After ending the call, Felix put his phone in his pocket. He stepped forward, opened the car door, started the engine, and drove away from the location.
Felix entered an ordinary restaurant near the ZAFT Forces headquarters in District One of December City. After explaining the situation to the staff, he was led by an employee to a private room.
"Is something the matter?" Felix asked as he pulled out a chair, sat down, and looked at the man before him with a smile. "Captain Creuset."
Creuset glanced at Felix, pushed the menu toward him, and spoke in a calm, polite tone. "Order whatever you'd like to eat."
"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony." Felix smiled, picked up the menu, and after scanning it, turned to Creuset. "Captain Creuset, you're not just treating me to a simple meal, are you?"
Shaking his head, Creuset replied with a smile. "Captain Griffith, do you remember that MS from the Earth Alliance Forces?"
"Of course I remember." Understanding dawned on Felix, though his smile remained unchanged. He nodded, looked up at Creuset, and responded. Placing the menu on the table, he leaned back slightly against the chair and asked, "Is this related to it?"
"Captain Griffith, aren't you curious about your true origins?" Creuset probed, his smile carrying a meaningful undertone.
Feigning confusion, Felix stared at Creuset, his expression momentarily blank as he muttered, "My origins?"
"Exactly, your origins." Creuset nodded with a smile and placed a data storage device on the table. He pushed it toward Felix and continued, "All the truth is inside this."
Watching the storage device slide toward him, Felix pretended to show a fleeting hint of hesitation in his eyes before calmly reaching out to pick it up. "I hope you're not deceiving me!" He looked up at Creuset, his gaze cold and warning.
In response, Creuset's smile remained unwavering as he spoke calmly and confidently. "Captain Griffith, rest assured! I would never deceive you."
After giving Creuset a deep look, Felix said nothing more and quietly slipped the storage device into his pocket.
Seeing this, Creuset politely suggested, "Shall we order and eat?"
"Maybe another time!" Felix declined, stood up, bid Creuset farewell, and turned to leave.
Watching Felix disappear from sight, the smile on Creuset's lips widened. Leaning back in his chair, his expression still amused, he murmured with anticipation, "Felix, I'm looking forward to your reaction!"
Back in his apartment, Felix casually tossed the storage device into a neglected corner as if it were trash, showing no curiosity or desire to learn its contents.
He turned on the display, picked up the game controller, and gazing at the game on the screen, said with a smile.
"Let's play some games!"
"Creuset is really holding his ground. It's been a week already, and he still hasn't called me again."
Looking at the time on the digital calendar, Felix smiled and couldn't help but comment.
As he spoke, Felix glanced at where his phone was placed.
After a brief look, Felix continued playing the game in front of him. Watching the game screen, a smile spread across his face as he muttered to himself.
"Let's see which of us loses patience first."
With that, his focus returned to the screen before him.
Meanwhile, on a small island in the Indian Ocean on Earth, a boy and a girl from opposing factions stood facing each other, weapons in hand, their gazes filled with mutual hostility.
The tense standoff was broken when Cagalli pulled the trigger.
Athrun, who had been closely watching Cagalli's fingers, reacted instantly. His movements were as agile as a springbok as he leaped into the air.
He swiftly dodged Cagalli's shot.
Seeing this, Cagalli's face showed surprise as she swung her gun barrel toward Athrun and continued firing.
Using his nimble movements, Athrun evaded all of Cagalli's attacks. Within moments, he had scaled the steep slope and disappeared from Cagalli's sight.
Watching Athrun completely vanish, Cagalli remained vigilant, gripping her pistol tightly while scanning her surroundings for any sign of him.
When she couldn't spot Athrun anywhere, Cagalli began moving toward where his pistol lay.
Unbeknownst to her, Athrun was observing her every move like a leopard stalking its prey.
As Cagalli approached Athrun's pistol, she checked her surroundings once more before bending down to pick it up.
"Now's the time!"
Athrun reminded himself internally.
He burst forward like a leopard springing into action.
By the time Cagalli noticed Athrun, it was too late.
Athrun executed a high kick that struck Cagalli's pistol with full force, instantly sending the weapon flying from her hand. Without missing a beat, he grabbed her arm and performed a shoulder throw.
Cagalli was slammed heavily onto the ground.
The impact left her momentarily stunned. Seizing the opportunity, Athrun pinned her down, one hand gripping her collar while the other brandished a Claw Knife toward her throat.
"Ah!"
A sharp scream escaped her lips.
Athrun paused, his movements halting as he looked down at the person he had pinned to the ground. With some surprise, he remarked.
"A girl?"
Not feeling the blade descend, Cagalli opened her eyes she had squeezed shut, two traitorous tears now tracing paths from the corners of her eyes.
Seeing Cagalli's frightened, pitiable expression, Athrun found himself inexplicably lowering the raised knife, deciding not to continue.
After a minute or two, having finished thoroughly tying up Cagalli, Athrun picked up her pistol and proceeded to disassemble it completely, throwing each component into the sea.
With that done, he returned to Cagalli's side. Looking at her trussed-up form, Athrun broke into an amused smile.
"What are you laughing at?"
Cagalli glared at him angrily, her eyes burning with indignation.
Hearing her question, Athrun sat down on a nearby rock and replied in a gentle voice.
"Nothing really. I just find your current situation quite amusing."
"What's so funny? I'm like this because of you!"
Cagalli glared fiercely at Athrun and retorted. Athrun didn't deny it, instead looking at her with a gentle smile as he asked, "How did a girl like you end up doing this kind of work?"
"All because of you ZAFT people!"
Her reply was blunt and contained no tenderness, delivered with decisive words. Hearing this, Athrun's smile stiffened slightly before fading from his face completely. He stood up, looking down at Cagalli as he said coldly, "If it weren't for you Naturals, we wouldn't have come here either!"