it!"
"Are you crazy!? Why buy so many clothes!?"
"Yang Hui, we can't even wear these normally."
"There'll be chances! Pack them all! My treat, my rules!"
Unable to dissuade him, Murrue and Natarle could only indulge Yang Hui's whims. Though they thought him ridiculous, their hearts felt sweet. Even as soldiers, they were still women—what woman doesn't love beauty? What woman doesn't appreciate her man swiping his card without hesitation?
After bundling up all the purchases, Yang Hui didn't carry them himself. Instead, he had Natarle and Murrue each wear his favorite outfit from the haul, arranging for the rest to be delivered directly to Dawn Company.
They didn't stop at clothing—jewelry stores, snack shops, every possible store was visited. Anything they showed interest in, Yang Hui immediately purchased and had sent to Dawn Company, including numerous Orb specialty snacks.
Finally, the trio arrived at Orb's famous Central Park. Sitting on a bench with Murrue and Natarle gently resting their heads against Yang Hui's shoulders, they watched the sapphire sea turn brilliant red under the setting sun.
"Those stores... they're not just ordinary shops, are they?" Natarle Badgiruel asked softly.
"Correct. They're all my people."
"...Why are you telling us this?" Natarle hesitated before voicing her question.
There was nothing unusual about stores offering delivery services—high-end shops often provided this. But every store Yang Hui took them to delivered exclusively to Dawn Company, which was different.
Dawn Company was located on First Island, where Orb's Ministry of Defense was situated—a military zone inaccessible to ordinary civilians. Moreover, Dawn Company was a restricted military-industrial area housing countless classified projects. No outsiders could enter, not even with Yang Hui's authorization, and he wouldn't permit it either.
This left only one possibility: these stores weren't ordinary businesses but had complex and intimidating backgrounds. Both Murrue and Natarle had already guessed—these shops were Yang Hui's eyes and ears in Orb, intelligence outposts.
"Why wouldn't I tell you? You're my people," Yang Hui said with a light chuckle.
"But we're officers of the Atlantic Federation..."
"Do you trust me?"
"...Yes."
"We'll fight side by side in the future."
"What do you mean? Is Orb planning to—" Both women suddenly turned to Yang Hui, a terrifying realization dawning on them.
"No." Yang Hui cut them off before they could finish.
"Then what do you mean?"
"It's not the right time. You'll understand when the moment comes. But I need you to promise me one thing."
Yang Hui's expression turned serious as he locked eyes with Murrue and Natarle.
"Tell us what it is first," Natarle said. She had been ready to agree immediately—today's outing had left her mind somewhat dazed—but Murrue remained level-headed and insisted on hearing the details.
"When you arrive in Alaska, if high command issues transfer orders to separate either of you from the Archangel, refuse them. Even if it means disobeying direct orders—you must stay!"