Promise Me | Book Three

Chapter Twenty-Six

Mikasa's POV

The compound is huge. I've been awake for two days and I still have not explored the entirety of it, because it's that big. Eren has showed me around his favourite areas, which was the shopping district and garden, but both are walled off, so I have not been outside yet. I have been taking classes within my sector about this era's current terminologies and about the compound itself. This compound contains state-of-the-art technology, is home and a workplace for over a thousand people and sits on the eastern quarter of Utopia. The compound contains four sectors, each of quite a large scale; Sector A, B, C and D. (I live in Sector B.) In Sector B, it contains most of the compound's housing districts. Sector A is dedicated to its massive film, television and performance industries. Sector C is shopping districts, restaurants, other leisure activities and medical centers. In Sector D, it is not accessible by the public and only available to VIPs, which makes me all the more curious to know what is in Sector D. To travel between these sectors, the most common means of transport is by hover car and tram. This compound -- also known as the Laus Compound -- is very well-known, and people pay masses of money to enter. I was given my stay here for free, due to the fact that I was in the simulator and gained some sort of benefits from it. No one has told me why I am here and I have not been granted access to go outside to Utopia yet, as I still need to be further educated on the laws and such, and I am generally not prepared for what awaits out there. The state of living here is exceptionally good, so staying here has not become a problem for now.

Eren inquired a date; I agreed to it as it will allow me to get to know him more -- I did love him in our old life after all. I have to give him this chance. If I fell in love with him before, I can again.

I have to be ready within the next two hours or so and Lira, my carer, is helping me to prepare for it. It makes me wonder if I have ever had to do this in the simulator or if 'dating' was really a common practice. It saddens me that I really can't remember anything. I hope that my memories will come back gradually, but I am setting the bar for my wishes far too high.

"I have chosen a selection of dresses for you to choose from for the date," Lira says whilst placing three sets of shoes called heels down beside the bed. I furrow my brows and open my mouth to speak. "Why must I wear those shoes?" I clear my throat. "Why must I wear any of this? Why can't I just go like this?" I question. Lira lowers her eyes as if they were not low enough as it is. "Mikasa, when females go on dates, it is custom that you take pride in your appearance."

I pick up the hem of one of the dresses she had selected. This one would reveal my stomach and would wrap tightly around my skin.

"That's a nice one," she says. I turn to her and say, "if Eren loves me, why is it that I must go to such lengths to make myself physically attractive? Shouldn't I be fine to go in clothing I feel comfortable in?" Lira picks up a dress and heels to places it in my arms. "Just do it," Lira says.

She leaves briefly after telling me to go to Sector A for hair and make-up and as the door closes, I look down to the clothing she wants me to wear. She chose the most modest outfit of them all, which was black and will cover me from my arms to my knees, except the sleeves only cover about a quarter of my arm. It is still tight, but I guess it will have to do.

* * *

The whole preparation process of a date I find to be truly pointless. I spent the past hour and a half in having my make-up and hair done by Lira's team and I can't help but want to scowl at myself when I look into the mirror; this isn't me. My lips aren't red, nor is my hair curled and my eyes are not this vibrant. It took to long for me to get like this, so I won't try and undo their work. They'd finished just in time for the cab to drive me off to Sector C for the date to commence. Eren will be waiting for me there.