DNA

Aunt Ester Zoe

Levi pulled in front of a light, tan house with a dark brown roof. The lawn was dying, but some spots were green. Seeing this house... flashes of images flashed in my mind. Images of a woman, with dark brown hair and gray eyes. Who was she? I shook my head, trying to get those images out, but it slowly faded.

"Hanji, are you okay?"

I looked to him, his eyes grew with worry. "Yeah I'm fine. Just-"

"Nervous?"

I nod, "Yeah, I am. Meeting my aunt... my blood-relative..."

"You'll be fine."

"Can you do me a favor?"

He sighs, "What is it?"

"I want you to come with me. Please..."

Levi nods. "I'll come. I would want to see the resemblance between you and your aunt. Uh, what's her name?" He asks as he leaves the car.

I follow after him, "Ester Zoe."

"She's your father's sister, I'm guessing."

"Yep, she is. I want to know more from her."

Levi points to the driveway. "There's a car, so perhaps she's home."

"Hopefully." I walked up to door, ready to knock. Before my fist banged the door, I hesitated.

"Hanji?"

"Levi, I can't. What if she doesn't want to see me? What if..."

"What if what?"

"Does she blame me for my parents' death?"

"Hanji, ask her. You will never know the answer until you ask. Remember?"

"Using my words against me, Levi? Typical you."

"Shut up. Just go and talk to her. If you need me, I'm here for you."

"Thanks for the confrontation." I sigh, taking a deep breath. This was all that I ever wanted, to meet my family ever since my mother... no... Anitta... since she told us the truth. It's time for me to know who my family member is and who I truly am. I gave a loud knock, hearing it echo throughout the house.

"Coming!" I hear a muffled voice from inside. The door suddenly opens. A woman with dark brown hair and gray eyes opened the door, her hair was in a bun and she was panting. "Hello! I didn't expect visitors. I'm Ester Zoe, what are your names?"

"I'm Hanji Zoe." Her eyes widen as I mentioned my last name. 

"What? R-repeat what you said."

"Hanji Zoe."

"Y-you can't..."

"I heard about me being adopted 5 years ago. I'm here to know more about my family."

"There's something called the internet. Look it up."

She was about to slam the door, but with my quick reflex, my arm blocked the doorway. "Hey!"

"I want to know about my family's history, by a relative. Please, I want to know about them. I want to know who my parents were, to know what they were like. Paperwork won't tell me those specific information."

She sighs before opening the door again. "Come inside. If you ask for information, then you'll get information. Your boyfriend can come as well."

"Tch, she's not my girlfriend!" Levi yells as he steps inside while I laughed.

We sat in the dining room, Aunt Ester was in the kitchen making some tea.

"Hanji, are you okay?" Levi whispers as he placed his warm hands on my shaking ones.

"Yeah... I'm fine..." I look to him. "Nervous."

"You'll be fine."

"So..." Aunt Ester comes to the table with the tea. "Hanji, you wanted to talk?"

I nod, "Yes. But first, I would like you to meet someone special." 

"Levi Ackerman."

"Your boyfriend?"

"No, I'm not!" Levi raises his voice before sipping his tea.

"My adopted mother raised us to think we were siblings. I see how stupid we were to think that, we look nothing alike." I laugh nervously as my aunt did as well. "But yes, I want to talk."

"Tell me what you want to know."

"My parents... what were their names? What were their personality."

"Your father's name... my brother... Charlie Zoe. Your mother's was Monica Dijon. Charlie... he was... *sigh* impulsive. Monica, she was the reasonable one. They balanced each other out."

"What about you?"

"Eh?"

"Who are you? I'm not just here to know my parents, I want to know my family members as well. You're the only family member I have left. Please... we tracked you down 4 states away, I came for information."

My aunt sighs, "Like your father, stubborn and impulsive. I'm the one who always bothers people."

"Heh, like you, Hanji."

"Shut it, Levi."

"Hm, such a strange relationship..."

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing. What else do you want to know?"

"Do you know when Dad and Mom met?"

"Yeah, I remember. I'm the one who got them together on accident."

"Accident? How?"

"We were shopping, your father and I. I teased him about him not getting a girlfriend, teased him about him liking guys. Suddenly, your mother comes and I told him that I'll give him $20 if he asks her out. He agrees and when he did, Monica said yes. I gave him the $20 and before I knew it, they started to date. I guess... I'm the reason why your parents met."

"Wow... I didn't think that's how they met..."

"Yeah. Soon, days and weeks pass. They turned into months into years. Then, I received news about Monica being pregnant. I was happy for them, they were going to name me as the guardian for you. But that day... I lost you."

"Lost me?"

She nods, "When they were murdered, I was questioned. And when I was questioned, I couldn't keep custody of you. I was forced to give you away, Anitta told me that she'll treat you like a princess. She was the best choice, even my lawyer said that you'll be fine. I see she kept her promise."

"She has. But when she told me that I was adopted... I wanted to do research. Until recently, I found out about my parents' death."

"I see... she tried to protect you. How is she?"

"She died... from cancer." Levi says looking down. 

"Oh... I'm sorry. How long ago?"

I turned to see Levi, his eyes starting to water. He was the closest to Anitta, and I wasn't. Too busy with my grades, too busy to be closer to Levi. I never knew how much time I missed out on. "A year ago."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Don't worry about it. You couldn't do anything..."

"Still." She turns to me again. "Hanji, you're my niece, and I want to know you. Please, tell me all about yourself."

My words faded as I spoke my past. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Levi leave after a few minutes. But the way he left, it wasn't like him. It was like he wanted to be included, but he couldn't get in. A disappointed face was displayed on his face as he left us alone. I wanted to stop talking at go to him, but I couldn't, I was too interested with my aunt. Should I talk and comfort him now? Or should I leave him alone? I don't know what to do, he's the one that keeps me steady and calm in situations like these.