She Who Seemed Heartless

Chapter 23

In spite of some evident marks of physical damage on his face, Armin was not reluctant to go to school the following days. He earned a few stares from judging eyes, even whispers as to what had happened to him. Almost every student in the academy knew that Armin is a boy who never involved himself in fist fights (except from the bullying he suffered when he was younger, but all of those already stopped thanks to Eren and Mikasa), so his current condition left an enigma to everyone.

The students', even the teachers' curiosity was further sparked when Eren showed up with the same situation albeit less. People would normally think that he and Armin got into a fight (they weren't wrong), yet after some observation, the two still talked and laughed together with their friends. Because of this, the pair became the headline of rumors all over the campus, except for their closest friends who knew the reality of what happened.

Annie and Mina stayed at the library to study science together. When the latter came back from the washroom, she sat down next to Annie with a pout, obviously upset. "I can't believe it! I heard some people saying that Armin and Eren probably got into a fight because of a girl. And you know what else I heard? They think the girl is you!"

"In a sense, they weren't wrong", Annie wanted to say, but she didn't want to betray Armin's trust on her. The source of their fight was not relayed to Jean and Mina; instead, the four came up with a white lie that it had something to do with Eren's and Armin's personal ideas clashing, and no other detail was further elaborated. This was also the same excuse Armin told his aunt and uncle back home. Mina believed this, but they weren't certain about Jean.

All Annie could say to Mina was, "Don't let it get to you." She herself would be lying if she didn't feel anything when Armin came home that night with some blood stains on his shirt and bruises on his face, though. When he told her about the incident, Annie was visibly enraged to the point of wanting to meet Eren herself. The only things that calmed her down was Armin's smile and reassurance that everything was under control.

"But you know, if that was the case...", Mina snatched the notebook Annie was writing on to get her attention. "Who would you choose?" Annie gazed at her, dumbfounded on what she meant. Mina clarified her question after seeing her reaction. "What I mean is, would you choose Armin, or would you choose Eren to date you?"

She raised a brow at her friend. "Seriously, Mina? Here I thought you were upset at what you heard." For Annie, the answer was simple. Yet, she couldn't tell anyone, let alone the only person she considers her closest friend aside from Armin. It wasn't that she lacks trust on Mina, but she was doubtful on how she would react. She'll keep everything a secret for now. In the meantime, Mina instantaneously became fixated on Annie's response.

"Well? What's your answer?

"Hold up. Why are you suddenly asking me this?"

"Because~ I think Eren likes you! Well, not that Armin would care, I suppose. But! If you were given the chance, who would you date?"

Annie could only purse her lips into a thin line, averting her gaze on the table. If she says Eren, Mina might take the wrong idea and possibly set them up together like what she did to Hannah and Franz. If she says no one, either Mina would still force her or drop the subject.

If she says Armin, however...

She was about to open her mouth to respond when the other gasped loudly. "Oh jeez, I'm sorry for asking that stupid question. Of course you wouldn't date Armin, you're cousins! Silly me." Annie could only nod and sigh in relief. "Yeah, and I don't even like Eren and vice versa. He's just friendly, that's all. Don't mistaken kindness to flirting", she lightly reprimanded Mina in a joking manner.