Tokyo-3, Shinjuku Kabukicho District, Akasaka Bar.
This establishment was not a Western-style bar in the usual sense, but an upscale Japanese snack bar.
The interior was always dimly lit. There was no loud music or dance floor, only a long bar counter. Soft jazz and Bossa Nova played in the background at just the right volume, never interfering with the conversation between the two women at the counter.
The big-sister duo
"How is it? Living with him," Ritsuko Akagi asked.
"Hmm... it's all right, I guess. I've gradually gotten used to it," Misato Katsuragi replied, resting her chin on her hand. Her voice sounded rather flat, but a hint of tenderness crept into her eyes.
"You still get nervous? Is this really the same Miss Katsuragi who used alcohol to lure in an innocent boy?"
Faced with her friend's teasing, Misato merely shot her a helpless sideways glance, then stared absently at the glass in front of her.
"Shinji already said he did it willingly. Besides, Shinji and I aren't romantically involved."
"Who knows? You two seem to get along pretty well to me. You hardly ever go out on your days off." Wisps of white smoke curled from the cigarette in Ritsuko's hand. "Shinji stayed because of you, too, didn't he?"
"Since when did you start spying on my private life?"
"All I have to do is pull up the surveillance footage outside your apartment. You don't really think NERV's operations commander and ace pilot are nobodies no one cares about, do you?"
"I didn't even know I was that important." Misato took a sip of her drink. "I think I'm part of the reason Shinji stayed, but I get the feeling he... might like EVA more."
Ritsuko's observations were more precise. "True, but it isn't EVA. To be exact, it's Unit-01. He has absolutely no interest in Unit-00's reactivation tests."
"Sometimes I really can't figure out what he's thinking. He seems to like Unit-01 a lot, and he's always saying all that mystical stuff, but it feels so hollow. If everyone has a reason to keep living, then his reason is far too hollow."
Misato stared at the glass in her hand. Perhaps the subject of life's aspirations had stirred her interest, because she drained the Bourbon Whiskey in one gulp.
"If Rei is a blank sheet of paper, then I think he's graph paper. Nothing but neat, orderly lines, as if everything has already been divided up. His words, his thoughts, his life-they're all straight lines he drew himself."
"Maybe sometimes you're more perceptive than I am." Ritsuko fell silent for a moment, then drained the Gin swirling in her glass as well.
"Piloting EVA, saving humanity, becoming a god-every mission sounds important, even grand. But those pretty words can't fool him. It's resistance. It's an anchor keeping his little boat from being swept away by the waves," Misato said.
This time, Ritsuko remained silent longer. She took a drag on her cigarette and exhaled a wisp of white smoke. "Your talents are wasted in Operations. You ought to be in Public Relations."
"Shinji said the same thing." Misato gave a relieved smile.
"Did he? Then it looks like our harmonics are pretty good, too." Ritsuko smiled faintly.
"Definitely better than Commander Ikari's." Misato's brow relaxed a little. Perhaps the alcohol was taking effect; she had even dared to take a jab at her superior.
"Why does Commander Ikari have absolutely no interest in his own son? If that boy had had a different childhood, he would definitely have turned out differently."
"You're that sure?"
"Because I feel like he's already started changing a little lately."
"Oh..." Ritsuko let out a long, knowing sigh.
"All right, enough. Harping on this subject isn't any fun," Misato complained. "You called me out here for actual business, didn't you?"
Ritsuko knew that a joke stopped being funny if she took it too far. She picked up the handbag beside her and placed two cards on the counter, printed with half-length portraits of Shinji Ikari and Rei Ayanami.
"This is Shinji's official Identity Card, and Rei Ayanami's updated card. Please have Shinji take hers over tomorrow."
"Why specifically ask Shinji to deliver it?" Misato demanded.
Ritsuko shrugged helplessly. "Maybe... the Eligible have more to talk about with each other."
After discussing that so-called business with Ritsuko, Misato went straight home, as she had arranged beforehand.
When she opened the door, she saw Pianpian coming out of the bathroom after a bath, and no one else. Pianpian greeted Misato, then climbed back into its little refrigerator.
Misato was not surprised. She had called home before returning, and soon found Shinji Ikari in the kitchen.
"Sukiyaki, huh? That's one of the perfect pairings for beer."
"One of them? What else goes perfectly with beer?"
"Oh, there are far too many to list."
"Miss Katsuragi, the pot is already hot. I'd rather not burn myself."
Shinji Ikari felt Misato leaning against him, a soft warmth pressing against his back. He caught her wandering hand and spoke with resignation.
"All right." Misato's alcohol-addled brain finally cleared a little. She stepped aside sheepishly. "I'll get the beer."
A little later, watching Shinji Ikari carry the pot out, Misato felt momentarily dazed. In this scene, she seemed like a husband who had just come home from entertaining clients, while Shinji Ikari was her housewife.
According to the latest social surveys, however, over seventy percent of households in Japan chose to have the housewife manage the family finances. Given her own financial situation, she could not even afford Shinji Ikari's pocket money.
Of course, Shinji Ikari had never expected to get a single penny of pocket money from Misato anyway.
Shinji Ikari was not short of money. He had already received this month's salary, and his compensation far exceeded his rank. Converted into US dollars, his monthly pay just barely reached ten figures, while his annual income amounted to roughly one ten-thousandth of global GDP.
Only an ace pilot received that kind of compensation. The other Eligible or reserve candidates were paid about as much as ordinary military officers. After all, his combat record spoke for itself.
If there had been no other Eligible or reserve candidates, his compensation would probably have been even higher.
He was not actually interested in money. He stayed at NERV because he wanted to be with Unit-01. It was an important step toward becoming a god.
Although Shinji Ikari had yet to find a concrete way to become a god, he knew he needed Unit-01.
After piloting Unit-01, his body had already undergone a transformation. Even the AT Field he could project from his human body was stronger than it had been before he came here.
Of course, he could do without something as vulgar as money, but humanity could not refuse to offer it. A god knew perfectly well whether humans held him in their hearts.
"This tastes good. Your cooking keeps getting better," Misato remarked. "Oh, right, this is for you. I almost forgot."
As she spoke, she rummaged in her pocket and pulled out two black cards.
"My official Identity Card? They're only giving it to me now? Isn't NERV a little inefficient?" Shinji Ikari held the two Identity Cards, each bearing half a Fig Leaf.
"You've been promoted so fast. You were supposed to be a second lieutenant when you first arrived, and this week you're already a major," Misato said, putting some beef into her mouth.
"The other one is Rei's new Identity Card. You two get along pretty well, don't you? Please pass it on to her for me."
With food and drink in front of her, she put all that talk of life, paper, and boats out of her mind.
Shinji Ikari glanced at her, then put the two Identity Cards away.
Before you continue