At this moment, Yang Hui and Sumeragi walked side by side along a sunlit path, moving slowly. They knew they'd be busy once they returned to the Ministry of Defense, so they took this time to enjoy some quiet warmth together.
"What do you think they'll do?" Sumeragi asked Yang Hui.
"We finally steal some lazy time, and this is what you want to talk about?" Yang Hui replied with a pitiful look.
"Ahahaha." Sumeragi laughed cheerfully before looping her arms around Yang Hui's neck and pressing her soft lips to his. "Well then, what's your answer?"
"Are you sure you want to waste this rare moment of peace?" Yang Hui grumbled.
"Working hard now is for a better future, isn't it?" Sumeragi smiled gently, one hand lightly caressing Yang Hui's cheek.
"You're impossible."
"Then your— Mmph~!"
Just as Sumeragi was about to pull away, Yang Hui suddenly struck back—one arm tightening around her waist as he claimed her lips in a domineering kiss.
The golden couple embraced tightly amidst fluttering pink petals, warm, happy, and beautiful.
After what felt like an eternity, their lips parted. Sumeragi's face flushed crimson as she gave Yang Hui's chest a light, playful punch—more like a soothing massage than actual force.
"I had to collect some interest first."
"You took all the interest, but I still haven't gotten my answer~!" Sumeragi pouted, nestled in Yang Hui's arms.
"You already know the answer, don't you?" Yang Hui chuckled. The question had been rhetorical from the start, yet she insisted on hearing his response.
"Oh? Then it seems we've been exposed." Sumeragi replied mischievously. By "exposed," she didn't mean their true identities—but rather that their secretly established organization, Celestial Being, had been discovered.
"As expected of old foxes. Never underestimate any of them."
"Those who grow old without dying become crafty devils. Anyone who's lived to that age in such a position can't be simple. Just think of Old Wang, Professor Eifman, and Aeolia Schenberg—each one more cunning than the last." At the mention of Old Wang and Professor Eifman, Yang Hui's expression turned aggrieved. Back in the Gundam 00 world, he had dared challenge everything—except his two mentors. Because of this, they often lectured him and forced him into being their tool. The memories brought him nothing but tears.
"Is that so? Then what about you?" Sumeragi hadn't forgotten that Yang Hui was technically over a hundred years old by now. In terms of age, he was only slightly younger than Aeolia Schenberg. Didn't that mean he'd just insulted himself?
"Uh... I'm only 16. Still young and fresh." Yang Hui blinked before declaring shamelessly.
"Ahahahaha..."
Amidst their laughter, the two parted ways at the Ministry of Defense. From now until the fall of Orb, Sumeragi would remain stationed here, ready to revise plans the moment any changes occurred.
Meanwhile, Yang Hui headed to Dawn Company to prepare his Mobile Suit for deployment with the Fourth Fleet.
"Is the target still that ship?"
Setsuna, Lyle, and Tieria were already suited up and waiting for him.
"Yes, but it's just one of them," Yang Hui confirmed.
"Understood."
"Understood what?" Setsuna's sudden interjection made Yang Hui, Lyle, and Tieria all stare at him oddly.
"Armed intervention, to cut through the conflicts—"
Slap!
Before Setsuna could finish, Yang Hui couldn't resist slapping the back of his head, staggering with a blank expression.
"This mission is a rescue operation..."
"...Yang Hui, you can't take a joke."
"..."
"What's wrong?"
"You were joking?"
"I see... Was it not funny?"
"Pfft—! Cough cough cough..."
"Hahahaha, Yang Hui, you finally got yours! Hahaha..." Lyle clutched his stomach from laughter, while even the usually stoic Tieria turned away to hide his snickering.
They had all assumed Setsuna was still his usual wooden self, obsessed with armed interventions and combat missions. No one expected him to actually crack a joke—albeit a dry one—and fool Yang Hui into lecturing him seriously, only to be roasted in return. That was the funniest part.
"I... you're unbelievable!" Yang Hui trembled with frustration, giving Setsuna a thumbs-up before storming off toward the Dawn Gundam. Truly, even the seasoned hunter gets pecked by the eagle.
"Is he really that bad with jokes?" Setsuna asked Lyle and Tieria.
"Pfft—hahaha... Setsuna, you've improved so much." Lyle also gave him a thumbs-up.
"I still have a long way to go." Misinterpreting Yang Hui's reaction as anger, Setsuna walked dejectedly toward the Gundam Exia, resolving to learn more about joking techniques from others when he had time.
"Maybe you should take notes from Setsuna?" Lyle nudged Tieria with his elbow.
"...I can't. I'd rather spend that time taking down a few more enemy units. It's more useful."
"That's why you'll never measure up to Setsuna."
Yang Hui hadn't noticed, but Lyle and Tieria understood why the typically serious Setsuna had suddenly joked with him. Setsuna had heard somewhere that teasing friends could ease their stress, leading to today's unexpected performance.
...
At the Clyne residence in PLANT, Mentor Malchio—whom Yang Hui had been closely monitoring—was staying there. To prevent large-scale conflict between ZAFT and the Earth Forces, he had first traveled to Earth Alliance headquarters in Albany, exhausting great effort to secure concessions from them. Yet...
When he saw the Earth Alliance's proposed peace terms, Mentor Malchio knew his efforts would go unrewarded.
Still, he refused to give up. Carrying these terms, he journeyed tirelessly to PLANT and presented the Albany Concession Proposal to the Supreme Council, hoping to persuade them with his silver tongue to accept the Earth Alliance's conditions and avert war.
But... as expected, he was rejected.
With ZAFT Forces' Operation Break the Situation imminent, Patrick Zala issued a lockdown to prevent any intelligence leaks. All shuttles bound for Earth were detained at the port.
Left with no choice, Mentor Malchio could only wait at the Clyne residence for clearance.
Sitting in the glass room, he listened quietly to the pattering rain outside, the gloomy weather mirroring his inner turmoil.
Sharing this rainy moment with Mentor Malchio were Lacus, Haro, and Kira—who had been secretly brought to PLANT and hidden in the Clyne residence for treatment.
"Kira, do you like the rain?" Lacus noticed that during his recovery period, Kira seemed indifferent to everything around him. He followed instructions like a puppet, only showing a hint of vitality when it rained.
"...I just find it unbelievable," Kira murmured, watching the torrential rain outside, his mind shrouded in fog, unable to see anything clearly. "I don't know why I'm here."
"Then where would you like to go?"
"I don't know."
"Do you dislike this place?"
"Is it really okay for me to stay here?"
"I don't mind at all."
"Where you should go and what you should do will become clear in time, because you are SEED bearers," Mentor Malchio interjected, addressing both of them but mainly Kira. Though blind, he could sense Lacus's maturity—she had already found her path.
"Speaking of which, Mentor, I have a friend who's been wanting to meet you. It's just unfortunate that you can't return to Earth right now," Lacus suddenly mentioned.
At this, Mentor Malchio stiffened slightly but quickly composed himself.
"Is your friend currently on Earth?"
"Yes," Lacus replied, pretending not to notice his reaction, maintaining her smile.
"Are you talking about... Yang Hui?" Kira asked.
"Yes."
"Yang Hui... I'd be honored to receive his invitation," Mentor Malchio responded, though his smile seemed strained.
"You know Yang Hui too?" Kira asked, surprised.
"Yes, a... remarkable young man. Someone like him... could bring great change to the world."
"..." Kira lowered his head, lost in thought.
Lacus noticed the complexity in Kira's expression—likely concern for Yang Hui. With the world on the brink of chaos and even Orb unable to escape unscathed, Kira probably wanted to help Yang Hui but doubted his own worth, thinking someone as capable as Yang Hui wouldn't need a coward like him.
She also observed Mentor Malchio. Though his expression remained unchanged, the slight tension in his muscles betrayed unease—something that had begun the moment Kira mentioned Yang Hui's name.
"Mentor... what secrets are you hiding?"
For a moment, the three of them were lost in their own thoughts, silence hanging heavy as the rain continued to patter outside.
Just then, Siegel Clyne arrived, breaking the quiet.
"Still no luck. Even your shuttle isn't cleared for Earth travel."
Having stepped down as chairman, Siegel Clyne was now living in semi-retirement. With little support in the Supreme Council, he had been trying to expedite Mentor Malchio's return to Earth. Since ZAFT remained unyielding, he hoped to at least reach the Earth Alliance in time to prevent the war.
Yet, despite exhausting all his connections, he couldn't secure passage.
"Is that so? What a pity..."
Beep beep beep...
At that moment, the communication system in the glass house rang. It was a call from Eileen Canaver, the last remaining supporter Siegel Clyne had in the Supreme Council.
"This is Clyne."
"Siegel Clyne, we've been deceived by Zala!" Eileen Canaver exclaimed urgently as soon as the video call connected.
"Canaver, calm down and explain clearly."
"Their so-called Operation Break the Situation—its target was never Panama! It's Alaska! He intends to wipe out the Earth Forces headquarters in one strike! The Council never approved such a thing!"
"What did you say!?" Hearing this, Siegel Clyne could no longer remain composed.
Kira was equally unable to stay calm. Images of his companions flashed through his mind as memories aboard the Archangel surfaced one after another. His grip loosened, and the teacup shattered into pieces on the table.
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