Concerto: Kurayami-chan Absolute_terror@email.com

Disclaimer: *eerie music* Oh-kay! The characters aren't mine; they're by the wonderful Hideaki Anno-sama and GAINAX…yadda, yadda, yadda! The song Asuka sings is 'Thanatos-If I can't be yours' in case anyone was wondering.

Chapter 1: Of dreams and talent shows

Shinji played the Cello in this huge music hall. The tunes flew smoothly in the air as he closed his eyes and felt the music seep into his soul. When he finished playing, he stood up and bowed. The audience gave him a standing ovation; among them were his mother and father, Misato and Kaji, Rei, Hikari, Touji and Kensuke. He glanced happily at them as they continued to clap.

'Something or Someone's missing…' he thought and scanned the audience.

Suddenly he bolted up. The sun was streaming across the room and lit the whole place. Shinji yawned and decided to get breakfast done.

Pen-Pen greeted him with a happy squawk as he arrived in the kitchen.

"Ohayo!" he bet down and patted him in the head, then turned to see Asuka wearing an apron right in front of him.

"The early bird woke up late huh?" she asked sneering.

Shinji decided to ignore her and simply muttered his greeting "Ohayo Asuka, what's for breakfast?"

Asuka frowned "And why ask me THAT?! You're the cook not me!"

"And why the apron?"

"Oh…well… WHAT DO YOU CARE ANYWAY?!?"

"Tsk, tsk…early in the morning and you two sound like you're already married" Misato entered the room and laughed at her own joke as the two glared at her. "Ehrm… so Asuka, what's cooking?"

"I AM NOT COOKING!!!" She insisted

"And why the apron?" Misato asked dryly pointing at the said apron.

Shinji walked over the stove and saw some pancakes almost burned. He switched of the stove and placed them on a plate.

"Well? EAT!!" Asuka yelled and stormed out the kitchen.

Misato shook her head "I wonder what goes in that head of hers anyway?"

Shinji shrugged and started eating. "Mmm…these need a little more sugar…"

"Oh shi-! I left my wallet at home" Asuka screeched to halt and slapped her forehead with her palm. She grabbed Shinji's wrist and dragged him back.

"Itai! But we'll be late for school" Shinji complained, using all his strength to escape the clutches of the red head.

"Then we'll BE late!" she shot him a smirk and continued across the street. "If I'm gonna be late, I'm taking YOU with me!"

'Why me…' Shinji mourned internally.

They waited for the walk sign to flash.

"You should thank me ya' know…"Asuka started bragging.

"Thank you for what? Breakfast?" Shinji muttered scowling. Asuka didn't seem to hear the remark and continued talking. The light changed and they started to speed off again.

"…We're going at top speed. Your speed is nothing compared to mine you worm "
"Woo-pee" Shinji muttered full of sarcasm and started running again.

"Ohayo! Where are Shinji and Asuka?" Hikari asked Touji in the classroom.

"Huh? Beats me!" He shrugged then turned to Kensuke and talked about something else.

"Oh…" Hikari stared at him then left. 'I wonder where they are'

Shinji waited for Asuka to come out of the apartment. While he was outside, several German curses were heard from inside. Finally, Asuka put on her shoes and came out. Without saying a word, Asuka grabbed Shinji's hand and started tugging again.

"ITAI!!" Shinji winced in pain.

"Stop complaining THIRD CHILD!!" Asuka snapped back at him. "$^&*%^$!!!!"

"STAND UP! BOW, SIT DOWN!"

"The second impact happened in Antarctica while…." The old geezer for a teacher began his ramblings to the classroom window.

Touji was bored. Bored as in really bored. He glanced at the two empty chairs where Shinji and Asuka sat. Sighing, he put up his legs on the table and started to whistle. Seconds later, a note flashed in his monitor.

'Put down your legs Suzahara!'

"Sheesh!" Touji quickly obeyed. Seconds later, another note came.

'Suzahara, do you know what happened to Shinji and Asuka?'

'Nope'

Suddenly another note appeared in the screen.

"Ooohh… what are you two lovebirds talking about?'

Touji grew crimson. He started his reply.

'Shut up!'

'Suzahara!!!'

"Oops…" Touji glanced nervously at Hikari looked at him dejectedly.

'Gomen nasai, I was talking to Kensuke'

'Ok, be careful next time'

'What the hell did she mean by that?' he thought.

"OW! You're hurting me"

"Hurry up, you IDIOT!"

Suddenly a loud thud was heard from outside. Seconds later, the door opened and two bodies sprawled on the floor. Asuka was on top lying on Shinji's head, skirt raised up a little, while Shinji's hand was on Asuka's legs.

"AAAAGGGHHHH… SHINJI WA HENTAI!!!!!!!"

*SLAP*

The whole class burst out laughing uproariously, Touji laughing the loudest.

"Quiet!" Hikari tried to settle the class down but they didn't seem to hear.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!!!!"

The whole class grew quiet. The teacher stared at Asuka and Shinji sternly. "Miss Langley and Mr. Ikari, for disrupting the class and coming in late…"

Asuka and Shinji gulped as they waited for their sentence.

"…You'll have to perform for the school's talent show two weeks from now. Plus, you'll have to clean the classroom everyday starting this day until the talent show."

"Clean?" Asuka peeped

"E-eve-ry d-day?" Shinji stammered.

"Just the two of us?" Both asked in unison.

"Just the both of you" The teacher affirmed "And get back to your seats before I get any madder."

"YES SIR!" Both bolted to their seats and sat as quietly as mice.