The morning sun cast a warm glow over Shiganshina.
For once...
Eren didn’t head toward the warehouse.
Nor did he begin his usual training.
Instead, he sat beneath the large tree near the river, quietly reading one of Armin’s books.
Not because he was interested in the story.
Because he wanted to enjoy a peaceful morning.
Moments like these...
Wouldn’t last forever.
Footsteps approached from behind.
"I knew I’d find you here."
Eren looked up.
Mikasa stood there, carrying a small basket.
"What do you have?"
She lifted the cloth covering it.
"Lunch."
Eren blinked.
"For us?"
She nodded.
"Aunt Carla said you’ve been skipping meals whenever you train."
"...She noticed?"
"She always notices."
Eren couldn’t help but laugh.
"Sounds like Mom."
Mikasa sat beside him, leaving only a small gap between them.
For several minutes, neither of them spoke.
The breeze rustled the leaves overhead.
Birds chirped in the distance.
It was comfortable.
The kind of silence only close friends could share.
Finally, Mikasa broke it.
"You’ve changed."
Eren smiled wryly.
"I hear that a lot."
"You smile less."
His expression froze for a moment.
"...Do I?"
She nodded.
"When we were younger..."
"...you laughed more."
Eren lowered his gaze.
She wasn’t wrong.
Ever since regaining the memories of another life, he’d been carrying a burden no child should bear.
Sometimes...
He forgot how to simply be Eren.
"I’m sorry."
Mikasa turned to him in surprise.
"You don’t need to apologize."
"I’ve been worrying everyone."
"You worry me."
Her voice was so quiet that he almost missed it.
Eren looked at her.
She wasn’t looking back.
Instead, she stared at the flowing river.
"I don’t like it when you disappear."
"...Disappear?"
"You leave every evening."
"You come back tired."
"And..."
She hesitated.
"...sometimes you look lonely."
Those words struck him harder than any Titan could.
Lonely.
He had never realized someone could see through the smile he forced every day.
Without thinking, he reached out and gently patted her head.
"I’m okay."
Mikasa looked up.
"...You’re lying."
Eren laughed softly.
"Maybe a little."
For the first time that day...
A faint smile appeared on Mikasa’s face.
It was small.
Almost impossible to notice.
But to Eren...
It was worth more than any reward the system had ever given him.
"You smiled."
She quickly looked away.
"I always smile."
"No."
"You almost never do."
"..."
"...You’re smiling now."
A faint blush crept onto her cheeks.
"Don’t tease me."
"I’ll try."
"You won’t."
"I probably won’t."
The two of them laughed together.
From a nearby hill, Armin watched the scene unfold.
He shook his head with a grin.
"So that’s where they disappeared to..."
He quietly turned around and walked away.
Some moments...
Didn’t need an audience.
As the afternoon wore on, the three of them met again near the old warehouse.
Armin excitedly spread another map across a crate.
"I found an old path leading to the river outside the main streets."
Eren leaned closer.
"Really?"
"It isn’t used much anymore."
Interesting.
Another possible evacuation route.
He committed it to memory.
"You always find the best things," Eren said.
Armin smiled proudly.
"I just like reading."
"And one day," Eren replied, "that’ll save more lives than any sword."
Armin laughed, assuming it was just another compliment.
Only Eren knew how true those words might become.
As the sun began to set, the three friends walked home together.
Halfway through the journey, Armin noticed a rare book for sale at a merchant’s stall.
"I’ll catch up!"
Without waiting for an answer, he hurried off.
That left Eren and Mikasa walking side by side.
Neither of them spoke.
Their shoulders occasionally brushed as they walked through the quiet streets.
Mikasa looked up at the orange sky.
"It’s beautiful."
"It is."
"I hope..."
She stopped herself.
"What?"
"...I hope we can stay like this."
Eren’s footsteps slowed.
The words were simple.
But they carried more weight than she realized.
He looked at her for a long moment.
"I’ll do everything I can."
"So we can."
Mikasa didn’t understand why his answer sounded like a promise.
But she believed him.
Without hesitation.
Because if there was one person she trusted more than anyone else...
It was Eren.
As they reached the Yeager house, Carla opened the front door.
"There you are!"
She looked from Eren...
To Mikasa...
Then smiled knowingly.
"You two make quite the team."
"M-Mom..."
Carla laughed.
"What? I didn’t say anything."
Mikasa’s cheeks turned a deeper shade of red.
She quietly slipped into the house.
Eren scratched the back of his head, equally embarrassed.
Carla simply smiled to herself.
Watching the two children, she couldn’t help but think how nice it would be if they always stayed together.
Neither Eren nor Mikasa noticed the affectionate look in her eyes.
But somewhere deep inside...
Both of them felt a warmth they couldn’t quite explain.
Far beyond the walls, however, destiny continued its relentless march.
The peace they cherished was drawing closer to its end.
And that made moments like this...
More precious than ever.