Where We Are Now (LeviHan)

CHAPTER 26: Business Dinner

It was 6:30 and Levi was getting ready to leave for dinner.

"You look nervous, Levi. They already offered you the job, relax." Hange said to make him feel better.

"I know, just don't know how it's going to be meeting these executives."

"I'm sure it will be fine."

"I'll be back in a few hours." He said as he kissed her and walked out the door.

He drove to the fancy restaurant he was told to go to. When he entered he told the hostess he was meeting Marcus Galliard.

"I'll take you to him, he's in a private dining room on the second floor."

He followed the hostess to the private room. There was a man standing outside the sliding doors. An armed bodyguard he assumed. He walked in and there were five men sitting around a table.

"Gentlemen, this is the kid I told you all about." Mr. Galliard said to the executives. "Levi, I'll introduce you." He introduced him to everyone and Levi pretended to care. In truth, all he wanted was to get out of there as soon as possible and be home with Hange. "Let's get straight to it. You remember my other business, right kid?"

"Yes, you did a hell of a job making sure I wouldn't forget," Levi answered.

"Right. Well, I need a few people to make a delivery for me. You seemed good at it last time. But this time I want you to handle the ones moving the product. Call it a test run for your new position."

Levi felt uneasy. "Mr. Galliard, with all due respect to you and everyone here. I don't think this is the best way for me to show my skills."

"I beg to differ. Here's everything you need to know." He slid him a phone. On it was the information of location, product, people he would be observing, money he was to receive, and buyer. "You have an hour to get there and get it done. Everything is already loaded onto a truck at one of our warehouses. You just have to make sure the delivery goes smoothly."

Levi felt like he didn't really have a choice. He simply nodded and made his way out to the location of their warehouse. He didn't drive there in his own car. His car stayed at the restaurant and he was driven in a black sedan with tinted windows. Once he got to the warehouse there were people already waiting for him. He gave them instructions on what to do when they got there. He thought back to how Kenny was with him when they did their exchange and copied his uncle's attitude. He needed to be confident not just in front of these people but in front of the buyers. They got to the location and everything was as he was told it would be. The buyer showed up with a suitcase full of cash. Levi looked at it, picked up a stack, and pretended to inspect it. It was more than he had seen when he helped Kenny with their exchange.

"Is it all there?"

"Yes, I wouldn't be stupid enough to cross your boss."

"Good." Levi signaled to the workers and they started to unload their truck and onto the buyers. It was rather fast, like they were very used to this. Levi didn't want to get used to this lifestyle. Once they were done they made their way back to the warehouse and the same car took Levi with the suitcase back to the restaurant where Mr. Galliard and the other execs were still waiting.

"Wow, that didn't take long. What did I tell you guys. Kids good at this stuff." He said as he propped the suitcase up onto the table. "Feel free to order some food."

"No thank you. I'm not really hungry"

Mr. Galliard took a padfolio out opened it in front of where Levi stood. "You're contract."

Levi looked up at him to read his face. "Before I sign. I want to know if you're going to have me do this kind of stuff often."

"You're rather good at it and it's a fast way to make money, why wouldn't you want to."

"Because I have plans for my future. A person I want to make a life with. I won't be able to do that if I'm in this business. If that's the kind of stuff you'll have me doing... I can't sign the contract."

Mr. Galliard sighed and looked over at a few of the executives. "Well, I think you're throwing away a good opportunity. Nonetheless, I still believe you're the best person for the job at the company. The contract is for that job and nothing else."

Levi read it over and it was in fact just a formal job offer contract. It had a few sections about responsibilities, non-disclosure of company information, and some other minor things. Levi signed it and handed it back. He was beginning to make his way out of the room but was stopped.

"Wait. Before you go," his new boss said as he opened the suitcase, took two stacks of cash, and handed it to Levi.

"What's this?"

"We'll call it a sign-on bonus... See you Monday at 9 am."

Levi nodded and made his way home. Accepting the money seemed wrong. He felt like it made him a criminal. He was. This was the second time he would be involved in an illegal trade of goods. The only thing that allowed him to sleep that night was knowing he would never have to do it again. He spooned Hange and pulled her close to him.

Now he could just focus on his real job. And doing the best he can to help make a future with Hange.

After a long summer, everyone in the group was doing well. Miche and Nanaba loved living together and getting some job experience. Erwin and Levi were doing well at their jobs. Levi and Hange wanted to live in the studio apartment to save up for a small house. Moblit had interned at a medical facility that offered him a position after graduation. Levi finally stopped calling Hange SpongeBob since she got her license.

Overall things were looking good. Senior year was just around the corner and Levi and Hange were going over their carpooling for the upcoming year when Levi got a call from Miche.

"Hey, what's up?" Levi asked as he answered the phone.

"Hey, um not much. You and Hange free? I need to talk to you guys."

"Yeah, is everything okay?"

"Let's meet up. The café by campus we used to go to okay?"

"Yeah, we'll be there in 20 minutes."

They all got to the Café and sat at a booth.

Hange was looking through the menu when she finally asked. "Is everything okay, Miche? Where's Nanaba?"

"Actually it's about her," Miche admitted.

Hange stopped looking at her menu and turned her attention to Miche. "What about her?"

Miche took a deep breath, "I'm going to ask her to marry me."