Farewell

Five minutes later.

When the government's military personnel arrived, they found two bodies on the ground.

They were the two Giant Machine pilots they had been sent to detain.

The blood on the bodies had not dried yet. Clearly, they had only just died.

"What? These are the living prisoners your commander promised us?! We already agreed to all of NERV's conditions, and now you're playing us? What is the meaning of this?" The officer leading them held a senior military rank and angrily questioned the four Eva pilots before him.

Huang Zhetian had no patience for talking to this colonel. He picked his ear with his little finger and said irritably, "I don't recall the agreement saying whether they had to be alive or dead when you got here. Alive one second, dead the next. We kept our word."

"But how did they die? If you don't give me an explanation today, I'll report this to the United Nations government!" the colonel said furiously.

"Even if we hadn't killed them, they would have killed themselves! They wanted to commit suicide, understand? We just helped them along and gave them a quick end... without any pain. Do you understand?"

Asuka mocked the colonel. "You should be grateful NERV stepped in to help you this time. You created this mess yourselves, then made us clean it up. We haven't even finished calculating the losses you caused! And you're questioning NERV? Whatever you say, those two were already dead when you arrived!"

"I-! Damn it! Fine! I'll take the loss this time! I hear there's another pilot in the hospital. Keep these two bodies or don't, whatever you like. Surely you won't kill them and refuse to bury them? Move out!" The colonel delivered his parting threat, but as he passed the bodies, he waved at a soldier, signaling for a gun.

Seeing this, Shinji's pupils instantly contracted.

The colonel noticed everything, and a sinister smile curled his lips.

He chuckled. "Nothing wrong with checking."

With that, he raised the pistol and fired several shots.

Neither body moved. Their blood had already begun to clot and seeped out slowly.

Disappointment crossed the colonel's face. Apparently, they really were dead.

Judging by their original wounds, both had been killed with a blade.

The colonel handed the gun back to the soldier, clapped his hands, and jerked his head, signaling everyone to leave.

"These two are dead, but there's still one in the hospital. I hope your commander keeps his word this time..." The colonel boarded the helicopter, then turned to address the four below.

"Safe travels. We won't see you off..." Huang Zhetian waved, looking utterly unconcerned.

Not long after the colonel and his men left, Huang Zhetian immediately took out the Taiji Sword.

The Taiji Sword's blade was still there. Shinji watched nervously as Huang Zhetian put it away again.

Huang Zhetian glanced at Rei Ayanami, signaling for her to turn around.

Rei Ayanami did not mind. She returned to Unit-00's entry plug and closed the hatch.

Huang Zhetian had Asuka and Shinji drag the two bodies back into the Giant Machine's cockpit.

Before long, NERV personnel arrived.

Misato stormed in, furious. "Who did it? They were so young. How could you bring yourselves to do this? You're all the same age!"

Shinji and Asuka said nothing. When they had seen Huang Zhetian cut Musashi down with his sword, both had been scared senseless.

Huang Zhetian's expression had been ice-cold then. Even Asuka, who was usually so headstrong, had been frightened.

Then they had heard Huang Zhetian's explanation...

Huang Zhetian calmly stepped forward. "It was me."

Misato strode up and slapped him hard across the face.

Huang Zhetian did not dodge. He took the full force of the slap.

A bright red handprint immediately appeared on his face.

"What were you doing? Why? Answer me, Huang Zhetian!" Misato shouted every word.

Her actions left Asuka and Shinji stunned. Neither dared speak up for Huang Zhetian.

They had never seen Misato angry before. Usually, she was gentle and easygoing.

When had they ever seen her like this?

"If I hadn't killed them, their lives would have been worse than death! They would have suffered more than if they died! Even death would have been a luxury! They asked me to do this... I didn't want to see them suffer. You know that, Miss Misato." Huang Zhetian explained without expression.

"Whew... You! You killed people! You're suspended from your duties as a pilot pending a period of observation!" Misato took a deep breath. She knew what her own country was like...

"Also, Mana's last wish was for the two of them to be buried somewhere near water. She gave me the address. It was their final wish, Miss Misato..." Huang Zhetian said, taking out a slip of paper.

"Fine!"

"Have Mr. Kaji drive over... I called him just now."

"...All right."

With a stern expression, Misato returned to NERV's vehicle and drove straight off.

The four remaining Evas were left for NERV's logistics troops to retrieve.

Misato had barely left when Kaji arrived.

"Everything ready?" Kaji put a cigarette between his lips, flicked a lighter with one hand, and shielded the flame from the wind with the other. He exhaled a cloud of smoke and asked casually.

"Everything's ready. What about the clothes?" Huang Zhetian accepted the three sets of clothes Kaji handed him without fuss.

He told Shinji and Asuka to change somewhere out of sight.

A little later, the three of them got into the car, with the two bodies in the trunk.

Huang Zhetian took out the Taiji Sword. Its blade was still there.

Gripping the hilt with both hands, Huang Zhetian closed his eyes and focused. He suddenly opened them, and the blade slowly dissolved.

"Bear with it for now. Once we get there, you can change. We've already bought your subway tickets and arranged new identities for you. Leave this place..." Huang Zhetian put away the hilt and leaned back in his seat.

He was speaking to the two in the trunk.

"Thank you..."

Asuka and Shinji once again had their understanding of the world shattered.

People could come back from the dead?

"Don't be so surprised. It's a kind of suspended animation. This sword of mine is called the Taiji Sword. It can only put people into that state twice a day. It's a famous Chinese sword. You wouldn't understand." Huang Zhetian offered no further explanation, giving them only a vague outline.

"Heh... When something that defies nature happens around you, I find it perfectly normal, Zhetian." Kaji opened the window and tossed his cigarette butt outside, then scratched his head as he joked.

"No, it's a country with five thousand years of history. There's only so much you can understand. Even as a Chinese person, there's plenty I don't know, let alone you foreigners. Asking too many questions will only give you more to worry about." Huang Zhetian watched the scenery race past the window, a hint of pride in his voice.

"True. In a country thousands of years old, strange things must be perfectly ordinary."

"I hope Rei Ayanami doesn't tell Commander Ikari about this," Asuka said worriedly.

"She won't... Shinji's here. I already told him to talk to her back then," Huang Zhetian said, sipping orange juice with his legs crossed.

"Tch. Shinji, you two-timing jerk..."

Shinji was speechless. "..."

There seemed to be very few people at the subway station at this hour.

Since Second Impact, few people used mass transit.

With no knowing when disaster might strike, everyone preferred their own vehicles for long journeys.

"All right, Shinji. Say goodbye to your girlfriend..." Huang Zhetian patted his shoulder encouragingly.

"Shinji... I..."

"Mana, let me say this. I'm afraid I won't get another chance... Maybe never seeing each other again would be good for both of us. But I really don't want to let you go. I really... really don't. You were my first in everything, Mana." As Shinji spoke, his tears slipped beyond his control and streamed down his face again.

Yet Shinji kept smiling, speaking every word earnestly.

"Shinji, I'm sorry. I never should have come into your life. Forget about me, Shinji." Mana could no longer hold back her sobs. At that moment...

Their parting had become a final farewell.

"Thank you, Zhetian-kun. I have parents, but I can't go back to see them anymore. I can't let them know I'm still alive." Mana bowed to Huang Zhetian in gratitude.

"From now on, you and Musashi should look after each other, since you're already together. As for the other pilot in the hospital, I can't save him. Perhaps that's his fate..." Huang Zhetian waved off her thanks.

"All right, the train's here. Time to go. Take these, you two. These are your new identities. Live well... youngsters." Kaji took two new identity cards from his pocket and handed them over.

Mana and Musashi bowed to express their thanks as well.

"Before we say goodbye, let me give you one more tune. 'Thoughts Across Time and Space,' in memory of your date with Shinji yesterday." Huang Zhetian took his flute from the trunk and spoke to Mana.

"All right..."

"Thank you, Zhetian-kun."

"You're welcome. I'll begin."

The flute rang out, its long, lingering notes reaching into the sky.

This time, the notes no longer carried hope, but true longing across time and space.

Blue skies and white clouds.

Birds fluttering in flocks.

Utility poles and wires.

Long benches.

And the subway train preparing to depart.

Even the ever-headstrong Asuka shed tears.

Watching the scene before him, Kaji could not help feeling saddened too.

Sadly, some things in this world were absolute. Even if one absolute was used against another, the result was still absolute.

By the time the Flute Music ended, the train had gone far away. Shinji and the others could no longer see Mana or Musashi.

Shinji's slight figure stood beside the tracks. The gentle sunlight shone on him, revealing how listless he looked.

He stared blankly after the departing train, his heart emptied of everything.

With the sound of the flute, everything had drifted away.

Huang Zhetian patted his shoulder again. "I'm cooking tonight. Tell us what you want, then go buy the groceries with Kaji. Come on!"

Shinji came back to himself and looked at Huang Zhetian and the others, then smiled happily. "Okay!"

Asuka returned to her usual self too and shouted, "I want cucumber salad!"

"Sure!"

"Let's buy some beer for Misato too."

"She has plenty of beer at home. Speaking of Miss Misato, my face still stings from that slap she gave me."

"You deserved it!"

"Yep! I deserved it for not explaining things properly to you!"

"Hahaha! The last time Misato got angry was eight years ago."

Watching them laugh and joke, Shinji suddenly felt that he had lost nothing at all. Instead, he had gained so much.

"Thank you..." Shinji said softly.

"What did you say, Shinji?"

"Nothing."

Beneath the evening sky, a small car traveled down a lonely road.

Its shadow stretched long behind it, showing how different this world was.

And marking a new beginning.