"What are you doing here?" I felt bad that those were the first words that I said after I hadn't seen her for ages, but to come and visit me here? What is she thinking?
She smiled serenely at me, the pink haro that I made her bouncing at her side. "I came to see you, obviously. We haven't talked in such a long time." She said, looking at me earnestly.
I did feel kind of guilty that I'd been neglecting to contact her. "Yeah, sorry about that. I've been kind busy. Anyway, what about you? What have you been up to?" Being with Lacus around other people always made me nervous, because I felt like everyone was watching us. No one outside of our friends and relatives know that our engagement was arranged. "Do you want to go somewhere more private to talk?"
She shook her head. "Actually, I can't stay long." She told me. "I just came to tell you something. I've been asked to do a televised performance." This wasn't uncommon. Lacus appeared on TV quite often.
"That's great." I said, with as much enthusiasm as I could muster.
She shook her head again. "No, Athrun. This is special. I've been asked to host the one year memorial commemoration of the Bloody Valentine tragedy." She paused to let her words sink in. Everyone knows that my mother died in the Junius Seven disaster, and even one year later, the very words still make me shake with anger. Tens of thousands of innocents killed, even children, and for what? To make a statement? To start a war?
Lacus' expression softened into sympathy before she continued, "I'll understand if you can't watch. I know how hard it is for you, being constantly reminded of it. Anyway, what I came to say is that I'll be away filming for the next two months. Songs have to be written, then loads of filming, recording sessions and so on. We'll be staying out in the wreckage for most of the time." She continued on with more information but I have to admit I zoned out a bit.
"Do you want to hear it?" Lacus' voice broke me out of my train of thought. I had no idea what she was talking about, so I apologised and asked her to repeat.
"I said, I've started on writing a new song. Would you like to hear it?" I nodded. Lacus had such a beautiful voice that came naturally, unlike many other co-ordinator singers. Genetic manipulation allowed many to improve their voices, but a voice like Lacus' couldn't be created like that.
She closed her eyes and began to sing. Soldiers walking past in the corridor stopped and stared in awe.
"I watched as you so peacefully dreamed,
You laughed like a child, happy and carefree.
It's so familiar and yet, so far.."
She would've continued, had a cold voice not interrupted. "Well, this is a surprise." Commander Le Creuset stood in the corridor, with his group of ZAFT officers. "Lacus Clyne, here in our training academy. This is an honour, daughter of the chairman." He adjusted the mask that obscured his face. "You have quite an incredible voice, wouldn't you agree, Athrun?"
"Yes, sir." I replied, straightening. I was surprised to know that Le Creuset knew who I was.
"An incredible voice, to be sure, but probably not best displayed in the corridors of the training academy. I am sorry, but visitors are not allowed in this section of the building." I could see a hint of a smile on Le Creuset's face. "Allow me to escort you out, Miss Clyne. As for you, Athrun, I suggest you get back to class." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed me, and Lacus gave me a final wave before she turned to follow Le Creuset out of the academy.