Dialogue

"...To be able to sleep in a situation like this, he really has a talent for it."

"He's exhausted, after all. Kira Yamato has truly worked hard."

As Miriallia said this, Katz, who was standing nearby, let out a soft, dry laugh—though there was nothing joyful about the sound. "Heh, 'worked hard'... To Kira Yamato, is something like that really just a minor problem that can be solved with a bit of effort?"

"Katz, what exactly are you trying to say?"

Hearing the strange tone in Katz's voice, Tolle shot him a look of reproach.

"Nothing... It's just, didn't they say Kira Yamato rewrote the operating system of that machine? But have you guys thought about when he actually did it?" Katz said, looking at Kira Yamato, who was fast asleep against the wall.

"When? Well, obviously... uh..."

Tolle and the others fell into deep thought at the question.

They all knew full well that Kira Yamato had never touched that type of MS before.

After all, the officer at the colony had stated clearly that it was the latest model of MS.

So, if he were to rewrite the system, he must have started the moment he climbed into the cockpit and the battle began.

But—

Except for Flay, everyone else had witnessed the state of that battle.

The movements of the Strike Gundam had suddenly become incredibly agile mid-fight.

And the time span between those moments...

So, Kira Yamato had performed those changes in such a short window, all while fighting a Ginn—

The group felt a complex mix of emotions upon reaching this conclusion.

They had long known that Kira Yamato was a Coordinator, which was why Professor Kato relied so heavily on his abilities, always dumping a pile of difficult tasks onto him.

But they had never thought—or perhaps never cared to notice—that Kira Yamato's abilities were this overwhelming.

"...They're all like that. Things that are so difficult are just a matter of 'working hard' for them, and the ZAFT side is full of people like that."

Katz's voice sounded dejected. "...How are we supposed to win against people like that in the Earth Alliance?"

In truth, there was one thing Katz didn't say out loud: how could a Natural like himself ever hope to surpass Coordinators like Kira Yamato and the others?

Sai and the others cast their gazes toward Kira Yamato's sleeping face with trepidation; he looked so innocent and pure in his sleep.

His features were youthful, just like their own—he was only a sixteen-year-old boy.

Everyone had previously thought he was just a bit smarter than average, perhaps a bit scatterbrained, but easygoing.

Yet, they had never realized that there was such a decisive gap between him and them, the Naturals.

For the first time, the group felt the weight of this reality, their moods inexplicably heavy and complicated.

Only Flay looked blank, unable to understand why they had suddenly become so despondent.

"Kira Yamato!"

Just then, the figures of Murrue and Mu appeared at the doorway.

Hearing the commotion, Tolle hurriedly shook Kira Yamato awake.

Still bleary-eyed, Kira Yamato realized who had arrived, quickly rubbed his eyes, and floated up from the bed.

A moment later.

"I refuse!"

Hearing Murrue explain their intentions in a stiff tone, Kira Yamato was instantly wide awake.

Kira Yamato's angry voice drew the attention of Tolle and the others.

"Why does it have to be me? You might be right—there is a war around us, and that is reality. But we chose to stay in neutral Heliopolis precisely because we hate war! Please, stop dragging us into this!"

Kira Yamato did not want to fight, nor did he like fighting; if anything, his personality leaned toward peace and tranquility.

Murrue, who had been preparing to play the villain, was suddenly at a loss, as she had never been a harsh person before.

Watching Murrue's reaction, Mu took over the conversation. "But that thing can only be operated by you right now. There's no other way."

"What do you mean 'no other way'! I'm not a soldier, nor am I anything else! I'm just an ordinary person!"

Kira Yamato roared back.

He was indeed a Coordinator, but he was also just a sixteen-year-old boy who had never encountered war.

The feeling that one wrong move could mean death had left him nearly broken, and he did not want to experience that feeling ever again.

"So if another battle happens, are you going to say you're not a soldier but an ordinary person, and just wait here to die?"

Mu understood the turmoil in Kira Yamato's heart, because he himself had started the same way.

But it was precisely because he understood that he knew what reality was.

Listening to the reality laid out by the other man, Kira Yamato was momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

Watching Kira Yamato bow his head in silence, Mu couldn't help but place a hand on his shoulder and say softly, "Right now, you and I are the only ones who can protect this ship. That is the reality we are facing."

"But... I..."

Looking down at Kira, whose voice was trembling, Mu's expression softened: "You possess the power to protect everyone, don't you? Since that's the case, do your best to do what you can, and do your best to protect what you want to protect. Never wait until you've lost something and want to get it back to feel regret, because that kind of pain is absolutely not something you would want to experience."

Kira looked at Mu's face in astonishment, then lowered his head with a bitter expression.

"Take your time to think about it, though there really isn't much time left for you to worry."

After saying this, Mu patted Kira on the shoulder and turned to leave.

"Um, may I ask where we are going?"

Sai hurriedly stood up to ask about the warship's destination.

"The Eurasian Federation's military fortress."

Mu, who had just prepared to leave, replied: "Of course, that's assuming everything goes smoothly. Let's hope everything goes well."

Listening to what Mu had just said, Kira only felt agitated.

Power, regret—

His gaze drifted toward the girl with long red hair, and an agitated Kira turned and ran out without looking back.

"Eh? What's going on?"

Flay watched Kira, who had glanced at her and then turned to run, and couldn't help but look at the others: "What were you talking about just now? What's wrong with that person named Kira?"

"You should know that it was a Mobile Suit that brought the escape pod you were in to this warship."

Sai thought for a moment and said: "And the one piloting that Mobile Suit was Kira."

"You're saying it was him, the boy named Kira, who piloted the Mobile Suit?"

Upon hearing this, Flay Allster could not help but look stunned: "But why is he able to pilot a Mobile Suit?"

Listening to Flay's inquiry, Miriallia and the others, who knew the whole situation, couldn't help but frown.

"Kira is actually a Coordinator."

Katz, who was nearby, stated the truth directly.

"Hmm!"

Upon hearing this, Flay's eyes turned cold, and she subconsciously looked at her boyfriend, Sai, beside her.

"Katz!"

Tolle couldn't help but scold him.

Because they all knew about Kira's secret crush on Flay, and they also knew about Flay's hateful attitude toward Coordinators.

Of course, Kira himself was aware of this, which was the reason why, despite being the first to meet Flay, he dared not express any of his true feelings.

"What's the big deal? Do you think we can keep hiding it at this point?"

Hearing the reproachful tone in Tolle's voice, Katz couldn't help but retort.

Tolle opened his mouth to speak, but in the end, he couldn't say anything.

Sai noticed Flay's gaze and, lowering his head, mused: "Kira is a Coordinator, but he is not ZAFT."

"He is our good friend, our most important friend."

Miriallia also spoke up at this moment to stand up for Kira.

"Is that so..."

However, listening to their answers, Flay's eyes gradually began to change.