EVA: Shinji Ikari Returns from Tiga

Chapter 52: Shinji-kun can't wear only one pair of underwear when he's at home [Second update]

"We're back! Ah-panpan! You're here to welcome me~"

As soon as Misato Katsuragi opened the door of the apartment, the huge hot spring penguin flapped its wings and dived into Misato Katsuragi's arms.

"Good! What a good boy! You must be hungry! I'll prepare something for you."

Misato Katsuragi was so delighted by this action that she no longer cared about civilized behavior. She threw her handbag carelessly on the floor of the entrance in a very excited mood, and did not even tidy up her boots. She took them off and threw them there in a mess.

I went straight to the kitchen to prepare dried fish and other things for Panpan to eat.

"... "

Shinji Ikari was speechless as he helped her put the still warm boots in the shoe cabinet. This woman had been saying something when they first moved in...

I wanted to set a good example for Asuka and Rei Ayanami...but after just a few days, my true colors showed up. The kitchen table is covered with leftover beer cans.

"... Ikari-kun, welcome home..."

At this moment, Rei Ayanami's door opened... A little aqua-blue head, wearing only a loose white shirt and with sleepy eyes, cutely popped out.

"Ayanami? You shouldn't be in school at this time..."

Rei Ayanami rubbed her eyes and walked towards Shinji Ikari barefoot.

This... is this already her home clothes? The upper body is a completely large-sized men's shirt... and the lower body is not wearing shorts or a short skirt. Under the wide hem of the shirt... there is no clothing visible, and only long, white legs are visible.

This style of dressing... might be fine if it's only for Asuka and Misato Katsuragi, but for Shinji Ikari, a male student in his prime... isn't it a little too unhealthy?

Just when Shinji Ikari was a little embarrassed and told himself not to look too hard at Rei Ayanami's legs...

"Yesterday, Professor Akagi had me...do the warm-up for Unit-00's restart experiment overnight. I stayed up all night and didn't go to school..."

"........."

Rei Ayanami's words were like a basin of ice water poured over him from head to toe, completely calming Shinji Ikari's originally restless mood.

Overnight, Unit 00's restart experiment... these two words only bring bad associations to Shinji Ikari.

Originally... the experiment on Unit 00 had failed twice in a row, and it shouldn't have been restarted so hastily... and Ikari Gendō should still be in Matsushiro and hasn't returned yet... it couldn't have been Ikari Gendō's instruction.

Moreover, it was not something that needed to be done in a hurry... but it was so urgent that Ayanami had to carry out the experiment overnight... The only reason Shinji Ikari could think of was that he was sleeping in the medical cabin last night... and could not interfere with the experiment at all.

Could it be that... because of Nagisa Kaworu's prank, they really thought that they had affected Unit 00?

Just as Shinji Ikari was repeatedly weighing Akagi Ritsuko's motives...

"Ikari-kun, are you happy?"

"...?"

I saw Ayanami Rei's faint smile and a vague question... Happy? What does that mean?
"Hey! Rei! Didn't I tell you—when Shinji-kun is at home, you have to wear a skirt properly before going out!"

Misato Katsuragi, who had finished feeding the hot spring penguins, came over and without saying a word, grabbed Rei Ayanami's hand and stuffed it back into her bedroom.

"You're a girl, you can't show up in front of boys wearing only your underwear! You have to have the dignity of a girl!"

"…………" Shinji Ikari looked speechlessly at Misato Katsuragi, who was only wearing a set of light yellow bra and panties, and was lecturing Rei Ayanami in a serious manner.

"What, Shinji-kun...why are you looking at me like that?"

"No, I was just thinking - Miss Misato, you were running around the apartment in just your underwear... you still have the nerve to lecture Ayanami."

"What? That's all... Because I'm different from you! You're the same age, you're kids, and I'm an adult... What? Could it be that Shinji-kun, seeing the underwear of an old lady like me, would also make you feel something? It's really hopeless, young people nowadays..."

“…” Ikari Shinji (￣︿￣)
"Hey! Shinji-kun!? Why are you filming me with your phone?!"

"Oh... Miss Misato's advice to me in the car just now was very effective. I decided to have a good talk with my father. I'm at a loss for a suitable topic... So, I'll start with the point about the negative influence of guardians running around in front of minors in their underwear. Ah... Since my father is still in Matsushiro, I'll talk to Professor Akagi tomorrow."

"No! I was wrong! Shinji-kun! It's my fault! I shouldn't have teased you! Don't tell Ritsuko and the commander! Something bad will happen! Something really bad will happen!"

"Really?! Then don't make such silly jokes..."

While this heartwarming fun was continuing... Rei Ayanami, wearing a shirt and pleated skirt, walked out of the room. The joy on her face was gone... She looked at Shinji Ikari and Misato Katsuragi with great dissatisfaction.

"…………cunning."

She had just entered the room a few minutes ago to put on her clothes, but these two people... had actually walked into such a joyful atmosphere without her permission. Feeling excluded, Rei Ayanami... rarely showed her dissatisfaction on her face.

"Rei... I'm sorry, I was just joking along with what Shinji was saying."

Katsuragi Misato was surprised that Rei Ayanami could express her feelings so openly... and felt relieved. Then she pulled Rei away and explained to Shinji Ikari.

"Actually... the experiment on Unit-00 was supposed to be conducted today, but... Rei heard that you were coming back today, Shinji-kun, so she deliberately set the experiment time to last night. Just so she could welcome you home today—"

“Ayanami…!”

This unexpected answer made Shinji Ikari overjoyed. He didn't expect... Could Rei Ayanami be so frank about her inner feelings?
Ah, is this... the reason why Rei Ayanami asked herself... whether she was happy?
"When I return home, I'm not greeted by an empty room, but by someone smiling and saying, 'Welcome back...' How blissful that would be—that's what I told Rei. I didn't expect the child to actually listen and insist on waiting for me at home."

Misato Katsuragi touched Rei Ayanami's head and smiled as she completed the words that Rei Ayanami herself was unable to convey properly, and Rei Ayanami... just nodded with a slightly drunken look on her face.

"Thank you—Ayanami, um… I'm very happy."

"Really? That's great."

Two pairs of eyes looked at each other calmly and peacefully... At this moment, no extra words were needed.

At this moment, the timing was perfect... the door of the apartment was opened, and a girl with golden hair in school uniform came home from school.

"I'm back—ah, what are you all doing standing at the door?"

"…hehe."

This time, the three of them smiled at each other and spoke in unison.

"Welcome home, Asuka--!"

“Quack, quack, quack!!!”

In addition, there is a bird.

(End of this chapter)