The next morning.
The first rays of sunlight pierced through the blinds, casting streaks of light dust in the air.
Shinji Ikari woke up on the living room sofa, a thin blanket draped over him.
The apartment was unusually quiet; the mess from last night had vanished without a trace.
The air was filled with a faint scent of coffee and cleaning solution, and two sandwiches and warm milk were neatly arranged on the dining table.
He picked up a sandwich somewhat awkwardly and took small bites, but his mind uncontrollably replayed the afterimages of last night—
Mr. Hansen's broad back, and the 'bang' of the bedroom door closing as he carried a Misato-san who had almost melted into a puddle of spring water into the bedroom.
—Was that the adult world?
The young boy's fair cheeks flushed slightly.
Just then, the bedroom door opened with a 'click,' and Misato Katsuragi walked out, humming an off-key tune.
She had changed into a sharp business suit, perfectly outlining the graceful curves of a mature woman.
Unlike her vulnerability and confusion of last night, she was now radiant and glowing.
Her eyes and brows carried a lazy spring charm, as if thoroughly nourished by rain and dew, like a fully bloomed rose.
"Good morning, Shinji-kun! Did you sleep well?"
She greeted him in high spirits, her voice tinged with sweet joy: "Hurry and eat, I'll take you to school to register after you're done!"
"O-okay..." Shinji instinctively lowered his head, burying his face in the sandwich, not daring to look at her radiant face... Tokyo-3 First Junior High School.
When Shinji Ikari was introduced to the class by his homeroom teacher, the classroom instantly fell silent, then rippled like a lake into which a stone had been thrown.
"Eh, he's the EVA pilot..."
"He looks so frail, no different from an ordinary person."
"I heard yesterday's battle was terrible, the city was destroyed..."
He kept his head down, feeling dozens of gazes, mixed with curiosity, scrutiny, awe, and even a hint of hostility, pricking him like countless fine needles. He didn't know where to put his hands or feet.
Then, he saw the blue-haired girl already sitting alone by the window.
It was Rei Ayanami.
She seemed isolated from the surrounding noise, sitting quietly, like a beautiful painting detached from the world.
The morning light cast a hazy glow on her light blue hair, and the skin exposed outside her hospital gown was fair and translucent, like top-grade suet white jade, so delicate that not a single flaw could be seen.
The gauze over her left eye added a touch of broken beauty, while her exposed red right pupil calmly gazed out the window, as if nothing in the world could leave an impression within it.
Their gazes briefly met in the air. Shinji nervously looked away, and Rei Ayanami merely withdrew her gaze indifferently, as if she had only seen a speck of dust.
The first class was P.E.
When the whole class had changed into their sportswear and gathered on the field, an unexpected person walked over slowly, blowing a crisp whistle.
"Attention! At ease!"
Hansen was wearing a pure white tracksuit, which further highlighted his tall and exceptionally handsome figure.
He had a bright, dazzling smile on his face, and his gaze swept over the energetic boys and girls below, finally lingering for a moment on the two EVA pilots in the front row, who had different expressions.
"Starting today, I am your P.E. teacher, Hansen. Please take care of me, students."
"Wow—!"
As soon as he finished speaking, an uncontrollable gasp and scream erupted from the girls in the class.
"He's so handsome! Is he the new teacher? He looks just like an idol star!"
"Oh my god, I suddenly love P.E. class!"
"Teacher! Do you have a girlfriend?!"
Shinji Ikari, however, was completely stunned. He stood with his mouth agape, his brain frozen for a good ten seconds.
Mr. Hansen... is our... P.E. teacher?!
During the break, trouble still found its way to him.
A sturdy boy with short, sporty hair, accompanied by a skinny boy carrying a portable camera, aggressively blocked Shinji Ikari, who was about to buy water from the vending machine.
"You're the EVA pilot, Shinji Ikari, right?"
The leading boy, Suzuhara Toji, had bloodshot eyes and glared at him fiercely, his voice hoarse with anger.
"My sister... she was seriously injured because of you bastards' fighting, and she's still in the hospital!" He grew more agitated as he spoke, his body trembling slightly. "So, I'm going to beat you up to get revenge for my sister!"
With that, he clenched his fist, as big as a cooking pot, and swung it mercilessly at Shinji's face, whistling through the air!
Shinji froze in fear, instinctively closing his eyes.
However, the expected sharp pain did not come.
A broad, powerful hand appeared before him at some unknown moment, easily catching Toji's incoming fist like an iron clamp.
"Student, fighting at school isn't something good children should do."
Hansen stood smiling between the two of them. With a slight squeeze of his hand, Suzuhara Toji felt as if his knuckles were about to be crushed, making him grimace in pain, yet he couldn't pull his fist back.
"However..." Hansen changed his tone, suddenly released his hand, leisurely stepped back two paces, and elegantly leaned against the railing of the second-floor corridor, looking down at them as if enjoying a play.
"It's not entirely unreasonable for men to settle disputes with their fists."
His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly reached everyone present.
Suzuhara Toji and his friend, Kensuke Aida, were both stunned. What kind of teacher talks like that? Isn't this openly encouraging student brawls?
Hansen's gaze, sharp as a sword, pierced past them directly at the pale Shinji Ikari.
"Shinji-kun."
"Do you remember what we talked about?"
"Think about yesterday's battle. If you don't want to lose again, don't want to watch helplessly, unable to do anything..."
The corner of his mouth curved into a meaningful arc, and in an almost seductive tone, he slowly uttered a deafening motto.
"Then show your courage."
"The anthem of humanity is the anthem of courage. Shinji-kun, punch your way through to prove you are no longer the boy who can only cower and cry."
"Ultimately, a person must rely on themselves."
With that, he no longer paid attention to the now frozen air, turned, and leisurely walked away.
Leaving behind Shinji Ikari on the field, caught in a great internal struggle, his body trembling slightly from excitement and fear;
Suzuhara Toji, utterly bewildered, unsure whether he should continue with his punch;
And Kensuke Aida, who had been holding his camera the entire time, faithfully recording everything.
As the most normal ordinary person in the entire anime, he silently put down his camera, his mouth twitching wildly.
"This new P.E. teacher... doesn't seem like a good person!"
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