Chapter 3

Shinji didn't see Rei for the rest of the week. Kensuke brought Shinji's homework on Wednesday, and Misato actually ran it over herself on Thursday and Friday.

Saturday morning, Shinji got up and walked into the kitchen feeling anxious. He still hadn't heard one word about Rei, except that Misato had said that Rei hadn't come to school at all Wednesday or Thursday. Shinji became even more worried when he had heard this.

Gendao walked into the kitchen and straight over to the coffee pot. After taking a few sips of his coffee, he seemed to finally notice that Shinji was standing there.

"Good to see you up and about," he said

"It's good to be up and about again," Shinji replied.

"Your head is feeling better, I take it?" Gendao asked.

"Completely healed," Shinji said.

"Then you inherited your father's thick head, as well his looks," Yui said as she walked in.

"You'll want to go to the prom tonight then, I assume?" Gendao asked, ignoring his wife.

"Yes," Shinji answered.

Inwardly, though, Shinji wasn't too sure he really did want to go anymore. What he really wanted to do was to go and see Rei. He had asked Misato where Rei lived, and she had given Shinji the address of Rei's apartment.

"I thought as much," Gendao said, "I took the liberty of getting you a tux. I took the measurements from one of your suits from last year and added a couple of inches to allow for growth. It's just a standard black suit with a white shirt and black tie, but it should serve your purposes."

"Thanks, dad," Shinji said, and went to change for the day. He pulled on a pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt.

"I'm going out for a while, OK?" Shinji called as he headed for the door.

"Okay, dear," Yui called back, "Just don't be out too long. You need to be back in time to change, remember."

"I will," Shinji yelled.

As he closed the door, Shinji rolled his eyes.

Parents, he thought.

The morning sun felt good on Shinji's face. He was glad to be back out in the world after being cooped up in his house for four days. The warm sunlight eased some of his anxieties. Shinji turned his head at the sound of running footfalls. It was Asuka, out for a morning run.

Duh, Shinji thought, Of course she'd be out running, she's on the school's cross-country team.

Asuka was wearing a white athletic bra and short red workout shorts. Despite her long, slightly lanky physique, Asuka had a decently curvy and very attractive figure. All of the boys in school hit on her.

"Guten morgan, Shinji," she called, then crossed the road and walked next to him.

"'Morning," Shinji replied, trying not to stare at her chest, which was soaked in sweat.

"Where are you headed?" Asuka asked.

"Dunno," Shinji lied, "Just around, I guess."

"Want to come over to my place for breakfast?" Asuka asked, "My host parents are away for the weekend, but if you come over, I might be able to cook you up something...nice?"

As Asuka added the last bit, she playfully traced her fingers between her breasts. Shinji subconsciously followed the motion of her hands and found himself staring at her tits, which were perky from the contact she was making with them. She was flirting with him again, and Shinji knew it. It was a tempting offer, to be sure, but Shinji was not to be deterred. He decided to go for the gentle brush-off.

"Can I take a rain check on that, Asuka?" Shinji asked.

"Anytime, stud," Asuka replied with a wink, "So, I guess I'll see you tonight, then?"

"Tonight?" Shinji asked.

"Prom?" Asuka said, "Ringing any bells up there?"

"Yeah! Yeah," Shinji said absent-mindedly, "Tonight, yeah. See you."

Shinji hurried down the street. As it turned out, he found he was headed towards the school. He came to a plain-looking apartment building that was a scant two blocks from the school. Shinji realized that he walked past this very building every morning as he walked to school.

So this is where Rei lives, Shinji thought.

The front door of the building was unlocked, so Shinji let himself in. Rei's apartment was on the fourth floor, apartment number four-oh-two. Shinji took the elevator up to the floor and made his way down the hall to Rei's door.

He hesitated briefly, and then knocked on the door. There was no answer. Shinji knocked again. Still there was no answer. Shinji tried the knob, and found it unlocked.

Strange, Shinji thought, why would she leave her door unlocked? Unless… Perhaps she was expecting someone?

Shinji quietly opened the door a crack and peeked inside. The apartment's main room had only simple furnishings: A fold-out daybed, a chest of drawers, and a small vanity stand with a mirror. The bed was currently folded out into its bed mode, and there was someone in it! Rei was still in bed.

Good, Shinji thought, At least she's still here where I can talk to her. I need to know what happened Tuesday afternoon.

"What are you doing here?" came a woman's voice from behind Shinji.

"Ah!" Shinji gasped, "Miss Katsuragi, you scared me."

"What are you doing here?" Misato asked again, "Are you spying on her?"

"No!" Shinji said instantly, "No, I-I just came over to see how she was doing. Tuesday, after she dropped off my homework, she left very abruptly, like she was scared or something."

"Don't worry about it, Shinji," Misato said, "As Rei's legal guardian, it's my job to help her deal with whatever issues she may have. She'll see you tonight at the prom, 'kay?"

"Okay," Shinji said reluctantly. It was clear that he was not wanted here, so he decided to respect Misato's wishes and leave. He turned around and headed for the elevator.

Before he even reached for the call button, Shinji heard a scream come from Rei's apartment. Shinji didn't hesitate. He turned right around and sprinted back down the hallway to Rei's apartment. He burst through the door to find Misato trying to forcibly restrain a thrashing Rei.

"You!" Misato shouted, "Whatever you said or did on Tuesday did this! Every time I mention your name she goes into hysterics like this! What did you do to her?!"

"Nothing," Shinji said.

"Bullshit!" Misato shouted, still struggling with Rei, "Now tell me the truth!"

"All right!" Shinji admitted, "I kissed her, OK? I kissed her and I meant it. I love her. I wanted to show it. But she freaked out and ran away from me. That's why I'm here today: to find out why."

"She's unaccustomed to feeling things," Misato said, "After her parents died, Rei did her best to shut everyone else out so that she wouldn't feel loss when someone left her again. Now she feels almost nothing. When she encounters a strong emotion, it confuses her. Love, hate, fear, these are all alien to her. If it were me, and I were feeling something that I didn't understand, but was definitely feeling it strongly, I'd be freaking out, too."

"Then leave her to me, Miss Katsuragi," Shinji said bravely, "If this is my doing, then I'll help undo it. Let go of her and leave the room."

"Hell no!" Misato said stubbornly.

"Please!" Shinji pleaded.

"All right," Misato said hesitantly, "but I'll be right outside the door."

Misato walked out of the apartment and closed the door. Shinji took a deep, calming breath and turned to face the now still Rei. She seemed to be in a state of shock at actually seeing Shinji in her home.

"Shinji?" she whispered, staring at him.

"Yes, Rei," Shinji replied gently, "I'm here, it's okay."

"It's not okay!" Rei cried, "I'm not okay! I'm so confused! I'm confused about what I feel every time I think of you! It makes me uneasy!"

Shinji took a couple of slow steps toward Rei. Rei saw him moving towards her and shrank back against the wall. Huddling there in her pajamas, Rei looked like a frightened child.

"Stay away from me!" she shouted, tears forming in her dark eyes. The sight of tears in her beautiful eyes made Shinji's heart wrench with pain. He never wanted to see tears in her eyes.

"I'm not going to hurt you Rei," Shinji said, even more gently than before, still walking towards her, "It's okay to feel things, Rei. I feel things all the time. I won't say all of them are nice or good, but when I'm near you, all of the bad things don't matter. I can help you, if you'll let me. May I help you?"

Shinji was now right next to Rei's huddled form. He knelt down next to her and slowly extended his hand to her. At first, Rei tried to shrink further away.

"Rei," Shinji said, softly and gently, "I love you very much. I have for a long time. You feel it, too, even though you don't fully understand it, yet. I know you feel it."

He paused.

"Take my hand, Rei," Shinji said, "Let me help you."

Ever so slowly, Rei reached out a shaking, delicate hand. Shinji held his still and waited for Rei to reach out to him. Slowly, her hand touched his. Still he waited. He was waiting for her to take his hand in her own, not just touch it.

Suddenly, Rei collapsed weeping into Shinji's arms. These were no tears of pain or sorrow. Tese were tears of an ecstacy that Rei felt overwhelmed by. Between sobs, she described how she was feeling to Shinji. Shinji just held her gently and lightly stroked the back of her head.

"That's how love feels, Rei," Shinji said gently, after Rei had finished, "It's that wonderful, terrible, all-consuming feeling that makes us who we are."

"Shinji?" Rei asked quietly.

"Yes, Rei?"

"Do you really love me?" she asked.

"Of course I do," Shinji repiled with a warm smile.

"Will you kiss me again?" Rei asked quietly, "Please?"

"Yes, Rei. Anything you wish."

Outside the door, Misato had heard the screaming, the crying, and now she heard silence. She was concerned, so she opened the door a crack to peek in. When she looked, she saw Shinji holding Rei and gently, tenderly kissing her lips. Misato quietly closed the door and smiled.

"Good job, Shinji," she said quietly.