It was a 'girl's day', as what Pieck liked to call it.

For a beauty brand ambassador with a steadily-increasing following and demand, Pieck had little problems when going outside and spending leisure time like a normal person. Isanna had told her of the possible nuisances that they could encounter while shopping at the city mall, but being the carefree woman Pieck was, she ultimately ignored her words of caution. "You're overreacting, I'm not that famous", she had said while waving a flippant hand. "Besides, we haven't gotten the chance to hang out ever since you arrived at the city!" she had then added, which resultingly led to a day of hauling shopping bags packed with clothing and branded bags and jewelry that on any other occasion, would have made Isanna's wallet cry.

"Are you sure you have the money for more?" Isanna couldn't help but worriedly ask as she lightly struggled with four fucking shopping bags; two on each hand. And the crazier part was that they weren't done yet. "God, Pieck—do you have ten bodies? Why did you sweep in everything?" Even Isanna only owned one shopping bag, and it wasn't even full!

Pieck was walking around down the aisle. They were in the department store, and she had expressed her need of buying a humidifier; one for each room in her house, she said.

"Oh, I didn't buy all those just for me," she nonchalantly replied, scrutinizing one particular humidifier that was cutely shaped into a white bear. This is cute. "I bought yours too."

Isanna almost lost her foothold. "You—what?" she sputtered, eyes widening. Some of these bags were practically worth more than her life. "Pieck, you know I can't accept this. I didn't become your friend so I could—"

"I know, I know," she cut her off and called for an employee to ask if they had more stock for the bear-shaped humidifier. After speaking with the male employee (who was blushing and couldn't even look at her properly in the eye), Pieck turned to give her her whole-hearted attention, hands on hip. "You don't like me spending money on you, but it's just this once. Think of it as my gift for your move," she finished with a wink.

Isanna had no choice but to accept it. Gratefully, of course. "Fine. Thank you."

"You're welcome!" Pieck chirped, grabbing her by the arm and tugging her along across the department store, eager to shop for whatever would catch her attention. Isanna had drilled it into Pieck's head that no matter how rich Pieck would become, she should never spend extravagantly on Isanna ("What a righteous woman—that's why I love you," Pieck had told her one time and even playfully made a move to kiss her, before Zeke came and pushed them apart), so on the rare occasions where Pieck could actually dote on her, she made sure to go all out. Isanna was a good friend, and spoiling her with gifts was an activity Pieck genuinely enjoyed.

She was just that fond of her. Ever since Zeke introduced them together in college, they had hit it off and became good friends in the blink of an eye. Their bond had only deepened after, when Pieck found out her boyfriend of six years was cheating on her and was left devastated, Isanna had stormed to the bastard's house with a kitchen knife in hand and threatened to lop off his dick and shove it down his throat (apparently, the poor man had peed through his underwear). The incident had come as surprising to both Pieck and Zeke, especially since Isanna was usually non-aggressive and overall gentle in nature.

Now that Pieck knew she used to be a Scout, the incident had probably triggered her inner soldier.

"Shouldn't we get groceries too?" she suggested when a thought occurred. "Last time I checked, your fridge was as dull as Porco's love life."

Isanna had to suppress a laugh at the comment. Porco Galliard was another friend of theirs; he was headstrong, a man never afraid to speak his mind and could get overly proud of his own capabilities sometimes. He was a pilot, so they rarely ever saw each other ever since but on the rare occasions he'd return to the country, they all would hold a get-together and catch up.

"You say that but you're single, too," she teased, earning a pout from Pieck and a mumble 'meanie'. "But yeah, we should get some groceries."

Upon exiting the aisle, they rounded the edge and almost ran into someone had Isanna not abruptly halted.

"Oh—" Isanna's breath hitched when her eyes made contact with the other person's—those pair of striking cerulean hues that never failed to send electrifying shock whenever it held hers.

"Erwin," she subconsciously straightened her posture, not noticing the way Pieck narrowed her eyes at the man. Isanna almost stuttered her quick "Hi."

He was sporting a simple dark grey blazer over a navy blue shirt, slacks, and polished dress shoes. Maybe it was it just Isanna, but every time she met with Erwin, he always looked like he was seconds from walking down the runway. She'd seen a few of Pieck's model friends, and honestly, she thought Erwin would fit just well with them.

"Miss Isanna," he said. He was just as surprised as she was to run into each other at a place like this. His gaze made a fleeting scan of her appearance; navy blue dress shirt tucked into white jeans, then sandals. She was as beautiful as always, even when she didn't try. He noticed the woman next to her a second late and remembered he should introduce himself.

"Ah, so you're Erwin Smith," Pieck intoned, shaking his hand good-naturedly. "I've heard a lot about you. All good things, not to worry," she added when she noticed the mild confusion on his face.

"It's.. a surprise to see you here," Isanna said, suddenly highly self-conscious—although why, she didn't know. "Um, what are.. what are you up to here?" She inwardly cringed at herself.

Pieck on the other hand, eyed Isanna knowingly.

Fortunately, Erwin didn't seem to mind her tenseness and just gave her a disarming smile, one that Isanna couldn't help but stare in wonder. "A friend's birthday is coming up soon, so I figured I should buy something in advance."

"Oh, so you came here alone?"

"No, actually, I came here with—"

A voice oozing with enthusiasm joined the conversation and was connected to a familiar face who rounded the aisle they had stopped.

"Erwin! Do you think Mike will like this?"

Both Pieck and Isanna turned to the voice and was greeted by a cheerful Hange holding up a large shirt with the print 'Tall, Blond, and Handsome' printed at the front. She had a half-excited-half-mischievous grin plastered on her face as she proudly held it up for Erwin (for everyone) to see.

Upon meeting each other's gazes, Pieck and Hange momentarily froze.

"Hange, hi," Isanna piped up, failing to notice the unreadable eye contact the two shared. Hange finally teared her eyes from Pieck and looked at Isanna, throwing the shirt over her arm before she made her way nearer, practically bouncing in her steps.

"Isa!" She hugged her, surprising both Isanna and Pieck. "It's great to see you here! Is this fate?"

Pieck felt her eye twitch at the natural way she'd hugged her best friend and the way she called her by her nickname. She casually stepped up with a practiced smile. "Pieck Finger. I'm Isa's best friend. Pleasure to meet you."

Hange let go of Isanna and turned to Pieck in return, immediately recognizing the woman as the Cart titan in the past life. She recalled wanting to be friends with her, only to be denied that wish—primarily because Pieck had not shared her enthusiasm of gaining a new friend via Hange hitching a ride with her in titan form, and Hange had to sacrifice herself for the sake of the alliance at the time.

But now, here they were, Hange Zoe and Pieck Finger, reincarnated—and both somewhat getting quite territorial over Isanna.

"Hange Zoe. I'm Isa's, er.. new friend," she introduced, stretching a palm just as Pieck accepted it. She resisted the urge to correct herself that she was actually 'Isa's first best friend'.

They already knew each other, that much they were aware of, but this was neither the place nor time to prove that fact—especially in the presence of someone who had no recollection of the past life.

Isanna sent alternate looks of confusion between the two, failing to understand the growing tension between the two women, and why they looked like they were having a staring contest with her right in the middle.

Erwin, quick to read between the lines, decided to shatter the tension as he turned to Isanna, "What brings you here, Miss Isanna?"

After a brief explanation that they were just out on a 'girl's day' (Hange's jealousy only spiking up at the thought that Isanna was spending a day with her other best friend), the group somehow found themselves trudging around the department store together. Erwin had even offered to carry the bags Isanna was carrying, an act she had thanked him for.

"Um.. do they know each other?" Isanna couldn't help but whisper to Erwin. She looked over her shoulder and noticed the cold air between the two women, occasionally giving each other some unreadable stares.

Erwin didn't know the full story, but being the smart person he was, he could make a guess. He ducked his head low and whispered back, "I suppose they do."

Finally noticing the close proximity between them, Isanna felt her breath hitch and she lightly jerked back, awkwardly laughing.

"Ah.. is that so? Makes sense.." She quickly averted her gaze, despite feeling Erwin's burning stare directed right at the back of her head.

What a weird turn of events, she thought to herself as she mentally sighed. After confirming her questions earlier, she had been informed that Mike's birthday was right around the corner, so she decided to get something for him as well. Granted they were not that close (yet), but there was some still voice inside telling her that she had to go buy something for him.

"What does Mike like?" she asked Erwin as they continued to walk together, side-by-side. Strangely enough, despite her feeling conscious about the proximity of their bodies, it did not feel.. uncomfortable. In fact, walking by Erwin's side felt oddly natural.

He glanced down at her, and it was then did Isanna realize how abnormally tall he was given the sheer difference in height between them—he was even taller than Zeke, she noticed.

"He likes practical things," Erwin supplied, "so he'll like it if you give him something he can make use of at home." He paused, thinking, then continued, "But Mike is an appreciative man through and through. He'll love whatever you give him."

Isanna hummed at the info, craning her neck over the aisles to see if she could find something. "Then.. what are you giving him, Erwin?"

The way his name effortlessly rolled off her tongue was just so immaculate, as if Erwin's name existed for the sake of it, and he loved hearing her voice calling him every time.

He remembered he was holding a conversation with her and finally answered, "A necktie."

He heard her snort, and god that crooked smile on her was just so mesmerizing he wanted to grab her face and ki—

"Is something funny?" he asked, and although he maintained a neutral face he was more than glad that he was granted the opportunity to see her smile. Somehow, his day just became instantly better.

She waved an apologetic hand, failing to suppress a growing smile. "Nothing, it's just.. a necktie just feels like a really you-thing to gift. So.. formal and business-like."

She seemed to have realized something since her smile fell. Isanna frantically turned to him and hurriedly waved both hands. "I'm sorry for laughing, we're not really that close yet for me to make jokes and I—oh god.."

This time, it was Erwin's turn to laugh. It was more of a low, short-lived chuckle more than anything.

"You're fine," he said, relieved that she was slowly getting comfortable around him. It was a good start. Now if only that damned monkey wasn't in the way.

Isanna awkwardly shuffled on her feet and pressed her lips tighter together. He laughed. Well, to be more precise, he chuckled (which could still be considered a laugh, but anyway). She never would have expected that hearing him laugh would evoke these pleasant (questionable?) fluttery emotions that were currently coursing through her veins in a manner she just could not put into words.

And once again, she knew it was all just so ridiculous. It was ridiculous that she was highly aware of the way their hands occasionally grazed each other with each step, it was ridiculous that she was so drawn to his cologne that somehow just made him more attractive, if that was even possible, and it was just downright ridiculous that she was noticing almost every single detail about this man, like the way his intelligent eyes would light up differently every time they make eye contact, the way his lips would twitch into a subtle smile whenever Isanna got nervous around him too obviously, the way his majestically-thick brows rise a tad higher in amusement because of it, because why? Why was she feeling all of these, despite knowing that it was all so absurd?

She shouldn't be this overly conscious over a man whom she just met in less than a month. And to make matters worse, a man who was not even her fiancé.

This isn't good, she thought with a nibbled lip. Everything inside her was blaring its alarms, a CODE RED ALERT going round and round and round in her head. She knew she had to put some distance and get a grip on reality.

But..

She side glanced him, catching a glimpse of his face, that face that always seemed to light up whenever he looked at her, and there was just something inexplicable about this man that kept on calling her attention.

At the back of the two, Pieck was staring at them through narrowed eyes, gauging the blond man with quite the scrutinizing stare. With the way they were casually walking together (was it just her or was Erwin subtly closing the distance between him and Isanna), she would have mistaken them to be dating—heck, they were even wearing matching navy blue colored shirts, for crying out loud—

Ever since meeting the infamous Erwin Smith, Pieck had been busy making her own personal assessment of him. So far, the man was everything she expected him to be; imposing aura that resembled a military leader (he even walked like a soldier), physique built like a dorito chip (he definitely looked like he hit the gym at a regular), eloquent manner of speaking that made him feel more like a businessman than a teacher, and the most prominent trait of all: he constantly looked at Isanna with heart eyes.

He wasn't exactly doing a good job hiding it—not that he looked like he was trying in the first place. Pieck was always quick to catch on to things. Erwin Smith was completely smitten with her best friend.

And after careful analyzation, Pieck finally realized why the look on his face was familiar. It was the same look Zeke always wore every time he looked at Isanna, as well. Her friend was a magnet for blond hunks, Pieck concluded.

"Hey," Pieck finally said, side eyeing Hange who was in the middle of gawking at a glass oil pourer. She snapped out of it and turned to Pieck, mumbling a 'What?' and followed by inquisitive silence.

"Those two," Pieck starting, jerking her chin towards the two who were walking way ahead of them. "What exactly was their relationship in the past? I'm guessing you were close friends with them."

Hange followed her gaze and upon landing her eyes on Isanna and Erwin—both of whom were engaged in what seemed like a friendly conversation judging by the warm air surrounding them, a soft smile formed on Hange's lips.

"Ah, them," she chuckled, and Pieck was certain that by the look on her eyes, Hange was reminiscing the past. "They gave me a real headache in the past, y'know? Watching them was like watching an entire K-drama—not that I knew what a K-drama was in the past, but you get the point."

Pieck arched a brow, signaling her to continue.

"They were childhood friends," Hange elaborated, shrugging her shoulders. "Stuck to each other like glue, basically married without realizing it. Actually.."

Her voice trailed off, and Pieck swore Hange's eyes looked a tad bit sadder at that moment.

".. they were supposed to get married.. after returning from Shiganshina, but, well.. you were there, you know what happened—they didn't get to do all that."

Pieck paused in her tracks, Hange's words silently soaking into the meshes of her brain as her gaze slowly returned to the two who were now both laughing at something they couldn't quite hear at this distance. Maybe Erwin had cracked a joke or something (surprising, since he didn't seem to be the type to share jokes), judging by the way Isanna was stifling her laughter.

Even from that distance, Pieck could feel the tinge of warmth, nostalgia, and the familiarity radiating from the two of them.

They had been engaged, she realized. They were supposed to get married.

"Did Isa.. die at Shiganshina?" she asked, not taking her eyes from them. Suddenly, she thought of Zeke, and the amount of times she'd watched both him and Isanna hang out together, lost in their own little world with affection in their eyes towards the other and mixed with the occasional playful banter and teasing, but somehow—Erwin and Isanna emitted an entirely different aura together.

"Yeah," Hange confirmed.

Ah.. well this is a predicament, Pieck thought to herself as she finally realized the depth of the current issue concerning her best friend. Now she no longer questioned why Isanna had looked like a tomato when they ran into Erwin earlier. Her memories may still be lost somewhere in the realm of time, and while whether her getting them back or not was a question that was soon going to be answered down the line, some part of her—a part hidden deep within her, still most likely remembered Erwin. Subconsciously.

Pieck naturally sided with Zeke (no matter how much she'd tease him about it). Now, she wondered how he'd react when he finds out he was essentially the cause of Isanna's death in the past—but most of all, Pieck wondered what Isanna's reaction would be, once her memories returned and she'd find out of the grave she had unknowingly dug herself into.

One thing for sure—hell will break loose.