The corridors of Shinkami Academy pulsed with chatter and laughter, students brushing past with the energy Levi hadn't felt in decades. It was suffocating, yet oddly… alive. He walked with silent precision, his sharp gaze scanning like a soldier on patrol until she appeared.
The same girl from yesterday.
She stood at the far end of the hall, sunlight spilling across her like a divine spotlight. Silky black hair cascading to her waist, eyes the color of twilight soft, but sharp enough to cut through every layer of his resolve. She clutched her books against her chest, unaware that the man who once defied death itself couldn't muster the courage to take a single step forward.
System Notification:
[Warning: Heart Rate Elevated.]
[Unknown Status Effect Detected: Flustered.]
"Tch…" Levi muttered under his breath, gripping his bag strap tighter. This is ridiculous. I've stared down Titans, slaughtered generals, and now… I can't even
Their eyes met.
She blinked, tilting her head slightly, curiosity flickering across her face. Levi froze for a fraction of a second, then forced his legs to move, every step feeling like he was crossing a battlefield.
When he stopped in front of her, her scent hit him a faint trace of something floral, mixed with shampoo. It was… intoxicating.
"You—" His voice cracked slightly, and he quickly cleared his throat. "Yesterday… in the courtyard."
Her lips curved into a small, teasing smile. "You remembered?"
Levi's jaw tightened. Focus, soldier. "What's your name?"
For a heartbeat, the hallway disappeared. Students blurred, voices faded. It was just him and her.
She leaned in slightly, eyes glinting like a challenge, and whispered:
"Arisa."
The sound of it was like a bullet clean, sharp, and straight to his core.
System Notification:
[New Quest: Unknown Desires.]
[Objective: Learn more about Arisa.]
[Reward: ???]
Levi exhaled slowly, hiding the storm inside with his usual calm facade. But deep down, the battlefield had just changed.
The bell rang, cutting through the tension. Arisa glanced at the clock. "You're in Class 1-A, right? Same as me."
Levi nodded, following her into the classroom. He took the seat by the window, as always, while she slipped into the desk beside him because of course the universe wanted him to suffer.
Class began, but Levi barely heard a word. His senses kept betraying him—her voice when she answered questions, the subtle tilt of her head when she scribbled notes, the way her fingers brushed her hair behind her ear.
He clenched his jaw. Get it together. She's just a girl. You've killed monsters ten times her size. This isn't
System Notification:
[Status Effect Intensifying: Flustered → Distracted.]
[Combat Efficiency: -20%.]
Levi almost slammed his forehead on the desk. Shut up.
By the time lunch rolled around, Levi escaped to the rooftop for air. The quiet helped, the wind brushing against his skin, carrying the faint scent of cherry blossoms. He thought he was alone until the door creaked open.
Arisa stepped through, holding a bento box.
"Oh," she said softly, eyes widening. "You like rooftops too?"
Levi looked away, hands shoved in his pockets. "It's quiet up here."
She smiled, walking closer, the wind catching her hair. "Mind if I join?"
He hesitated, then nodded. She sat beside him on the concrete ledge, legs dangling over the edge. For a while, they ate in silence, the only sound the wind and distant chatter below.
Then she spoke. "You're… different."
Levi raised a brow. "Different how?"
"You don't talk much. Most guys here would've tried a dozen pick-up lines by now."
"Not my style," he said flatly.
She laughed softly, and damn it was a sound he hadn't realized he needed. "I like that."
Levi's grip on his chopsticks tightened. What the hell does that mean?
---
They finished lunch, but as Arisa stood, her foot slipped on a loose tile. Levi's instincts flared he grabbed her wrist, pulling her toward him. The momentum sent them both tumbling back against the wall, her body pressing into his chest, faces inches apart.
Time froze.
Her breath hitched. Levi's hand was still gripping her waist, the heat of her body radiating through his uniform. Her lips were so close he could feel the whisper of her breath.
System Notification:
[Unknown Interaction Detected.]
[Adrenaline Surge: +15%.]
[Heart Rate: 142 BPM.]
Arisa's cheeks burned crimson. "S-sorry… I didn't mean to—"
Levi swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "You could've fallen."
"I… know." Her voice was barely a whisper. Neither of them moved.
For a moment, the world shrank to the space between them. The tension was so thick it was almost suffocating. Then the rooftop door slammed open, shattering the moment.
"Arisa! There you are!" A girl's voice called.
Arisa jerked back, her face still flushed. "I—I should go." She hesitated, looking at him one last time, then left.
Levi stood there, staring at the door, his heart still pounding.
System Notification:
[New Passive Acquired: Heart of Steel… Shattered.]
[Hidden Quest Progress: 12%.]
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. What the hell just happened?
---
The rest of the day was chaos. Every time Levi closed his eyes, he saw her those twilight eyes, that soft voice. Damn it… why does she remind me of her?
By the time evening training came around, he was still distracted. His sword swings lacked precision, his movements off by fractions that would've meant death on a real battlefield.
The instructor noticed. So did the girls.
"Levi-kun," one of them Kana, the pink-haired prodigy from Class 1-B approached, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "You look… tense. Need someone to help you unwind?" Her smile was pure trouble.
Before he could answer, another voice chimed in. "Back off, Kana. Levi deserves better than your cheap tricks." It was Ayaka, the stoic spear-user, glaring daggers at Kana before turning those sharp eyes on him. "If you need a sparring partner… I'm available."
Great. Just great.
System Notification:
[New Trait Unlocked: Unwanted Attention.]
[Warning: Multiple Affection Signals Detected.]
[Harem Probability: 78%.]
Levi groaned internally. This… is a different kind of battlefield.
And through it all, Arisa's laugh still echoed in his head like a melody he couldn't shake.