Hearing this, Kira turned to glance at Captain Murrue. He then looked back at Cagalli, the strength in his grip loosening. Seizing the moment, Cagalli pulled her wrist free from Kira's hand, her beautiful eyes flashing with cold fury as she demanded sharply:
"Why are you piloting that thing?"
The question made Kira glance back at the Strike Gundam behind him.
After one look, Kira turned his gaze back to Cagalli.
Seeing the turbulent emotions swirling in Kira's eyes, Cagalli felt deeply moved. This was the first time she had seen such complex emotions in someone's gaze.
There was pain, commitment, necessity, and——
Many emotions intertwined in his eyes.
She looked up at the Strike Gundam before them, but the disgust in her eyes toward the machine showed no signs of fading.
Looking at Kira again, Cagalli didn't say another word, turning away cleanly. After taking two steps, she paused and looked back at Kira once more.
"If you don't want to pilot it, then don't. If you feel tired, you should rest properly."
The calm yet somewhat apologetic words of concern reached Kira's ears, making his pupils contract and his expression freeze momentarily. A warm feeling of being cared for rose in his heart.
"It's been so long since anyone said something like that to me," Kira thought to himself, his eyelids lowering slightly.
On February 16th, Andrew led his team in an attack on the so-called stronghold of the Dawn Desert, implementing scorched-earth tactics that destroyed their base while eliminating numerous members of the Dawn Desert organization.
On February 20th, on the streets of Banadia...
"Cagalli, we've bought almost everything. Should we head back?" Kira asked, following behind Cagalli.
The girl walking ahead turned back to look at Kira, her smile bright and cheerful. "Staying cooped up in your room all day will only make you depressed. Getting out more, wandering around and relaxing is good for your mental health."
With that, Cagalli took two steps back, reached out and pulled Kira along to continue walking. Seeing he couldn't sway her opinion, Kira had no choice but to let her lead him.
The two continued strolling through the streets.
As they passed a street stall, Cagalli suddenly stopped, moving to shield Kira behind her as she warily watched a man wearing a hat and casual clothes not far away.
"Cagalli?" a confused Kira asked.
Just then, the man at the nearby stall turned to look at them, his face bearing a relaxed, friendly smile as he spoke to Kira behind Cagalli:
"You resemble someone I know!"
The brief words made Kira's pupils contract, various images flashing through his mind.
"What are you doing here?" Cagalli demanded, her gaze still wary as she looked at Andrew.
Seeing how protective Cagalli was being, Andrew chuckled, fiddling with the item in his hand as he replied with an easygoing smile:
"Just shopping here, of course."
With that, Andrew looked at Cagalli's guarded expression and teased with a laugh.
"Why are you so tense?"
A playful glint flashed in his smile as he spoke.
Hearing this, Cagalli's vigilance didn't diminish in the slightest as she replied sternly and gravely.
"You know perfectly well why!"
"Relax, I'm not particularly interested in fighting outside of combat situations."
Andrew chuckled casually.
His gaze then shifted to Kira behind Cagalli, his smile turning somewhat serious as he asked.
"Young man, how about we have a chat?"
The question reached Kira's ears, and he looked up at Andrew. Hearing this, Cagalli warned Kira.
"Don't trust this guy——"
Before she could finish her warning, Kira stepped out from behind Cagalli. With a determined look and serious tone, he said.
"Alright!"
A few minutes later, in a room—
"Why are you following us in? I only wanted to chat with the young man."
Seeing Cagalli still acting like a little lion, Andrew felt mischievous and joked with a laugh. Cagalli snorted coldly, showing no intention of speaking.
Seeing her silent, Andrew examined Cira's attire and clicked his tongue twice.
"Such a pretty girl, always dressed like that—what a shame!"
"None of your business!"
Cagalli glared at Andrew and retorted.
Andrew smiled and turned to his lover.
"Aisha, help our lovely young lady here get properly dressed up."
"I don't need it!"
Cagalli loudly refused.
But her objections were completely ineffective. At her lover's request, Aisha walked straight to Cagalli and, with her superior skills, dragged her outside.
Seeing this, Kira tried to stand up, but Andrew rose first and pressed down on his shoulder.
"Don't worry. If I wanted to do anything to you, I would have acted back on the street. Why wait until now?"
Kira still seemed unconvinced.
Noting Kira's skepticism, Andrew released him. Freed, Kira stood up to rush in the direction Cagalli had been taken.
"If you go now, you might be called a pervert!"
The word "pervert" made Kira freeze in his tracks. He turned back to Andrew, his face slightly flushed.
Seeing this, Andrew sat back in his chair and continued.
"Do you want to know the name of that person who looks so much like you?"
"Felix Leo Griffith!"
The blush faded from Kira's face as he spoke the name with seriousness.
Surprised that Kira already knew Felix's name, Andrew collected himself and smiled.
"So you already know his name."
"I want to know who he really is."
Kira looked intently at Andrew and asked.
Andrew stood up, walked to the coffee machine, and began making himself a coffee. As he prepared it, he said.
"Felix Leo Griffith, captain of ZAFT's most elite Griffith Team, and the strongest individual in the entire ZAFT Forces."
He then turned back to look at Kira and went on.
"It's been described by the Earth Alliance Forces as the Sword of Damocles hanging over our heads."
"Darling, what do you think?"
Aisha's voice abruptly cut into Andrew and Kira's conversation. Looking up toward his lover, Andrew saw Cagalli's outfit and turned slightly toward Kira with an amused grin.
"Young man, you're quite the lucky one!"
"What nonsense are you talking about!"
Hearing this, Cagalli's previously shy demeanor instantly vanished as she shouted at Andrew in annoyance.
No sooner had her angry retort left her lips than Cagalli noticed Kira had turned to look at her. Under Kira's gaze, her previously bristling lion-like attitude completely disappeared, and the vanished shyness returned to her face.
"Don't stare at me like that."
Appearing somewhat awkward, Cagalli spoke with renewed shyness, her voice growing softer.