----
A phone call. A beep.
"Hanji."
[Finally you've answered! Didn't you know I called you 63 times for this month, plus 467 by the year?! There's so much you missed!]
"That's the point. I turned off my phone from your incessant calls. Though, you could've left me a message—"
[Now's not the time for that explanation!]
". . . . ."
[Erwin had a car accident—]
"Car accident??"
[—But he's going to be fine. He just lost some of his memories—]
"Lost his memories??"
[—But it's temporary, the doctor assured us that he'll be back to full health after a month or so. But...]
[But it's okei— you know, if you still didn't change your mind... I understand your resistance for returning here.]
A moment of chosen silence.
"This is unlike you, Hanji. You sounded sh*ttier than before and you've been saying 'buts' more than you usually do. Just be as insistent four-eyed you are. I get it. I'll be there."
[R-really? When?!]
"What else? When you see me in person."
[Alright! Let's meet up in the same café!]
"... Fine."
[Make sure to prepare your necessary files, okei? We lost your documents somewhere...]
"If you clean up the office, you might just find it."
[Well! That sounds like a plan!]
"I am not saying I'm going to clean up the mess..."
[It's just like old times! Can't weit to see you soon!]
713Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Kc5nUCMd6
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It was a week after in the weekend that they were allowed to visit Erwin and Armin in the hospital. The two were in the same room, resting in the opposite sides of the bed across one another. They took their time staring at their unconscious but peaceful faces.
The doctor informed them that Armin was injured in his left ear that they carried out some ear surgery. Though it wasn't fatal as destroying his sense of hearing, he needs few days more of bedrest.
Erwin suffered-- a bit more than Armin--a concussion causing temporary amnesia and few scratches here and there. He needed about a month or so of medical treatment and mental therapy. For the meantime, only few of his colleagues are allowed to visit him every day.
This day though, each sections of his high-school students were allowed to check on him for 15 minutes. They, Armin's classmates, grade 10-4 were the last.
Chael I. Uchiwa, the representative of the class, was the first to leave.
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡
Chael let out a sigh. Ever since Armin's absence, the Student Council barely functioned. Armin is the leading president of the council, whereas Jean is the vice president. Jean, being the temporary leader he was able to keep up the tasks assigned by Armin, with the help of the secretary, which was him, Chael. Inoue assisted him on few tasks but couldn't stay longer because she had a tight schedule at home.
It's already an hour after dismissal, and he's sure that all of his classmate had left.
He was walking through the hallways, about to leave the school premises only to stop in his tracks when he heard something and seeing the remaining students inside the room of class 10-2, through the glass panes.
One is a tanned guy with long strands of dark blonde hair, sitting on a student's table while his hands were on an acoustic guitar as he focused on his strokes and chords. The other is a fair-skinned girl with rich brown hair, listening intently to the fast, upbeat tune with her eyes closed as the guy.
He could feel the tune and their hearts vibrating alongside him like it's his own. A quiet but overwhelming sensation rose inside his chest. He gulped without intending to.
Immediately, he ducked his entire body hurrying to get away from their line of sight.
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Another weekend and Chael wasn't able to sleep last night.
Making a decision to go outside, checking in traditional café is his favorite sparing time.
Some dango will be good. He thought to himself. Tri-colored or Mitarashi or maybe both...
He stopped. Frozen.
He blinked twice. Then once.
At the fair distance, at the same sidewalk as he is, there was Inoue walking very carefully. Her ginger-rose hair was a dead giveaway, despite differently styled. Her clothes was too dark and formal compared the others surrounding her, driving more unnecessary attention to herself.
He frowned hard at his elective subordinate, wondering what she's suspiciously up to.
And so, he begun following her, casually walking though, not suspiciously ducking and hiding like Inoue. He pulled his ball-cap down on his eyes. It was a good thing he tied his hair, after all this searing temperature this early morning.
With his far-sighted eyes he's able to see ahead, though it's hard to keep up with all the crowded street. If only I'm taller like that tomato-head Kuro, this'll be easier.
He almost face-palm himself in the public.
Inoue, his elective subordinate, one of the top 10 of their class, used a close-by stranger to hide herself.
Have I taught you nothing, Inou?
She ducked her head, grabbing an arm of that stranger and pull that stranger close with her.
Startled, that stranger made her head turned to the side and—
Chael's eyes widened at the stranger, who is not a stranger to him.
Inoue seemed that she also noticed.
Forgetting what she was after- whatever it is-, Inoue begun talking to the stranger—probably asking a certain question— and took off the stranger's sun-glasses.
Chael knew this was the time to make himself shown.
Stepping in, he called out to Inoue.
"I'm sure it was you when I heard your voice nearby." He said, pretending to be oblivious of the situation as he tilt back his ball-cap. "Why are you making a fuss?"
Mouth gaping, Inoue wordlessly pointed at the stranger beside her, still holding that stranger in place. He dared turn to look.
"So you've known." Gesturing at the stranger, he made his voice even. "Inou, meet"—
"Heey~!"
Chael froze.
Swiftly putting an arm around Chael's neck, the person who called out waved his free hand for a greeting.
"Of all people, I'm surprised to see you all in the same place!" Kuro beamed, pulling Chael too close their sides were touching.
Chael was close to losing it.
"G-geisha?! Why are YOU here?!!" Inoue yelped, surprised. "Where's—"
Inoue was cut off from another voice. "Kuro, I told you to stay right— huh?"
Studying the people in front of him, Rikkun frowned. "Why are you guys here... Chael, Inoue, and— uh- S-sis?!"
"SIS?!" Inoue exclaimed.
"RIKKUN'S DOPPELGANGER IS HERE!" Kuro exclaimed, jumping away from Chael, much to his liking.
The stranger who called Rikkun 'sis' let out a defeated sigh. Her voice the perfect example of sarcastic. "You might be doing something idiotic again, so I stalked you."
Kuro: "It's definitely him, as a girl!!!"
Rikkun glared at his twin sister almost as if they're not siblings at all, but the girl simply ignored his twin brother and took her glasses from Inoue and put it on again almost as if nothing happened. Inoue looked like she's in deep thought. Kuro was rubbing his hair like he's trying to process the details but failed miserably.
Clearing his throat, Chael tried again to properly introduce the stranger to the two, keeping his voice even, even if it kills him. "Kuro, Inou, meet Rizuki of class 10-2, Rikkun's twin sister."
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They settled themselves in a nearby few-people-coming-in café.
Rikkun began explaining. "We've been investigating about "The Big Three."
"We wanted to know who are those 'Big Three' everyone's talking about." Kuro tagged along. "Since I'm the friendly one with connections, we get to have a lead and asked people who might've known... and also because I happen to see Rikkun-kun here that-"
"All we have to do now is weit for their call or messages for information." Rikkun finished, ignoring Kuro's muttering protests of being interrupted.
Meanwhile, Inoue was shifting beside Chael. While listening, she's glancing at and away from Rizuki who's reading a pocketbook silently beside her. Kuro and Rikkun seated on the same bench across the three.
"I don't see the point." Chael argued. "If our classmates know this..." He trailed off for effect, remembering their vows of hunting the people responsible for almost killing their friend and teacher. "Also, we'll be able to know the truth soon enough when Armin and Sensei are conscious."
Then he eyed Rikkun, keeping his gaze measured. "Rizuki is right. You're just doing whatever you want again without being sensitive of others' safety, Rikkun."
Rikkun looked like he wanted to do something that's against the law.
Kuro and Inoue could feel the heated and frozen aura colliding between the two. They exchanged nervous stares. And for some unknown, terrifying reason, the water inside their glass-cups on the table were shaking.
A book snapped shut. The shaking water stilled.
Diverting their attention from each other toward Rizuki, Chael and Rikkun looked at her way. Rizuki gave them a disapproving cold look.
The tension dissipated a little.
"Excuse me a moment." Chael said as he went for the bathroom.
"I'll take a little breather outside." Rikkun muttered, leaving the café for a while.
Leaving the three behind in their seats.
Kuro didn't let the awkwardness conquer their spot. He forced himself to be charming. "Well, Rizuki-chwan, didn't you know that you're so damn fine just like your twin Rikkun-kun?~"
"Spare me and her and you from embarrassment, and cut yourself in half."
Kuro flinched from the words. "U-um... sorry if I'm just trying to break the ice...."
"Impossible." Rizuki shook her head. "You cannot break the ice with your bare hands."
Inoue chose this line of conversation to tag in. "Err.. Rizuki-chii, it's a metaphor, you see. Breaking the ice--"
"I know." Rizuki cut her off, looking at her with a slight raise of one eyebrow. "I'm just poking fun at the gay, and I can't believe you, one of the over-all top ten, fell for it also."
Inoue felt like she's been outplayed.
Kuro sighed in what to be looked as relief. "Whew. And here I thought you really meant the cut myself in half part..."
"...That wasn't a joke."
Kuro and Inoue looked like they're about to cry. So ruthless than his twin brother....
Rizuki coughed for attention. "Anyway, I've been meaning to ask... who are you two to my brother?"
"We liked Rikkun." They both distractedly replied, still trying to stomach her words stabbed in their fragile minds.
But then Inoue and Kuro stared at each other and suddenly they became intent.
Rizuki stared at the two bickering for half a minute.
"You two are at it again, I see."
Chael already came back from his seat, surprising Rizuki a little. The rivals just kept on bickering.
"I didn't know my brother had his own pair of love rivals." Rizuki muttered, in forced nonchalance.
Chael stared at the love rivals with a certain knowing gaze.
He propped his chin on his fist. "What's even more surprising... is he pulled those two together coincidentally."
Ignoring the back-and-forth dispute, Rizuki looked at Chael, getting her attention. "You mean to say..."
Narrowing his eyes, Chael looked eerily intent. Calculative. Purposeful. "I see it. Their strings--"
Rikkun's voice called out to them urgently.
"They messaged the info right away, and they phoned me their whereabouts. We can go there right now."
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They moved by taxi, Inoue, Kuro and Rikkun were cooped in the passenger's seat. Chael and Rizuki chose to be left behind in the cafe instead.
A ringtone popped out from the rivals' cellphones, having to drew out their phones simultaneously. They looked like they're about to burst in joy.
Along with the forwarded message, there was Rikkun's number. They couldn't help smiling pleasantly at their screens.
Overjoyed as they are though, it's not their priority at the moment. They got the info about 'The Big Three', their appearance and where they are currently right now.
Hopping off to the taxi after paying, arrived at the place of what to be a cafe of a different street.
Another one...
The three exhaled a deep breath.
"We're just going to interrogate them. Let me worry about the outcomes." Rikkun informed the the rivals who nodded in response.
Entering the cafe, they started to look for a shorty blonde girl, a tall black-haired guy, and another bulky, blonde guy. Annie, Bertholdt, and Reiner.
Kuro was the first to speak, pointing a rather rude finger at a table to their left. "Look! It's Hanji-sensei over there."
They followed his gaze, not his pointy finger, with nonplussed expressions. Rikkun took a step forward, suddenly looking so vigilant, and hissed. "It's them, The Big Three!"
But Inoue was the most shocked from them all.
The Big Three, standing beside the table, seemed to be having a serious conversation with Hanji. But Inoue's looking at the person on Hanji's right; silently brooding or glaring toward the trio who sat across their sensei in the opposite seat was no other than-
"Levi-sama." Inoue breathed. In a soft and quiet whisper.
ns 15.158.61.20da2
