It had been a long time since Sana started living with Levi, Isabel, and Farlan. Her days were filled with simple joys, shared struggles, and moments of unexpected laughter. Though life in the underground was tough, she found herself cherishing the bond she had formed with them.
Sana had a knack for cooking, but there was one thing she absolutely couldn't master: burgers. For some inexplicable reason, every attempt she made turned into a disaster.
One day, she managed to gather some good ingredients and decided to give it another try. Everyone was excited, watching with anticipation as she prepared what was supposed to be a simple burger. But by the time it was done, the result was laughably chaotic.
The fillings were spilling out in every direction, and it was nearly impossible to tell where the bun ended and the mess began. Even Levi, usually stoic, broke into laughter. "What kind of drunken burger is this?" he said, his rare laugh filling the room.
Sana sighed, throwing up her hands in mock defeat. "I swear I can cook anything—but not this."
She recalled another cooking mishap from her past. "Once," she began, laughing as she remembered, "I made a chapati for my dog because no one was home, and he was hungry. He tried to eat it, but it turned out so bad that he choked. I had to rush to give him water. He was fine, but after that, he refused to eat anything except dog food. It was a bad experience, but also kind of funny."
The memory brought a round of laughter, lightening the mood further.
Sana's life in the underground wasn't just about misadventures in the kitchen. Over time, she had grown exceptionally skilled at using the 3D maneuver gear. What had once been a challenge now felt as natural as walking.
One day, Levi decided it was time to teach her how to fight. While Sana had good physical strength, her combat skills were still unpolished.
They all went outside to train. Levi started with the basics, asking her to throw a punch. She remembered advice she had once heard from Shinichiro-san: "An empty fist breaks easily. Hold something small, like a lighter, in your fist to make your punch more effective."
She asked a nearby man for a lighter, but he didn't have one. Improvising, she wrapped a cloth around her fist and threw a punch. It landed with surprising force.
"Not bad," Levi said. "The punch itself is fine, but you need to adjust the angle based on your opponent's height."
He spent the next hour demonstrating different techniques, his explanations precise and detailed.
"Does math happen to be your favorite subject?" Sana teased as he broke down angles and trajectories.
Levi ignored the comment, moving on to teaching her how to kick effectively.
"Will you teach me how to use a blade too?" she asked after a while.
"You're interested in blades now?" Levi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A little," Sana admitted.
He agreed and began showing her how to hold and swing a knife properly. Though she picked up the basics quickly, mastering the skill would take time and practice.
Sana was amazed that Levi himself was taking the time to train her. She knew how rare it was for him to invest in teaching someone. It showed how much he cared, though he rarely expressed it in words.
After training, they all went out to eat. As they sat at the table, Sana found herself staring at Levi's face, her mind wandering. She quickly looked away when Isabel nudged her playfully.
Days passed, and Sana noticed changes in herself. The rigorous use of 3D maneuver gear had given her toned muscles and even faint abs. She had grown stronger, both physically and mentally.
One day, she felt unusually weak and realized she was likely deficient in vitamin D.
"I need sunlight," she told them.
"Okay," Farlan said. "We'll go after eating."
They went to a spot where a small hole in the underground's roof allowed sunlight to filter through. The warm rays energized her, lifting her spirits. Isabel was thrilled too, running around like a child.
Sana began visiting the spot daily, cherishing the rare opportunity to feel the sun on her skin.
Life in the underground continued, filled with shared chores, adventures, and quiet moments of companionship. Sana grew deeply attached to her newfound family. She started writing in her free time, pouring her thoughts and knowledge onto paper.
Her first focus was physics, starting from the basics and gradually moving to complex theories. She wrote about electricity, machines, and even gadgets powered by generated energy. While writing about light bulbs, an idea struck her: she could make one.
She decided on a gravity lamp, a device that could generate light using the weight of a falling object. She enlisted the blacksmith's help, asking him to create thin copper wires. Within a week, he delivered, and she began constructing motors, a skill she had practiced before.
It took her weeks to complete the motors. She also needed nichrome wire for the bulb filament. The blacksmith, now a close friend, helped her find the rare alloy.
The final challenge was creating a vacuum inside the bulb. After much thought, she glued a candle to the cap of a glass container and let the flame consume the air inside before sealing it.
After months of work, the gravity lamp was ready. She set it up, combining chains to ensure it would last longer, and called everyone into the room.
Isabel tilted her head, confused. "What's going on?"
"You'll see," Sana said, her voice brimming with excitement.
She carefully hung the weight and released it. The mechanism began to work, and after a tense few seconds, the bulb glowed softly.
The room fell silent.
Farlan was the first to speak. "What a waste of talent here in the underground," he said, shaking his head in amazement.
Sana smiled to herself, thinking it was probably for the best that she was in the underground. If she were above, she might not even be alive.
Isabel, fascinated by the lamp, kept resetting the weight to watch the bulb light up again and again.
Months turned into years, but the happiness Sana felt with her family never faded. Time passed swiftly, filled with laughter, hard work, and the quiet satisfaction of belonging.