Hi everybody!
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE STARTING!
So ... It's been quite a while, right? Over a month, almost two ...
I should begin with the deepest apology I can give you, especially for not giving a warning nor telling you when and if I would've returned.
I'm really sorry for that, but the fact is that I had to face the most unexpected and painful things recently, that totally sent me into a spiral of pressure and inner turmoil, draining all of my strength away.
Now, before any of you gets the wrong idea, NOTHING THAT SERIOUS happened, no sicknesses, no accidents, everyone is fine, and no permanent damage has occurred.
But sadly, sometimes it can happen that you go through those moments when the greatest pressure makes you feel lost, as there are bigger issues you have to deal with in your life, that make you reconsider most of your approach to it, and to everything else.
This constant doubting took so much on me, I ended up feeling trapped in a no-way-out kinda of situation, where each time I tried to stand up again, soon I feel back down in a matter of few moments.
And of course it influenced my writing too, as I fought hard with my mind and soul to restart working, but each time I found myself too distracted and tired, only focusing on my troubles.
But despite it, I still managed to remind myself how much I wanted to return, and that the interest for this story was still there, after all; and I can see it grew a bit more, despite anything, at least according to the new favs and followers.
And knowing this will always make me do anything to avoid falling back again, and always give my best to bring the result home for sure!
So really, I can't say anything else but SORRY again folks, and THANKS for everything!
But if I managed to somehow regain my balance, the characters are still struggling a bit more with their own.
How will it evolve? Let's see, and please, READ ALSO THE NOTES AT THE END!
Chapter 17
"Oh darling, thanks for finding her!", Miss Suzuhara let out, her bright eyes going from her husband to their guest.
"Sure, honey! But actually, it was almost casual they way I did it!", the doctor replied, bringing a hand behind the back of his head, while giving his wife his typical grin.
His words caused more surprise in the other ladies, as they looked strangely at him before eyeing altogether their younger colleague, who in turn redirected her signature blankness at them.
Though, this time, her facial features contracted more than usual, as she spoke with a lower tone.
"I'm truly sorry for having made you wait ... And probably make you waste all of your time"
And as she observed their reactions, the bluehead felt another sensation of slight surprise, in watching how bigger the confusion adorning their speechless faces was becoming.
"... Oh, it's you we're worried about, dear!"
Somehow, despite the logic of that answer, Rei still felt like something was quite out of place.
"I ... I didn't mean to cause that. It was a big oversight, on my part, and I know I should've been more careful"
"... We were just fearing you had wandered who-knows-where, and something bad happened!", one of them pointed out.
"I told you things are fine, Miss!", Toji let out, still maintaining his reassuring smile.
"No, Suzuhara-san, I cannot let it slide", was the statuary remark from the girl, that actually sent unexpected chilling shivers down everybody's skins.
"Just, what happened to you, Miss?", Hikari asked, eyeing her in more confusion.
But as soon as she turned towards her to answer, the bluehead herself felt like her throat was suddenly empty of every possibile word, despite clearly having them on her mind.
And so she stood like that, her mouth still slightly agape, and her red irises wandering away, without her even noticing it; the others did, though, and it just made them lean closer, wanting to hear her answer just as much as she wanted to give it.
'I ... Why? I know the answer, so Why?', was the new set of words the bluehead could hear forming in her brain, but still remaining there.
"Well, you see, the fact is she was just ... invested in something else, for a change", was the actual answer that Suzuhara-san took charge of giving, instead.
Now everyone's sight was fixed on him again, making the girl feel another unexpected, and somehow heavier sensation on her skin, as she eyed the tall man with an expression that seemed to say he was doing something ... "wrong".
"And she wasn't exactly doing it alone. Our Major just happened to have requested her presence", the doctor continued, eliciting another set of surprised blinks from all of the ladies.
No more words were said, and Rei could only resume her waiting, observing how they were still looking at her ... and somehow she felt that could be "wrong" too.
And without any of them speaking more, it also became more unexpected and strange.
"Oh", was the surprised exclamation one of them released, still keeping her stare on her ... before shifiting it over her and the doctor's backs, making them turn there too.
Right where other two familiar figures she didn't think would've seen again so soon, and that were instead approaching them, apparently not looking at her the same way, as their heads were both lowered towards the ground.
Their steps echoed heavily the more they came closer, and it was then that they actually took a glance up, stopping at the same time.
Their looks carried some sort of surprise, just like the ones the ladies had showed 'til then ... but even now, something looked even more out of place, to the clone ... if not more.
Though this time that feeling was interrupted very soon, as the other two teens soon reprised their walk, the redhead one now sporting her typical seriousness, while the boy was assuming a more neutral look (although still quite strange, Rei noticed to herself).
"Asuka? ... Did you take Miss LookALike with you?", Hikari suddenly asked, as soon as her former classmated stopped right in front of them.
Rei could sense a small release of air through her nostrils, before she gave her answer.
"... As a matter of fact, yes. But it lasted way more than intended", the officer replied, turning her glance towards the other teen girl, who in turn felt her whole body going more rigid.
"Oh, was it for something important?", one of the ladies asked.
"... Nothing serious, really. But like I said, I should've been more careful of ..."
"Major", was the sudden, quiet interruption that made Asuka stop, and return to quizzically stare at her former colleague.
"You don't have to take that responsibility. It was my duty to return on time", the bluehead reprised.
"... But I allowed you to come with me, and then I was the one who kept you listening. So have me take my share of it, Miss", the redhead let out again calmly.
'At least you, let me have it', was the cold thought that soon followed her words, while her eye stole a quick glance at the already nervous Baka beside her, whose forehead was already getting more humid, anticipating his growing alert for the others' reactions.
"Listening?", another one of the ladies, the only middle-aged looking one, asked again.
"Yeah, we were having our break together ... and, well ...", the Major restarted again, though now even she was hit by the unwanted realization of not knowing how to go on.
"... So, it's just that?", another, older lady said, also releasing a more reassured smile.
"... Yes, just that. But again, I should've remembered too that she had to go back sooner to you, and I apologize for that", Asuka concluded, also giving a small bow to affirm more that.
"... Oh please, don't you too, dear! At least, it really wasn't nothing serious!", the older lady said back, now planting more that smile on her face, alongside the rest of the ladies, plus Toji.
The three teens, instead, maintained their own expressions, with Asuka giving another small nod, before taking a step further.
"Then, if you don't mind, now it's my turn to get back to work, too", she let out, making the group separate into two halves to let her reach the ladder of the platform.
As she started to climb it, hearing the last salutes from the others, she silently proceeded, 'til she was half way through it.
It lasted for about a blink of an eye, but it was enough to take her last glance at the group, and at the silent girl in the black plugsuit, who in return gave her back her usual blank stare ... and finally at the boy, whose shaky eyes she was sure to still see ... or at least, that's what she assured herself was happening, on his face.
One last stern eye, and she finished her climbing.
It was the blink of an eye, but he had clearly seen her turn her head to look down at the mone last time.
A small echo made him wish he had made even just a small wave, before she reprised her climbing, but most of his reasoning had him stay still as he should've ...
"Oh, by the way, here's what you left, boy!", the voice of the middle-aged woman said again, making him look where she was lowering herself towards the platform's base.
And as she raised again, now with two specific items in her hands, he released a very soft, but still painful gulp; he eyed them with a more rigig look, that he knew was on the verge of collapsing sooner than later, as his limbs petrified too in anticipation of any other reaction ... that never came.
"... T-Thanks", he said, also giving a small bow.
Then, silence reigned once more around them, and he took another set of mute glances at each of the others' faces, 'til he rested his sight on that of his other companion.
'Ikari ...', she started, but again, it was just her mind ... Why just her mind?
"Well ... Better if I go take this back home, then. Ladies ...", the boy suddenly said again, breaking her from her rigid thinking, as he bowed again to salute everyone one last time.
"... Take care, Miss", he said.
His eyes ... his tone ... it really seemed like she had never felt that before. Not like that, for sure ...
But before she could even make a new thought about that, he was already on his way, going to finish his job.
... Like she had to, after all.
"So ... Can we resume our work, then?", was the quiet question the ladies heard, making them turn with another surprised series of blinks towards the girl, who now had totally resumed her typical pose and attitude.
"... Sure, dear ... If you feel like you can", the older lady said, her eyes looking quite unsure at her.
"Of course I can", was the immediate reply from her cold tone, which seemed to put a definitive stop to every other comment.
"Mr. Suzuhara, thanks for having come to take me back. And Mrs. Suzuhara, sorry again for the worry I caused. I'll be sure to be home on time, later"
The married couple looked speechless too, apparently unable to let out what they wanted to.
Why were they like that, too?
"Sure, Miss ... But you don't have to worry about that, either", Hikari finally said, allowing a half-smile to form before the clone's face.
"I told you, it's not obligatory to continue ...", her husband added, offering a similar smile, while his right hand started to scratch unsurely his head.
"But I don't have any reason to stop. So, better let's go and do that for sure."
He didn't know why he was keeping his eyes fixed on the basket, as if he wanted to check its content.
Of course the fish was still there, they didn't have any reason to take it.
They had those to actually make sure Ayanami would've resumed her job straight away.
A chilling breeze seemed to hit the skin under his clothes, despite the clear warmness in the air, and so he hurried his steps up the hill.
'Poor Ayanami ... I'm sure she didn't mean to do that ... Hope they'll spare her further reprimands'
And as he finished that, an immediate realization followed without him even wanting to formulate it ...
'But what ... What am I supposed to do now, then?'
For once, he had actually gained a good amount of time, before he could start to make dinner.
... But what did it mean, really?
He stopped walking, and had his body turn slightly, finding himself looking back down at the village's streets and houses, where everyone else was still occupied.
The more he observed it, the more he felt the need to imitate what his girl had done just a few moments before, at the platform.
And so he turned his sight right where he knew it stood, even though he couldn't see it ... and where he also knew he couldn't just go back.
Asuka too had already been distracted enough.
'How Unfair ...'
His gaze turned into his apologetic shade, and he kept it fixed on the houses, as if he was actually staring back at a full person, in front of him.
And not just any person, of course.
"How could I tell her to just do her things, when I'm the one already done with them? ...'
The grip on the basket and pole grew slightly stronger.
'They're gonna think bad the same, then ... Why do I have to be the only one like this, now?'
As he imagined all sort of possible outcomes derived by that situation, he also managed to think about just putting them behind his back by staying inside of the house, and just wait 'til dinner time.
... But would that have worked, either?
He of course knew how to do that ... But then again, it wasn't exactly like he could feel "busy", by doing that; he didn't even have his SDAT anymore.
'Idiot ... If they have to reprimand someone, then it's only You, Ikari', his voice echoed to himself.
He just had nothing ...
Well, aside from the pole and the basket to put away.
So he soon resumed his walk, forcing his head to look straight up, totally focused on reaching the house.
And as he entered it, he briefly stopped to take it the full emptiness of the space.
So, he really just had to focus on nothing but the moment when it wouldn't have been so empty anymore?
His stare fell on the wooden barrier that was supposed to cover him and his beloved darling during their intimate time ...
He kept on looking at it all the way through the house, 'til he stopped right in front of the kitchen table, to finally put on it the items he held.
The barrier was still perfectly there ... and it would've probably been perfect even just for himself to use, then.
"Shinji? Hey there, Shinji!"
His head jerked slightly down with a small gasp, before he allowed his startled body to turn behind, and so find the shape of Ryoji standing right on the doorsteps, waving brightly at him.
"Oh, ehy Ryoji", he quietly let out after a few more silent moments.
"Hi! ... Everything okay?", the purple haired teen asked, letting small gasps out while re-catching his breath.
"Err, yes ... What about you? ... You're in a hurry, it seems?", the Ikari boy asked unsurely. He also noticed how, instead of his KREDIT uniform, he was wearing more casual clothes, or rather a light grey shirt, dark green short-trousers, and dark brown boots.
"Not really. Actually, I saw you coming here, and decided to come too", he said, causing Shinji to feel a stranger sense of nervousness.
"For what? ... Something happened?"
"... Well, you can say it has, 'cause I found it!", the other boy replied, now sporting a mix of happiness and pride on his newly formed grin.
But seeing only a questioning look, he quickened to explain with "I found my own spot!"
Shinji kept his confused stare on him, before another shade hit his eyes, showing his understanding, and also the surprise about it.
"Oh, that's great!", he commented, as his lips started to slowly, and unknowingly, turn upwards.
"You can say that! So, I wanted to know if you wanna come and see it, even now?", was the next question from Ryoji.
And that made Shinji's lips turn backwards again.
"... I ... Well, I ..."
His look shifted towards the floor, as his lips mumbled something the other boy couldn't really understand, but that made his eyebrows slightly frown.
"If you're still busy, we can do another time"
Shinji still kept his silent stare on the ground.
Despite the heaviness he was sensing in his brain, he kept it at bau while trying everything to find the quicker and better answer to give him.
... And it came out almost immediately.
"Well, I'm not busy anymore, for today ... Just let me put the fish out, and I'll be with you soon"
"Cool!", was the simple, grinning reply, alongside two happy thumbs up.
As Shinji took a look around the grass fields surrounding the path they were on, he also took in how vast enough they looked, especially under the afternoon light.
And it was actually making him feel again another sense of emptiness, but not like at Kensuke's house ... it was the kind that was actually making him feel lighter.
Not unlike the one he felt at the ruins while fishing ... No, it wasn't like that either in the end, but still ... he was definitely accepting it way more than expected.
"Was it that hard to find?", he asked to the boy walking in front of him, while still admiring the grassy area around.
"Well, to tell you the truth, in the end it was a pretty evident one to find!", Ryoji explained.
And somehow, his words added more pleasure to Shinji, as his eyes kept on discovering the new zone with much more interest.
That was 'til a tiny sensation of familiarity hit his brain's nerves.
"Say ... Aren't we going towards the AT-Field Barrier?", he suddenly asked, his voice mixing calmness with an inch of growing nervousness.
"We'll stop at about half-way before it", was the reply that again allowed Shinji to feel more reassured, as he nodded to himself, and also put a mental note to further immortalize that precise area in his mind.
Probably at that moment every, single one of the villagers had their business back there.
Turning to look at the other boy walking ahead of him, a new blow of the wind seemed to hit Shinji to the point that his whole skin felt more relaxed, as he kind of started to take notice also of the ongoing movement of his body, in following him: after all, he was technically going to do something, instead of just nothing.
His eyes started to shake in a more lighter way, as he fixed them on the other teen's shape; he definitely had to thank him, for having come to him ... Right.
It was mostly for Ryoji's business he was there, now ... and from the look of it, it didn't seem like he needed any help. Actually, he had already done that, and he was just to see ...
So, still nothing to really do, technically.
That quietness stopped to be as blissful as before, then, as he took away his gaze ... but he still managed to notice Ryoji's sudden decision to take a turn towards his right.
Without inquiring, Shinji just followed, and to his surprise they found themselves proceeding straight on the green field, right towards its western limit, or at least that was what Ryoji seemed to be directed to.
The more they kept on, the more he seemed more satisfied, while all Shinji felt to do was turning his head behind again, to take notice of the other bit of distance they were putting between themselves, the path and all the other directions it lead to.
"And ... here we are!", was the sudden call that made the Ikari boy stop again and look where the taller boy was waving his arm at.
It was at least twenty steps away, an unexpected sight that was marking in the most effective way that precise spot: five medium-sized trees, all next to each other, looking like a small piece of woods.
"What do you think?", Ryoji asked again, prompting Shinji to look back at him, and then again at the unexpected view before them.
"... Well, it seems really nice", he let out naturally.
'More than nice', a mental echo replied, causing him to fix more his stare there; under the afternoon sunrays, the boy could still take in the impressive spectacle offered by what was probably the most distinctive mark of all: small flowers with the whitest petals, numerous enough to cover all the branches.
"But how come they are here? I sure never noticed them, before", he said again, actually feeling like making a few more steps towards them, but still maintaining his position.
"They've always been here. They grew on their own, even before people started to come here. That's when probably they started to chop off the rest, leaving the younger ones", was the next explanation Ryoji offered.
Once he was finished talking, he made the first move towards them, prompting Shinji to do the same, and soon they were right under them, even though the former Pilot took another step closer to see them more carefully, resulting in his eyes being more invested by the splendor of the whiteness covering the branches.
"Do you know what kind they are?", Ryoji asked.
Not breaking his stare, Shinji's brain took charge of thinking about the answer, allowing him to use both the eyes of the mind and the body at the same time, and so actually sense a possible string of familiarity with them.
"... I think ... Yeah, I think I may have already seen them. Maybe in a picture, or even ... And the name ... it's ... Let's see, it's ..."
"Ume!", was the excited answer he got from the still grinning Ryoji, to which he just nodded in agreement.
"More precisely, this is the "Yabai" variation, or rather the "Wild Ume", the purple haired teen clarified, "They're original of China, but were then brought and made grow in Japan, too. It was quite difficult, after the Impacts, to actually conserve them, 'cause they grew around January, when it was still a cold season"
"... You mean ... they used some artificial "upgrade", to make them adapt?", Shinji asked, now eyeing the trees with a stranger look.
"No idea. But it hasn't affected people in any way, so I guess it's okay", the taller boy replied while shrugging.
Shinji returned to focus on the white petals adorning the branches, and the more his eyes dived into their whiteness, the more he found they didn't look any badder nor stranger, actually.
"But wait ... Then it means this is not a totally unknown spot. Didn't you want a more private area?", the former Third Child asked, now showing some insecurity in his stare and tone of voice.
"Well, nobody really comes here anyway. Like I said, I suppose they prefer to leave these young ones on their own", his companion replied again, while nodding at the plants, "As the last of their kind, in this area, it's only better to let them keeping on like this, alone"
For some reasons, Shinji felt like those last words were hitting him more than they should've.
"And in fact, I'm not interested in them. But it just happens that, by observing them, I also found the opportunity I was looking for. Just go there", Ryoji said again, also bringing his left arm up, and rotating his hand to show Shinji how to move.
He just did that, and started to slowly circle around the small bunch of woods, giving it also another glance to further admire the candid petals.
Shortly after that, he was on the opposite side from before, and so he noticed another small downhill, where he blinked at the sight of an already built squared fence.
"See? Seems pretty good, right?", came the voice of Ryoji from behind, as he approached him while proudly putting his hands on his hips, "It's a first step, but it should help me set things straight"
"... You can say it", the Ikari boy could only reply, smiling himself.
Turning his head back to look at the trees again, and then back at the fence, he could just feel this was just a perfect job.
"And what do you plan to grow?"
"Still thinking about it. I haven't forgot about your tip though, ya know?", the taller boy replied while hitting slightly hard the other one's side with his elbow, smirking.
"This ground is perfect to grow various kind of things, anyway. I'll start with something very small, and see if I can actually manage it on my own"
"Right", Shinji nodded in approval, returning to look at the already built fence, "And you already put that on?"
'... I could've helped, maybe', his mind added, releasing a new shade of displeasure.
"I preferred to put things straight sooner than later. Mark it for me, and for others too"
"... Right", he simply repeated.
Now the displeasure coming from his mind was starting to make all of his body heavier than usual, causing his limbs to start feeling a melanchonic sense of falling down ... but a small force still ran through his flesh, making him ask ...
"Can I see how the ground is?"
"Sure, be my guest!"
Both went straight to the fence, and Shinji took another small time to actually admire also Ryoji's other apparent masterfulness, in having put it on: compared to their "Barrier of Privacy" back at Kensuke's, it was just neater and better worked, but of course it was because he sure had taken more time than just one afternoon, like Asuka had.
"Took a while to put this on, too, but thankfully some logs were already available", he heard him say, as he climbed on one of said logs to enter the small space.
The former Pilot preferred to simply lower under it, and then immediately kneel on the ground, already cleaned of the grass, starting to taste it with his fingers.
"Mmm ... I think you made a very good choice", he said, hoping he was correct, as he remembered the way the other teen had taught him to check the earth.
'Indeed ... A perfect choice'
"I wonder where I could find something similar, but also isolated", he then let out, before his mind seemed to reprimand him for having done that.
"Well, it shouldn't be impossible ... Where did you look?"
But no and no movement came from the crouched and totally immovable boy; maybe he was just trying to remember the places he had already checked, but somehow Ryoji was starting to sense also a strange feeling of tension ...
"I ... Well, I went over the rice fields: going a bit further, there's this very big space ... I think it would suit well, for a field"
"Uh?", Ryoji asked surprised, "... You talk like you want to put on a whole one"
"... N-No, I mean one big enough to grow ... what I need", was the somewhat shaky response he heard soon after.
"Mmh ... Yeah, I got it ... And do you already know what it will be?"
Another moment of petrifying silence, but this time it didn't last long.
"... Well, I don't have any particular preference. Anything good will be fine", was the answer, but still Ryoji couldn't help but slightly frown at how his tone was sporting a mix of nervousness and seriousness.
"I see, I guess it must stink, always being around fish", the taller boy inquired again, chuckling a bit at the last statement.
It actually made the crouched boy stop his inspection, as he raised his stare up, but still without turning towards him.
"Actually ... I have no problem with just fishing. It's still something I can do, and with no problem"
"Oh, I don't doubt it. The same goes for me, anyway", Ryoji reprised to say, "I'm sure there are more still than fine spots around, Shinji"
But despite having saying that, the way the boy kept staying crouched on inspecting the ground still made Ryoji wonder about why the air around them still felt more dense than usual.
He was shaken by that feeling when he saw the boy stand up again, but still without turning behind, and with his head still lowered at the ground below.
"Then ... I'll be sure to find it soon, and possibly mark it right away, like you did", was his final reply, as he finally turned back towards him, his face revealing more calmness.
"Oh yeah, that may help too. Do it also as a way to further remind yourself about it, and so make sure you keep working on it!"
'... Of course, how I could ever forget about it! ... But thanks anyway, Ryoji', was his last thought, allowing him to finally sense a warmer feeling in all of his body, and also a gratifying fondness in those last words.
The same thing was felt by the other boy, as he didn't found any sign of that strange tension in his shape anymore.
It made him also decide to look back at the Umes right behind them, making Shinji do it too.
"They're really beautiful", the brown haired boy commented, again losing himself in their natural candor.
Again he felt that reinvigorating warmness, as he further admired how Ryoji's eye could be so precise in finding such a perfect combination of spots.
What better way to do something he liked, by doing it next something so amazing he could see every time?
'Perfect ... Could there really be other spots like this?'
He had never seen something like that around the area; of course, it didn't mean they didn't exist, since the Umes had always been there anyway, like Ryoji had said ...
'If I start looking better ... Why should Asuka not have the same?'
The whiteness of the petals went more into the blue of his irises.
'She can have it too ... She must have it too! She won't be so alone, after all, if she can see a beauty like this ...'
He could already see her there, doing her job on the field, and occasionally turn her sweaty face towards something just as beautiful as those trees; he didn't see what she was seeing ... but he still saw her smile.
'... But ... If it'll be something so good ... Others may see it, too'
And again, heaviness made his head lower towards the ground, and his limbs fall more against his sides, as now the image of Asuka wasn't the only one he could see, since it was now surrounded by those of other human figures, looking at the same direction she was looking at.
And they were smiling too ... they seemed on the verge of actually moving towards it ... while she stood there on her spot ... not smiling anymore.
'Then it won't be just hers ... She can't have something that beautiful, just for herself ... No, she won't be alone anymore"
Then he had to find nothing ... He again had nothing.
Then his head found the way to raise up again, right towards Ryoji's still satisfied expression, as he didn't take notice of it.
Heaviness still grabbed strongly Shinji's shape, but then it also made him avert that boiling sensation again in his guts ...
"And who knows ... Maybe, besides growing my fruits, I could start taking more care of theirs, too ... And so maybe have an even better result!"
"Uh?", the brown haired boy asked in confusion, startled by his sudden comment.
"If you think they're just good to watch, then you don't really imagine what they can really do!"
Shinji blinked once, before finding himself staring again at the branches, trying to find out what he was referring too.
"Oh, yes, they have fruits too", he finally said, his eyes now fixed on the little round plumes-like fruits half-hidden by the petals, "Are they any good?"
"Sure, but not just in the way you may think", was the new answer, still full of unexplainable ambiguity.
By now, the smirk on the purple haired teen had slightly grown in a way that also sent familiar shivers down Shinji's back, but to which he couldn't quite explain the reason.
"The other reason these trees were quite popular, back in the old times ...", he started to explain again, "... was because of what you can do with their fruits. You really never heard about it, before?"
Shinji just shook his head.
"I see ... But do you want to know about it?"
"... Sure, why not. Are we going to grab them?"
"No need for it, we just have to go on another place. Got some spare time?"
His eyes trembled a bit more, in hearing that question, and he opened his mouth again to find the right answer ... but he said nothing.
He had nothing to do, after all ...
Now he could start feeling his alienating nervousness return; but still, he did follow Ryoji all the way, though he couldn't imagine it meant they would've gone towards that area.
"Here's where the real deal is, buddy!", the taller boy announced with slight more excitement, as he gestured his hands at the recognizable form of the storage buildings.
Keeping his mute approach, Shinji also felt the familiar touch of sweat starting to slide down his temple, even if only one single, tiny drop. And actually, it didn't increase, despite him having by now completely understood what his companion's intention, and steps, were leading him to.
"Are you sure we can do that, now?", he asked, turning his head around.
"Don't worry, man, nobody comes here at this time", he assured, finding a bit of amusement in seeing the slight nervousness on the other one's face, "And besides, what's wrong in just showing you such a rare delicacy?"
Shinji again turned his head towards him, giving him another stare of confusion to which the other boy reacted to with a more than satisfied grin.
He didn't find the strength to let out more questions, especially when he realized they were already in front of the door of one of the buildings.
Without stopping to move, Ryoji brought his arms up towards it, ready to push it open.
Shinji decided to still turn his head around, still not quite sure of what he was going to find ... nor of whom.
A quick tap on his shoulder made him turn back though, as he saw his companion gesture to him to follow him inside the room.
Without even a gulp, he made his way there, and, thanks to the still bright enough afternoon light, he could see that the space they were in now looked like a storage room made especially for keeping fruits and vegetables, all put on several shelves in precise order.
Before he could say something more, his ears perked up at the sound Ryoji was probably making; and when he looked where he currently was, more confusion araised, as he watched him doing the same thing he had done at the field before, or rather lowering himself down, and extend his hands right towards a specific floor board.
To his further confusion (to which a bit of anxiety added itself) the Ikari boy watched silently as the taller boy started to remove the board from its place, showing how it wasn't actually fixed on it.
Despite the light entering from the open door, Shinji still couldn't see clearly what he was actually doing ... and at some point he couldn't see almost anything, as the light was covered by a shadow.
"Oh ... Oh Ryoji, is that you?"
The echo of that male voice made the purple haired teen stop what he was doing, and turn with a curious look towards where it had come from.
Shinji did it too, although he also let out a sudden gasp, and his eyes widened in uncontrollable fear, as he turned behind to come face to face with another pair of human shapes standing on the doorsteps.
"Oh, guys! You're here too?", was what Ryoji let out in surprise.
"Yeah, we were about to go back. What brings you here?", the male voice asked back: it belonged to who looked like a 16 year old teen with long, dark brown hair falling down his neck, wearing what looked like a uniform similar to Ryoji's Kredit one. His piercing green eyes shifted from one boy to the other in curiosity.
Beside him also stood a taller figure, and with clear feminine traits, sporting a creamy skin tone, and equally long brown hair, although of a much darker shade than the other teen's one, while wearing a light green uniform. Unlike him and the other boys, she looked definitely older, maybe in her 30s.
"Oh, if you don't mind, I just wanted to show Shinji something, and then we'll be on our way too"
That answer brought the gaze of the other two figures right on said boy, who in turn looked at them while trying to maintain a solid pose.
"P-Pleased to meet you. Sorry for the bother", he said weakly, while also bowing in respect.
The other two figures still didn't say anything, staring silently at him while blinking curiously.
"... Oh, yes, the new guy! I never actually met you in person, though I think you were at the AT-Field Barrier, once"
"That's right, he helped us that time! Shinji, meet my colleague Minoru", Ryoji said, and to that the 16 years old raised a hand, which Shinji almost soon shook, giving a half smile.
"I'm Akimi", said the woman next, also extending her arm towards the Ikari boy, and also shaking his hand, "And what exactly is you kids wanted to see, here?"
"You see, we stumbled across the Ume trees", Ryoji started to explain, and by his tone Shinji could sense that he was (thankfully) trying to not fully explain the whole reason for them being there, "and he was really impressed by them. So I was explaining him what we usually do with them, and ..."
"I see", Akemi interrupted, "And you were thinking about just "showing" it to him, Ryoji?"
Shinji gave a small gulp, as he saw the woman raise her eyebrow while also crossing her arms over her chest, like she was about to reprimand them for something terribly wrong.
"Sure!", was the quick answer from the purple haired one, but it only made Minoru grow a smirk, while Akimi kept her pose with an unconvinced stare.
And that made Shinji's brain suggest he had to just go away.
"... Oh well, since I'm here now, I suppose I could allow that. You sure he wanted to do just that, Shinji?", the brown haired woman said again, this time pointing her stare directly at his eyes.
"Err ... I guess ... But I still don't know what this is about!"
"Mmmh ...", she mumbled, earning a more shaky look from the former Third Child, "... Well, then let's just let you know", Akimi said again, this time relaxing more her features, "And maybe ... Why not, let's give him a full treatment!"
"OH YES!", was the double reply from the excited boys, which only made Shinji's eyebrows raise in more confusion, which only grew when he had to make way for Minoru to enter the room, joining Ryoji down on the floor.
He could only stay there where he was, while Akimi too made her way inside, both watching them grab together what looked like a not fixed at all floor board.
And surely that was made purposefully, as both teens removed it flawlessly, before lowering their arms down in the now opened hole in the ground; now feeling more curious, Shinji made some steps towards it too, and so he could see how it wasn't just like any hole.
A small part of him reasoned how, since they were in a storage room, of course it had to contain something, that in this case really looked like a series of big jars made of glass, put one next to the other; but they too weren't just empty, as inside of them he could easily distinguish some sort of dark coloured liquid.
"This, Shinji, is what Ume bless us with! It's really like they give birth to the tastiest children Nature has ever created!", was the excited reply he heard from Ryoji.
Behind him he heard Akimi gave a playful snort, while Minoru just chuckled in equal excitement; and the more he observed the jar, the more he started to finally put together the real meaning of those words.
"Oh? So you use it to make juice", was his response.
"If you wanna use such a lesser term", Ryoji said back with a smirk, before actually lowering himself more towards the hole, "But seriously, it is like a slow, careful pregnancy, since it takes nine months to achieve this!"
"That long?"
"Well, it depends from the recipes, you can do even just for 3. But like they say, the more, the merrier!", the purple haired teen added again, as he brought his arms down the hole, also putting his face more towards the jars on the left.
"But I assure you the result is worth the wait like very few things are", Minoru said, and Shinji could see how he was actually helping Ryoji grabbing of the glass jars.
"You sure you took the right one?", Akimi asked out loud.
"This is it, I can see they already tasted it", was the somehow muffled reply from Minoru.
A small set of grunts escaped from their grinning teeth, as they brought the jar more up, before exposing it fully to Shinji's eyes.
And once it was put right in front of him, he could better see how that supposed juice looked like.
"This is a great opportunity indeed! Can't believe you really never had the chance of having Umeshu down your throat!", was the bright reply from Minoru.
"Umeshu?", Shinji repeated, but still he felt no familiarity in it.
"Exactly! Right from the trees you saw! And besides the fruits, it takes sugar and Shōchū too, to make it!"
Even that "Shōchū" didn't ring any bell.
"Alright boys, hand me that treasure!", was the more "serious" call Akimi made, before approaching the jar to take it in her arms, and then put it right on a small table Shinji had failed to notice, on the left side of the room.
While she did it, Ryoji and Minoru stood up to, going then towards another point of the room, from where they came back with a lade and four glasses in their hands.
Minoru soon approached Akimi, offering her the ladle, which she took after just having opened the jar; she spent a few more seconds looking at the drink inside of it, as if to further check it out, or maybe to take its view in as the boys had done before, before actually pouring the ladle inside the jar.
Soon one glass was filled, passed to Minoru, and then was Ryoji's turn, and finally Shinji's, whom took it immediately with no comment, though a shade of insecurity newly adorned his face.
Ryoji and the others just seemed to ignore it, as he turned once more towards his companion, his smile carrying another shade of absolute excitement.
"Here you go! I promise you won't regret it! All in one sip!"
And so, all of them brought the glasses closer to their lips.
Shinji's movements were way slower than intended, as his eyes studied the apparently harmless drink; but the moment the glass finally touched his lips's surfaces, an unexpected movement from his arm managed to make him focus only on sending the new taste all down his throat.
He hadn't planned on getting on it like that, but then again, he felt he couldn't help but doing it: it was like nothing he had ever tasted, that was for sure. A strange bittersweetness, but that also brought a refreshment he couldn't really expect from it.
"WOOOOOOW!"
That sudden outburst made him raise his head back towards Ryoji, whose face now sported nothing but absolute joy, as he kept his eyes firmly closed, releasing nothing but pure satisfaction through that not so necessary yell, which was soon followed by an even louder laughter of satisfaction.
"It sure is something!", Minoru added happily, although not in the same vein as Ryoji's.
Akimi just laughed amused at that, but her face just showed how glad she was too, in doing that.
Shinji found himself blinking at that, not sure on how to respond.
"So, Shinji ... How does it feel?", Minoru asked, turning to look directly at him.
He broke from his confused stance to blink at him, and then returning to look at the now empty glass.
"I ... I never tasted anything like this!", he eventually said, forming a genuine smile on his face.
"YEAH! That's what I was talking about!", Ryoji went on, still with his eyes firmly closed, and his laughter echoing again in the four walls, "Told you, buddy, just send it down, and think of nothing else!"
Nothing else ... Indeed, it didn't make think of nothing else, but its great taste ... He could do nothing but that ..
And here we are!
Hope you enjoyed it, I know it's not much, but still accept this chapter as another token of apology from me, for having made you wait.
It also happened because it actually went through several rewrites and reconsiderations, as originally we would've seen only Ryoji and Shinji; I didn't feel myself confident in creating OCs, but eventually I realized iit was probably the best way to show what Shinji is going to further deal with the next times.
Originally I was going to show all what happened, but in the end I liked ending on this cliffhanger of sorts, as it allowed me to give you something still bittersweet, but also lighter, without the need to rush you back into the story.
For the key moments of the Chapter, about the Ume trees, I also took some inspiration from a famous manga and its movie adaptation, called OUR LITTLE SISTER, written by Akimi Yoshida, whose name I decided to use for the new character we met here; the movie adaptation in particular was a brilliant and touching surprise, but it had to be so since it is directed by the great Hirokazu Kore-eda (the director of that other gem called SHOPLIFTERS).
So really, all I can do is hope you liked this chapter too, and apologize one last time for having made you wait this long.
I promise I'll do everything I can to not let that happen again, and that I'll work as hard as I can to bring this story to its end!
Thanks again for all the support, and see you next time!