Japanese words:
Shihan -martial arts instructor.
Itadakimasu - let's eat; an expression said before eating a meal
Chapter 05
02.08.2008
It was a very hungry group of teenagers that left the gym after the grown-ups' 'experiment.'
Ikari Shinji and Horaki Hikari absently fell into step behind the two female pilots and eventually got caught up in conversation. They looked up at the food vendor's sign when the redhead stopped and asked at the same time, "Ramen? Asuka?"
But Rei and Asuka were already seated and scanning the menu. Shinji and Hikari exchanged looks, then shrugged.
"How does she know this place, Ikari-kun?"
"We've been here twice before, they make a mean garlic-tofu-vegie ramen." Shinji answered, "The first time the three of us ate here was with Misato-san right after a fight with an angel. And I was here with Asuka two weeks ago." Shinji laughed and gave Hikari an embarrassed look.
"Like a date?" She elbowed him in the ribs.
"Well... ehe... ehe... she was watching one of those american soap dishes..."
"Soap operas."
"Yeah, and suddenly wanted to go out. She got all dressed up and wouldn't touch anything I cooked so I brought her here. It was the first time we left the apartment."
They sat down beside the two girls, scanned the menu and ordered. While they waited for their food Hikari decided this was a good time to be the best friend that she was and make sure Shinji had honorable intentions towards Asuka. If he didn't, then she had something to say about that. Or more precisely, she'd beat the crap out of him if he made her cry.
Though she supposed when all was said and done, it was Ikari-kun Asuka was going to make cry. Ah well, that was beside the point. Asuka was throwing herself at him and clearly if they didn't figure out why there would be hell to pay when she got her memory back. Um, hell for Ikari-kun, that is. Poor guy.
"Sooo, Ikari-kun, may I ask you something?" A strange look was on Hikari's face and it gave Shinji the willies and almost made him lose his appetite. Almost, because the fresh bowl of ramen the cook handed to Asuka just happened to be steaming his way, and when the mouth-watering scent hit his nostrils it made his stomach realize that only acid was swishing emptily around in it .
Hikari's next words, however, drowned out his stomach's audible rumblings.
"Ikari-kun, why do you think Asuka is acting this way?"
Let's face it, Hikari thought, the blunt attack was the way to go if one was to surprise some honest answers out of the unsuspecting victim.
"I-I... I honestly don't know."
Okay, that sounded honest and 'cheerfully depressed.'
"Do you promise not to hurt her?"
"Of course I don't want to hurt her!"
That was quick. Indignant even.
"You do know what she's going to do to you when her memories come back, right?"
"I try not to think about it."
Resigned. Ah well, we all know what's going to happen when she returns to normal. Heck, we're all probably looking forward to it.
"Just so we're clear. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Okay."
Hikari covertly studied a confused Shinji absently playing with his wontons. She decided there really wasn't anything she could add that he didn't already know.
Except maybe her conclusions that Asuka really did like him.
Should she tell him that? Yes.
And betray her friend? No.
Oh well.
"Ikari-kun, don't play with your wontons. Itadakimasu!"
x
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Ayanami Rei sat alone in the locker room, the same one that blew up weeks ago and thus was the direct cause of all of Ayanami Rei's current problems. And Ayanami Rei shouldn't have problems, she mused. Which was part of the problem, because Ayanami Rei didn't muse. Che.
Today's session with Shihan was particularly harsh. Building upper body strength she called it and involved pull-ups and a lit flame. She thought she fared well but couldn't say the same for Ikari-kun. She poked her index finger in her ear. Yes, the right one was still a bit deaf from his screams.
Shihan had always been strict with the three of them. But lately, with Pilot Soryu indisposed, she was being extremely severe.
Yes, Ayanami Rei, First Child, sitting alone in the locker room still somewhat deaf, was quite tired and confused; but not from any sort of physical training. Yes, her muscles were aching with fatigue. Yes, she had a few scorch marks that stung. But no, that wasn't the part of her body that was most tired. The part that was tired the most was her face.
Ayanami Rei was tired of smiling. Why? Because Ayanami Rei did not smile. That much. Oh sure maybe a little upturn of that corner area of the lip when Ikari-kun was being particularly cute and reminded her of the Commander but never those large ear to ear things that split the face and reached the eyes.
Seventeen muscles used to smile. To think she did it more than once, in less than an hour. No wonder she was tired. Che.
Then there was confused; the result of too much smiling. Obviously, trying to 'broaden her horizons' and 'fit in' was more easily ordered than done. She had read 'Real Girl, Real World' from cover to cover and nowhere did it discuss dealing with sudden outpouring of emotion secondary to responding to hostile-gone-flaky colleagues who did not know when to stop!
She had already rejected Pilot Soryu's overtures of friendship once before. Back then when her days were full of Angels and the Commander. She just hadn't seen the point. Besides, she hadn't been ordered to.
Now everything was different. She had been given the choice to live and Ayanami Rei had taken it. Ikari Gendo had promised to help and guide her. It seemed a simple enough plan. He had said that the best way to learn about the world was to read, to people watch, and to start with the pilots. Ayanami Rei threaded her fingers together, put an elbow on either knee, and pitched her voice low, "Rei, you will learn much about people, through what they say and don't say. Study those two."
So she did. Or at least she tried to. Which brought her back to where she started. Tired and confused.
"Ayanami?" Ikari-kun knocked on the door and peeked in, "Misato-san says Dr. Akagi needs us at her office." He smiled at her absently, then when she didn't answer added helpfully, "Do you want me to wait for you?"
Ikari-kun is very nice. He has come a long way from that sad and introverted boy who used to blame his father for his troubles and yet could not decide whether he loved or hated him.
His biggest problem right now was the Second. And his feelings for her. Or rather, her feelings for him.
"Ikari-kun, do your best." She gave him a thumbs up and her usual dead-pan expression.
In answer, Ikari-kun gave Ayanami Rei a strange look, and an equally strange, cryptic, and impossible to interpret response. "Huh?"
And although she was tired Ayanami Rei smiled. Why?
Because she was confused. Che.