𝐕𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐌𝐞𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 | 𝖫𝖾𝗏𝗂 𝖠𝖼𝗄𝖾𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗇

T W E N T Y - S I X

He nodded. "Yeah, my roommate got something around three," he responded, noticing how Irene immediately frowned.

"You need to eat, it's seven!"

Without hesitation, she grabbed his hand—along with Inaya's—and eagerly dragged them through the crowds of people to where the stands of food were.

A dry laugh slipped past Inaya's lips, gaining Levi's attention. "She's always like this," she grumbled as she threw her head back. "It's only been, like, three hours, Irene!" the younger complained, "we haven't eaten since twelve!"

"And you're practically nagging at me for not eating," Levi added with a scoff.

Irene stopped and sent the two a look before rolling her eyes. Despite her eye roll, a smile still graced her features, making Levi fall back into silence and for a tranquil expression to place itself on his face.

Her lips parted to speak before she closed her mouth and gave a quiet laugh. "Doesn't matter, what do you guys want?"

"I can pay," Levi offered without hesitation, feeling as if he should for tagging along for something that appeared to have just been for the two of them.

A childlike smile flashed Inaya's face as she folded her arms. "That's fine with me," she shrugged carelessly, only to get slapped on the arm by her sister, who scolded her.

Seeing that side of Irene, playing the role of an older sister, made a minuscule of a smile tug Levi's lips. To him, it amused him to see the calm woman who had a deep love for photography with a childlike side act as an older sister. It was something that surprised him as well.

"Inaya can pay for her own food," Irene said, her gaze meeting Levi's. "I can pay for yours as well, Levi. I did give you the invitation to come as well, it's only proper," she added softly, eyes tender as well as her small, polite smile.

It didn't matter if that was the case with Levi. He didn't want her spending anymore money on him, nor did he want her sister to have to do so as well. "Proper or not, I'll still pay," he responded gravely. "You've been paying the last few times, I don't mind. If it makes you feel better, I'll let you pay the next time."

Irene paused, hesitating to accept his offer. Before she could utter a word, her sister spoke for her, nudging her side. "That's fine by me," Inaya interjected, her eyes meeting Levi's.

He was quick to catch the wary gaze she held, as if she were waiting for him to slip up. He wasn't sure how much she knew of him, what Irene—or even Hanji told her. From that, he was also to be on guard, preventing from slipping up.

While Levi waited on the food after getting their orders, Inaya dragged Irene away, bringing her to where the lanterns and fireworks were being sold.

When he got the food, he watched Irene silently. The entire time she was with her sister, she held a bright and merry smile, her hazel eyes twinkling with delight. He was in awe at how content she was with her sister. How happy she looked made him satisfied, especially due to her peculiar behavior she portrayed for the past few days.

What threw him off was Inaya. How she held a small, sad smile. The way the light in her brown eyes would waver whenever Irene looked away, how her smile would falter. To him, she appeared as if she were trying to be happy, but was on the verge of giving up. It proved that the way she smiled when he first saw her wasn't just his imagination.

Levi approached them, her behavior still lingering in the back of his mind. "Here," he offered, holding out the food that Irene quickly grabbed, spotting how he was holding three at the same time.