The sound of ocean waves crashing against the sand could be heard all throughout the peaceful beach where Asuka and Shinji sat, overlooking the endless blue that stretched out past the horizon and into forever. The sea breeze softly wafted across their arms and blew into their faces, carrying the faint smell of sand into their nostrils. It had been over a month since SEELE's attack on the GeoFront, and things had finally started to return to at least a semblance of normalcy. Fortunately for them, their home was out of range of the N2 mine's blast, and the inhabitants of those who did live within the blast zone had been evacuated long before the battle had even begun. However Tokyo-3 was completely eradicated. The only thing that remained of the once great city now was the GeoFront, which the surface of had been completely eviscerated by the Prototype after coming so close to starting Third Impact. Most of the pyramid even needed to be rebuilt. However, the casualties were far less than they could've been. If anything, they could at least take solace in that.

Ikari glanced over at Asuka, scanning his eyes up and down her yellow dress, the very same dress she had worn when they first met almost a year ago, and she was now sporting a black eye patch over her missing eye since the bandage had since been taken off. He then looked down at his clothes and realized that either she had overdressed for the occasion or he had underdressed since all he was wearing was a pair of black shorts and a white tee shirt. Regardless, she looked absolutely stunning in her dress, and she hadn't made any complaints about his attire, so he figured it must've been alright.

"So what are you going to do?" Ikari's attention was brought over to Asuka, who's gaze remained fixated on the horizon.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, feeling stupid for not knowing what her question was referring to.

"You know, are you going to continue to pilot the EVA?" She clarified. "Even though the Angels are destroyed?"

"What reason is there to?" He replied, turning back towards the ocean. "It's not like we need them anymore."

"Wow," The redhead let out. "you really are dense. Do you really think that this is it? Do you really believe that SEELE is just going to go away because we scared them off?"

"Well, yeah." He shrugged. "I mean, they're enemies to the entire world now. Why would we need the EVAs to fight them?"

"Haven't you been watching the news?" Asuka turned her attention away from the ocean and onto Shinji. "Keel and most of the other SEELE members have gone into hiding., and all data for their Mass Produced EVA Series and the Prototype have completely vanished. Nobody knows where they went or who has them. It doesn't take a genius to see what's going on."

"I…I didn't know that." Shinji replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Of course you didn't." She replied, rolling her eye. "Dummkoph." A moment of silence emerged between the two, carrying on for a while as they listened to the waves crash against the sand only to be pulled back in by the tide and then rush forth again, sliding just a little bit farther than before. "So I guess you're not going to pilot Unit 01 anymore?"

"Are you going to pilot Unit 02?"

Asuka glared at Ikari, narrowing her sapphire eye. "What does it matter if I pilot Unit 02 or not? Why should that affect your decision?" The Second Child scoffed. "Can't you just make your own choice for once in your life? Just do what makes you happy. If piloting the EVA makes you happy, then keep doing it. If not, then don't. It's that simple."

Ikari bit his lower lip and looked down at the sand, twirling his finger in a spiral pattern into the soft grains of pebbles. "But you make me happy."

Asuka found herself going wide eyed at the comment, a faint blush overtaking her cheeks. She averted her eye away from him and looked down at her feet. "How?" She muttered. "How do I make you happy? All I've ever done is yell at you and chastise you, yet somehow I still make you happy? Why?"

Shinji took in a deep breath and exhaled, bringing his finger to a stop as he pulled it out of the sand. He bent one of his legs back and rested his chin on his knee while trying to muster up the words that he needed to say. They were words that had been lingering on his mind for quite some time now, and it looked like now was the time to say it, if ever.

"Because I…" He stopped himself, taking in another breath, forcing himself to look Asuka in the eye. "Because I…. I… I lo-" He was silenced as the redhead closed her eye and leaned forward, unexpectedly placing her lips against his. At first Shinji's heart ceased beating all together, but slowly started to pick back up as he closed his eyes and took hold of Asuka, pulling her in closer to him while their warm lips embraced with one another. Slowly, Asuka pulled back from the kiss, looking into his hazel eyes with her sapphire before nuzzling her red mane against his cheek, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close to her.

"I know you do, Shinji." She whispered into his ear. "I know you do."

This Is (not) The End