"What makes you most happy?" These words echoed all around her mind.

She took a deep breath, her normally flawless, vibrant red hair now messy and imperfect. Her sky blue eyes puffy and red. Dry tear stains on her cheek.

That's right the great Asuka Langley Sohryu was crying or had been. Her pride replaced by guilt. Her confidence overshadow by a gut wrenching fear. Those little words echoing in her mind. Tormenting her to know end.

"What makes you most happy?"

Flashback: 1 week ago

"Eh?" answered one Shinji Ikari confused as ever much to the dismay of a certain red-haired twister of anger.

"Are you bored baka Shinji!?" Asuka shouted at the boy.

He gazed at her.

In truth he wasn't bored; he had his SDAT player which he could easily listen to all day.

However he knew if she asked him if he was bored that means she was bored and if he did not do whatever she wanted, he would probably get beaten for it. True that was probably going to be the result if he did go along with her but at least this way it was later than sooner.

So with that lifesaving logic in his mind, he nodded while shyly answering "a little"

She smirked like she had just caught her prey and suddenly Shinji wondered maybe he should've said no.

"Too late now" he mused as he noticed Asuka jumping to her feet.

She had been laying down, reading some stupid girly magazine

She was wearing her night-clothes: a loose, yellow shirt and short, tight demi shorts that hugged her ass very…

"NO NO NOOO" Shinji thought as he tried to stop that train of thought.

So he was a bit of a pervert but with such a radiant, breath-taking beauty like Asuka near him 24/7…it was really hard not to be.

Especially since any time he tried to admit his feelings, she would brutally remind him why she would never love him.

Not saying "I will never love you baka Shinji!" exactly but rather with all the other words and actions.

The hitting, teasing, calling him a wimp.

It hurt.

A lot.

Sometimes it was more than he could bear, like she was just trampling all over his heart and spitting on it for good measure.

It hurt to be with her….but it felt worse when he was away from her.

He knew he was a push over.

He knew he had no spine.

He knew he wasn't…well wanted but for the first time in years, he had a purpose.

Yes Shinji Ikari had a purpose and while his father was as distant as ever

While Asuka was mentally and physically abusive and uncaring

While all the people at NERV probably thought he was a charity case or just a puppet waiting to be used then tossed away, he, Shinji Ikari, had a purpose and he was going to do it as long as it he can.

Shinji finally realized why he should pilot Unit 1.

Not for himself but for Asuka.

So she can have a life and she could marry and love whoever she wanted. Even if he wasn't in the picture.

It was clear that Shinji was in love Asuka Langley Sohryu. As if one nearly impossible mission wasn't enough.

Shinji was terrified by Angels and the pain he felt when he was in his Eva but at the same time he was secretly glad for their existence.

For without them, he would've been stuck with his uncaring, unloving teacher. He would've never met Asuka and he would never have been able to show Asuka he cared.

Every time he jumped in the way to save her…every wound, every scar was a reminder of what he chose to do. What his real mission was.

He let out a depressing sigh. Now only if she could appreciate his actions. He wouldn't dare tell her them because A): she would've mocked him and B): she would hate him for daring to show pity o her….or what she perceived to be pity.

He could never pity her. How do you pity someone who everyone wanted to be. Someone so confident, so graceful, so sure of herself. Someone who makes sure she is remembered and unforgettable… "Wish I could be like that" Shinji lamented.

"Baka Shinji!" Shinji jumped when he realized he had stared off into space.

He began to apologize when he noticed something. A shade of blue that was so beautiful it was hypnotic.

Asuka's eyes were a few inches from his, her pure blue eyes staring intently at him with hints of annoyance, anger…and…concern?…

Smack! Shinji felt a rush of pain fill his right cheek.

"OWW!" he cried out loud as he desperately rubbed his cheek to alleviate the pain.

"Well that's what you get for just staring at me! It's rude Baka!"

Shinji stared back at her wanting to shout out "I was not staring, not that you could blame me! You are so beautiful, so breathtaking I surprise the very stars themselves aren't jealous that you outshine them all!" but alas he simply muttered "sorry…"

Her eyes shifted into a glare and Shinji could his heart moan in pain, threatening to break into tiny shreds. His mind weakly whimpered "I mustn't run away….I mustn't run away" but all Shinji wanted to do was run.

It was easier than watching Asuka's eyes glare at him, show him the deepest loathing she possessed simply because she might actually….she might actually hate him.

"We're going to play a game baka" she said, unaware of the emotional turmoil within the third child in front of her.

"A….a…game?" he muttered weakly. To normal people, it was the mutterings of an emotional stressed boy. To Asuka, it was the mutterings of a stupid wimp.

"Yes Baka, a game." She sat cross-legged in front of him "You do know what a game is right?"

He nodded in agreement as she patted the floor across from her.

"Not going to stand over me are you? Is your ego that big?" Asuka teased.

"N-no" Shinji replied as he sat across from her.

Silence. Silence that went from seconds into minutes. Shinji peered at the red-haired beauty and saw her deep in thought.

"Asuka?" he asked timidly. She glared at him as she waved him off

"Alright, I got it! We're going to play a game like truth or dare"

"Huh?" Shinji stared at her, was there another way to play truth or dare?

"Here's how it works one of us asks the other a question. 30 seconds to answer. If you don't then you HAVE to do a dare" she explained with a devilish, frightening and to Shinji, quite lovely smile.

"Umm…okay" He nodded shyly in agreement. There was many ways this could turn out horribly for him but he already agreed and if it meant having a reason to stare at Asuka, then he was willing to take any amount of pain for it….well almost any amount.

"Ladies first baka" Asuka said with an edge.

A few seconds ago

She pondered silently, thinking of the best way to torture the third.

Some people would call this cruelty or being abusive but to Asuka she was helping her teammate be a real man!

All he ever did was stutter and say sorry. He never defended himself, he never even got angry. He needed a backbone or could easily be devoured by the dozens of fan girls that all wanted him.

Asuka's thoughts stopped there for a moment, recalling the amount of surprise she felt when she found out the third child actually had a rather large (and quite frankly) dedicated fan group. In addition to nearly every single girl in their class, almost every girl in their year, a few upperclassmen and even lowerclassmen all wanted Shinji.

She could not figure out why. He wasn't a real man like her Kaji-kun!

Not like she was jealous. She could care less about the third. All he is useful for is cooking and cleaning because if Misato had her way, the apartment would be stack to the ceiling with beer can and deadly inedible food.

She shook her head and realized Shinji was looking at her full of concern! She internally growled, concern was basically pity with a nice name.

"Asuka?"

His timid voice annoyed her.

She let loose a glare and her best predatory smile when she realized the perfect way to torment the boy. The stupid third, 'invincible' Shinji Ikari.

"Alright, I got it! We're going to play a game like truth or dare"

"Huh?"

she rolled her eyes, the baka was hopeless and easily confused. He was only a pilot because his daddy controlled the company.

"Here's how it works. One of us asks the other a question. 30 seconds to answer. If you don't, then you have to do a dare"

he'll never agree to it

"Umm…okay"

she glanced at him, mildly impressed. Maybe there was hope for this baka.

"Ladies first baka"

"Alright baka" Asuka began, letting a little venom drip into her words, making Shinji flinch suddenly

"Why do you always flinch?" she said in a confused daze.

"Because...I…I'm scared you'll hit me…..is it my turn Asuka?"

Asuka peered at Shinji with confusion when she realized what he implied

"! W-wait that wasn't my question baka Shinji!" she shouted at the top of her lungs.

In a rare moment of fleeting courage Shinji simply gave her a sly grin "It was in question form"

Asuka could feel her face flush as she struggle to suppress a compliment that was rising to her lips.

"Pretty clever Third" Asuka thought as her lips said "Baka Shinji! Don't think this makes you cleverer than me!"

Shinji nodded in submissive agreement, the small amount of courage he had now expended. As he stared at her he secretly thought "Is it so hard to say something nice about me?"

A small smile tugged at his face as an idea formed.

"Your turn Asuka….Can you actually say something nice to me without an insult attached?"

Grinning proudly, he was both glad and hurt that the red-head in front of him actually opened and closed her mouth repeatedly, clearly unsure if she could actually go through with it.

Shinji lazily eyed the clock on the wall. 10…15….20….28…29.

"You are a pretty decent cook" she finally managed to spit out quite literally at the last second.

"My turn third!" Asuka shouted with the usual predatory glint in her eye.

Though this time there was another emotion reflected in her eyes, one that Shinji had never seen before and one he didn't know how to name.

"Alright Baka, who in our class do you like?"

Shinji was on the receiving end of being frozen this time.

His mind shuddered to a halt as it began bombarding him with an unrelenting amount of random and point tangents.

"Why does she want to know that?" "Why does she care?" "Like as in friend or as in like like?" "WHY DOES SHE WANT TO KNOW THAT?"

Shinji stopped long enough to vaguely notice Asuka's triumphant grin.

"Why is she grinning?!"

The truth hit him like Unit 01's fist.

"Nobody!" he cried finally, praying he hadn't gone over the time limit.

Asuka sighed "It was my grin huh? 5 mores seconds…."

Shinji gazed at her curiously. It almost sounded like she was…disappointed.

"Probably disappointed that she couldn't come up with some humiliating thing for me to do" Shinji bitterly thought.

He wished girls were easier to understand….or maybe just the gorgeous red-head in front him.

"What makes her happy?" he thought longingly as Asuka cut off his train of thoughts

"I know you're a little slow baka but it is your turn"

He looked at her, her lively and breathtaking face. Her unique and gorgeous hair in its natural, untamed state. Just flowing all around her. Her clear sky blue eyes gazing at him expectantly.

But the thing he wanted to see most was her smile…which there was none at this moment.

Just a small frown, possibly of anger or even regret of this game. How he would love to see her smile. Her real smile just once. No anger….no rage….no disappointment in him.

He was tired of seeing the ghostly image of a mocking smile that always was on her face when she saw him.

He wanted to see the most beautiful girl's smile…even if it wasn't directed at him. The words left him before he could even stop them

"What makes you most happy?"