EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 172 Who made them all like Shinji so much?

"Miri, I'm coming in—"

While Misato Katsuragi was still immersed in reviewing her conversation with Shinji Ikari that morning, a rather unusual voice knocked on the office door.

"Asuka? Come in, the door's unlocked."

Quickly straighten your clothes, sit up straight, and tie your tie... You still need to maintain the dignity of an acting commander in front of others.

Asuka walked in... followed by Rei Ayanami, Mari Makinami, and Toji Suzuhara?

All the eligible candidates came to find him, but Shinji Ikari, the leader, was the only one missing... That's quite rare.

"It's rare for you to come to my office from headquarters... What happened? Judging from your expression, you don't seem to be here for tea."

"Miri, we're here to ask... what happened between you and that idiot Shinji this morning?"

Asuka cut straight to the point without any pleasantries.

"What's wrong? What happened, Shinji?"

Misato Katsuragi frowned. This group of people had come to their door all at once. Could it be that Shinji Ikari had said something?
The qualified candidates exchanged glances, their faces filled with confusion. Only then did Rei Ayanami step forward to answer.

"No... Ikari-kun, there's nothing special about him... He chats and trains with us as always. After finishing the daily synchronization resonance experiment, he should now go to the intelligence department for his daily shooting practice."

"Then, why did Asuka ask Shinji what happened...?"

Misato Katsuragi racked her brains. She and Shinji Ikari had only talked that morning; they hadn't kissed or hugged... and it was impossible for her to have left any hickeys, lip prints, or her perfume scent on him...

"Because, Wang-chan... what he said was exactly the same as usual, but... there was a strange feeling between the lines."

"A strange feeling?"

"Yes! Especially to me! When Shinji and I bumped into each other in the restroom and chatted, he actually blurted out something like, 'Toji, you have to become a boy who makes the class president feel safe'... It was like he was saying something like, 'I'm leaving the base to pursue poetry and distant places!'"

Suzuhara Toji reacted the most strongly because Ikari Shinji was almost speaking to him in a farewell tone, which made him extremely uneasy.

"what…!"

At this point, Misato Katsuragi finally realized... Oh right, for her... perhaps the love-hate relationship between Akagi and her daughter and Gendo Ikari was more worthy of her attention... but for Shinji Ikari, his mind was probably already on when he went to the NERV branch in Berlin, Germany...

"This reaction... I knew it... Misato, you know what's going on!"

Asuka noticed Misato's sudden realization and stepped forward to press her with great force.

"That idiot, what's going on... He's not the kind of person who would say he's going on vacation just because all the Apostles have been wiped out, is he?!"

Looking at Asuka's fierce yet cowardly appearance... her tone was incredibly assertive, but her eyes were darting around nervously... really, Shinji-kun... don't you know your place in these kids' hearts?

"Gentlemen... let me ask you something first. Shinji didn't tell you anything, did he?"

"...No. Even if we ask Wang-chan, he'll just put on a poker face and ask, 'What are you talking about?' and so on. You know, Ms. Katsuragi, even the intelligence department's truth serum can't get any information out of Wang-chan that he doesn't want to reveal."

Mari nodded in affirmation of Misato Katsuragi's doubts, and Misato Katsuragi, who had already guessed the answer, also nodded with a heavy expression. "In that case, I can't tell you anything."

"what?!"

Asuka roared in extreme dissatisfaction, but was met with Misato Katsuragi's calm and composed gaze.

"Since it was Shinji's decision not to reveal this to you, he must have his reasons. If I were to speak out here... publicly, it might disrupt Shinji's plans as the leader... privately, it might hurt Shinji's feelings. Therefore, whether as the acting commander of NERV headquarters or as his older sister Misato Katsuragi... I will not reveal information that Shinji is unwilling to disclose... Rei?!"

Originally, Misato Katsuragi thought that... by imitating Shinji Ikari and throwing out such a bunch of irrefutable and justifiable arguments... she would make these children back down.

However, she discovered that Rei Ayanami, who was behind Asuka, had suddenly knelt down in front of her.

"Hey!"

Misato Katsuragi nimbly flipped over the desk and helped Rei Ayanami, who was about to dogeza (a traditional Chinese kneeling posture), to her feet...

"Don't be like this."

"...I'm sorry, Ms. Misato. But, I can only ask you..."

"If you plead with Shinji with such vehement an attitude... Shinji won't hold back at all!"

Seeing the sorrow on Rei Ayanami's face, Misato Katsuragi felt a pang of sadness... Why did they come looking for her? Why didn't they just ask Shinji Ikari the truth? He would never see you suffering like this...

"Because, Ikari doesn't want us to know... If we forcefully ask him... it will put him in a difficult position."

"So you're asking me this so forcefully?! And even doing a full-on dogeko (prostration) in my office?! Don't you feel uncomfortable with me?! Xiaoli, isn't this double standard going a bit too far?!"

Misato Katsuragi was speechless. How could this child say such hurtful things so bluntly... Seeing Shinji Ikari in such a predicament would make them unable to speak...

You wouldn't want to make things difficult for yourself, would you?!

"Miri, I'm begging you too... I don't dare to ask that idiot directly. It's because—I'm afraid he'll hate me..."

Asuka, abandoning her usual fierce demeanor, lowered her head earnestly to plead.

"Asuka, even you..."

Misato Katsuragi now fully understands the feelings these two children have for Shinji Ikari, but... from her perspective, she absolutely cannot leak this information... so even if it means they hate her, she can only...

"Shinji might have to go to Paris."

"?!"

Just as Misato Katsuragi was preparing to be the villain and was about to drive the group out... with a casual quip, Ryoji Kaji naturally opened the door and walked in.

"You didn't knock... Wait! How did you know...?! And why did you just say that outright?!"

"Don't be so heartless, Misato. I know you're very loyal to the BOSS, but... cutting off the feelings of these young girls is too cold-blooded... Who told them to like Shinji so much?"

(End of this chapter)