"Hey, baka." Asuka said as Shinji walked up to her at the side entrance to the school.
They had begun to walk home together, but Asuka insisted it was only for Shinji's protection. "What's the matter? A girl reject you?" Asuka looked lost in thought for a second, then sounded almost apologetic as she amended "No, wait, of course not..." Her tone returned to her usual impish voice as she continued "...no girl would let you get that far!"
"Leave me alone Asuka, I'm not in the mood." Shinji replied, eyes downcast.
Ever since he left school he felt worse and worse about leaving Motowa in what amounted to be a prison cell. "Oh, have I touched a nerve? Has the great Third Child finally gotten up the courage to talk to a girl, only to be struck down?"
Shinji sighed at the obvious attempt to irritate him, and added that as another thing not to think about. But everything he thought about inexplicably got yanked back to Motowa, still locked in that cell of a practice room, banging on the door, yelling out for help, nobody there to hear her--"SHINJI-BAKA!"
A hard yank backwards brought him back to his senses. "Pay attention!" A smack to the back of the head punctuated her castigation.
Shinji was so wrapped up in his thoughts, he failed to realize that he was about to head into heavy traffic. He watched the traffic pass by him until the light turned red, and then he laid eyes on someone he didn't expect to see in this part of Tokyo-3: Ayanami Rei. "What's Wonder Girl doing here? This isn't the way she goes home." Asuka said, the malice in her voice clearly evident.
Rei made no movement until Asuka and Shinji walked across the street, and then fell into step beside Shinji. "What do you think you're doing, Wonder Girl?" Asuka said.
"There is extensive construction on most of the roads west of here. I am unable to walk home as usual, and must walk several blocks North before I can continue on my normal route." Ayanami replied.
Asuka wasn't too happy about it, but she decided it wasn't worth it to protest any further. Rei seemed content to let Asuka brood. They walked in silence for a few blocks, and at a corner Rei turned to cross the street west. "Oh, Shinji: Motowa says 'hi'." Rei said simply before walking off.
"Motowa? As in Shimano Motowa?" Asuka asked Shinji.
"I didn't catch her surname." Shinji replied.
"Light orange spiky hair, kinda looks like a young Misato..."
Shinji had never made that connection before, but now that Asuka mentioned it... "That's her. Do you know her?"
"She's in my P.E. class. She's got quite a set of legs on her."
"That she does." Shinji said wistfully, then realized the trap he fell into.
"Ecchi! I meant she's a good runner!"
Shinji blushed at his freudian slip, but declined to comment further. "I guess her name really does suit her, she really is virtuous, to talk to you!" Asuka continued.
"You're talking to me, aren't you?" Shinji began to get annoyed with Asuka's ridicule.
He waited for the slap, but never got any further physical abuse. "We live and work together, baka! If it wasn't for that I wouldn't so much as hand you a glass of water if you were on fire!"
That much was obvious. Shinji thought. "How did you two meet, anyway?" Asuka asked, and Shinji tried desperately to keep from blanching.
"I... went into a practice room during Strings, only to find that it was already occupied." Which is close enough to the truth.
"Really? I didn't know she played an instrument."
She wasn't playing an instrument. Shinji thought with a mental smirk. "She was messing around on the piano in the room. I don't think she plays anything seriously."
"So are you interested in her?"
"I've just met her."
"Like it takes you more than five seconds to find her worth your ogling or not."
Ouch. Shinji thought, sighing as he suddenly got the feeling that the conversation would turn for the worse soon. "I wouldn't mind getting to know her."
"I'd bet." Asuka's tone of voice told Shinji that she wasn't exactly happy with the idea.
"What's the matter? Afraid you'll become less popular if I the Great Third Child—" Shinji loaded those words with sarcasm "—started hanging out with her?"
This time, Shinji took three blows for his comment, each punctuated with a curt "Baka!"
"Owww..." Shinji said, his head swimming as he tried to get himself to stop seeing stars. Last time I offer my opinion to her.
"Like I need your help to retain my rightful position." Asuka said firmly and fell into another angry silence.
Shinji, still reeling, was perfectly content to let her brood. Just as long as she didn't hit him again. She'll give me brain damage one of these days. Shinji thought. And then she'll start telling me to smarten up. She did say she didn't need me...
---
"So, how were your days?" Misato asked as the three of them sat around their table, having what Misato and Misato only would call food.
"Not bad. I made up my last physics test mark by answering most of the oral questions asked today." Asuka said around a mouthful of instant ramen.
"Good." Misato said. "I'm still trying to get them to make an exception for you and translate the text to German, but nobody's listening to me."
"You're a Major for NERV! Aren't you able to go up to them, say jump, and they all say 'how high'?"
"Technically yes, but it has to have a tangible link to some kind of angel attack or emergency. If you can give me an excuse, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, I have to go through normal channels."
"You could always get Section Two to dig up some dirt on someone."
"Asuka, that's underhanded and very evil." Misato chided, not really meaning it, then thought for a second. "That doesn't mean I can't use it as an ace-in-the-hole, though." Misato winked at Asuka. "You've been quieter than normal, Shinji. Anything the matter?"
"Probably thinking about his girlfriend." Asuka teased, prompting Shinji to choke on his noodles.
"Oh? You have a girlfriend, Shinji?"
"N- cough -no! Sh-she's not my girlfriend..."
"Well, let's start with who she is."
"Shimano Motowa." Shinji replied.
"You sure don't aim low, do you?" Misato commented, remembering one of Asuka's conversations last week about how Motowa looked like a young version of herself.
"Wh-I- for goodness' sake, I've barely met the girl!"
"You shared a practice room with her for most of your Strings period..." Asuka said, a Cheshire Cat grin spreading across her features. "Just you and her, all alone..."
"N-no! It wasn't like that!" Shinji practically yelled over both Asuka's and Misato's laughing. "She was in the practice room with the piano, I walked in without realizing it was occupied, and that was that!"
"Ah, love at first sight, how romantic..." Misato said in a wistful tone, doubling Asuka over in laughter and deepening Shinji's blush even further. "Calm down, Shinji, I'm joking. So, is she as pretty as everyone says she is?"
"She looks like you, kind of."
"Ah, even more so then." Misato said with a grin as she reached for her beer, the third of the meal.
"Depends on who you ask." Shinji said, finally getting a shot in of his own as Misato's grin disappeared. She guzzled about half of her beer before putting it down. "That wasn't funny."
"Neither is the two of you trying to match-make me with Motowa, especially since I've met her once!"
"And yet you're already on a first-name basis with her? You must've made quite an impression." Misato said.
"I give up." Shinji said dejectedly, slumping down in his seat, though he knew that she was right about that last point.