ACKERMAN

15. Changes

It was calm. Quiet even.

Y/n wished it would just be like that for the rest of the day, but that would be asking for too much.

It was lunch, Y/n was quick to escape before any of her classmate could ask her to join them for meal which the girl always had a hard time declining unless she had a reasonably honest reason why she should not join them.

Besides, the girl did like spending lunch with them because it's more comfortable than being alone.

However, she escaped today so she could have some refresher. A time for herself as she finally sneaked into the backdoor where the forest was. She thought she needed to rest for a while before checking out on the rest of the squad.

Finding herself in a comfortable tree, Y/n sat. She pondered about a lot of things despite the argument in her head that says that she should be happy because she's no longer alone.

The brother she so much missed had come to this place and the friends she cherished were happy to see her as well. But Eren didn't seem to enthusiastic as he always was.

She inhaled deep, catching the scent of the trees around her which gave her a calmer atmosphere.

Yes, her problem right now was Eren. One of her special someone that she missed as well. His aura seemed to have... changed? And the formerly enthusiastic eyes that she loved to looked at, seemed like it belonged to a distant stranger now, lifeless and unmotivated.

It worried her to no end. Just when she thought--well, expected, that everything was falling to a place of her happiness at least. But guess not.

She wanted to talk to him. Given that chance she would probably ask a lot of questions and inquire him why he ignored her all of the sudden so she'll know what to do in the future.

And it seems like her wish came true. In the midst of her worried thoughts, she heard a zipping noise and someone landing beside her from the branch she sat from.

The girl turned towards the said person, not failing her expectation and finally saw Eren again.

So he still knew that she likes to run into a forest when she's nowhere to be seen in general, huh?

She greeted him with a smile on her face as she looked at him stood there.

"The squad is looking for you." He said in a monotonous voice which Y/n had noticed.

"I thought I'd get a bit of fresh air." She replied.

There was a moment of silence between them. The wind blew, swaying their hairs and pushing off the leaves as another set came to fall into the grassy ground.

Y/n glanced at the young man who seemed to be in deep thought. She wanted to say she missed him, but she hesitated. It felt like he'll hate what she'll say right now so she decided to stay quiet and wait.

The questions she wanted to ask so bad were sealed off of her closed lips.

Not long enough, Eren finally spoke.

"The squad finally got to exterminate all titans in Paradis." He told her.

The girl smiled again, but now feeling a pang of sadness taking over her. If she was there, she might have been able to fight alongside everyone and see the ocean together with them as well.

"You guys are amazing." She said and looked down the grass on the ground.

"It would have been better if we managed to cross the sea."

"Cross the sea?" She tilted her head confused.

His eyes hinted an unexplainable shine. It was not enthusiasm but hatred. Y/n could only wonder why. "The enemy were there." He muttered as he felt another surmount of discontent reach his face.