Humanity's Bravest Soldier
Chapter 4: Family
Minako opened her eyes and found herself being untied out of the ropes from the man who kidnapped her. She was in an old abandoned house in the Underground. She started to process what had happened to her and what she had saw. The young girl had an emotionless face and then her great grandmother's words echoed in her head.
"Minako…run."
Something inside her erupted and it was like an explosion in her body. She punched the man in the face with all her force and did what her great grandmother told her to do. The little girl ran as fast as she could out of that house and found herself running on the streets barefoot in her blood-soaked dress. The man was running after her but she sprinted quickly. As she ran she could feel her heart beating fast as she breathed heavily. Her feet were getting cut by the sharp rocks on the floor. Her great grandmother was so ill but she did everything she could to protect her and now she was dead. Memories of her great grandparents played in her mind and that got her so angry.
She stopped running when she got to an alley and the man charged at her. But she dodged it and started fighting him with the fighting styles her mother and great grandfather taught her and her brother. Before he knew it, she was on top of him and wrapped her small hands around his neck. She had the deadliest glare on her face as she squeezed his neck.
"No…please stop!" The man begged.
But the grip on his throat got tighter as she strangled him. Then a sick smirk appeared on her face as she squeezed even tighter. A few moments had passed and he stopped struggling and closed his eyes. She got off him and felt his heartbeat; he was dead.
Minako walked out of the alley and began walking through the streets of Underground. People were stopping and staring at her but she just kept walking not knowing where to go. That was then when she saw a man and her eyes widened. It was her father, she knew what he looked like because her mother told her that she looked a lot like him. The little girl ran up to him and hugged his legs.
"Hey, what are you doing?" He asked and looked down. She looked up at the man with her eyes glimmering and she sniffed. His eyes widened and he gasped; her eyes were just like Akemi's eyes.
"Papa…" She squeaked and he wrapped his arms around her whilst kneeling. The young girl began to cry into his chest and he too had a tear falling down his cheek. The young man picked up the little girl and held her against him. He carried her into an old house he shared with his 2 friends.
"Who's the kid?" Farlan asked when Levi entered the house.
"Mine." Levi answered and his friends gasped at this with wide eyes. He placed the little girl in a chair and wiped her tears.
"What are you doing here?" Her father asked whilst sitting in front of her. "Why is there blood all over you?"
"These men came to our house and killed great grandma and great grandpa." She said. "A man took me here and said I could make good money in the Underground." Levi's eyebrows furrowed together with anger and he grinded his teeth together. "I killed him and ran away."
"You killed him?" Isabel asked.
"Hey brat, what did your mother call you and your brother?" Levi asked.
"My older brother is Mamoru and I'm Minako." She answered. "Papa, I'm hungry." He nodded at this and stood up.
"Isabel, get her cleaned up and changed." He commanded and she nodded. When Isabel tried to hold her hold, she pushed her, ran over to Levi and hugged his legs tightly.
"I want Papa." She pouted and he huffed.
"Alright, alright." He huffed and held her hand.
Levi led Minako into the bathroom and she took her clothes off. He filled the tub with water and she went into it. He rubbed her face with a wet cloth and he gasped as his eyes widened; she reminded him of his mother. She looked up at him like a curious child and tilted her head to the side.
"What wrong, Papa?" She asked.
"You look so much like me." He replied. "But you have your mother's eyes."
Once she was clean, she got out of the tub and he dried her with a towel. He got her changed into one of his white shirts and a pair of brown trousers. She held his hand and he led her to the kitchen. He gave her a bowl of soup and bread and she started eating. When she was done, he took her to his bed and tucked her in.
"Now go to sleep, brat." He said but she stared at him.
"Papa…do you love us." He was shocked at the question but sighed. He placed his hand on her face and rubbed her cheek with his thumb.
"I love all of you." Levi stated.
"Mama told me that if you be good, all your wishes come true. I always wish you can come to live with us but it never comes true." He felt his heart crack a little and he held her hand.
"I'll come someday." He said. "I promise."
"Papa, Mama still loves you." Minako said and his eyes widened at this. "She cries every night and mumbles your name in her sleep. Mama always tries to get citizenship for you."
"I love her too, kid." He said and frowned. "I've been a bad papa, haven't I? I'm sorry."
"No." She shook her hand and placed her hands on her face. "I love you, Papa."
"I love you too, Minako." He replied.
"Papa." He hummed and looked up at her. "You know..." She looked down. "Is it alright not to hold it in anymore? Mama told me that the best place to cry is in Papa's arms." He looked down with his hair covering his eyes.
"Yes…" He looked up at her with tears falling down his cheeks. "Yes!"
She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. Her quiet sobbing turned into loud crying and her father held her tight. After a few minutes she stopped crying and her father heard soft snoring. He sighed at this and got into bed with her. He wrapped his arm around her and she hugged him tightly whilst smiling and he saw those dimples. A small smile graced his lips when he watched his little girl asleep. His little girl was beautiful like his mother and he adored her stunning eyes and dimples, just like her beautiful mother.
Akemi had tried to get a permit to go to the Underground and get her daughter but couldn't. That was until she decided to go there anyway, with her son. When she got to the capital she saw Nile Dok at the entrance of the Underground and when he saw her tears and her determination to find her daughter, he let her through.
The brown-haired soldier ran down the entrance and got into the Underground. She started running everywhere calling out her daughter's name but couldn't find her. She started walking through the streets and looked up to see her daughter holding someone's hand.
"Minako!" She shouted. The said girl looked up and let go of her father's hand and smiled.
"Mina!" Mamoru waved.
"Mama! Big brother!" Minako cried and ran.
Akemi opened her arms and fell onto her knees. Her daughter jumped into her arms and Akemi held her tightly whilst crying.
"My baby." She sobbed. "You're safe." She pushed her away and kissed her forehead. Mamoru hugged her tightly and she hugged him back.
"Papa took care of me." Minako stated.
Akemi turned to the man she was in love with and her eyes widened. Mamoru pulled away from her and looked up at his father. Levi's cheeks went pink as he laid his eyes on the only woman he'd ever love. They both still looked young as they were when they fell in love with each other. The young mother stood up and had her hand on her daughter's head.
"Levi…" She murmured. "…Thank you."
"She's my daughter, it's my job." He stated.
"Hmmm." Akemi smiled sadly and felt her daughter holding her hand. Their child pulled her to walk up to her father and took his hand. She made them hold hands and Akemi averted her gaze.
"Mama, tell him how you really feel." Minako stated.
Akemi looked up into his eyes and he gulped as his cheeks went pink. Her eyes were still so beautiful and bright.
"Levi, I'm sorry for overreacted all those years ago." She apologised with a tear falling down her cheek. He placed his hand on her face and wiped her tear away.
"I love you." Levi mumbled.
He slowly pressed his lips against hers and she closed her eyes as she kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Minako smiled sweetly but her twin brother covered her eyes. She pouted and pulled his hands off.
They pulled away from each other and Levi looked down to see Mamoru. He smiled at him and kneeled onto the floor. His son looked so much like Akemi but had his eyes. He opened his arms and the young boy ran into them.
"Papa…" He mumbled and Levi held his son for a moment. He pulled away to take a good look at his child.
"You look so much like your mother." Levi said and Mamoru turned to his mother.
"Mama, does this mean I'm gonna be short like Papa?" He asked and Akemi couldn't help but burst into laughter. Levi huffed and rolled his eyes at this.
"This brat is really your son." He murmured.
"And he's yours." She smiled and kneeled to the ground with her son.
Akemi and Levi both hugged their children and Mamoru smiled at Minako. They were reunited with their father and their mother was reunited with the man she loved. There were finally a complete family.
