Chapter 1
The coffee, as always, was exceptional. Eren had been coming to this spot for two years because it was two things: consistent and cheap. The shop was run by a kind and older Ethiopian man named Kaleb; he was even on a first-name basis with Eren. Sometimes, Eren even brought the man his mother’s cooking, a trade-off for all the times the man has slipped in a pastry or two for free.
Busy was not the word one would use to describe the place; it was lowkey and easily missed from the outside. However, that’s what Eren loved so much about it. He could go here and escape from whatever problems or chaos was going on around him. An hour of serenity and peace—something nearly impossible to find in the otherwise bustling and lively city.
Eren knew most of the customers’ faces; they were regulars just like him. But when the door swung open with a soft chime and a girl stepped inside, his interest piqued. She was new, with short black hair that framed her face just right and cheeks pink from the cold. Dressed in a red sweater, black skirt, and tights tucked into combat boots, she exuded an energy that seemed to dim everything else around her.
“Hi ma’am, how are you?” Kaleb asked warmly as he emerged from the back.
“I’m doing well, and you?” she responded, eyes scanning the handwritten menu.
“I’m doing well,” he said, wiping down the counter. “Anything I could get started for you?”
“Hmm… I’m still deciding,” she mused, biting her lip in concentration as she surveyed her options.. “Everything looks so good. Is there anything you recommend?”
For some reason, Eren couldn’t take his eyes off her. She had this energy , something that kept pulling his gaze towards her as he sipped his coffee. When he noticed Kaleb glancing in his direction, a sly grin creeping along his face, Eren quickly averted his gaze. Too late.
“Well, that gentleman over there” Kaleb started, nodding towards Eren, “has been coming here for two years and gets the same thing every time. A caramel latte with whipped cream and extra caramel sauce.”
Eren froze, the cup touching his lips, as his face reddened from the embarrassment that his rather sweet and childish order was being shared with a stranger. In his haste, he failed to notice the milk mustache that formed on his upper lip.
The girl turned to look at him and their eyes met. For a brief moment, they both paused; then, she smiled–a soft, open smile that made Eren’s heart flutter. He mirrored her grin, albeit sheepishly, aware of how hot his face now felt.
“Well,” she said, her tone tinged with amusement, “I’m usually a black coffee type of girl, but today I’ll make an exception.” With that, she ordered the exact same drink. Sparing Eren one last look, she turned back to Kaleb.
Eren watched as the girl continued chatting with Kaleb while he made her order. He learned that she moved to the States for work, although originally, she was from Tokyo. She spoke with such ease, the conversation flowing smoothly. Not wanting to seem like a creep, he returned to his phone and continued his battle in Clash of Clans.
“Is it alright if I sit here?” Eren looked up to see the girl standing in front of him, coffee cup in hand and a shy expression dancing across her face.
“Of course,” he responded quickly, shutting off his phone. He wondered what she could possibly want to talk to him about. He also noted how his heart seemed to skip a beat as he watched her sit down, her bangs falling in front of her eyes. He got the sudden urge to move the bang for her, but felt this would be rather inappropriate and instead gripped his coffee cup and took another sip.
“You were right, this coffee is delicious,” she stated, fingers drumming the side of her cup. Was she… nervous?
From the corner of his eye, Eren saw Kaleb make a motion, wiping his upper lip. Eren followed suit and to his horror, he watched the milk foam rub on the back of his hand. Great… the flush in his face wasn’t going to disappear any time soon.
“This place is a hidden gem. I’ve tried so many places around but they’re all overpriced or taste like ass,” he replied, grinning slightly.
“I think I’ll have to frequent this place more often,” she said, meeting his gaze. Suddenly, she looked down into her coffee and bit her lip. It seemed like she was thinking something over, the anxiety in her body language becoming evident. “I want to ask you something and I know it might sound weird at first but I swear, it’s not a scam or anything.”
Well, that caught his attention. He had no clue where this conversation was going; was she a fake modeling scout about to scam him of all his money? “Go on…” he said, eyes narrowing slightly from suspicion.
“Ok, basically I’m an actress that’s starting in the new series The Sword of Legend; it’s based on the manga by Armin Arlert, I don’t know if you’ve read it—a great read. I’m actually playing the main character…” she trailed off, realizing that her nerves caused her to ramble. “Ok, I’m just gonna get to the point. We’ve cast almost every single role but for some reason, nobody we’ve seen has fit to play the male lead’s role. But when I saw you… I don’t know what it is but you’re exactly what I imagined the character to be like. I don’t even know if you’ve ever acted or you would be interested in something like this but…” she stopped talking, eyeing Eren as her stomach did somersaults, anxiety and excitement battling it out. Was it too much? Would he just think she’s some weirdo?
Eren stared at the girl for a few seconds. It was the last thing in the world he could’ve predicted to come out of her mouth. Acting wasn’t something he ever considered but he did like art and creativity and it could be a steady paycheck—he needed one of those. And The Sword of Legend was the best anime he’d ever read by far, a favorite piece by everyone that has read it. He waited a few seconds before responding, thinking it over.
“You’re right, the manga’s amazing. I’ve read the entire series and it’s probably the best thing I’ve ever read… to think the guy who wrote it was 17 at the time.” He paused and took a sip of his coffee. “I’ve never acted before and I’ll probably suck.”
“You can meet with the casting director and talk it all out. I know this is sudden and all but it's a great opportunity and the crew feels like family. I think… you would be a good addition.”
“You don’t even know me,” Eren teased. He didn’t want to tell her he had a The Sword of Legend poster in his room and he was actually a huge fan… and that he knew the role would let him get closer to her. The more he thought about it, the less reason he found to say no. If it was a scam or didn’t work out, at least he tried.
“I know,” the girl started, heat already flushing her face again, although this time it wasn’t from the cold. “There’s just something about you. I’ve worked in this industry for years and when you know, you know. At least tell me you’ll think it over?”
“I will,” he said, a little too quickly. “I mean, a meeting couldn’t hurt,” he added, trying to conceal his enthusiasm.
“Excellent,” the girl said, giving him such a genuine smile, her eyes twinkling. She slid over a card with the casting director’s number and stood up. “I’m running late but I hope this won’t be the last time we see each other.” With that, she waved and made her way to the exit.
“Wait!” He called after her, realizing he never got her name. “I’m Eren, what’s your name?”
She turned her head and said, “Mikasa. It was nice meeting you Eren.” She gave a little wave and walked out of the coffee shop, bell chiming behind her. He stared for a few more seconds, replaying the sentence in his head. He liked the way his name sounded coming from her and suddenly he wasn’t sure if he wanted the role because it's his favorite manga or because he gets an excuse to see the girl again.
“Kaleb, don’t even start,” Eren quickly added, noticing the man smiling while he stocked more cups.
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Eren decided to take the long way home, given he had much to think about. The entire conversation with Mikasa felt like a dream and he didn’t want to wake up. It almost felt too good to be true; he’d been struggling between jobs for months and this chance was handed to him on a silver platter. The more he thought about it, the more he realized he couldn’t pass this offer up.
As he opened the door to his small but cozy apartment, the smell of freshly baked cookies wafted in the air. “Mom, I’m home!” He called, taking off his shoes in the foyer.
“Hey sweetie,” Carla replied, walking into the room. She had flour on her apron and a smile plastered on her face.
“Did you bake cookies?”
“Chocolate chip, your favorite. I got off of work early and decided, why not?” she shared as she led them both into the kitchen. Sitting in the oven were chocolate chip cookies, baked just right. The center was soft and chewy with a crunchy exterior.
Eren picked one up and opened the fridge to get himself some milk. Once he poured himself a glass and sat at the table, he began swirling the milk in the glass. He knew he needed to tell his mom about the offer but he wasn’t sure how to go about it.
“Is everything ok? You’re unusually quiet today,” Carla asked, her brows furrowing in slight concern.
“No, no, it’s not that. Actually, something good might’ve happened.” With that, Carla’s eyes brightened. She sat down across from him, eager for him to continue. “Some girl named Mikasa came up to me and said I’d be perfect for the role in her new series. It’s based on that manga I like, "The Sword of Legend. ” He started rubbing the back of his neck, anxious for his mom’s reaction. She would be happy for him, of course, but concern would be at the forefront of her emotions due to her protectiveness over Eren.
“Really? That sounds great!” Carla squealed. A second later though, her smile slightly dropped as she added, “you’re sure it‘s the real deal?”
“I don’t know… I was gonna call the casting director and check it out. I mean, if it’s legit, I don’t wanna pass it up, you know?”
“Have you tried looking up anything about it?”
In fact, he hadn’t. “You’re right. I don’t know how I didn’t think of that.” He pulled out his phone and opened up Safari, typing in “ The Sword of Legend new movie.” A beat later, countless articles from the past week popped up, announcing the new film series that was in its early stages of production.
“Shit, it’s real,” he was dumbfounded. He had some hope the offer was real, but seeing the truth of it in front of him hit him like a brick; all kinds of emotions slammed into him: thrill, apprehension, joy…
Carla stood with her hands covering her mouth, which was hanging open. “Eren, this is amazing!” Suddenly, she was hugging him from behind and tears were welling up.
“Mom, I didn’t even get it yet,” he said, but a smile began to form. It was amazing, and it was his. He would make sure of that.
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The next morning, Eren gave the casting director a call first thing. He didn’t call last night for fear that it would be too late. However, once he woke up, he knew he wouldn’t be able to focus on anything else besides this call.
The phone rang for a few seconds before a male’s voice picked up. “Hello, this is Hajime Isayama from AOT Casting, how can I help you?”
“Hello, this is Eren Yeager. I’m calling about the role of Titan in the new The Sword of Legend Series,” Eren said, knee bouncing as his body filled with anticipation and nerves.
“Eren… are you the boy Mikasa told me about?”
“Um, yes sir. That would be me.” Wow, she really had vouched for him. He felt his heart beat a little faster after that.
“I’ve known Mikasa for a long time and she’s got an eye for these things. Anybody she feels has potential is worth my time. Let’s set up a meeting later this week.”
“That would be incredible,” Eren eagerly responded, feeling the opportunity becoming more real as each second passed.
“Great, how about you stop by my office this Saturday afternoon around 4? Don’t bother bringing in any material–I’ll have you read off the script we have made and we can go from there.”
“That’s perfect. I look forward to seeing you,” Eren was eager to hang up now. He needed to get off the phone and go for a run, jump up and down on his bed, do anything to expel the energy suddenly coursing through his veins. He hadn’t felt this alive in a long time, and it was all thanks to the black-haired girl from the coffee shop.