Levi's POV

The unsatisfying plop of a file on my desk made me turn to Hanji. She was looking down at me with a slight smile on her lips. "New case."

"New case? What do you mean?"

"While we're working on the first case, we still need to manage the smaller crimes. Especially since we aren't getting any leads."

"The first case is more important than-."

"Levi, it's been weeks since we got anything related to that case. We have other jobs to do, you know. It's not just the one. Now, you're going to help me solve this one. Whether you like it or not." She gives a wink before retreating to her office. She expects me to do this case on my own. 

Flipping the pages, I felt my eyes widen. I see why she's not having a hand in it... she's examining how well my skills are. I turn to her, seeing her beautiful eyes staring at a piece of paper. Clever. This case was already completed. I remember this on the news when I was on my way here. The case was solved within a day and the perpetrator was broadcasted everywhere.

I walked back to Hanji, tossing the file onto her desk. She flinches, but she calmly composed herself before looking at me. "Well?"

"The perp was Alexa Mendoza. She killed her husband because he was cheating on her. She tried to frame the mistress, but she didn't realize that the mistress has an alibi for being in another city at a hotel, waiting for her husband to come. You don't trust me enough to deal with current problems? Or are you just examining my abilities?"

"I guess a little bit of both, Levi." She says with a smile, "Although, I think you cheated. You watched the news."

"What makes you say that?"

"The part about the mistress having an alibi. The truth was that the mistress was attacked by Alexa Mendoza. Mendoza wanted to frame the mistress for killing the husband by acting as if it was a murder-suicide. The thing was that the mistress was still alive and testified against her. We told the alibi story because the mistress doesn't want any publicity."

"She's already being anonymous by being labeled as a mistress."

"Because the mistress wasn't a woman. It was a man." Hanji smirked, "Joseph Mendoza was gay." The way she cleared her throat as she cleans up the file I tossed on her desk. "Because you heard of the news and went with it, you didn't follow the case with its evidence. Yes, you got the right conclusion, but every detail matters. Are you someone who cares about every little detail?"

"I do."

"You didn't read the entire file. What makes me trust you to handle things? Especially the tiniest of details?"

Scoffing, I shook my head, "Is this still about that night?"

"I still didn't get compensation for that. More or less, I'm still pissed at that."

"How am I supposed to compensate for that? I go to your apartment and you can have your way with me?"

"Too easy."

"Too- are you kidding me, Hanji?"

Hanji chuckles softly, "I don't know what could make up a night of betrayal, Levi. Of course, I was surprised by that. Sure, I thought it was nice. One night in bed together, and act like nothing happened the next day. I would never hold a grudge against that. But the fact you used me like that to get my files... that's something I cannot stand."

I sighed, walking out of her office, "I know apologies cannot make up that night, but I'm sorry. I'm serious. If I could fix it, I would."

"Levi..."

"I'm going back to my desk." 

Once again, I looked toward Hanji and saw her on her computer. Before long, she was printing something in her office before making her way toward me. She tossed the manila file on my desk, "Fine, if you want, here's a case. Brand-new. I'll be looking forward to seeing how you can handle a file."

"I'm not new."

"No, but this is just for me. I want to see how well you can do."

"Fine." I take the file and I start going through it. As usual, I start going through the details and I saw that it was unfinished. I wrote out possible leads before going back to Hanji. "If it's fine, I'm heading out to question people."

"This quickly?"

"Do you not question people this quickly?"

"We do, but I'm surprised it's so quick. It hasn't been an hour."

"I'm quick like that. I'll be around after lunch or so."

"I'm coming with you," Hanji says, picking up her jacket. "You're not going alone."

"Do you not trust me?"

"It's unsafe to go by yourself."

"I can handle myself. Unlike you."

"It's nice to have another set of brains to figure things out, Levi. Things around here, sure, we can do investigating on our own, but we are never supposed to go by ourselves. We may be understaffed from time to time, but we focus on our teamwork together. Do you understand?"

"Fine, but I'm driving and doing all the talking."

"Again, don't you dare treat me as if I'm a damsel in distress. I can handle myself, you know."

This woman... sometimes, I want to protect her, and sometimes I just want to toss her into a pit and never take her out because of her stubbornness. What am I going to do with you?