The Yellow Brick Road

Chapter 24: CHOICE – Athrun chooses

January, C.E. 82

She sees him just as she exits the Parliament building. He's standing across the street in jeans and an untucked dress shirt. He seems healthy. Weary, but healthy.

"Chief Representative?" The guard calls Cagalli's attention. He had opened the car door for her.

Cagalli stares at the man across the street. He's staring at her too. She doesn't know what he's doing here, or what he wants. And honestly if it had been any other person on the other side of the road, it would have been downright creepy.

She closes her eyes, sighing. She can feel she's about to make a bad decision. She takes a step back from the car, and shakes her head at the guard, signalling him to close the car door. She knocks on the driver's window. Once he pulls the window down, she tells him, "I'll bring myself home tonight. You can go now."

"Are you sure, Lady Cagalli?"

"Yes. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Cagalli flashes him a big smile.

"If you say so, Ma'am. I'll see you in the morning. G'night!" The driver pulls the window up, and drives away, with Cagalli waving at him from behind.

Cagalli looks up again to see the man staring at her. She can't quite figure out his eyes, and the way he looks at her. Then again, she can't quite figure how to feel about the man who broke her heart coming back so suddenly after so long either. In any case, she's not afraid of him; and she's sure he's harmless. She swallows and walks across the street to meet him.

X

"How long have you been here?" Cagalli wears the hardened stare she's practiced several times on her own, the look she often displays when faced with the emirs at a parliament session. At this point, she's not about to give anything away, not even to Athrun Zala.

Athrun's eyes study her for a second, his gaze soft. His voice is even softer. "About half a year or so."

But Cagalli isn't about to give in so easily, even if she can already feel a lump in her throat. She's a seasoned politician— she can handle talking to an ex-boyfriend. It's not like this is the first time an ex came to see her anyway. Cagalli figures it's much easier to be direct. "So you came to see me now. Why?"

Athrun notices the unnatural tempering of her voice. He's treading on thin ice, so he proceeds with caution. "I just felt it was time. I'm back on my feet with some semblance of where I want my life to go." Athrun knows he shouldn't bite more than he can chew, but he's already come this far. "So I thought it would be alright to see you again."

"I see." This is probably the point when Cagalli should've bid him goodbye and turned away. But it's Athrun. And no matter how much she denies it, Athrun's different from her other ex-boyfriends — a cut above the rest, in fact. Besides, no one has seen him in ten years, and she's curious. "So, where do you want your life to go?"

"It's probably better to show you." Athrun's smile is so gentle, and Cagalli melts just the slightest bit. "Do you have time to spare?"

"I'm free," Cagalli says before thinking, grumbling to herself that Athrun brings out the worst in her.

X

Cagalli finds herself looking at a small two-story shop that's obviously in the process of being furnished. The glass door and large window are noticeably dusty, and they have large white tapes that form an X-mark pasted on them. The wooden signage hanging above the window looks too old and worn-out that Cagalli can barely make out the words on it.

Athrun's gaze is fixed on Cagalli as she surveys the establishment. She's become older, much older than she should look at her age, though Athrun feels the style is more deliberate than anything. Her features have become sharper and more toned. She exudes a kind of power that intimidates, a presence that he knows can only be built by years of hardened experience. She exhibits total control of her expressions and movements, with just the slightest hint of emotion — you barely even notice it, and only if you pay very close attention. Every step, gaze and flick of the hand are calculated that it's almost scary. But Athrun knows she needs all of that to survive in her position. There can be no instance that paints her as vulnerable — never again. But despite these changes, she is still the same Cagalli he remembers. He can still sense the emotion, energy and warmth brimming inside her in the way she shifts her gaze or her tone or her posture. If anything's really changed, it's that she's become even more beautiful than he ever thought possible.

Athrun admits it's quite shameless of him to appear all of a sudden after almost a decade of no communication. They have, for all intents and purposes, severed their connection when he left Orb after the second war. So really, he should be very thankful Cagalli hasn't kicked him to the curb just yet. But he's still here, not really knowing how he should direct the conversation or even what he expects out of this conversation; all he knows is that he should at least try something — anything. So Athrun figures the best thing to do is to catch up first because ten years is a long time, and he should start rebuilding whatever friendship is left.

"The Zala family came from old money," Athrun explains, as he leads Cagalli through the door and into the shop. "And being the only heir, I've inherited a small fortune, which the PLANTs released when I submitted the proper documents a few years ago, and I transferred some of it to an Orb bank."

Cagalli looks around the shop. White shelves are either lined up against the wall or positioned in the middle. There is an L-shaped table to the right of the store, which Cagalli assumes will serve as a checkout counter, while a few wooden work desks are placed to the left. Large sheets of plastic are strewn over the shelves and tables, and large cardboard boxes filled with colorful scraps of metal are littered on the floor. Cagalli isn't any expert, but she can make an educated guess what those colorful scraps of metal will be used for. She turns to Athrun. "And you've decided to open up a toy shop." Cagalli takes Athrun's nod as confirmation. "That is...unexpected."

Athrun leans against the nearby shelf, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, aside from being a soldier, making those toys is the only thing I'm good at."

"I hardly believe that," Cagalli replies easily, almost scoffing. She probably shouldn't be so talkative but she can't help herself. She picks up one of the scraps of metal. It's hot pink with a convex shape, and she recalls the annoying round machine that jumps around Lacus all the damn time. "To your benefit, haros haven't actually been introduced to the mainstream market at all. And since you'll be doing the handiwork yourself, then there's a definite premium. If you're able to innovate continuously in the succeeding years, I don't see why your shop wouldn't succeed." She places the metal back into the box and shoots a side glance at Athrun, who has since put his hands in his pockets and put on an amused smile. Cagalli thinks nothing of it. "You're cleared for all the required documents?"

"Of course."

Cagalli faces him then. Regardless of who they are to each other, she still wants to ensure he's all set and well. "And have you hired your staff?"

"I'm in the process of doing that, yes."

"But —Haro Toys." Cagalli narrows her eyes at the words on a large newly-printed signage leaning against what she supposes is the checkout counter. She frowns. "That is a terrible name."

But Athrun is unbothered. "It's clear and straight to the point."

Cagalli purses her lips in disdain. "Be sure to hire yourself a good marketer, Athrun. You'll need one."

Athrun gives out a light chuckle, but he's nodding. "I'll take note of that."

Cagalli looks around again, inspecting the interior, and she asks nonchalantly, "When are you scheduled to open?"

"In a few months." Athrun's answer comes easily from him, but he pauses for a few seconds before continuing. "Will you come to the opening?"

Cagalli stops in her movements, and she turns to face Athrun once more, his expression almost hopeful. She drops her gaze and lightly brushes her fingertips against a nearby table. She knows where this conversation is headed, and she doesn't want them to make anything less than an informed decision. So she finally decides to lay out all her cards because there's no use in keeping them hidden. This isn't a parliament session. It's Athrun. She knows what he wants, what he's always wanted — a wife, a family, a home. But she can't give him that. "You know I can't give you what you want."

It's a response Athrun's always expected, so he isn't really disappointed— well, he's a bit disappointed. But it's Cagalli, and it isn't like he came back to Orb not knowing what it will have to take to stay. "I know. I'm still here anyway. And I'll always be here. Regardless of any romantic attachment to you." He says it because it's the truth, and he means every word.

For a moment, Cagalli allows herself to be vulnerable and betray emotion. "Athrun —"

"Of course I'd prefer to maintain the romantic attachment," Athrun quickly adds. There's no point in being anything but honest to Cagalli, after all. "But I know better than to force you into something you don't want to do." Because after ten years, he's learned and accepted that there are bigger things in life than their relationship. It hurts — he's not going to lie, but that's the reality of their world, and he's mature enough to handle it with grace.

Cagalli doesn't answer immediately. After a moment's silence, Cagalli, with her voice just above a whisper, asks, "Have you found yourself?"

Athrun nods. It took years, but he has. And he can say that in good conscience.

Cagalli probes further. "And you're sure this is where you want to be?"

Athrun nods again. In truth, he's always known what destination he wanted to journey towards. It's just been a very long and confusing journey.

Cagalli is frightened and hesitant. She does not want to be hurt a second time by the same person she — despite her numerous attempts to deny it — still loves dearly. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because now I know and understand that I have a choice in this world." Athrun takes her hand in his, and his eyes never leave hers. "Love is a choice. Commitment is a choice." He kisses both her hands, rough and weary but strong and firm. "And I choose you."