With the alarm clock ringing, Meyrin was jolted awake. She stretched her body, feeling stiff from sitting at the computer all day.

Meyrin opened her room window and noticed that the sun was already up. She had intentionally slept in since she had stayed up late last night. After completing her morning routine, she dressed for work and stepped outside her room.

"What a nice day!" she remarked inwardly, happily making her way to the control room, expecting to be the first one there. However, Meyrin was shocked to see Athrun's brooding back as he focused intently on his computer screen.

Athrun hadn't even noticed her enter the room.

Meyrin gasped and approached her superior, also peering at the screen of his computer.

"Whoa! What a grand coronation!" Meyrin exclaimed rather loudly. Based on her research the previous night, it was the coronation of the new king of Scandinavia. Meyrin was surprised that Athrun was interested in this event because in the months they had been comrades, he had always taken their assignments very seriously, dedicating all his time to completing tasks related to their mission.

Athrun finally noticed her presence. "Good morning," he greeted formally.

Meyrin noticed the dark circles under his eyes. "Ah… good morning…" she replied, confused. It seemed like Athrun hadn't slept.

Meyrin took her seat across from Athrun, still pondering his odd behavior. She turned on her computer and put on her communication device.

Athrun's eyes remained fixed on his screen. Meyrin was a naturally curious person, so she also tuned in to the Scandinavian coronation that Athrun had been watching.

Suddenly, Meyrin's computer rang.

"Commander Yzak Joule wants to connect with you, Athrun-san," she announced.

"Connect it."

Immediately, the passive face of Yzak appeared on Athrun's screen, with a smiling Dearka standing behind him.

"It's been a while, Athrun~," Dearka greeted with his usual playful tone.

Meyrin leaned over, intrigued by their conversation.

"Same here… so why did you call?" Athrun asked flatly as if the two were bothering him.

"Don't give us that attitude, Athrun!" Yzak chimed in, a scowl evident on his face.

Athrun sighed. Yzak and his short temper again. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your call, Commander Joule?"

Yzak smirked, pleased with Athrun's formal greeting. "Hmp! So, I received an invitation from Head Representative Athha to go to Orb."

"What?" It was the first time Athrun had heard of this.

"Yes," Yzak replied arrogantly. "I have a full schedule here in PLANTs, but I might squeeze in a day or two to go to Orb. Relay that to Head Representative Athha."

Athrun was still trying to process the fact that Cagalli had reached out to a ZAFT Commander — especially his former comrade and military classmate. For what purpose? He racked his brain for any connection Cagalli and Yzak had but couldn't recall any particular occasion.

"Just relay that to the Athha Mansion or Cabinet Office, not to me," Athrun replied, as he wasn't Cagalli's secretary who could arrange her schedule.

"Eh?" Yzak and Dearka were shocked. "Dearka told me that you two were inseparable during the First War and you even stayed in Orb."

Athrun merely smiled sadly. "Well, things happened… she's been very busy lately and –"

Yzak interjected, "Were you dumped?!" And before Athrun could answer, he burst into a loud laugh that brought tears to his eyes.

"Yzak!" Dearka scolded him.

"The mighty Athrun Zala, who was chased by girls during our military school days and his time as a ZAFT soldier, was dumped by Head Representative Athha!" Yzak was still uncontrollable with his laughter.

Athrun furrowed his brows, clearly displeased that his former comrade was making fun of him.

"Yzak!" Dearka scolded him again, gesturing that several people were listening to their conversation, considering they were calling from the Military Base.

Yzak immediately stopped his laughter and wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes. "Well, if I were a girl, I would dump you too. Well then, I'll just send a message to Athha Mansion because you are useless." Without even saying goodbye, Yzak ended the call.

Athrun sighed. He had sighed so many times that day already.

Athrun stood up, catching Meyrin looking at him before she quickly averted her eyes. "Ah, sorry about that, Meyrin," he apologized about the rough conversation with Yzak. For several years he had known the white-haired Commander, Athrun is already accustomed to Yzak's temper and sharp tongue.

"I'll just step outside to get some fresh air," Athrun muttered, feeling a headache coming from overthinking since the previous night – Prince Magnus of Scandinavia... Yzak... and Cagalli.

But before Athrun could take a single step outside the control room, Meyrin exclaimed, "Head Representative Athha wants to connect with you, Athrun-san."

Athrun's eyes widened in surprise. In a second, he was back at his computer. Upon the sight of Cagalli, Athrun's headache instantly disappeared.

"I saw your calls last night, sorry, I just found the time to contact you. Did I bother you?" Cagalli said in one breath.

Cagalli appeared to be calling from a room within a castle, judging by the grand architecture visible behind her. Nonetheless, her presence alone was majestic enough to render him speechless. It's been a long time since they had seen each other.

"Athrun?" Cagalli asked after a long pause. "Is the signal here in Scandinavia that bad?"

Athrun smiled, feeling giddy inside. "I can hear you loud and clear."

"Did I call at a bad time?" she inquired further.

There's no such thing as calling at a bad time if the caller was Cagalli, Athrun thought inwardly. "No, I just finished a call with Yzak and he accepted your invitation to go to Orb."

Cagalli beamed, "Thank goodness! I've been wanting to invite him since the First War, but the rehabilitation took a long time and then the Second War happened…"

Did something happen between them that he didn't know? Athrun wondered.

Suddenly, a large-framed blonde man with yellow eyes opened the door behind Cagalli. "There you are, Cagalli!"

Athrun's expression darkened. He recognized him as the newly crowned King Magnus of Scandinavia, already on a first-name basis with Cagalli.

Cagalli turned away from the screen, standing up. Athrun could only hear their conversation. "Magnus, what are you doing here?"

Magnus? Cagalli was on a first-name basis with him too! And what were Cagalli's bodyguards thinking, allowing an outsider to enter the room of the Head Representative?

"I was looking for you because you said you know the proper way to eat a kebab, it's the first time I've had one," the deep voice of King Magnus could only be heard by Athrun.

King Magnus and Cagalli were already discussing gastronomic preferences? It's only their second day of knowing each other, and they were already overly familiar. Athrun felt his headache returning.

"Wait, did I interrupt something?" King Magnus asked. "Are you in the middle of a call?"

Cagalli returned to her seat, her face now visible to Athrun, but she was still facing the blond king, "It's nothing, just go ahead and I'll follow."

It's nothing? Talking to me is nothing? Athrun's thoughts ran wild.

"Sorry about that Athrun, but I have to go. Good work. Send my regards to Meyrin," Cagalli hurriedly wrapped up the call with Athrun. She smiled briefly, and upon Athrun's small nod, she immediately ended the call.

Yes, Athrun's headache is indeed coming back.