Brand New Life

Chapter 22: Our Sunset

Levi and Hanji

Levi's POV

As Hanji danced around as we walked on Wall Maria, I kept searching for that one spot from my dreams. But what bothered me more was that my name was on that stone... maybe, I am a descendant from that Levi Ackerman. With every gaze over the wall, it seemed like it was a dream. A real dream... my head became overflowed with these weird dreams- no, visions? I don't really know... the one thing that kept running in my head... was Hanji's face. 

My limbs felt heavy as I sat next to Hanji, watching the view. Looking at my arms, they were shriveled, as if I was old. 

"How long has it been, Hanji?" I felt myself ask her, seeing Hanji as an old woman. Her face was wrinkled, yet her eye sparkled.

"For what?"

"Titans, Hanji... the titans... how long?"

Her sweet giggle warmed my cold heart, something that I haven't heard from her in a long time. "40 years? At least... everything's not the same, is it Levi?"

"Meaning?"

She sighs deeply, "We lost so many people... Erwin for one... he would've liked this peace we're living in now..." Her hand touches her missing eye, which brought sorrow in my heart. She was no longer whole anymore... but what matters? Her being perfect, or her being herself? I, for one, loves her because of her wild personality... "We lost so much..."

"Levi!" Hanji's voice shakes me out of my trance, where I found out that I was on the edge of the wall. If I leaned forward, I would fall to my death. I looked down, 50 meters down, seeing the nature outside. Breathing in that fresh air. "Levi!"

I turned, seeing Hanji's scared eyes, wanting to reach out for me... "Hanji..."

"You idiot! What were you thinking?! Walking almost to your death?!"

"Death?" Taking a few steps back, I realized that I was lost in my head... I nearly fell... Hanji, if you didn't call my name to snap be back to reality... well, I think I would've died.

A pair of arms tugs me back from the edge. "Levi... you scared me to death!" Hanji's voice soothes me, even though she was shouting at my stupidity. Her head nuzzled into my shoulder, and I felt her tears dripping onto my shirt.

"Hanji..."

"No! Shut up..."

Breaking free from her grip, I wrapped my arms around her, "Thanks..." I manage to say to her. With the last bit of light from the fading sun, I wiped her tears away.

"F-For what?"

"Saving me..."

"L-Levi-"

"Hey, if you didn't stop me... I don't know what would've happened- heck, I don't even want to know the outcome if I didn't stop."

As I looked up, my breath was taken away. When I saw that sunset back on the first day... this was it. The hills perfectly matched up, and the sun was setting in the right spot- it wasn't a dream... more like a... memory. Hanji chuckles, "I always loved sunsets... something about it made it... beautiful."

In my head, I heard Hanji's voice echoing, "See that? I want to know where the sun sets... I always wondered why and where. If it disappears so fast, not leaving a trace of light... where did it go?"

"Maybe it's because it's mysterious..." I started off, not controlling what I said next. "And knowing you, you loved those myths and legends... and not knowing where the sun sets makes it very beautiful."