Chapter 9 The Roommates
Nami carried her suitcase and bag into her room, having previously left it near the stairs.
She glanced around the room, which looked quite spacious and tidy. There were three beds: one single and the other a bunk bed with two bunk beds. There were three wardrobe doors, a dressing table, three study tables, a balcony, and a bathroom. It was a perfect room and felt quite comfortable to live in.
A tall, ginger-haired woman sat at one of the study tables, reading a book. She glanced briefly at the door and the two young women.
"Lea, this is our roommate, Nami. Nami, let me introduce her, Lea!" The blonde girl said. She even forgot to introduce herself.
"Hi Lea, I'm Nami, nice to meet you!" Nami reached out to shake Lea's hand, who looked at her calmly and with minimal expression. She seemed quiet and intelligent.
"Hi Nami, nice to meet you! Hope you feel at home!" She said. Their reactions made Nami feel a little at ease, as they both seemed to accept her.
"Thank you, how about you? What's your name?" Nami asked the beautiful blonde who had forgotten to tell her her own name.
"Oh yeah, I forgot, sorry. My name is Sydney White, you can call me Sydney," she said, blushing.
"Did you forget to introduce yourself again, Syd?" Lea frowned, as if they had known each other for ages.
"Ahaha... I'm sorry, I forgot! Nami, can I apologize?"
"It's okay!"
"Ah... my, your forgetfulness hasn't gone away, huh? I thought after three years of not seeing each other, your dementia would disappear," Lea said sarcastically, making Sydney laugh innocently. For some reason, this simple and warm situation made Nami feel happy.
"Then which one is my bed?"
"You can have that single bed if you want. Because I'm sleeping on the top bunk and Lea on the bottom, right Lea?" Sydney tried to tease Lea by tickling her.
"Sydney, don't tickle me! Stop...!" Lea screamed, laughing from the tickling effect. Sydney, meanwhile, was getting even more excited.
"They're both so cute," Nami thought. Her two roommates' attitudes felt much better than the group of espers she'd encountered in the living room.
Nami put her suitcase on the bed and began unpacking her clothes to arrange them in the closet. From now on, this was her new home, where she would be staying for two years, training to become a professional and well-trained Yeager soldier. Although, she was starting to miss her old room in the laboratory, where she could see Levi whenever she wanted.
"Levi?" Her eyes welled up with tears as she found a photo frame containing a photo of herself and Levi from her high school graduation last year. Levi usually didn't like having his photo taken, but since it was his graduation day, Levi relented and agreed to be in the photo. They stood side by side, Nami holding the bouquet of roses Levi had given her.
Nami placed the photo frame on her desk. This was her most cherished photo, although she still had an album of photos of her and Levi that she had brought with her to the dorm.
"Wow, this man's face seems familiar," Sydney remarked, suddenly standing in front of Nami's desk to examine the photo.
"Hey Syd, it's rude to touch someone else's belongings without permission!" Lea warned Sydney, who quickly mingled with Nami, whom she had only met less than 20 minutes ago.
"Nami, can I see this photo?" Sydney asked in a spoiled tone.
"Of course, you can see it. It's not a special photo!"
"Thank you! Hmm... right, I think I've seen this man's face before. Lea, do you know him?" Sydney asked, showing the photo to Lea, who returned her attention to the book she was reading.
"Professor Levi Sanders," Lea said. Her previously calm and composed expression immediately changed upon seeing Levi's photo.
"I remember him looking like your idol from middle school."
"It's him, Professor Levi. You even forgot his name!" Lea looked annoyed because Sydney seemed to have almost no memory of things.
"Yeah, sorry, I forgot!"
"You never remember anything. But Nami, do you know Professor Levi? Are you related to him?"
"No, I'm not related to him in any way!"
"Then Nami must be his girlfriend, right?" Sydney said, making both women's hearts nearly jump out of their chests.
"His girlfriend?"
"N-no, Levi isn't my boyfriend!" Nami tried her best to deny it. She hadn't even considered the possibility of a romantic relationship between herself and Levi.
She had met Levi nine years ago, when she was 10, just a few months after Aiden, the person who had previously cared for her most and sincerely loved her, had moved to a faraway city, having been adopted by a high-ranking military officer.
Levi rarely, if ever, smiled. She couldn't even remember the last time she'd seen him smile. The young professor always wore the same expression: cold, serious, and indifferent. He remained calm in all situations, making him a charismatic and respected figure.
"So, if he's not your relative or your boyfriend, what's your relationship? You two look quite close in this photo," Sydney asked. Lea seemed curious about the relationship between her idol since junior high and her roommate.
"We're close friend."
"Friend?"