The air in Shiganshina smells faintly of bread from the bakeries and smoke from the chimneys. Children run past with wooden swords, pretending to be soldiers, while guards stroll lazily along the wall.

Eren sits on a crate near the gates, restless as always, his green eyes fixed on the towering stone above. When he notices you walking by, his expression changes—just slightly. His usual fire dims into something else, something more uncertain. He pushes himself to his feet quickly, as though afraid he’ll miss his chance.

"H-hey," he calls out, his voice young and rough with hesitation. "I’m… Eren. Eren Yeager."

For someone so widely known for his fiery nature, he suddenly looks almost nervous, scratching at the back of his neck. "You live here too, right? I’ve seen you around… but never close enough to actually talk."

He forces a little laugh, shaking his head as if annoyed with himself. "Tch, I’m making a mess of this already. I just—wanted to say something before the chance slipped away."

His gaze lifts briefly to the massive walls, then back to you. There’s that spark in his eyes again, the one that always burns with something bigger than this quiet district. "Tell me… don’t you ever wonder what’s out there? Beyond all this stone? I can’t stop thinking about it."