Asuka, Rei and Shinji arrive at school to find their friends standing around a desk with an upright flag on it.

Asuka rubs her face tiredly, it's too early in the morning for this. Any time of day is too early for this. Even Shinji had tried to sleep through PenPen circling the kitchen doing a cuckoo clock impression. She'd gotten up first to do the Shinji-thing and feed the penguin so he could at least get a little more rest.

Shinji rubs the back of his head nervously, his life is strange enough recently he's not sure he wants to know but it's the desk next to his so he can't actually ignore it. Given Hikari seemed to be involved, there's at least some chance it might give him something different to think about. He wondered how soon he'd regret that thought.

Rei lets go of Shinji's other hand and leans over to read the small plaque on the base the flag is mounted on.

"Class Trophy for the Most Absurd Relationship Theory?"

Asuka groans, "You made one? I thought the white flag was just a metaphor!"

"Hikari and Ken are debating whether it should go to Rei or not," Toji informs them.

Asuka glares at Hikari, "You told them?"

Hikari looks sheepish, "I couldn't keep something this entertaining from Toji. And Kensuke worked most of it out."

"Ken's arguing that Hikari put the most convoluted pieces together, so she wins. Hikari is arguing that you proposing to Shinji for classified reasons and then accidentally marrying him wins both on the classified and the actually happened aspects."

Shinji puts his head down on his desk. "Asuka, if I pretend to go back to sleep, can you wake me up from this latest nightmare?"

"Of course, mein schatz," responds Asuka her sarcastic term of endearment sounding almost affectionate in contrast to the look she's giving Hikari.

Shinji drops his head back on the desk with a thud. Unfortunately it doesn't result in unconsciousness.

Several minutes later after having been forced to listen to the circular argument, Shinji raises his head.

"Do I get one?"

Asuka leans back in her chair, staring at Shinji from upside down. Shinji pauses for a moment, partly in thought, partly just admiring the curve of her neck, the fall of her hair and the slight smile she has. He tries to memorise the smile.

"Go for it Shin-man" encourages Toji.

"Rei and Asuka are going to marry each other. That way I never have to hear anyone accuse me of being married to either of them ever again. Toji and I are moving in with Hikari so that Toji finally stops complaining about having enough to eat. Hikari can't decide if she wants to marry Toji for his brains or me for my cooking."

Hikari puts her hands to her mouth to smother a gasp. No one else notices the gesture Asuka just made and assumes Horaki The Prudish Class Rep Hikari is just embarrassed by the suggestion of living with the two non-familial boys.

Kensuke laughs, "So what am I doing?"

Shinji looks over, "Oh, you're Toji's political campaign manager for when he runs for office. He's campaigning to legalise polygamy - obviously he's not going to marry me, but if he can talk Hikari into marrying both of us he'll never go hungry again."

After the laughter has died down, Rei enters the fray, "I do not think you have achieved sufficient absurdity for the prize, husband. I would not mind marrying Asuka. I will have to join Toji's campaign."

Kensuke picks up the trophy and hands it silently to Rei.