Originally posted on 06-06-24.
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Walking out of the school yard, Shinji played his music through the earbuds of his SDAT as he strode along the sidewalk. Heading to the apartment that he shared with his guardian, having finished up school for the day.
The sound of his music prevented him from hearing the rhythmic sound of feet pacing behind him, following after the boy as he left the school gates.
A light tap of a finger upon his shoulder that did not hold the strap to his bag startled the boy with a small jolt as he turned his head to glance over his shoulder to see the cause of it.
Upon looking behind him, he was met with the sight of a pale girl with a head of short blue hair about his height wearing the female variant of their school uniform. She was holding an arm behind her back with the other one reached towards him, still poised from when they had gained his attention.
The brunette boy recognized her as Rei Ayanami, a classmate who despite the mysterious aloof and demure demeanor, he had gotten somewhat closer to as of recent. At least to the point that he'd venture to say they were friends, though to what extent he wasn't sure of as he was not the best in regard to social and communal matters like those.
Pausing his music and pulling out his earbuds, he turned to face the girl as she waited for his full attention.
"Ayanami? Did you need something?" Shinji asked her as he tucked his SDAT away.
"Yes... I overheard some of the other students earlier and wanted to confirm if today was your birthday?" The blue haired girl questioned which Shinji had not expected.
In truth, he hadn't paid much mind to the fact that it was his birthday. The day had never been anything of great significance in the past, though a lot had also changed for him in the past year. Though it still wasn't that much more special a day even now, as it had pretty much been another standard day for him though with his guardian wishing him an especially good day with the suggestion of them going out to eat later and his two close friends giving him their own well wishes and a promise to go out and do something together that weekend. Overall, nothing very special, but the thoughts were nice and welcoming. However, he certainly wasn't expecting to get asked about his birthday by Rei,
"Um, yeah it is..." The brown hair boy nodded his head with confirmation as he said so.
"I see, well then..." The girl carefully pulled her arm from behind her, revealing that she held a cupcake in it, "... I would like to offer this to you..."
"F-for me?..." He reiterated with a blink of his eyes as he stared at the small cup sized cake.
It was a very simple looking cupcake, appearing to be a vanilla cake that's shape had been slightly altered through pressure applied to it from holding. Atop it sat a soft mint colored frosting put that was not in the most well applied of swirls but didn't look too bad.
"Yes... my schedule had a baking elective assigned for my last class of today and with a team of other students I had to make cupcakes," She explained as she looked at him with her red eyes, "Upon completing them, we were each given one to eat but I don't partake much in sweets and after hearing that today was your birthday, I thought that I could give it to you instead..."
She emphasized her explanation by further holding the sweet out for him to take. Shinji really was not expecting to be given anything from the girl, but regardless, it made his heart feel funny in a pleasant way
"O-oh, T-thank you, Ayanami." The boy felt some strange heat in his chest from the girl's actions. He reached out and gently took the offered sweet, his hand touching her pale one as he did so which caused a rush in his heartbeat.
"You are welcome..." Rei gave a nod of her head in acknowledgement of the boys' thanks.
The blue haired girl then started to walk past him, only to then stop as she ended up next to him on the sidewalk. Her head seemed to tilt slightly towards him almost hesitantly.
Before Shinji could ask if something was wrong, Rei had leaned her head towards him and pressed her lips to the side of his face. The response was immediate as the boy's posture went rigid and his focus disappeared upon receiving a kiss on his cheek.
A second that felt like a minute passed when the pale girl pulled away from the boy and began walking further past him.
"Farewell, Ikari." Rei bade him as she started to head towards her own residents.
Shinji however was still standing in the position he held upon feeling the blue haired girl's lips on his cheek.
His face started to feel hot as his brain registered more thoroughly what had happened. His idle hand reached up towards his face, the fingers grazing the place that had just been kissed moments ago.
He blinked before his eyes then turned towards his other hand that still held the cupcake he had been gifted as a warmth blossomed throughout his chest.
The corners of his lip unconsciously quirked upwards in a smile, thinking that while perhaps his birthdays often weren't the most special of days, this was definitely a very good one.
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Cross posted on 06-06-24.
