Chapter 44: Chapter: 44- BITTERSWEET SMILE
As Sana chuckled at Levi's hesitation to leave her room, she couldn't contain her laughter. Seeing humanity's strongest soldier being hesitant was a rare sight indeed."Come on, Levi," she teased, nudging him playfully towards the door. "I think you can handle a few curious glances."With a resigned sigh, Levi nodded, steeling himself for the inevitable questions and gossip that awaited him outside. With a final glance at Sana, he stepped out into the bustling corridor, disappearing from view as he navigated his way through the crowded barracks. Left alone in her room, Sana took a moment to gather her thoughts, her mind still reeling from the events of the previous night. But as the day stretched before her, she knew there were tasks to be done, and responsibilities to fulfill.
With a sense of purpose, Sana set about her day, attending meetings and overseeing the ongoing projects within the barracks. Despite the lingering buzz of excitement surrounding the success of her power generation project, there was still much work to be done, and she was determined to see it through to the end.
But amidst the celebrations, she couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation that lingered in the air, the sense that their lives were on the brink of something new and unknown. Little rumors were starting to spread about Levi and Sana. Almost everyone in Sana's barracks was happy to know that she had started to think about herself again. But some of the men weren't delighted to know that Sana was seeing someone.
But anyhow the day ended well and they talked about new projects that they were going to start. After the discussions, Sana went back to her room. Today Layina was there with her. Sana couldn't wait to hold her and play with her.
Sana had already had her dinner and she also brought extra milk for Layina. (Layina had also started to eat mashed vegetables and cereals).
As she successfully put Layina to sleep, she prepared to sleep herself. She kissed her forehead and pulled over the blanket.
As she was about to fall asleep, she heard a knock on her door.
She got up to see who it was, as it was late. Someone might be present just in an emergency.
As she opened the door, she found a tall figure standing before her in the dark.
As she brought the light near to the face she found out it was Logan.
" Logan, is everything alright?" She got tensed after seeing his face. It looked like he was in a lot of pain.
" I want to talk to you Sana San," he spoke in a barely audible voice.
"Of course what it is? Come inside." Sana said in a worried tone.
As Sana turned to lead him to the couch, Logan abruptly seized her hand, leaving her bewildered.
"Is it true you're dating Captain Levi?" he asked, his tone grave.
Sensing the direction of the conversation, she still questioned his inquiry. He then pulled her hand, drawing her closer to him.
As Logan drew Sana closer, his expression softened, revealing a hint of vulnerability beneath his serious facade. "I... I need to know," he admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Sana's heart skipped a beat at the intensity in Logan's gaze. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of the conflicting emotions swirling within her. She had always cherished Logan's friendship, but her heart belonged to Levi, and she couldn't deny the depth of her love for him.
"Why does it matter?" Sana asked gently, her voice barely above a whisper, her fingers trembling slightly as they intertwined with Logan's.
Logan hesitated, his grip on her hand tightening ever so slightly. "Because... I care about you, Sana San," he confessed, his voice filled with raw emotion.
Sana's breath caught in her throat at his words. She had never considered the possibility of anything more than friendship with Logan.
"I... I don't know what to say," Sana murmured, her eyes searching Logan's for answers she couldn't find.
Logan's gaze never wavered as he spoke, his vulnerability laid bare for her to see. "I understand if you can't return my feelings," he said softly, his voice laced with resignation. "But I couldn't keep them hidden any longer."
Sana's heart ached at the pain in Logan's eyes, but she knew that her love for Levi was unwavering. "I'm sorry, Logan," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "I have these feelings for someone else, the ones you have for me." she knew he was serious about her. She hadn't seen him this serious ever before.
Logan's shoulders slumped in defeat, but he managed a small, bittersweet smile. "I understand," he said quietly, his voice barely audible over the pounding of Sana's heart.
As Logan released her hand and turned to walk away, Sana felt a profound sense of loss wash over her. She hated to see him hurting, but she knew that she couldn't force herself to feel something she didn't. And as she watched him disappear into the shadows, she couldn't help but think about how much hurt he would have been.
She couldn't bring herself to sleep well that night and thought about how she was going to face him.