The sun had barely risen above the horizon when I heard loud knocks on the bedroom door, followed by a familiar voice:
"Guten Morgen, Schlafmütze!" Asuka shouted, in flawless German, mixed with a blatantly sarcastic tone.
I turned in bed, still drowsy, trying to understand what I had just heard. Then the door suddenly opened, Asuka didn't even wait for an answer and she appeared with her hands on her hips, wearing her casual NERV uniform and with an impatient look.
"Come on, come on! Do you think you're here for a vacation? Wake up already!"
I sat up in bed, scratching my disheveled hair, and mumbled: "Good morning to you too..."
"Ha! You should thank me for waking you up so politely," Asuka said, laughing sarcastically.
Still sleepy, I dragged myself to change quickly and, shortly after, we both went down to the common area where breakfast was already served. The kitchen had a more European style, with various breads, cheeses, jams and a modern automatic coffee maker, which filled the room with the strong smell of freshly brewed coffee.
I was impressed by how organized it was, discreetly took a slice of bread and watched Asuka prepare her own dish with almost military speed. She seemed to know exactly what she wanted.
As they ate in silence for a few minutes, I tried to make conversation: "Do you always wake up like this... full of energy?"
Asuka raised an eyebrow as she chewed.
"Of course. That's why I'm the best. If you want to survive here, you'll have to get used to it." She pointed at me with the butter knife, almost threateningly. "No laziness!"
I smiled at the corner of my eye, finding her posture a little exaggerated, but also... strangely motivating. "Okay, okay... Understood, Miss Commander."
Asuka huffed, but seemed satisfied with the answer.
After breakfast, as they set the table together (not without Asuka complaining that I was "too slow"), I could tell that, despite her bossy exterior, Asuka was making a genuine effort to include him in her routine in her own brusque way.
As we walked to the base, I lightly hugged my arms against my body, trying to warm myself up. The cold morning wind cut through my clothes like tiny needles, and I let out small visible sighs in the air.
"Brrr..." I shivered, pulling my coat up higher. "I knew it would be cold... but not like this!"
Asuka, walking beside me, crossed her arms and gave me a pointed look.
"Welcome to Germany, you Japanese idiot."
I forced a smile, still shaking a little, as we approached the large metal structure of the local NERV. The building was imposing, grayer and more severe than the base at Tokyo-3. Communication towers stretched into the overcast sky, and there was a sense of rigid order in the air as if every inch was designed for military efficiency.
When we entered, the central heating immediately enveloped us, making me breathe a sigh of relief. But the tranquility didn't last long, because Asuka announced with a teasing smile: "Oh, and just to let you know... today we're going to do your first synchronization test here."
I stopped in the middle of the hallway. "S-synchronization test?! Man, I suck at this..."
Asuka turned, resting her hand on her hip and laughing at my nervousness.
"Sure! Do you think you came here just to hang out? Do you think the Eva will accept you without even a basic test?" She came closer, leaning forward, almost nose to nose. "It'll be fun. Or a disaster." She winked at me with a laugh.
I felt my stomach knot. I remembered well how his synchronization rates in Tokyo-3 were... average to low. And I still had the strange feeling of the "invisible hands" that had appeared in the previous battle, I didn't quite understand it. What if that interfered? What if I couldn't really synchronize? What if...
"Hey!" Asuka snapped her fingers in front of me. "Stop tripping! You'll be fine. Just do what you're told and don't overthink it."
I swallowed hard and nodded slowly.
"Okay... Okay. Don't overthink it..." I repeated to myself, as if I wanted to believe it.
As we walked together through the artificially lit corridors, I looked at the floor, trying to organize my thoughts.
The cold in Germany was strong... but the anxiety inside me seemed even more freezing.
I followed Asuka through the corridors of the base until they reached a separate wing, where there were metal cabinets lined up. One of the German NERV technicians, a blond man with a rigid expression, handed her a package.
"Here's your plugsuit." the man said in Japanese with a thick German accent.
I opened the package... and my eyes widened.
"Ehhh?!" I exclaimed, holding the suit in my hands.
The plugsuit was red, identical to Asuka's. The bright colors shone under the artificial lights, and the black and red details on the shoulders and back made it clear: it was a hastily adapted model for him. Even though it was for men, the design screamed "Asuka Langley Soryu".
"W-what?!" I stammered, looking at Asuka in panic. "When am I going to get my own outfit?... What a pain."
Asuka crossed her arms and glared at him, her brows furrowed.
"Don't look at me like that!" she complained. "It's not my fault! They only had this one spare model!"
I stood with the suit stretched out in front of me, as if I was trying to create some magical distance between myself and the plugsuit.
"But it's almost the same as yours!!" I protested.
"Shut up and put it on already!" Asuka snapped, turning red with irritation. I don't have all day to deal with a crying baby!
I resigned myself to it and went to one of the locker rooms to change. It took me a few minutes to get into the tight and uncomfortable clothes, feeling absolutely ridiculous. When I finally came out, Asuka was waiting for me, standing there, tapping her foot on the floor impatiently.
When she saw me, she let out a mocking laugh.
"Hahahaha! Seriously, it's so ridiculous!" she said, while I lowered my head in shame.
"I already told you this isn't my fault..." I said, mumbling.
Ignoring the embarrassment, we headed to the huge hangar where Eva-02 was resting.
As soon as I entered the vast space, my eyes widened again, but this time in pure amazement.
Evangelion-02 was simply magnificent.
There it was: a bright red colossus, with aerodynamic lines and an elegant yet aggressive design. The almost triangular head, the piercing golden eyes, and the reinforced armor gave off a sense of ferocity unlike any Eva I had seen in Tokyo-3. It was as if Eva 02 was made to lead battles.
I was so impressed that I stopped walking without realizing it.
"Amazing..." I muttered, looking up, mesmerized. Asuka, beside me, flashed a proud smile.
"Of course it's amazing!" she said, full of herself. "But he's mine alone! The strongest!" I was still transfixed. Even though I was nervous about the test, there was something about that colossal presence that made my heart beat faster, a feeling that maybe I could be part of something bigger here.
"Then come on, idiot!" Asuka gave me a light shove on the back. "Let's see if you're worthy of sharing my Eva!" she said, half mockingly, but with a hint of genuine expectation in her voice.
I took a deep breath. My fear was that the Eva would reject me, like it had with Shinji's, but since I wasn't alone, maybe nothing would happen.
It was the moment of truth.
A few minutes later...
After the synchronization test was finally over, I staggered out of the Entry Plug, as if I had run a marathon. My entire body ached, my muscles were tense, I felt a deep tiredness, very different from the usual exhaustion I felt during physical training.
Still wearing the tight plugsuit, I shuffled down the metal platform.
Meanwhile, Asuka, who seemed much more accustomed to it, walked beside him with a victorious smile on her face, as if it had been just another morning walk.
I leaned against one of the cold walls of the hangar, trying to catch my breath.
I felt as if my brain had been squeezed; the mental connection with the Eva required much more than I had imagined.
"I'm going to have to do this... every day? For three months?" I thought, staring at the high ceiling, where cables and metal structures crisscrossed like spider webs.
The mere thought alone made my shoulders sag with exhaustion.
Three months of tests, training, simulated missions, and probably several ear-pullings from Asuka...
It would be like living trapped on a roller coaster that never stopped.
While I was still struggling not to collapse right there, Asuka nudged him with her elbow.
"Hey, don't faint, okay?" she said in a provocative tone. "That was just the initial test! The real torture hasn't even started yet!"
I gave her a desperate look.
"You want to kill me, don't you...?" she groaned, half joking, but with a mix of truth.
Asuka just laughed, tossing her hair back with a dramatic movement.
"I hope you don't give up halfway, it would be pathetic." she said, with an exaggeratedly excited voice. "I hope you brought back a lot of willpower from Japan..."
I let out another resigned sigh.
I had barely started my journey in Germany, and I already felt that it would be a real challenge to survive these three months.
.....
A few weeks had passed since I arrived in Germany, and life at the local NERV base proved to be even harder than I had imagined.
Asuka was not easy to deal with, in fact, it was practically impossible on some days. She was demanding, proud, competitive... and seemed to take every little failure of mine in synchronization training personally.
Day after day, I dragged myself between simulations, physical exercises and mind control sessions to improve my synchronization rate.
My body was always sore, my mind exhausted, and my patience... at its limit.
It was late afternoon, and I was walking alone through one of the base's external corridors, no longer wearing the plugsuit, wearing only casual clothes.
The cold German air bit my face, but I didn't care anymore.
I just wanted a few minutes of peace.
I just wanted to breathe.
As I walked with my head down, kicking small stones along the way, I heard a familiar voice calling me:
"Yo, lost boy."
I looked up and saw Kaji Ryoji leaning casually against a pillar, a lazy smile on his face and a half-extinguished cigarette in his hand.
"Kaji..." I murmured in surprise. "Are you still here?"
"I come back every now and then to take care of some things..." Kaji replied, shrugging. "And, of course, to see how my 'special projects' are going."
I snorted tiredly.
"If you came to see my progress... I think you're going to be disappointed." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Kaji chuckled lightly. "You look worse than last time. Is Asuka killing you?"
I let out a weak smile.
"You have no idea..." he muttered. "It seems like everything I do is wrong. She's never satisfied. And... I'm not improving as much as I'd hoped either."
Kaji pushed himself away from the pillar and walked over to me, stopping next to me. He looked up at the sky, already tinged with gold and purple hues of dusk, and said in a more serious tone:
"You know, Subaru... Eva pilots are not ordinary soldiers.
They are just children... It's not just a matter of talent or effort.
It's a matter of will.
I listened in silence, Kaji's words sinking in.
"If you only compare yourself to Asuka, you'll miss the real reason you're here." Kaji continued. "You have your own way of fighting. Your own reason. Don't forget that."
I lowered my head, feeling a different weight now.
Kaji patted my shoulder.
"Oh, and don't take Asuka too seriously." Kaji smiled mischievously. "She acts like an untamable beast... but deep down, she's just a girl trying to be perfect for the world."
I let out a weak laugh, still a little lost, but somehow a little lighter. "I'll do my best..."
Maybe I wasn't as alone as I thought.
Maybe... I could still hold on.
Just a little longer.
Just one more day at a time.
"Thank you, Kaji-san," I said sincerely. "...Kaji-san... can I ask you something?"
"Manda," Kaji replied, lighting another cigarette and looking at him sideways.
I hesitated for a second, but finally said:
"Why... is Asuka like this? So..." I searched for a polite word. "So difficult to deal with?"
Kaji let out a muffled laugh, but his gaze became a little more serious.
"Difficult, huh?" He thought for a moment before answering, without turning to me. "Asuka has spent her entire life trying to prove that she is strong. To herself... to others..." He took a long drag on his cigarette. "She has become accustomed to thinking that if she is not the best at everything, if she is not perfect, then she is worthless."
I remained silent, absorbing each word. It was hard to imagine that proud and lively girl hiding something like that.
"I can't tell you everything..." Kaji said, as if sensing my curiosity. "But know that Asuka has built an armor around herself. And anything that threatens that armor... she attacks.
She'd rather be angry, arrogant, or even cruel... than be hurt again."
I looked at the ground, thinking.
Asuka always seemed so invincible... but in truth, maybe she was defending herself the whole time.
Then I muttered half to myself: "It must be lonely..."
Kaji smiled sideways, a sad smile.
"Yeah. Very lonely."
I clenched my hands into fists.
I didn't want to see Asuka like that forever.
I wanted to try... find a way to get closer to her, to show her that I wasn't her enemy.
But how could I do that without being pushed away like everyone else?
I looked up at the sky again, the stars starting to shine above the frozen Germany.
"I... want to try to get along with her." I said quietly, as if I was promising myself.
Kaji stubbed out his cigarette on the stone wall next to him and replied:
"Good luck, kid.
You'll need it."
I smiled slightly.
Even though Asuka was like an impossible wall to climb... I wanted to at least knock on that wall's door.
And maybe, one day, it would open a little bit.
Just a little bit.
Enough so I could reach her.
Some time later...
When I returned to the dorm after talking to Kaji, I found Asuka sitting on the couch in the common room, her arms crossed and a sullen expression on her face. The TV remote was resting next to her, but she didn't even seem to be paying attention to what was on the screen. The silence was so thick that I even hesitated to enter.
"Hey, Asuka..." I began, trying to sound casual, "how are you?"
She answered with a low grunt, without even turning her face. I felt the tension in the air. I took a deep breath and tried again. "That training session today was tough, huh? I'm still feeling the effects..."
Nothing. Just a barely noticeable eyebrow raise. I decided to risk something more direct.
"Did something happen?"
Asuka snorted, crossing her legs tightly.
"You talk too much, you know?" she said dryly, still not looking at me.
I blinked in surprise at her answer. I tried not to let myself be shaken.
"I just... wanted to talk a little. You're quieter than usual." I replied, sitting next to her, but leaving a safe space between us. "Did something happen with Kaji?"
Asuka gave her a quick glance, as if she was going to deny it... but she didn't say anything. She went back to looking at the TV, although it was clear she wasn't paying attention.
The silence stretched on.
I bit my lip, uncertain. I wanted to respect her space, but I also didn't want to leave there pretending that everything was normal. So, I just said: "If you want to talk, I'm here. Even if you think I'm a weird idiot with a doll."
Asuka still didn't answer, but I could have sworn I saw the corner of her mouth move, almost as if she was holding back a smile. Or maybe she was just imagining it.
And then I stood up slowly, turned my back, and before I left the room, I heard her voice, low, almost drowned out by the sound of the TV: "...I didn't think she was ugly, okay?"
I stopped in mid-step.
"Beako?"
"Hmph." Asuka grumbled. "Just... don't leave her around."
And that was all I needed.
Because even when Asuka was sulking, I felt that maybe... just maybe... she was starting to let me in.
I was excited about this small breakthrough, so I decided to continue making conversation: "You know, Beako... she was a gift from a friend of mine... Kind of a lucky charm, you know? I never imagined she would give me something like that."
Asuka turned her face towards me, her gaze hardening.
"Tsk. So that's why you keep talking about her..."
I frowned, confused.
"Huh? I'm just... I'm saying it was a nice gesture. She's special to me, of course, but—"
"Special?" Asuka interrupted me, raising her voice. "It's amazing how you keep talking about her, it's almost annoying."
I raised my hands in defense, surprised by her reaction. "Calm down, Asuka, that's not what I meant! I'm trying to make conversation! Why do you always take everything so personally?"
"Because you're an idiot!" she snapped, standing up forcefully. "You come here, think everything's beautiful, get presents and keep saying everything's fine! But it's not! Nothing is that simple, Subaru!"
I stood up too, my expression now tense.
"I didn't say it was simple! I'm trying to understand you! But you don't let anyone get close! What's your problem anyway?"
Asuka was silent for a second, her eyes twitching slightly. The answer came in an angry whisper:
"My problem... It's about people like you who live off this fake smile!"
I froze.
I was still standing there, trying to understand what had gone so wrong, when the door opened again with a bang. Asuka came back, her gaze harder than before.
"And you know what else?" she said, crossing the room. "I'm tired of seeing you act like you're special! You just arrived, you barely understand how everything works, and yet you're already synchronizing well with Eva, you're already getting presents from everyone... And then there's Kaji telling me to "be nice to you". Give me a break!"
I widened my eyes, clearly surprised by this new accusation. "Wait a minute... are you mad because I'm doing well? That doesn't make sense, Asuka! I tried hard, I almost fainted on the first synchronization. I'm trying! Do you think this was easy?"
"Easy or not, you have no idea what I've been through!" she shouted, her hands shaking. "I've been training for years! I've worked hard since I was a child to be here, to be the best! And suddenly you show up... this strange, lost boy, and you're already 'almost on the same level'? You don't deserve this!"
The words cut like a blade.
I took a deep breath, feeling the anger rise inside my chest, but trying to contain it but...
"I never asked to be on your level. I never asked to be here in the first place! All I did was try to do my best, even without understanding half of the things that are happening. And, I'm sorry if that bothers you... but maybe the problem isn't with me."
Asuka stared at him, her eyes wide.
"What?"
"The problem is that you're so used to being number one, that when someone tries to walk alongside you, you push them away. Maybe it's fear, pride... or whatever. But if you want to keep treating me like an enemy, that's fine. I won't stop trying to improve just to please you!"
The silence fell like a weight. Asuka stared at me, as if she was trying to understand something. But deep down, it seemed like she was also trying to understand herself.
She turned her face, squeezed her lips and left again but this time, without knocking on the door. Just closed with a dry click.
I sighed running my hand through the hair.
"Congratulations, Subaru ... You are officially an international problem ..." I muttered to myself, before throwing me on the hard mattress of the accommodation, staring at the ceiling with a rapid heart.
I was lying there for long minutes. The bitter taste of the discussion was still in the mouth. I said what I thought, yes, but that didn't make me feel good. It wasn't just her anger. It was the way Asuka had said, as if he was holding it for a long time. I didn't know all about her, but at that moment I realized that I had crossed the limits.
I sat slowly, rubbing my face with my hands. I didn't know exactly what was going on with Asuka, but I knew very well what it was like to feel alone, pressured, invisible. If I had better understood the situation .... Maybe that's why those words came out so sharp because I understood some of that pain.
So I had an idea.
I got up and searched my suitcase until I found the small tool of tools I sometimes used to fix my headphones or gadgets. Then he took a blank sheet from a block of notes and sat on the desk.
I started drawing something simple. It was a small caricature of mine and her in a kind of funny style with Asuka with cross -arms and sulky expression, and I with the face of whom I was scolding. Above, I wrote in pies: "Subaru and Asuka - Mission: Do not kill themselves (yet)." And on the verse, a simple phrase:
"Sorry if I told you so much. I still want to learn to be your ally, not your rival."
I folded the paper carefully, arrested along with a small makeshift metal gear that I shaped using my tools and went to her room.
I stopped in front of the closed door, took a deep breath and then knocked on the door twice, firmly, but without aggressiveness.
"Asuka?" I called my voice firm, but without arrogance. "O-eye ... I know you probably don't want to hear my voice now, but I .... anyway, I hope you enjoy it."
On the other side of the door, silence.
"I was insensitive. I thought I was just defending me, but ... I didn't hear you right. You don't have to accept me, not even my friend ... but I don't want to keep fighting with you."
A few more seconds of silence. I leaned the ticket folded to the floor in front of the door. "I left this here. You can ignore if you want. But ... Thanks for holding me so far."
I walked away slowly and headed toward the end of the hall. Looking back, I saw only the shadow under the door. Yet no answer.
The first step.
I walked slowly through the base, hands in the pockets of the black jacket, the hood a little erected to protect itself from Germany's cold wind. Even so, the cold cut inside, as if even the bones trembled. The steam of my breath climbed into white clouds every time I exuded the air.
I just wanted to space, clean my mind, leave the constant tension with Asuka, the tests, the weight of synchronism, and that feeling of always being in unknown territory. The sky, gray, without stars, seemed to mirror my mood at that moment.
That's when I heard a feminine voice behind me:
"Du Friestt, Oder?"
I turned myself confused, staring at the figure of a girl with straight, dark -haired. My expression was neutral, but the eyes showed sincere curiosity. She wore a cold jacket, but there was something refined in her posture, the way her arms were crossed in a relaxed way.
I blinked a little lost.
"Huh ... What?"
She arched an eyebrow and repeated with a slight smile:
"Du friest." Then he pointed to me with a head movement. "Kalt?"
He was still trying to decipher the language when he shook his head with a nervous laugh.
"Uuh ... I'm sorry ... Erihe ... Ich Weib Nichthe ... Deutsch? Ah man, my German is horrible." (Author: mine too lol)
The girl gave a little giggle, and this time spoke of Japanese with a slight accent:
"You seem to be cold. That's what I said."
It surprised me. "Ah, so you were just taking one with my face ... Well, hit. I'm wondering how I haven't become a popsicle yet."
"The right thing is: 'Ich Weiß Nicht ... Deutsch?' Almost agreed the pronunciation. " She approached calmly, the steps firm.
"Alias, I'm Anneliese. And you ... It's the new pilot, right?"
I nodded slowly. "Subaru. Natsuki Subaru.
She crossed her arms again, the look analyzing it for a moment. "I've heard about you. It's with Asuka, isn't it? That must be intense, right?
I let out a sigh. "You have no idea ..."
Anneliese smiled slightly, and for a moment the cold seemed less aggressive.
I closed my eyes, clearly surprised by what I had just heard. "Wait there… Do you know Asuka?"
Anneliese looked away for a moment, as if debating whether or not to say it. But then she looked back at me, her dark eyes holding an unexpected seriousness.
"Because she's my sister," she said matter-of-factly. "Well... half-sister, to be more precise. Her full name is Asuka Langley Soryu, while mine is Anneliese Langley."
My mouth fell open for a second.
"W-Wait... what?!" I took a step back, trying to process. "You're saying... you're sisters? But you don't look anything alike!"
Anneliese let out a small laugh at my reaction.
"I hear that all the time. But it's true, I'm the result of another marriage when Asuka's father married my mother. Asuka and I have no blood relationship, she grew up in Japan for a while, then spent some time in the US, and now she's here. And I've always been in Germany.
I ran my hand through my hair, still trying to absorb the information.
"That explains... a few things. Like her temperament?"
Anneliese gave a half smile, crossing her arms.
"Maybe. Asuka has always had a strong personality, but we've never gotten along. Ever since she was little, she did everything to prove she was the best. Even when no one expected it of her. But..." she hesitated a bit before adding, "Anyway..."
I looked at her carefully. For the first time, I felt like I might have found someone who truly understood Asuka. Someone who could help me get through to her.
"So you know this side of her well..."
Anneliese nodded. "Like I said, not really... But I understand her mannerisms."
"Huh..." I rubbed my arms, the cold starting to make itself felt again. "I guess today was a weirder day than usual."
She laughed.
"If you keep hanging out with Asuka, get ready for a lot of those."
"I'm already preparing myself for a lifetime of this..." I muttered more to myself.
"Good luck with that, Subaru Natsuki." Anneliese said, with a slight teasing tone and a curious look.
"Thanks... I think I'll need it." I replied smiling, still shocked by the revelation.
I felt a slight shiver as a breeze The sharp-edged sword passed between the buildings, but before he could react, Anneliese took off her own jacket and, with a determined movement, placed it over his shoulders.
"Here. You'll turn into a popsicle like that." she said, with a small smile.
"But... what about you?" I asked, surprised by the gesture.
"I'm already used to the cold." she replied, crossing her arms without showing any discomfort. "Growing up here in Germany made me immune... or almost."
I grabbed the hem of the jacket. It was heavier and lined on the inside, definitely warmer than mine. I hesitated for a second, then nodded gratefully.
"Thank you... really."
"Just don't return it smelling like instant ramen." she said, laughing lightly before turning away.
I watched as Anneliese walked away down the narrow sidewalk, her steady steps contrasting with the icy night wind. Even with the low temperature, she seemed unshakable, like someone who knew exactly where she was stepping, the complete opposite of me, who still felt that every step in that country was a gamble in the dark.
Alone again, I adjusted the jacket over my body and let out a sigh. The warmth of the fabric was comforting, but my mind was far from at rest.
I looked up at the sky, searching for some familiar constellation.
But there, in that cold and distant land, even the stars seemed to tell different stories.
"Stepsister, huh?... Asuka never told me about that." I muttered to myself. "I guess she didn't want me to know that..."
The wind continued to blow, cutting through the silence of the night like a cold blade. I shrugged my shoulders inside the jacket Anneliese had lent me and let myself be carried away by my own thoughts.
"It's been a while..." I muttered to myself. "No death, no pain... No witches whispering in my ears, no cycles of despair repeating themselves. Just... cold and giant robots."
As grateful as I was for a bit of peace, it also bothered me. It was like the silence inside a hurricane. A void that preceded the chaos. The absence of the witches, the resets, the pain that I had forced to accept as part of their existence... it all seemed so wrong.
I frowned, looking at the stone floor wet with frost.
"Is it... over? Or are they just waiting for the right moment?"
At that moment, the rhythmic sound of footsteps woke me from my reverie. When I looked up, I saw the figure of Kaji approaching along the same path that Anneliese had taken minutes before. But something was different.
Kaji didn't have his usual smile, nor his relaxed gaze. He looked serious. Rigid, even.
"Kaji-san?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "You look like…"
"Can I ask you something, Subaru-kun?" Kaji interrupted, his voice low and firm, almost gravelly.
The last time someone looked at me like that, I had to save someone's life… or lose my own.
I swallowed hard.
"S-Sure... go ahead and ask."
Kaji crossed his arms. The air between them grew thick, as if a storm was about to form.
"Who are you really, Subaru?"
Kaji kept his eyes fixed on me, as if trying to decipher him completely. The silence between us stretched for a few uncomfortable seconds, broken only by the whistle of the icy wind. I looked away for a moment, unsure of what to say. I had dealt with difficult questions before... but never from someone like Kaji.
"Who are you really?"
Kaji then let out a sigh and softened his expression a little. But his gaze was still there, firm, insistent, as if to say "I'm not going to let this go that easily."
"Don't get me wrong, Subaru," he said, this time in a lighter, almost sarcastic tone. "But you just… don't exist. No records. No medical history. No information about your family. You just showed up here… out of nowhere. And yet, you're piloting an Eva. How does that not raise suspicion?"
I felt a shiver that didn't come from the cold. It was as if someone had pulled the blanket off my soul.
"And what's more..." Kaji continued, taking a step forward, "I saw that you adapt too quickly. You learn too quickly. And there are those moments of… how can I say it? Absence in your gaze. Like someone who has seen the end of the world a few times."
I clenched my fists in my pockets. It was strange to be confronted like this, by someone who wasn't even part of my original world, but who still seemed to see through the layers he tried to maintain.
"D-do you want to know who I really am?" I said, staring at Kaji.
Kaji arched an eyebrow.
"Tell me..."
He gave a half smile, but it wasn't humorous, it was analytical. Like a test. And I felt like I was still being examined.
"I'm not here to screw you over, kid," Kaji said. "But if you're going to continue to be involved in all this... I need to know what kind of piece we have on the board."
I remained silent for a few more seconds, feeling the weight of those words.
The cold wind cut through my skin like blades, and with a movement that was too calm, he pulled a pistol from inside his coat. The dry click of the gun being cocked echoed like thunder in the silence of the early morning.
I froze
Kaji's gaze was calm, but merciless as he held his gun.
"It's nothing personal, kid... But it looks like I'm going to have to kill you."
End of chapter 10