Chapter 16- Teamwork makes the Dream work.

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December 22nd
Friday
8am

Smith&Ackerman office.

Kari' s POV

I swallowed hard before knocking on the door with the name Erwin Smith on the door.

"State your Name and Business."

"Kari sir, I wanted to ask you something concerning Levi Ackerman?" I nervously wait for an answer. Why am I so scared? Why am I doing this anyways? It's for Levi, I want him to be happy.

"Come in." I let out a breath before walking into his office and closing the door behind me. "Have a seat Kari. What can I do for you? "

I smile and sit in front of his desk.

"Uhm, Sir, it's Levi's birthday on the 25th and since everyone will be with their family. I thought it would be nice if his office do something nice before the holiday weekend. Mikasa and I would do everything.  She'll decorate the conference room with your permission of course and I'll bring the food and the cake." I start explaining. 

Erwin stands up and walk about thinking about what I just said. "That's fine. The problem is how I can get him out of the office so you and Mikasa can pull this off? I will also make sure you get help. I'll also ask Annie to order pizza for the office.  Let's make this as memorable as possible. We had our Holiday party already. Levi is like a son to me and I want him to be surprise. Does he know you're here?" I shake my head no and he nods. "I'll make him do crazy errands with Hanji, how many hours you need?"

"2 and half hours should be enough. I'm thinking around 5pm? So everyone can actually have some fun and don't have to work after the small gathering?" I suggested.

"Perfect. Now go. Keep me posted. I'll ask Annie to give you my number. I'll keep Levi busy and you get out of here unnotice." I'm so happy that Erwin is so down for this I got up and give him a hug.

"You're so invited for the surprise party in my house tomorrow at 7pm. Thank you so much Erwin." I say before rushing out and looking for Mikasa to tell her about the plan and she gave me a hug and I had to leave before Levi notice me being in this office.

I press the down on the elevator.

Cake
Cookies
Cupcakes
Chocolates
Candles

I gotta remember these things. I pull my phone to make a list and to shoot Erwin a text so he can save my number and Mikasa to remind her to pick up the balloons and the birthday decorations.

Ding.

The elevator door open and I'm about to walk in when I look up and see the man I didn't want to see.

"Kari? What are you doing here? " Levi, in his suit, black tie and well dressed hair, making my body shiver, holding back a swoon and keeping my eyes as neutral as possible.

"Had to drop something for Mikasa. She forgot it at my house. I'll see you at dinner tonight okay? I gotta go, I got called in for a shift at the coffee shop. Have a good day. Try to smile okay..." I smile at him, keeping my eyes into his as I walk into the elevator and he walk out and he stood there waiting for the elevator door to close.

Holy shit! Sorry to lie to you Levi, but I want to surprise you. I swear it will pay off.

The next couple of hours is me in my apartment making cookies, cupcakes and the cake. I even made a small model made out of chocolates and other sweet things that look like Levi. One would just say, buy a cake but where's the fun in that. I wanna make everything for him and I know he'll appreciate it even more. I'm making him another cake for tomorrow's party anyways so why not right? 

There's a knock on the door.

"It's open." It's Eren and Armin big smiles with some decorations and supplies for more desserts and candies for tomorrow night.

"Oh man, everything smells so good. Mikasa asked us to buy all these stuff for the party tomorrow. How come you're prepping now?" Eren says as he put some stuff away and even steal a cookie and tossed it to Armin before he steal another one to stuff it in his face.

"Mikasa and I are surprising Levi at work and I have to make two cakes between today and tomorrow." I say as I watch Armin walk to my living room where there's a medium size Christmas tree and there's some gifts wrapped sitting at the foot of the tree.

"Eren, you got a present here. Everyone got one." Eren and Armin sits on the floor looking and guessing what they got from me.

I wiped my hands after finishing the cake and putting it in the fridge and walking to where my friends are.

"You care about him huh? Mikasa says she never seen you this excited in a longtime. " Armin smiles as he pull out some of the decorations out a bag. I sit next to him on the couch and help out while Eren starts blowing balloons with an air pumper.

"I do, I never really knew how Mikasa felt towards Eren up until someone cared about me too. I'm lucky to have you as my friends, to be there to comfort me when I need it but it still is different when someone comfort you from someone you like. To feel selfless, to make sure that person you care about is good before your own is something I've been craving for. For a while now, I have been on surviving mode and when I met Levi I get to be me, to thrive for the better. You know what I mean." Armin pats my hand with a smile telling me that he understands.

"By thriving meaning to see daylight after Mikasa come homes and I get a lecture cause I didn't wash the dishes or even start the laundry? Then yes I completely understand." Eren says. That made Armin and I laugh and I tossed a pillow square on his face.

"You two are like a married couple without being married. I swear sometimes I hear you two argue from here." I start to get up from my spot to finish the sweets I'm making. I only have 1 hour before I have to head back to Levi's office and prepare for the surprise.

"Actually, Kari? Could you look at something for me? Armin helped me out but I need an opinion from a girl." Eren says seriously and he hands me a small velvet red heart shaped box. I opened it and to my surprise it's a princess cut diamond engagement ring.

 I opened it and to my surprise it's a princess cut diamond engagement ring

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"She'll love it Eren. She will totally say 'yes'. When are you going to ask her? " I knew from the very start when Eren and Mikasa starts living together that it's only a matter of time till Eren pop the question.

"Not sure, when it feel right. Maybe in January. It's been busy with the office right now. Armin and I are lucky cause we got work off till January 3rd. But with her? She got work until today." I pull Eren into a hug, he is like my brother and I'm so happy for him to take the next step for him and Mikasa.

"What about you Armin? When are you going to ask that blonde cutie that moved across from you? Her name us Crista right?" Armin looks like he is about to jump out of the window. He got up and I pulled him down.

"Armin Arlert. You're one of the smartest people I know and you know how that woman makes you feel, you better ask her to the party tomorrow for Levi / holiday party. She deserve to meet the guy across the hall and his friends. She just moved in right so she needs friends." I say and Eren is just nodding along while stuffing himself with cookies and snacks.

"Alright. I'll go ask. We better pack these stuff up. You gotta go to the office." Armin says sighing before getting up and helping me pack the things. I changed quickly and head downstairs to my car and head out with waving goodbye to my friends.

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