Varon rushed out of the room, his boots thudding against the wooden floor as he chased after Xing Yu down the hallway.
"General! Please wait!" he called, sweat trailing down the side of his face. "I didn't mean to cross the line. I—"
Xing Yu didn't turn around.
Varon stumbled to a stop, panting lightly. "I just… I couldn't stop myself…"
The silence that followed was heavier than any reprimand.
Meanwhile, inside the room they had left—
Eren slowly opened his eyes.
Not a single trace of sleep was left in them.
His hand trembled slightly as it rose to brush his lips, the very place where that warmth had touched moments ago.
His chest rose and fell sharply, breath shallow. His fingers stayed there—hovering over his mouth—as if afraid touching it too firmly would erase the memory completely.
He had been awake.
