The morning after their promise...
Nothing seemed different.
Eren still woke before sunrise.
Grisha still left early to visit his patients.
Carla still hummed while preparing breakfast.
And Mikasa still waited outside the Yeager house.
As if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"You came early."
"You said we’d train."
"I did."
"So I’m here."
Eren smiled.
She never broke a promise.
Their training had become routine.
Not the brutal sessions Eren did alone.
These were simple.
Running.
Climbing trees.
Throwing stones at wooden targets.
Helping each other improve.
Mikasa’s talent was obvious.
Every movement became smoother after only a few attempts.
Every mistake disappeared almost immediately.
Watching her, Eren couldn’t help but think,
"No wonder she became humanity’s strongest soldier after Levi."
Unfortunately...
That future came with unbearable pain.
Not this time.
He refused to let it happen.
After training, the two of them sat beneath a large oak tree.
Mikasa handed him a small towel.
"Your forehead."
"Hm?"
"You’re sweating."
Eren laughed.
"So are you."
Without thinking, he used the towel to gently wipe the dirt from her cheek.
"..."
The moment he realized what he’d done...
He froze.
Mikasa froze too.
The two of them stared at each other in complete silence.
A faint blush slowly spread across Mikasa’s face.
"...Thank you."
Her voice was barely above a whisper.
Eren awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
"Sorry."
"For what?"
"I..."
"...never mind."
To his surprise...
Mikasa smiled.
A genuine one.
Small.
Soft.
But beautiful.
"I don’t mind."
From several meters away...
Carla had witnessed the entire exchange.
She quietly giggled.
"Oh my..."
Later that afternoon, she found Grisha organizing medicine.
"Our son is growing up."
Grisha looked confused.
"What happened?"
"You’ll see."
"I doubt it."
Carla simply smiled.
Some things...
Only mothers noticed.
That evening, the weather suddenly changed.
Dark clouds gathered over Shiganshina.
Rain began falling without warning.
"Eren!"
Carla called from the doorway.
"Mikasa hasn’t gone home yet!"
Eren immediately grabbed an umbrella.
"I’ll find her."
He eventually spotted her near the riverside.
She stood beneath a tree, trying to protect a basket from the rain.
"What are you doing?"
"I was waiting."
"...For me?"
She nodded.
"I thought..."
"...we were walking home together."
Eren couldn’t help smiling.
"You could’ve gone home."
"I wanted to wait."
His heart felt strangely warm.
He opened the umbrella.
"Come on."
The two of them walked side by side beneath the same umbrella.
The rain continued to fall around them.
Occasionally, their shoulders bumped together.
Neither moved away.
The umbrella wasn’t very large.
Which meant they naturally walked closer than usual.
Neither seemed to mind.
Halfway home, a strong gust of wind blew through the street.
Mikasa shivered.
She wasn’t wearing enough layers.
Without hesitation, Eren removed the familiar red scarf from around his neck.
The same scarf he had worn almost every day since Carla made it for him.
He gently wrapped it around Mikasa’s neck.
"There."
She looked down in surprise.
"But..."
"You’ll catch a cold."
"What about you?"
"I’ll be fine."
She touched the scarf carefully.
It was warm.
Still carrying Eren’s warmth.
"...Thank you."
She held the scarf close, almost unconsciously smiling.
For the rest of the walk...
She never let go of it.
When they arrived at the Yeager house, Carla opened the door.
The first thing she noticed wasn’t the rain.
It wasn’t the muddy shoes.
It wasn’t even the umbrella.
It was the scarf around Mikasa’s neck.
Carla’s smile widened immediately.
"Eren."
"Hm?"
"That scarf looks good on her."
Eren blinked.
"...It does."
Mikasa instinctively lowered her head, trying to hide the blush spreading across her cheeks.
Carla laughed softly.
"I think you should keep wearing it until it dries."
"...Really?"
"Of course."
Mikasa nodded quietly.
"I’ll take good care of it."
Eren smiled.
"I know you will."
That night...
As Eren lay in bed, the system quietly appeared.
Ding.
Relationship Updated.
Mikasa Ackerman
Affection: ↑
Trust: Maximum
Bond: Unbreakable
Special Trait Unlocked:
Shared Resolve
When fighting side by side, both parties experience increased determination.
Eren looked at the notification.
Then closed it.
For once...
He wasn’t thinking about rewards.
He was thinking about the smile Mikasa had worn while holding his scarf.
It reminded him of something.
No matter how many times he changed the future...
Some moments were simply meant to happen.
Outside, the rain slowly stopped.
Beyond Wall Maria...
The world remained silent.
Waiting.
Watching.
Preparing for the day that would change everything.
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