Second Try

A trip to Okinawa has been scheduled. Since scuba-diving is one of the possible activities, Asuka, happily hugged to Kaji’s arm, is out shopping for a new swimsuit.

Sadly for Asuka, her hopes are crushed once she comes back home. Misato didn’t give her permission to let the children leave, security reasons she says, and that makes Asuka very angry. She even turns to Shinji for support, relying on his being a man, only to find out he had predicted Misato’s decision and had already given up. Considering their bad report cards, Misato suggests them to employ their time off-school studying.

Shinji is sitting by the pool, trying to solve a physics problem when Asuka arrives. He looks up and sees her wearing her bikini. Considering Kaji was embarrassed just seeing the bikini on its hanger, you can imagine how someone like Shinji reacted upon seeing it worn. And he is even more embarrassed when Asuka leans toward him to look at the computer’s screen, basically putting her breasts right in his face. She then proceeds to tease him for being unable to resolve such an easy problem, specifying that she has already graduated from university i.

When Shinji tells her it is about thermal expansion, she remarks again its easiness, then teases Shinji by drawing attention to her chest, asking him “If I were to to warm up my breasts, do you think they’d grow bigger?”. Shinji looks away, muttering how would he know. Asuka, frustrated, calls him boring and then leaves.

Another of Asuka’s efforts ended, on Shinji’s part, not only with more embarrass than ever, but also with an apparent rejection. This time however, Asuka centres on the source of the problem. Shinji, unseen, briefly watches Asuka getting ready, then glances at Rei. As soon as Asuka notices this, she calls for his attention plunging into the pool.

The “process of destabilization” commenced by Asuka upon her first meeting i will continue to displace the last element, the one she probably feels more threatening to her. Rei is special for Shinji. She was the first person on which he could rely and relate after becoming a pilot, it was natural he established a connection to her. However, from this moment onward, Asuka will always try to put Rei in the shade whenever the situation allows it. And Rei’s upstage is clearly because of Shinji, not because Asuka envies her abilities as a pilot, for Rei has the lowest synchro-ratios.

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