𝙵𝙰𝙻𝙻𝙸𝙽𝙶 𝙵𝙾𝚁 𝙼𝚈 𝙻𝙰𝚆𝚈𝙴𝚁

Chapter 25

"No, that's alright. I'd be happy to be able to discuss all the details with him tomorrow."

The voice on the other line sighed in relief. "Thank you very much, Mr. L/n."

"My pleasure. Have a nice day, Mr. Ackerman."

With that, M/n hung up the phone. He sunk back in his chair, his gaze drifting toward the glass windows on his left. It wasn't long ago that Eren had left and still... He couldn't help but worry. He tapped his fingers on his desk unconsciously.

There was nothing he could do but wait and yet still... He sighed and turned to look back at his work. He had to refocus himself. After all, he was in charge of a case, and everything needed to be put together well. 

There was no room for error especially when the opposing side could use anything to their advantage. His hand reached for the cabinet handle beside him and pulled out a folder. Inside were notes he had made. He placed it down beside the other folders he had.

Alright... Let's see what we have so far...

The (h/c)-ette opened up each folder and looked through its contents. All photographic evidence was gathered, marked, and riddled with notes. M/n had made sure to look over every picture with Levi and Mr. Morisawa, leaving no detail unnoticed.

In another folder were papers filled back and front with various notes. They mostly came from his meetings with Levi and his parents. He had made sure to write down anything and everything they had told him. Using them, he gradually connected different pieces together, assembling the whole story.

As he looked over what he already had, he thought about the missing components. Now that he had gotten as much information from Levi as possible, it was time to move on to gathering witnesses.

The first to come to mind was Levi's parents. They were in-laws to the abuser, after all. Also, they were the last to come into contact with Levi that night. Next to come to mind was Levi's neighbors.

Someone had to have heard what happened that night. Levi had told him that he wasn't the one to call the police on his ex-husband. So, surely, one of his neighbors did. Now, the issue was finding who did.

It would be a matter he would have to discuss with Erwin. From there, he would have to request their phone records and any recording of the emergency call. He made a note of his next course of action. It seemed he was finally starting to zone into his work because he didn't hear the knocking at his door.

It was only when he had looked up to grab the phone that he finally noticed the knocking. "Come in," he said as he closed up each folder.

The knocking stopped and the door was opened. It was Hirano, and in her hands was a small wooden tray. "Sorry to disturb you," she said.

M/n shook his head. "Don't worry."

[Note: (f/d) = favorite drink, in this case a hot drink | G/N =Grandpa's name]

She walked over to his desk and set down the tray, allowing the (h/c)-ette to see what she had brought. There was a cup of hot (f/d) and a pastry.

"I heard from Sol that you weren't looking so well. G/N had brought some pastries for everyone, so I grabbed one for you."

M/n was touched by her concern but shook his head. "Thank you, Hirano. You really didn't have to."

"It's no problem," she said before bowing her head. "Well, I'll leave you to get back to work."

With that, she dismissed herself and left his office. But just as the door was about to close behind her, there was another knock. This time, however, it was a quick one. He didn't have to wonder who this visitor was because Hirano answered for him.

"G/N?"

"Good work today, Hirano," he said with a grin.

"Oh... Thank you, sir."

His grandfather nodded his head and peeked around the door, spotting his grandson sitting in his chair. He then stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

"I was wondering where you had gone," he said, strolling his way over to him.

"Grandpa..."

The older L/n sat down in the empty chair across from him. "I was planning to go see your parents for a while, but a little birdie told me you weren't feeling so well."

M/n sighed. "Yeah? Well... I can't exactly hide anything from you, can I?"

His grandfather's expression softened. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine," was his simple reply.

But his grandfather shook his head. "You can't fool this old man, M/n. I've been there with you through some of your hardest times, so I know when you're not fine. So... What happened?"

M/n was silent for a second before deciding to just tell him the events that had unfolded. "There's a boy who came to find me. He was covered in bruises when he came, and he had been chased by some older kids."

Although G/N didn't say anything, it was obvious he was listening. So, M/n continued. "He's not living in the best conditions. The orphanage and his school... Completely incompetent. He's completely covered in bruises and constantly in danger."

"There's no one the boy can rely on?"

"No," M/n said, his blood boiling just recalling the events. "Everyone around him seems to not care, and that's what pisses me off the most about all of this."

"How long have you known this boy?"

The (h/c)-ette sighed in frustration, though it wasn't directed at his grandfather. He ran his hand through his hair, pushing it back and out of his face.

"I can't say that I've known him for long, but still... If he were S/n, I don't know what I would do... I would probably go insane, not being able to help him. I want to do something. But, I can't do anything. Not yet, and that bothers me."

His grandfather nodded, having taken in every word M/n had said. He knew what it was like to worry about his children. His daughter, M/n's mother, was his only child. She was the only thing left to remind him of his late wife and he treasured her dearly.

Which is why it hurt him when he came to find out how much his daughter had suffered at the hands of her ex-husband, M/n's biological father. A proper father is always worried about their children, and M/n was no exception to that.

Yes, the boy wasn't actually M/n's son. But perceiving him as S/n made the (h/c)-ette feel like he had a duty to him. How could he peacefully go about his day when a child who had become reliant on him wanted his help?

G/N reached out and pat his grandson's shoulder. "Listen. Worrying about it isn't going to change anything. I know you're concerned with his well-being, but you must be patient."

"I know that... But still..."

"If it's meant to be, it will happen."