EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 30 Celebration Banquet - Ayanami Rei's Favorability Up
This is…

This was the first time in as much memory that so many people had gathered together to make a noise.

——Ayanami Rei sat there indifferently.

Quietly watching everything in front of me...

Grains, meat, carbonic acid, alcohol... For Rei Ayanami, who relies on the drugs in the laboratory for her livelihood, these are naturally unfamiliar existences.

Although you can consume these foods like normal humans, it will put too much burden on the body's functions.

So every time after eating, I have to go to Dr. Akagi for a physical examination the next day.

"If you can, try not to eat those foods. Nutritional supplements and pills are enough."

——That’s what Akagi Ritsuko said, but…

Watching Ikari-kun busying himself with sweat all over his face, the pieces of meat and vegetables in his hands seemed to be dancing.

Rei Ayanami completely forgot all of Professor Akagi's instructions.

Eat, eat hard, eat as much as possible, eat with all your strength...

Even if I can't feel the delicious taste from it.

But——whenever I think that these were cooked by Shinji Ikari with a smile...I can't suppress my desire to eat them.

until………

—How much effort and hard work did EVA Unit 02's pilot, Shikinami Asuka Langley, put into the Sixth Angel War... No one knows this better than me, who fought alongside her.

After hearing what Ikari-kun said...it turns out that he was really looking at the second qualified candidate.

For a moment...I felt like vomiting.

The piece of meat that I had swallowed as if it were a treasure before now felt like mud and was nauseating.

I feel like vomiting... I'm not injured, but my chest is sore and painful.

The stomach, throat, deep in the nasal cavity... all at the same moment... it felt so sour and astringent that it was ridiculous.

………Unconsciously, I became alienated from other people.

Miss Katsuragi and Mr. Kaji were drinking and flirting with each other... I feel like vomiting.

Ikari-kun and Suzuhara-san...their drinks were secretly replaced with beer by the second qualified person...I feel like throwing up.

Toraki-san, the second qualified candidate, and Suzuhara-san's sister... all laughed as they watched Ikari-kun, who was in such a state of disarray as he gulped down a beer... I wanted to vomit, vomit, vomit, vomit, vomit...

…Tomorrow, I need to report to Dr. Akagi.

There must be some kind of obstruction in my body's functions.

Because... the sourness in my chest became more and more intense, even to the point where my eyes became moist... I couldn't help but stand up... and walked towards the bathroom.

What if I really vomit... I can't disturb this party.

Ikari-kun, and the others... they were all smiling.

They... must be very happy - so I can't spoil their fun.

Even if I can't share this happiness with Ikari-kun...

When she came to her senses, Rei Ayanami was surprised to find that... she had not gone to the bathroom, but had already walked out of the apartment.

Faintly, one could still hear the cheerful noises of Suzuhara-san and the second qualified person inside the room.

Ikari-kun... probably also feels that being with people like them would make him happier.

Slowly, I took a step forward... Did I want to go back to my old apartment? Did I want to go to NERV's base?
Rei Ayanami didn't know what she wanted to do... but she just had a feeling... that she didn't want to go back here now.

No—I should say… I don't want to see Ikari-kun and the Second Qualified Person… happily discussing… a topic that I can't interrupt.

This feeling—what is it?

not understand.

Completely confused.

But, there is only one thing that is clear... I want to leave here now - but...

Yet, she couldn't help but hold on to her extravagant hope... as if she was expecting someone to suddenly appear and keep her... Even though she knew it wouldn't happen, Ayanami Rei still stopped and turned back one last time...

Behind me, as expected, there was no one. Only the noise of the apartment and my solitude... it was like two different worlds.

Yeah...how is that possible.

Rei Ayanami gave a numb, bitter smile and walked forward aimlessly...but she stumbled and fell straight to the cold ground... "What are you doing?"

"——!?"

The expected voice did not come from behind him, but from the front of him.

He did not fall to the ground helplessly, but the young man's seemingly thin but very solid chest in front of him stopped him from falling.

"Ikari-kun?"

Rei Ayanami did not hide the astonishment on her face at all, and blinked her big eyes at Shinji Ikari in front of her.

"Why…?"

"Why... I was going to ask you why you came out alone in the middle of your meal. I thought you were drunk, but you weren't. So of course I followed you out to see what was going on."

"…………Eh?"

Ayanami Rei's voice was filled with astonishment... So, the reason she didn't see him behind her was because... he had always been by her side? She just didn't realize it at all?
"Ikari-kun, did you see me...come out?"

Faced with this absurd question, Shinji Ikari was momentarily confused as to what she was asking. What do you mean by "I saw you come out"? Are you a ghost? How could I not see you?
"Of course. I saw you enjoying the barbecue before, but suddenly your face turned pale and you ran out. I thought you choked. Why do you look so grim? What happened, Ayanami?"

"So... Ikari-kun, you saw everything...?"

Rei Ayanami asked blankly.

It turns out that this young man is watching every move of his, whether he eats well or not, whether his complexion is normal or not, all of these are clearly visible to him.
Just like...looking at the second qualified person, looking at myself?
"Well, you were the one who stared at me while I was eating my lunch. So, of course I had to see if you enjoyed your meal in the evening... After all, I made this meal for you."

“Me?! Why…?”

Ayanami Rei's voice rose several tones, her face full of incomprehension.

"Didn't we say at lunch that we'd all eat together tonight? Actually... eating is a small matter. My main goal is to get you to join the group.

Look, the class monitor and Asuka are best friends, Suzuhara is my friend and the class monitor's boyfriend... Everyone has their own ties, only Ayanami is left alone.

Although it's just my wishful thinking... If possible, I also want you to be able to integrate into the group - although I know that some people don't think so, but... I still think that everyone will be happier together. If possible, I also want to share this happiness with you... Ayanami? Ayanami? Are you listening?"

…………Cancel the trip.

There's no need to go see Dr. Akagi tomorrow.

Because, the symptoms of physical discomfort that were clearly so severe before... disappeared completely just by listening to Ikari's few words.

"Ikari-kun, can I... ask you a question?"

"of course."

"It might... put you in a difficult position."

"Don't worry, Ayanami, you can ask anything."

After receiving a reassuring answer, Ayanami Rei closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and after calming herself down, she asked out the question that had been bothering her deep down... but which the boy might consider willful.

"Ikari-kun—me, or the Second Qualified Person...who are you more interested in?"

“………………Ah, you actually asked that…”

In an instant, Shinji Ikari, who had been calm no matter what he faced, looked embarrassed. He tapped his forehead with his hand and thought for a long time before giving a weak answer in a sullen manner.

"I'm sorry... I don't know."

There was visible disappointment on Rei Ayanami's face, but Shinji Ikari immediately added an explanation.

"I'm sorry, Ayanami... I don't know the answer to this question, but there's one thing I do know—if it was you who fought alongside me that day, and someone today questioned and denied your efforts, then... I would definitely say the same thing... No, I should say... I would be even angrier than I am today."

In an instant, Shinji Ikari felt a glimmer of light flash in the depths of Rei Ayanami's eyes.

"Even angrier than... the second qualified candidate this time?"

"Well, yes—and still angry."

Because Asuka is feeling inferior from within... Shinji Ikari is more helpless than angry... This kind of self-denial from within is not something Shinji Ikari can interfere with at will.

But, with Rei Ayanami's personality, if something like that happened, it wouldn't be an internal matter, but someone outside was interfering and deliberately trying to hurt Rei Ayanami's spirit - then, Shinji Ikari would be really angry.

It's not about who is more important, but simply based on their different personalities...

Although this is the logic, Shinji Ikari's answer has swept away all the troubles that Ayanami Rei was feeling tonight.

She even took the initiative to reach out her hand... first wanting to grab Ikari Shinji's hand... but she hesitated for a moment and finally just grabbed the hem of his shirt.

"...That's all... Ikari-kun. Let's go back. Let's go back together..."

(End of this chapter)