"Dislike?" Kira shook his head repeatedly, observing the bright smiles on his friends' faces in the beverage shop.
He recalled the joyful shopping experience in this commercial district within the fortress.
Admittedly, even though this shopping street was located inside a military fortress, the moment you stepped into the area, all thoughts of war vanished from your mind. Only peace and tranquility lingered in your heart.
It was as if all the hostility in your body had been purified in an instant, leaving you with an indescribable sense of comfort.
And this only further proved how precious peace truly was.
"I don't dislike peace."
Kira's eyes once again filled with nostalgia for the peaceful life he once had on Heliopolis.
Looking back, Kira had never imagined that one day he would pilot a Gundam, wear a military uniform, and eventually stand against Athrun with blades drawn!
"Nothing is more precious than peace."
Moved by his emotions, Kira stared intently at the girl in the beverage shop, who was holding a drink and occasionally smiling softly.
"Oh." Following Kira's gaze, Wang Hu also noticed the person he was looking at.
Turning back to Kira, Wang Hu said thoughtfully,
"Yes, a boy your age should be enjoying campus life right now."
"Youth, romance, friendship, and of course, the struggles of academics."
"But overall, these years should be the most carefree of your life—a time to passionately pursue your dreams. Yet because of war..."
"Your life, your fate, have now abruptly plunged into an uncertain future. Pain is likely the only thing you'll inevitably taste."
"Brother Wang Hu..." Kira clenched his fists involuntarily, biting his lip in frustration.
"Why must there be war? Can't the Allied Forces and ZAFT—no, Naturals and Coordinators—coexist? Do they really have to keep fighting like this?"
"Can't everyone see how precious peace is? Must they remain enemies until one side is utterly defeated and surrenders?"
Good question! Wang Hu's deep eyes fixed on the troubled Kira. Outwardly, he appeared to be deep in thought, but in reality, he was slowly reciting a prepared answer.
"Well, how should I put it? Let me give you an analogy—you like that girl named Flay, don't you?"
"Brother Wang Hu!"
Kira's face flushed instantly, and he hurriedly tried to cover Wang Hu's mouth, not wanting him to continue—what if someone overheard?
"If you like her, you like her. What's there to hide?" Wang Hu blinked teasingly at Kira, his smile ambiguous.
"Flay doesn't seem to have an official boyfriend yet, right? So why not give it a try?"
"It's not like that." Kira shook his head repeatedly. "Sai already sent her a love letter, and Flay didn't outright reject him, so..."
"Besides, Flay doesn't seem to like Coordinators. I..."
"See? This is exactly the problem with war."
After Kira finished speaking, Wang Hu's lips curled into a faint smile as he circled back to Kira's original question.
"What does this have to do with war?"
Kira, already feeling down because of Wang Hu's teasing about his feelings for Flay, fell silent.
Suddenly hearing the other party elevate the matter to the level of war, Kira stood up in shock, never imagining that his unrequited love could be so dangerous!
Dangerous enough to incite a war?
Brother Wang Hu's words were undoubtedly exaggerated to the extreme!
"Your personality is quite common," Wang Hu turned his head to glance at Flay, slowly revealing his true intentions.
"From an average person's perspective, if Flay doesn't like you, then unrequited love is no big deal. Someone with a kinder temperament might even silently offer their blessings."
"But not everyone thinks that way. What if another man resorted to violence instead?"
"I've taken a liking to you—whether you like me or not doesn't matter."
"I'm stronger than you, I stand above you! Whether it's physical power, wealth, or status—as long as I surpass you in any one aspect, I'll want to try, I'll want to possess you."
"How would you handle a situation like that?"
"This—" Kira, with his limited life experience, was stunned. His narrow worldview left him unable to answer the question.
Or perhaps the answer that initially sprang to Kira's mind was one he himself felt would invite nothing but merciless ridicule from Brother Wang Hu if spoken aloud.
"Society is cold. Forget romantic relationships—let's talk about work. Those in higher positions naturally oppress those beneath them."
"You know the saying: 'One word from the boss, and the employee runs his legs off.' Do you think the subordinate harbors no resentment?"
Wang Hu tapped the table lightly, shattering Kira's idealistic illusions piece by piece.
"Have you ever, even for a moment, thought about simply taking Flay for yourself? Have those low-ranking employees ever fantasized about smashing their despicable boss's ugly face?"
"I haven't!" Kira vehemently denied it, unwilling to let Wang Hu think of him as such a petty person.
"But I have," Wang Hu chuckled, uttering words Kira found unbelievable.
"What?" Kira stood up in shock, his movement so abrupt that even Sai and the others turned to look.
"Nothing, nothing."
Noticing his friends' gazes, Kira quickly apologized. Once they turned away again—
"Brother Wang Hu, you're not that kind of person," Kira asserted firmly.
"Thinking and doing are two entirely different things," Wang Hu smiled. "I can restrain myself because I have morals and rules binding me."
"Besides, I'm already in a position of dominance over others."
"But everyone's circumstances differ. The burdens and desires they carry in their hearts vary. A person who usually keeps silent—"
"Once their limit is breached, who can predict what kind of harm they might unleash?"
"Back to the main point—there's only one Flay. In a fair competition, you lost to Sai. You silently gave your blessings, but then another man appears and takes Flay by force. What would you do?"
"I—!" Kira's first reaction was indignation and violence—if he uses force, why can't I?
But just as he was about to speak, the perceptive Kira connected it to current events—the ongoing war.
"Feels strange to equate three men fighting over a woman with war, doesn't it?" Wang Hu pierced straight through Kira's thoughts.
"But that's how this world is. There's only one Flay, yet three people have their eyes on her. If even one of them harbors ill intentions..."
"As long as any one of the other two possesses corresponding capability, conflict will erupt until one side is completely defeated."
"Then resentment and hatred will bury themselves deep in the loser's heart—either bowing their head in humiliation or marking the beginning of the next conflict."
"Fairness and the singular Flay—these are the roots of conflict."
"But..." Kira was lost in thought. Even though he'd been sheltered in his ivory tower, he still knew to some extent how unjust this society was.
Considering his identity as a Coordinator, was it fair to Naturals that he was born stronger than them?
Wouldn't Naturals feel resentment when facing him?
Once he stepped into society, wouldn't there be endless conflicts arising from this unfairness?
There was only one Flay, and opportunities weren't infinite either.
If he seized one opportunity, then someone else would inevitably lose it.
Wasn't that person, somewhere out there, harboring resentment toward him too?
But fairness and opportunities—how could they be so easily obtained by everyone!
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