-- THE NEXT DAY --

"Oh ? Didn't you say it was just a lump of sugar ?"

Levi keeps his gaze straight into nothingness as he sips on Hanji's titan juice product, "Just what the hell is finding her own life ?" He muttered, "8 hours a day for 9 years, that's 18.000 hours."

"But (L/n) also worked on the weekends and on holidays, so that's 59.130 hours. That's a longer time than some marriages, so how can she just brush them off as meaningless ?"

"Did (Y/n) say they're meaningless ? Oh my.." Hanji snickered.

Finding Levi sitting in her office in the morning and wanting to talk about his secretary amuses her, she has never seen him so desperate. Especially about a worker.

"Alright, lemme get this straight." The woman sits comfortably across Levi, "So she's competent and you got used to her. But don't you think you're a bit obsessed with her ? Do you perhaps like (Y/n) ?"

"Tch, are you out of your mind, shitty glasses ?"

"Then why are you mulling over it then ?" She sent Levi an obvious glare behind her glasses, "Not only that, you don't let any other girls touch you. Let's be honest, you've tons of girls who are after you but I've never seen you get close with any one of them. Were you perhaps..." Hanji pushes up her glasses, "traumatized by an experience in the past ?"

Levi clenches his fist.

"No. I just don't care about women." He lied through his teeth.

"Then what about (Y/n) ?"

"She's different."

The woman snorts, "How is she different from all the other women ?" Deep down, Hanji hopes that this kind of question would lead him to tell something about his secretary.

"Ms. (L/n) is just...... Ms. (L/n)." Levi sure made a long pause on it, "whatever. I'm going off now." He dumped the empty juice can in the trash can and exited Hanji's office.

A sigh escapes her lips, "What is he on about ?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Mr. Ackerman."

The loyal and hardworking lady behind the desk rises from her seat and bow as she acknowledges her boss' arrival, "You don't look so good, sir. Are you alright ?" (Y/n) couldn't help but notice something off from the man before her.

"Couldn't get much sleep." He flatly answered.

She nods, "Uh.. not to mention, you look paler than usual. Are you sure you're alright ? Should I call your dermatologist ?"

"No need."

"How about Dr. Nile Dok ?"

"I-"

"How about some sedatives, at least ?" (Y/n) keeps pressing, until Levi sighs and give her a slight wave as a gesture that says 'just do whatever it is you want'

While she's busy typing on her phone, trying to contact Levi's personal doctor, he shoves his hands in his pockets and fully turn to her.

"Are you worrying about me ?"

(Y/n) diverts her gaze from the phone, "Pardon ?"

".."

"O-oh ! Of course I am, worrying about your health and needs is a part of my job, Mr. Ackerman."

Silence fills the space between them for a solid 10 seconds before a man with a buzz haircut interrupts their small and awkward private conversation, "Mr. Ackerman. The interviewee is here. Would you like to meet her now ?"

"Tell her to come in. Ms. (L/n), you're coming with me too to assist the interview session."

"Yes sir."

-------------- LATER IN LEVI'S OFFICE FOR INTERVIEW -------------

The petite blonde haired girl straightens her blouse as she sat in front of the two people that'll decide her career.

"Here's the questionnaires for the interview, sir."

Levi took the small black binder that consists of important questions from (Y/n)'s delicate hand.

His cold blue eyes bore into the interviewee's, "Ms. Reiss, how will you live your life as my secretary ?"

"I'll do my best to live up to your expectations, sir !" She beams.

"How about you ask her a question ?"

Levi hands the binder to (Y/n) who nods upon his orders, "Of course, Mr. Ackerman." She begins to skim through the pages that also consist of Ms. Reiss' background data.

"So, Historia Reiss, " (Y/n) started, "what qualities should a secretary harness ?"

"To care for your boss like caring for your own child-"

"What if you were to work with a boss who's already perfect and capable of everything ?" Levi cuts her off.

'Ah shit... Here we go again..'

(Y/n) wants to smack the life out of her boss for asking a rude question like that. Veins begin to protrude from her neck yet she puts on a smile.

Historia has an amazed look on her face, "Oooh it just excites me to think about that ! I will-"

"Do you think you can meet his expectations 100% ?"

By the time (Y/n) asked this, she already closed the file binder and set it aside, deciding to test her limits by asking things that are more... realistic about Levi.

"Do you think he'll be satisfied ?" (Y/n) proceeds.

"Hmm, that may be a little hard-"

This time Levi also decides to jump in, ticked off by (Y/n)'s questions, "Are you responsible enough to not call it quits with a vague excuse like 'personal reasons' ?"

(Y/n) glances to the side with a rather annoyed and flat look.

'I see you're talking about me.. damn dwarf.. let's see how this goes..'

"Yes sir. I'm going to bury my bones here if needed-"

"What if you really do end up burying your bones, Ms. Reiss ? (Y/n) cuts her off.

"Huh ? Is work here that tough ?"

"But in terms of remuneration, it'll be the industry's top." The short man jumped in again.

(Y/n) gives him a daring look, before turning to Historia again, "Remuneration is guaranteed, but there won't be a 'Historia Reiss'. There'll be only 'Secretary Reiss' for the rest of your life." (Y/n) keeps her sarcastic side in check.

"Oh ? So you're saying that the time you spent here isn't a part of you, Ms. (L/n) ?"

Historia shivers, the tension is building up. It's obvious that the two are unconsciously quarrelling through the questions they bombarded her.

Heaving a silent sigh, (Y/n) glares at her boss with zero fear on her face as if challenging him.

The two hold a hard staring contest.

Oooh no.. they'll fight like cats and dogs..

"T-the point is, if you hire me, I'll do my very best. So please.. y-you two..." Historia tries to break the ice.

"You're hired." Levi stated, still has his eyes fixed on the secretary beside him.

"I'll have Ms. Hitch Dreyse to show you around later. Since you're my new secretary, it is a must to know this building like the back of your hand."

Historia gasps in happiness.

"As for you, Ms (L/n)," Levi turns to the sour looking lady, "Make sure to train her well so she's like your clone before you leave."

'Don't make it sound like she's a robot, asshole..'

"Yes sir."

The blonde interviewee rose from her seat across Levi and (Y/n), "Thank you sir !" Happiness latches in her voice as she bows before exiting the room to meet Ms. Dreyse that'll show her around.

Not wanting to face her boss any longer, (Y/n) attempts to do the same. She was only two steps away from Levi when he stopped her from going, "Wait."

'Ughhhhhhh'

(Y/n) turns on her heels, waiting for what he wants to say.

"You said you were going to 'go find my life'. What do you exactly mean by that ?"

"Until now, I've just been too busy with work so I wanted some time for myself, and..."

"And ?"

(Y/n) averts her eyes to the side, "A-and I'm already twenty nine, so.. I should find a boyfriend and get married, sir."

His eyes grow wide without him noticing it, and his mouth went agape,

"W..what ?"