Prologue

I glanced at her as she was unzipping and almost ready to jump into her pilot suit. I quickly turned away, then, afraid that she might notice. I realised my cheeks were burning red, feeling both angry and embarrassed at the same time. Still, I had caught a glimpse of her almost naked body, so if the only consequence was a slight blush I thought it was worth it. I was hardly ever embarrassed, I had an image to keep up.

She was more on the quiet side. I had first met her a couple of days after my arrival in Japan, she had been sitting on a bench outside our school, reading. Living up to my image, aggressive and straightforward unlike the reserved Japanese, I had walked up to her and told her we should be friends since she was a pilot aswell. She didn't even lift her gaze from the book.

"Why?" she just asked me. "...Well, if we have to."

I thought I had maybe been too aggressive, forced her on the defensive, but I had no chance of backing up anymore; the whole schoolyard was now watching us. I like to draw attention, and I seem to do that even unintentionally. However, she had rejected me, caused a dent on my social status, so I had to attack her back. All I could come up with was "Are all Eva pilots that odd?", and already then I hated myself for saying it. Later on, as I learnt to know her better, I found out she was quite used to hearing just that. If the Japanese seldom say anything like that to one's face, she knew what they all were talking behind her back. She seemed like she didn't care, but who knows how she really felt, deep within.

It seems like I'm not good at making friends. I really tried, but I guess no one even noticed. I called her The Wonder Girl, but somehow I managed to sound mocking rather than praising; I spent time with her, but it was incredibly hard to talk to her when she replied with one-word-sentences or with complete silence. I just didn't know how to behave when she was around, all we could do to each other was ignoring or insulting. Whenever I asked her things about her or her past, she seldom revealed anything. She lived alone, that much I knew, and wondered why didn't she move in with Misato like we, the other Eva pilots, did. Maybe no one ever asked her if she'd like to, and she sure would not ask. Or, maybe she really wouldn't have liked to, knowing her I would believe that, too.

When I first saw her I did find her attractive, even cute. And when we got to know each other a little more, I eventually had to admit that I had a crush. Her mysterious image, her silence, tempted me incredibly: I wanted to know all about her, and then comfort her as she revealed me all the dark and painful secrets of her past. Doesn't really sound like something I would ever say... They know my face but not my heart.

I am the 14-year-old sex symbol. I am the straightforward foreigner who scares the Japanese off their guts by ignoring all rules of discretion. I am Asuka Langley Soryu. Pleased to meet you.