Chapter 18: Snow and June

Hanji's POV

12 noon. The apartment is quiet and only the ringing vibration of the electric fan is heard. I am on my tank top and shorts, hair in a bun and whole body feeling sticky from all the sweat that this hot time of the day gave me. This saturday feels definitely iritating and tiring but the thing that annoys me more is the chibi in front of me. I mean, WHY MUST HE BE GAY? Can't he just be a normal guy so things would be less complicated for me? I have already admitted that I like him after all but I cannot make any move when he doesn't even have a tinge of interest for me?

A sigh came out of my mouth. But technically speaking, you wouldn't really think that Levi is a gay because look at him. Even simply reading the papers look so hot and attracting. To be honest, those syllabus and learning outlines actually makes me feel jealous. Those shitty pieces of paper who did nothing but sit in his hands and table made him focus more than my previous silly attempts.

Haist. God must have hated me for giving me such a one-sided romance.

I pouted, pulling my legs up the sofa, still staring at him. "Oy" I called his attention as I embraced my legs. But this freakin' clean freak ignored me. Ugh. I like him but he is getting on my nerves whenever he does that. "Oy chibi"

Levi put the papers down and threw me a glare. "What now?" He said groaning.

My head tilted a bit. "Are you sure that you're gay?" I asked. His eyes widened for a second. Levi then turned around and picked up the papers he was reading before, ignoring the question that I just asked. "Ooooy! Chibi!" I called. "Clean freak! Clipped hair! Bo-"

"DAMN IT YES!" He yelled in annoyance. Levi put his hands on his temple as he started reading again.

"But why?" I asked. 

"Cause I want to" Levi replied, not putting his attention away from his papers.

"Why do you want to?"

Levi frowned and turned towards me. "Do I really have to answer all your questions?" He asked, a hint of iritation in his voice. I shrugged my shoulders making him sigh.

A minute passed with none of us saying another word. But me, being a very annoying and curious human being, once again asked another question to the already mad chibi.

"Why can't you be a bi instead?" I slightly asked-suggested and for the nth time, Levi put the papers down and looked at me exasperatingly. "I mean, wouldn't it be better? You get to like both men and women! You'll have more choices!" I faked a laugh as soon as I realized how pathetic I sound. It looks obvious that I am trying to push him to also like women when in the first place, he said that he can never have any interest on them because of his sexuality. Damn it Hanji.

Another awkward silence fell between us.

I don't want to imagine what Levi is thinking about right now but it definitely involves how desperate I sound. And shit. Did that also made it seem obvious that I like him? Sure I admitted it to myself but I can't handle it yet when he discovers it. He'll definitely put a distance from me, hate me, or worst, leave me.

Before my thoughts even went overboard, the sound of doorbell broke me out of my thoughts. Levi looked at the doorway the same time I did and then we coincidentally turned our head towards each other as if silently fighting over who's gonna open it. But of course, I can never win against those gray eyes so I stood up and went in there.

"HI!" the person at the other side of the door greeted. Her blonde hair is slicked back as usual but unlike before, she is now wearing a dress making her growing round belly more obvious.

"Nanaba..what are you doing in here?" I asked but the woman just went ahead inside, even leaving her husband in the front door. I looked at Mike who sighed and followed his gaze at his wife.

"She wanted to visit you and give you two something" He said, looking at me. "Can I?" Mike asked and I nodded, letting him in. At the living room, I immediately heard Nanaba's voice so I fastened my walk.

"Seriously Levi?" Nanaba laughed. "You accepted a job at a local high school?"

"Yes. Cause I don't intend to go back in there" He replied making me immediately curious.

"Go back where?" I asked turning both of their attention towards me. "What do you mean and why does Nanaba seem to have a clue with it?"

Nanaba bit her lower lip, looking at the chibi who stood up from his chair, bringing all the papers with him. He went out of the living room, walking straight towards his own room and immediately locked himself. My attention then went to Nanaba were also looking at the chibi.

"Nanaba?"

The pregnant woman flinched. She laughed a little, walking towards her husband and then she leaned on him as if she is really tired.

"You're right Mike. We should have went straight home. I'm tired" She said but her husband looked at her suspiciously.

"I thought you wanted to give them 'those'" Mike said. His wife's eyes widened in realization and then she digged through her purse pulling an envelope. She handed it to me.

"Get ready for tomorrow. We'll be going to an aquarium because Mike got 4 free tickets from one of his students and we definitely have to go there this sunday!" She said excitedly. "Treat your and Levi's presence as your gifts for me" Nanaba said while smiling and it was now my turn to have my eyes wide.

"Oh shoot. I almost forgot that it was the 30th of June tomorrow! But I haven't prepared any for you"

Nanaba smiled. "I told you didn't I? Your gift will be your presence tomorrow"

Her smile seemed contagious that my face also painted one. I hugged her tightly despite the bump in between us.

"I really really love you! Best girl friend ever!" I said making her chuckle. After our short session of embracing and laughing, Mike and Nanaba went off ahead and once again left just Levi and I in my apartment. Now I only have to convince this chibi and Sunday will definitely be marked as an enjoying one.

~*~

"WOW!" I ran towards one of the glass and immediately looked at the mix of fishes swimming inside it. "Look guys! That serious looking catfish resembles Levi!" I said making Nanaba laugh and Mike to smirk. The chibi on the other hand rolled his eyes. At the corner of my eye, I suddenly saw a rare looking fish so I once again ran towards that part of the aquarium. I don't care if I look weird cause I act like a kid despite my age but hey! It is not everyday that you get to go on places like this!

I gasp as I looked at the place and ran at different panels and tunnels. I am definitely enjoying everything that I see in here and aside from that, this also feels like a double date. Nanaba is with her husband while I am with Levi tho sadly, there is nothing going on between us.

But speaking of those guys, where are they?

I looked around and saw a pool of unfamiliar people. Everywhere I look, it is only the strangers which I see. My heart started beating fast.

Oh right! I have my phone with me!

I fished my phone out of pocket and immediately unlocked it when it suddenly turned black. Damn it! I forgot to charge it earlier. How stupid can you get Hanji? You know that you will be leaving yet you didn't get yourself ready in situations like this.

I put it back in my pocket, looking at the place once again. Maybe I can ask these people if they saw atleast one of those guys. But heck. I would sound really stupid because how on Earth will an adult woman get lost at an aquarium. Only someone as idiotic as me, maybe?

Gosh. What am I gonna do!

My heart was beginning to panic when a hand took hold of my wrist and pulled me out of the sea of people. The hand guided me out of the tunnels of the aquarium back to where I first got separated with my friends.

I looked at my wrist, to the hand and then to the person who has been pulling me out of the place. A chibi with a clipped hair, dark blue polo with white shirt undearneath. Immediately, my heart started beating faster again, but not because of anxiousness.

"Only someone as stupid as you will lose sight of her companions in a place like this shitty glasses"

I smiled following him as he continued to pull me. "Yep" I said smiling. But if it will be you who'll be fetching me whenever I feel lost, then I won't mind it at all.

We walked and walked, dodging the people we come across till we reached the lobby and to my surprise, something cold fell to my arms. Levi stopped, looking at the place as I also started trying to comprehend what is happening. The lobby is getting cold and after a few seconds, it started raining small drops of snow. How?

"Fascinating isn't it?" A voice said from behind. I looked at it and saw Nanaba holding a cup of drink and Mike behind her. "They did this kind of gimmick to promote the opening of their newly established artic town where penguins will be exhibited" she said excitedly.

"How is this happening?" I asked as I still cannot believe what I am seeing right now. Snow continously fell at us but the floor neither gets flooded nor wet. Kids around us are running at the lobby while groups of teens and young adults are taking a picture.

"They are using a fake snow powder. It naturally evaporates that is why the lobby never floods and of course it feels cool because of this evaporation that happens with the water in it" Mike explained.

Science can really do so many things and this is an example of it.

"But this type of promotion is not quite satisfying tho" the chibi in front of me said as he let go of my wrist. "A snow in June is impossible. So practically speaking, this is not convincing"

Nanaba frowned. "Oh come on you midget. When will you learn how not to kill the fun"

"I'm just stating what is practical and realistic" Levi said, shrugging his shoulders.

But that is true tho. A snow in June is impossible.

Wait...... Snow. June.

"Don't worry Nanaba! Someday I'm gonna find my own man" I told her and I saw her face lit. "And that's gonna happen when snow falls in June!"

(Refer back to the prologue to read the whole scene)

I gasp, looking at Nanaba and Levi who were are still clearly arguing. I stated something really impossible to prevent myself on getting a man yet here I am, standing underneath a lobby where fake snow are falling, with the first guy that I started liking.

My eyes darted towards levi and immediately, my lips curled into a smile. Maybe if it really is the fate who made its turn, we can never ever prevent it. What's intended for us will always happen no matter how little the chances are. Just like how I fell for this clean freak and started wanting him for myself, while snow rains down on us in the 30th of June.