Meanwhile, a young soldier is running around White Base, trying to fill in for the captain, who as been injuried. This soldier is of course Bright Noah (also sometimes spelled "Noa"). He needs someone who can pilot the ship, due to the death of the helmsman. And the person that volunteers? Yep, it's Mirai.
It seems that Bright's first impression of Mirai is "Thank God, I've found someone to get us out of here." While most everyone else on White Base seems to think that Bright is a know-it-all, I'm-better-than-you kind of person, he really isn't. He's just not used to the leadership role that's been thrust upon him. Mirai sees this and is one person that Bright becomes close to.
Although their relationship is mainly friendly at first, it soon becomes clear that they show interests in each other. Lots of people seem to think of Bright as stoic, he is pretty much the opposite. He's a very emotional guy, despite him trying not to be. However, in the front of MSG, the main emotion he shows is anger, but slowly, over time, you can see emotional he really is. One of the first signs of him showing more than friendship to Mirai is when a Zaku is on top of White Base and Mirai suggests to flip the ship upside down. She is the only one on White Base without a seatbeat, and Bright expresses his concern of her safety.
But something much major happened after that. Ryu was killed in a kamikaze attack, which saved the rest of the White Base crew. Bright takes Ryu's death the hardest (although he had nothing to do with it, but Ryu was a part of their crew) and with the added stress of being the commander, falls ill. He lieteraly falls ill, for he faints falls out of the captain's seat. They were in the middle of battle, but of course, Mirai turned around and tried to help him. She was stopped by Sayla, who reminded her that they were in the middle of fighting. Mirai is second-in-command of the ship and assumes Bright's postion, realizing how hard it really is. Mirai often goes to visit him the infirmary (it's more like she visits him whenever she's not needed on the bridge). When Bright is feeling a bit better and is moved to his room, she tells him that she isn't really fit for the job of commander. Bright tells her to do it for him. She agrees to keep trying, but only because he asked her to. It seems that she'd rather be at his bedside, taking care of him. On Bright's part, he writes her a very long packet on how to be a commander. I don't think he wouldn't have written that for anybody else, even if he was well.
After the death of Matilda, Bright is fully recovered and becomes in the charge one more. However, things between him and Mirai cool down, and they go back to being friends that show interest in each other more than they know.
It isn't until Jaburo that things heat up again. While at a meeting, a general that was a friend of Mirai's father spills the beans about her already being engaged to marry someone. Bright fells very betrayed by this, considering how close he had become to her and his unspoken feelings. Mirai tells him that the engagment was arranged by her parents and that she doesn't love her fiancé. Bright is still upset and Mirai says that her fiancé is proabably dead.
Immediately after all this, Bright and Mirai meet the man that has been assigned to join the White Base crew. His name is Sleggar Rowe (or Sleggar Law). He is a total flirt, and in my opinon, a pervert. Sleggar tries to flirt with Sayla, but is rejected. So he tries to play his hand with Mirai. She is the most timid of the two girls and doesn't tell him off. Sleggar makes a point to flirt with her in front of Bright. It's obvious that Mirai doesn't like that, but Bright can't haul off and "Bright Slap" him, because Sleggar would report him to the brass.
Things get even crazier when they have to go to Side Six, a.k.a. the place where Mirai's fiancé lives. When they arrive, guess who comes to greet the ship? It's Cameron Bloom, they man she hoped not to see. Bright is evern more upset because Cameron still wants to marry her. In fact, he wants to take Mirai off White Base. She tells him that she wants to stay on the ship and that she doesn't care for him the way he does for her. He says that he loves her, but understands and lets Mirai go. But this isn't the last we see of Cameron. Because Side Six is a netural space colony, both the Earth Federation and Zeon can dock there, but as White Base leaves it can be fired upon. He offers to escort the ship a ways out of the Side Six region. Bright excepts the offer; Mirai refuses. Sleggar randomly comes out of nowhere and slaps her, saying that she is a silly women, and that Cameron is a silly man to offer. Cameron calls Sleggar a barbarian and says that his offer still stands. He escorts the ship away, but his feeling for Mirai stay.
Then something strange happen that doesn't make much sense to me, but I'll try and tell the story. During the Battle of Solomon, Mirai seems distraught about something. Bright has a private conversation with her (which is not permitted during battle), and asks her what's wrong. He apparently knows that it has something to do with Sleggar and tells her that he will always be waiting for her. If he had been saying it to me, I'd be all over him. But Mirai doesn't do that. Bright lets her take a break, and what does she do? Go find Sleggar and kiss him, that's what she does. Why, I do not know. Sleggar gives her a ring and then goes off to battle and dies. Mirai weeps and Bright himself starts tearing up.
Bright obviously doesn't want to make a move now, but it hurts him to see Mirai so upset. He constantly asks her if she is okay, and she lies, saying she's fine. Unforunately, I didn't see "Char and Sayla" episode, or the last three to the end. I did see the last episode, but it was all battle. The move version doesn't go any further into the Bright and Mirai relationship. So head on over to "Between Mobile Suit Gundam and Zeta Gundam" section to find out more.