Originally Posted on 01-07-24
____________________________________________________________
'She didn't show up today.'
It was a thought that rang through Shinji Ikari's head during that school day. After class had begun, he noticed that one of the desks still remained empty. Now while they had plenty of empty seats in class due to many students leaving Tokyo-3, this seat was one that still had an attending student, Rei Ayanami. One of his other fellow Evangelion pilots, someone he considered a friend, and who was absent from school that day.
Though it was not that rare of an occurrence as the pale girl had been absent from school before in the past. Her absences every so often had become a natural occurring event that rarely anybody paid much attention to. Many did not see any differences in the school day whether she was there or not. Only a handful ever took notice of it, Shinji being one of them.
'I wonder if it was because of those tests again.' He considered as he started packing up his stuff upon hearing the last class bell ring. The previous time she had been absent not so long ago had resulted in him being tasked with delivering her missed assignments to her. Upon visiting her, he had learned that she had been called in for some type of tests regarding the reactivation of Evangelion unit-00 as it had finally been repaired and deemed combat ready again. Though what test would Rei have had to do this time, he is unaware of, as the general synchronization and harmonics test were already scheduled for certain days of the week, and they had already completed one the other day. Perhaps it was just another test to check on her unit and make sure everything still works fine or something.
Or perhaps she was absent because she was sick.
He'd rather hope she wasn't sick. Though she did look fine when he last saw her the other day, he wouldn't mark off the possibility of her becoming sick in between that time, especially considering the state of her apartment building. The idea of Rei being sick and alone there was not a particularly pleasant one for Shinji to consider.
Shaking his head, he just told himself that he was overthinking it as he hoisted his satchel bag over his shoulders. As everyone else was starting to leave, he couldn't help but overhear a conversation between his friend Toji Suzuhara and the Class 2-A Representative; Hikari Horaki. The conversation of which was actually more so an argument, as most their conversations were.
"Ah c'mon Class Rep, why d'ya gotta make a big deal outta it?" The athletic boy pleaded as he was accosted by Hikari, who was preventing him from leaving. His and Shinji's other friend; Kensuke Aida, had already abandoned him as he had something related to his otaku hobbies to do after school that Shinji hadn't quite caught, but would probably be told in great detail by him the next time they were in class.
"Because you should be putting your trash into the bin instead of throwing it, especially since when you miss, it lands on the floor." The freckled girl reprimanded through gritted teeth as she held a crumpled wrapper that she forcefully handed back to him.
"Well geez it's gonna get picked up by whoever got da cleanin' duty today, so who cares?" He bemoaned which only served to further rile up the Class Representative.
"Yeah, well if I see you throw your trash again, I'll make sure you get cleaning duty for a week Suzuhara! Got it!" She exclaimed, her threat managing to strike fear into the boy.
"Eheh yeah I got it, d'eres no need to resort to somethin' so severe Class Rep." Toji confirmed as he held up his hands placatingly in an effort to not anger her further, knowing she likely would go through with the threat if provoked.
Shinji watched this exchange and couldn't help but to think about the interaction he had with the Class Representative just the other day, when he had been taken to the nurse's office by Hikari after one of her and Toji's spats resulted in him getting a cut. Once there she had asked him some questions about Toji, including whether he ever talked about her as well as wanting to know if he liked Asuka. It had confused him at the time, but when he told Asuka about it later, she said it was because the Class Representative likes Toji.
