Watching the two young women gradually walk away, still turning back now and then to wave and call, "Officer Lan, see you tonight!" while Lancer beside him waved with a broad grin, Shinji stroked his chin thoughtfully.
Only after the two women had gone far enough to vanish completely from sight did Lancer lower his hand. He shook his head with a helpless, bitter smile, wearing a punchable expression that seemed to say, "Honestly~ outstanding men are this popular in every era. What a pain~"
Seeing Shinji still furrowing his brow and propping up his chin in thought, Lancer frowned, clicked his tongue, and spoke with a hint of impatience.
"Hey, kid, don't get any—"
"Don't worry, I get it." Shinji cut Lancer off with a serious expression, then began analyzing the matter with grave sincerity. "The so-called soul is hard to distinguish with the naked eye! So the only way to witness a soul is through deep exchange, allowing souls to collide!"
"It sounds reasonable at first, but I feel like there's something wrong with that..."
"Relax, relax, I get it!"
"No, you clearly don't get anything!" Lancer protested loudly, then sighed. "Well, fine, fine. I admit I lied yesterday. The truth is, when it comes to women, if the feeling is right, then bleep--that's what makes a man!"
Shinji: ...
Even though it was not the prime season for heading out to fish, Shinji, standing at Shinto's harbor, still saw quite a few fishing boats setting out one after another toward the vast sea beneath the stars.
Of course, there were not many fishing boats. Cargo ships and passenger liners were far more common.
The sky was clear and boundless, and the warmth of the sun hanging overhead made it feel as though the seasons had somehow