To Yearn | 𝘈𝘳𝘶𝘈𝘯𝘪

Chapter One

ARMIN

"Good afternoon, Dr. Arlert. Usual?" The waiter said as soon as I sat in my usual spot.

"Uh, yes. Thank you, Vincent." I smiled.

There is something about this place that makes me want to go back everyday. I like to think it's the food, but I'd be lying to myself if I keep on denying that it was her. Who am I kidding? She's not here... but it feels as if she's still here. Her favorite food is here, her go-to dessert is here, her favorite liquor is here.

And I am even sitting at her favorite spot. I've been frozen in this same spot for five years, hoping that if she misses me, she'd go here and we'd find each other.

"Please, Annie... pick up." I said nervously as I have been waiting for her for two hours already. I opened the velvet box and stared at the ring as I anticipated her arrival. She'll be here, she said she'll be here. I even rented out this whole place for us.

I tried to call her again but her number was suddenly unavailable. I like to think she lost her phone but I know she didn't. Maybe she got stranded in traffic. After a few more attempts, I heard the restaurant door open, making me regain my hope.

But it was all crushed when I saw Eren instead, looking so distraught.

"Man, I told you to check on Annie. Why are you here?" I even accidentally raised my voice at my best friend due to my anxiety.

"She left the country just earlier, Armin. I even had to bribe their house helper to know."

"Don't tell me that right now." I felt my whole body tremble, causing me to fall on my knees.

"I wish I was lying, Armin." I heard his footsteps getting closer but I stopped him in his tracks. Tears started to flood my eyes and my whole body felt like breaking down. Annie won't leave without a proper goodbye and she surely wouldn't leave without a reason. Maybe I've done something that hurt her. Maybe I did something that caused her to have second thoughts about me.

"Just... go back. Go back to your wife and your child. They... they need you... m-more than I do."

"Armin..."

"I'll be fine. I'll just wait longer. I am sure she'll be here in no time."

I still wonder about her after all this time.

"Armin." Mikasa put her purse on my table and sat on the chair in front of me. "You're literally here every day that I go here."

"Got lazy to prepare Eren and Akihiro's lunch today?" I asked and gave her a small smile.

"Ah... exactly. I wish I have all the time in the world. I mean— Inez is not exactly an easy girl to take care of. She's just like her father, she just looks like me." She said, amused while probably remembering their second child's stubborn nature.

"Who else is she gonna take after?" We both laughed at what I said. Mikasa and I both witnessed how reckless and stubborn Eren can be as a child and even up until now. Good thing, he has Mikasa to always keep him in check. I always believed that Eren and Mikasa were made perfectly for each other.

Eren gave Mikasa's life a sprinkle of spontaneity while Mikasa made Eren's life balanced and more grounded.

"Dr. Arlert, here's your usual." The waiter put the plate of seafood paella on my table as well as the glass of water and the plate of tempura then left. Mikasa looked at me with questioning eyes.

"What? You want to eat?" I asked.

"Since when did you start eating seafood? I thought you hated seafood?"