The wind swept across the top of Wall Rose, carrying with it the roar of thousands.

Below, the citizens of the Walls cheered with a fervor the Survey Corps had never known. Children waved flags. Elders cried. Families shouted words of hope and gratitude. It was a farewell unlike any other—lively, radiant, full of belief.

Commander Erwin stood tall, his only remaining arm raised high as he let out a cry of promise, a vow to fight for humanity’s future. The crowd answered with a thunderous shout, louder than the last, shaking the very stones beneath their feet.

And for once, the soldiers felt it.

Not just duty.

Not just dread.

But purpose.

Hange stood among them, smiling faintly, eyes wide with something close to disbelief. They had seen so much—loss, betrayal, blood—but this moment felt different. It felt like something worth protecting.

Their gaze drifted from the crowd to you.

You stood beside them, wind in your hair, eyes bright with emotion, your smile wide and unguarded. And in that instant, Hange felt something shift.

They had always loved you.

Quietly.

Secretly.

You were their light in the dark, the reason they kept going when everything else felt like ash. You never asked for anything. You never demanded explanations. You simply were—present, kind, unwavering.

And now, with the operation to recover Wall Maria looming, with death a very real possibility, Hange knew they couldn’t wait any longer.

They turned to you, heart pounding, voice barely above the wind.

“Hey… before we go,” they said, eyes locked on yours, “there’s something I need to tell you.”

You looked at them, surprised but calm, waiting.

“I’ve been fighting for humanity all this time,” Hange whispered, “but you… you’re the reason I fight for myself.”

The cheers below faded into a distant hum.

And for a moment, just a moment, the war paused.