Aslan's shoulders, half-bowed and hunched back, shook slightly. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 infoHer eyes widened as if she were staring at something that didn't exist, and Cagalli watched with bated breath. After what seemed like a long silence, Aslan muttered, "Yes ......"

This affirmative answer made Cagalli feel that a feeling of blood turmoil was spreading in her body. The hand holding the handle of the gun unconsciously strained. She asked again, "What's wrong with the driver?" Did you escape like you? Or—" Her whole body trembled uncontrollably, and she couldn't say any more.

"None of us can find ...... Can't find Kira......! It was as if he was begging for an answer. Seeing Aslan's frosty face and not saying a word, Cagalli's impatience suddenly emerged, "...... Say something! ”

The disregard for safe distance was already from her mind, and she lunged at Aslan with an arrow, shouting angrily. Aslan didn't seem to care about her actions at all, just looked away in prostration, and replied weakly, "That guy...... I've already killed ......," Cagalli gasped. Although she had expected it, she had vaguely come to such a conclusion from the moment she landed on the island, she did not want to think so.

How could it be...... How could such a thing ......! - Kira will be ...... by this guy? Anger rushed up, and Cagalli grabbed Aslan. She even forgot that the other party was a wounded man, and just shook him angrily and rudely.

Aslan didn't resist either, so she let her shake like this, and said to herself blankly, "I'm ...... Kill ......," he continued in a dull tone, "I'll entangle him with the Holy Shield Gundam...... Self-detonation ...... Emergency Escape... I don't think it'......" Cagalli listened to his monologue with wide eyes, Aslan's voice was so hard that it seemed to be squeezed out, "There's no other way......!" The only way to defeat that guy is ......"

"You bastard!" Cagalli roared and held her gun at him.

- You can kill him now. A voice in her head said so. She hesitated. But, now—no! He should have been killed! That way—Kira won't be ...... right now

Kira won't die! Unspeakable remorse churned in her heart, and the finger that pulled the trigger kept trembling. Aslan, who had been rocked by her and slammed into bed, was still looking at her with a defenseless expression - no, he didn't see anything. Only a tear ran down his cheek. Cagalli was secretly startled and withdrew her pistol.

Even now—it's too late to kill him now......! It's too late! Kira ...... Kira is dead......

"-——! abominable" She shook off As's body and punched the wall hard.

"But ......," Aslan muttered to himself behind her, "how come I'm still alive......?" His tone seemed to be incredible from the bottom of his heart, and his voice was childish like a child, "Because at that time, I escaped?" Cagalli turned to glare at him, and in a fit of rage, raised her gun in the face of the enemy soldier. Aslan still looked at the muzzle with that prostrated expression, tears still flowing. Finally—he changed to a look of sudden realization, "Really...... Are you going to kill me......"

Such an inexplicably calm attitude made Cagalli extraordinarily angry. She cried.

"Kira's man...... Doesn't do things well...... It's inexplicable...... Cry at every turn......! But he was kind...... He's a good guy! "What about telling this guy? To Aslan, Kira was nothing more than an enemy soldier. Knowing this, Cagalli just couldn't help but say it. Kira is so pathetic! It's always sad to cry alone ......! Remembering the last time she saw him, Cagalli bit her lip. At that time—

"I know...... Aslan's angry voice caused her to look up, "...... I knew it...... He hasn't changed...... That guy used to be like that...... "A nostalgic smile appeared on the face of the wounded enemy soldier, and Cagalli couldn't help but be stunned.

"You ——?"

- He just loves to cry...... Love is dependent on people...... Very good, but not very measured......"

"Do you know Kira?" Cagalli walked over to the bed and asked him incredulously. Aslan nodded haggardly, "Yes...... It's still very familiar....... I've known ...... since I was a child."

- What do you say ......? A different kind of shiver rushed over Cagalli's back. I saw Aslan as if he had returned to his childhood, with a childish smile on the corner of his mouth, and continued to murmur, "...... Former friends. ”

"Friends、...... Friend......? ”

How could it be—how could it be——!

Cagalli felt dizzy.

How so——!

"Then why are you ......?" A voice that almost screamed burst out of his throat - "Why kill him? ”

Killed by his own friend, a friend he has known since childhood? How can it be...... How could such a thing happen! How could Kira have died so tragically......! - Why is this happening......!

"I don't know......" Aslan shook his head blankly, "I don't know ...... either!" His expression suddenly distorted. Curled up in pain, and cried out, "Let's separate...... When we meet again, we will already be enemies! ”

"...... enemy?" Cagalli repeated, stunned.

"I've told him a few times! Tell him to come with me ......! That guy is a tuner! It's our partner! Isn't it strange that he's in the Earth Army? Isn't it? Aslan roared excitedly, out of his emaciation and powerlessness. Cagalli could only look at his face in a daze.

"But the guy just wouldn't listen...... And fight us! Hurt your partner......! "Grief tore Aslan's voice," —Nigel...... He killed ...... too! Suddenly, the expression on his face turned to hatred. Cagalli shuddered.

"So......" she asked tremblingly, "you ...... Did you kill Kira......? Yourself......? "Ending the life of a childhood friend with your own hands? When there is nothing else to do, he even lets his love machine blow itself up - do you have to use all means to take Kira's life......?

"Or else? Now he's an enemy......! Aslan cried, "—so I can only knock him down, can't I?" ”

"You bastard!" She also yelled, "Why did you do this? The thought that there was nowhere to vent made her hand holding the other party's collar tremble.

"Why do you have to do that——? Aslan also replied to her excitedly, "That guy killed Nigaul!" It loves piano...... Only fifteen years old...... The children who are fighting to defend the PLANT ......! ”

"Kira is only fighting to protect what she wants to protect!" Cagalli trembled and cried, "But you! Why do you have to kill him? - And you're still friends, ......? ”

"Uh-huh......!" Aslan's expression was extremely distorted, and tears kept pouring out. He finally began to cry, his voice as frantic as a beast. Cagalli let go of his collar in a daze. The boy is bearing a legacy that goes beyond that. What he did with his own hands was already the greatest punishment for him. Helpless bitterness flowed through Cagalli's veins, as if they were seeking an outlet.

- It's cruel......!

- How can such cruelty be tolerated in this world? A friend slashes a friend, and a friend is killed by a friend. Such cruelty——? This is war? If it's hostile, even friends have to fight...... Otherwise, you will lose what you hold dear. Hatred calls for hatred, but the means to appease hatred have long since ceased to exist. It's a cycle of infinite darkness.

"Kill because you were killed...... And he was killed for killing someone......" Cagalli spat out as if asking herself, "and that's the end of it...... Will there really be peace......? ”

Her father had asked her the same question. In the midst of her tears, she resolutely settled down and rearranged her thoughts. looked at the boy in front of him curled up and crying, physically and mentally hurting...... The enemy soldier who wept for the dead as she was.

…… I definitely don't hate him. Kira's death, the cost of her life, she no longer wants anyone to pay for it. Never......!

Since this cycle has to be cut off somewhere. Fighting a war does not bring the war to an end......

The deceased boy also said this with a sad face......

…………

In a haze of consciousness, Kira heard a delicate voice.

“…… Oops, little pink, can't you...... Don't go over ......"

I think I've heard this voice somewhere, right......

When Kira slowly opened her eyes, she found herself in heaven. At that time, Kira only had this thought in her head. Surrounded by green grass and flowers, there is a sweet fragrance with every inhale. Then there was a pink-haired angel under the clear sky, looking at him with a smile.

"Yike...... Good morning. ”

- Yes...... That's right......

In an impossibly serenity, Kira thought.

- I'm dead......

A pink ball rolls over. Kira stares blankly, noticing that there are two points of light in the center, and will say "Hello, Harrow". Looks like I've seen this somewhere. Kira looked back, and the person in front of him, whom he had mistaken for an angel, now seemed a little familiar.

"Lux...... Miss? He called out his name, and the girl smiled warmly, "Oops...... Just call me Lux, please. Kira. "It doesn't look like this is paradise. Unless Lux Klein died before herself, that's a different story......

"I'm glad you remember my name, though."

"Then again, why would she ...... in such a place?" The mind that is not fully awake can only think hard. At that moment, another footstep approached.

"Ah, is he awake?" To the gentle voice it was, a dark-haired man in his forties, walking with the characteristic steps of a blind man. (To be continued.) )