Lelouch went back to Ashford Academy. He started running to the school, before bumping into Suzaku, who had a backpack on his back. Suzaku fell down and a bunch of textbooks and papers fell on the grass. Lelouch nervously smiled, while Suzaku started picking up his stuff.

Suzaku said, "Oh, no, I hope my stuff didn't get ruined."

Lelouch replied, "I'm sorry, Suzaku. Do you need any help?"

Suzaku said, "That's okay."

Lelouch asked, "What are you up to?"

Suzaku said, "I had to miss today's classes, because I had an important military mission to work on."

Lelouch responded, "I see. How did that go?"

Suzaku sighed and said, "Technically speaking, everything went well."

Lelouch quickly noticed Suzaku's lack of excitement. Even though Suzaku was on the winning side, he didn't look like a winner. Lelouch wondered if Suzaku felt some guilt, for working for the Britannians. He had an amused look on his face, while saying, "No offense, but it doesn't look like everything went well. You look upset."

Suzaku replied, "The Britannians did win, because Zero gave up, but Zero and the others were allowed to leave. That shouldn't have happened. They should of been captured and brought to justice."

Lelouch (talking in his head): "Oh, Suzaku, you were my best friend during my childhood years, and after years of being separated and missing each other, we finally reunited. I was hoping we could be best friends, once again. I was hoping our different views, on how to save Japan, wouldn't compromise our friendship, but I'm afraid they have. As Lelouch, I still see you as my best friend and as someone I can still respect and trust. However, as Zero, I see you as an enemy, who is making foolish decisions. Do you really want to save Japan, Suzaku? You know you can't do that, by serving the enemies, you idiot."

Lelouch started looking frustrated, so Suzaku looked concerned about him. He asked, "Are you okay, Lelouch?"

Lelouch answered, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Suzaku replied, "You seem mad about something."

Lelouch said, "I am. I missed school today, because I had a cold, which I'm thankful about. However, I'm dreading all the catchup work I'll have to do."

Suzaku smiled, while saying, "Oh, Lelouch. You always get upset over the silliest of things."

Lelouch defensively replied, "School isn't silly. Frankly, I wish it was. Instead, it's boredom central."

Suzaku replied, "Your fears and angers are always so innocent and wholesome, compared to the dreariness of the war. It's always nice to hear from you. As silly as it might sound, it brightens my day."

Lelouch responded, "It's not silly. After all, we're old friends."

Shirley walked by. Lelouch and Suzaku waved to her. Shirley looked happy, while waving to Suzaku. However, she looked uncomfortable, while waving to Lelouch. Shirley (talking in her head): "What's going on? The mere sight of Lelouch's face makes me want to make a run for it, but why is that?"

Suzaku had a friendly smile on his face, while saying, "Hi, Shirley. How are you doing?"

Shirley replied, "Oh, I'm doing okay. I was just heading to my swimming practice. I didn't see you guys, today."

Suzaku responded, "Yeah, I had military work and Lelouch has a cold."

Shirley reluctantly looked at Lelouch and said, "Um, are you feeling okay?"

Lelouch replied, "I'm okay, but I still feel kind of out of it. I might take the next day off, depending on how well I feel."

Shirley responded, "I see. Well, I better get going." Shirley looked like she was in a rush, while walking away.

Suzaku looked back at Lelouch and asked, "How are things going, between you and Shirley?"

Lelouch answered, "There's nothing going on. She and I are just going our separate ways."

Suzaku replied, "Do you actually think that's what's going on?"

Lelouch said, "She wants nothing to do with me. She's made that clear. I don't blame her. I know I'm not the most reliable or mature guy."

Suzaku replied, "Lelouch, it was clear Shirley really likes you. She didn't always call you Lulu, just for the heck of it."

Lelouch responded, "She had feelings for me, at one time, but that's over with."

Suzaku said, "You probably just did something, that upset her. You should see what's going on and apologize to her."

Lelouch wished it was that simple for him and Shirley to start getting along. However, he figured his friendship with Shirley was a hopeless case, at this point. However, there was a tiny bit of him, that did some wishful thinking, so he said, "I might do that. I'll see you around, Suzaku."

Suzaku replied, "Okay. It was good seeing you."

Shirley went to the changing room and got on her swimming uniform. Shirley stood on the diving board in silence. She took a deep breath and prepared to make a graceful jump into the pool.

Kallen walked by and said, "There's something I want to ask you about!" Shirley started losing her balance. She fell off the diving board and splashed into the pool. She sighed, while Kallen nervously smiled. Kallen said, "I'm sorry, Shirley."

Shirley replied, "It's okay. What's going on?"

Kallen said, "There's something I'm wondering about Lelouch."

Shirley responded, "I also have plenty of questions for him, too."

Kallen said, "Well, I have one, that I'm hoping you can answer."

Shirley replied, "I don't know that much about Lelouch, but you're welcome to ask."

Kallen asked, "Did Lelouch attend class, today?"

Shirley explained, "No he didn't. He had a cold."

Kallen (talking in her head): "A cold? I'm not buying that." Kallen asked, "Did he mention if he's coming to class, tomorrow?"

Shirley answered, "He said that he'll think about it. It depends on how much sleep he gets."

Kallen (talking in her head): "Lelouch probably said that, because he doesn't know how long tonight's battle is going to go on for." She said, "Thank you, Shirley."

Shirley looked confused, while saying, "Um, you're welcome."

Lelouch paced around the back of Ashford Academy, while getting out his cellphone and calling C. C.

C. C. asked, "How soon will my pizza be ready?"

Lelouch looked annoyed, while saying, "This is Lelouch, not a pizza delivery guy."

C. C. smirked, while saying, "After all this Zero stuff is done, you should consider getting a job at the local pizza place. You'd win over my heart, if you did that."

Lelouch sternly said, "Don't say stuff like that. Look, I need your advice."

C. C. replied, "And I need pizza."

Lelouch said, "Look, I'm being serious. I'm having some confused emotions."

C. C. replied, "That seems to be a regular thing with you. What's going on?"

Lelouch sighed and said, "It's about Shirley."

C. C. replied, "I saw that coming."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow and asked, "What are you talking about?"

C. C. explained, "You talk about her, all the time. You even mention her, during times you should be focusing on your military missions. Speaking of that, you know you have a battle against the Britannian military, tonight."

Lelouch responded, "I know, but for now, I just need some advice. Shirley keeps avoiding me, which is an affect from my geass. However, I keep feeling the need to check on her. I want to know that my geass hasn't caused her any damage."

C. C. asked, "Where is Shirley, right now?"

Lelouch answered, "At her swimming practice."

C. C. said, "Then pay her a quick visit. Ask if she's okay and if she says yes, then say you're glad and move on."

Lelouch replied, "Okay then. I'll check up on her."

C. C. said, "Lelouch, since we're bringing about relationships, I have a question of my own, that I'd like to ask you."

Lelouch replied, "Um, okay. What is it?"

C. C. put Lelouch on the spot, by asking, "Who do you like more: Me or Shirley?"

Lelouch's eyebrows rose in fear. He looked embarrassed, while saying, "C. C., you're not supposed to ask that type of stuff!"

C. C. chuckled, while saying, "Judging by your panicked vocal tone, I'm guessing you haven't decided."

Lelouch replied, "C. C., that's not an appropriate thing to ask me, especially at this time. I already have too much on my mind."

C. C. said, "Then go workout things with Shirley."

Lelouch replied, "I will."

C. C. said, "And get me a fresh pizza. I'm tired of the microwaved leftovers. If I'm going to stay up and participate in a battle, at eleven in the evening, I'm expecting a tasty reward."

Lelouch angrily sighed and said, "I'll go to the pizza place, after I talk to Shirley."

C. C. grinned, while responding, "Thank you. You're the best."

A few minutes later, Shirley was on the diving board. She prepared to jump into the pool.

Lelouch walked by and said, "Shirley, there's something I want to ask you."

Once again, Shirley lost her balance. She fell into the pool and made a big splash. A bunch of water landed on Lelouch. He chuckled, while Shirley stared up at him. Shirley (talking in her head): "Oh, no. It's that Lelouch guy, once again. He's so close by, that I feel I have to get out of here." Shirley stepped out of the pool and grabbed her towel.

Lelouch said, "Listen, Shirley. I'm sorry to bother you. I just want to know if you're okay."

Shirley nervously started stepping away from Lelouch, while saying, "Look, you don't need to worry about me, Lelouch. I'm totally fine. Please, excuse me." She started running away.

Lelouch (talking in his head): "Poor Shirley. I thought I was keeping her out of harm's way, by using my geass on her and making her lose interest in me. The geass is more powerful and dangerous, than I thought it would be. The geass should be in the eye of someone older and more experienced, like General Tohdoh. I'm probably too emotional and reckless, that have this geass. However, I can't give it up. I need to use it to help me crush Britannia."

Lelouch went into his personal room of the hideout and gave C. C. a fresh pizza from the pizza place. She smiled and quickly grabbed the pizza. She opened the box and started drooling. Lelouch looked amused, while saying, "Well, you sure seem to be happy with your dinner."

C. C. replied, "That's for sure. Thank you, for getting it for me."

Lelouch responded, "You're welcome."

C. C. saw that Lelouch's clothes and hair looked wet, so she asked, "What happened?"

Lelouch explained, "I checked on Shirley, at the swimming pool. She accidentally splashed some water at me."

C. C. started eating her first slice of pizza, before asking, "How did things go with her?"

Lelouch said, "She ran away, when I tried to walk up to her and ask her how she's doing. It appears the power of the geass is stronger, than I could of ever predicated. It makes her feel the need to get away from me, as soon as I come by."

C. C. replied, "You only have yourself to blame. You used your geass on her, to make her stay away from you."

Lelouch looked gloomy, while saying, "Yes, this is my fault. I wanted to protect Shirley. At least, she'll be out of harm's way, since she's staying away from me."

C. C. replied, "In that case, you really are picking favorites."

Lelouch raised an eyebrow, while saying, "Excuse me?"

C. C. replied, "Shirley's the girl, that you make sure stays away from the bad guys. As for me, you have no problem with me joining you on the battlefield."

Lelouch said, "You're older, wiser, and more capable or protecting yourself. Besides, I'd be lost, without you by my side."

C. C. asked, "Really? What do you mean?"

Lelouch explained, "To be honest, I don't really know. I've felt so alone, for about a decade. I've had friends and have hung around other people. Despite that, I still felt alone. However, when you came along, things started changing. For the first time, I felt like I had somebody that cared about me and that I could confide in."

C. C. said, "I felt the same type of loneliness, until you came into my life."

Lelouch looked surprised, while asking, "Really?"

C. C. nodded and explained, "I've spent living longer than well over the average lifespan. During that time, person after person has come and gone out of my life. I hadn't met anybody, who I truly connect with and cared for, in the way I've bonded with you."

Lelouch looked shocked, while saying, "I wasn't expecting to hear this. I must say I'm flattered." Lelouch and C. C. held hands, while smiling at each other. He said, "C. C., you know how to throw out brutal honesty, don't you?"

C. C. replied, "You better believe I can. You look like a mess, in those wet clothes."

Lelouch said, "That wasn't what I wanted to ask you. Do you think I'm going to win this war?"

C. C. replied, "As long as you have me around, you're good to go."

Lelouch looked amused, while saying, "Wow, you think highly of yourself, don't you? I can't really complain, since I'm guilty of the same thing."

C. C. smirked, while replying, "Hey, we're both awesome, aren't we? It's not something we can help."

Lelouch said, "Shirley isn't the only close friend of mine, who I'm struggling to keep in my life. I'm afraid Suzaku is a problem, as well."

C. C. responded, "He's the pilot of the Lancelot, isn't he?" Lelouch nodded. C. C. replied, "He's your friend, at school, but your enemy on the battlefield."

Lelouch responded, "I'm afraid that's the case. I wish I could of gotten Suzaku to side with me. He could of been one of the most valuable and helpful members of the Black Knights. Instead of joining our case, he's working with Princess Cornelia, in the Britannian military."

C. C. asked, "Why is he doing that? Does he favor Britannia, instead of Japan?"

Lelouch looked angry, while saying, "No. Despite everything Suzaku's done, I know that's not the case. Suzaku loves Japan and he wants to save it."

C. C. replied, "If that's the case, why is he working with the Britannians?"

Lelouch explained, "I guess he thinks he can change things, from the inside. I would call that overly ambitious, but I'm guilty of the same thing. I'm a Britannian, yet I work with the Japanese. Suzaku and I are both confounding mysterious, that nobody truly understands. I used to think Suzaku and I could at least understand each other and that we'd always be there for each other. I never really got along with Clovis, Schneizel, or my other brothers. Suzaku was the closest thing I had to a brother, and he was certainly the closest thing I had to a best friend. Since Suzaku hates Zero and wants to bring him down, I fear we'll no longer be the best of friends."

C. C. put her pizza down, stood up, and put her hand on Lelouch's shoulder. She said, "I'm afraid you may have to sacrifice your friendships, with both Shirley and Suzaku, for their safety and in order to win this war. However, for what it's worth, you're the best friend I've ever had."

Lelouch smiled, while saying, "Thank you, C. C. That means a lot to me." C. C. hugged Lelouch.