8. Solving Set-Aside Mysteries

Survey Corps had a day off and there are some who decided to be with their families while some decided to have the day for themselves. And Levine did neither of the two.

"And what am I suppose to do again?" Levine asked the other younger cadets near his age, with his thin eyebrow raised. Eren and Armin dragged him out of his quarters to bring him to town and enjoy the day with them.

"Hang out with us," Eren said with a grin and Armin nodded in agreement.

"I'm--"

"Hey, you might be four years older, but you have less experience with people," Connie said crossing his arms across his chest and Sasha smiled.

"Being a loner is not healthy!" She said, crossing her arms to form a cross. Levine was about to say something when Yami suddenly appeared behind Mikasa and crossed his arms under his chest. Yami shook his head, as if telling Levine to not say what he is about to say, which is supposed to be that he is not a loner because Yami is with him.

"Tch, fine. Brats," Levine said and averted his gaze to the other direction. What he said just made the younger cadets think of another reason to list on "Why he is so much like Levi" list.

"So, let's go?" Armin asked and Eren, Connie and Sasha nodded and lead the group of seven to town for their day out. They used their horses to go to the nearest town and on their way there, other soldiers on day off are also on their tracks.

'I could've clean my room than do this,' Levine said to himself and rolled his eyes as the other six ride with him in the middle of the group. He took noticed of Jean whose the only quiet one in the group, aside from Mikasa who is mostly quiet.

"Oi, Jean," Levine said as the other teen widened his eyes and stared at Levine who called him with his first and given name for the first time. Normally, he'll just call them with insulting nicknames he could come up with or just with their surnames. Usually, only Eren and Armin have the previledge on being called in their first name by the latter.

"Y-Yeah?" Jean hated that. He hated that he stuttered that time. He don't know why, but after hearing the report about Levine's extraordinary ability, he started to have an awkward atmosphere around him.

"You're not going to complain about this?" Levine asked and Jean shrugged.

"I have no choice, but to tag along. The town we are going is where my mother lives," Jean said and Levine suddenly made a conclusion that Jean is a mama's boy.

"Tch, what a drag," Levine said and soon, they arrived in their destination. There are merchants selling their products in the streets and other businesses in the area which can tempt you to buy to them.

Their group left their horses in a stable and started walking around town. Of course, their first stop are the food stores, and the reason is obviously Sasha.

While Connie and Armin tried controlling Sasha to the foods intake, Levine stayed behind the group, feeling bored but not annoyed as he expected. How odd, he thought.

"Wow, how I wish I can taste those stuff," Yami said, appearing next to Levine while eyeing the pastries in one shop. Sasha also made a stop there and tried the chocolate flavored cakes only to be pried off by Connie and Armin.

Levine clicked his tongue and walked forward, together with the group. Eren noticed him falling behind so he waited to him and put his arm around his shoulder, dragging him with him.

"At least, try enjoying the day, Levine," Eren said to him, but all did Levine do is to click his tongue.

"How can--" before he could finish his sentence, someone bumped him by the shoulder. Eren releases Levine as the person who bumped unto Levine drop on the floor with a yelp.

"Ouch, that hurts," Eren's eyes widend as Levine glared at the person, annoyed by his clumsiness. Okay, need to rephrase that. Annoyed by her clumsiness.

"Tch, watch where you're going, will you?" Levine said as the person suddenly stood up and waved her arms in front of her, frantically and started bowing, apologetically.

"I'm so sorry! It won't happened again! I-I'm sorry!" said the person. Levine clicked his tongue in annoyance, but she he was about to say another word, the others ran towards the person and crowded her.

"Krista! Is that you?"

"It's you, I know you are!"

"What are you doing here?" Sasha, Armin and Connie said to the person as she raised her head, revealing a blonde girl with blue eyes. Both orbs widened in delight when she saw her old friends.

"Everyone! It's so good to see you again!" Krista--or Historia, rather, said and smiled.

"Why are you here? Aren't you suppose to be in your castle?" Eren asked in confusion as Historia laughed sheepishly.

Feeling not related to the topic, Levine scowled and crosses his arms, letting the others have quality time with their other friend. Soon, Historia noticed Levine and her eyes widened in bewilderment.

"Captain Levi?" A nerve popped out of Levine's head and glared intently at her, making the petite girl cower a little. Connie and Sasha tried hiding their laughter by turning around and putting both hands on their mouths.

"Oh, here it goes again," Eren said as Levine started his well-known rant about stop mistaking him as Levi Ackerman.

"Look...I don't know who you are or why these brats know you, but don't ever mistake me as that short asshole," the others sweat dropped in the background at the adjective he used, "I am not Levi Ackerman and I I'll never be Levi Ackerman. My name's Levine and that it. If you can't see that clearly, then try taking an appointment with a doctor and get some glasses, you understand, huh, brat?"

"Y-Yes!" Historia said and Eren decided to butt in to introduce Historia to Levine.

"Levine, this is Krista Lenz----I mean, Queen Historia Reiss. She was once a soldier of Survey Corps and became the queen a few months ago," Eren said and Levine eyed Historian with a skeptical look.

"Queen, huh? What happened to the previous monarch?" Levine asked, turning to Mikasa. Historia feel a little taken aback upon noticing that Levine does not bother asking her.

"It fell upon the hands of Historia," Mikasa answered briefly but Levine didn't stopped with the skeptical stare on Historia.

"This...girl overthrew a monarch of tyranny. Hmph, let's see how capable or incompetent you are to change that ideal of the monarch," Levine said, bluntly, strucking Historia with every words.

"Oi, Levine! Stop that! Historia is a competent leader of humanity! She can---"

"Well, I have a challenge for you, Your Majesty," Levine said, cutting Eren off and stored at Historian once again, "Reach out to the living graveyard of the walls. Reach out to the Underground."

---

"Why are we doing this again?" Jean asked his peers as they spy on the power couple of their Brigade.

"Come on, this is kind of a tradition of the Survey Corps now. Just go with it," Connie said as they act natural as they follow Levi and Hazel. Levine, on the other hand, thinks this is stupid and starting to have the urge of leaving the group.

"This is stupid. Why are you even spying on the two of them?" Levine asked as Sasha walked beside him.

"The two of them are the most interesting pair in the Survey Corps and everyone wants to know more and be updated with their life," Sasha said in a matter-of-factly tone. Levine felt a little more irritated because to that and curious at why the Queen of humanity is riding with their silly fiasco.

"Look! They're taking a stop in a resto!" Connie exclaimed, pointing at the two entering the said building.

"Oh, it's a bar," Levine said in a monotone voice, "Only 18 up can enter. Too bad, you brats are still 15," he continued, trying to walk away, but Mikasa suddenly grabbed his wrist, making him stop, "Eh?"

"But you're 19. So you qualify. Spy on them for us," Eren said with a smug face as Levine widened his eyes and Mikasa tossed him inside the bar, making him almost topple himself. He clicked his tongue and fixed his white hoodie jacket, glaring at the others, outside the window.

"Tch, brats," Using his small amount of liberty from the younger cadets, Levine tried enjoying himself in the bar.

It's a huge one, he must say and the choice of drinks in the counter isn't a bad one. He spotted Levi and Hazel on a table nearby, talking with a waiter in the bar. Clicking his tongue, he took a seat in a stool in the counter and asked the bartender for a Vodka. (The bartender, mistook him as a 13-year-old until Levine corrected him.)

After a while, Levine started drinking his Vodka as Yami appeared beside him, sitting on a stool.

"Oooh! Looks like your crush and your rival are talking a very solemn subject," Yami tempted Levine, only irritating the guy. He clicked his tongue in annoyance and took a small sip on the strong alcoholic drink.

"Oh! Very interesting. Did you know that Levi's family died in the day of your birthday?" Yami asked, trying to tempt Levine even more. He wanted to mutter the words, 'shut up' but unfortunately, someone might get the wrong idea.

"Your family? You mean your mother?" He heard Hazel asked as she grip her iced tea, gently. Looks like, Yami's plan of temptation actually worked with the help of Hazel.

"No. Not just my mother. I had a brother," those phrases really caught Levine's attention, earning a slight smirk from Yami.

"A brother?" Hazel asked and Levine stopped drinking his Vodka, which still has no affect on him.

"That day, my brother was born, but he died after a few hours. My mother also died after a few minutes of post-labor and after that, I've lived alone," Levi confessed and Levine's eyes widened as Yami looked towards the couple.

"And then, Kenny came?" just as Hazel said that, Levine adverted his eyeballs to the corner of his eyes, seeing Levi nodding.

"He also knows Kenny. That's big revelation," Yami said with a monotone voice as Levi and Hazel continued on their conversation with both Levine and Yami listening (and with Yami commenting from time to time)

As their conversation continued, Levine found out that Kenny is already dead a few months ago and as killed by their Brigade during an operation, but that's all the information he got before they left.

Absorbing all of the information he got, he tried calming his nerves with the Vodka and finished it before leaving, afterwards.

When the others noticed his return, they started crowding him and asking him questions, but he answered none of them. All he did is glare and let out an aura that states his mood, which is the opposite of good.