EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 36 What do you think of that idiot?
"Great, you're okay—"

Looking at the girl's heartfelt smile in front of him, which formed a sharp contrast with Ikari Gendo's cold eyes before, Shinji Ikari felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

"Why, didn't I wash my face clean today? Just now it was Asuka, now it's you... Every one of them asked me if I was okay when they saw me."

Shinji Ikari was speechless... He should be able to manage his facial expressions very well, but how come one by one of them could see some residual sadness in his expression?
"Because you usually have that silly smile on your face, and suddenly you're not smiling, it's natural to feel something's wrong. Speaking of which—spoiled mother, are you still chatting here? Aren't we going to have an experiment soon?"

Asuka didn't want to continue this topic and planned to just pass it over.

"It's okay, the final debugging has been completed."

"As expected...are you going to conduct a restart experiment on Unit-00 later?"

Shinji Ikari frowned slightly, and the image of Rei Ayanami, who was covered in wounds and bandages and even needed his help to change her underwear... appeared in his mind again.

That time, it was because of Unit 00's runaway that Rei Ayanami was seriously injured.

"Um…"

Ayanami Rei nodded obediently. From her indifferent expression, Shinji Ikari couldn't tell what she was really thinking.

"Are you going to refuse? After all, driving an EVA is dangerous."

Because he really couldn't figure out what Rei Ayanami was thinking, Shinji Ikari simply asked directly.

"Hey!!"

Misato Katsuragi was speechless. After all, she was the combat commander...this kid was trying to shake the morale of the troops right in front of her.

In response to Shinji Ikari's question, Rei Ayanami's pupils dilated slightly in surprise.

"Ikari-kun... do you want me to stop driving?"

"No... It's just that you were seriously injured while piloting Unit-00. Besides, that was just an experiment, not a real battle with the Angels—it's only natural for a normal person to be afraid... That's why I'm asking. If you're unwilling to pilot but my father is forcing you to..."

"Thank you, Ikari-kun."

There was no need for Rei Ayanami to listen to Shinji Ikari's entire explanation. She had already understood Shinji Ikari's intention and smiled and thanked him.

"But, this time—I want to pilot an EVA... out of my own desire."

After these words were spoken, not only Shinji Ikari, but even Misato Katsuragi looked at Rei Ayanami in surprise.

After all... to put it bluntly, the previous Ayanami Rei was like a precise and beautiful porcelain doll... she just followed Ikari Gendō's orders obediently.

And now, she can actually explain clearly... that she drives the EVA based on her own desire...

"Because... I don't want to just watch Ikari-kun from afar. I don't want to just listen to your story with the Second Qualified Person... monotonously while eating. I also want to... stand by your side and be a part of the story."

"...!"

Rei Ayanami's words really conquered Shinji Ikari... It turned out that what he said to Asuka during dinner yesterday had such a profound impact on this child.

"Is that so... Well, do your best then."

Since Rei Ayanami has made her will so clear, any further nonsense would be unsociable.

"Rei, time's almost up. You can enter the plug and stand by. Everyone else, leave the third shelter immediately."

Ritsuko Akagi's voice came from the intercom. Shinji Ikari nodded to Rei Ayanami to show encouragement, then turned and left.

Just as everyone was evacuating the hangar and Rei Ayanami was about to insert the plug, Asuka suddenly rushed back. "...The second qualified person?!"

Ayanami Rei never expected that she would suddenly turn back, and she deliberately waited until Shinji Ikari and Misato Katsuragi left.

"Hey! Spoiled mother--!"

"...?"

Rei Ayanami frowned slightly, because... she didn't have a practical background, nor was she a pilot who had gone through many rounds of selection like the second qualified person, so she always ridiculed herself by saying that she was spoiled, which gave her such a nickname.

Ayanami Rei doesn't like this name... It was okay before, but... Now in front of Ikari-kun... Being called a spoiled mother by her makes her feel very uncomfortable.

"The time has come, if you don't have anything..."

"I know! I only have one thing... I need to ask you! What do you... what do you... what do you think of that idiot?"

Asuka knew that her behavior was messy, so her words were also a little messy.

"Fool?"

"That idiot Shinji—!"

The unexpected question made Rei Ayanami fall into deep thought for a moment, and then she frankly expressed her inner feelings.

"I'm not... quite sure either."

"Speak clearly! Don't try to fool me—!"

It seemed as if he sensed the true meaning of Asuka's words, knowing that she was not just looking for trouble out of boredom, but really cared about this issue.

Rei Ayanami first reported to Ritsuko Akagi using the communicator, and then she wanted to make a final check on the debugging results of the insertion plug and wait for two minutes.

Then I began to think carefully, examining my inner thoughts... and organizing them into words...

"I'm sorry, I'm really not sure. But... what I can feel is that when I'm with Ikari-kun... I feel warm inside... just like when I was with the Commander before... No, not the same... even more so than then, it makes me feel at ease. So..."

Asuka sighed deeply as she watched Ayanami Rei's face blossom with a lovely smile just by recalling the touch of her time with Ikari Shinji.

"That's called love, you idiot!"

like--?
These two simple words resounded like a loud bell in Rei Ayanami's heart.

"Like...? Really, I... like Ikari-kun?"

"Yeah—so, in the experiment later…if something really happens to you during the experiment! I'll never be able to beat you in my entire life! I'm going to make that idiot realize who's better, you or me! So…you, you! You have to come back from this experiment in one piece! Do you hear me!! Stupid Ali!"

Rei Ayanami was moved by the name she heard for the first time... This was also the first time Asuka called her own name.

No matter how much Asuka used harsh words to cover up her dishonest nature, Ayanami Rei could sense Asuka's concern for her from her words.

...Unintentionally, both she...and I...had changed silently.

No, that's not right... It's not that I changed, but that I was changed——

"I see—thank you…Asuka."

This seemed to be... the first time I called her by her name properly.

(End of this chapter)