"I will not work on a field. I'm going to the Scout Regiment," the brown-haired kid with the angry sparkling eyes yelled again.
Ayumi watched as a girl tried to drag the boy behind her. In the morning, soldiers from the Military Police Regiment had told the refugees that from today on they would help with the work on the fields in order to ease the tense situation regarding food. Anyone who refused the order of the government would be punished. Immediately. The refugees waited in long queues for the soldiers of the Military Police Regiment to write down their name, place of origin and year of birth and then tell them on which field and in which group they had to work. How serious the situation was could be seen from the few exceptions: Seriously ill people, pregnant women and children up to the age of four. The old people who had managed to escape from the Titans were also standing in the queues, partly supported by crutches. So did small children, crying from hunger or tiredness. "So you don't automatically have a good childhood up here either," Ayumi thought sadly and handed the stacked bread baskets to Jimmy. The two of them, along with Louis and Mike and Levi's teams, had been helping soldiers from the Garrison Regiment and the Military Police Regiment with the morning's food distribution.
"Eren, we are still too young for the military," a blond boy now also tried to calm his friend. But words didn't help, because the boy continued to shout: "We should get weapons now. The Titans certainly won't wait until we are old enough. They can attack again. Any moment. And then I want to kill those beasts."
"Eren, please be quiet. We'll attract attention," the blond kid tried to placate his friend and looked anxiously at a soldier of the Military Police Regiment who had his eyes on Eren. Ayumi was also aware of it. But just as she planed to take the boy with her for his own protection, the girl with the black hair punched him. And her screaming friend fell down. As he tried to get up, the girl hit him again. Ayumi's eyebrows narrowed. The emotionless expression of the girl reminded her of someone. At the same time, she felt a slight chill when she saw the girl's face for the first time. Visually, they seemed to have the same origin.
When the girl tried to hit her friend again, Ayumi held her hand tightly.
"How strong she is," Ayumi noticed in amazement and looked into the girl's calm eyes. "What's your name?," Ayumi asked with interest.
"Mikasa Ackerman," the girl answered briefly.
"And yours?," Ayumi asked further, glancing from the corner of her eyes at the anxious boy.
"My name is Armin Alert. I'm sorry we caused trouble," Armin stammered.
Ayumi nodded and looked at the boy on the ground. His lip was split open. But this did not seem to interest him. His gaze had changed. Two bright blue-green eyes examined Ayumi. The soldier realised that it was because of her Scout Regiment uniform.
"And who is that?," she wanted to know from Armin.
"That's Eren Jäger. He just lost his temper for a moment," Armin tried to defuse the situation. "Sorry. We are sorry. He ... We ... We are from Shiganshina," he added sadly and quietly.
Ayumi looked around. No one in the immediate area looked like they were related to the three children. "You are alone here?," she asked Mikasa.
The girl nodded.
"Eren?," Ayumi offered him her free hand. "I'm sure you know that your friend is quite strong. So if you actually want to join the Scout Regiment one day, I'd better listen to your friends for once if I were you. We can't use you with broken bones."
Eren nodded and grabbed Ayumi's hand.
"So you're quiet now?," she asked further.
Eren nodded again and let Ayumi pull him up. While Armin handed Eren a handkerchief for his bleeding lip, Ayumi analysed Mikasa's facial features again. Only after she noticed a person over Mikasa's shoulder in a shop on the other side did she finally let go of the girl's hand.
"And Eren?," the soldier said. "Control your anger. With such a mood you are a danger for your future team in the Scout Regiment. We can't do anything with you like that either. You'd best start now and be an example to the younger ones here," she called to the boy over her shoulder and went to the bookstore. "Is that Levi?"
"What are you looking at?", Eld asked his teammate, handing him empty bread boxes.
"Nothing," Gunther replied. "I just don't understand why Levi Heichou didn't pick her for our team too," Gunther explained, giving the boxes to Oluo and Petra, who were standing on a cart.
"You mean Ayumi Chagara?," Oluo asked.
"Mh, have you seen her in the trainings?," Gunther said enthusiastically.
"Mh," Eld pondered. "Maybe she's not so good after all. Levi only takes the best."
"Do you think he's happy with us?," Gunther wanted to know, beckoning Nanaba to come over. Mike's team member was also carrying empty bread boxes.
"If not, we would surely have heard it from Levi Heichou by now that we are too bad. And he would surely have kicked us out by now," Petra said, taking the boxes from Nanaba.
"Well," Nanaba began with a grin. "But you can't be that great if you have to go to the bread distribution and not to the training area." She tapped her index finger against her chin several times. "Mmmh, and why have I seen Levi Heichou sitting in our library a lot in the last few days?," she pondered aloud.
"What's he doing there?," Petra wanted to know in surprise.
"I don't know. But he seems to be looking for something in particular. Judging by all the sighs, he seems to be looking for a new life purpose. So you guys are too bad." Nanaba tried to tease her comrades.
"Where is Levi Heichou anyway?," Petra looked around searchingly.
"Who knows. Maybe he already volunteered to work on the fields," Nanaba said with a wink, looking at four frustrated faces. Was Levi actually unhappy with their performances?
***
Henry Dober briefly lifted his eyes from his newspaper and looked at the door. The little bell had rung. "Now there are two of them," the elderly gentleman thought happily. Soldiers from the Scout Regiment in his bookshop. And one of them was Levi Heichou. "Shall I offer them tea? To thank them for their work?"
Levi winced as two arms clung around his waist for a moment. Someone hugged him and he felt a peck on his cheek. Irritated, he looked beside him and saw Ayumi's smiling face. Had he been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't even noticed her?
"Are you looking for a book?," she asked curiously, scanning the wall of books her boyfriend was standing in front of. Encyclopaedias, books about politics, religion and business management.
"I already found it," Levi said quietly, pointing to the book in front of him. How long had he been standing in front of that book? Without touching it. This, too, could already have consequences.
"So you're buying it?"
Levi looked at her sceptically. "No," he answered slowly.
Now Ayumi looked at him sceptically. "Why not? Too expensive?"
Levi furrowed his brow. "You know what the book is about, don't you?," he finally asked.
Ayumi nodded and looked at the book again. "Business Management," she said, shrugging her shoulders as he shook his head at her. "So, too expensive after all? Do you want me to lend you some money?," she tried again.
Levi shook his head again. "Even you can't manage that." Astonished at his uttered words, he quickly turned his head to the side. What did he actually think she could do? And why was he blushing? In the middle of a bookshop. In front of strangers.
But Ayumi only inquired, "Why not?" Surprised, she looked at Levi when he grabbed her hand and held it. All she wanted to do was to touch the book.
She received the answer from an elderly gentleman who strolled towards them. "Books are unfortunately limited in our world. Especially special books like this one on business management are very rare."
"And?" Ayumi looked at him questioningly.
Henry Dober tilted his head. Did he know the girl? But from where?
"As a soldier, you are not allowed to buy books about business management. It has nothing to do with your duties in the military," Levi explained to his girlfriend.
"What?"
Henry Dober scratched his chin. But he didn't know anyone personally in the Scout Regiment.
"Didn't you know that?" Levi marvelled at Ayumi's unawareness. "Never bought a book before?"
His girlfriend shook her head. "I've just always read the books in our libraries."
"That book," Levi pointed to the book in front of him, "you can only buy if you run a family business in at least the second generation. Or if you are from a merchant family. Or belong to the royal family."
Henry Dober put on his glasses.
"And certainly not if you come from the underworld," her boyfriend added bitterly.
"Underworld?" Henry Dober had solved the riddle. "Yes, of course!"
"But that's unfair," Ayumi said, upset.
"Fits our unfair world, doesn't it?," Levi replied sarcastically.
"But you need it for your tea shop, don't you?"
Levi looked away again. She had hit the mark.
"Chagara?" They both suddenly heard as the bookshop owner clapped his hands. "Chagara!," came out of Henry Dober's mouth again. "Yes! It is you! It must be you! Oh my, how long has it been? My Isabelle and your mother were friends," Henry Dober chattered delightedly. "Your mother's name was Chagara. Her last name, wasn't it?" The older man's face was beaming. Unlike Ayumi. As Levi discovered.
The life had disappeared from her face. Pale as a corpse, she stared at the shop owner. "You must have mistaken me for someone else," the girl replied coldly, tore herself free from Levi's grip and walked quickly out of the shop.
"But?", puzzled, Henry Dober looked after the soldier and wanted to follow her. But Levi stood in his way.
"Sir," he began quietly. "She doesn't seem to have any intention of speaking to you right now. You should respect that."
"Yes, yes. That's right. I guess my sensitivity failed me there. My Isabelle probably would have slapped me right now," Henry Dober said nodding and adjusting his glasses. "But her name is Chagara?"
Levi nodded.
"And her first name?," the shop owner continued, gesturing Levi to follow him.
"Ayumi. Ayumi Chagara," Levi replied, looking towards the door. Should he follow his girlfriend or should he ask the older gentleman about Ayumi's mother? Was it alright for Ayumi?
"Ayumi." Henry Dober smiled to himself. "A beautiful name. My name is Dober, by the way. Henry Dober. I own this book shop." He pulled another cup from under his counter table and poured chamomile tea. "So she made it," he murmured proudly. "And now she's a soldier in the Scout Regiment." Levi accepted the handed cup and obeyed. Henry Dober had pointed to a chair. "And you're a couple?"
Levi nodded sheepishly and took a sip.
"Fine, fine. A good boy," Henry Dober murmured, pouring himself a cup as well.
Levi looked down at the floor. "A good boy?" No one had ever called him that except his mother.
"I'm sure her mother would have liked you." Henry Dober's words flattered Levi. Perhaps he should spend a few more minutes with the older gentleman after all. Besides: He looked at his teacup. You couldn't just gulp down tea. Tea had to be enjoyed.