PROTOTYPE『ᴇᴘɪᴘʜᴀɴʏ 』 - 𝒜𝓉𝓉𝒶𝒸𝓀 𝑜𝓃 𝒯𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓃 𝑅𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇 𝐼𝓃𝓈𝑒𝓇𝓉 -

Chapter Nineteen - Jean

Another month has passed. The training only gets harder by each passing day. Not a single day is passed without (Y/n) thinking how much of a good thing she was personally trained by Survey Corps members back when she was living in the HQ. She had the cheat which is more experience. She had become more relaxed and friendly towards her comrades too and the stigma of her being cold and distant is no longer as much. Even Jean has started to be kinder to her. The reason for her trying to befriend them is because she noticed how they would put more effort during squad training when she gives them praise or something. It's only more beneficial to be kind to them.

Strange thing is that even Annie would come and have a short conversation with her at times. Annie found (Y/n)'s presence to be slightly better than others for unknown reasons.

As usual, (Y/n) aced her ODMG training. She is being even better at it, truly a natural. Even the head instructor, Keith Shadis, is more than pleased with her ODMG skill. The only unfortunate thing is that the instructor actually noticed hoe during grading, her performance will be worse.

"Tch, (Y/n) you cheated! You took mine!" Jean angrily shouted at (Y/n) who is now drinking water.

(Y/n) gulped her water then released some nice 'aah' before raising her brow and giving Jean a questioning yet also a smug face.

"You were too slow, Jean-boy."

(Y/n) triggered him by using the nickname Jean's mother used for him. (Y/n) overheard it one time when her mother was visiting when they were training at Trost District. She knew it would make the big boy embarrassed.

"Don't joke around!"

"(Y/n) is totally correct, Jean-boy!" Sasha and Connie, the idiots, laughed as they both pats Jean's shoulder. Connie on the left, Sasha on the right.

"Now, now. Don't be such a crybaby, Jean-boy. Let's have dinner together." (Y/n) is now smiling sweetly at Jean. She calls it a trick. She surprisingly learned that her smile can be useful from Ymir. At first, her smile came off a bit awkward and even scary but she improved quite fast.

Jean felt heat rushed to his cheeks but he blamed his red cheeks to the tiredness before agreeing, "Fine. Let's go to the mess hall."

All of them entered the mess hall and eat their dinner while telling stories. Some gossips about things going outside the training ground. (Y/n) sat with Jean, Sasha, Connie, Armin, Marco, Eren, and Mikasa. As usual, Jean started fighting with Eren and somehow (Y/n) got tangled in their fights. She tried to break the two off but Jean just went and said something offensive.

"Shut up, (Y/n). Maybe your mother's life would be better if you are never born."

Not knowing (Y/n)'s past he spoke it. Heck, it doesn't matter whether he knows or not, it's not something he should be saying to anyone. Jean meant it as a joke, but, once he saw how (Y/n) didn't respond to him, he knows he fucked up.

The crowded mess hall became quiet.

"Oi, Jean." It was Reiner who scolded him.

"Hey, (Y/n), I didn't mean to-"

Without finishing her dinner, (Y/n) stood up from her seat and left the mess hall, ignoring Jean and the others. A part of her ever had the thought of how it would be much easier for her dead mother if she were not there. She was the result of her being attacked. She shouldn't be this emotional, she should have handled it better but it just hurts her today.

"Hey, Jean... That was too much." Eren puts his bread down.

"Indeed, you should apologize to her," Armin muttered at Mikasa nodded at his words.

"Meanie. Bad, Jean-boy, bad!!" Sasha yelled as she secretly took (Y/n)'s leftover.

"Be a man, Jean. Try apologizing." Reiner, being the big brother of the group, suggested.

"Shut up, I know that. Fuck." Jean held his head and gritted his teeth. He felt really bad about it. He got carried away and now he screwed everything up. He took a few deep breaths then finally began to move his legs to find (Y/n)'s whereabouts.

(Y/n) is now sitting on top of one of the watchtowers. She brought her small journal with her and wrote a bit on it before she went to hug her knees together and feel the cool night breeze blowing her hair. She had cut her hair shorter a week ago but it doesn't mean it's windproof now.

Jean spotted you sitting down, without thinking he quickened his pace. His arms swayed back and forth simultaneously. His long legs carried him to climb the stairs.

"Why are you here? Get lost." (Y/n) is being hostile.

"Look, I'm here to apologize. I didn't mean to. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry. Really." Jean apologized with an open heart.

"Tch." (Y/n) clicked her tongue. She didn't accept the apology yet. She only glared at the poor boy.

"Let's spar. If you win, I'll forgive you. If you lose, you will do what I said for the whole week." She offered.

"....W-what? Now?"

"Yes. Or... Are you too much of a coward?" She provoked him.

"Fine. Let's do it at the field." Jean sighed in defeat.

Both of then climbed down the stairs then went to the field. (Y/n) took off her sweater she puts on top of her sleeveless plain white shirt. She did some stretches and readied herself. Jean and (Y/n) circled each other, each one grinning at the tension they had caused. Jean lept forward, charging the girl. Jean made the first move. He swung up his left fist and slammed it into (Y/n)'s jaw which (Y/n) had seen coming and able to dodge.

"Are you holding back? Jean-boy?" (Y/n) kicked Jean's calf, breaking his focus and balance.

"Ow. Ow. Ow!" Jean is holding his right calf, wincing in pain.

"...Jean?" (Y/n) thought he might really injure the boy so she stepped closer but in the next moment, she caught a sudden move from the boy. He was about to grab her, luckily (Y/n) didn't let her guard down so she twisted Jean's arm then pushing him down, making his head meet the dirt.

"That was pretty predictable, don't you think?" (Y/n) whispered to Jean's ears with a slight smirk on her face.

"But you forgot one thing, princess." Jean noticed how (Y/n)'s locking technique wasn't perfect. He used the gap in that imperfection to his own advantage. He easily threw (Y/n) away, catching her off guard.

"I won." Jean smiled from ear to ear.

"Okay, I'll forgive you." (Y/n) sighed. "Ow, my head." She rubbed her head while looking down on the ground. But Jean suddenly pats her head gently.

"Really, I'm sorry. I don't say sorry often but I really am for... Earlier." Jean mumbled.

"I know. I know you felt bad. That's enough. You can be harsh but deep down..." (Y/n) raised her head to face Jean. Their eyes met one another deeply.

Jean blushed and waited patiently.

"You... Are... Just an idiot."

(Y/n) laughed then stood up, no longer feeling dizzy. Jean though, he expected something other than an idiot. He is now shaking because of embarrassment and frustration.

"Come back, you little shit!"
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(A/N): Hello, I'll be changing Miche to Mike, Scout Regiment to Survey Corps from now on. Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you!