Father and son

"You don't need to blame yourself, really."

"You did everything you could. I don't think that kid would blame you," Raleigh said reassuringly.

He thought that caring for a child whose parents weren't around was already a remarkable thing in itself.

"Yeah." Natsuki nodded.

In fact, the child had never had any intention of blaming Natsuki. Quite the opposite-he was grateful to have at least someone beside him when he was lonely.

"It all happened a long time ago."

"Seeing Chuck being just as unruly made me a little nostalgic."

Natsuki waved a hand and soon returned to his usual lazy, easygoing manner.

Outside the dining hall.

A corridor lined with brown steel pipes.

"Let go of me!"

Young Hansen had recovered his senses. He shouted at his father beside him and shook off the hand gripping his clothes.

Then he stared at his father in utter incomprehension and asked, "Why?"

"Why do you do nothing but apologize to that alien?"

"You must still remember that the monsters those aliens controlled killed your wife!"

"My mother!"

Young Hansen had his reasons for hating aliens, and most other people hated them for the same reason.

The monsters controlled by the aliens had taken their loved ones from them.

"Because of love." Old Hansen looked at his furious son, conflicting emotions written across his face. "I can't lose you," he said heavily.

Marshal Stacker had told them that under no circumstances were they to get into a confrontation with Mr. Natsuki. He was their honored guest.

They still needed Mr. Natsuki's power.

If they angered him here and drove him to turn that power against humanity, everything would be ruined.

He couldn't stand by and watch his son make a catastrophic mistake.

"Love?"

"Do you think any love you have can still reach me?" Young Hansen pointed at his chest, his voice rising with emotion.

"When I was a kid, those Jaeger parts spent more time with me than you did."

"And now you're talking to me about love?"

"I've never felt any love from you!"

As he spoke, his eyes reddened.

"You abandoned me, just like you abandoned my mother."

"If we didn't have to pilot the Eureka Striker, we wouldn't even be standing here together like this...!"

Before his emotions spiraled completely out of control, Young Hansen held them back, refusing to show this man such a vulnerable side of himself.

His throat worked as though he still had something to say.

But he knew his voice would turn hoarse, so he turned away as if in defiance, leaving Old Hansen behind and heading to the lounge alone.

"Son..."

Old Hansen watched him walk resolutely away, then tilted his head back and let out a deep sigh.

The old veteran, who was dependable no matter the circumstances, looked profoundly weary at that moment.

Years ago, when the monsters attacked, he had been just a pilot. In that desperate emergency, he had only two choices.

Go home and take his wife away, or go to the school and take his son away.

There had only been enough time to take one route. Otherwise, the nuclear bomb meant to kill the monster would have killed them all there.

His choice needed no explanation.

His wife, Chuck's mother, had remained forever among the ruins of that city.

Afterward, he had enrolled in the Ranger Academy, which trained Jaeger pilots, and became its oldest cadet at the time. Almost everyone training alongside him was a teenage boy or girl. He alone was a father who already had a child, and even the instructor was five years younger than him.

But his years of flying experience, combined with the anger that refused to subside, had made him one of the finest graduates in that class. He had then successfully become a Jaeger pilot, defending humanity's home in a Jaeger.

However, that had also left him with no time to spend with his son.

Leaving a child who had lost his mother alone for so long was a debt he would owe Chuck for the rest of his life. That was why he indulged him so much.

Chuck had asked him why he would bow before an alien.

As a man, he couldn't readily bow to anyone, no matter the circumstances.

But as a father, he would bow for his son.

Inside the dining hall.

"That kid was clearly in the wrong first, so how did I end up looking like the villain?" Natsuki folded his arms. His floral shirt and baggy shorts made him look completely out of place among everyone here.

With his hearing, listening in on the conversation between Hansen and his son was effortless.

Their relationship might be complicated, but why does all this make me sound like the villain?

Whose fault is this, anyway?

"That kid really did need someone to teach him a lesson," Raleigh said with a smile.

"It's clear that Herc's way of raising a kid doesn't work at all."

"You did them a favor."

Hearing that, Natsuki smiled too.

"It's much easier talking to an 'adult.'"

"You're welcome, buddy," Raleigh replied.

After that brief little scene, they had all finished eating.

It was now five forty-five.

Mako Mori walked over in black work trousers and a loose black shirt, holding a tablet.

"Mr. Beckett, it's almost time for the selection trials. Please come with me," she said politely to Raleigh beside the long table.

"Time sure flies." Raleigh checked the time. Seeing that it was almost six, he rose from his seat.

"Come on, Xia. Come with me," he said.

Mako Mori nodded, unsurprised.

Aside from Natsuki, quite a few others would be watching the selection trials, including the other Jaeger pilots.

After all, this concerned the teammate who would be joining them on future missions. They would only feel reassured after seeing him for themselves.

"That kid said you've spent five years as a construction worker. So, are you sure you haven't gotten rusty?" Natsuki also stood and followed behind, teasing Raleigh.

"Hey, just watch what I do out there."

"I'll show you what a worker can do," Raleigh said, looking back with a confident smile.

Hearing that, Mako Mori covered her mouth and chuckled.

Watching the two walk side by side with their steps remarkably in sync, Natsuki suddenly seemed to understand something.

Whatever the outcome of the test, these two would most likely end up as partners.

A connection between souls was easy to recognize.