If any random person were to ask Hange Zoë how she found Levi Ackerman as a fashion house, a blank stare would be her first reaction, for she hadn't been keeping tabs on the fashion world since giving up a career in showbiz.
She does, however, know that the designer is Kenny Ackerman's nephew. She has had the pleasure of meeting Levi's uncle once during her Miss Humanity pageant, eight years ago, when the chairman and CEO of the mighty Bank of Ackerman happened to be among the final judge panel.
It was due to her brief exchange with Kenny Ackerman at the pageant and the afterparty, that made Hange made up her mind to go to the university instead of pursuing a career in showbiz when she passed on her crown a year later. That is, until this day, a decision Hange never regrets. And for that, she is grateful to Kenny Ackerman. For it was up to his casual yet thoughtful question in the pageant final, that gave Hange courage to even ponder on her life paths apart from the glamour ahead.
That was why, when Nifa called her asking if she could come to walk Levi Ackerman's runway, Hange agreed without much of a thought. She already met the uncle, why not satisfy her curiosity to meet the nephew? Levi Ackerman has always been one of the most talked-about designers in the city. Not only because he can be daring and experimental yet still achieve a desirable jet-set style with his namesake label; he also manages to create an utterly bold and cheeky diffusion line Wings of Freedom that is heaven to earth compared with his original style.
By blending the street and military vibe, Wings of Freedom successfully hits all the right buttons of the younger generation, making it one of the most loved brands for younger online communities. Some even argue that the success of Wings of Freedom has somehow eclipsed the achievement of Levi Ackerman and its high fashion statue because a lot of its young customers don't even know the two lines are actually from the same designer.
Not that anyone can know how the designer feels about it, though. Levi Ackerman is known to be mysterious. Not only does he never accept interviews, but ever since he started his eponymous brand 6 years ago, the company also has never published any images of the designer. The only face and spokesperson representing the house is the brand's co-founder, Erwin Smith.
That's why Hange decides to come here today. Nifa, Nanaba, and Miche are the three of her closest friends and they have been working with the brand since the beginning of their careers as make-up artists and show producers. They have spoken of Levi Ackerman and Erwin Smith in very high regard. So, who wouldn't want to meet the men whom her friends have spoken about so often?
Not to mention, from what Hange has heard, the enigmatic designer is exemplary in creativity and self-discipline, as well as impeccable work ethic. In fact, almost everything they have said about working with them is positive.
Except that Levi Ackerman is a clean freak.
And he is furious that she brings her search subjects along.
"You know, Eren, instead of fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster is the proper name to address them." Hange smiles weakly, clearly picking up the discontent looming behind Levi Ackerman 's deadly glare. Swallowing hard, she falls back to lean against the wall, hugging her babies tightly against her chest.
"You." Levi Ackerman opens his lips, Hange can feel the whole room freeze once again and the temperature drops for several degrees.
"You… keep fruit flies in your bag." The designer starts. Hange can see his hiding hands inside the pristine white working coat pockets twist as he speaks.
It is a shame that he scowls so much. Smart-dressing men wearing white working coats have always been one of her favorite fantasies. Ooh! And he has a cravat? That's not something you see every day! Shame he is utterly infuriated at her for bringing the babies . Otherwise, Hange would like to ask for his number.
"Well…I was retrieving the insect traps on campus when I got the call. It sounded urgent and I didn't have enough time to run back to the lab. So..."Hange utters, instinctively looking down on her Birkin, feeling the hard edge of the plastic vials safely sitting inside.
"You know... it's actually a myth to assume that insects are just dirty. Not to mention, I put them all in sterile bottles…"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Levi Ackerman hisses, sending poor Eren next to him to jump. Hange winces as the young athlete scurries away. At the very next moment, the infuriating designer lungs forward, trying to reach her bag handles. Feeling cornered, Hange can only crouch to protect her babies !
"Hey! What's wrong with you? Crazy ?" She yells, turning to find space to retreat, her back knocking hard to the dressing station, startling a makeup assistant by the desk.
Dammit ! Hange grits her teeth as she feels the pain. She wants to apologize to the poor woman. But it's too risky to look away from the man whose eyes are locked on her bag.
"You have flies in your bag and bring them to my atelier. And you accuse me of being crazy ?" The designer spits, towering over Hange who's now crouching against the wall.
"Well... I can't leave them in the car. The heat might kill them! I take them with me so that I can find an undisturbed place to keep them."
"Trash cans are where those creatures belong!" The man before her snaps, finger pointing to a direction where Hange assumes lay the trash bins. If Hange is just another model or staff working under his command, such imposing manners might actually make her comply.
Only that she is not his staff. Even if she is, she's not going to let any man, however good-looking he is , think he can just tell her what to do. Especially when he claims her research subjects belong to the trash.
"Actually -" Hange blinks, standing up to meet his gaze, barely containing a smirk at the corner of her lips. If he wants to be such an obnoxious clean freak, then she'd gladly inform him of a few facts about waste disposal.
"You know, experimental Drosophila melanogaster, or fruit flies as you like to call them, are potentially biohazardous waste." She stops, looking closely at the man's face in order to read his expression.
His left cheek twists. Hange cannot help but grin.
"What?" The designer says, hand frozen in the middle of the air.
"If it's biohazardous waste, you are by no means equipped enough to dispose of it," Hange says, biting the inside of her cheeks, enjoying the oddly satisfying sight of the domineering designer pale in front of her.
"I beg your pardon?" He counters, backing slightly away, clearly bothered by what Hange has said.
Good. At least he stops trying to take my bag! Hange thinks. But the jumping veins appearing on the designer's temples quickly takes her satisfaction away because before she realizes it, the designer turns to the hallway and shouts.
"Miche? Nanaba? One of you, GET OVER HERE! "
The people around swiftly part as Nanaba the show producer runs up, clearly still occupied by other tasks as both of them are still holding the wireless in their hands.
"Levi, what happened? We are still trying to figure out the lighting..."Nanaba starts with a frown but quickly holds her tongue once she meets the designer's deadly glare.
"She won't do. Find someone else!" The designer spits, pointing at Hange. Hange wants to roll her eyes.
"What? Are you serious ?!" Nanaba shrieks. "Levi, we're going to rehearse in - " She looks down at her watch. "-an hour and you want me to get you another replacement? What's wrong with Hange? Look at her!" Nanaba steps up, grabbing Hange's arm to drag her toward the designer.
"She'll be perfect! She is perfect!" Nanaba says, looking pointedly at Levi Ackerman. Hange's heart skips a beat as she finds his gaze lands on her. Instinctively, she hides her bag behind her back, in case he tries to snatch it from her again.
But Levi Ackerman simply stares at her, his expression unreadable. But Hange can see his jaw tighten and his face flushed as if he is about to combust.
OK, maybe it's not a very good idea for her to keep staying here, right? Because no matter how absurd Hange thinks his obsession with cleanliness is, it is clear that she has already crossed a few lines since she arrived.
"You're the show producer, Nanaba. Finding a way to make things work for our show is your job description." The designer says, voice stiff and low.
"Making things work requires working around unexpected situations. That's exactly what is happening and YOU ARE FUCKING WITH IT!" Nanaba yells, appearing even more irritated than the man before her as the wireless on her continues to rustle.
"Look at her, Levi!" The show producer says curtly, her grip on Hange's arm becoming tighter. "Look at her. And give me one solid reason why she cannot walk the show. And NO! ' She won't do .' ' I don't like her .' and your usual CLEAN FREAK BS doesn't count."
"Now listen, Nanaba Zacharius-" Levi Ackerman bites, tilting his head to the show director who is equally agitated. Across Nanaba's shoulder, Hange can see his cheeks are becoming red like he's going to lose it at any moment. If Hange doesn't know Nanaba well enough to know that the show producer has a black belt in karate, she would want to run away.
And just as Hange thinks the situation is about to escalate, a tall, blonde figure appears from the corner of her vision, blocking the strong light from the dressing desk. The sudden loss of light source makes Hange's eyes blind for a second, amplifying the towering man's booming voice.
"Good afternoon. Is everything alright? I heard shouting." the blonde man asks, bushy eyebrows moving as he speaks. Immediately, Hange feels Nanaba's grip on her arm loosen.
"Oh hey, Erwin!" The show producer chirps. "You came just in time!" With lightning speed, Nanaba wraps her arms across Hange's shoulder to push her forward.
"Let me introduce Hange Zoë to you. She's the former Miss Humanity and a close friend of mine, who agrees to walk our show on short notice."
Erwin Smith, Levi Ackerman's co-founder, and CEO gives Hange a polite nod, eyes widening as he registers the word, Miss Humanity .
"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Zoë." The CEO greets. Hange nods, swallowing hard as she senses the designer's glare growing even more intense.
"Mr. Smith." She replies, unsure of what to do.
"So." Erwin Smith looks around. "What were you guys arguing about?"
"Well…" Nanaba starts, glaring at Levi Ackerman. The designer clicks his tongue, giving Hange an unapproving look. Hange finds herself sighing. With a deep breath, she speaks before Nanaba is about to begin.
"I'm sorry." She utters. "I didn't mean to cause any trouble. But it's mostly my fault."
If there's anything Hange misses about her old pageant days, that is she used to really enjoy getting dressed backstage. She loves being a part of a busy yet organized environment; It makes her feel safe and in control as if being wrapped in a comfortable blanket. And the best part above all is that everyone is being positive and hopeful. Even if there is a sense of rivalry among the contestants, the general vibe is always cheering and inviting.
That is not the case in Levi Ackerman .
More specifically, it isn't the case when it comes to her.
Silently standing beside the wheeling rack, Hange stares at the young dresser who carefully picks up each piece of clothing, straightening it up for her to put on. The girl is taller than her, wearing the same stoic expression as the designer. But her clean-cut inverted bob, big diamond-shaped silver earrings, dark shade eyeshadow, and lip stain make her appear to be even more unapproachable. The pristine white coat over her Wings of Freedom tank top, fitted jeans, and black leather over-the-knee boots indicate that she belongs to Levi Ackerman's design team.
Must be a trusted member, probably a prized protégé of his. Hange notes as she recalls how the designer specifically instructed the girl to keep her company after the rather eventful rehearsal two hours ago.
Two hours ago, as soon as CEO Erwin Smith so graciously offered his office for Hange to store her bag, she went on the scheduled rehearsal with the rest of the models. It took her no time to memorize where she should stop and turn for the camera. But for some reason, the way she carried herself and how she moved her hips rubbed the designer in the wrong way. As soon as she set foot onto the stage, she could tell that Levi Ackerman was glaring at her. Immediately after the rehearsal, an argument broke out among the designer and the two producers about Hange's posture and demeanor.
Did you see the way she turned? We can't have that on the runway!
The three way quarrel soon became four as Erwin Smith got involved minutes later. Together, the CEO and the show producers quickly decided to ignore Levi Ackerman's request to remove Hange from the lineup. Disgruntled, the designer dragged the girl from the other side of the room, telling her to keep an eye on that pageant queen, and snapped at her when she protested she wanted to stick with her original job as they had planned.
So here it is. Hange is stuck with this expressionless young dresser who clearly prefers to be somewhere else, as she keeps sneaking peeks across the room and touching her bright red scarf while putting Hange into the cream-colored Grecian gown.
She is too distracted to notice that a small lock of Hange's hair gets caught in the golden body chain as the heavyweight of the mental drags Hange's head downward, causing her to wince.
"Ouch!" She whispers. The young girl jumps.
"Oh! I'm sorry!" She says in a hushed voice, grabbing the chain to help Hange pull out the strand, carefully avoiding roughing up the rest of her hair.
"Please, don't be!" Hange reassures her with a sigh, looking at the girl's focused gaze as she rearranges the hair, taking in her delicate facial features underneath those stark eyeliners.
What a pretty girl . Hange thinks. Pretty and stylish . She looks as if walking straight out of an image advertisement. Or maybe she's indeed in one?
"I'm the one who should apologize." Hange sighs. "If I hadn't been such a diva-" She stops, shaking her head as she remembers the designer's angry tone. " You wouldn't be stuck here, babysitting me."
To her surprise, the young girl in white coat rolls her eyes before she laughs.
"Oh please! Everyone here knows who the actual diva is! Levi can go f-" She stops, swallowing down whatever she is about to say, and shrugs. "Ugh! Sorry! I'm a bit at edge. But it's not because of you. I'm worried about my boyfriend." She points to the other side of the room, where most of the Wings of Freedom models are gathering. "It's his first runway. And he has photoshoots. I'm scared that if he does something stupid, Levi's going to kill him."
"Well, in that case, you can be reassured. Because I'm pretty certain that after I brought my research here. If anything happens, Mr. Ackerman will be more than happy to pin it on me." Hange gives the girl a wink and smiles as she sees her burst into laughter.
"You're funny!" She chuckles, bending down to arrange Hange's pleated gown before gesturing to her to look into the mirror.
Hange turns around. She doesn't really know what to expect since she barely had a chance to look at herself earlier when Nifa and Petra were working on her simultaneously. All she knows is that her hair was trimmed off quite a bit before being curled and sprayed to set, with a rather heavy but comfortable metal headpiece secured into it.
As for the makeup, judging by the number of products Nifa put on her, Hange is certain that if someone takes a photo of her right now, she wouldn't recognize herself.
But she doesn't expect this.
Feeling her jaw drop, Hange blinks at the column silhouette standing inside the mirror. It isn't the most perfect dress she's ever seen, for she can see the pleated fabric flowing free from the waist and spread unevenly above the floor. The plunging Grecian neckline makes the ups and downs of her breath exceptionally obvious but the creamy white material covering her shoulders and the golden body chain from neck to waist parting her sternum provide her just enough modesty to feel at ease in such a gown. The thin snake circlet on her head together with the soft but focused makeup simply brings out an image Hange can only depict in her hazy dreams.
"Wow! You're way better than the first person. I bet if you were here for the first fitting, we'd put this dress among the key looks for sure. It is made of Levi's favorite fabric of this season after all." The girl says, fishing out her phone from the pocket of her white coat to snap photos of Hange.
Hange looks down, running her fingers across the smooth pleated skirt. His favorite fabric is this pleated one? Is it why he cared so much about how I walked and turned? Because he wants the pleated gown to show more movement?
"Hey!" The girl calls, bringing Hange's mind back to the present. "Can I post this online? I think this is my favorite look of Levi Ackerman this season! "
"Hmm...sure. If it's allowed." Hange replies.
"You look like Diana the Huntress !" The girl says happily, typing quickly on her phone without looking up. "Which one is your account? I want to tag you!"
"I...don't have one!" Hange says hesitantly. "I mean, I do have one but I only post science stuff on it so…"
"Oh, okay." She shrugs, eyes fixed on her phone. "You're odd, you know? When they said you were Miss Humanity, I googled you. But the first search results I found were your lecturer and research profile. I had to add other keywords to find more pageant stuff. Why did you quit?"
Hange gapes at the question. How is she going to answer this? Telling this girl she'd just met how the entire year of holding the title tired her out completely to the point that she was hospitalized for months due to a lung infection that nearly killed her? Or that she was tired of people constantly assuming she was just some kind of silly pageant girl who only cared about being famous? There's no way she can possibly explain any of these with a simple answer.
"Oh! Sorry! You don't need to tell me. I shouldn't throw such a question at you like that. " Sensing Hange's hesitation, the girl quickly sticks her tongue out and apologizes. Putting down her phone, she looks at Hange for a few seconds before speaking.
"Can I ask you something about Miss Humanity?"
"Um..yeah, of course.' Hange answers, unsure of what this rather blunt-speaking girl is about to ask.
And why is she smiling so brightly?
"How did you find Kenny Ackerman ? I mean, the judge who asked the final question?" She asks, almost eagerly, obvious anticipation on her face.
"Huh?" Hange utters, staring at the girl who has a big grin on her face. Why would a design team member of Levi Ackerman want to know about her opinion about Kenny Ackerman?
From what Hange has learned from Nifa and Nanaba, despite the relation, Kenny Ackerman has never gotten involved with the business of the brand.
So why does this girl seem so keen when she raises the question?
"Well?" The girl blinks, as Hange considers what she should say. That curious look on her face appears to be almost... childish?
"I don't have much to tell you. I mean, the encounter was brief so I didn't really…" Hange starts, not entirely certain what she wants to know. But her hesitation doesn't last long because all of the sudden, a fully dressed and makeup-ready Eren who sports a man-bun emerges from the rack opposite Hange, dashing forward to tap the girl on the shoulder from behind, immediately sending her jumping.
"Eren!" The girl giggles, turning to slap him on the shoulder. "Hey, you shouldn't be here! How about the photoshoot? If Levi sees you…"
"Mine has finished long ago. Don't worry!" Eren smiles, eyes locked entirely on the girl as if Hange who stands two feet away from them doesn't even exist. It makes Hange want to laugh.
"And Levi's way too busy looking over the studio to be bothered by me going AWOL."
Smirking, Hange bites her inner cheeks, as she recalls the first time she met Eren 2 years ago. His father had asked her to tutor him for his SAT, but the boy could barely look away from his phone during their first session because he didn't want to miss a single message from his girlfriend. At first, it was kind of adorable. But eventually, Hange lost her patience and told Eren that if he couldn't live just a couple of hours without his girlfriend's attention, maybe he should put her on the phone to listen to the math session with him!
To Hange's wonder, that was exactly what Eren did. The silly boy! Not only did he have his girlfriend listen to their lesson on the phone during that first session, but he also continued to do so for the week until his mother found out and took away all his technologies for the next month.
Looking at the happy young couples who have no problem publicly expressing their fondness to one another, Hange cannot help but sigh. It feels like their old tutoring days all over again. Only this time, she gets to meet Eren's girlfriend in person instead of over his goddamn phone! Or, is this the same girlfriend he had back in high school?
"You know, Eren…"Hange starts, shaking her head slightly. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to leave your place when the show is about to begin in less than an hour!"
Her voice immediately freezes Eren on the spot, as the startled young athlete breaks his attention away from his girlfriend to stare straight into Hange. A surprised realization shines within his green eyes.
"What the...Wait! You're Hange?" Eren exclaims, eyes widening, as he takes a step back to stare at her. "Holy crap! You look straight out of an oil painting. I didn't recognize you!"
"You guys know each other?" Eren's girlfriend asks, poking at his arm.
"Yeah! Hange helped me with the SAT! You heard her teaching me the math on the phone, remember?"
"Oh!" The girl chants cheerfully. "It was you!"
"It was me! "Hange smirks, unsure of where she should look when the young lovebirds are just staring and smiling at each other.
"Eren, aren't you going to introduce us?" She asks, trying to find something to say to them as they clearly don't care much about anyone else.
"Oh yeah! Right! Mikasa, this is Hange Zoë. She's my dad's Ph.D. student and the lecturer of my general biology class."
"And Miss Humanity!" Mikasa adds, grinning brightly. Hange let out a small laugh. Eren's girlfriend is very likable.
"Hange, this is Mikasa Ackerman. She studies fashion design and…"
" Ackerman ?" Hange blurts out before she can stop herself. Taking a step back, she stares at Mikasa's silver eyes and raven hair, noting the resemblance between her and the other Ackermans she'd met so far.
As if echoing her astonishment, Levi Ackerman's voice suddenly rises from the photo studio, sending the entire backstage to stir.
"So, what is your relation with…" Hange asks, gesturing to where the loud-speaking comes from.
"Levi's my cousin." Mikasa rolls her eyes, peeling towards the center of everyone's panic then shrugs. "Don't worry. It's just his usual working mode before a show starts. But you two should probably get ready. I see Miche come back from the front just now. That means he's about to do a roll call. Then makeup and hairstyle will want to look at all of you and make some final adjustments." She pauses, looking over the photo studio where the photoshoots have just come to a wrap, and immediately the designer is looking towards them.
His gaze narrows as soon as he sees Eren standing next to Mikasa. Across the crowded backstage, Hange can see Levi Ackerman's jaw clench as he walks directly towards them with his eyes fixed on her. Instinctively, she wants to drop back to hide behind the racks, making herself invisible. But her pride forbids her to run away.
She stands up straight, raising her head to give him that upright and defiant look she has mastered over the years, since she left home to go to college, since she decided to take a leave from school to get into the pageant, since she started allowing herself to care and win, then eventually, to be brave enough to put it all behind her. It is the look she puts on when she faces challenges, showing not only to the world but to herself that she is giving everything she has.
And if anyone has a problem with that, Hange will gladly stand her ground.