Brewed to Perfection: Quiet Tea | LeviHan | Levi Ackerman x Hange Zoe | FalBi

Chapter 25: Playful Deception

The tea shop carried on as it always did, bustling with customers and the lively banter of Gabi, Falco, and Onyankopon. It had been a week since Hange had casually slipped the ring onto her finger, and life seemed as normal as ever-or at least, that was the facade Levi and Hange carefully maintained.

But Gabi wasn't fooled. Not entirely.

The morning began as usual, with Gabi darting around the shop, balancing trays of teacups and chatting with customers. But her sharp eyes kept drifting toward Hange, who was busy preparing a new tea blend at the counter.

Her gaze dropped to Hange's hand, where the mysterious ring caught the light. She frowned, curiosity gnawing at her.

"Hange," Gabi began, approaching with her hands on her hips. "That ring... it's new, right? I swear I've never seen it before."

Hange, without missing a beat, glanced at her hand and then back at her tea leaves. "New? Not really. Picked it up during one of my trips. You know me-always finding odd little treasures."

Gabi narrowed her eyes. "But it doesn't look odd. It looks... nice. Really nice."

Hange smirked, turning to face her with a raised eyebrow. "Are you saying I don't have good taste, Gabi?"

"That's not what I mean!" Gabi huffed. "It's just... it doesn't seem like something you'd buy for yourself."

"Well, that's because it wasn't expensive," Hange said breezily. "I found it at a market. A steal, really. Do you want me to get you one too?"

Gabi blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... no, that's okay."

Hange leaned forward with a mischievous grin. "Are you sure? It could be our secret friendship ring. Matching and everything."

Gabi flushed, stepping back. "That's not what I-ugh! Forget it."

Hange chuckled as she returned to her blend. Behind her, Levi glanced up from the counter, his expression stoic but his eyes briefly meeting Hange's. The corner of her mouth quirked as she caught his gaze.

Later, Gabi cornered Falco near the tea garden, dragging him away from the pile of tea tins he was organizing.

"I'm telling you, something's up," she said, her voice low but insistent. "That ring didn't come from some random market. It's too nice."

Falco blinked, clearly not following. "So?"

"So," Gabi said, exasperated, "it must have come from someone here."

Falco tilted his head, confused. "What do you mean? Like, one of us gave it to her?"

"Not one of us," Gabi said, lowering her voice further. "Think about it. Who else is here all the time?"

Falco's eyes widened slightly. "You don't mean Captain Levi?"

Gabi nodded, crossing her arms. "It makes sense, doesn't it? They're always whispering to each other, and he's been acting weird lately."

Falco frowned, hesitant. "But... Captain Levi doesn't seem like the kind of person who would give a gift like that."

"Exactly!" Gabi said, throwing her hands up. "Which is why it's so suspicious."

Gabi's suspicions only grew throughout the day, and by the afternoon, she couldn't hold back any longer. She cornered Hange near the counter, her eyes narrowing in determination.

"Hange," Gabi said, her tone accusatory. "Tell me the truth. Did Captain Levi give you that ring?"

Hange blinked, feigning shock. "Levi? Give me a ring? Gabi, do you hear yourself?"

Gabi crossed her arms. "I'm not buying the market story. It doesn't add up."

Hange leaned in, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You're right."

Gabi's eyes widened. "I am?!"

Hange nodded solemnly. "It wasn't Levi. It was Oliver from Golden Brew Café. He's been secretly trying to win me over to steal tea secrets."

"What?!" Gabi exclaimed, her voice rising in shock.

"Shhh!" Hange hissed, grinning. "Don't tell anyone. It's top secret."

Gabi's jaw dropped, but before she could respond, Hange patted her on the shoulder and walked away, whistling cheerfully.

Falco, who had overheard the entire exchange, approached Gabi cautiously. "Do you... believe her?"

Gabi frowned, her confidence shaken. "I... don't know anymore."

As the shop wound down for the evening, Levi quietly observed the aftermath of Hange's playful deception. Gabi hovered near the counter, glancing between Hange and Levi with suspicion, while Falco attempted to focus on his tasks.

"You're stirring the pot," Levi muttered to Hange as she joined him behind the counter.

She grinned, her voice low. "She's nosy. It's fun to keep her guessing."

"You're going to slip up," Levi said, but his tone held no real concern.

Hange leaned in, smirking. "And when I do, you'll cover for me. Right, Captain?"

Levi didn't answer, but the faintest twitch of his lips betrayed him. Hange laughed softly, her grin widening as she returned to work.

By the time the shop closed, Gabi was no closer to uncovering the truth, but her suspicions hadn't waned. She stood by the door, watching Hange and Levi clean up with narrowed eyes.

"They're definitely hiding something," she whispered to Falco.

Falco sighed. "Maybe it's just none of our business."

Gabi frowned but didn't argue. "Maybe... but I'm keeping my eye on them."

As the lanterns dimmed and the shop grew quiet, Hange caught Levi's eye, a mischievous twinkle in hers. Levi simply shook his head, turning away with a faint smirk.