My Neighbor's Friend

Hange Zoe

"So Hange, have you decided anything?" Mom asks.

I watch them curiously. "Decided what?"

We are in the living room right now, after that quite eventful dinner. Mom asked if they wanted to watch anything on TV, but they refused. So here we are, sitting together and chatting. Kinda like old times, except for the inclusion of the raven haired mystery man. Well, he's not talking much anyway, at least not voluntarily. So I guess it's pretty much the same as before.

"What to do with the house", mom replies to my question.

"Huh?!" my eyes widen. "What do you mean what to do?"

"Well", this time Hange speaks. "I was thinking of selling it before."

"SELLIN–"

"Let me finish Eren", they say with a smile. I shut my mouth and wait. Grumbling inwardly.

"So, you both know why I never came back here. The death of mom and dad had shaken me up real bad. And the house, it carried all those memories of them. Constantly reminding me of their loss..." they take a breath. "It was suffocating, staying in this place all alone. I needed to get away. I felt like I'd never be able to move on if I didn't. So when the offer came from Stohess, I didn't think for a second. I accepted and left as soon as I could. To say the truth, I fled."

I never thought about it like that. I always blamed Hange for leaving so suddenly. But now, after hearing their side of the story, I actually feel kinda guilty for thinking that way.

"Stohess was a good change. New place, new people, new job. Life was busy. I was happy the way things were. But once in a while, something would trigger me off, and I'd be reminded of this place. Of how happy I used to be here. Eren's laughter, Carla's cooking, the occasional visits of Grisha, mom's scolding, dad's support – I missed it all. And it hurt." Hange trails off. Mom walks over to sit beside them and wraps an arm around their shoulder. I look away, my eyes stinging with unshed tears.

When I look up, I see Hange looking at Levi. He stares at her, nods ever so slightly, then turns his gaze to the front.

"I'd told myself to never look back", Hange continues. "Because I thought if I did, if I ever came back, it'd be too painful for me to bear. So that's what I did. I cut off all the connections. I decided not to keep in touch with anyone. No visits, no phone calls. Nothing. And I suppose that's how life would've went on if this guy hadn't shown up", they glance at Levi. He raises an eyebrow. "Two years after I joined the company, I was transferred to the same department as Levi."

"And that was the beginning of my demise", Levi states flatly.

We stare at him for a moment, then burst out laughing.

"Well, that lightened up the mood", mom says while wiping the corner of her eyes.

I look up at Levi – still laughing – and find him staring at me. Our eyes lock for a couple of seconds before he turns away. But that look in his eyes! I caught it for merely a few moments, but there was something in those eyes. I can't really put it in words. It was the kind of look you give when you want something really bad but can't have it. You know what I mean? Like there's a new album of your favorite band in stores and you don't have the money to buy it. So you watch it longingly through the glass door.

A stupid metaphor. But you understand what I'm trying to say.

Why would he look at me like that? It means he's interested, right? Then why avoid me like a plague? Or... am I imagining all of this?