The next day...
"Annie!!!"
Armin approaching Annie. She just sit on the rooftop of their school. Alone.
Armin feels weird. There's no response from her. Did he do something to her? He keep wondering if he did something wrong. Without wasting his time, he quickly sit beside Annie. Annie look down to cover her face. She don't want Katashi to see her pale face.
"Are you okay, did i do something wrong? What can i help you?"
"CAN YOU STOP ACTING KIND, WHY UR BEING KIND TO ME? WHAT DID I DO TO YOU? WHAT AM I TO YOU TILL YOU CARE THIS MUCH ABOUT ME? WHY?!"
Armin's eyes didn't even blink. He's shocked. At the same time he's trying to hold his tears. Annie is..crying. She shouted at him with her face full of tears.
"I..I.."
Annie stands up and leave Armin alone at roof top while crying. Armin staring at the floor with tears in his eyes.
He gripping his pants tightly. Sobbing and screaming in silent.
"Its my fault, its my fault, its my fault,"
𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞
We were..12 years old..
"HEYYYYY WAIT FOR ME YOU IDIOT,"
"BLUEKKK! KEEP CHASING ME YOU WON'T CATCH ME ANYWAY HAHAHAH,"
He push her on the ground. The girl started crying because her knee is bleeding. He looks worried so he carry her and put her on a nearby bench.
He put some medicine he always bring everywhere and put some bandage on her knee. Then he smiles.
"There, it will get better soon. And im sorry for pushed you on the ground,"
"Its okay! You are my knight prince, Armin! That was fun though,"
They both started to laugh together. They look at each other's eyes for a moment and then smile together. It's evening, they reverted to a little kids when they both hanging out together. It's all fun until next week..
シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎
"Wh..what?" We will move to another country?.."
"Yes, we are moving far away from here,"
"Mom..will we come back here?..When we are going,"
"No and we are moving tomorrow. Pack your things in the wheel bag i put in your room,"
Armin started crying. He opened the main door of his house and run to her house.
He's knocking her door house. She opened the door and cupping her mouth.
"Are you okay, Armin?"
Armin hug her tightly while sobbing.
"I..I will move to another country tomorrow with my mom.."
"W..what???!!"
Her eyes wide open. Her tears dripping. She gripping Armin's shirt and hug him tightly.
"Isn't your mom abusive..you even got many bruises on your knees..arms and more..why do you want follow her..what happened.."
"I don't know..i will miss you..i will get going tomorrow morning..take care of yourself..I love you.."
She's screaming while crying. Armin hug her tighter. They both crying together. They've been friends for almost 8 years..and now he got to go. Move far away from her. Out of her country.
"We still can contact each other right?.."
"Yea, don't worry about that,"
She nodded while smiling.
The next day..
"It's time to go,"
"D..dad.."
Mr. Arlert smiles. He hug Armin and started crying.
"Stay safe, son.."
"DONT CALL HIM YOUR SON, IT'S MY SON, I GAVE BIRTH TO HIM, ARMIN, LET'S GO, DON'T TALK TO YOUR FATHER,"
"Dad.."
"I love you,"
Armin hug his dad for the last time.
"I..love you too..i..i want to live with you.."
"ARMIN, STOP, FOLLOW ME,"
Arlert started to grab Armin's hand and get him in her car. She gave a death stare at Arlert.
"Goodbye, have a great life with your new husband, wish you the best, and always remember i'm the dad of Armin too,"
Arlert entering his house and close the door. Mrs. Arlert biting her gig. She's mad. She then get in the car and leaving the house.
"Br..brother.."
"Yes, sis?"
Armin rubbing his sister's hair, she looks scared.
"We are going to meet your new dad. Remember, Armin and Emiko, your last name are no longer Arlert."
Armin and Emiko look at each other with their eyes wide open hearing their mom's sentences.
"W..what???"
"Armin Oscar and Emiko Oscar,"
They both are speechless. They has no clue what's going on right now. He's crying. He's too scared to ask his mom what's going on. She's abusive after all. Emiko lay her head on Armin's shoulder. Armin look out the window for a moment.
"Goodbye. Annie Leonhart,"
𝗘𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗙𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗕𝗖𝗞
Armin walking downstairs from the rooftop. Finding Annie if she's around, but he sees something that makes him mad and worry at the same time.
"HAAA, HOW DOES IT FEEL HUH WEAK?!"
Flames in Armin is burning seeing the bullies punching and kicking Annie. While Annie didn't even do anything. All she can do is crying while laying on the floor with her bleeding mouth and bruises on her knees and arms.
Bruises always reminds him of his abusive mom. He's started shaking. He's wondering. Will she come back to find him and his sister? Hopefully not. He still can't find his father everywhere. At his house, there's already inhabited by unknown family.
"Armin..she is your childhood bestfriend. You finally found her. Continue to protect and take care of her like you used to when you were 12 years old like her."
Without fear, he approaching those bullies. Annie look up to him while crying.
"LEAVE HER ALONE,"
Reiner, Floch and Gabi laughing together.
"OH MY GOD LOOK, IT'S THE BOY WHO GOT TROUBLE ON HIS FIRST DAY SCHOOL,"
Reiner's sentence made Gabi and Floch laugh more. Armin standing there speechless. Why..why he can't move forward and fight them.
"Go away, Armin,"
Annie told Armin to go away. That made his heart breaks into pieces.
"I.."
"Go,"
"Annie-"
"I SAID GO,"
"ANNIE NO, DO YOU WANT THEM TO CONTINUE SUFFERING YOU-"
"ARMIN STOP,"
Armin stunned. His eyes glassy, he's trying to hold his tears. What is this feeling? Why it hurts so much. It's a first time he got yelled by Annie. He can't move. He don't want to leave Annie again. Especially when she's in a dangerous situation.
He can't do anything. Seeing Annie crying already broke his heart but it hurts more when she yelled at him for the first time. He's gripping both of his hands. He can tell that he's ready for a fight. But then he remembered it will annoyed Annie more.
"Did you hear that, new kid? Whatever your name is, go, she told you to go, oh, probably because you just bring more trouble for her if you fight with us, orrr you just too weak?"
"I literally fought you by myself yesterday till-"
"Armin Oscar,"
Katashi hard as a rock. He grtting his teeth and turn around slowly leave the situation. His tears dripping again.
"I thought i'm your knight prince, why you told me to leave. Am i that weak,"
シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎シ︎
"Brother how was schoo- brother?!"
Armin cover his face with his hand. He's sobbing and crying non stop. Emiko take his bag and put it in his room and run back to downstairs.
"What happened.."
Emiko looks worried. She hug her brother and rubbing his head softly. Armin stay quiet and won't say a word. He cry harder. Emiko hugging Armin tighter. He won't stop sobbing. Emiko also can see the pain in Armin's sobbing.
"Just don't cry..let's eat something to make you feel better?"
Emiko started to grab Armin's arm and sit him on the dining table. She's carrying foods and put it on the dining table. Armin look down. He doesn't have an appetite to eat right now. He keep thinking about Annie.
"You still remember her favourite ice cream flavour?"
Armin stunned. He look up to Emiko.
"Vanilla..ice cream,"
"Maybe you can buy her one tomorrow and give it to her,"
Armin nodded a little and then smiles. He miss their old time when they used to chase each other and push each other on the ground till they cry.
He knows, whatever he do, he will never get to buy a time machine. He just hoping it's all will be just fine and they can revert to a little kids again like they used to be.
"Her face looks pale today. I wonder what happened. I wish i could help and comfort her but it looks like she feels annoyed about me,"
"Maybe..give her some time alone..and then ask her what happened after a few days?"
"Alright...I will try that..hopefully she won't tell me to go away again.."
Emiko sighs. Sometimes she's worried about his brother. Yea, he's been through a lot since they moved to Oscar's house. She glad the finally get out of the house but at the same time she's still worried. What if their mom trying to find them right now. We are lowkey in a dangerous situation. Armin just staring at his plate. At the same time he's also wondering what is Annie's doing right now. Right, they haven't meet for more than 3 years.
"Brother..will we be safe here?..What if mom planning something so she can get us back? We will be in danger.."
Armin didn't even move at the moment. He's speechless. Again, he cover his face and holding his tears.
"I..i can't do anything about that.."
Emiko sighs. She put down her plate and hug Armin again. Comfort him. All she can do is comfort him. That's all she can do. She's lost in thought, she didn't know what to do and how to escape from their mom.