Chapter 3: The search
Levi stands in front of the building. Hanji´s laboratory. Who calls a youth centre a laboratory? A few teenagers sit on the stairs by the door. Levi looks at them, three boys and two girls. All laughing and talking as if they don't have a single worry for this world. To Levi´s experience are people that go to a places like this are from troubled families and worse. He hopes they are the lucky ones.
He enters the building and finds a chaotic mess of things. Sport supplies, books, clothing on a few tables, a door leads to a kitchen, at use right now. The smell of food filling the hallway. Pictures on the walls, running children, a few adults. And with every step Levi takes he takes in more of the warmth this place gives. The chaos doesn't look as chaotic as he first thought, the running children fill the noises with laughter. The adults seem to be busy but organized. This place is something special, Levi can tell after a few second in the building.
"HELLO!" A shrieking voice called out and waved her hands, looking directly at Levi, who turns around to make sure that she really means him.
"Hi." Levi says as the woman reaches him.
"You must be the interested in our position as the new basketball trainer. I´m so happy we finally found someone." She links their arms and pulls Levi away from the door.
"What? Basketball trainer?" She smiles brightly.
"I know it sounds so boring, but you can do any kind of sport you like with the children. They will love you." She points at the kitchen. The room is larger than it had seem at first glance. "Here is the kitchen and the dining hall. The children can have their lunch here after school and at the weekends. We also serve snacks and honestly, we never let a child go hungry so when they ask for a sandwich for breakfast they will get it. It is always hart to get donations for anything around here but we try our best to feed the kids." In a rapid tempo speaks the woman and continues before Levi can even ask her name.
Before Levi knew what happened he got a complete tour though the building. The school rooms, where children can do their homework and learn for test. Game rooms, with lots of games, a ping pong table, an art room who had a course right now, so they didn't bother to go in, she promised to show it to him after the class.
They end up in her office that looked even more chaotic and stuffed to under the ceiling. She really needs to tidy up this room. "Oh, I never told you my name. I´m Hanji Zoe and I am the director of this lovely place."
She really is the person he wanted to meet but after the tour Levi feels bad to tell her that he only wants to know who painted the titans. Maybe he could try being a trainer for the children. It would be a bit like training the newbies. Still, he needs to know who made the paintings. Maybe one of the children?
"I think I will do some voluntary work here. Training the brats, I don't play professionally basketball, but we will have fun." Levi hears himself saying. His mind was made up already, apparently.
"Oh I´m so glad to hear that. We have a sport area in the back, and we can give you special times for one or two kind of games. We will hang it out on the timetable so everyone who is interested to join can go to your training. Do you know what days of the week would suit you best?" She asks and picks up a scribbled paper that looks like someone tried to organize the next royal weeding but seems to be the timetable she had spoken off.
"I´m working in shifts so I can only tell you month after month when I am free to come here. It can change weekly. I hope that isn't a no go." She looks at Levi for a second.
"No, we can make it work. We are always glad for everyone who wants to help. The children will find you, no matter the day of the week." He offers her his work plan for this month and puts his hours into his free times where he wants her to.
"You didn't come for the training position, right?" Hanji pulls Levi out of his own planning. He feels caught but he will answer her truthfully.
"No, I came because I wanted to know the identity of the artist that pained the titans that are shown in the gallery down the street." He meets her eyes and know she won't tell him the answer but there is a spark of recognition in them.
"Sorry I promised to protect the identity of the artist. He doesn't want to be named and he is underage. Can I ask you why you are so interested in the picture?" Levi was right, it is one of the children and thinks about denying her an answer but decided against it.
"I dream about the titans. As long as I can remember I had these dreams and I never thought someone else saw the same. This artist must have seen the same thing or dream it or whatever. I just wanted to talk to the artist. Don't know why."
"Maybe you will figure it out by yourself." She gets up. "Would you like to meet the last of our helper that had taken over the art class? The lesson should be over and if we hurry up we can catch him before he starts helping the smaller kids with their homework."
Levi nods and follows her outside.