Asuka & Shinji's Infinite Playlist
Chapter 1: I Guess We're Gonna Find Out
"Ow! Ow! OW! I said I'm getting off! Let me through!"
Shinji Ikari turned as he heard a voice; not a familiar voice, but not an unfamiliar voice. A voice he couldn't quite place but there wasn't any time to consider it as he heard the urgency.
"Are you okay?" he asked into a wall of bodies still on the subway car he had just left, looking around for the voice's owner.
A lone hand shot out and the voice commanded, "Grab my hand!"
Instinctively, Shinji obeyed, pulling the hand and voice from the crowd. As the owner emerged from the sub car, he saw fire red and ocean blue, both a rare sight in Japan. A young girl, about his age, now stood in front of him and his eyes locked onto hers, unable to decide what to do next: he'd never rescued anyone before.
"Thanks! You're a life-saver!" the girl smiled, pausing a moment before looking down at their still clasped hands. "But, um, you can let go now."
Still unable to tear away from her eyes, Shinji asked the only question he could conjure: "Have we met somewhere before?"
Her hand yet to be released, the redhead pulled away, "Ugh! Let go! I've never even seen you before!" Her tone was direct, but playful, "Are you hitting on me because I'm cute?!"
"Huh? Uh… no… no, not at all! I didn't mean…" Shinji wasn't usually this flustered. It was true he never really had a way with words, his speaking style was normally short. Confident, but short. But it didn't help that his mind was seemingly preoccupied with the strange sense of familiarity the girl brought on him.
Have we met before? He asked himself. Was I hitting on her?
"No?" she asked as she turned, rubbing her chin. "That's irritating, too… Oh well."
For a fleeting moment Shinji felt like he needed to correct himself, as if he'd missed his shot, a chance at starting over with her.
"Starting over", what? He found himself questioning his subconscious again. This is the first time I've ever seen her, why did I think "starting over"?
He looked up again and saw her begin to walk off.
"Anyway, thanks for the help! Danke schön!" And she disappeared, her hair trailing behind like a gentle fire, leaving scorch-marks on his heart. But why did she leave such an impression on him?
Maybe I'll get another chance to talk to her, she looked about my age. Maybe she's going to Myojo Academy, too?
Shinji and about 400 other students from around the country were in Tokyo for entrance exams to the top private school in Japan. Invited to stay in the dormitory the night before the exam, there was a chance that he'd run into the redhead again.
At least I'll know one person there, he considered before his thoughts were interrupted for a second time that morning.
"Wow, she was cute!" came another fleetingly familiar voice from behind him, this time a young male. "And she looked feisty… Just my type! I guess Tokyo does have cute girls. Right?!"
"Huh?!" On the spot again, Shinji turned and answered with his best non-answer. He was greeted by a young boy, about his age, with messy brown hair and big, round glasses.
The bespectacled boy looked Shinji up and down. "Are you from the countryside, too? Taking exams? For Myojo Academy?"
Finally, something Shinji could answer. "Y-yes…" He found himself still off balance from the earlier encounter.
"Oh! Then we're rivals!" the other boy exclaimed with a slap on Shinji's back. "Let's give it our best shot!" And the boy set off, leaving Shinji back to his thoughts.
Ow… Shinji thought. He smiled softly and answered to himself, "Yeah… let's do our best."
He walked out of the subway station into the blistering cold of a Tokyo winter and took a deep, centering breath. A lot of uncertainty and excitement pulsed through his mind, so a brief moment to himself was calming.
I will do my best. I will find my own path. It may be rough and winding, with driving wind and rain, and some days may be freezing cold. But, I know the sun will light the way, Shinji philosophized to himself. The road to here was long and arduous, but he had made a promise that he'd give his all for this exam.
Shinji paused, reaching into his jacket pocket to retrieve the earphones for his SDAT player and gently inserted them into his ears.
My future holds infinite possibilities.
He looked up and smiled, a passing calm taking over after an unfamiliar morning. Ready to move forward toward that infinite future, Shinji pressed the PLAY button. Greeted by unfamiliar drums and guitars, the singer started:
I'm waking up at the start of the end of the world
But it's feeling just like every other morning before
Now I wonder what my life is going to mean if it's gone
Shinji pressed the STOP button and pulled the player back out of his pocket, eyeing it suspiciously. This isn't my tape. I've never heard this before.
He turned the SDAT player over in his hands, looking at it like he'd never seen it before. Seeing the faded "Ikari" engraved on the backplate, he knew this was indeed his. Well, hers, but eventually it was found in a box, packed away and almost forgotten.
This is definitely mine. Did someone switch the tape? He tried to eject the tape, but it wouldn't budge. That's definitely the same, I've been stuck listening to the same tape for months...
Shinji shrugged and removed the earphones, resigning himself to his own thoughts for a bit while he moved towards the academy. Putting everything in the pocket of his coat, he continued through the snow storm.
What a strange morning, he recounted at a crosswalk. Where do I know that girl from? She's almost familiar, like a distant dream. Shinji chuckled, Maybe I am dreaming. It would explain her smile.
Steeling himself against his nervousness, he pressed onward across the street. As he trudged towards the academy, Shinji kept a watchful eye out for anyone familiar. It was snowing hard enough that seeing anything recognizable would be difficult, but maybe he could spot a bright color.
Arriving early for exams was paramount, and with the unexpected snow storm tearing through Tokyo, even the local children were accepting the invitation to stay in the dorms the night before. The rest of his Sunday was wide open following check in and dropping his bag off in his room, and Shinji had arrangements to meet his best friend for lunch.
Pulling the door open, he found himself in a busy lobby. Dozens of children mingled throughout the open space, some waiting in the various check-in lines, others chatting with friends, and many more sitting and studying for the exam. Shinji scouted the lines, stood behind a newly familiar head of hair, and smiled to himself.
"I'm the second child."
"What?"
Shinji's eyes shot up for some reason and watched the exchange between the registrar and his new acquaintance. What was that?
"On the list: Aida Kensuke, after Agata Sara. The second one," he pointed at the list on a clipboard.
The first thought passed fleetingly and Shinji's mind moved on, Kensuke Aida, huh? Well, now I've got a name to put to the face.
"Got it. You're in room 301, your roommate has already arrived. The breakfast buffet will be open at 7:30 and the test begins promptly at 9:00 tomorrow, don't be late. Remember, no outside materials are allowed: pencils, paper, and other items will be provided," the registrar explained.
"No problem, I get up at 0400 every day anyway!" Kensuke proclaimed to no one in particular.
The registrar faked a smile, handed him a keycard, and waved Kensuke on while Shinji shuffled to the front of the line.
"Ikari Shinji, sir," he offered. He'd heard the spiel four times already, hoping to be spared the details for a fifth time.
"Room 402. You're lucky, no roommate. The breakfast buffet will be open at 7:30 and the test begins promptly at 9:00 tomorrow, so don't be late. No outside materials-"
"-are allowed, pencils, yeah I know." Shinji sighed and mumbled a little louder than he intended.
"Sorry kid, I have to go over it for everyone. No outside belongings: pencils, paper, and other materials will be provided."
"Sorry," Shinji bowed slightly, "I didn't mean to be rude."
The registrar chuckled, "It's ok. I'll end up saying this almost a hundred times today, and the other three," he looked to his right to other registrars signing in more students, "will do the same. It's monotonous, but every year someone swears they weren't told."
Shinji looked at the other lines, each divided up by half of the alphabet and sex, boys A-L, boys M-Z, girls A-L, and girls M-Z, and spotted bright red waiting three lines over. His heart fluttered for a second.
She is here, he internally cheered. Wow, what are the odds? I wonder if-
"Excuse me, Mr. Ikari?"
Shinji found himself still in front of the registrar's table, his mind had wandered off again. The gentleman had his hand out, tiredly holding a keycard. "You're free to go."
"Oh, ha, sorry," Shinji said as he rubbed his head. He normally wasn't this out of sorts. It's probably just nerves from the test, he thought as he glanced back at the stranger in the last line. Definitely just the test…
Picking up his bag, Shinji walked towards a bank of elevators in the back of the lobby and waited behind some other teens. The elevator arrived with a bright ding! and other potential students filed off, chatting amongst each other.
As the elevator began to fill up, Shinji contemplated waiting for the next one when one of the girls called out to him, "Come on, we'll make room!" and scooted backwards a bit more.
"Haha, ok!" Shinji smiled as he got in, putting his bag between his feet to avoid hitting anyone. "Fourth floor, please."
The girl that called to him started to fan herself as the doors closed, "Hoo boy, it's so hot in here. I wish I would've taken my coat off first!" And some of the other students started chuckling and complained with her.
"It's not fair, the girls' rooms are all tenth floor and up!" said one girl with short black hair.
The first responded, "Lucky you, I'm on the fourteenth! I might die of heat stroke before I make it there! Imagine that: heat stroke in a blizzard."
Shinji laughed, feeling at ease with the group of strangers, when the elevator arrived at the second floor. Two boys apologetically squeezed between all of them, their bags whacking a few people as they got off.
At the fourth floor, Shinji stepped off, leaving two boys and three girls on the elevator. He turned to them and gave a little wave goodbye, "There's a little more room now, haha!"
The first girl smiled back and shouted through the closing doors, "Hey! I'll see you around. My name's Mana-" and she, too, was gone.
Mana? I'll have to keep an eye out for her, too, he thought as he walked down the hall to room 402.
Shinji inserted the keycard in the door and stepped into the dorm room. Immediately on the right was a tiny bathroom, with a toilet, sink, and mirror. Further back, two beds ran parallel with desks on the opposite wall. Quite spartan, but definitely sufficient for an overnight stay.
Taking stock of the bedding situation, he grabbed the thin blanket from the second bed and tossed it on the bed he chose. It's not like I have a roommate, and it's really coming down, thought Shinji, looking out the window.
He set his bag on the now stripped bed and hung his parka up on the coat hook. Stopping after a couple steps towards the door again, Shinji turned back to his coat and rummaged through the pocket, grabbing his SDAT player and earphones.
I wonder if that song's still there…
He headed back out of the room and towards the elevators, excited to see his friend in the lobby.
Sitting down on a bench between the registration tables and entrance, Shinji put his earphones in and kept an eye on the drop-off point outside the entrance. He and his best friend had promised to wait for each other after checking in, glad to have at least one truly familiar face to talk to. Sure, he'd made a few new acquaintances already, but there's something comforting about someone you've known your entire life.
Shinji glanced at the lines to see a clearly agitated redhead walk from the front of the M-Z line to the back of the A-L line.
He chuckled to himself, She doesn't even know how to spell her last name? and pressed PLAY:
The cars are moving like a half a mile an hour
And I started staring at the passengers who're waving goodbye
Can you tell me what was ever really special about me all this time?
But I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well, I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Well I believe it all is coming to an end
Oh well, I guess we're gonna pretend
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
An oddly upbeat song for the end of the world, Shinji thought, not noticing the steaming redhead stomp past him.
I think it turned ten o'clock but I don't really know
Then I can't remember caring for an hour or so
Started crying and I couldn't stop myself
I started running but there's nowhere to run to
I sat down on the street and took a look at myself
Said, "Where you going man you know the world is headed for hell?
"Say your goodbyes if you've got someone you can say goodbye to"
But I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well, I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Well I believe it all is coming to an end
Oh well, I guess we're gonna pretend
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far-
"Idiot!"
"Huh?" Shinji looked up and paused the music again.
The redhead had stopped mid-pace next to his bench and looked down at him, surprised. "Did you just respond to 'Idiot'?"
Shinji was just as confused, Why did I respond to that? "I… guess so. Sorry."
The redhead's fury dissipated for a moment and she continued to stare down at the brown-haired boy. She gathered her thoughts and leapt back into her rant, this time directed at Shinji: "Well, I wasn't talking about you. I was talking about them!" she said, pointing at the registrar's tables. "Get this: I waited fifteen minutes in the 'S' line-"
"There is no 'S' line." Shinji thought out loud.
"'M through Z', whatever, don't interrupt me," she glared harmlessly, "Any way, I waited fifteen minutes to find out they have me down as 'Langley'. Why would they do that?"
"Because your last name is 'Langley'?" Shinji thought out loud again. Why am I antagonizing this stranger?
"What are you, stupid? I have two last names, but my last last name is 'Soryu'." the girl explained, putting her hands on her hips.
Shinji chuckled and offered, "I'm sorry, how was I supposed to know that?"
"You're not. They are: it's written down on all my stuff. With your Japanese naming conventions, everything says 'Soryu Asuka Langley', which is already confusing enough. Now I have to remember which last name the school used first?!"
Shinji paused and tried to untangle the word salad she laid on him. "Um, Asuka… your name is Asuka?"
The redhead paused and blinked, her demeanor changing quickly, a slight embarrassment passing over her, "Mein Gott, I never introduced myself! And after you saved me this morning, how could I forget? I'm Asuka. Asuka Langley Soryu!"
"Charmed."
"Huh?"
They both paused, an odd moment passing between them, like they'd had an epiphany. But they didn't figure anything out. In fact, everything was even more confusing for a brief moment, like a shared moment of déjà vu, but that would be impossible between two people, especially complete strangers.
Shinji was the first to move and offered his hand, but Asuka stared at it before shaking her head as if to clear it.
"You're going to let go this time, right?"
"Huh, what?" was his only response as he blushed bright red. "Maybe. I don't know."
Asuka found his answer disarming and started to blush herself before taking his hand and shaking it: "You know, most guys are intimidated by me, but you're not. I like that."
Shinji blushed brighter and swallowed, realizing his uncertain answer came off a lot more certain than he'd intended. He, in fact, was quite intimidated by the energetic stranger, but he pressed forward. "I, uh, thanks?"
Asuka looked at him still holding her hand. "You're doing it again. And you didn't give me your name."
"Ikari."
"Ikari? Nice to meet you Ikari."
"No, wait," he stammered, "It's Shinji. Ikari's my last name."
"Shinji Ikari? Nice to meet you," and she pumped their hands up and down. "Now, you can let go again."
Shinji pulled his hand away and rubbed his head, blushing again embarrassedly. "I'm sorry."
Asuka looked at him. "You don't need to apologize every other sentence."
"I'm so-" he stopped himself and took a deep breath, collecting himself. Shinji's voice was suddenly calmer as he put his brain back together, "Sorry. I don't know why I keep doing it. I usually don't. Today's been a lot."
Asuka waved her hand dismissively and sat down next to him, "I get it. I just got here from Germany, so I'm a little all over the place, too. Das ist mir Wurst."
Shinji smiled and scooted over, making room for the sudden intruder. "Germany, huh? What brings you here?"
The redhead looked in his eyes and then nodded around the room before looking at Shinji again. No one could be that dense.
"Oh, yeah, haha," he chuckled nervously, "Myojo Academy."
"It's only the most prestigious in Japan, and me being a quarter Japanese-" She stopped as she saw the clearly confused look on the boy's face. "My mom's half Japanese, half German, and my dad's American. So, quarter Japanese. Anyway, I wanted to get a good feel for this life after spending so long in Germany. Learn my heritage, and stuff."
That would explain the red hair and fair skin. Wow, she's something else, Shinji thought. He smiled and welcomed her to Japan, "I don't know Tokyo very well, but if you need help, I have a friend that knows it."
Asuka smiled, having made a new friend. "Well, thank you, Shinji Ikari. I will ask you if I need help. Like, let's start with lunch. I'm starving."
"I'm actually waiting for someone," Shinji replied.
The redhead paused, "Normally, guys don't turn down an offer to eat with me, either. You must be waiting for someone special."
"It's just a friend, but we promised," he defended. "And I keep my promises. If you want to head to the cafeteria, we'll meet you there."
"Mr. Keeps His Promises sounds pretty loyal. 'Just a friend'? Or a girlfriend?" Asuka pried a little, unsure of what answer she wanted to hear.
"I don't think Shinji has ever had a girlfriend," a voice answered for him.
Shinji turned red and looked up to see a familiar head of brown hair standing in front of them, "That's not fair!"
Hikari giggled and smiled, "From someone with an older sibling to someone without, embarrassing you in front of girls is my duty. Kodama asked me to do it, and I agreed under the condition that she stop teasing me about boys."
"And?"
"Oh, she still does it. But," Hikari briefly glanced at the redhead seated next to Shinji before turning back to him, "if I have to endure it, you do, too. It's only fair."
Shinji had known Hikari Horaki for as long as he could remember. Being next door neighbors, they ended up in the same pre- and elementary schools, played together as children, and had both been invited to take the entrance exams for Myojo Academy. Hikari had come to Tokyo a couple days early to visit her older sister who was enrolled at one of the universities.
Asuka laughed at the poor boy's plight, "Nothing wrong with waiting for the right girl. You do like girls, right?"
Shinji's blush turned brighter, "I- yeah, uh, I just haven't, you know, the right girl hasn't come along!"
"Spend an entire childhood together and I'm 'not the right girl'," Hikari pouted, sticking her lower lip out in a dramatic way.
"That's not what I meant!"
Hikari giggled again, "Shinji, it's fine. You're wonderful, but I couldn't… you're like a brother."
He was like a brother, a brother Hikari never had. In over a decade of friendship, he'd stuck up for her, listened to her, picked her up when she'd fallen, all while actually being four months younger. And they'd cried on each other's shoulders after that long day in the cemetery. A dark day for the Ikari family.
Asuka smiled at Shinji's friend, "He's easy to mess with, isn't he?"
"Usually I'm the only one that can get him so flustered, but that's only when we talk about girls, so..." now Hikari turned and set her sights on the redhead. "He's a nice boy, please don't break his heart."
It was Asuka's turn to blush, "We just met! I don't even know him!"
Hikari started laughing, "Oh, both of you are too much fun. I'd love to continue this chat, but I need to go check in."
"I'll go with you, I never actually checked in," offered the redhead.
"Are you in the same line?" asked Hikari.
"Oh! I haven't introduced myself. Asuka, Asuka Langley Soryu."
"Charmed, huh?" Shinji whispered, barely audible.
"Why do you keep saying that?" the redhead asked, puzzled.
Shinji paused, staring off into space, "I'm... not sure. It just... sounds right."
Asuka looked at him again, "Well, I like it. I'm going to steal it."
She turned and offered a hand to Hikari. "Trying again: I'm Asuka. Asuka Langley Soryu. Charmed, huh?" she added with a soft smile in Shinji's direction.
"Hikari Horaki. Nice to meet you. I've been Shinji's neighbor for our entire lives," Hikari answered as she shook the offered hand and released it.
"Well, at least she knows the difference between a handshake and holding someone's hand."
Shinji blushed again, his cheeks getting tired of all the attention, and laughed nervously.
"Oh, my, Shinji! Holding her hand already!" Hikari beamed.
"It's not like that!"
Asuka stood up and couldn't help but laugh at the boy, "You're too much, Shinji." She turned to Hikari, "Let's go get in line and figure out lunch while we're waiting."
"Sounds great," the brunette answered before turning to Shinji, "We'll be right back."
"No problem. I'll be here," Shinji answered, putting his earphones back in as the girls walked off. Well, it could always be worse, I guess. Now I have two friends here.
And he pressed PLAY:
It's gone gone, baby it's all gone
There is no one on the corner and there's no one at home
It was cool cool, it was just all cool
Now it's over for me, and it's over for you
Well it's gone gone, baby it's all gone
There is no one on the corner and there's no one at home
Well it was cool cool, it was just all cool
Now it's over for me, and it's over for you
I believe the world is burning to the ground
Oh well, I guess we're gonna find out
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Well I, believe it all is coming to an end
O h well, I guess, we're gonna pretend
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Let's see how far we've come
Shinji found himself repeating the final line as the song ended, unsure of its greater meaning in life: "Let's see how far we've come..."
Song: "How Far We've Come" by Matchbox Twenty
