Ackerman

"Oh? Interesting. Kid, you know this little girl?" Kenny wore an eerie smile.

Yago's expression was grave. He walked straight to Annie, reached out, and pulled her behind him. His black eyes fixed warily on Kenny as he said, "Sir, has there been some misunderstanding?" He tried to talk things out.

"Hahahahaha!" Kenny roared with laughter. "You kids really are naive. Adorably naive!" Before he had finished speaking, he lashed out with a kick.

Yago's gaze hardened. He hurriedly shoved the little basket into Annie's hands. "Get back! Hurry!"

Annie was a little dazed, but she obediently moved away. She suddenly remembered their first meeting. Faced with threats from several older children, that skinny boy had likewise jumped out to protect her, telling her to stay back, only to turn around and get pinned to the ground and beaten. In the end, Annie herself had sent those little brats running in terror, while the boy stared at her with his mouth hanging wide open.

After that, the boy had often found roundabout excuses to come play with her, bribing her with all kinds of sweets because he wanted to learn her fighting techniques...

And now, Annie looked up and saw Yago punch at Kenny's leg. But Kenny was faster. His kicking leg twisted around Yago's fist at a bizarre angle and struck his unguarded left arm.

Annie's uncertain gaze grew firmer. The spike on the ring on her right index finger gleamed. If anything really happened to Yago, she would stop caring about the consequences. Fuck the mission!

Yago grunted quietly as the kick landed, but his right fist still struck Kenny. Kenny had not expected the boy to have the strength to fight back, and the punch drove him backward.

"Not bad. You've got some strength." Kenny's smile remained, but the killing intent in his eyes grew stronger. Before Yago could catch his breath, Kenny attacked again, viciously targeting his already injured left arm.

Yago frowned. Though his left arm had been injured, he possessed a Titan's formidable regenerative ability. It had already healed completely, with only a little pain lingering. He was not frowning because of Kenny's ruthless assault. With his Titan power, Yago was not particularly afraid, but with Annie present, he dared not reveal it carelessly.

Little did he know that Annie was just as worried. Concerned about Yago's identity, she likewise dared not expose her own in front of him. The Yago before her seemed to have lost his old memories. He was now a soldier on this island. Annie could not reveal her identity lightly; she feared they would never be able to return to the way things had been.

Smack! Yago's hands met Kenny's fists, and the two began testing their strength against each other. Yago was much shorter, leaving Kenny looking down at him. He stared at Yago's pitch-black eyes and tousled black hair, as though something had occurred to him. Then Kenny voluntarily broke off the contest and leaped backward, putting distance between them.

"Kid, are you an Ackerman too?" Kenny suddenly asked. Yago was puzzled. "Ackerman?" Wasn't that Mikasa's last name?

Seeing that Yago said nothing, Kenny felt almost certain of his identity. This boy definitely had Ackerman blood. Black hair and black eyes were hallmarks of the Ackerman clan, but most importantly...

No child this age could possess such formidable fighting ability unless they belonged to the Ackerman clan. Once an Ackerman found someone worth protecting or experienced an overwhelming shock, they could unleash extraordinary strength. That power was enough to justify calling them miniature Titans.

Kenny glanced at Annie behind Yago. She was watching him with concern. So this girl was the one the boy wanted to protect?

Kenny's desire to kill wavered slightly. He was an Ackerman too. Honestly, unless it was necessary, he did not want to kill another member of his already dwindling clan.

Still, Kenny stared darkly at Yago, who was breathing a little heavily. This fellow clansman's strength exceeded his expectations. To be so powerful at such a young age... If Kenny did not eliminate him and the boy held a grudge, he would become a major threat in the future.

Kenny reached toward his waist, where his two guns were concealed. Yago and Annie tensed almost simultaneously. The spike on Annie's ring was nearly piercing her thumb, while Yago's nails quietly lengthened. At this final, critical moment, neither could worry about the consequences anymore. What did exposing their power matter if it meant protecting the other?

Just as the tension reached its breaking point, several bursts of high-pressure gas sounded. Yago, Annie, and Kenny all looked up. Several figures appeared, wearing cloaks bearing the Wings of Freedom. Yago's eyes widened, and when he recognized the newcomer, he cried out in delighted surprise, "Uncle Scott!"

The newcomer was indeed Scott. Spotting Yago from midair, he sighed in relief. If Yago had really gone missing, he would have had no way to explain it to Miss Lucia.

Using his Omni-Directional Mobility Gear, he landed with two Survey Corps soldiers.

Scott grabbed Yago by the neck and shook him as he said, "You really know how to run off, kid. I thought someone had abducted you."

Only after Yago dizzily wriggled free did he remember Kenny.

Yago turned to look. The spot where Kenny had stood was now empty. He looked at Annie, who shook her head to indicate that she had not noticed either. A trace of worry crept into Yago's heart.

"Uncle Scott, I get it. I'll definitely be more careful next time..."

"Next time?" Scott was speechless. Better not bring this little troublemaker next time. But then he noticed Annie standing prettily beside Yago, and his expression turned peculiar. Well done, kid. Not bad at all. Your uncle here is still single, you know. Tsk, tsk.

"Who's she?"

"Oh, her name is Annie. She's my friend," Yago said, introducing her.

Annie also bowed politely in greeting.

Scott wore an amused, knowing expression. "I understand, Yago. A young man should be careful, you know. Don't rush things."

Yago: "?????"

Annie blushed faintly, leaving Yago even more speechless. Seriously, Annie, what are you blushing for? Do I look that bad? No matter how much of a pervert I might be, surely I wouldn't have designs on a fourteen-year-old girl?

In the end, the two left with Scott. Behind a window, Kenny watched their figures disappear at the mouth of the alley. "The Survey Corps, huh. Heh."

In the carriage, Yago looked at Annie as though he wanted to say something. Finally, he spoke. "Annie, do... do you have some secret you've been keeping from me?"

Annie glanced at him. "Yes." Seeing that Yago wanted to speak, she added, "But I can't tell you right now." Yago looked disappointed, and Annie could not help feeling bad. But she silently thought, Yago, I'm sorry. I really can't tell you everything right now. When the time is right, I'll come clean. I hope you'll still be able to forgive me then.

The homeward-bound carriage left a fleeting silhouette beneath the setting sun. A boy full of hope and a girl burdened with worries-the gears of fate kept turning. But sometimes, fate played tricks too, didn't it?

That evening, Eren stared in confusion at the jumble of cookies and cake in the basket. "Why... why does this look so strange? Yago, is this really edible?" Yago coughed guiltily. "Of course it is! These are sweets from inside Wall Sina. They're really expensive! Eren, you've hurt my feelings!"

Carla came over just then and scolded Eren as well. "Eren! Don't act like that. Yago brought these especially for you as a gift."

Yago felt even guiltier. In truth, he had accidentally dropped the basket onto the carriage floor, scattering its contents. He had been forced to spend the last of his private savings on another basket. As for whom he had given it to...

Who else but that aloof little girl? When Yago gave Annie the sweets, she smiled happily, something she rarely did. It struck him deeply. He had to admit that, at that moment, he really had entertained a few guilty thoughts.

Naturally, the jumbled basket of sweets could not go to waste either, so Yago had thought of Eren and the others at home. Well, they were only a little messed up. It did not affect the taste.

He had to admit that the sweet shop had reason to charge so much. The cookies and cakes really were delicious. Yago and Eren did not eat much, though. Perhaps boys did not like sweets as much as girls did. Armin, however, was an unexpected exception. He ate more than any of the four, prompting Yago to take another look at his delicate features.

If they had not bathed together before, Yago would genuinely have suspected Armin of being a girl disguised as a boy. And then there was Mikasa. Yago looked at her. Ackerman... did that make her someone special too? It seemed there were still many things Yago did not understand.

(Ahem, having written this far, Muzi would like to ask: if you're still reading this book, could you leave me a few more comments? (╥ω╥`) Let me see how many people are still reading. You can also join the discussion group listed in the comments. If you have any suggestions or opinions, you're welcome to come discuss them together. Thank you! The more support you give me, the more motivation I have to keep writing! (^_^))