Apology

Part 2

Enjoy!

She decided she won't tell him...even if she really wanted to. She knows she would feel a lot better if she did, but she will do it for everyone's sake. She doesn't want it to grow larger.

"I'm not the type of person whom is just barging in..but, I think it's time for me to know what's happening now; and I think I already know it." He says as he looks at the sky. "It's all because you've been too attached to him."

He then turned his gaze towards her. "But I think he's getting too far." His eyes are serious, and it startled Mikasa. It means it would lead to something she doesn't want to.

"No Jean!" she then exclaimed, she needs to change the topic. "I-it's not what you think...!"

"Ha?" Jean then said. His head tilted with his brows furrowed. (author: if you can imagine what I can)

"He's just talking to..." she couldn't say something. She needs to think of it fast or else she'd look suspicious and funny at the same time.

"He's just talking to a soldier!" she then finally managed to spill out.

"What the?" Jean could only say; his eyes filled with confusion.

Then the air between them became awkward. No one spoke, but then Jean broke the silence.

"You're lying, aren't you?"

She then felt a sick feeling on her stomach. She has failed. But she herself understands why. She couldn't even make a believable excuse. She has always kept her cool. But now, she has messed up because of the pressure.

"No-"

He then pushed her on brick wall, his hands cupping her shoulders then shaking them. "Why do you have to be so persistent on hiding him? Aren't you hurt of what he does to you? Huh?"

"..."

"Oi, Mikasa...! This isn't time for joking! Speak up! Tell me exactly what happened!"

"He got angry at me for telling him he's too weak to undergo through the titan experiment..." she then finally spoke. Jean was a bit taken aback, but then he proceeded to listening to her.

"I told him he's still out for a few days from the care, so I think his body is still too weak to go through it..." her voice grew gloomier. "but when I did, he got furious at me."

"Bastard..." he muttered.

"Ne, Jean, please don't get angry at him anymore, it's just...he's..." she didn't finish it.

He let out a sigh. "Yeah...I know. It's just, he's getting too far already."

She was searching for Eren, after knowing that the titan experiment was over. She searched on the headquarters for him. She kept on bumping onto the Scouting Legion soldiers. Everyone was busy; so is she, but in a different way.

"Uh, sir?" she asked one soldier. The soldier turned his head angrily to her; she paid it no attention. "Have you seen Eren?"

"Huh? That titan kid?" he said lazily.

Hearing it made her furious, but she kept her cool. "Y-yes..."

The soldier scratched his head in an idle way. "Nah...I didn't see him. We went out after guiding Commander Hanji Zoe, we've got no interest in that monster, anyway..."

Eren is not a monster; everyone knows that. He has saved lives, but still, people believe he is. And it made her angry.

"Don't call him a monster, sir," she says; her voice serious.

It made the man turn his head his head towards her in an interested look. "Hah? What did'ja say? Hah?"

"I said don't call him a monster. He has saved lives, yet you still say that." She says, her voice getting darker.

"Meh...I don't care about those what you say. Captain Levi could beat him, so what's helpful about him by the way?" he said in a lazy tone, "he's got a titan inside him and we don't even know his limits. Like the time he has punched Mikasa Acker-"

He paused. He turns. He looked closely at her. His eyes blinking. It was just a few seconds until he realizes who's in front of him.

"A-Aaaah! M-Mikasa Ack-Ackerman! I'm sorry!" he then did his salute to show respect. His voice stuttered and he couldn't give hey an eye contact. "I-I never knew you were Ackerman!"

She looked at him, her eyes no interest on him anymore. "Pardon me," she salutes at the man, "I've got to look for him now, sir."

She then left the man, with his salute still on his chest.

Mikasa looked for him more. The sun was setting, yet she still couldn't find him. But there is still one place left to look. The walls.

It was the only place she still haven't checked. If she still couldn't find him, she'll get worried sick. With her hopes up, she gripped the handle of her 3DMG and went up the wall as the gas pushes her up.

She steps on the hard cement of its surface. Her eyes focused on one thing. All she wants to say was to shout his name.

She couldn't help but run towards him, as If she'll gonna lose him. "Eren!"

He turns his head towards her, the sun beaming on his face. "Mikasa?" he calls out.

Hearing his voice sent waves of relief on her. Eren really is here.

She then sits beside him, making him look at her. "Eren, what have you been doing up here?" she asks.

He turns his head towards the light. "I'm just taking a rest. And I've been thinking of what would happen in the future. If we will find out about what father has hidden on our basement. If there would still be titans, or not. I don't know if I can save humanity," his voice was calm and serene, she hasn't heard it for a long time.

So she listens closely at him. She doesn't want it to be interrupted. These moments are rare.

"But I would try my best to do so...because I badly want to go outside, to explore what's beyond these walls...so I've been focused on my goals. But it seems like I hurt someone."

It gave chills to her spine. No, she doesn't want Eren to remember what happened before. She doesn't want to give him a headache. But, a part of her wants to hear what he's going to say next. That part of her was happy to hear what he said.

"Mikasa, I'm sorry about earlier. I think I've been too rough on you," he says, not taking his eyes from the warm colors spread across the sky. But she looked at him closely, her eyes widened.

"After all that you've done for me, I still did that to you." His voice was soft; it was full of remorse. And she hated to see him like that. "I want to say sorry...but I couldn't even apo-"

She stops him by holding his hand. She makes him turn towards her. Now, she has his attention. She needs to say everything she wanted to say.

"Eren, no matter how many times you do that to me, I'll try to be okay," her voice soft and comforting, "no matter how rough, no matter what the circumstances are, I'll try to be okay..." her face was hit by the warm light. Her features were soft; her eyes beamed by the sunlight. She wanted to say it.

But she only gives him her most beautiful smile, the rarest smile she gives.

And both of them knew the meaning of it.

That's because I loved you, Eren.