His horse trudged along the bustling street with the villagers staring at them, whispering about their expected failure. Some of them cried at the loss of their loved ones. Some of them only watched in sympathy and disappointment as the soldiers returned.

Humanity's strongest soldier?

Levi silently questioned himself as he moved his gaze to the grey sky which once were a bright blue colour. It seemed to represent the mood of the humankind, the soldiers and..

...him.

A few droplets of rain condensed from the clouds as it dropped on to Levi's face, the ice cold water ran down his cheeks along with his warm tears.

Never did he once thought that he will experience such pain again..

Until she came by.

The soldiers returned to their headquarters for their dinner as Levi, the sole soldier who defeated all the Titans in one go for the second time with the reason of the death of people he cares about, climbed to the roof top and let the rain drench him.

His clothes sticked to him like second skin as the coldness of the raindrops seeped into his bone. He shivered as he curled himself into a ball and cried under the blessing of the rain. Memories of how she died replayed in his mind helplessly.

How the Titan tore her limbs apart.

How she smiled at him for the last time.

How her aqua blue hair got stained in her own blood and scattered around the field.

Her death was a terrible one and even that is an understatement.

He could do nothing but watch as his feet froze on the tree branch.

He blames himself.

For her death.

A strand of red string with a key on its end dangled down from his palms. The key seemed to cry along with Levi as the raindrops run down its sharp end. The key was there when she wrote those letters and unable to send them to who the letter was meant for. The key was there when she had died. It was the one thing she held in her bloodstained palms before she saw him. It was the one thing she used her last breath for.

With every ounce of strength left within her, she threw to key into the hands of the man she loves before she got eaten by the Titan.

Finally, Levi got up and walked towards his room for a change of dry clothes. He knew what he had to do.

While everybody was still having their dinner, taking their time to let reality sink in, he entered the girl's dorm and remembered perfectly where her table is. He used the key, already had her blood cleaned off by the rain, to unlock her drawer. He was a little surprised to find so many letters in it.

And they were all written to him.

He brought all of them into his room and spent his evening reading every single last one of them.

•

Dear Rihanna,

I remember. I remember it all, especially your unique aqua blue hair. I remember the little kid I once saved back then in a filthy dress covered in blood, recognised as your parents'. I noticed you the first time I stepped onto the training ground, your hair caught my attention. I was really happy to know you joined the Survey Corps and I was determined to bring you in into the Special Operations squad. I did not know what it was back then when your presence enveloped my heart in warmth.

On that fateful night when you sat on the tree branch, I believe it was what they call "fate" for me to take a night walk near the girls' dorm. Your beauty mesmerised me as my feet planted on the moist grass under the blanket of the stardust night. And it seemed it was fate again when the door to your dorm room opened and found your unfinished letter on the table. But if we had fate, why could not we become together. Why did you have to die in front of my eyes?

Perhaps it was a blessing to you because you did mention in your letter. You wanted to see me for the last time. And you did. All those letters you have kept locked up in the drawer, I read every single one of it without a single word missed.

Why only when you leave that I have only come to learn the feelings I hold towards you?

The image of the Titan catching you in its grasp right after you finished of it's companion is engraved in my mind. You had no time to react when it wrapped it's fingers around you. It tore your left arm with its teeth as you screamed in pure agony. That was when I finally reached the scene. To find you staring back at me with a smile and tears running down your cheeks. With all the energy you have, you tore your necklace away from your neck and threw it into my opened palms. Then half of your body was ripped off by the Titan like it was eating a piece of drumstick. I was stunned. I was shaking. I was crying. You mentioned me being the humanity's strongest soldier, but I couldn't save you. The one I have come to love.

But don't fret, I will come and join you very soon.

As the strongest soldier, if I could not save the life of the one I love, what use is there to remain in this world?

See you soon.

With regret and sincerest love,
Levi Ackerman.

He pulled a gun out from his drawer and pointed it to his forehead.

With a single click from the sound of the trigger, the bullet shot through his head after he remembered himself shouting her name when the Titan killed her.

"RIHANNAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"