MEMORY ADDRESS 0x07DD

AGE 11: MARCH 14th, 2013

AKAGI HOUSEHOLD

"Mom, why do you have to go to Germany? Why can't you stay?" Shinji pleaded with Naoko not to go.

"Shinji, you know I have a job to do; besides, Ritsuko and Misato will stay with you!"

Shinji frowned at the mention of Misato. "She smells weird a lot and gets loud a lot." He crossed his arms and pouted.

"Well, there is also one more person coming… She has wanted to see you for a while now."

Shinji beamed at the news. He knew who was coming.

Then a knock came at the door.

"Wow, talk about convenient timing!"

Shinji ran to the door and opened it. He saw Asuka, and her caretaker, Ryoji Kaji.

"Asuka!"

Shinji nearly jumped onto Asuka, who swiftly stopped him. "I didn't say you can hug me!" Shinji's smile quickly fell. "I have to hug you!" She then promptly hugged him. The two hugged for a good moment before pulling apart.

"Hey Shinji, how are you?" Kaji said, giving a wave and a warm smile to the boy.

"I'm doing good! How are you, Mr. Kaji?"

Shinji asked enthusiastically.

"I'm doing good, kiddo. I'm just dropping off Asuka for the week."

He gives a pat on Asuka's shoulder.

"Now, you promise me you won't misbehave?"

Asuka pouted for a second before nodding. "Good, I'll go and get your bags."

Asuka stepped inside while Naoko went outside with Kaji.

"So, how are you, Asuka?" Shinji asked with a smile. They walked to the living room, where Shinji and Asuka sat down. "I got my Synch Rate to 53.5%!" She proudly announced to him.

"Well, I got mine to 55.89%!" Shinji retorted, trying to outdo her.

Asuka glared daggers at hm.

That was a mistake.

"Alright, Ryoji, any additional information that you might require?" Naoko asked, putting her luggage into the car while taking out Asuka's.

"No, not currently…." He pulled out a cigarette and began smoking. "It pains me that I can't go public with this yet. If I do, they will most likely fracture the UN and NERV. And SEELE won't hesitate to kill us both."

Naoko sighed and closed the trunk. "I want to protect Shinji. Yui tried to be selfless but failed to realize the true consequences of entering the core. She failed him, and so did Gendo. He failed even to respect her wishes of taking care of Shinji." She said Gendo's name with venom in her voice, enough poison to kill hundreds of people with a simple drop.

"I want Shinji to be happy. I want Ritsuko to have a better life. I want Asuka to be happy and Rei to be free from that man's control. I want all of them to be free from this hellhole."

"We have a long road ahead of us."

"Indeed."

"That's the fifth time in a row I beat you! Now you owe me five coffees!" Asuka said triumphantly. Practically glowing in pride.

"Fine. But this time, if I win, you will… Uh…" Shinji couldn't think of anything at the moment before Asuka gave a suggestion.

"If you win… You can get one kiss on the cheek!" She said this with a smug look. She kept beating him so far. Why would he win now? But a small part of her wants him to win.

"Hmm, Ok!" Now filled with a good reason to win, Shinji proceeded to try his best.

The two then tried their very best at finishing the level first. It ended when Shinji made it to the castle before Asuka could. She couldn't believe it; he actually beat her. He had a smug smile on his face, but it quickly fell once he saw Asuka's face.

She had a sour expression and looked away from him. "I guess you earned that prize…." She soon slowly moved to his face and attempted to kiss him on the cheek. But Shinji turned to look at her at the last moment, and they ended up kissing. Asuka immediately saw it but only pulled away 5 seconds later.

She looked away and gave a huff. "I'll allow it since you exceeded my expectations."

She looked at him.

"Are you going to keep looking at me, or are we going to go get Bowser?"

Shinji smiled.

"Heck yeah!"

ONE WEEK LATER

"Do you really have to go back? Why can't they bring Unit 02 here?" Shinji said, pleading with the girl to not leave.

She had her bags and Kaji in the car waiting for her, Naoko standing behind Shinji with her hands on his shoulders.

Asuka had a sad face but steeled up. "I promise I'll come back one day. Promise you'll be waiting for me?"

"I promise."

Asuka then went up to him and wrapped her arms around him, embracing him in a tight hug. Shinji reciprocated the hug, not wanting to let go.

They slowly pulled apart, still reluctant to let go entirely.

"I'll see you again, alright?" Asuka said, trying not to cry; she couldn't let herself cry over anyone, even the boy she began to love.

She slowly walked to the car, not looking back for risking the chance of showing her sadness.

"She'll come back one day, Shinji. She promised." Naoko closed the door and hugged Shinji, who began to cry.

Memory Addresses are short chapters from the past, essentially Memories.

Thank you to Chad Commander for Beta reading this chapter.

Thank you to all the kind reviews from the last chapter.

Til' Next time!

"And I promise there will be plenty of fanservice!"

-DerpymanMT