EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 180 I like you, and I like Ayanami too…

"I like Ikari-kun—but I like you too!"

The sudden confession almost left Asuka and Rai completely stunned... Wait a minute, speaking of which... Rei Ayanami, this kid...
Although she's a clone... she doesn't seem to grasp even many of the most basic social norms. Could it be...?

"Hey! Xiaoli! What do you mean by 'like'?!"

This girl... could she be confusing "like" with "like"?

"Ok??"

Faced with Asuka's questioning as if it were a formidable enemy, Rei Ayanami tilted her head in confusion... After pondering for a long time, she looked to Shinji Ikari, who had been watching the show from the sidelines, for help.

As a man, and a scumbag who doesn't want to choose between two girls but chooses to have them all... Shinji Ikari knows he should keep quiet in this situation and let Rei Ayanami talk.

"...Don't be nervous, Lingbo. Just express your thoughts and feelings!"

After receiving comfort from Shinji Ikari, Rei Ayanami closed her eyes once again... After pondering for a long time, she came to a conclusion.

"When I'm with, Ikari-kun... and Asuka... it feels so warm and fulfilling. A long time ago... probably when I was first created... I unilaterally carried out Commander Ikari's orders. I never felt sadness, nor joy... inside, I only felt an emptiness..."

Asuka bit her lip… She could now understand the sadness and confusion of being a clone. Besides, she had at least been implanted with false memories… and knew what a normal human being should be like.

As for Ayanami—it's estimated that from birth until now…she has always been a doll…a laboratory animal…never been treated as a complete human being!

"To fill that void... I began to approach Commander Ikari. I did my best to complete the tasks assigned to me by Commander Ikari... But no matter what I did, I could only feel the void in my heart growing larger and larger, and the blood in my body growing colder and colder... At that time, I was completely unaware... However, now it seems... that I was gradually drifting away from what is called humanity."

That's how it is—suppressing human emotions and desires...becoming increasingly mechanical and empty...going further and further down the path of inhumanity...and eventually never being able to turn back.

"I know I met Ikari-kun... and then, Ikari-kun invited me... to live with everyone. Without realizing it... the emptiness in my heart was gradually filled by something warm... and my once cold blood became warmer and warmer. So... I want to live with Ikari-kun... forever and ever."

"Xiaoli..."

Asuka looked at Rei Ayanami's face with complicated emotions... She hadn't expected that her original intention of trying to understand whether Rei Ayanami's feelings were familial or romantic would lead to such a heavy confession.

Moreover, it is completely impossible to discern which of Rei Ayanami's true nature she possesses.

"...So, do you like Misato Katsuragi?"

"Ah."

Do you like Hikari?

"........."

This time, they remained silent.

Do you like receiving blessings?

"........."

Still silent.

"Makiha? Suzuhara Toji?"

"........."

Stay silent.

Where is Kaworu Nagisa?

"...!"

This time, it was extremely resistant, shaking its little head desperately.

Why are you so resistant to Kaworu Nagisa...?

"Because he hurt Ikari... he hurt Asuka... therefore, I hate him."

"...That's true."

Asuka gave a wry smile... But, in this way... it's certain that this child isn't the kind who likes everyone...

Her relationships were limited to Shinji Ikari, herself... and Misato Katsuragi. That was the original four people in this small family.

"Then... Xiaoli, let me ask you another question. Is there any difference between your liking for this idiot and your liking for me and Miri?" "...?"

Upon hearing this, Rei Ayanami tilted her head and began to ponder again, her brows furrowed slightly, clearly deep in thought.

"…No."

"No? Oh, I don't know either... Wait a minute?! What do you mean no?! Didn't you just kiss this idiot?!"

At this moment, Asuka suddenly remembered... when it came to kissing... this little girl had even gotten ahead of her... so what was she still hesitating about?

"Ah...yes."

Rei Ayanami blinked and nodded as if she suddenly understood.

"Oh, right."

"Then why are you still...feeding me!"

Before Asuka could say anything, she saw Rei Ayanami's face suddenly looming over her.

"What the hell?!"

Asuka quickly grabbed Rei Ayanami's shoulder, forcing the girl who had come up to kiss her to stop.

"What are you doing?!"

"Asuka asked that... I thought you wanted to kiss me too..."

"I do want to kiss you! But not you!"

Seeing Asuka struggling with Rei Ayanami's naiveté, Shinji Ikari chuckled and cracked a joke.

"Then I will do it?"

"Shut up, you idiot! Show me the atmosphere!"

This isn't the time for a kiss, damn it!
With a loud thud, he grabbed something from the desk behind him and smashed it on Shinji Ikari's head...

Then I realized that this was actually... a doll that I had once cherished so much and regarded as someone like myself.

So that's why... it was placed here so cherished by Shinji Ikari—

"You still... kept it..."

"Of course... You solemnly said that night... that you would give her to me as if she were you. If I were to turn around and throw her away, wouldn't it be like I abandoned you... My fastidiousness wouldn't allow me to do such a thing."

As Shinji Ikari picked up the doll and put it away, he continued to talk to Asuka.

"Alright, alright, you've been interrogating Rei all night... Asuka, it's time for you to come to your own conclusion."

"………………have no idea…"

Asuka hugged her knees in frustration... At first, she did try to prove that Rei Ayanami's feelings for Shinji Ikari were those of a family member, not a lover.

However, as the conversation deepened, she realized that she was only deceiving herself.

Rei Ayanami's feelings for Shinji Ikari are exactly the same as her feelings for him.

"You idiot Shinji...you should tell me what you're thinking too!"

The final straw, and the conclusion of tonight's conversation... In the very end, it is Shinji Ikari who will set the tone for everything.

Shinji Ikari, on the other hand, looked utterly astonished.

"What do you mean, what I think... Haven't I been saying this all along?"

"say what…?"

"I like you, and I like Ayanami... so I want the three of us to stay together forever. It's that simple."

(End of this chapter)