Hi guys, Calborghete here, how are you all? Here's my story that was one of the participants in the contest, unfortunately it wasn't one of the winners, but I hope you like it.
Don't forget to like the Facebook page, the direct link can be found on my Fanfiction profile page, or if you prefer, search for "Calborghete" and find an image of Shinji and Asuka. On this page I will post updates and it will also be easier for you to contact me.
So without further ado, read on.
"Dialogues"
- Thoughts -
"Radio conversation"
"Self-talk."
Disclaimer:
Evangelion, its characters and setting are the property of Hideaki Anno. Any brands, films and series mentioned in this Fanfic are the property of their creators.
(*)
Roses
"Why did Miss Misato tell me to do something like this?" Shinji spoke as he felt his hands trembling with the particular day, the day of a tribute for women in the school.
Yui took the plate in front of Shinji, she could see the nervousness on her son's face, with a smile he waited.
Shinji felt nervous about putting his plan into practice, he looked again at his mother in the kitchen preparing something, clasping her hands tightly together, he asked for the thousandth time.
"Mom, isn't it a shameful thing to do that?" Asked the boy as he felt his hands sweating.
Yui turned and looked at Shinji with loving eyes, she could see her son's nervousness, but he couldn't be afraid to interact with women forever, but his face kept his best smile, drying his hands she spoke.
"Your plan is a beautiful tribute to women, I don't know why you are so nervous." Says the woman with fake naivete, she could see her son's nervousness, but she did her best to hide it.
"I... I know that, it's just that kind of thing isn't for me, I'm not like that." Shinji began to panic with his imagination, he saw the worst case scenarios he could.
Taking steps towards her son, she took him in a tight hug, gave him a kiss on the top of his head to give him comfort.
"Stop it, there is no big deal about doing this tribute, teacher Misato was right to give you this assignment, think you had students who were left with much worse things to do, the girls will love receiving the roses." Yui speaks smiling as she hugs her son even tighter.
Shinji felt calmer, but was anxious about his task.
"But Miss Misato loves to tease me, she will make my life a living hell." Says the man afraid for his future, Misato spared no effort in teasing him, but they had a good relationship.
"She's playing with you, she wants you to be a more open person, you can't keep running away from people forever Shinji, one day you're going to have to face your fears."
Yui walked away, but kept his arms around his shoulders at all times, his gaze serious.
"Face it like a man Shinji."
The boy felt tiny under his mother's gaze, with a long sigh he clenched his hands tighter, he felt a determination taking over his body, he was anxious, but at least he was going to make it, next to him was the package with the roses he was going to give to the girls.
He nodded at those words, Shinji took a deep breath as he closed his eyes, Yui walked away as she finished preparing lunches for her children.
"You took Asuka's?"
Shinji's eyes widened as he heard the name of his oldest friend, again panicked, he spoke nervously.
"Yes...but I don't know if I'll give it to her."
"Why not?" Asked Yui doubtfully, he would give a rose to every girl but his best friend, that didn't seem right to his watchful eyes.
"I don't want her to think I'm a sucker, she already laughs at everything I do, calls me baka all the time." Shinji speaks dejected as he remembers his friend, he wanted to have one more thing with her, but a man like him never stays with a woman like Asuka, she only likes popular people and he was not one of them.
"But she'll be upset about being left out." Says Yui sad to think about it, she knew how Asuka felt about Shinji, but she couldn't tell her son anything, he had to take on this part, he had to see it.
"You're finding things again." Says Yui getting slightly annoyed.
"It's not that, I just don't want to destroy what we have with a misunderstanding." Says Shinji as he defends himself, but deep down he knew that Asuka would never take it well being left out, with a hand to his face he thought.
"She's my oldest friend, and I don't want others to think the wrong things." Shinji spoke dejectedly as he remembered all the teasing he was receiving from his classmates.
Yui wanted to speak more, but quickly beside her came Rei, her daughter with a bored look on her face, she wanted to be in school now.
"We have to go! I don't want to be late because of you!" Rei gathered herself beside her, she was a shy girl, but at home she had the same genius as her mother, she had the perfect school attendance record and didn't want to lose her awards because of it.
"MOTHER! Where are the buns?" Asked the girl as she looked for her assignment, soon Yui approached with a bag, in it containing some snacks for the class.
"Come on Shinji!"
"I know Rei, give me a minute." Says Shinji as he reaches for a glass of orange juice, he felt his hand shaking with the scenarios going through his mind.
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Shinji jumped when he heard this, feeling his anxiety increasing even more with the person on the other side of the door, he ran to his room to hide the roses in his backpack so Asuka wouldn't see them.
"Don't forget to get the chocolates too." Says Yui smiling as she saw her son running to hide the bag, she went back to her coffee as she saw Rei heading towards the door, she already knew it was Asuka, just like every morning.
"Hi Soryu." Says Rei with antipathy upon seeing Asuka, both had their differences.
"Hey doll, ready to pull the teachers bag again?" Says Asuka with venom as she passes Rei, she wanted to pick up Shinji and take him to school, as usual he was late and it annoyed her.
Rei turned around as she scowled, heading in the direction of the invader she spoke angrily.
"I am not a doll! I only think about my future!"
"Okay okay okay." Says Asuka as she gestures with her hands, her sharp blue eyes were searching for her lazy baka.
Yui heard the small scuffle at her door, she knew that Asuka had provoked Rei and was generating a fight, with a long sigh she watched Asuka enter.
"Good morning Aunt Yui." Says Asuka with her best smile on her face, just further back Rei came up with a deadly look on her face, not liking how she was ignored.
"Good morning Asuka... Shinji is finished changing." Said the woman calmly as she sat down in one of the kitchen chairs, watching as Asuka and Rei exchanged deadly glances in her home.
"Girls please, it's too early to fight."
"I'm not fighting with her, Rei is the one who is mad, she must be on her period." Says Asuka as she stayed still in her disdainful mode, Yui rolled her eyes upon hearing this, she loved Asuka as her own daughter, but this genius bothered her a lot, she was really Kyoko's daughter, same stubborn and poisonous personality.
"I'M NOT MENSTRUATING!" growled Rei again, but Yui's gaze quickly shut her up, she made it clear that she didn't want fighting in her home.
"How does the goofy nerd put up with you?" Grumbles the redhead as she remembers the little romance that the two of them experience, still not understanding how they matched up.
"Kenken is not a goof! He cares about his future, just like me!" Rei retorts angrily upon hearing Asuka offending her close friend.
"Well..." Said Asuka as she ran her hand through her beautiful red hair, she felt victorious at this moment, she looked at the clock on her wrist as she saw that they were running out of time, with a long sigh she asked Yui.
"Where is Baka-Shinji ?"
Yui smiled as she heard this, the redhead already knew where he would be at this point, but still wondered out of respect for Yui.
"It's in your room." Says Yui as she points in the direction of the room, with a smile the redhead walked off towards her target, she knew about Shinji's plan to give a rose to all the women in the class, all thanks to Miss Misato, in the back of her mind she was anxious to see how Shinji would approach the girls to give the gift, especially what he would say to her.
Stopping in front of the door, she wasted no time in opening it, she saw Shinji quickly hiding something in his backpack, she spoke with a provocative smile.
"ASUKA!" Says Shinji nervously hiding the roses, he was annoyed that she didn't respect the private space of his room, but he was getting used to it.
"What are you hiding?" Says the redhead standing in the doorway with her smile still present.
"They were dirty magazines, I knew you were a pervert."
"I'm not!" Says Shinji as he picks up his backpack, his face was upset at the thought of this accusation he was receiving, he was not a pervert, just a normal fourteen year old boy.
"I know." Says Asuka skeptically, but she soon remembered her goal on this particular visit.
"We have to go pervert, if we're not going to be late." Says the redhead as she leaves the room, but her face still with a smile, her mind thinking about how she was going to react in receiving her rose.
"I'm not a pervert!" Shinji shouted as he went after his friend, but Asuka's laughter would not listen to him.
Before leaving the house, Yui stopped her son by whispering in his ear, Rei was standing next to Asuka with a hurried look on her face.
"It will be all right you'll see."
Shinji smiled at his mother's words, he felt more secure with this, but the nervousness was still present in his heart and soul, he just wanted this all to end, he just wanted to be able to enjoy his youth, but it seemed that the world had something against him.
So the trio started off to school, Asuka was chattering away to Rei about women's issues, but Shinji was in his own world, every step he took towards school was another step towards total embarrassment, but he had made a promise to himself, he would get through this.
Soon his eyes fell on Asuka, seeing how the wind was swaying her beautiful red hair like a waterfall of shiny copper, he doesn't know when these feelings started to arise, but they were there. Damn hormones, thought the boy becoming irritated.
Shinji soon thought of his own quiet personality, he was like his father, a lonely man, he stopped in his darkest thoughts, he was not popular, not tall or muscular, unlike how Asuka described "real men", so why would she look at a person like him?
Asuka noticed Shinji looking at her, she could see the boy turning his face away, but the downcast look remained on his face, why couldn't he trust her like they did before? Why didn't he seek her out like before? Did he not like her anymore? This thought hurt her, she never thought of her life without Shinji, many nights she caught herself thinking about her future, and Shinji was always there.
He remembered when they were children, against all odds they became friends, two completely different people, but fate brought them together in a strong way.
She felt her face blushing slightly, but she didn't care about that, her eyes were still on Shinji, why wasn't he complimenting her? Why didn't he look at her like he looked at the other girls? Was she not pretty? Did he think she was ugly? This was lingering longer in his mind.
"Don't you think I ever caught you looking at other girls at school?" Thought the redhead as she felt a bad feeling off her chest, why wasn't he looking at her? That was a question she never answered, many times she caught herself looking in the mirror looking for imperfections in his face, anything he didn't like.
She blinked as she returned to the real world, Asuka would not pay attention to such a thing, she was waiting for the big event that would happen at the school, it would give her the warmth in her chest that she had been waiting for, it was just waiting, that's all, with that in mind she started walking with proud steps towards the school, a smile was born on her face with the fantasies that her mind could make.
Rei always saw herself as a more observant person, something she surely inherited from her father, she looked over to see Asuka looking at Shinji with every step, she knew what was going on in Shinji and Asuka's mind right now, why didn't the two of them talk like normal people? The red-eyed girl thought calmly, she remembered the conversations between Shinji and his mother, she heard everything, especially how Shinji belittled himself in front of other people, he might be an ordinary guy, but he had some good masculine attributes.
His lack of self-esteem always kept him from seeing the world as it really was, many girls wanted to approach him at school, but his cold personality kept them away, and Asuka always kept them away by saying things about him, she was always very possessive about their friendship, but they both never took the next step.
With that said, the trio continued on their way to school, with each in their own personal and private worlds, with their own fears and narratives to support, only time would tell how things would be in the future.
Finally at school Shinji paid no attention to class, his mind only thinking of the moment when he would have to face his greatest fear, the most shameful moment of his life, soon the sound of the bell revealed the change of classes, he looked up to see Misato entering the classroom smiling, the other students were drooling over the beautiful teacher.
"Hello dear students, how is everyone?" Asked the woman with a smile on her face, she loves her job, she loved teaching and making the future for these young people, soon her eyes fell on Shinji, her protégé within this room, but she never let it show.
"Rise... bow... sit." Says Hikari with her strong authority, she took her work in the classroom seriously, Misato didn't care about such things, she believed that the classroom had to be a free environment for students to express themselves in any way they want, not with the old ways.
"All right listen up everyone." Said the woman as she clapped her hands together, smiling as she saw that the students respected her.
"Today is the day of the special event, next week is the other half of the class, shall we start with our little breakfast?" asked the woman with a smile as she focused on the duo Hikari and Toji and Rei and Kensuke.
Blushing hard at this, Toji stood up as he picked up some bags, inside them some bread and chocolate milk that he had prepared for the class, he gathered the things on his table, he asked everyone, soon his eyes fell on Hikari, the person who had helped him prepare all this, but Misato didn't need to know that.
"I hope you like it, I made hot chocolate and some rolls." Said the boy embarrassedly as he saw Misato approaching his table, he thought he might impress his teacher.
Grabbing a cup and a small loaf of bread, Misato wasted no time in starting to enjoy a good breakfast, even though it had a simple homemade touch, this was better than a beer or microwave food.
"That's good, you can attack guys!" Said the woman as she returned to her table, Toji smiled knowing that at least they had managed to get something right in this challenge from Misato. Soon Hikari approached as she grabbed a glass, her gaze focused on Toji the whole time.
"Aren't you going to thank me?" Said the girl as she remembered doing all the work in her house, even preparing lots of chocolate and cake for everyone without much help from Toji.
"Well... you know... it was... it was nice." Dismissing this Toji with embarrassment, he quickly went back to serving his friends to escape the fiery look Hikari was giving him, beside him Kensuke was helping Rei prepare the snacks, unlike the previous two, they made an efficient duo, exchanging smiles from time to time.
Shinji sat down in his chair, in his hands a small glass with the snack, but he felt his stomach churning with what he had to do, soon his eyes fell on Asuka talking to the other girls, he thought about how pathetic she must find him, this challenge from Misato would only prove it.
The class quickly exchanged conversations as the moment ended, Shinji felt his heart getting even heavier with the ticking of the clock, soon Misato started talking again, his social death was getting closer and closer.
"Okay class, what grade can we give to the pairs who worked so hard to provide this nice snack for all of us?" Misato asked smiling.
"Zero." Said one boy as he got people's laughter, but they all quickly fell silent at Misato's deadly stare, she might be tolerant, but she didn't take stupid jokes in her class.
"I'm serious!"
"I would give ten... Nine... eight and a half." Some random girl in the room began to speak, just as everyone began to give their notes, Misato smiled as she spoke again.
"Let's close in nine and a half." She said as she clapped her hands together. "Congratulations to those involved."
Shinji felt like he was going to throw up at this moment, his anxiety was running a thousand per hour, the roses in his backpack weighing more than a ton, Asuka looked at him to see his nervousness, she felt sorry for Shinji at this, but she cannot deny her own anxiety to receive her rose and chocolate, with a smile she waited.
Misato quickly looked at Shinji, she knew that the boy had to face his fears one day, especially when it came to girls, with a smile she began to speak.
"Now it is time for Shinji Ikari to present the tribute to the girls." Misato says as he walks towards the boy, his face smiling all the while.
"UH!" The girls spoke teasingly, but the girls quickly blushed at this, Misato always came up with the craziest ideas and this was another one, only Asuka was smiling.
"So Shinji, what have you prepared for our beautiful girls?" Misato says as she puts her hands together in front of her body, looking forward to the moment.
Shinji felt the sweat dripping down his body, he swallowed dryly as he stood up, beside him the bags containing the roses with the duly prepared chocolates.
"I... I prepared that." Said the boy as he removed one of the roses with a candy attached, Misato smiled at that, it was a simple but effective gift, what woman doesn't like roses and chocolate.
"Uh!" Says another boy as he laughs, but quickly another started talking.
"Miss Misato, why does he have to do this tribute for women if today isn't even international women's day?" Asked Toji as he felt sorry for Shinji, he as his closest friend did not like the laughter of the class.
"SUZUHARA!" Shouted Hikari as she felt angry, she was more conservative and gifting women never went out of style.
"There's no date to praise a woman or do a tribute, next week it's the girls' turn to do that." Says Misato as she put her arm on Shinji's shoulder, she was giving him full support.
"This exercise is to show that we should not fixate ourselves to fixed dates or events, if we feel the need to honor someone, we have to do it anytime."
With that said, Misato watched as the men fell silent and the girls stood in anticipation, all wanting to receive their rose and chocolate, Asuka in particular had a silly smile on her face. Shinji cringed at this, Misato tried to change the mood of the room, stopping beside the boy, she pointed to the class.
Noticing the smile on Asuka's face, Shinji quickly thought about how she would be finding him pathetic, but Misato spoke up again as he analyzed the simple gift.
"That's beautiful Shinji, you can distribute."
Shinji nodded as he gave the first rose to Misato, who accepted it wholeheartedly, soon he started passing the tables, he felt his hands shaking as he handed the roses, many girls didn't care for the gift, others had a shy, blushing smile, this was all noticed by Asuka.
"Thank you Shinji." Rei said as she feigned indifference, but the bottom line she liked it, Hikari had her best smile on her face with that, she smelled the rose as she let the scent flood her nostrils.
"Thank you Ikari, that rose is beautiful." Spoke a random girl, Asuka lost her smile slightly at that, she didn't like how Shinji smiled at the small compliment, soon it was Asuka's turn in the row, just as the boy was getting closer, she felt her heart racing, the time is now.
Shinji noticed Asuka's table approaching, feeling his heart racing with the redhead's special gift, he looked inside his bag at her rose waiting, feeling a million situations running through his mind at this moment.
"She's going to hate me!" Thought the man as he imagined her laughing with the gift. "I'm not her type! Everyone will laugh at me!"
Asuka waited her turn as soon as Shinji approached, but one thing happened, she didn't get a rose, she looked at her friend's back doubtfully, she hoped he must have forgotten or been too nervous.
"Doesn't he see me as a woman?" Thought the redhead as she saw Shinji walking away, she quickly lost her smile as she scowled, she felt like she was being betrayed, she stopped to think, who she was before the other girls in the room, she didn't have the best feminine attributes, she was a Japanese-European half-breed, how would Shinji look at her?
Feeling the sadness taking over her body, she quickly looked around to see if anyone had noticed this little mistake, she returned her attention to her computer and her notes, but her mind was sad.
Hikari looked at Shinji as she saw him passing all the girls except Asuka, she didn't understand why he did that, as did Misato and Rei, but the world had to keep turning, soon Shinji returned to his seat, but his head lowered and he didn't notice the looks he received from Misato and Hikari.
With a long sigh Misato looked at the class, just like the previous one she asked.
"So class, what grade does he deserve with his tribute?"
Shinji didn't even care about the note he received, he didn't even listen to the voices around him, he felt sad, sad for not being able to pay his respects to Asuka, sad for being a pathetic and weak person, he soon looked at Asuka's gift in his bag, she would never accept someone like him.
He didn't notice Asuka's hurt look on his back, how upset she had been by this attitude, her heart bled for being left out by Shinji, how could he do such a thing to her? It stayed in her mind, her day had been destroyed.
Lunch had arrived, Shinji went up to the terrace to think about his pathetic life, sitting on the ground he thought about Asuka, his mind screaming at him to stop thinking about her, to stop being upset about an impossible dream.
"Shinji?" A female voice spoke behind him, jumping up with fright thinking it would be Asuka, the boy felt relieved to see Hikari with an attentive but disapproving look.
"Hikari? What are you doing here? You usually eat in the classroom." Says Shinji as he tries to stay calm, but he felt that she would fight with him somehow, especially after Misato and Rei went to ask her to talk to Shinji.
Hikari swallowed dryly, she could see how sad Asuka had been with him for not receiving the tribute, she approached him and spoke directly.
"Why did you do that to Asuka?"
Shinji's eyes widened as he realized this, he thought he had managed to disguise it well but apparently not. Hikari looked at Shinji as she became angry, she knew Asuka well, she knew how she felt about the boy, this must have hurt the redhead a lot.
Shinji did not answer; he bowed his head in a sign of shame. Hikari quickly continued.
"You don't like her? Why did you ignore her like that?" Hikari spoke annoyed. Shinji didn't answer.
"Sometimes I think you are just another ordinary guy, I thought you would be different from those perverts, by the looks of it I thought wrong." Said the girl angrily, turning to leave the roof, Shinji began to speak dejectedly.
"I don't know why I did that." Hikari turned to Shinji again, she wanted to hear his apology.
"I don't want her to think anything wrong of me." Shinji began to speak. "I don't want others to think something wrong about me, I don't want...I don't want others to think wrong about the situation."
"What situation?" Says Hikari annoyed. "You gave a rose to everyone but Asuka, gee Shinji, you ignored her, she is your childhood friend!"
Shinji felt even more ashamed and small, Hikari was right, Asuka did not deserve his weakness, but she would accept his special tribute.
"But she won't like it, the rose is not the same as the others!"
Hikari lost the expression on her face, she thought Shinji had done something unique for her friend, with a long breath she asked.
"Do you like her?"
Shinji knew he couldn't lie to Hikari, he nodded, his heart aching at the rejection he would receive.
"Then why did you do that?" Said Hikari as she became annoyed again.
"Because you don't seem to care about her."
Shinji clenched his hands as he became afraid.
"Because I'm not a person Asuka would like." Says Shinji as he opens his heart, Hikari looked at him calmly.
"I'm not the guy she likes, I'm not the best kind of guy, I'm not handsome, I'm not athletic, why would she like me?"
Hikari sighed as she already knew the truth, but could not tell, she only spoke what was most appropriate for the moment.
"You don't know that." Shinji looked at her doubtfully.
"You never tried... That's your problem Shinji, you don't know everything, always deducing things and missing reality." Hikari spoke dejectedly as she thought about all she knew.
"Really Asuka is right, you are an idiot."
With that said, he watched her leave, soon the sound of birds was the only sound passing around him, but his mind was screaming, he had Asuka's face in mind, he had been an idiot.
"I'm an idiot."
Asuka was in her bed, she didn't want to talk to anyone, she only thought about the moment she was completely ignored.
"Why did he do this to me?" Said the redhead as she hugged her pillow, tears streaming down her face, her mind wondering how this could have happened.
"Doesn't he think I'm pretty?"
KNOCK ON THE DOOR.
"Asuka dear, is everything alright, you haven't said anything since you arrived." Kyoko spoke worriedly about her daughter, the way she came home, her downcast look, something had not been good.
Asuka looked at the door, she wiped her face as she went towards her mother, opening the door she spoke trying to remain calm.
"Hi Mom."
Kyoko noticed the red look in her eyes, her daughter had been crying, she asked calmly, but becoming tense.
"What happened?"
Asuka took a deep breath, she wanted to yell at Shinji for everything he had done, to ask the reasons for all this, she censored her mind as she said the basics.
"Shinji being a jerk, that's all."
Kyoko wanted to ask more questions, but she knew how Asuka was, she had her time for everything.
"You know you can count on me for anything." Said the woman as she spoke smiling.
"I know mom, I love you for it, but I'm fine, just Shinji being a complete baka."
With that said, Asuka quickly embraced the woman she admired most in the world, feeling the protection her mother gave her, she thought of Shinji, he was not going to get away with all this.
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Kyoko let go of her daughter as she went to see who the person at her door was, her eyes widened softly, Shinji was standing in front of her door with a worried look on his face, she wanted to take some satisfaction for him upsetting her daughter, but she knew Asuka would do that later.
"Shinji? What are you doing here?"
Shinji clenched his hands at the thought of this, he was terrified at the thought of talking to Asuka, but he had to fix what he had done.
"Aunt Kyoko, is Asuka in?"
"What do you want?" Asuka joined her mother with her arms crossed in front of her chest as she learned that Shinji was at her door, she didn't want to talk to him now, not after what she had done at school.
"Can I...can I talk to you?" Asked Shinji very nervously, Asuka looked at her mother, but knew it would be her decision.
"Okay! Let's go to the courtyard."
Shinji nodded as he saw Asuka walking past him out of his house, he followed her closely taking courage to make his plan, it didn't take long for her to stop and turn on her heels, she focused her intense blue eyes on Shinji, he felt small again, the only sound was the soft music coming from one of the apartments.
Asuka was too upset to wait for Shinji, she crossed her arms as she spoke in irritation.
"What!? Speak up!"
Shinji jumped when he heard this, he began to speak with strong nervousness.
"I...I want to explain myself about what happened at school." Says Shinji nervously as he looks down, Asuka glared at him but waited for his answers, she raised her eyebrows in anticipation.
Shinji thought carefully about his words.
"I'm sorry...I...I don't mean to make you angry."
"Angry?" Asuka speaks indignantly.
"You ignored me today at school Shinji!" Asuka lowered her hands in anger.
"You didn't think how I would feel!?"
Shinji looked down as he heard Asuka's scolding, she was right, he had been an idiot.
"I wanted to give you a rose, but I got scared!" Shinji speaks in fear.
"Scared? It's just a damn rose!" Asuka speaks indignantly again.
"But... but..." Shinji speaks fearfully, Asuka beginning to lose the end of her calm.
"Talk at once dammit!"
"Your rose is special!" Shinji spoke at once, Asuka shut her mouth at the same time, she could only speak.
"What?"
Shinji thought things had moved on a bit, he spoke calmly as he opened his bag revealing a beautiful red rose, completely different from the white roses all the other girls had received, in it was a chocolate candy that Asuka liked best, it was a unique gift.
Asuka looked at the gift with a flushed face, she took the rose as she saw how beautiful it was, she looked at the small note attached to the handle, on it was written.
The most beautiful rose for the most beautiful.
Feeling like a little girl again, her face flushed with the gift, she asked whatever came to her mind.
"Because...because mine is different?"
Shinji thought about the answer he would give, feeling his face on fire.
"I... I don't know, it just felt right..."
Asuka nodded at this answer, she felt satisfied with this answer for a moment, her mind whirling with nervousness, she looked at the rose.
"Thank you Shinji, really thank you very much." Says Asuka smiling again, but she still wanted to know the reason.
"But you still haven't answered me, why did you ignore me at school?"
Shinji took a deep breath, he thought about his mother and Hikari, this was the time to talk about his feelings, with a quiet calm he began to speak.
"I was afraid you wouldn't like it, I'm not the kind of guy who gives gifts to women like you, I thought you'd hate it."
Asuka sighed at that, how did he think that? He was her best friend in this world, she was slightly annoyed at Shinji's childishness, but her face flushed.
"You're an idiot!"
Shinji blinked at this, he was afraid of losing Asuka's friendship, but it made him a little lighter to be able to talk about how he felt, he quickly saw the girl going towards him and giving him the tightest of hugs, his heart was beating strongly in his chest, it seemed that all the sadness had disappeared from his body.
Shinji felt on cloud nine with the hug, he wished he could do more than that one day, but at least Asuka didn't hate him. Asuka held Shinji tightly, she thought about his words a few seconds ago.
"Why did you think I wouldn't like the gift?"
Shinji squeezed Asuka harder, he thought about the answer, thinking that Asuka deserved more than the truth right now.
"I'm not a pretty face, I'm not popular, I'm nothing...so why would you be interested in me?" Shinji spoke dejectedly, Asuka squeezed the boy tighter.
"Idiot." Said the blushing woman.
"As usual you are an idiot, thinking things that don't exist." Says the woman with a little anger, soon she spoke again.
"I thought you didn't like me, that you didn't think I was pretty enough to receive the honor."
Shinji's eyes widened as he heard this, he never thought Asuka was less than perfect, taking a deep breath he spoke.
"You are beautiful Asuka."
Asuka kissed him lightly on the cheek, it was a simple kiss on his cheek, but for his heart it was a lot, the boy squeezed her even tighter.
Asuka was blushing at what she had done, but it felt right, her heart accepted this moment well, they both began to sway slightly to the quiet music playing in the apartment complex, the music flooded the feelings they both felt for each other, with their eyes closed they both let the warmth of their bodies soothe their hearts.
Shinji had always wanted to take Asuka on a date, with a smile he let slip.
"It's still early but do you want to go to the movies with me?"
Asuka opened her eyes as she thought of something, with a smile she spoke.
"I thought I wasn't a woman for you?"
Shinji's eyes widened as he heard this, but before he could scream or do anything, Asuka held him against her body.
"Idiot, I agree to go to the movies with you."
Shinji smiled as he felt Asuka walk away, soon she spoke blushing, she shouted as she ran back to the house.
"Wait for me I'm going to change my clothes!"
Shinji stood still not believing it yet, he was going out on a date with Asuka, not a friends date, but as something that could be deeper for both of them, he calmly sat down on one of the benches and waited.
Kyoko looked at her daughter rushing into her house, she lowered the volume of the television as she asked her daughter.
"What happened?"
Asuka turned around smiling at her mother, a beautiful and completely genuine smile, showing how light and happy her heart was, in her hands the rose and a glass cup with water.
"Nothing Mom, I'm just happy."
Kyoko smiled as she saw her daughter happy, surely the conversation with Shinji had been a good one, and her daughter's happiness was everything to her.
Choosing a nice outfit, Asuka knew that Shinji always liked her yellow summer dress, perfect for a date night on a warm evening, she looked at the small glass cup on her desk, in it containing the red rose, with a smile she picked it up and thought about how this had all happened, with affection she kissed the red petal, the best gift she could ever get from Shinji.
Author's notes: Hello Calborghete people here, this story was one of the entries in the Asushin contest, unfortunately it wasn't one of the winners but I hope it was to everyone's liking.
Please review, your criticisms (good or bad) are very important to me, you know that I take a lot into account what is said and it also gives me the strength to continue.
Don't forget to also like the Facebook page, search for "Calborghete" and find an image of Shinji and Asuka, on this page I will post updates and it will also be easier for you to contact me.