Eren Yeager secretly winked at Mikasa Ackerman. Mikasa understood immediately. She hugged my arm and began whining softly.
"Ah, Jax, just tell us one story. Please? I know you're always the nicest to me."
"Yeah, Jax, just one," Eren added. "It does not have to be Journey to the West. Any story is fine."
Mikasa looked up at me with wide, hopeful eyes.
I sighed helplessly. At this point, refusing them felt impossible.
I reached out and lightly pinched Mikasa's cheek.
"Alright. Just one story."
"Yay!" Eren cheered.
Mikasa leaned her head against my shoulder.
"Hurry up and start, Jax."
I paused to think.
Back on Earth, I had read countless novels, but most of them were long and complicated. I needed something short. At the same time, I had to avoid mentioning technology or concepts that did not exist inside the Walls. A simple fairy tale would not satisfy Eren either.
"This is troublesome," I muttered quietly as I glanced at their eager faces.
Then another idea came to mind.
"What kind of story do you want to hear?" I asked.
Living in an age overflowing with information, surely I could come up with something on my own. Even a story I invented would probably be more exciting than the dull books available inside the Walls.
"I want to hear about the outside world!" Eren shouted immediately.
"Anything is fine," Mikasa said softly, blinking.
"The outside world..."
I gave a faint, complicated smile as memories of the truth my father, Grisha Yeager, once told me surfaced in my mind.
"Eren, the outside world I know is not very different from what you already imagine, but..."
An idea suddenly struck me.
I stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open. Bright moonlight poured into the room, filling it with a calm silver glow.
"I do know a story about the moon," I said, glancing back at them. "Do you want to hear it?"
Both of them nodded quickly.
So I began.
"Long ago, there was a legendary archer who protected humanity from great disasters. One day, after saving many lives, he received a rare elixir that could grant eternal life. But fate was cruel. His wife accidentally drank the elixir herself. Her body became lighter and lighter until she slowly rose into the sky."
"The woman drifted all the way to the moon, where she would live forever in a silent palace beneath the endless stars."
"From that day on, the two lovers were separated by the sky itself. They could see the same moon every night, but they could never stand beside each other again."
It took me nearly half an hour to finish the story.
My throat felt dry after speaking for so long. At the perfect moment, Mikasa handed me a cup of water. I drank it in one gulp and felt much better.
Mikasa looked thoughtful.
"Jax... does that mean the archer and his wife will never meet again?"
"Yes," I answered gently.
Seeing their slightly gloomy expressions, I quickly tried to reassure them.
"Relax. It is only a myth. Just a story people made up. You do not need to take it so seriously."
"No way," Eren said, making a face as he shook off his disappointment. "If people can invent stories, why do you not make one too, Jax? Mikasa and I can judge it."
Without hesitation, I flicked my knuckle against Eren's head.
"Ouch!"
"Stop trying to trick me," I said firmly. "I said one story, and one story is all you get. Now go back to sleep."
"Alright, alright," Eren said, raising his hands in surrender. "You sound just like my mom."
I quietly shifted into the starting stance of Wing Chun.
The moment Eren saw that, his eyes widened.
"Okay, okay! Good night, Jax! Good night, Mikasa! I am going to sleep!"
He ran out of the room immediately.
I shook my head.
Right now, the house was arranged simply. Grisha Yeager and Carla Yeager had their own room. Eren had his own room as well. Mikasa and I shared another.
Originally, Eren and I shared this room, each with our own bed. But Mikasa often had nightmares. The only time they stopped was when I was nearby.
Eventually the arrangement changed, and Mikasa moved into this room instead.
We still had separate beds.
I shrugged, went to the bathroom, then returned and blew out the oil lamp.
The room fell into darkness, illuminated only by faint moonlight.
"Good night, Mikasa."
Mikasa yawned softly.
"Good night, Jax. Do not forget that you promised to teach me some fighting techniques tomorrow."
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