CONCERT

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone from the Eva series.

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Asuka was sore. The last couple days had been exhausting. Test after test, all on stuff she had done before. One little mistake, and she was right back doing them again. She hadn't been out of NERV all weekend.

29 hours! 29 HOURS in LCL. And almost in a row! If it wasn't for that training simulation with Rei I would have been bored out of my mind! AND I WILL BEAT YOU, WONDERBITCH! And to make matters worse I've got more tests this afternoon.

The concert had been on Friday night, and then her tests had been all Saturday and Sunday. She had actually been given a small place to sleep at NERV so that she could go right back to her tests. She then went to school Monday morning, after Misato had gotten her up to cook breakfast.

At least I get to see a friendly face. She grinned as she got to class.

"Hey, Hikari." she said.

"Oh, hello, Ms Sohryu." the class rep said, then turned to wave at the other students arriving.

"'Ms Sohryu'? Hikari are you alright?"

"Absolutely, Ms Sohryu. I'm glad to see you could attend. Now please take your seat."

Don't tell me she's mad at me for what I did to Shinji? Well, duh! What were you expecting? She found out you were using her as an accomplice for the concert. It's not like I meant to, it just, kinda, Who are you trying to fool, yourself or me? Just who the hell are you? Your conscious, dummy. That little person inside your mind who you've been ignoring for the last few months since you got to Japan. Actually...you've been ignoring me the last couple of years, during college, am I right? Great now I'm going insane. Actually you've been that was for months.

"SHUT UP!" she shouted.

Everyone turned to look at her and she immediately shut up.

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Lunch time came quickly and Asuka went to find Hikari. If anything she needed to know where she stood with her best friend.

"Hikari what's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Oh, I don't know, Ms Sohryu, let me think. Could it be perhaps you used, lied to, manipulated, and hurt one of the sweetest, nicest boys in this school for your own personal gain? Could it be the fact that you showed absolutely no regard to the fact that he spent six hours standing in line to get those last two tickets, and spent five months of his own allowance on them?"

"Well it's not like he spends his money on anything else." she said offhandedly.

"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" Hikari shouted. "The point is, he liked you Asuka, and he did all that just so he could spend some time with you doing something you like! He doesn't even like Rams-head! He likes classical music."

"I didn't know he... wait. How do you know he likes classical music?"

"I Asked Him!"

"When?"

"Saturday morning. I came by to see how he was doing."

"You went to see him? Why?"

"I was concerned for Shinji's health, after all those beers he drank."

"It's his own fault."

"It's Your Fault!" she shouted again. "He didn't care about the money, Asuka. Or all the time he spent waiting to get those tickets. He just wanted to do something nice for you. Something special. But you couldn't see that could you? No, your own personal needs got in the way."

Hikari was fuming now and she stood up from the table. However, she paused for just a minute.

"Asuka, I'm still your friend, but what you did was wrong. I just...I just need a little time away from you right now."

"So you're trading me over for the baka."

"I'm not trading you, Asuka, and he's not a baka. He's kind, and sweet, and considerate of others." she said, then decided to add something else. "And he's a good kisser too."

"What? You kissed him?" the shocked girl asked.

"Actually he kissed me."

Asuka's lip was trembling at that. "He...kissed...you? That's impossible."

"Well, it would have been, if he hadn't drunken all those beers."

Asuka pounced on that. "AH-HA! So he was drunk! That's the only reason he kissed you."

"At least it wasn't out of boredom!" Hikari spat back, not liking the inference.

"What? He...he told you about that?"

"Yes, Asuka, he did. And you know what? He said I was pretty." she blushed at that. "He actually said I was...pretty."

"Hikari, he was drunk!" she protested.

"That doesn't mean he wasn't honest!" she shot back. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to go. I've got a date to prepare for."

"A date? With whom?"

"Who do you think?"

"SHINJI?"

"Yes. We're doing a report on Mozart and he's coming over tonight."

A study-date.

"Maybe dinner too. At least he could appreciate my cooking, unlike Toji who just eats." she mumbled the last part. "I'll see you later, Asuka."

With that, the class rep left the German firebrand to muse. She was having an internal debate with herself that was so intense she failed to hear the bell sound calling students back to class.

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Authors Notes:

Well, well? What did you think? Think it was enough of a tongue-lashing for Asuka? I felt it was good, considering I kept in mind that I didn't want the pair to not be friends anymore. They are still friends, I just thought they needed a little time off from each other.

Read the next chapter, which will be a flashback to the weekend to see what happened while Asuka was at NERV.