Nothing Will Ever Change That
Chapter 60: Will You?
A/N- I love suspense, I feel pretty powerful right now! What should Asuka say? Now for the chapter you have all been waiting for!
"Shin… ji…?" My hands were trembling as I opened the box. Her eyes lit up as she stared at the one karate diamond white-gold ring. I could feel the burning stare of our guests on me. I heard a few people gasp, then some mumbling. I never averted my stare up into Asuka's eyes.
"Asuka, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, with our child," My hands were shaking and my heart was racing, "Will you marry me?" She just stares at the open box. I stay there for a full minute without saying a word.
"Shinji… we're… too young…" my heart literally felt like it was in my stomach, "I love you… but… I…" I can't take this anymore.
I close my eyes and speak up, "I'm… sorry… I understand…" Feeling defeated, I get up and start walk off. A few people gasp, but I just ignored it. I felt a small tear run down the side of my cheek.
"Yes…" I hear a faint word, "Yes… I will…" I turn to see Asuka standing there with teary eyes. I walk back over to her.
"Asuka…" I take back out the ring and slide it on her finger, "I love you…" she lunges at me and our lips meet. I hear the crowd cheer, including the band, which went back to playing a beautiful song. Asuka pulls back and looks at me with glassy eyes.
"Shinji… I love you too…" Our lips meet again, and soon enough, she pulls back again. She looks at me, then past my head. Her eyes went wide, "Look at your father…" I turn around to see him actually clapping along with everyone else! I brush it off – for now – and take Asuka's hand.
"She said yes!" I knew everyone already knew, but I had to just yell it. Another round of applause rang through the beach.
"So…" Asuka spoke after the applause faded away, "how about that cake?" she laughed a little as she wiped a tear away.
"Already done!" Akagi rolls over a cart full of pieces of cut cake, "Nice gift Shinji." She muttered as she walked past me. We all sat down to eat; Asuka and I got a table all to ourselves. Neither of us knew what to say, until a certain someone came over.
"Shinji, Asuka," we look up to see Gendo standing there… here it comes… "I… want to congratulate you both. I hope you are happy together," was this my father talking?
"Um… thank you…" I was the only one that could speak. He stood there for a second then spoke again.
"All I ask is that this doesn't affect how either of you pilot." Gendo's back. He walks off and gets into his car.
"Wow… that took courage." She was right, I could have easily torn him up right there, but he still came over. We were both still dazed from my proposal, and left without much to say.
"How are the 'bride and groom to be' doing?" Ritsuko came over to us and sat down next to me, "Shinji, why didn't you tell me about this?" she wraps an arm around me.
"I… just wanted to do this on my own…" I knew my face was red, I could feel it.
"Your own? That is so like you! Wait… if you did that on your own… Shinji, did you buy that ring?" I nod slightly, "How did you afford that!" I spent what was left of Cass's payment.
"I still had some money stashed away." She just looked at me with a confused face.
"Well if that was stashed away then you must be loaded! Anyway, any idea when the wedding is going to be?" we've been engaged for ten minutes and she's asking that?
"No idea, we really haven't talked about it," Asuka was finally talking.
"Yeah, we'll male plans later, but for now, this is good with me," I take her hand.
"You two are so cute! I can't believe that you used to actually hate each other. It was really amazing to watch you two grow and become close like this. I'm just so happy for you both!" I was unable to respond to the comment, but Asuka didn't feel the same.
"Thanks… really, you were the only one that was always there for us, you helped us when we needed it. We are in debt to you," I didn't like that last part, but she was right.
"Don't worry about it! I do it cause' I love you both!" that caught me off guard, "Oh! I almost forgot, Gendo wanted me to give this to you." She handed me an envelope, "Well come on! Open it!" I tear it open to see a check.
"Huh… a check. That's real exciting." When I take the check out, a piece of paper falls out. When I unfolded it, I saw a note written on it;
Asuka and Shinji,
I'm glad to know that you will be getting married soon; I know that this will make you both very happy. I know that neither of you are exceptionally fond of me, and I can't blame you. I hope this will make up for some of my actions.
Gendo Ikari
"Oh my god!" I see Asuka with the check in hands.
"What is it?" with a pale face, she hands me the check, "Good God!" Akagi took it from me.
"50,000,000 Yen! This is all for the wedding! This is his personal money too!" there was no way he did that!
"Looks like he was serious!" I take back the check and put it in my back pocket, "I wonder what he really thinks of us getting married. I mean, apparently he's accepting of it, but is he excited? Will he actually be proud of us?" its not like I really cared, it was just that I was curious.
"Like it matters! We have enough money here to throw the best wedding ever!" apparently Asuka was happy about it. I brushed off this and look at Asuka. My eyes eventually make there way to her hand, no sporting a ring. It glittered in the sunlight as she spoke with Ritsuko. All I heard was a faint mumbling; I was too deep in thought.
"What the hell is that!" my I was brought out of this as I heard Asuka yell. I look up to see a huge white monster plummeting towards Earth. Everyone scrambled, I heard a few people scream as they got away. I look back over at the area where the thing looked like it was going to land.
"Hikari! Get out of there!" she was lying on the ground with a terrified look on her face. I glance at her foot… it was completely turned around. She was looking up at the white monster as it came closer, then she looked at me with tears pouring from her eyes. Her lip was quivering out of control as she alternated looking at me and Asuka.
"Hikari!" Asuka starts to run to Hikari, but I grab her and close my eyes.
"HANA!" then a huge crash. Asuka was still thrashing in my arms, but I held her tight. Realizing that she wouldn't walk, I pick her up and run.
"Let me go!" I hold on to her tight until we get to the van. I shove her in and climb to the driver's side. I rev the engine to life and speed off. The alarms begin to blaze as I raced through the streets.
"You bastard! You let her die! You killed her!" Asuka was in tears, and nearly hysterical. I just keep quiet and try to focus on the road, "Is that how you're going to act! You brush off these things like there nothing! When you killed Rei and tried to kill me, you didn't care, when you killed our first child, you didn't care, when you got me pregnant, you didn't care, when Cass died, you didn't care, when you fucked Sam after you thought I died, you didn't care, and now you killed Hikari!" I still stay quiet, "You son of a bitch!" she throws a punch at my face. I just put up my hand and catch it.
"You know damn well none of that is true! I have paid for those sins! You would have never made it to Hikari! You would have died too, Asuka!" she went pale instantly. I put her fist down and go back to driving.
A/N- That… was actually sad, even for me. So, what are these new monsters? How will Shinji, Gahiji and Sam fight them? Find out on the next chapter; Broken, until then, keep on keepin' on!