"WHAT?!" Rosa yelped in terror. "No, no, no..! This can't be..! Not yet!"

"I'm sorry, Rosa." Hange tried to calm her down, but it was no use; Refusing to halt, Rosa kept pacing back and forth in Hange's office, looking like she was ready to pull her hair out of her head soon. "During the last mission, we-"

"I don't care!" Rosa snapped at her. "You just came back, and now you're about to leave again?! Is Erwin mad?!"

It had been a week since the Scout Regiment returned from their expedition, and Levi had informed her that the next expedition was scheduled for the following week. It was unheard of— They had barely had any time to recover from their previous journey, and now they'd leave again?

Hange let out a sigh, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Rosa, please. Sit down, would you? You're making me dizzy."

Rosa stopped, and slowly turned to face her friend. Her shoulders sagged, and she plopped down onto the couch. "I'm not ready… I can't…" She gritted her teeth as she buried her face into her hands. She hadn't expected the next expedition to be so soon, and there was no way she could convince Erwin to let her rejoin the ranks before that. She'd be left behind, again, and it was hard to not be worried sick when Levi and others were outside the walls without her.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Hange assured her, trying to cheer her up. "Besides, we won't be gone for too long, probably."

Rosa didn't reply, but Hange could tell that she wasn't convinced.

"We were lacking proper equipment the last time we were out." Hange explained. "Erwin wants us to investigate the area again, and-"

"Levi knew, didn't he?" Rosa cut her off, her voice low and cold. "He knew that you'd be leaving again. He knew, and he didn't tell me until now." She lifted her head, looking straight at Hange. "That bastard..!" She snarled.

Hange blinked in surprise. Rosa's expression was so dark, it made her feel uneasy.

"W-well, he might have, but-"

"I can't believe him! Why the hell would he keep this a secret from me? He's such a jerk..!"

Hange couldn't help but to chuckle at her reaction; She was angry, yes, but the look on her face was rather cute. "Maybe he just didn't want you to worry?" Hange made her way over to her and placed her hand onto her shoulder, giving her a gentle pat. "I'm sure he isn't eager to leave, either, but it's his duty."

Rosa crossed her arms over her chest, a deep frown settling between her brows. "I understand that he wants to keep me out of trouble, but still... I wish I could've had more time to prepare myself." She muttered.

"He'll be back, before you know it."

"Tch." Rosa rolled her eye. "I hope so."

"He'll be fine. Just trust me, okay? I'll look after him for you." Hange promised as she watched Rosa stand up, her expression still sullen. "Are you going to talk to him?"

"Not yet." Rosa muttered, heading towards the exit. "I'm afraid I might rip his head off…"

When Rosa made her way down the hallway, she couldn't help but to ponder about the situation. It was hard for her to accept the fact that he had been keeping her in the dark about the next expedition, but then again, maybe Hange was right; Maybe Levi hadn't told her because he didn't want her to worry. Still, she was frustrated and angry, and she needed some fresh air.

Rosa pushed the door open, stepping outside. It was a beautiful day, the weather clear and sunny. As she strolled across the courtyard, her mind kept wandering back to her fake-fiancé and their relationship.

Ever since Levi had returned from their previous expedition, things had been better between the two of them. Rosa was happy that he was back, and his attitude had changed as well— She felt like he had really started to warm up to her. He was starting to feel more comfortable around her, and Rosa was getting to know the real Levi, the man behind the cold and unapproachable facade. He was a very private person, and she could tell that he was reluctant to open up, even though she could sense the desire to do so, and Rosa could sense his frustration, as well. They had been spending time together, sometimes alone, and sometimes with others, too.

Being with him felt so natural to her, and she considered him as a close friend of hers. But there was more to it, as well; There was something about him, something that pulled her closer, and made her feel things she had never felt before. Rosa had always known she was attracted to him— He was Captain Levi, afterall, so such feelings were inevitable… but to her, it was more than that. She enjoyed his company, and the time they spent together. Levi was different from other men, he was reserved and guarded, but there was also something genuine and honest about him.

She was falling for him, and the realization scared her. She couldn't let herself forget that their engagement was nothing more than a facade; A temporary arrangement, and as long as it lasted, Rosa knew that she couldn't allow herself to grow attached to him. But she already was, and there was nothing she could do to change it. Rosa sighed heavily. Her feelings were all over the place, and she couldn't help but to wonder whether she was just imagining things, or if she was the only one who felt this way. She probably was; There was no reason for Levi to have any romantic feelings for her, not when their engagement was nothing but a scheme.

The sound of hooves on the cobblestones echoed through the yard, and Rosa lifted her gaze, her eyes following the group of soldiers on horseback. Levi and his squad were preparing for the upcoming expedition, and the sight of them brought a small smile to her lips— She was going to miss him, but she knew that there was no point in dwelling in her emotions. If her feelings were to take over, it would only make the situation harder, and Rosa wasn't going to let that happen; She was just going to deal with it, and put her feelings aside. She wasn't going to act on them, and she was determined to get rid of them as soon as possible. Because if she'd find herself unable to do so, she'd have no other choice than to end the engagement.