Understanding One's Pain

Part 1

Sometime after preventing the Human Instrumentality Project from being completed, Shinji Ikari decided to settle in to Village 3 and make a new life for himself. One day, he was helping some villagers make deliveries.

"Hey Shinji," said a local man.

"Yes?" said Shinji.

"There are some people who're here to see you."

"Me?"

Standing outside the warehouse, Shinji saw two people he did not expect to see: Sakura Suzuhara and her WILLE colleague, Midori Kitakami. He hadn't seen them since that eventful day. The former had a nervous look on her face, and the latter had her usual pouty expression looking away from Shinji.

Shinji stepped outside so he could speak to them in private. "Sakura-san. Midori-san. What are you doing here? I thought you were in the process of reorganizing WILLE."

"We are," said Sakura. "But we had to come see you to discuss something."

"Says you," said Midori. "I don't know why you bothered bringing me along."

"Because it's important that we do this together, Midori-chan."

"Hmmph," Midori pouted.

"What is it you wanted to discuss with me?" said Shinji.

"Well...," Sakura felt scared to start. "Ikari-san...What'd happened that day... What I'd done... What I'd tried to do... I never should've done that. I wanted to stop you not because I was afraid you would destroy everything. But because I didn't want you to keep carrying the burden of being an Eva pilot. You've been through so much and experienced unimaginable pain and suffering. I didn't want you to go through that again, and I though the only solution was to injure you. But then Captain Katsuragi took the bullet, and I realized I was wrong."

Sakura's hands gripped her uniform and started trembling. "I'm a medical officer, and I intentionally tried to hurt someone! I'm ashamed of myself for even thinking about it! It wouldn't have solved anything! And my brother wouldn't have liked it if he'd found out I tried to hurt his friend!" Tears were forming in Sakura's eyes. "I don't deserve to be forgiven, but I want you to know that I'm sorry, Ikari-san! I'm really sorry!" She stopped talking as she couldn't bare to say anymore.

Midori sighed. "Look you," she said to Shinji, "I still have a high resentment towards you. I really wanted to kill you. I should've done it the moment I'd aimed my gun at you. But I didn't. I hesitated. I don't know why I did that. Even now, I still can't figure out why I did that." Midori turned her gaze to the ground. "You're the reason half of humanity was wiped out! The reason my family was no more! So why did I hesitate?! Why didn't I shoot you?!"

Shinji stood stunned as he watched the two girls gripping with their conflicting emotions. Without hesitation, he embraced them, which completely surprised them. "Sakura-san. Midori-san. I don't blame you for doing what you did. I'm glad you came to tell me how you really feel."

Sakura cried and Midori grieved as they accepted the embrace. They stood like that for a moment until they stopped feeling sad.

"Ikari-san..." said Sakura.

"Yes?" said Shinji.

"Can I ask you for a favor?"

"What is it?"

"I want you to make love to me."

"Huh?"

"I know it sounds ludicrous of me to be asking this, but I want to make amends for trying to hurt you. It's the very least I can do."

"Sakura-san..."

"Me too," said Midori.

"Huh?"

"I wanna know what is it about you that makes you so dang special you were worth saving. So I want you to make love to me too."

"Midori-san..."

"Please, Ikari-san!" said Sakura.

"Help us out, Ikari!" said Midori.

From looking at the worried/determined expressions on their faces, Shinji could tell this was something that they wanted to do even though they didn't have to. "Alright. I understand."

To be continued...