EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 116 Shinji Ikari's Happy Life
"…real……"

"Shin...Ji..."

"Shinji, wake up! How long are you going to sleep?! Rei's here to go to school with you!!"

A gentle call... caused Shinji Ikari to slowly open his eyes.

"Sleep for another five minutes... wake me up in five minutes... Mom."

Faced with Shinji Ikari's coquettish behavior, Yui Ikari smiled and lifted Shinji Ikari's blankets.

"No! Li is already at the door. If you don't get up soon... I'm going to let Li go straight into the bedroom."

"How could this happen...!"

With a reluctant pout and a whining tone towards his mother, Shinji Ikari had no choice but to get up and put on his school uniform.

"Hurry up! You'll be late for school...!"

After giving him a final instruction, "Yui Ikari" left the bedroom, leaving "Shinji Ikari" alone to pack his schoolbag.

"Huh...?"

As I habitually stuffed my frequently used portable music player into my pocket, I discovered...

"When did this break?"

The Walkman, which was perfectly fine "yesterday," is now covered with fine cracks... as if it had been gripped tightly by someone...

"Ikari-kun! Good morning~~ I'm coming in!!"

"Wow! Ayanami...don't just come in like that!!"

Upon hearing Ayanami's voice, Shinji Ikari, no longer hesitant, casually stuffed his Walkman into his school uniform pocket and went downstairs.

Good morning, Father.

At the dining table, a middle-aged man sat upright, his face hidden behind a newspaper. When his son greeted him, he simply replied with a slow, deliberate remark.

"morning."

"Rei, have you had breakfast yet? Let's eat together. Thank you for waking Shinji up every morning."

"Ikari Yui" smiled and placed a breakfast in front of "Ayanami Rei".

"Ah! It smells so good! Thank you, Auntie!"

...an overly lively voice.

Is Ayanami's voice... really that noisy?
"What's wrong, Shinji? Are you still asleep? Go wash your face. You'll be late for school."

Gendo Ikari looked at the dazed Shinji Ikari and urged him on impatiently.

"…oh oh……"

Staggering... Shinji Ikari arrived at the bathroom... repeatedly rinsing his face with icy water.

But... no matter how much I try to wash it off, I can't get rid of the unease that lingers in my mind.

"..."

I looked up... wiping myself with a towel while gazing at my reflection in the mirror—

"…………!"

Unexpectedly, what I saw in the mirror... was not Shinji Ikari's bewildered and dazed face.

Instead, it was a face with an indifferent expression, but with a determined look in its eyes.

"—Is that alright?"

Shinji Ikari spoke, a hint of disdain seemingly lurking at the corner of his mouth.

"...Can things really continue like this—is it really okay?"

"What..."

Shinji Ikari's voice trembled... his breathing became rapid...

Helpless, she tightly covered the mirror with the towel in her hand... to hide the face that was exactly the same as her own, yet completely different.

Shinji! What are you doing... the food's getting cold!

"Oh! It's here! It's here...!!"

Upon hearing "Yui Ikari's" call, "Shinji Ikari" felt as if he had been granted a pardon... and fled the bathroom as if running away.

Incredibly, as Shinji Ikari escaped, the figure in the mirror did not disappear with him.

"I'm really...causing trouble for others..."

Shinji Ikari's hand gently touched the edge of the mirror, and with a silent cracking sound, fine cracks spread along the edge. "Ikari-kun? What's wrong? Are you alright—you seem a bit listless~ Ah, could it be... you were busy until very late last night?? Ikari-kun is a boy after all~ Haha!"

Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami walk side by side on their way to school.

Listening to Rei Ayanami's cheerful, energetic laughter... logically, this should be a happy daily routine that I've repeated countless times, but...

"Ayanami... do you sense anything is wrong...?"

With a slight hesitation, she revealed some of her inner unease to her childhood sweetheart.

"It's like...it's like something has been forgotten..."

"No, Ikari-kun, I haven't forgotten anything."

One moment they were all smiles… and the next they were cold, stiff, and unyielding, giving an answer that left no room for doubt.

“Ikari-kun, I haven’t forgotten anything—you just need to live a happy and joyful life.”

"Yes, yes, yes... Is that so... I just need to live like this forever... That's great. Yes, yes... I don't have to do anything... This is fine. Yes, this is fine..."

As if deceiving myself... repeating the same answer over and over again.

Upon hearing Rei Ayanami's reply, Shinji Ikari smiled.

That was the smile of someone who had finally been freed from so much pain, misfortune, sorrow, and loneliness... and had found redemption.

"Yes! That's it... Ah! Ikari-kun! Let's go see the sea...!!"

Seemingly quite satisfied with Shinji Ikari's performance, Rei Ayanami once again flashed a bright and cheerful smile.

With Rei Ayanami's suggestion, the area that was originally a shopping street... was instantly transformed into a beach.

The crimson seawater churned up foul-smelling waves, crashing against the beach again and again.

"Wait... this shouldn't be... a shop? Why is it here..."

"This is the beach, Ikari-kun, what strange things are you saying!"

"Eh... really... Ah, yes... that's right, it must be... haha... what weird things am I saying......"

Yes, no need to think too much.

That's good.

Every morning... I get woken up by my mom...

Having breakfast with a gentle mother and a strict father...

Going to and from school with my lovely childhood friend...

After school, we'd play together on the beach until we were exhausted before going home...

Hmm, this kind of life! It must be blissful... so...

There is no need to fight anymore.

Fight, and with whom?
There's no need to suffer anymore.

For whom does this suffering occur?
There's no need to stand up again.

Stand up, why?
Because…I…………

"Ikari-kun!!"

I heard Rei Ayanami's laughter... When I looked up, my school uniform had been transformed into an adorable swimsuit.

"Come and get me! Haha!!"

"Haha! I'm here! Haha!"

Yes... I am very happy! Very happy!
So... there's no need to pay attention to any more unnecessary noise... just...

Just as Shinji Ikari took a happy step toward Rei Ayanami...

"!?!?"

A hand emerged from beneath the sea, the reflection of Shinji Ikari reaching out... and abruptly grabbed Shinji Ikari's ankle.

A pair of rough, savage, and powerful hands... dragged Shinji Ikari into a crimson hell... forever separated from his own happiness and joy.

Then… I heard my own voice… Shinji Ikari’s voice…

A question imbued with anger, determination, and fighting spirit.

"Asuka, where are you?!"

(End of this chapter)