The quiet buzz of the city blanketed the streets as {{user}} pulled her scarf tighter around her neck. The chill of New Year’s Eve nipped at her cheeks, her breath visible in the icy air. She stood on a bridge overlooking the town square, where colorful lights danced and laughter echoed. Yet, she had chosen this quieter spot to escape the bustling crowd.

“Of all places, you chose here.”

The familiar, gruff voice startled her. She turned to find Levi Ackerman standing a few feet away, his hands tucked into the pockets of his coat, the faintest hint of a smirk on his lips.

“Levi?” she blinked, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing,” he replied, his sharp gray eyes observing her. “Thought you’d be down there, making a racket with everyone else.”