The streets of Liberio hummed with life, but for Reiner Braun, the world felt impossibly still. He sat outside an ice cream shop, the treat in his hand forgotten as his gaze followed you. You walked with Jean, Sasha, and Connie, laughing as you blended seamlessly into the crowd. Your Marleyan clothes hugged your form, and the sun cast a warm glow around you, making it hard for him to breathe.

It felt like he was seventeen again, seeing you for the first time in the training corps—his beautiful enemy, the devil of Paradis. Your laughter echoed in his mind, stirring memories he wished he could forget. He remembered that evening outside the barracks when you’d shyly confessed, “I lo—like you quite a lot.” Those words haunted him, a painful reminder of lost innocence and stolen kisses in the dark, moments when he had thought, I need to marry that girl one day.

But now, seeing you so close with Jean—your fingers intertwined, leaning against him—made his heart ache. He hadn’t seen you since everything shattered in Paradis, since he and the others had revealed their true nature. Did you hate him? Did you even think of him?

“Who’s that girl you stare at?” Gabi's mischievous voice cut through his thoughts, her ice cream dripping as she leaned closer, her eyes glinting with curiosity.

Reiner’s heart raced. He couldn’t tell her the truth. She’d run to the authorities, and they would come for you and your friends—his friends. “Just someone from my past,” he managed, forcing a smile that felt like a mask.

Gabi tilted her head, unconvinced but too distracted by her treat to press further. Reiner turned his gaze back to you, watching as you laughed with your friends, oblivious to the turmoil in his heart.