Chapter Text
Armin was late to everything always. Except for today. No, no. He couldn’t be late today out of all days. Armin scooted off to the entrance dragging his suitcase behind him when he felt something slip off his arm. His jacket. Armin sighed as he picked it up from the ground, shaking the dirt off. It might be better for him to wear it instead of carrying it around but he had no time to do it right now.
Armin entered the huge glass doors and searched for his airline in the check-in counter. Armin felt a light breeze as he walked, noticing that the air-conditioning system was on full blast. He wasn’t good with the cold. He shivered as he walked to the check-in counter, and stood behind a tall dark-haired woman whose hair fell just above her shoulders, clutching what must be her carry-on baggage on one hand and a large navy-blue suitcase on the other. Armin reread his ticket for the third time today—the first one just before he left home and the second time in the cab on the way here. He carefully read the details of his ticket as if he had not yet memorized them.
Armin absolutely loved flying, but this was his first flight in so many years. He used to travel with his parents when he was younger, visiting different cities outside of the country during summer break. His parents were both college professors in different fields—his dad was in biochemistry, and his mom was in engineering. They were quite busy back then and hardly saw them at home. Both would go home when Armin was already asleep, and Armin would see him for a brief time in the morning after waking up. Sometimes both of his parents would not go home and he’d see them after a full week. During those times, little Armin stayed with his grandfather in his house, but eventually grand dad decided it would be easier for Armin if he came over instead. Armin’s parents never discussed with him exactly what they worked on, and he would be lying if he said he wasn’t curious. He tried asking of course, but they were always quick to change the subject.
“Good day, sir. Your ticket please.”
Armin watched as the flight attendant checked the details of his ticket, and he nodded as she read his info to him. After presenting the documents she asked for and handing over his luggage to be weighed, Armin received his boarding pass.
Passenger Name: Armin Arlert
Flight No. SD104
Terminal: C
Gate: D54
Boarding Time: 13:15
Seat: 23B
Economy Class
He gripped both straps of his backpack and treaded towards the boarding area. He passed by a coffee shop and ordered a latte, then found himself a seat in an empty row. The wide gaps in between the seats provided him a lot for his belongings. Armin unzipped his bag to dig up a book he just started reading last night, but Armin put the book down on the empty seat next to him when he remembered to put his jacket on. He picked up the book again and heaved up a heavy sigh. He could never get comfortable in airport seats like this no matter how spacious they were.
Armin wasn’t sure if he was still in the mood to read at all. He looked around and saw that the place was nearly empty except for him, a family of four sitting five rows behind him, an old couple two rows from him to his right—he presumes they were married and must be somewhere in their late fifties—and a girl who seemed to be his age on the same row, but on the other side. He stared at her for a few seconds, trying to recall if she already saw her somewhere. She looked oddly familiar, like he already knew who she was.
The girl faced his direction, revealing her face, and Armin recognized her in no time.
Beaming, Armin waved at the girl in the gray hoodie.
“Annie!”
It was a coincidence to see him at the airport. Annie tried not think about it much as she pressed down the handle of her luggage, the strap of her backpack sliding down her arm as she lifted her luggage at the check-in counter for weighing. The flight attendant was in all smiles as she wished Annie a safe flight, but Annie simply gave her a nod before leaving with her boarding pass.
The digital clock said it was 12:04 PM. She roughly had an hour left before boarding, and now would be a good time to get lunch—except she wasn’t feeling hungry. She figured there were going to be snacks in flight. Besides, the plane ride was only going to last for six hours—she could simply get something to eat after getting off. Annie reckoned she could choose any fast food restaurant outside the airport as she was dead set on not spending all her money in here. Food was cheaper outside for sure.
Annie made a right turn where rows of empty airport seats arranged uncomfortable straight lines awaited her. In her head she was still thinking about him. Annie sincerely hoped he wouldn’t notice her because it’s just going to be awkward.
For her.
Annie saw down, crossed her legs and drummed her fingers on the arm rest. She reached for her phone in her jeans pocket to check if she had any messages from her father. Her dad wasn’t a big texter, neither was she. He sent her only one text this morning which she already read twice.
Dad: Have a safe flight
Annie: Thanks.
Annie was getting bored. She couldn’t listen to music because her earphones weren’t working anymore, and she just found out the night before.
And then he arrived.
She swiftly pulled her hood over her head, looked down on her phone and pretended to text her dad.
Annie clicked her tongue in annoyance.
This was ridiculous. Why was she hiding from him?
She let out a sigh as she removed the hood over her head.
He was friendly. Everyone at school loved him. They spoke to each other a few times in the past, but they weren’t friends. He was a brilliant student. Graduated at the top of their class. He was smart and kind and a little popular. She thought he was nice. Annie couldn’t think anything bad about him, except for one thing.
His hair.
He sported a bowl cut since freshman year and never really bothered to change it. She noticed how his bangs got in the way of his eyes. He wore thick, black eyeglasses so Annie knew he had bad eyesight. But it's not like she was paying him a lot of attention. Annie was simply observant.
Why he kept that bowl cut all these years she had no idea.
But today was different. Annie had to do a double take just to be sure it was him at the airport today because: one, he no longer wore a bowl cut, and two, he ditched his old eyeglasses.
She hoped that the bowl cut was gone forever because Armin Arlert in an undercut looked surprisingly attractive.
She couldn’t believe the transformation at first, but it wasn’t like she found him ugly all these years. In fact, she thought quite the opposite.
Good for him, Annie said to herself.
She quickly realized that she was going to be on the same plane as Armin Arlert, because why else would he be here at the same gate?
Annie stole a glance at him, her eyes widening in disbelief. But what she saw next astounded her even more.
Armin Arlert already laid his eyes on her.
Armin Arlert sat there, smiling and waving at her.
“Annie!”
And that’s how it all started.