Chapter 1
A friend's request
Levi woke up to the sound of bell ringing in his apartment. He looked at the clock and it was only 6 in the morning. He tried to ignore it but the bell kept on ringing.
"What the hell Hanji.." Levi opened the door to see Hanji in front of him.
"Erwin got into an accident and was now hospitalised.." Hanji said.
"What?!"
Levi and Hanji got into a room where their old friend was laid on the bed with many medical machines attached to his lifeless body. Erwin's body was full of bandages and didn't move an inch. There, stood a girl with tears streaming down her face staring at Erwin's lifeless body.
"Are you Mr. Smith's close friends?" a middle aged guy who seemed to be a layer approached them.
"Yeah.. you can say so.." Levi answered as he stared at Erwin.
"What happened to him?" Hanji asked as she held back her tears.
"You must be Mr Levi Ackerman and Miss Hanji Zoe, I'm Douto Pixis, Mr. Smith's lawyer. was on the way to airport for his overseas business when his car was hit by a truck. The doctors had done their best and he had been in a coma since then.." Douto explained.
"And who's that girl?" Hanji asked.
"She's Erena Smith, adopted her 3 years ago and she had been studying in Paris and was spending her winter holiday here. She had just finished her high school there, and she was planing to continue her education here.." Douto answered.
"I've never heard a thing about this.." Levi said.
"Must be tough on her.." Hanji whispered. "Then, who's in charge of her now that Erwin's.."
"Well.. about that.." Douto opened an envelope and showed a paper to Hanji and Levi. "Mr. Smith had prepared something, it's quite similar to a will, but sometimes people with a lot of fortunes and no relatives usually prepare this kind of letter in case something like this happen. It is said that he will leave the company's matter to you both and he also ask you to take care of her daughter.."
"Of course we will.." Hanji said. "That's not something that he needs to formally write about.."
"Take care as in.. letting her stay with you for the time being until Mr. Smith recovers or until Erena-san reaches the age of 21. Until then, both of you shall be her guardian.."
"Good then Hanji will take care of her.." Levi said.
"Well, in this letter, the one in charge of living with her is Levi Ackerman.." Douto said.
"Huh?!"
"It is noted in this letter that.." Douto coughed before he continued. "Mr. Smith wishes the best for his daughter and Hanji Zoe isn't qualified for providing his daughter a proper lifestyle.."
"Aahh.. you're really irritating even when you're dying, Erwin.." Hanji grumbled.
"How did he expect his daughter living with a single man?!" Levi protested.
"I'm sorry, it is his request.. But he did tell me to hand you this letter in times like this.." Douto gave Levi a letter. "Erena-san.. please come over here.."
The girl who was still sobbing lifted up her face, and Levi was stunned. Something like an electric shock suddenly ran through his body as he stared at that girl. The girl wiped her tears and walked towards them.
"Erena-san.. these two will be your guardian.. This is Ms Hanji Zoe and Levi Ackerman, they are both your father's most trusted friends and they will take care of you for the time being.." Douto said.
"Pleased to meet you.." Erena bowed with a soar voice. "Thank you for looking after my father.."
"What a sweet child.." Hanji smiled. "No wonder why Erwin keeps you away from us.."
"And, , I forgot to tell you that it is a request, so you don't have to agree to this.." Douto added.
Dear Levi,
By the time you read this letter, something must have happened to me that I can no longer stay with Erena. I haven't told you or Hanji about Erena, no one actually. It is to hide Erena from being exposed to my enemies, but of course not from you guys. You two are my most trusted friends. When you are given this letter, you must've refused living with Erena and that's why I asked my lawyer to give you this letter to explain why I chose you. Leaving Erena alone without my presence will be a threat to her life, as much as I tried to hide Erena as my daughter, I never know when it will be leaked out, and that is why I ask her to stay with you. And, this child, Erena, she's actually a child of mine and Elena Ackerman.. your sister. I'm very sorry that I've been hiding it, the truth is, Elena and I have been seeing each other and Erena was born from our love. I've never told you where your sister ran off to and you must be angry with me right now. But do please take care of my daughter, Erena.
Your friend,
Erwin Smith
Levi put the letter in his pocket and stared at Erena. A long straight brown hair, a pair of jaded sharp eyes, and the soft voice that sounds similar like Elena. She looks exactly like Elena..
"Hey kid.." Levi walked to Erena and Hanji. "Have you eaten something?"
"I'm not hungry, thank you.." Erena smiled.
Her smiles..
"Then we'll be heading home.. Grab your stuffs.." Levi said.
"So, you're really going to take her with you?" Hanji chuckled.
"Just for the time being, I'll kick her out if she's getting troublesome.." Levi replied.
"Ackerman-san, I'm sorry for being rude but, Douto-san has explained it to me so there's no need to force yourself to agree with my father's request.. I'm fine living by myself.. I've got a dorm in my university and I'll be staying there.." Erena said. "But thank you very much for accepting his selfish request.."
This shitty brat.. Just when Levi was trying to be nice..
"And.. I'm actually uncomfortable living together with an old man.." Erena added.
And the word 'old man' really snapped Levi.
"Hey, shitty brat!" Levi pulled her hand and drew her closer to him. "Just so you know, I really hate a brat with their shitty mouth and a cry baby on top of that, so having you not live with me is really the best thing that had ever happened to me.."
"Le.. Levi!" Hanji stood up.
"Oh, really?" Erena chuckled. "I thought you must be a horny old man to ask me to come living with you, and seeing how short tempered you are, no wonder why you're still single at that age.."
"Eh?" Hanji and Levi was left speechless. Where was the sweet angle that was here?
"Now, if you please let go before I scream?" Erena smiled. "Or, do you enjoy touching an underage kid?"
Erwin.. Is she.. really Elena's and your child? How did she even get that attitude?
"Ahh.. so she's actually your niece?" Hanji said as they were on their way home. "But, her living in the dorm, is it really safe?"
"Yeah, turns out that Elena left home for Erwin.." Levi explained.
"I thought Erwin was already married back then.."
"It is an arranged marriage after all, they divorced 2 years after.." Levi sighed. That was one of the many reasons why he hated aristocrats, where all mattered to them was wealth and status. "Anyway, where's the brat's dorm?"
"Why? Are you going to persuade her? Ouch!" Hanji got hit on her head.
"Like hell i'm going to let that brat live with me!" Levi said.
He did say that.. but there he was.. At night, with his black pants and his black hoodie and his glasses, standing in front of Singashina University dorm. The dorm was enormous, as expected of an elite university. But Levi had been wondering why both guys and girls were coming in and out from the same dorm. Suddenly, a cat came to him, lingering to his legs. Levi lifted the cat up and placed it on his laps, brushing the fur.
"Hey, do they mix boys and girls in this dorm?" Levi asked the cat.
The cat just purred from Levi's hand.
Then he saw Erena walking toward them, he quickly hid behind the big tree. He could see something fell from her pocket, a key? Then he stared at Erena reaching the entrance and was busy searching for her key. Levi sighed, how would you expect a clumsy girl like that to live alone? Levi then stared at the cat,
"I have a mission for you.."
Erena began to panic, losing her key on her first day here?! Seriously!?
"Mew.."
Erena looked down, there was a black cat with her key in his mouth.
"Oh my god, you saved my life!" Erena lifted the cat and hugged it. She brought the cat into the dorm, though not long after Levi could see that Erena sadly brought it out again. Pets weren't allowed in the dorm after all. Then, Levi could see Erena coming out from the veranda. So, she lived in the third floor..
"Hey, cat.." Levi called the cat. The cat didn't come to him though.. So Levi had to go to the convenience store and brought a can of tuna, and opened it. The cat really did go to him then.
"Did you see that girl?" Levi asked, the cat turned to where Levi was pointing and mewed. "Can you climb up there?"
The cat mewed again, then the cat left him and it really did climb up to Erena's veranda. Levi smiled in satisfaction as if he had just finished a mission.
The next morning Erena came into the hospital, there was a bucket of white lilies in the flower vase.
"Erwin.. who was here?" Erena asked. Of course, Erwin didn't answer.
"You know, in my dorm, there is this cute black cat.. She helped me find my keys last night.." Erena said as she smiled. "Then, she climbed up to my veranda and stayed with me until I fall asleep. Just like how you stayed with me whenever I woke up from a nightmare.."
"Ah.. Look, I'm crying again.." Erena was going to reach the tissue box when she saw a card on the tissue box. There was a black cat drawn on that card and a note
Feed me tuna every time you cry and I'll stay with you
Erena quickly looked around. Who...
"Excuse me sir, are you going in?" a nurse stopped outside Erwin's room.
"No, I'm about to go out.." Levi replied and left.
"Miss Smith.." the receptionist in the dorm called Erena. "There's a package for you.."
"For me?" Erena asked. She then took the box and brought it to her room, she opened the box and there were lots of canned tuna inside with another card with a cat drawn on it.
I'm hungry
Erena then ran to her veranda, there was nobody out there.
That night, Erena fed the cat and that cat stayed with her again all night.
The next morning, there was another bucket of new fresh white lilies in the vase.
"Good morning, Miss.. It's time for routine morning check for Mr. Smith .." a nurse came in.
"Hey.. do you perhaps.. know who gave this flower to my father?" Erena asked.
The nurse smiled. "I was told to keep it a secret.. You can rest assured, that person is a good man, he always visits every morning and bring a bucket of white lilies. I heard it is 's favourite flowers.."
"Yes, it is.. There are many white lilies in our garden, and my father always takes his breakfast in the garden. Even when he's busy he makes sure to visit the flowers.." Erena smiled.
"How about your favourite flower? Do you like flowers too, Miiss Smith?" the nurse smiled.
"Yeah I do.. I like daisy, especially the withe ones.." Erena smiled.
The next morning, she found another bucket of white lilies and.. a small bucket of white daisies with another note with the cat drawings.
I've eaten a lot, how about you?
Levi was on his night patrol again at Erena's dorm. The cat was already used to him and it immediately came to him. "Wow, you've really gotten fatter.." Levi chuckled and brushed her fur.
"Hey, old man.."
Levi flinched with that familiar voice. The voice that used to be something he yearned for.. why did it sound so annoying now?
"Are you seriously a pervert?" Erena stood there, eating her ice cream.
"Shitty brat.." Levi sighed.
"Why are you dressed like you're peeping on someone?" Erena asked.
"This is just how I usually dressed.." Levi looked away. This brat had the worst timing.
"And why are you standing in front of my dorm?" Erena chuckled.
"I was going to go jogging.." Levi lied again.
"So, your house is around here? You must be pretty rich, old man.." Erena seated herself on the bench next to Levi.
"Hey brat, could it be that the your dorm doesn't have a separate building for guys and girls?" Levi asked.
"Yup.." Erena nodded. "Nobody usually stays in the dorm so even though it's spacious, it's nearly empty. And I think that's why it's okay we only need 1 dorm."
"Schools these days.." Levi grumbled. "Where have you been?"
"Hospital.." Erena answered. "I was going to eat dinner with Erwin, but.. it's really lonely when Erwin doesn't say anything.."
"You know.." Erena added. "Rather than sending me notes, why don't you take me out for a meal.. Oftenly.."
"What notes?!" Levi inner side began to panic.
Erena just smiled. "This cat looks a lot like you, old man.. too bad she's a girl.. And she seems really close to you.."
"Doesn't cats get close to anyone?" Levi replied.
"It's a girl, so she doesn't get along with just any guy.." Erena chuckled.
"Anyway, I'm hungry.." Levi got up. "Come"
"Hey, old man.."
"What?"
"You know.. this isn't a proper place to ask a lady for dinner.." Erena looked around.
It was a street stand of ramen, and it was crowded.
"The food here is clean and tasty.." Levi said.
"I've never been a place like this.." Erena was still looking around the unfamiliar scene that was new to her.
"That Erwin must've kept you like a princess.." Levi chuckled. "That's what makes you a spoiled rotten brat.."
"Indeed, he does.." Erena smiled. "Whenever we meet, he has my presents ready and he keeps calling me his princess. You know, on his way to the airport last night, he promised me another present, he said that I'll definitely like it, I wonder what it is.."
"You call him by his name?" Levi asked.
"Yeah, he's not really my father you know.. And when I asked him what to call him, he said to call him Erwin.." Erena smiled. "Oh, here's the food!"
2 bowls of pork ramen was placed and the smell was really tasty. Erena took the chopstick and took a bite.
"Old man, you're right! This is really tasty!" Erena smiled.
"See.. told ya.." Levi also smiled.
And that night.. the ramen he ate was tastier than the ones he usually ate before. They did say when you're feeling good, food tastes even better.
