I shall use this space to cover my own ass: I do not own any of the intellectual property I use on this site (or story, in this case NGE and 10 things I hate about you/the taming of the shrew).

If you stumble across an original character of mine, feel free to pilfer it for your own amusement, as it would it be pretty hypocritical of me to tell you not to.

If you happen to own something that I have played around with here, please do not sue me.

Disclaimer taken from Agent Orange's own disclaimer, with minor differences.

The Setup

"O.k. Class, settle down…" Kaede Agano said good naturedly, noticing all of her students were anxiously waiting for the final bell to sound.

"Yes. I am aware that this is the beginning of a long weekend, but I still have to give you all your grades for the physics midterm." The collective groan that emerged did not for one moment managed to erase the petite's teacher bright smile.

"Some of you did as expected." She continued, passing between the desks and handing the graded papers. She stopped at Toji's desk, and for a second glared at the paper and at the student, eyebrow twitching at his soft snores.

"Exactly as expected." She grimaced as she separated 3 papers, before continuing down the rows. The young teacher made her way back to the desk. All the students then began to put away their books and wait for the bell.

"However, there are some announcements I have to make." Miss Agano said, turning towards the black board.

"Miss Soryu, Mister Ikari, I really need to speak with you after class. Miss Horaki…"

The pigtailed girl gulped, then paled, then began to tremble. Hikari Horaki was the intelligent, straight A student; more often than not named Class Representative, sometimes bossy and scary, but with a caring and almost mother like character She had never, ever been called on by any teacher, she…

"For heaven's sake, wake up Mister Suzuhara…" Miss Agano continued, not looking up from her papers, and apparently not noticing the discomfort she had made Hikari feel. The snores coming from the boy next to her made Kaede frown.

Exactly at that moment the bell began to sound its chimes. Toji woke with a start, turned around in a daze and began to whistle as he cleaned his desk, yawning and stretching from time to time.

"All right…" He said offhandedly. "A long weekend with no impeding doom with the sour-kraut…exams or school work…" Toji chuckled. "What more can a man ask for..?" He said, still not noticing Shinji looking at him with a face that clearly surmised what each everyone's feelings:

You really are a stooge.

Nor was he able to see the glaring teacher, an annoyed red head or an eye twitching pigtailed representative.

"Mister Suzuhara…" Hikari began, giving Toji one of her trademarked ear pulls. "You are supposed to stay awake for the whole duration of Miss Agano's class…" She inched her face in an attempt to threaten him, closing her eyes into narrow slits.

"May I have a word with you in private..?" She asked in a rhetorical manner, yanking him and whisking him away from the classroom.

Kensuke blinked at that, and turned to throw a glance at Mayumi. Mayumi simply shrugged and nodded at him, leaving without saying another word.

"Oww!! Hey class rep…that hur-wha..?" Toji said finally being able to put two and two together after leaving the classroom, followed by the other teens.

""Now then…" Kaede began once Asuka and Shinji were the only ones left in the classroom. "Asuka, Shinji…I'm gonna need for you to be study buddies for what's left of this course…"

There was a moment of silence as both teens digested what she had said, and then, finally they expressed their disbelief in the only possible way

"WHAAAAT..?"

---------------

Kaworu Nagisa sat with a little apprehension as he waited for the other members of the party. Silently, he sipped at his tea, feeling like a loser, as he was sitting in a big table by himself during rush hour from the institute.

"Hey, Kaworu…" He heard his name being called in the distance. Kaworu turned to look at Musashi, Toji and Kensuke, who were just walking into the restaurant.

""What are you doing sitting here like a loser..?" Musashi asked slapping the ash haired boy on the back.

"But you told me to wait for you and-"

"Come one…let's go to the back to play at the arcades…" Kensuke replied as he began to tug Kaworu back, not giving, or caring for the matter what he had to say.

"But shouldn't we wait for-"

"I heard there is this cool First Person View Shooter where you get to sit in the cockpit of a huge mecha and destroy other mechas…"

"And this is different from every other game you had made us play exactly how..?" Musashi asked as he and Toji made a beeline for the basketball sinking games.

"Well, the enemy mechas are really bizarre; one looks like a huge killer whale and there's this one that has paper thin ribbons instead of arms, and another one splits into two…" Kensuke began explaining, pushing his glasses up using his index finger, making the lenses catch the light and reflect it, bouncing of the surface of his glasses. "It's also super realistic; the whole cockpit seat vibrates every time you get hit, and you also get all these amazing cool weapons…rifles, bazookas, a kind of vibrating knife, a vibrating glaive, a vibrating sword…" He heard the snickers from both basketballs jocks and decided to ignore them.

"Now we know why you'd love to play it…" Toji smirked as he attempted to dunk the last ball before the time run out. "The vibrating seat is what sold you off, innit..?"

"Actually, I have seen both Hikari and Mana playing it several times…"

The following scene seemed to be right out of a "3 Stooges" movie; Toji had been shocked at that piece of information, making him throw the ball off.

Way off.

Musashi had attempted to catch the ball with his face, leaving his face with a bleeding nose and seeing stars, the ball had bounced from Musashi's face into an unsuspecting Kaworu who had caught it in his chest, however being unprepared to do so had stumbled backwards, crashing into another person and landing on his back. Hard.

The person he had crashed into simply went down, tripping the other one behind in a fashion similar to a domino effect. That person had caught onto whatever was available to steady the balance, that available being Kensuke who had gone down face first.

"What the hell is the…matter…with…." Toji's starting rant was cut short as he took in the scene that he had caused, as well as the way some of the most unfortunate were sprawled in.

As luck would have it, Kaworu had landed on his back in between Rei's thighs, mere inches from their apex, making her rest mainly on her butt, her skirt effectively trapped underneath him.

Kensuke had fell on top of Mayumi, his chin resting several inches upwards of Mayumi's crotch, looking at her face from within the pool of the girl's skirt. Both red-faced, but neither breaking eye contact.

Until a small cough made them quickly look separate ways. Behind them Hikari and Mana stood red faced, it was hard to tell if the reason was that they were either mortified by the compromising positions two of their friends were in, or because they had heard the whole exchange.

"You…you…PERVERTS…" Hikari screamed, one eyebrow twitching, her delicate hand tightly clasped into a small fist that seem to hold enough raw power to kill a fully grown man.

Whether it was directed at the couples on the floor scrambling to get up or at both jocks who were red-faced and starring at the angry Class Rep and Mana, it still remained to be seen.

"Well then…" Hikari began once they had all been standing up and properly seated at the ramen stand. "We should really come up with something to do in regards to Asuka…"

"I know…" Mayumi sighed. "It's getting harder and harder to fool her to think that Hikari and me are only going to study at the library. She has even considered hanging with us once or twice."

"At least we have the Kaworu and Rei phase completed, right Rei."

"Yes." Rei said as she demurely sipped her glass of tea.

"You were able to convince her..?" Kaworu asked, genuinely surprised. "From my only encounter with her, she really didn't seem the understanding type…"

"Yeah, no kiddin'…" Toji said as he ordered his fourth bowl. "Remember that time we had to work on the bulletin board project from Miss Ibuki's…"

"Yes Toji, we are all aware of the way she posted that notice on the institute's homepage, as well as having all searches for answers and exams inquiries redirected to the main page as well." Rei stated calmly, earning an angry glare form one embarrassed Toji.

"How did she ever get that picture from you any way..?" Mana asked between giggles.

"Yeah man, is it even humanly possible for someone to have their finger jammed so deep into their own nose..?" Musashi asked, follow by another round of laughter.

"I don't know…" Toji said as he attempted to look calm and collected, failing miserably in both accounts. "She's just lucky I guess."

"Unfortunately it isn't that hard to get lucky." Hikari whispered to Kaworu, sighing.

"So anyway…you never told us if you were able to convince Asuka to help you or not…" Kensuke asked Rei, coming back to the original conversation.

"Yeah, Rei, what happened..?" Musashi asked.

"Well…" Rei began.

---------------

"You…"

She simply nodded at that.

"What are you doing here..?"

Rei seemed to ponder her response before looking straight ahead at Asuka.

"I came to invite you to accompany me for some ramen." Rei said in her usual direct way. "Miss Horaki and Miss Yamagashi are welcomed to come with, as well." Rei said as she turned around and began to walk away from the library.

"Well…that's out of the blue…" The red head said in confusion, tilting her head to one side.

"If you wish to not come with me then I'll-" Before Rei could finish Asuka shook her hands in front in a placating manner.

"What..? And miss on a free lunch..?" Asuka replied. "Not on your life…"

"However …" Rei turned to look straight at Asuka. "There is a favor I need to ask from you."

Asuka smirked at that. "Figures…There's no such thing as a free lunch…"

"Quite right…" Rei admitted. "I seem to require a tutor for my Germany class…" She began before being interrupted by Asuka.

"Well, you can just forget me helping you, wonder girl…"

"It's the opposite, actually…" The quiet pale girl retorted. "I came to ask you not to tutor me if prompted by a teacher to do so."

That made Asuka frown.

"What..?"

Rei sighed. "I would appreciate it if you were to tell any of the teachers or counselors that you are not able to tutor me for my German class."

"Look, Blue…" Asuka said as she walked quickly to keep her pace at par with Rei leaving both Hikari and Mayumi behind. "Not that I care what you're aiming at, but I'd like to be filled in the blanks…"

"I have a…" Rei paused, seemingly looking for the best adjective to describe her situation. Apparently she also needed to compensate for Asuka's convenient stupidity. "Suitable tutor…However, his credentials are not as good as yours; should Mister Kaji requests for you to tutor me, I would appreciate it if you could tell him you are not interested."

Asuka's patented smirk came back, only this time her eyes were narrowed into a fox like smirk.

"How much are you willing to pay..?"

---------------

"And..?" Toji prompted, asking for another bowl, again. "What you answered...?"

"I haven't gotten back to her yet. I implied I would think about it."

"So what are you waiting for..?"

"She asked for 50 thousand Yen…" Rei said calmly making the boys stare at her. "Per occasion…"

"Why that lousy…" Both Musashi and Toji began, before they felt the full force of Maya's and Hikari's glare on them.

"The point is rather moot, then." Kaworu finally said. "We don't have that kind of money she is asking for."

Mayumi looked at everyone before bowing her head. "What we need is a miracle, then."

"By the way…" Hikari asked turning around, noticing the two aforementioned students were missing. "Where are Shinji and Asuka..? Shouldn't they have already left the school grounds..?" She asked rather worriedly, glancing from one side of the restaurant to the other attempting to identify either the red head or Shinji.

"Asuka caught Izurumi trying to take some up skirt pictures of her while we were leaving Miss Agano's class." Rei said from behind her cup. "She took off after him while she promised a rather extreme form of corporal punishment."

Everyone simply looked at her, not really sure of what to say. Finally both Toji and Musashi simply shuddered

"It'll be Krutta all over again."

All of them nodded, not saying anything else. Finally Kensuke looked around and noticed some one else missing. Before he could ask Rei about her, she beat him to the punch.

"Shinji ran after Mogudan once he realized he had taken several pictures of me as well…" She looked at her wrist watch before continuing.

"By my calculations, they should be in Principal Fuyutsuki's office right now."

---------------

Kōzō Fuyutsuki sighed, showing his displeasure at the whole affair. He had always disliked being the authority figure, the bad guy, always feeling more at ease at being the bumbling, good-natured professor rather than the strict academic principal.

That did not to mean, however, that he never took matters into his own hands, because even though Kōzō Fuyutsuki was an exceptional teacher, he was also an excellent school administrator. There is, however, a little known fact about Kōzō Fuyutsuki:

When needed to, Kōzō Fuyutsuki had great bluffing techniques.

"I called you both in here today to issue a warning..." He said gravely. Pausing for effect, and to ensure that the message was getting clear to his audience of two.

In all his year as an educator and as an administrator, every morning Fuyutsuki liked to arrive earlier than required to his office, already with a coffee in his hand to enjoy the silence that remained early in the morning. He would go to his office sit down, and just relax, letting the strong aroma of fresh grounded coffee mix with cinnamon sweet pastries, taking him back to his early years as a teacher, before he became principal.

Looking at the couple in front of him he was forced to maintain the facade of a stern principal.

"This has got to stop."

They looked like perfect little soldiers; him in his dark blue Nehru suit, her in the same type of pant suit, only her jacket colored in a different color than her pants, as they were a virginal white. Both sitting down with their hands in their laps, reminding him that, even if Asuka made it looked other wise, Fuyutsuki was still the principal, he, therefore, demanded respect, dammit!

He prayed they were unable to smell the fear in him. Valiantly he pressed his luck, pausing, he began to leaf through the folder in front of him. Engrossed with its content, apparently reading an in-depth report from Dr. Akagi, throwing a nod and a grunt, as well as some "hm"s in for good measure.

In truth, the folder was filled with his vacation brochures, simply meant for it to look as if he were reading said report.

"I don't care how you do it, the random violence on school grounds using school material will not continue. This has been the third time this week Dr. Akagi has received Mogudan with injuries caused by books as well as diverse objects thrown at him. This time, however, he will have to attend school with a nose cast for the next three months, while Izurumi..."

He paused, sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose dramatically.

"Let's just say Izurumi should be glad that he is right handed for school related activities, with exams so near by. His left arm and wrist should be fully functional in two to three months."

He stood up and walked to the huge window panes in his office.

"I knew your father well." He began in a conversational tone, making the person addressed shrink and look at the ground. "He always felt you could do more than what you are currently doing, he had such great expectations on you."

He turned, around leveling both with a stoic, composed look.

"Which is the reason why it pains me to do what I have to do; the Nahayoshi family has issued a formal motion…" He said simply, taking the folder he had just read sporting the institute's crest and began to read from it, like a judge passing sentence.

"You are herby noticed of the following resolution as taken by the school board; Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Soryu are to be placed on academic abeyance for failure to comply with this institutions regulations as well as the students code of conduct as explained in sections 3.15 thru 3.22, as well as for sections 17, 21 and 23."

"WHAAAT???"

Fuyutsuki eased his hair back before looking at them both.

"As you can see all that is missing is my signature as well as Mr. Keel's, now..." He said leaning forward in an intimidating manner. He saw them both go limp at the notice.

"I can assure you that once Mr. Keel receives this letter he will sign it immediately, especially if you take into account the personal animosity both him and School superintendent Tokita have for Gendo Ikari."

"But why..."

"Now..." Fuyutsuki continued, ignoring the weak attempt at a reply. "It has been noted that even though both Mr. Kaji and Miss Katsuragi are supposed to be the guardians, chosen as so by this school board as well as the next of kin because they are school counselors as well as teachers, they seem to be unable to stop these students from disrupting any of the classes they attend." He paused before adding an addendum.

He stood up from his desk. "I understand Asuka's situation all too well, as I have dealt with both Krutta and Meguro in a swift and disciplined matter..." Before any of them could reply, Fuyutsuki held his hand up..

"However, since both Mister Kaji as well as Miss Katsuragi are either too lax or don't care enough, and it appears as though Miss Katsuragi seems more inclined to embarrass Shinji in the teachers' lounge rather than try to keep him out of trouble, I will create a special clause and enforce it accordingly for both of you."

"B-but..."

"The point is not for discussion." Fuyutsuki cut off the reply. "Enclosed within is a letter of resignation addressed to Guardians Ryōji Kaji and Misato Katsuragi."

Both paled at that. "B-b-but Principal Fuyu..."

"Shut up..." Fuyutsuki said coldly before continuing.

"If any other similar breach of the students code of conduct such as the ones discussed here are made by either students..." He continued, stressing his point. "Both of them will be expelled, and their guardians will be forced to resign their charge as well as their jobs..."

"Is this understood..?" Fuyutsuki finished. Both simply nodded, not saying a word.

"Is this understood..?" He continued more forcefully, letting them know he wanted them to say so.

"Yes..." both finally said softly.

"Dismissed..."

Once outside she fell to her knees, feeling them go weak at the notice, leaning against the wall to steady herself.

"Ohmygodohmygodohmygod what am I gonna do..?" She began to ramble, just as her companion began to walk to and fro in front of her, thinking about the situation.

"O.K. Don't panic; we…All we need to do is stop the assaults on general school grounds. Then we can-Oww..!" His rambling were cut short by someone hitting him on the back of his head.

"What the hell was that for..?"

"This is all your fault, idiot…"

"But I…"

"If that pervert had been taken care of like I told you in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with…"

"Well, I don't like to resort to violence…I get enough of it from you..." He said simply, rubbing the tender spot on the back of his head.

That made her explode.

"You idiot..! Dating you was the biggest blemish on my whole life…"

His face darkened at that. "Well, believe me, you weren't a walk in the park either…"

"I can't believe I dated you…"

"Hey…this was a two way street; I could have just as easily have gone with Ma…" Before he could finish, she sank her nails on his arm.

"So help me God…" She said through clenched teeth. "If you even finish that sentence I will teach you the meaning of the word pain…"

Both stayed there staring into their eyes, glaring at the other one, until he finally broke it off.

"This is stupid; we should be thinking how to straighten this whole mess, not waste out time fighting." He turned towards her.

"Well…" She said crossing her arms. "I, for one don't plan on letting Fuyutsuki sign those papers."

"Well, what do you suggest..? Raiding his office at night..? Dressing in black and lowering ourselves with high tension wires..?"

"If that's what it takes…" She shrugged.

"You have been seeing to many spy movies…"

"Oh, stuff it… "

"Maybe you didn't hear Fuyutsuki clearly, but…"

"Fuyutsuki can kiss my a-"

"Kaji, Misato…" Before Misato could finish saying what she thought about her rear, Fuyutsuki's door opened and he poked his head out, a bored expression clearly written on his face.

"I can still hear you both, you know…"

A couple of minutes later, both walked by the courtyards towards the main entrance; Misato in a slow pace, hands crossed in front, glancing at her feet. Kaji with jis hands locked behind his neck, glancing up at the already darkening sky, a lit cigarette dangling idly from his mouth.

"Ugh…I can't believe it…What am I gonna do Kaji..?"

They both made their way towards the ramen restaurant that doubled as a karaoke bar located outside of the school grounds, Kaji had since long before resorted to tuning out Misato's complaints.

"I can't get fired…I need my job."

"Don't worry Misato, well do something…the only thing we need to do is keep your boy and my girl so busy they won't be able to jump neither Izurumi nor Mogudan…" He snapped his fingers. "Easy as cake."

"You don't get it…I can't be fired; I have expenses; my phone bill, my car my clothes, I had my sight on a new Gucci dress and a pair of Gucci glasses."

Kaji turned to look at her, giving her a "You're kidding" look.

"I still have 33 more payments to go for my car…"

"Gee…nice to know your priorities."

"You don't understand…I can't go back to live with my mom and dad…Do you know what would happen..? I'd be a laughing stock, I'm-"

"What..? An alcoholic..? A slob..? Over twenty ni-Oww..!" Kaji turned to her.

Misato stood behind him, knuckles cracking. "Would you knock it off you idiot..?"

She began to drag him to the restaurant. "We have to come up with a plan to tame that pocket monster of yours before she gets both our asses fired."

"I know, I know…but how can we make sure they don't get in trouble..?" Kaji replied as they walked towards the bar.

"Please…" Misato snorted. "Keeping Asuka out of trouble will be as easy as Shinji letting Rei date; we need to make them stay between school hours someplace we can keep an eye on them without their knowledge, at least until Mogudan and Izurumi leave school…"

"They live at the dorms…"

"Then you're gonna have to move Asuka out of the dorms and into your apartment." She sounded pleased with her logic. "That way we'll be able to keep and eye on both Asuka and Shinji, besides…" Misato continued. "At least Shinji hasn't graduated from assault into assault and battery like Asuka has."

---------------

Asuka Langley Soryu was proud of who she was. Her first memory was of eagerly showing her mother and father her report card for elementary school. How the teacher had told her parents that she was a prodigy, even if she was outgoing and rambunctious and there's wasn't much of a filter between her brain and her mouth.

"Come back here you worm…" She said as she tore after the boy that was, just mere seconds in front of her. All of her life, Asuka had strived to be the number one in everything. For Asuka, perfection wasn't an option; it was a way of life. Academic perfection was easy for her.

I guess she's a little too intelligent for her age.

Her mother, Kyoko had said back then, and in retrospective, Asuka had to agree with her mom posthumously. When she was young, she really had no sense of restraint, and once she was sure that, perhaps she'll never be able to acquire that experience necessary to know the things that one shouldn't say or do.

"I'm gonna open your gut and remove your innards with a spoon." Asuka screamed at the top of her lungs, her legs a swift motion of blurs.

This made her target run faster.

"I'm gonna ram my foot up your ass so far up I'll kick you in your tonsils."

Izurumi gulped at the graphical images that statement produced. He knew it was suicidal for any known living person, but especially for him, to try and get pictures of Asuka in any way. It made him an instant target if the volatile red head found out. So he did what every other sensible male would do when Asuka had discovered him hiding in the bleachers, taking pictures of her in that outfit.

"I let you off easy last time, but now you really asked for it…" She shouted behind him and Izurumi sharply made a turn to his left, panting, feeling his lungs break from the inside, but fully aware that if he stopped for even one second Asuka would get him.

And judging by what she had done to his friends Meguro and Krutta, it wasn't going to be in the least way as arousing as those daydreams of a bondage mistress Asuka were supposed to be.

A sudden gust of wind followed by a loud thud on the place he had been made him realize that Asuka was throwing at him whatever she could get her hands on; a broom, a mop, a bucket.

The top of a garbage container, whirring past him, being thrown as if it were a Frisbee.

A miscalculation from Izurumi's part drove him to a closed area; the walls ended in a dead end, only the backdoor to the outside of the school quad was there. And to his left another hall opened. Izurumi was about to run down that hall when the sounds of panting and wheezing stopped him.

A few seconds later, a figure was on top of him.

"Uh…" He stared in disbelief at the person in front of him.

"Brother..?" Mogudan Nahayoshi asked wide eyed, staring at his younger, more pimply, less fat brother. "Soryu..?" He asked teeth chattering. Izurumi merely nodded. He was about to ask Mogudan who what he was running away from when he saw.

The figure was hunched over, chest going up and down; a hollow, eerie, shuddering sequence of deep gasps echoing on the otherwise deserted hallway.

"Mogudan…" Shinji Ikari said in a low, cold voice. "I told you to stay away from my sister…"

"H-he noticed me…" Mogudan whimpered shaking, and just before Izurumi could state he too had the same problem, another figure appeared in front of them.

"Wunderbar…" Asuka smiled evilly, making both perverts sweat at the idea of divine retribution. Both turned to the other and after shrieking, they began scratching desperately at the closed door.

For a brief second the red head stopped, watching in fascination a Shinji took a running leap and dived directly for the two stunned, terrified and petrified perverts.

"Wh-Shinji..!" Asuka screamed looking at his enraged face. "No..!"

"Mommy…" Both brothers whined pathetically.

---------------

"Misato…" Satsuki Ooi greeted her fellow teacher smiling, which turned to a smirk when she saw Kaji. "Hey idiot…God, you both took your sweet time; I was almost tempted to get the good stuff before you showed up…" She said as she handed her a golden can.

Misato plopped down on the seat, pulled the tab and took a mighty gulp, letting the beer slide down her throat with the practice one could only acquire after years. After a second she gestured to the stand owner for another one without letting go of the first can. As soon as she received it she instantly pulled the tab and took it down in one swig.

"YEEE-HAWWW!!!" Misato whooped after finishing the second beer. "That's the way to start happy hour…" She turned to the bar tender to place her order.

"Okay, I'll take another beer, one big beef ramen, extra spicy, another beer, and a cup of spicy curry extra spicy ramen."

The manager simply turned to the back of the stand. "Mitsumi…bring me the Misato special #2."

"Bring me a bottle of vodka as well…" Misato said, grabbing Satsuki in a headlock, ignoring her protest.

"Hey, Misato, let go…c'mon…"

"Goldilocks an' me are starting the party…"

Kaji groaned sitting next to them. Next to him, Makoto Hyuga sat as well.

"Rough day..?" The bespectacled teacher asked in a conversational tone. Kaji simply chuckled at that.

"You could say that…" Kaji paused, taking a gulp from his beer. "Apparently the Nahayoshi family decided that both Shinji and Asuka had beaten their kids enough and are asking for them to be expelled."

"Wow…I did not see that coming…" Huyga said as he ordered his food. "So what are you going to do..?"

Kaji sighed, crossing his hands behind his head. "I don't know…on paper it's rather simple, keep both Shinji and Asuka, especially Asuka, from delivering any more bodily harm to any of them…"

"Well that's a solution. The question is how are you going to do it…"

Before Kaji could think of a response a pair of hands clapped both his and Makoto's shoulder

"Hey dudes…" Shjgeru Aoba, the school's music teacher greeted them, making his way accompanied by Ritsuko Akagi, Maya Ibuki, Kaede Agano and Aoi Mogami. He greeted Satsuki and Misato hi-fiving them.

"Yeah…the chug queens attack again…"

"Dear God." Ritsuko said making her way to the bar. "Are the drunken twins at it this early..?"

"Give her a break Ritsu…" Kaji said as Shigeru ordered a round for everyone. "We had a rough day."

"Why..? What happened..?" Maya asked, with Kaede and Aoi behind her blinking in curiosity.

"Well it went a little something like this…" Kaji began as they all kept quiet to hear the whole story.

---------------

This felt like a survival horror game; there was nothing to bee seen at the distance, and the rain and thunder clapping in the sky wasn't helping at all.

Of course knowing that somewhere nearby was a deranged lunatic trying to ram a branch up your anus and make it emerge outside your mouth wasn't much help either.

With a start, some one caught onto the sleeve from the jacket and pulled. The ground came crashing at high speed, and the shriek that was ready to emerge was silenced by a mouthful of dirt.

"Brother it's me." Izurumi whispered into Mogudan's ear, enveloping both in leaves and shrub, staying as close to the ground as possible.

"He's gonna kill me, he's gonna kill me…"

Izurumi, for once, showed remarkable strength of character, and pushed Mogudan's face deeper into the dirt. Against the background of rain and thunder he could see the outline of Asuka Langley Sohryu coming towards them.

He held his breath and pushed Mogudan further down the dirt now turned mud.

Asuka ran thru the open fields, mud splattering across every step she took. She was getting wet, and she was nowhere near to finding an open door to get back to the school halls.

The school's gym had a huge back yard which included a small forest. Izurumi and Mogudan had somehow escaped from the main hall and ran towards this area, and they were now hiding within it. Shinji had ran after Mogudan like a demon possessed, making Asuka run behind him, in part to try and stop him, in part to pound on Izurumi, and in part to laugh once this had ended.

She wasn't smiling now.

"Shinji, you idiot…what did you have to go and do that..?" Asuka fumed as she kept running against the rain.

As it was, the rain kept falling drenching everything in sight; she couldn't see anything in the distance, the visibility almost zero. Right in front of her, she could almost make out the image of a small shack, possibly used by maintenance to store random things.

On the shy, a loud rumble followed by the tall tale bolt of lightning struck. Asuka made a run for it, getting drenched in the process. She finally succeeded in getting under the thin roof, half of her still getting wet, half of her out on the storm. She made a grab for the knob.

And the door was locked.

"C'mon, c'mon open up…"

This was taking a turn for the worst, so after a few minutes of struggling with the door, one of them decided the best way to get in was to force their way inside.

"Hi-Yahh!" Asuka screamed, as she drove her foot in a side kick maneuver towards the door.

This was followed by a gasp and a groan.

"Owww…"

Behind her Shinji simply shook his head. He was standing underneath a close by tree. He made his way towards her.

"In case you aren't aware of this, this is a reinforced door." She shot him a glare.

"So are we going to have to wait here in the rain..?" She said as she struggled to get under the small rooftop and at the same time to huffing and flipping her hair, now wet and crossing her arms in front of her pouting. Shinji frowned, kneeling besides her and began to jiggle the doorknob, trying to force it open.

Finally Asuka had enough, she walked back and grabbed a rock and hurled it at a window pane before Shinji could say anything.

"I'll just add it to what I already have to pay to the school." She shrugged. Shinji sighed and very carefully cleaned the area of any stray glasses, and began to open the door from the inside.

"And how are you going to pay for it all..?" Shinji asked after he opened the door.

She smirked looking at his back. "I happen to have a business proposition blooming on the background."

---------------

"Are you serious..?" Hikari asked, sighing. This is all the money we have..?"

"We can probably come with some more, but we won't be able to fulfill Asuka's initial petition." Kaworu added.

"Ok…" Mana attempted to lighten everyone up. "So we have to come with a way to get the money or to make Asuka lower the original amount."

"Unless we come with a plausible way for her to be the majority of her on-school and off-school time with Shinji." Rei countered, making all the girls and Kaworu assent.

"Dude…" Musashi whispered to Toji and Kensuke. "Where did Kaworu and Rei learned to talk..? The cultured, snobbish channel..?"

---------------

"Any way, we should be worrying more about what are we gonna do…"

"O.k…so, the weekend is just beginning…" Shinji began.

"And the storm had been interfering with both your and my cellphone's signal." Asuka mumbled more to herself than stating something.

"The good news is we are inside school premises…" Shinji looked outside the small shed they were currently guarding themselves from the rain.

"Yeah, really nice…we're locked within the open space of the school gymnasium; so there's no way I can go to the dorms…" Asuka began, attempting to wring her soaked uniform.

"Nor any way we can contact our guardians." She rummaged through the small space. "Allthough in your case I guess that's a blessing…"

Shinji frowned but said nothing, looking at the ground, his back to Asuka. The only sound that could be heard was the wind hitting the walls and ceilings, the rain pit-pating the school grounds and the soft sound of clothes rustling combined with the faint smell of lav-

"Shinji…I'm gonna tell you this only once." He heard Asuka address him at his back.

"I'm gonna change into one of these gym uniforms, since I'm thoroughly drenched…" She paused, looking at Shinji tense. "Now, normally I'd make you go outside, and wait for me to change, however, you did manage to get us inside here, so I'll make a deal with you…you don't turn around and I'll change…however…" She glared at him, jabbing her finger into the back of his head for emphasis, watching him squirm.

"If you so much as turn around to peep, I'll rip your tongue through the crack of your ass, got it..?"

Shinji simply shuddered at the vivid image and nodded, turning around and staring into space, watching the falling rain. The notion of Asuka getting naked so close to him adding a new dimension to his senses, sending them into overload.

He could hear the soft rustle made by Asuka as she removed her soaked shirt and skirt, letting it fall. He heard the wet sound as the clothes were placed on one of the vaulting aides. He could smell Asuka's faint lavender perfume on the small space. He-

"Shinji…" He shuddered, feeling Asuka's moist, warm breath on his neck. "Take off your jacket…"

---------------

"So, what are you planning to do about Shinji and Asuka..?" Ritsuko slurred, trying to see through her sake cup only to realize it was made of ceramic, not glass.

"Why do I have to come with a plan..?" Kaji grumbled, before ordering another round.

"Because you're As'ka's guardian, that's why…" Misato hiccupped before continuing. "If she stopped being such a bitch and harassing Shinji as well as the rest of the class we wouldn't be in this mess..." She turned to Kaji. "And if you and that old fart Fusu…" She stopped, thinking hard, and tried again. "Fuyu…no that's not right…Futuyusuki had a set of balls on you, she would have been reeled back a long time ago."

"Sheay…" Satsuki decided to pitch in her 2 cents. "Instead all you and Futu…" The blonde seemed to be, like Misato, having a hard time as well spelling the name of the principal correctly.

Satsuki wisely decided to let it be.

"Instead you and him ever do is go all uhmm…Asuka, since I'm a wuss and the old man is impotent please let us do our job and punch the kids in everyone's else classes…" She ended in a rather poor attempt to deepen her voice and sound like Kaji, prompting all of them, including Kaji to burst out laughing at that. The blonde finished her statement by slamming her shoot glass on the bar.

"If I were her guardian..." She stopped.

"Yeah..?" Kaji said, not really interested but deciding to have a good laugh.

"Uhh…what were we talking about..?"

"Asuka..?"

"Oh yeah…" Satsuki brightened. "I was just telling Kaede, Aoi an' Maya that what that girl needs is a boyfriend, all that sexual frustration must have her going up the walls…"

"The only problem with that…" Kaji said. "Is the fact that she can't get a date. See, there was this one guy, Hikari had arranged a date with her and one her older sister's friends once…" Kaji countered, twirling now a shot of bourbon.

"And..?" Makoto asked, blushing when Satsuki snuggled close to him.

"She went to him to the fair, ordered a burger or something, went on some rides, and then ditched him. "

"Harsh." Shigeru observed. "It reminded me of that time this dork was trying to grow a set on him to ask Blondie for a date." He punctuated the word by grabbing Makoto in a headlock and giving him a noogie.

---------------

"Wh-what…why..?" Shunji asked as he felt her cold hands roaming his body. Asuka began to forcefully remove it from him.

"Since you're too much of an idiot to be a gentleman." Asuka answered as she wrapped herself in the soaked windbreaker. "I need it to keep from getting a cold." She muttered, shivering for a last time, making Shinji finally look at her.

Asuka Langley Soryu was beautiful; she really was a sight to behold.

Shinji held his breath; He couldn't argue that Asuka wasn't beautiful; Her vibrant red hair was now flattened against her head, several crimson strands looking coppery brown now that it was wet, framed her face in a remarkable way. Milky white skin that he was sure was also as smooth as silk. Piercing electric blue eyes; the kind that begged for you to look at, that made you loose yourself in them. A body that, judging by choice of clothes, which was the girls gym clothes; a white red-ringer t-shirt and the red bloomer shorts, had legs that could go on forever, and her chest...

Blushing, Shinji began to understand the perverted nature of Izurumi, Krutta and Meguro's obsession with Asuka. If he leaned forward a little he might be able to catch a glimpse of her ti-

No! Shaking his head, Shinji tried to clear his thoughts. He also, surreptitiously cleaned his nose. Yes, Asuka was beautiful, no one could contest that. However, for all the beautiful features her face had, it was always marred by a scowl; her lips either turned in an arrogant smirk or pulled down always showing displeasure. Asuka had the divine ability to drive everyone not strong willed or weak of mind insane.

Or make people invent new and exciting ways to bash and torture her, not that anyone would be able to stand up to her. Misato would probably would, while throttling Asuka's neck for good measure.

No, Wait. That was him.

"Are you even listening to a word I said, dummkopf..?"

Oh yeah...and her voice; when she was angry, which was often, her voice was a shrill scream that gave Shinji a headache of massive proportions.

"I said that I don't want you staring at me or my clothes. Pervert."

"Look, not everyone wants to ogle you…" He responded brusquely, going back to trying to open the door. "For the matter, I wouldn't want to get near your clothes, nears your shorts nor near your panties as you have accused all of us boys…" He said, still not looking directly at her.

For a long moment there was only silence, until the door finally opened.

"We can go stay inside to keep dry…" Shinji began quietly. "Then afterwards we can each go our own separate ways."

They both decided it was easier not to say anything, sitting side by side next to each other, waiting for the end of the rain.

"Say Shinji…" Asuka began, deciding to end the silence since the rain didn't seem to be going to let off any time soon.

"Have you ever kissed anyone?"

The only answer she got was the wide eyed stare from the boy.

"C'mon…" Asuka smiled. "You can answer me…"

"Where the hell did that question come from?"

"Well I'm bored…"

"That's no reason to go around and asking these types of questions…" Shinji huffed indignantly. "Besides it none of your business."

"c'mon idiot…we'll be stuck here for God knows how long, at least work with me on this one…"

"Well why would you want to know..?"

Asuka titled her head to one side, seemingly meditating the answer. "I happen to believe you can tell a lot about people just by kissing them…" She wet her lips and turned to him; a sexy, inviting smile gracing her lips. "You can actually tell the real me inside some you kiss…"

Shinji simply looked at her with a mixture of shock and…excitement..?

"W-well the...you know…and I…" Shinji mumbled, the color of his face rivaling that of an apple. Finally, he let out a sigh and closed his eyes, crossing his leg in lotus position and adopting a sage-like pose. "I don't think it's a proper question."

"Maybe…" Asuka smirked inching towards him, enjoying his discomfort "but I happen to think it's a very valid question…"

"So how about it Shinji..?" Asuka asked as she inched her way to him, crawling on all fours. "Do you want to kiss me…see if you can tell the real me..?"

Her voice had quieted down to a husky whisper, her lips mere inches away from Shinji's, her soft warm breath tickling them. Shinji could only stare at her, switching his sight from her pink, rosy lips to her clear blue eyes. Asuka never looked away, staying still. Slowly, very slowly, she closed the small gap until the briefest of spaces separated both lips.

And simply mocked bit the air in front of Shinji's lips, giving him a playful smirk, hearing Shinji's undignified squeak, as the young man paled at that, and turned his head quickly, trying to stubbornly ignore Asuka's soft laughter.

"You're so easy to tease…"

---------------

"But she's so pretty…" Aoi said as she sipped her cup of sake. "I wonder why she can't get a date…" She sniffled. "I wish I could have been like her…"

"I know…" Maya drunkenly agreed.

"Well the fact that she has been described both by the Upperclassmen and lowerclassmen as a heinous, contemptuous bitch might explain that…" Shigeru decided to pitch in his two cents.

"Red hair, blue eyes, creamy skin…" Aoi continued to drunkenly point out what she perceived as Asuka's assets. While Maya simply nodded

"Hey…" Makoto whispered to both Shigeru and Kaji. "You think they're les-"

"If you even think about finishing that question I'll have you neutered." Ritsuko interjected. "Not that there's anything wrong with it…"

"I think that's the reason why neither Maya nor Ritsu dated me in college…" Kaji drunkenly snickered

"That would explain why Maya never took me up on the offers to go get some coffee…" Shigeru replied in tandem.

---------------

"Arrgh…!" Asuka ragged somewhat dry and not freezing much as Shinji kept staring straight ahead into the rain.

"…and of all the people to get trapped in during the rain it had to be the wonder turnip..."

Shinji simply ignored her, although his hands began to clench and unclench.

"What is your problem..?" He softly asked. "Everyone's terrified of you."

"well they should, after all every time I pass the hallways, any idiotic pervert glances at my ass, flips my skirts gropes me, molests me and generally annoys me…"

"Asuka, I'm pretty sure those were simple accidents…except for Izurumi, Krutta and Meguro, but they got what they had coming…"

Asuka looked at him coldly before snorting and looking the other way.

"What would you know..? you are an idiot and a pervert as well…"

"Wh-WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM..?" Shinji asked finally reaching a breaking point after approximately 2 hours of suffering the verbal abuse. "IF SOMEONE EVEN BREATHES WRONG YOU PUNCH THEM…"

"IF THEY DIDN'T DESERVE BEING HIT SO MUCH I WOULDN'T EVEN BOTHER."

She turned towards him and got within inches of his face. "I MEAN LOOK AT YOU; JUST LOOKING AT YOU MAKES ME WANT TO PUNCH YOU…'

She began to count on his hand as she counted his perceived weakness. "YOU ARE A CLUMSY LECHEROUS IDIOT; YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A MAN, YET YOU BITCH AND WHINE MORE THAN A GIRL; YOU BEHAVE LIKE A PETULANT CHILD."

"OH YEAH..? WELL YOU AREN'T SO HOT YOURSELF…EVERYONE'S AFRAID OF YOU,; THEY CALL YOU A HINEOUS CONTEMPTOUS BITCH. ALL YOU DO IS GET YOURSELF AND EVERYONE N TROUBLE, YIU LIKE BEING THE CENTER OF ATTENTION, BUT THEN YOU PUNCH ANY GUY WHO ACTUALLY GIVE HIS ATTENTION TO YOU."

Asuka stood there, her face unmoving, no emotion betraying her. "You don't know what you say."

Shinji huffed at that before scooting away.

---------------

"So how did you even ended up together..?" Shigeru motioned to Makoto after getting another refill.

"Well…" Makoto said, blushing as he remembered everything. "The fact was that Satsuki wasn't a really easy gi-Oww…" The bespectacled teacher rubbed his arm. "What was that for..?" He whined nasally.

"You were calling me an easy girl…What..? You thought I would put out at the first date..? Pervert..!"

"N-no…What I meant was that trying to ask you out was hard because every time I wanted to ask you out you would call me names and tease me."

"Well…" The blonde said in a snobbish tone. "I believe in tough love…"

"You know…" Maya said giggling. "I think I see a bit of Asuka in both Misato and Satsuki…"

"WHAAAT..?" Both drunken women asked simultaneously before turning to look at each other while attempting to intertwine their pinky finger. "CHEERS..! YOU OWE ME A BEER..! HAHAHAHAHA…"

"No, no…" Kaede interjected. "I totally see what Maya is drawing at…" She turned to Misato and Kaji.

"You always would call Kaji an idiot, and a moron and how dating him was the biggest mistake in your life…"

"Yeah." Ritsuko smirked. "Even though the sole mention of his name would make you blush, you would also spend your time shouting at him, and throwing him food and stuff both in school and when we went out."

"And Satsuki would also tease Makoto to no end." Maya smiled remembering those times. "And once, when she saw Makoto had left a book on several chapters of female anatomy highlighted and with special emphasis on the female breast she spent the whole week calling him a pervert, until we told her you were taking an AP Biology midterm."

"Yeah…" Aoi chimed in. "Afterwards she would see you and blush, that was when we knew she had the hots for you." She said as she ordered another round.

"Shut up you nerd…" Satsuki grumbled, although everyone knew inwardly she was smiling. "He was a pervert and a wimp, he took 3 years to ask me out. That was unacceptable. I deserved something better."

"But poor Makoto here would literally wet his pants when he imagined asking you out." Kaji added cheerfully. "Shigeru and I had a bet going about what you would do once he asked you out; I said you would punch him and ask him what took him so long."

"And the rock star over there..?" Satsuki pointed to Shigeru who was now on the stage with Maya, Kaede and Aoi entertaining the rest of the patrons.

"He said you would simply go 'O.k' and then turn and forget that ever happened."

"Well I hate to tell you this but it actually happened once Makoto was helping me with Japanese…"

"Oh yeah…" Misato said smiling. "You told me that…"

"I never knew…" Both Kaji and Ritsuko said at the same time.

"Well…the fact was that since I had lived in Russia for about a year before coming here, I didn't had a good concept of the Japanese language. My grades were slipping. Maya who was the class Rep then suggested I get some help from Makoto, since both Ritsuko and Aoi were already on the advanced classes, while Makoto was taking only two or three courses."

"So..?"

"So nothing…all those weeks studying together, we ended up hitting it off."

---------------

"What I want to know is how are you even related to Mana…" Shinji continued in a soft voice, not meant for Asuka to hear.

"W-who told you that..?"

"Mr. Kaji let it slip once he stayed at the apartment waiting for Misato." Shinji sighed. "Why do you hate her so much..?"

"I don't hate her…" Asuka muttered. "It's just that I don't get along with her…"

"But why..?"

Asuka let out an exasperated sigh. "Ugh! I don't know…sometimes I feel like she's just trying to show everyone she's a goody two shoes, and sometimes I think she really is a goody two shoes…" Asuka got up and began to pace. "She is always saying (spl.) yes or no when she should, never questions anything, never tried to be out of the ordinary…and (spl.) is always trying to be liked."

"Is that so bad..?" Shinji quietly asked.

"I was well liked by everyone at my old school…" Asuka said in an equally quiet tone. "Until I heard what some of my so-called friends were saying behind my back…" She smiled bitterly, remembering those times. "There was this guy…I kinda liked him…he was…well…different; he seemed somewhat rugged and dangerous; he would show at the school back door, to pick stuff up; he would smell like a combination of motor oil, leather and cologne." Asuka sighed before continuing.

"One of the girls…she wanted to go out with him, but he somehow ended trying to go after me…" She hugged Shiji's windbreaker closer to her body. "She began to spread some rather…distasteful rumors about me; that I was promiscuous, that the reason why my dad had enrolled me there was because he had caught me having sex…every time the story changed…in one version he was a friend of my father…in another it was more than one, or they were college students, and I was either drunk or high…"

"She was like my sister; I trusted her and she betrayed me…" Suddenly, she turned to Shinji, an angry expression on her face. "Why the hell am I telling you any of this…? Leave me alone…"

"My dad left me as well…" Shinji began after a brief period of silence, the only sound in the background was the rhythmically way the rain was pounding on the walls and ceilings of the shed. "I-I don't remember my mom that well…" He looked at Asuka's form sulking in the shadows. "And for a long time I was like you; alone and angry…but then I met Rei, and I found out I wasn't alone…I had a sister, a connection, and Misato was also there…as were my friends…"

"If you are trying to tell me I need to open up, save it idiot." Asuka said still not looking up at him. "All I need is myself."

"Sometimes you can't make it on your own." Shinji softly replied. After several minutes he looked outside and smiled.

"It looks like it'll stop raining soon…" He turned and stretched his hand towards Asuka. "How about we get out of here, jump the fence or something and go to the ramen stand outside the school for a cup of ramen..?"

Asuka was about to say no when a loud rumble cut her off. She blushed and looked sheepishly at her hands, resting in her stomach, before pointing her nose up and turning to a side.

"Hrmmph…I'll have you know that I'll go only because you are inviting me, but this is not a date."

Shinji chuckled at that. "I wouldn't dream about it. A date between you and me would probably be cataclysmic, to say the least."

"And you are paying."

"Obviously."

---------------

"Man…" Musashi grumbled under his breath looking at the bar section. "Those old gezzers at the far dim end are making a lot or ruckus, I bet they're having a party or something…"

Mana squinted. "I think that's Kaji over there…"

"Well, if Kaji is here, that means Misato is here as well…" Toji began twirling the chopsticks he had used previously idly between his fingers.

"You are correct…it appears Miss Katsuragi has taken control of the microphone and is determined to sing." Kaworu observed.

"If Miss Katsuragi and Mister Kaji are here, then Miss Akagi must be here as well…" Rei contemplated. "As well as Miss Ibuki, Miss Agano, Miss Aoi and Miss Satsuki."

"Well, if Satsuki is here, then that means that Mokoto and Shigeru are here…" Hikari ended, getting up. "Let's go say hi…"

As they made their way to the karaoke bar area, they could see Misato had convinced Satsuki into joining her on the small stage. Both women were singing in a rather off-key way, while, much to enjoyment of every male in the establishment, jumping up and down to the upbeat rhythm.

"Oh brother…" Ritsuko said slapping her forehead with her hand.

"Wow…it's so good to see our esteemed school counselor can sometimes kick back and relax." Musashi began his eyes still taking in every little det-

Slap!!

"Ouch…what was that for..?" He asked annoyed while rubbing the back of his head. Mana simply 'harrumphed' and crossing her arms turned to the other side.

"Hey kids…" The three men happily greeted their students, attempting to sound, and look, sober.

In the distance, Kaede and Maya were wrestling for control of the microphone at the karaoke stand.

Before a shrill shriek made them all avert their eyes from the drunken singing into another type of situation.

A rather…familiar situation.

"Come back here you little pervert." All 2 parties blanched as they heard an all too familiar shriek. All of them turned to look at the back of an irate redhead running after a thin looking, dark haired male; both were zigzagging between the other students and grown-ups, all of them looking curiously as the loud irate redhead bellowed expletives and threats of bodily harm at the cowering male.

"It's not my fault though!" He said, jumping up and pointing at the redhead. He ran into the courtyard still attempting to explain himself as she kept running after him, throwing assorted pottery, cups and bowls at him.

"How is falling and groping me exactly not your fault, idiot..?"

"You keep blaming me for things that are not my fault; they're out of my control..!" He said, turning around and raising his voice and taking a few steps toward her, as she began to back up.

"You blame me for this, blame for that...always calling me a pervert…" He screamed, taking a few more steps.

He didn't know how he had managed to work up the courage to give the red-head a piece of his mind so quickly.

"It's abusive, and it hurts. I can't even fathom how many times you've punched me or kicked me…" The red-head was still taking steps back, but she ended up backing into the wall. Her eyes went from cold and emotionless to nervous and defenseless.

"You abuse me purposely more than I ever try to hurt you, which I never have. You just keep thinking that I do." Taking more steps forward as he continued.

"It's time things changed around here, time that you start treating me more as an equal instead of a punching bag to project your anger on."

"That's exactly why I hate you. You try to grope and fondle me while trying to seem innocent. You don't think of anyone else but yourself. Sometimes, I wonder what it'd be like if you would've never been accepted to the school or in class or lived with me in the dorms."

"I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT'S NOT MY FAULT!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

"Fine..!" She said, her face looking up at him her eyes threatening to burst into tears. "If you want to be an asshole as well as a lying pervert, then fine by me." She said as she turned to leave the restaurant.

"Wait." He said a bit forcefully, looking down to his feet. "If you walk away now, that's it. I'm not going after you…I'm not running after you anymore…"

"You never give me time to explain. If we're just going to begin everything again and argue and walk down the same path we always do, then we're through."

With that she fell to the floor.

"What are you saying..?" She asked meekly, hesitation and fear creeping in her voice, before so vibrant and loud.

"I just wanted an apology..." He said to himself almost hoping his female companion didn't hear him. "But I also want something else with you…" He finally looked up at her.

"I'm tired of running away from you, and letting you push me around and away from you."

In a blur of movement, the redhead was on top of him, kissing him desperately, almost as if her very life depended on it.

"Finally, idiot…" She panted in between the kisses that were turning the display of affection into something more akin to an R-rated movie. "Do you have any idea how I've felt for you all this time…all the name calling, the punching and everything; just so you could finally grow a spine and ask me out…"

Unbeknownst to the young couple, two groups were gaping at the revelation in openmouthed amazement. Not believing their eyes.

"Come on Naru, let's go back…" The young man said once he resurfaced for air, retrieving a pair of gasses and putting them on.

"O.k. Kei…" The redhead assented, taking his outstretched hand into hers, and walking away.

---------------

There are certain times a person gets an epiphany, a revelation so powerful, so magnificent that it appear to them as a clear, bright light. This happened to Kaji who turned to look at Misato, cupping her face in his hand.

"I've got it…" He began excitedly. "Misato…I know how to control them both, but we're going to need help…?"

Misato was clearly drunker than he thought, as she began to jump up and down on her seat clapping and cheering.

"Yay, we got it, we got it…" She turned to Satsuki drunkenly. "What do we have..?"

"Beats me…ask lover boy…"

"Hey, lover boy what do we have..?"

Kaji smiled. "I'll tell you once Shigeru, Maya, Aoi and Kaede finish doing an ass out of themselves, we'll need their help as well…"

Besides them, Rei, Hikari Mana and Mayumi held a similar look of self-realization.

Behind them Musashi, Toji, Kensuke and Kaworu realized that when it came to plotting something, they were outclassed and outmatched by the girls.

And in the distance and at the main entrance of the school, both Shinji and Asuka walked not hand in hand, but relatively close by. Not talking, but with a sense of calmness about them. The night air, cool and wet, made the night brisk, but neither of them seemed to matter, attempting to understand the person to their sides.

And if anyone could see them, they would have sworn that they were shooting glances at the other furtively.

---------------

Author's Addendum to the Disclaimer:

Yeah…I obviously don't own Naru Narusegawa nor Keitaro Urashima, nor anything related to Love Hina, although I can see the obvious resemblance between the loud obnoxious redhead and her human wimp and the loud obnoxious redhead with antennae and her human indestructible wimp. (other than in that page from the Love Hina Chapter 10 from the manga)

Author's Pointless excuses:

Wow…Merry Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and the like to everyone who is still mildly interested in this crap errr… I meant fanfic. I really hope each and everyone was able to pass the holidays with their loved ones (Me..? I'm still trying to understand how the hell am I gonna pass the holidays) As it is, some idiot from the 13th floor decided that I was worthy of something more than an internship, so apparently I'm working as the assistant of the assistant's deputy.

Or something like that. Which is a good thing as I'll finally be able to pay for my cellphone bill. (I'm telling you, those overages are killers…if this continues, I'll have to change my current carrier to something more low-tech…probably a couple of hundreds of yards of yarn or string and some tin cans and pass them along to my friends.)

Well, this is the official third chapter. After some (one could argue much) tooling and redoing, I decided to follow Zephyr's advise and scrap the whole thing I had began with since it was rather slow. The problem with writing for me is that the beginning is always the hardest part to come up with, afterwards it all smooth sailing. Also, I am a perfectionist. I have 3 different drafts, and an alternative version for this chap before sending it to error809 (have I told you that you rock??) and decided to scrap them, I felt they were either too slow or too rushed. Also, as always life decided to rear it's ugly mug, some scanning problems and a new job, but otherwise, I feel this chapter was a nice tie in, not too rushed, some Shinji/Asuka development, and we finally are able to see how conniving and sneaky those damn adults and kids are.

The references to BLP2 was included as a personal homage (which is a fancy way of saying rip-off)

Some thanks for the reviews and other notices.

Arm-Slave: ding, ding, ding…you my friend get a kewpie doll.

Rahhel: Thank you…glad you liked it.

Imperial Guardsman: Thank you. You know, I could tell you, but wouldn't you rather I weaved the whole story for you..?

Lordkingtom: blush Thank you kind sir, I was really nervous with last chapter (as with this one) hope you like this one as well.

AidanPryde001: Thank you, I know I have the occasional grammatical error (the horror!!) but I hope to catch them all eventually.

Dark Carnage: Thank you!

Eclipse: Thank you for the kind words. I never planned for it that way…wait a minute…Nope I DID plan for it this way…I felt it would help me work and toy with the characters, Asuka, Rei and Shinji are no walk in the park to write and characterize, and I'm sure that Asuka and Rei may somehow seem OOC, which is the reason why I haven't taken on the boys just yet, but I felt the best way to begin this particular story was to ended it.

Of course…every good love story need a more formal ending; I'm not hinting anything, I'm just saying there might be more to the finale than Asuka running away crying; it worked for 10 things, so I might be able to whip something up.

Let's just hope I can convince Asuka to work with me on this one.

BishiHarem: you are definitely earning the title of muse for me…in fact thinking you just became MY muse; thanks to your poem I got the idea (you know who to blame for this piece of crap BTW, LOL). I'm glad you have those thoughts of the other material, let's hope everyone else can see it soon.

aegisZero: Thank you! I had initially planned for a different take on this, but somehow it ended up becoming 10 things I hate…thanks for the words, though.

CerealKiller: Thank you.

Raven6: Thanks man, glad you like it. As specified on the summary you can all blame/thank Ryoma's awesome Best Laid Plan for this little pairing. And last but certainly not least.

Rakna: (in highly nasal voice) OH…MY…GOD…THE Rakna..? It really is you and you're really giving me a review,a nd I'm hyperventilation and..and..and…(o.k. breath in…out…in…out…) Rakna I am a fan, huge fan (TOILI and Chosen, props to Myssa BTW, rock SO HARD) so this review means a lot to me. Thank you.

PS. you can also blame/thank Rakna for the Kensuke/Mayumi pairing.

This is it…from here on (about 2 or 3 more chapters) it's pure romantic comedy angst, although not as much as Hamstadini who, even though is a rabid Rei/Shinji fan, I have to say that his characterization of Asuka for reality check was dead on, same as Andrew Joshua Talon…

The next update will be in some time…I have the basic outline, I only need to flesh it out, revise it, proofread it…etc.

Also since this story is finally moving into Shinji/Asuka mushy territory, don't expect updates on 30 kisses, 30 ways; I had several stories already planned, but I felt some of the concepts were more akin to the story, so…

And finally, thank you all for the reviews both here and in 30 kisses.