Tokyo-03, the mechanical wonder of an urban jungle that had the misfortune of witnessing the sun's reluctant ascent.

Asuka, burdened with the weight of her own existence, faced yet another day drowning in the cacophony of an intolerable madness.

She graced the school gates with her presence in the early hours, a tactical move to dodge the walking catastrophe known as the Idiot Shinji.

The last thing she wanted to do was encourage the current situation by being seen together with that idiot. Rumours already painted them as a couple, a narrative she couldn't afford to endorse any further.

Patiently, she awaited the awakening of the classroom, the dormant air slowly being replaced by the sounds of student voices.

"Did you get another divorce?" Toji jeered, a sadistic pleasure flickering in his eyes.

He's not worth it. She reminded herself, choosing the path of selective deafness. Hikari, though being ever the inquisitor,

"Asuka, where's Ikari?" she inquired, her tone carrying a hint of concern.

"I don't know, and I don't care," Asuka retorted, a defiant edge in her voice.

"Heard that one before," Kensuke mumbled, a barely audible commentary.

"What did you say?" Asuka shot back, her demeanour ready to unleash havoc.

Kensuke, ever the elusive tactician, whistled away, absorbed in adjusting his camera settings.

"That's what I thought."

Hikari rolled her eyes.

"In any case, if he's absent, you'll have to take his work home to him."

"Fine," Asuka conceded, recognising the necessity. As long as the physical realm didn't witness their togetherness, nothing else mattered.

And then, in his usual fashion, Shinji strolled in, his entrance marked by a friendly wave aimed at Asuka. She, in turn, treated him with the finest art of ignorance.

Shinji, seemingly impervious to the frosty reception, found his way to an empty desk and settled in.

The teacher, an indifferent figure more concerned with the passage of time than the dynamics of teenage angst, began the day's lecture. Asuka tried her best to focus, but the words seemed to merge into a cacophony of meaningless noise.

Toji, unable to resist the urge to stir the pot, leaned over and whispered, "Asuka, is this your way of hiding a secret rendezvous with Ikari? Keeping it all hush-hush?"

She shot him a withering glare but opted for silence. No need to feed the rumour mill any further.

Soon Asuka's attention would be drawn to the glow of her laptop screen. Messages blinked insistently, waiting to reveal their secrets. Who dared to invade her digital sanctuary?

The usual suspect, her mind whispered. But a sudden twist gripped her thoughts – why suspect him? If anything, he, too, would desire to quell the swirling rumours around them. A detour from the expected narrative.

No, these messages bore the fingerprints of another, one of the myriad pursuers weaving their tangled webs to woo her. Yes, that's it – a symphony of admirers vying for her affections.

Things are finally getting back to normal.

But reality unfolded in an - not so - unexpected twist; the messages were, indeed, from Shinji.

A plain "really" stare shot from her eyes to his, expecting an explanation. He, in return, offered only a warm smile.

What madness had possessed this idiot? Asuka couldn't fathom his motives.

Unable to resist the magnetic pull of curiosity, Asuka opened the messages. The digital canvas unfolded, revealing a cascade of romantic, lovey-dovey drivel.

"Why are you sending me this?" she retorted in the digital realm, fingers dancing across the keys. The response that materialized on the screen was a simple declaration: "Because I love you."

The weight of those words collided with the air around her. "Shut up," she uttered, the exasperation escaping her lips and painting the silence with its sharp edges. The entire class turned, their collective gaze fixing upon her, an unintended audience to the unfolding drama of her digital discourse.

Embarrassment coloured her cheeks as she sought refuge in the glow of the screen. A feeble attempt to salvage the situation manifested as a reply adorned with a cute, funny emoji. A futile gesture, for it only deepened the absurdity of the moment.

During the break...

"Idiot!" echoed through the air, a resounding thump accompanying the proclamation as Shinji once more bore the brunt of Asuka's fury. If he had teetered on the brink of insanity, this mighty strike promised a swift return to the realm of reason.

Unbeknownst to Asuka, her actions had unfurled a theatrical display that captured the gaze of everyone within the school's walls. The unnoticed audience now watched the unfolding drama, drawn into the chaotic spectacle.

Shinji, however, seized the chaotic moment, rising to his right knee with an unyielding demeanour, seemingly unfazed by the earlier onslaught. It was an unsettling sight; he bore no trace of injury.

"Asuka," he began, the honesty in his eyes reaching into the depths of her being. A momentary vulnerability swept over her as she found herself captivated by the swirling brown depths of his iris.

"Wha-"

Yet, her senses returned when she realized he was practically kneeling before her. It was "that" familiar pose, but its purpose remained elusive.

"Asuka, I've loved me more than you can imagine," he confessed, the words hanging in the air like an unresolved chord. Asuka's face flushed a shade of crimson, a visceral reaction to the embarrassment that threatened to engulf her.

"How could you say that embarrassing shit out loud!?" she protested, acutely aware of the multitude of prying eyes that had fixated upon their unfolding drama.

"Asuka, please... will you... will you..." he stammered, leaving the sentence hanging in the charged atmosphere.

"Don't say anything, you idiot!" she interjected sharply, the urgency in her voice reflecting a desire to shield their intimate moment from the scrutinizing eyes of the onlookers.

Wait... hold on. Intimate moment? What in the hell was she expecting, a grand proposal? They're just teenagers, for god's sake. He wouldn't pull off something so outrageously embarrassing that it'd cast a shadow over their high school lives for the next three years... right?

"Will you-" he began, and as the words tumbled out, a sudden realization hit her like a freight train. Oh, god, he might actually do something cringe-worthy. Panic set in, and in this fleeting moment, there was only one logical course of action: stop him, knock him out cold and if necessary, kill him.

"Will you-" he persisted, each syllable a countdown to potential mortification.

Okay, that's it, it's decided. He is going to die.

The brain, that mysterious conductor of survival instincts, sent signals to the limbs, urging them into action before the impending disaster could unfold.

"Will you go on a date with me?" he finally blurted out.

Stop. Her leg, frozen mid-air, echoed the collective confusion now resonating in her mind.

They've been dating, and yet not a single date in sight? The absurdity of the situation hit her like a curveball, and the only response that managed to escape her lips was a stunned,

"What?" The students of the school oblivious to the internal turmoil, transformed into the stage for a tragicomic revelation that threw the supposed norms of teenage romance into disarray.

Teenage romance – what is this narration – there is no love lost between the idiot Shinji and me. she thought

But those excited eyes all over the school would beg to disagree,

The anticipation hung in the air like a storm brewing on the horizon, dark clouds gathering over the unsuspecting school. Asuka's gaze cut through the crowd of eager onlookers, each pair of eyes a relentless interrogator probing her thoughts.

"Say yes!" The demand echoed, a rallying cry that seemed to multiply with each passing moment. It wasn't just a request; it was a fervent plea, an insistence that built like a rising tide threatening to overwhelm the shores of Asuka's composure.

She felt the weight of those collective expectations bearing down on her, a pressure cooker of emotions threatening to reach its boiling point. The random idiot who started it all seemed like a mere puppeteer, orchestrating this bizarre spectacle that had taken a life of its own.

"Say yes!" The chant gained momentum, voices overlapping in an incessant rhythm that reverberated through the hallways. Asuka's eyes darted around, searching for an escape, but the walls seemed to close in on her, suffocating her resistance.

The decisive moment hung suspended, the anticipation thick enough to cut with a knife. And then, with a reluctant sigh that seemed to echo through the corridors, Asuka relented.

"Fine… yes."

The eruption that followed was seismic, CHEERS!

An ecstatic wave crashing against the backdrop of the school's indifferent walls. The victorious spectators revelled in their achievement, the symphony of joy drowning out any lingering doubts.

As the bell tolled the end of the school day, Asuka and Shinji, now propelled into the spotlight of an unexpected romance, found themselves at the centre of the jubilant storm. They navigated the sea of congratulations -As the newly-proclaimed "couple"

As made their way out of the school gates, they were greeted by a makeshift sign held high by a mischievous student. "Just married," it proclaimed, the words punctuated by exclamation marks that seemed to mockingly celebrate the absurdity of the situation.

Asuka couldn't help but chuckle nervously, this was all she could do in this nightmare.

I need to get to my bed and wake up!

What was that?


Wake up!

Shinji Ikari awoke to the unrelenting brightness of the morning, a harsh reminder that he was already late for school. Fuelled by a sense of urgency, he dove into the fastest yet most thorough shower he could muster.

He hastily assembled leftovers from the previous night, crafting a makeshift lunch for both himself and Asuka.

The empty house bore witness to his hurried existence as he snatched his keys and locked the door behind him. The streets became a blur as he rushed, an unspoken urgency propelling him forward.

Miraculously thought, he found himself to be about 5 minutes late, a stroke of fortune that felt a tad too convenient. Something should be amiss.

He stepped through the classroom door as it gradually filled with the familiar faces of his peers.

And then there she was – Asuka, seated in her usual spot. However, the moment her eyes landed on him, the atmosphere shifted.

"Liebling." The word escaped her lips like a secret shared, a term of endearment that hung in the air. In an instant, her eyes gleamed with an intensity that could only be described as radiant, and before Shinji could fathom the turn of events, she practically catapulted herself onto him.

Shinji, grappling to regain his balance wondered

Why?

The answer eluded him, but the classroom, now privy to this unexpected spectacle, held its breath, as if caught in the magnetic pull of a narrative that defied the norms of teenage existence.

Liebling what does that mean?

In any case. "Uhm, I missed you-"

"I missed you too," she interjected, enveloping him in a tighter embrace.

"Uhm... okay," he mumbled, feeling a bit like a fish out of water. Shinji loved his personal space, and Asuka's unbridled affection was cramping his style.

"I missed you this morning, so..." he hesitated, the discomfort palpable. "Can you let me go?"

"Sure thing," Asuka replied, gracefully stepping back. Her gaze, brimming with romantic idealism, threatened to engulf him in the vast blue of her eyes. Just as Shinji was about to surrender to the abyss...

"It's Shin-Asuka, everyone," one of the students chimed in. "They're at it again."

Shin-Asuka? Was that supposed to be some sort of lame joke?

"I kinda like it," Asuka declared. "It's hopeful…new tomorrow."

Shinji couldn't help but think more along the translation lines of: God fragrance.

Glancing around, he realized the entire class had been paying a rather concerning amount of attention to their exchange. He felt like an unwitting participant in some grand theatrical production.

"Here's your lunch, Asuka," he said, handing over the bento box. A collective "Awwww" sound rippled through the background, confirming that they had indeed been under close scrutiny.

"Danke, Liebling," Asuka thanked him with a quick peck, leaving Shinji stunned, his hand on his cheek in disbelief.

"What?" she asked, her expression innocent and doe-eyed, facing the bewildered and almost frightened Shinji.

Who is this girl? he wondered, because she definitely is not Asuka Langley Soryu.

"He's shy." one of the girls chuckled.

Shy? I don't think you understand.

That word seemed inadequate to describe the whirlwind of confusion within Shinji. He stood there, speechless, as Asuka nonchalantly returned to her seat, leaving the enigmatic atmosphere of their peculiar exchange lingering in the air like the last notes of a perplexing melody.

"You two are seriously something else," one of the boys remarked with a smirk, his tone tinged with a mixture of admiration and amusement.

Shinji, attempting to regain a semblance of composure, made his way to his own seat. The lingering echoes of the "Shin-Asuka" nickname played on a loop in his mind, each repetition amplifying the absurdity of the situation.

As the teacher began the day's lesson, Shinji struggled to concentrate. Who was this Asuka before him, and what had transpired to warp the dynamics of their relationship into whatever this is. He was beginning to get the sense that he had forgotten or missed out on something.

Throughout the class, he stole glances at Asuka, attempting to decipher the riddle that she seemed to have become. The students, now immersed in the couple had started something that Shinji noticed all too late

On the screen of the laptop, there was a group chat, constantly pinging with notifications.

Again that moniker – Shin-Asuka appeared. It was a group chat dedicated to the couple that is Shinji and Asuka, they had been the topic for debate and controversy for quite some time now, there were too many messages for Shinji to read through - but the he got the gist of it.

And it was horrible, the idea of Asuka and Him, being together romantically? Never going to happen, there were simply too many problems for it to ever work.

Really now, are you sure?

Yes, he was very sure.

Sure you're sure?

Yes, completely, absolutely, 100% never ever going to change forever sure.

Suddenly, a sharp gasp pierced through the virtual chatter—it was Asuka. "Are you... are you breaking up with me?" Her words, laden with hurt, resonated loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in the room.

Asuka would never embarrass herself like this.

She wore a look of genuine sadness and hurt. Shinji found himself speechless as she almost cried and hastily retreated.

Okay now he was certain, there is no way that is Asuka.

But now the entire class, eyes filled with accusatory glares, shifted their attention to him. The girls were mad, and their boyfriends were very mad.

Shinji realized he had stumbled into a situation he should never have disrupted.

Wait how did she know what he was thinking?

During the break...

Shinji hesitated outside the classroom door, grappling with the unsettling aftermath of the drama he'd just awakened. The weight of the accusatory gazes and the unintended disruption hung heavy in the air. The hallway, usually bustling with students engaged in casual chatter, now seemed to be shrouded in awkward silences and scary glares.

It would seem that some of these people would like to beat him up.

Asuka's abrupt exit from the scene lingered in his thoughts. The real Asuka, the one he knew, wouldn't unravel in such a public spectacle.

But the sadness in her eyes haunted him, casting doubt on the authenticity of the Asuka who had just accused him of breaking up.

Firstly he approached Kensuke and Toji, the two people who he knew had his back.

"I gotta say, you're in one hell of a mess, prof," Kensuke spoke first.

"Those dudes wanna piece of ya," Toji pointed to a group of students, a grade or two above them, the usual Asuka-fans. "They're gonna tear you limb from limb, even I can't stop 'em."

"I know, but what am I supposed to do?" Shinji asked, desperation evident in his voice.

"Get back together with her," Kensuke answered, nonchalantly. "It's that simple."

"It's not," Shinji retorted. "Get back together, you say that as if we even were together. We weren't! Now I'm supposed to apologize for breaking up with someone I never even dated."

"You literally got to your knees and begged for a date," Toji interjected.

"What are you talking about?" Shinji asked, genuinely lost and confused. Kensuke promptly pulled out his camcorder and showed him the footage. Shinji couldn't believe what he was seeing – what, where, when, why and how?

How come he couldn't remember any of it?

"This is insane," he muttered, grappling with the surreal reality presented in the footage.

"That is the truth," Kensuke asserted.

"No," Shinji refused, a nagging feeling that something was amiss gnawing at him. But if there was one thing he resonated with, it was the Asuka in this video. That was the Asuka he knew, he was certain. But why couldn't he remember?

"This is truly frightening," he admitted. "There are entire gaps in my memory. I can't remember a single thing. Someone or something is living out my life, and I can't stop it."

"Well, when you say it like that, it truly is terrifying," Toji commented, the weight of the realization settling in the air like an unshakable truth.

"Well what are you going to do?" Kensuke asked, and for the maybe the first time Shinji looked to Kensuke with Unshakable resolve.

"Pull out your camera." He said, "I have an idea."

Later…

Shinji navigated the treacherous path to Asuka's bench, a daunting task considering the angry cluster of girls and their formidable boyfriends surrounding her. Amidst the hostile atmosphere, Hikari stood out, a beacon of fury.

"Ikari," she spat out his name, accompanied by a cohort of athletic kids who clearly weren't looking for a friendly chat. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I would like to apologize," Shinji calmly stated.

"Why you son of a—" one of the older boys nearly landed a punch, but before chaos could unfold,

"Hey, give him a chance," Toji intervened, stepping into the volatile situation.

Amidst the tension and charged emotions, Shinji took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his sincerity as he addressed Asuka.

"Asuka," he began, his voice carrying a mixture of regret and earnestness, "I want to apologize from the depths of my heart. I realize now that I've made a mess of things, and I never intended for it to go this way. You mean a lot to me, more than I could ever express."

He looked directly into her eyes, trying to convey the genuine remorse that filled his being. "I was wrong, and I'm sorry for any pain I've caused you. The moments we shared, the laughter and the challenges, they meant something to me. I let confusion and misunderstandings cloud my judgment, and for that, I am truly sorry."

Toji chimed in, emphasizing Shinji's plea. "Give the guy a chance, Asuka. We all make mistakes, but it takes strength to admit them."

Shinji continued, "I understand if you're angry or disappointed, but I want the chance to make things right. You're important to me, Asuka, and I can't imagine my life without you. If you let me, I promise to learn from my mistakes, to be better for you."

He took a step closer, reaching out for her hand. "I care about you more than words can convey, and I want to be there for you. Will you give us another chance? I miss you, and I want to make things right between us."

The sincerity in Shinji's eyes, coupled with the heartfelt plea, sparked a glimmer of emotion in Asuka's eyes. The onlookers, once filled with tension, watched the scene unfold, hopeful for a resolution that would mend what seemed irreparable.

Asuka, after a moment of contemplation, softened. The anger in her expression began to fade, replaced by a flicker of vulnerability.

The tension that gripped her softened, giving way to a moment of vulnerability. The onlookers held their breath, sensing the delicate balance teetering on the edge of resolution.

Without a word, Asuka took a step closer to Shinji. Their eyes locked, exchanging unspoken sentiments that transcended the tumultuous events that had unfolded. In that charged moment, Asuka's hand reached for his, intertwining fingers in a silent acknowledgment.

Shinji, guided by a surge of hope and longing, leaned in, bridging the remaining distance between them. The world seemed to fade away as their lips met in a tender, heartfelt kiss. It was a kiss that spoke volumes, a harmonious blend of apologies, forgiveness, and the rekindling of something beautiful.

As the kiss unfolded, a collective "awwww" rippled through the onlookers. The once-angry crowd now bore witness to a moment of genuine connection and love.

Amidst all this Toji couldn't help but shake his head and laugh. "This is ridiculous."

Hikari on the other hand almost teared up, Kensuke seemed to be under the spell as well, tears behind the viewfinder of the camera.

As the kiss broke up, there was a cheer.

"Shin-Asuka is back everybody!" it was as if the sun had returned, the whole school seemed to lighten up.

This is…

No…

Shinji stopped his thoughts, she might be able to read them again.

"It is a new tomorrow indeed," Hikari remarked, capturing the essence of the transformed atmosphere.

"Why Shin-Asuka?" Shinji questioned, his curiosity undeterred. One of the random girls in the group offered a nonchalant shrug. "It was what we came up with at the time."

"Okay... why not Asushin?"

A collective pause ensued, the entire group, nay perhaps the entire school, fixing him with a deadpan stare that screamed, "Really?"

"Yes," Shinji affirmed.

"No, that's stupid," Hikari retorted, dismissing the suggestion. "Plus, what would it even translate to?"

Shinji merely shrugged in response, but his input was promptly ignored. The group, almost ritualistically, decided to revel in the celebration of Shin-Asuka as the proclaimed couple of the school, leaving behind the discarded notion of Asushin with a resounding collective facepalm.

As the day ended Shinji would walk home hand in hand with Asuka, hoping to dear god that the next day his plan would take action and he would be free from this nightmare.


END.

this fic also exists on A03.