Simultaneous Time Travel: Gundam? All Teammates are Old Six

Chapter 22: The CEO's Rose Thorns and the Mentor's Appearance

[Archangel, Restaurant]

The atmosphere in the ship's dining hall was as oppressive as diesel fuel about to solidify.

The lingering smell of battle mingled with the bland aroma of food and the heavy breathing of people, creating a suffocating mixture. Each table stood like a reef adrift in the deep sea, isolated and silent.

Kira Yamato sat alone in the corner, his plate almost untouched. The piece of synthetic protein meat stood out starkly in the center of the plate, giving off a barely-there feeling.

He mechanically poked at the food with his fork, his mind replaying the scene he'd witnessed at the infirmary door—Frei's blushing profile, gently adjusting the blankets for another boy with a tenderness he'd never experienced before. The hot drink in his hand had long since gone cold, just like his heart, now soaked in guilt, loss, and an indescribable bitterness. He wanted to do something for Ling Yu, but didn't know where to begin; a sense of powerlessness weighed heavily on his chest like lead.

"Da, da, da..."

The sound of crisp footsteps approached from afar, breaking the silence of the restaurant.

Frey Alstar, carrying her tray, walked straight to Kira and slammed it heavily on the table with a deafening thud, like a thunderclap from a clear sky.

The few people in the restaurant, including Sai Akar and Mirialia Hau, instinctively looked over. Their eyes were filled with worry and helplessness, yet they dared not utter a sound.

Kira looked up and saw Frey's cold, furious blue eyes. They were a light that had been completely scorched by grief and anger, devoid of any warmth.

"You seem to have a good appetite, Kira Yamato." Frey's voice was sharp as an ice pick, each word laced with venom, as if she wanted to tear Kira to pieces. "While others are risking their lives, nearly dying, you, the only Coordinator on the ship, are leisurely eating here, and even... have the leisure to spend time with other women?"

"Frei, I..." Kira's lips moved, as if he wanted to explain something, but no sound came out. His throat felt blocked, and all his explanations seemed pale and powerless.

"Why?" Frey leaned forward, her hands gripping the table, staring intently at him like an enraged lioness, ready to tear everything in her path. "Why is it Ling Yu lying in the medical room? Why is it a Natural piloting the Strike Gundam in such a desperate fight? He's bleeding from all seven orifices, his veins are about to burst! You could have done so much better! You could have ended that battle! If, if you could have fought like a true Coordinator, my father's fleet… my father…"

Her words grew increasingly agitated, eventually turning into a heart-wrenching scream. Every word seemed to be squeezed out of the depths of her soul, carrying a powerful accusation against the war, against fate, against Kira, and even against herself.

"Frei! Stop talking!" Miriamia couldn't help but stand up abruptly, her face full of worry, trying to calm the storm that was about to get out of control.

Sai wanted to speak, but looking at Frey's face, contorted with grief and anger, all his words of advice stuck in his throat, turning into a powerless sigh. He knew that Frey wasn't entirely targeting Kira at that moment; she was simply venting her unquenchable despair.

"Did I say something wrong?" Frey turned sharply to them, her eyes red-rimmed, tears welling up but forcing them back. Her angry eyes swept over everyone in the restaurant. "Don't you all think the same way? If he, as a Coordinator, could unleash his full power, Ling Yu wouldn't have needed to go to the battlefield! My father's fleet… perhaps wouldn't have…"

The last few words were swallowed by an uncontrollable sob. Her body trembled, her hands clenched into fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms.

The entire restaurant was deathly silent. Everyone was stunned by the intense grief and anger, and no one dared to utter a sound.

Kira's face was ashen, his head bowed, his shoulders trembling slightly, like a young animal drenched in a downpour with nowhere to hide. Every accusation Frey uttered was like a poisonous thorn, piercing his already fragile heart. He couldn't refute her, because his self-reproach was deeper than anyone else's. He knew he wasn't strong enough, not decisive enough, which was why he had let Ling Yu bear it all for him.

Just then, a voice, tinged with languor and weakness, came from the restaurant entrance, like a sharp yet nimble knife, instantly shattering the oppressive and suffocating atmosphere inside.

"Oh, what a scene! Is this a public denunciation meeting? Am I a little late, the one who almost got denounced to death?"

Everyone turned around abruptly.

Ling Yu, dressed in a loose hospital gown, his face still pale, leaned against the doorframe as if he might collapse at any moment. Yet, his eyes were sharp as a scalpel, precisely capturing the emotional fluctuations of everyone in the restaurant. Invisible ripples seemed to spread through the air.

He didn't look at anyone; his gaze was fixed directly on Frey.

There was no anger or blame in his eyes, only a bottomless, chilling disappointment. It was as if he was seeing through Frey's anger to a deeper level of foolishness and vulnerability that she herself was unaware of.

All of Frey's sharp words and outward anger seemed to vanish instantly under that gaze. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn't utter a single word. Her momentum was completely gone, and she stood there awkwardly like a child caught doing something wrong, the color slowly fading from her face.

Ling Yu slowly walked over, step by step.

Inside the restaurant, only the sound of his dragging footsteps could be heard, each step seeming to pound on people's tense nerves. Maru Ramias and Natal Bakiruru rushed over upon hearing the news and stood at the restaurant entrance, watching this scene with eyes full of doubt and vigilance.

He walked to Frey's side, ignoring the tense gazes of everyone around him, leaned down, and whispered in her ear in a voice only the two of them could hear. His breath, carrying the scent of disinfectant, brushed against Frey's earlobe, sending a shiver down her spine:

"I know you're very upset and under a lot of pressure. But dear 'Chairwoman', a qualified chairwoman would never use sharp words to harm her company's most valuable core assets. Especially... that asset is still lying in a hospital gown, teetering on the brink of collapse."

Chairman... core assets...

These familiar words, coined by him, now struck Frey's heart like a heavy hammer. She wasn't venting her grief for her father and Ling Yu; she was attacking her most important future "ally" and destroying the "company" she had built with her own hands in the most foolish and impulsive way. Ling Yu's words weren't accusations, but a sobering reminder of her "business plan," instantly pulling her out of the emotional vortex.

Ling Yu straightened up, no longer looking at her, and turned to face Kira, whose face was covered in wounds and who looked utterly distraught. His movements were fluid and decisive, every detail brimming with power, showing no signs of weakness.

Under the watchful eyes of the entire restaurant, he did something that surprised everyone, especially Frey.

He bowed deeply and solemnly to Kira.

"Sorry, Kira."

Ling Yu's voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire restaurant, carrying an undeniable force.

"It's my boss's fault for not disciplining you properly, which has caused you trouble."

Boss?

The word caused Maru Ramias and Natal Bakiruru, who had just arrived, to freeze in shock and bewilderment.

What's going on? How did Miss Frey become his "boss"? What kind of strange play is this?

Are young people these days having such fancy games?

Frey shuddered, abruptly looking up at Ling Yu's retreating figure, her lips drained of all color.

He... he was actually protecting me?

Is this a way of publicly admitting that "I am his boss and I will take responsibility for the mistakes my boss made"?

He himself was seriously injured...

"Don't pay attention to those words." Ling Yu straightened up, ignoring the complicated gazes around him, and reached out to Ji La. His hand was pale, with distinct knuckles, yet it carried a convincing strength.

"You are the ace of our ship. Kira, come with me, let's talk. About... how to properly use power."

Kira stared blankly at him, at the outstretched, bony hand reaching towards him. That hand seemed like the only salvation offered as he was about to sink into the abyss.

Then, as if grasping at a last straw, he slowly placed his hand on it.

Amidst the astonished, confused, and inquisitive gazes of the crowd, Ling Yu, pulling a distraught Kira along, limped out of the restaurant without looking back.

Every step he took seemed to herald a new order, a new beginning.

"Ling Yu..." Frey pursed her lips, wanting to reach out and grab his sleeve, but her hand fell limply to the ground. In her eyes, complex emotions surged, including shame and confusion, but more than anything, there was a tremor that she herself couldn't quite explain...

The only person left in the entire restaurant was Frey, who was staring blankly at Ling Yu's retreating figure.

And the silence and suspicion that filled the entire restaurant.