A Day at The Park (temporary title)

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A Day at The Park (temporary title)

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Postby GunmetalSnail429 » Mon Jan 04, 2021 9:10 pm

So I've got yet another story I've started that I had an idea for at work (my job sucks so I spend as much time as I can daydreaming) and I needed to get it out. This one may be more than one chapter depending on how long I feel it needs to be to make it feel complete.

Anyways, here is the story in its current state. Any critiques are welcome.

“You never see the one that gets you.”

Shinji remembered reading that in a story once. Now though, if he could talk to the author, he would tell them just how wrong they were. Shinji could see what was about to get him as plain as day. The glittering steel bumper of the delivery van was steadily bearing down on him as he fell to the ground, his feet having slipped out from under him as he tossed the girl back to her brother on the sidewalk.

He saw Toji snatch the girl from the air with the strange clarity that often comes with the release of massive amounts of adrenaline. Time seemed to have slowed, just like he always saw in the movies, and he turned his eyes towards the other person on the sidewalk. She was reaching for him, her red hair flying out behind her. She was screaming something that Shinji couldn’t understand. He tried to reply, but he couldn’t move his mouth fast enough.
He could, in some cruel way, turn his head quickly enough to read the letters and numbers on the license plate attached to the bumper.

And then, it all went dark.
() () () ()
“Toji! Wake up! Your friends are going to be here soon to pick you up!”

Itsuki Suzuhara rapped on the door to his son’s room three more times, the wood flexing with each hit. He turned and reached behind him and did the same to his daughter’s room.

“You too, Sakura! If you’re not up when they get here, I’m telling them to leave without you!”

He waited for a moment. Nothing. He sighed and raised his fist again, ready to knock even harder.

The doors slid open simultaneously as Toji and Sakura Suzuhara stepped out into the hallway. Itsuki noted that the boy was fully dressed, a rare sight for him, especially at 8:00 AM on a Sunday.

“I’ve been up for over an hour. I’ve been packing, dad.”

“Well, I’ve been ready since last night.”

Toji looked down at his sister and stuck out his tongue. She returned the gesture before disappearing back into her room.

Toji motioned behind him and Itsuki peered over his son’s shoulder. Two good sized duffel bags sat neatly stacked by the dresser, a backpack resting on top of them. To top things off, the boy appeared to have already showered, shaved (it was mostly fuzz, but Toji wore it like a badge of honor), brushed his teeth and, miracle of miracles, had actually combed his hair.

“Wow. How come I can’t get you to do this any other time, huh?” his father chuckled, poking his son in the ribs lightly, “Come on. Kaji just called and said they’re five minutes out. I’ll help you with your bags.”

Toji sighed and stepped back, grabbing one of the duffels and handing it to his fathe. The older man grabbed the carry handle and whistled.

“Have a lot of costume changes planned there, Toji?” he laughed as he slung the carrying strap over his shoulder.

“Well, the park is on a beach, and it’s the middle of summer. I’m gonna be running around and sweating all day, so I wanna make sure I have fresh clothes I can swap in when my other ones start getting rank.”

“Yeah, but did you have to pack a week’s worth of clothes for a three-day trip? That seems a little excessive…”

“You know what mom always says about packing, dad,” Toji replied, “It’s better to have too much and not need it, instead of not enough.”

“She has literally never said that and you know it.”

Toji grinned and rubbed sheepishly at the back of his head.

“Yeah, well, she always overpacks and it’s come in handy before, so I figure why not?”

Itsuki shook his head and grinned. For all the ways his oldest child was like him in almost all ways physical, Toji took after his mother in so many other small ways. He was loud and brash and suffered from an overabundance of confidence, but he always had time for people, whether they be classmates or just strangers on the street asking for help. Itsuki had lost track of the number of times he had caught Toji helping an elderly man or woman find their way through a crowded shopping mall or street market, guiding them by the hand and reading signs for them if their vision wasn’t what it used to be.
God forbid you mention it later, though. The boy would offer every excuse he could find as to why he did what he did, be it because, quote, “It’s a man’s job to help others,” or because he was trying to impress a pretty girl from his school.

Itsuki smiled to himself. There were plenty of girls fawning over his son, he knew that. Itsuki had the same problem in high school himself, despite what his wife might say. Toji was tall and lean, he would be taller than his father before long, and played every sport you stuck in front of him. Of course, the girls flocked to him, and Toji ate up every second of it. But Itsuki knew his son better than that. He saw the way the boy looked at the Horaki girl differently than anyone else.

And, the way the girl looked at him the exact same way. He saw how close she sat to Toji whenever his friends would come over for dinner, the way her eyes seemed to light up whenever his son said her name. He needed to tell that girl how he felt before she got tired of waiting. Itsuki had broached the subject of Hikari on more than one occasion, but Toji always changed the subject.

Sakura stepped back out into the hallway, her own duffel bag over her shoulder. She looked up at the two of them and started dragging the pack down the hallway, visibly straining. Itsuki sighed, handed the other bag back to Toji and grabbed Sakura’s off the floor. She gave him a dirty look and said something about being able to do it herself, but her relief was obvious.

“Oh yeah, Hikari messaged me something strange last night,” Toji spoke up, throwing the duffel over his other shoulder, “She said she, and I quote, had a plan.”

Itsuki gave his son a confused look.

“Exactly what kind of plan are we talking about? Don’t tell me she’s trying to sketch out every single second of your time at the park so that everyone has the ‘perfect’ amount of fun?”

Toji shook his head.

“Nah, nothing that complicated. No, she said she’s got a plan for getting Asuka and Shinji to finally tell each other how they feel.”

Toji smirked.

“It’s about time. Those two have been dancin’ around each other for years. Everyone can see it. Me, Kensuke, Hikari. Hell, even Mr. Kaji and Ms. Misato have mentioned it before.”

“I think they’re perfect for each other,” Sakura chimed in, her bright red backpack slung on her back, “I hope they get married.”

Itsuki nodded, a small smile on his lips.

“So, did she give you any specifics on what this plan might entail?”

Toji shrugged, dropping his bags by the front door.

“So far, the only step she’s come up with is ‘Get Shinji and Asuka alone together as much as possible.’ It’s simple, but I kinda think it needs a little something more, ya know? Some action, some adventure. I mean, we’re gonna be at a huge theme park -slash- resort for three days in the middle of summer. I’ve seen those books Hikari reads, the ones with the pretty girls wrapped up in some guy’s arms on the covers. I’m sure she has other steps, even if she doesn’t realize it yet.”

“Maybe one of them could be put in danger and the other one has to come rescue them!” Sakura offered, her eyes twinkling. Toji looked at her askance. Hikari must have let the girl read some of those books.

He sighed.

“I’m just along for the ride, I guess.”

Itsuki went to reply when he heard a vehicle turning into the driveway, the wheels crunching on the gravel by the front porch. He opened the front door and stepped outside. The rental van shone in the morning sun, the tinted windows standing out against the stark white of the paint. The side door flew open and out stepped Hikari Horaki. She held a hand up to her eyes to block the sun before sliding the door back closed. Itsuki only got a brief glimpse into the van’s interior, but he instantly recognized the flash of red hair sitting in the middle seat. Hikari started walking towards the man, offering a small wave as she did.

Toji stepped out behind his father and squinted in the sunlight, and Itsuki watched two things happen simultaneously.

One, Toji noticed Hikari and his breath caught ever so slightly, and…

Two, Hikari noticed Toji and picked up speed, her eyes widening.

She made it to the door and stopped, offering Itsuki a small bow as she greeted them good morning.

“Hey there class rep,” Toji said, “You ready for the trip?”

She nodded enthusiastically.

“Oh yeah! I’ve never been before so I’m super excited. Are you ready to go? Misato and Kaji are itching to get on the road.”

Toji nodded.

“Yep! Just let me do one more quick check…”

He turned to the bags just inside the door and starting counting things off on his fingers, satisfied until he reached number eight or so. He turned to Hikari, a small panic in his eyes.

“Oh crap! I forgot to make lunch for the van! You asked me if I would and I said yes and I forgot. Damn it!”

“Language, young man,” Itsuki spoke up, grinning as Toji’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, “Don’t worry, you’ve got time. Go and make whatever it is you said you’d make, and I’ll get your bags into the van.”

Toji nodded and walked into the house and towards the kitchen. Hikari hesitated for a moment before running in after him, kicking her shoes off as she entered the house.

“Hey, wait up! I… I’ll help.”

Toji stopped and turned to her, his brow raised.

“Uhh, thanks.”

Isuki didn’t need to see the girl’s face to see the blush form on her cheeks. She followed after Toji as they made their way across the living room and into the kitchen at the far end and began digging out ingredients. The older man sighed and reached down to grab one of the bags, but found it already hanging at the side of the man now standing in the doorway.

“Morning, Itsuki.”

“Morning, Kaji. How are ya?”

The younger man shrugged and smiled.

“Any day I get to be out of the lab and still get paid is a good day in my book,” he said before glancing over his shoulder, “Especially with company like
this.”

Itsuki shook his head and grinned. He didn’t have to look where the younger man was gesturing to know who he was talking about.

“What company?” came a voice from behind Kaji. He seized up for, only for a heartbeat, before relaxing again. It was only due to Ituski’s long friendship with the man that he noticed the momentary lapse in his typical casually aloof demeanor, “What were you guys talking about?”
“I thought you were staying in the van.”

The raven-haired woman stepped from behind Kaji and bowed slightly to Itsuki before giving wrapping her arm around the older man’s waist and giving a small squeeze.

“Good morning, Misato. Your beauty gives the sunrise a run for its money, as usual.”

Misato Katsuragi, lead liaison between N.E.R.V and Toji’s high school, blushed despite herself. Kaji stared at the older man and slowly shook his head, a small grin on his lips.

“Why thank you, Itsuki. You look… Um...”

“Distinguished? Worldly? Like a man who commands the universe through sheer force of will?”

He grinned.

“Or old and tired and in desperate need of a shower and a shave?”

Misato chuckled.

“Let’s go with the first three, shall we?”

Itsuki smiled. He knew he wasn’t that old, being only barely into his forties, but there was still something innately satisfying about constantly bemoaning his age. It was mostly to get a rise out of his children, and occasionally his wife, but it still brought him no small amount of pleasure when someone refuted his claims of personal senility and decrepitude. Especially someone like Misato. He glanced at the woman as she turned her attention to Kaji, their small talk fading into the background as he watched them.

Kaji looked at her like a child looks at a puppy or a small kitten, with absolute adoration. His eyes constantly flicked across her face, and occasionally down to her chest and hips. Her legs were exposed up to her mid-thigh in the jean shorts she wore, and he took those in as well. A purple tank top, a pair of sandals and a floppy straw hat completed the ensemble.

Itsuki turned his attention to Misato and saw pretty much the same thing, her eyes darting across the taller man’s face, staring at the deliberate amount of stubble he left on his chin. They made their way down to the Hawaiian shirt he wore, the top few buttons left undone, and the surprising amount of muscle that dappled his chest.

The elder Suzuhara was many things, but blind was not one of them. He watched the two people in front of him, and he saw. He saw a longing that was not so much hidden as it was standing on a rooftop with a bullhorn, announcing its presence to anyone and everyone that cared to listen. He sighed.

“These two, Toji and Hikari,” he thought to himself,“and, apparently, Shinji and Asuka. There better be some changes when they get back from this little trip. This is getting to be too much. I can only handle so much unrequited love in my life.”

The side door on the van slid open again and out stepped a boy the same age as Toji, only slightly shorter and leaner, a near carbon copy of his father, only minus the height. Itsuki was sure that would come later. He carried himself like his mother, though, a constant awareness shrouded by an aura of deliberate relaxation.

He moved from the van and another person emerged, a girl this time, with flaming red hair and eyes so blue they made the ocean look dull, just like her mother’s. Also like her mother, those eyes contained an intelligence that seemed too deep for a single person to contain. They walked up to the small group gathered on the porch and poked Misato and Kaji in the ribs from behind, each chuckling at the adults’ small jump.

“I thought you two were in a hurry to get on the road,” said Shinji, smiling as Kaji and Misato glared at him, “We’ve been here almost fifteen minutes already. Where’s Toji?”

“And Hikari for that matter,” Asuka added, glancing around.

Itsuki leaned his head into the doorframe and looked to the back of the room. He grinned and turned back to his guests. He placed a single finger to his lips and motioned toward the door with his thumb.

“Look” he mouthed as he stepped back. The gathered friends leaned forward and stared into the house. They let their eyes adjust to the relative darkness for a few moments, before all four of them broke into goofy smiles.

Toji and Hikari were still putting together the sandwiches and other assorted snacks for the occupants of the rental van. The counter they stood at was easily two meters long with plenty of space for them to work, but they stood so close together that Hikari might as well have been standing on the tops of Toji’s feet. They worked smoothly, and other than the occasional request for an ingredient or a muffled apology for bumping into the other person they worked in silence.

God's in his Heaven because He's scared of our superior firepower...-Yui Ikari

GunmetalSnail429
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Re: A Day at The Park (temporary title)

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Postby GunmetalSnail429 » Wed Jan 06, 2021 2:04 pm

So I've worked on this a bit. I've still got a ways to go before I publish it. And it's looking like it will be split into multiple chapters. I hadn't intended it that way, but here we are.

“You never see the one that gets you.”

Shinji remembered reading that in a story once. Now though, if he could talk to the author, he would tell them just how wrong they were. Shinji could see what was about to get him as plain as day. The glittering steel bumper of the delivery van was steadily bearing down on him as he fell to the ground, his feet having slipped out from under him as he tossed the girl back to her brother on the sidewalk.

He saw Toji snatch the girl from the air with the strange clarity that often comes with the release of massive amounts of adrenaline. Time seemed to have slowed, just like he always saw in the movies, and he turned his eyes towards the other person on the sidewalk. She was reaching for him, her red hair flying out behind her. She was screaming something that Shinji couldn’t understand. He tried to reply, but his mouth refused to work.

He could, in some cruel way, turn his head quickly enough to read the letters and numbers on the license plate attached to the bumper.

And then, it all went dark.
() () () ()
“Toji! Wake up! Your friends are going to be here soon to pick you up!”

Itsuki Suzuhara rapped on the door to his son’s room three more times, the wood flexing with each hit. He turned and reached behind him and did the same to his daughter’s room.

“You too, Sakura! If you’re not up when they get here, I’m telling them to leave without you!”

He waited for a moment. Nothing. He sighed and raised his fist again, ready to knock even harder.

The doors slid open simultaneously as Toji and Sakura Suzuhara stepped out into the hallway. Itsuki noted that the boy was fully dressed, a rare sight for him, especially at 8:00 AM on a Sunday.

“I’ve been up for over an hour. I’ve been packing, dad.”

“Well, I’ve been ready since last night.”

Toji looked down at his sister and stuck out his tongue. She returned the gesture before disappearing back into her room.

Toji motioned behind him and Itsuki peered over his son’s shoulder. Two good sized duffel bags sat neatly stacked by the dresser, a backpack resting on top of them. To top things off, the boy appeared to have already showered, shaved (it was mostly fuzz, but Toji wore it like a badge of honor), brushed his teeth and, miracle of miracles, had actually combed his hair.

“Wow. How come I can’t get you to do this any other time, huh?” his father chuckled, poking his son in the ribs lightly, “Come on. Kaji just called and said they’re five minutes out. I’ll help you with your bags.”

Toji sighed and stepped back, grabbing one of the duffels and handing it to his father. The older man grabbed the carry handle and whistled.

“Have a lot of costume changes planned there, Toji?” he laughed as he slung the carrying strap over his shoulder.

“Well, the park is on a beach, and it’s the middle of summer. I’m gonna be running around and sweating all day, so I wanna make sure I have fresh clothes I can swap in when my other ones start getting rank.”

“Yeah, but did you have to pack a week’s worth of clothes for a three-day trip? That seems a little excessive…”

“You know what mom always says about packing, dad,” Toji replied, “It’s better to have too much and not need it, instead of not enough.”

“She has literally never said that and you know it.”

Toji grinned and rubbed sheepishly at the back of his head.

“Yeah, well, she always overpacks and it’s come in handy before, so I figure why not?”

Itsuki shook his head and grinned. For all the ways his oldest child was like him in almost all ways physical, Toji took after his mother in so many other small ways. He was loud and brash and suffered from an overabundance of confidence, but he always made time for everyone, whether they be classmates or just strangers on the street asking for help. Itsuki had lost track of the number of times he had caught Toji helping an elderly man or woman find their way through a crowded shopping mall or market, guiding them by the hand and reading signs for them if their vision wasn’t what it used to be.
God forbid you mention it later, though. The boy would offer every excuse he could find as to why he did what he did, be it because, quote, “It’s a man’s job to help others,” or because he was trying to impress a pretty girl from his school.

Itsuki smiled to himself. There were plenty of girls fawning over his son, he knew that. Itsuki had the same problem in high school himself, despite what his wife might tell everyone. Toji was tall and lean, he would be taller than his father before long, and played every sport you stuck in front of him. Of course, the girls flocked to him, and Toji ate up every second of it. But Itsuki knew his son better than that. He saw the way the boy looked at the Horaki girl differently than anyone else.

And, the way the girl looked at him the exact same way. He saw how close she sat to Toji whenever his friends would come over for dinner, the way her eyes seemed to light up whenever his son said her name. He needed to tell that girl how he felt before she got tired of waiting. Itsuki had broached the subject of Hikari on more than one occasion, but Toji always changed the subject.

Sakura stepped back out into the hallway, her own duffel bag over her shoulder. She looked up at the two of them and started dragging the pack down the hallway, visibly straining. Itsuki sighed, handed the other bag back to Toji and grabbed Sakura’s off the floor. She gave him a dirty look and said something about being able to do it herself, but her relief was obvious.

“Oh yeah, Hikari messaged me something strange last night,” Toji spoke up, throwing the duffel over his other shoulder, “She said she, and I quote, had a plan.”

Itsuki’s brow furrowed.

“Exactly what kind of plan are we talking about? Don’t tell me she’s trying to sketch out every single second of your time at the park so that everyone has the ‘perfect’ amount of fun?”

Toji shook his head.

“Nah, nothing that complicated. No, she said she’s got a plan for getting Asuka and Shinji to finally tell each other how they feel.”

Toji smirked.

“It’s about time. Those two have been dancin’ around each other for years. Everyone can see it. Me, Kensuke, Rei, Hikari. Hell, even Mr. Kaji and Ms. Misato have mentioned it before.”

“I think they’re perfect for each other,” Sakura chimed in, her bright red backpack slung on her back, “I hope they get married.”

Itsuki nodded, a small smile on his lips.

“So, did she give you any specifics on what this plan might entail?”

Toji shrugged, dropping his bags by the front door.

“So far, the only step she’s come up with is ‘Get Shinji and Asuka alone together as much as possible.’ It’s simple, but I kinda think it needs a little something more, ya know? Some action, some adventure. I mean, we’re gonna be at a huge theme park -slash- resort for three days in the middle of summer. I’ve seen those books Hikari reads, the ones with the pretty girls wrapped up in some guy’s arms on the covers. I’m sure she has other steps, even if she doesn’t realize it yet.”

“Maybe one of them could be put in danger and the other one has to come rescue them!” Sakura offered, her eyes twinkling. Toji looked at her askance. Hikari must have let the girl read some of those books.

He sighed.

“I’m just along for the ride, I guess.”

Itsuki went to reply when the sound of a vehicle turning into the driveway stopped him, the wheels crunching on the gravel by the front porch. He opened the front door and stepped outside. The rental van shone in the morning sun, the tinted windows standing out against the stark white of the paint. The side door flew open and out stepped Hikari Horaki. She held a hand up to her eyes to block the sun before sliding the door back closed. Itsuki only got a brief glimpse into the van’s interior, but he instantly recognized the flash of red hair sitting in the middle seat. Hikari started walking towards the man, offering a small wave as she did.

Toji stepped out behind his father and squinted in the sunlight, and Itsuki stepped back. He glanced from his son to the girl and back, and watched two things happen simultaneously.

First, Toji noticed Hikari and his breath caught ever so slightly, his body stiffening.

Second, Hikari noticed Toji and picked up speed, her eyes widening as a small smile crept onto her lips.

She made it to the door and stopped, offering Itsuki a small bow as she greeted them good morning.

“Hey there class rep,” Toji said. Itsuki noted the effort the boy put into keeping his voice steady, along with subtle way the boy slouched down, assuming an air of deliberate relaxation, “You ready for the trip?”

She nodded enthusiastically.

“Oh yeah! I’ve never been before so I’m super excited. Are you ready to go? Misato and Kaji are itching to get on the road.”

Toji nodded.

“Yep! Just let me do one more quick check…”

He turned to the bags just inside the door and starting counting things off on his fingers, satisfied until he reached number eight or so. He turned to Hikari, a small panic in his eyes.

“Oh crap! I forgot to make lunch for the van! You asked me if I would and I said yes and I forgot. Damn it!”

“Language, young man,” Itsuki spoke up, chuckling as Toji’s cheeks turned a light shade of pink, “Don’t worry, you’ve got time. Go and make whatever it is you said you’d make, and I’ll get your bags into the van.”

Toji nodded and walked into the house and towards the kitchen. Hikari hesitated for a moment before running in after him, kicking her shoes off as she entered the house.

“Hey, wait up! I… I’ll help.”

Toji stopped and turned to her, his brow raised.

“Uhh, thanks.”

Isuki didn’t need to see the girl’s face to see the blush form on her cheeks. She followed after Toji as they made their way across the living room and into the kitchen at the far end and began digging out ingredients. The older man sighed and reached down to grab one of the bags, but found it already hanging at the side of the man now standing in the doorway.

“Morning, Itsuki.”

“Morning, Kaji. How are ya?”

The younger man shrugged and smiled.

“Any day I get to be out of the lab and still get paid is a good day in my book,” he said before glancing over his shoulder, “Especially with company like this.”

Itsuki shook his head and grinned. He didn’t have to look where the younger man was gesturing to know who he was talking about.

“What company?” came a voice from behind Kaji. He seized up for, only for a heartbeat, before relaxing again. It was only due to Ituski’s long friendship with the man that he noticed the momentary lapse in his typical casually aloof demeanor, “What were you guys talking about?”

“I thought you were staying in the van.”

The raven-haired woman stepped from behind Kaji and bowed slightly to Itsuki before wrapping her arm around the older man’s waist and giving a small squeeze.

“Good morning, Misato. Your beauty gives even the sunrise a run for its money, as usual.”

Misato Katsuragi, lead liaison between N.E.R.V and Toji’s high school, blushed despite herself. Kaji stared at the older man and slowly shook his head, a small grin on his lips.

“Why thank you, Itsuki. You look… Um...”

“Distinguished? Worldly? Like a man who commands the universe through sheer force of will?”

He grinned.

“Or old and tired and in desperate need of a shower and a shave?”

Misato chuckled.

“Let’s go with the first three, shall we?”

Itsuki smiled. He knew he wasn’t that old, being only barely into his forties, but there was still something innately satisfying about constantly bemoaning his age. Something so “Dad” about it that it was almost an instinct. It was mostly to get a rise out of his children, and occasionally his wife, but it still brought him no small amount of pleasure when someone refuted his claims of personal senility and decrepitude. Especially someone like Misato. He looked on as she turned her attention to Kaji, their small talk fading into the background as he watched them.

Kaji looked at her like a child looks at a puppy or a small kitten, with absolute, unfiltered adoration. His eyes constantly flicked across her face, and occasionally down to her chest and hips. Her legs were exposed up to her mid-thigh in the jean shorts she wore, and he occasionally took those in as well. A purple tank top, a pair of sandals and a floppy straw hat completed the ensemble, and to Kaji, that was enough.

Itsuki turned his attention to Misato and saw pretty much the same thing, her eyes darting across the taller man’s face, staring at the deliberate amount of stubble he left on his chin. They made their way down to the Hawaiian shirt he wore, the top few buttons left undone, and the surprising amount of muscle that dappled his chest.

The elder Suzuhara was many things, but blind was not one of them. He watched the two people in front of him, and he saw. He saw a longing that was not so much hidden as it was standing on a rooftop with a bullhorn, announcing its presence to anyone and everyone that cared to listen. He sighed.

These two, Toji and Hikari,” he thought to himself, “and, apparently, Shinji and Asuka. There better be some changes when they get back from this little trip. This is getting to be too much. I can only handle so many oblivious people in my life.

“Miss Misato! Mr. Kaji!!”

The two of them turned at the sound. Sakura barreled out of the house, aiming directly for the two of them. Kaji dropped the bag he carried, dipped, and in one smooth motion caught the girl under the arms, picked her up and spun her around before planting a small kiss on the top of her head and passing her to Misato. She caught the child and gave her a spin of her own before pulling her in for a tight hug.

“Hello, Sakura! I’ve missed you!” Misato exclaimed, propping the girl up with her arm and looking at her, “Are you excited about the trip?”

Sakura nodded enthusiastically.

“Yeah! I’m gonna ride everything!”

Misato chuckled.

“Me too!”

Itsuki started to make a comment about minimum height requirements, but before he could the side door on the van slid open again. Out stepped a boy the same age as Toji, slightly shorter and leaner, a near carbon copy of his father, just without the height, though Itsuki was sure that would come later. The boy carried himself like his mother, though, a constant awareness in his eyes tempered by an aura of deliberate relaxation.

He moved from the van and another person emerged, a girl this time, with flaming red hair and eyes so blue they made the ocean look dull, just like her mother’s. Also like her mother, those eyes contained an intelligence and vitality that seemed too deep for a single person to contain. Itsuki caught the stare she gave the boy in front of her before she fell in behind him. They walked up to the small group gathered on the porch, looked at each other, nodded, and poked Misato and Kaji in the ribs from behind, each chuckling at the adults’ small jump. Sakura giggled.

“I thought you two were in a hurry to get on the road,” said Shinji, smiling as Kaji and Misato glared at him, “We’ve been here almost fifteen minutes already. Where’s Toji?”

“And Hikari for that matter,” Asuka added, glancing around.

Itsuki leaned his head past the doorframe and looked to the back of the main room. He grinned and turned back to his guests. He placed a single finger to his lips and motioned toward the door with his thumb.

“Look” he mouthed as he stepped back. The gathered friends leaned forward and stared into the house, Kaji and Misato taking one side of the door while Asuka and Shinji took the other, the taller man and boy leaving room for their counterparts to stand beneath them. They squeezed together Kaji and Shinji leaning over Misato and Asuka respectively, their backs pressing into the boy’s chests. Itsuki watched as the Soryu girl chanced a small look at the face hovering over her, her cheeks reddening ever so slightly before turning to look inside the house. The four of them let their eyes adjust to the relative darkness for a few moments, before all four of them broke into goofy smiles.

Toji and Hikari were still putting together the sandwiches and other assorted snacks for the occupants of the rental van. The counter they stood at was easily two meters long with plenty of space for them to work, but they stood so close together that Hikari might as well have been standing on the tops of Toji’s feet. They worked smoothly, and other than the occasional request for an ingredient or a muffled apology for bumping into the other person they worked in silence.

A pattern emerged wherein Hikari would slowly stop her preparations and let her eyes wander over to Toji’s hands, and then to his arms and from there all the way to his face. She would stare at him for a while until he noticed and looked at her. She would immediately turn back to her work, only for Toji to repeat the same pattern only moments later. Both wore an ever-darkening blush on their cheeks.

The four observers were so caught up in the spectacle in front of them that they failed to register the sound of the van door sliding open and closed. They didn’t hear the crunch of footsteps on gravel, and certainly didn’t notice the new presence standing behind them. Itsuki looked at the new addition and nodded in greeting. The boy nodded in return before lifting a small camcorder to his face and pointing it inside the house. He zoomed in, the sensors in the camera automatically adjusting to the lack of light in the room and smiled. He stood there for several minutes, taking in the sight of two of his closest friends being about as obvious as they could be without saying a word.

He chuckled. All four people crowding the doorway jumped and spun on him.

“Damnit, Kensuke,” they all managed in unison.

The boy lowered the camcorder, flipping the small display closed, and grinned.

“I was wondering how long it was going to take for you guys to notice me,” he spoke, barely above a whisper. He didn’t want to interrupt Toji and Hikari, after all, “I got some good footage. I think I’ll play it for them at their wedding.”

Misato shook her head.

“Kensuke, don’t…”

“Ummm, what are you guys doing?”

Everyone gathered by the door, well four of them at least, jumped at Toji’s voice from behind them. He stood in the doorway holding a small cooler presumably full of sandwiches and drinks. Hikari stood beside him, glancing from person to person, and inquisitive look on her face.

“Yeah, what were you just doing?” she spied Kensuke and, more importantly, Kensuke’s camera, and blanched, “W… Were you recording us?”

“Maybe,” Kensuke grinned. Sakura giggled in Misato’s arms.

Toji started to retort when Kaji cleared his throat and held up his watch.

“Okay, we’ve stalled for too long. We’ve got a five-hour drive ahead of us and we need to get going,” he looked at Toji, “I’ll grab your bags. Bring the cooler and I’ll show you where I want it to go.”

Toji looked like he wanted to say more, but a glance at his father and the look on the older man’s face told him to let it go, at least for now. He had three days to get back at Kensuke, along with other, more pressing matters. He glanced at Asuka and Shinji.

Toji followed Kaji and helped get the bags and cooler arranged, Itsuki carrying over Sakura’s bag and adding it to the pile. The van was meant for 12 people, but with only 8 of those seats taken there was plenty of extra room.

“Alright, is that everything?” Istuki asked, looking around at the gathered travelers.

“I believe so. Let’s get going everyone. Make sure to say goodbye to Mr. Suzuhara before we go,” Kaji spoke up.

Itsuki shood his head.

“I’ve told you a hundred times not to call me ‘Mr. Suzuhara,’ Kaji,” he responded. There was no heat in his voice, only the bare hint of a smile, “I am not old enough to be called Mister.”

Everyone chuckled as they offered the elder Suzuhara small hugs and goodbyes, Toji waiting until almost everyone was in the van before giving his father a short but firm hug. At least he intended it to be short. Itsuki wrapped his arms around the boy’s back and swayed back and forth a few times. He looked over Toji’s shoulder at the grins coming from the van, along with the glint of sunlight off the camera lens.

“Dad. Cut it out..” Toji whispered frantically, turning to glance over his shoulder, “You’re embarrassin’ me.”

“Good. That’s what I’m for, and don’t you ever forget it,” Itsuki whispered back, “Oh, and good luck with The Plan. I’m sure Hikari has some proper hijinks in store for you two. However…”

He pulled back, holding Toji by his upper arms.

“Don’t let that distract you.”
Toji’s brow furrowed and he looked at his father strangely.

“Distract me from what?”

Itsuki looked over his son’s shoulder. Toji caught the hint after a moment and turned slightly. Hikari was standing by the van, her arms folded across her chest as she waited for the boy.

“From what’s right in front of you.”

Toji turned a bright shade of pink.

“I… It’s not like that! W…We’re just good friends. She…”

He stopped and hung his head.

“She doesn’t wanna be with someone like me. She’s got the best grades in class, she’s the top student in our N.E.R.V internship. I’m just a meathead with barely passing grades. She deserves better than me.”

Itsuki placed his hand under Toji’s chin and lifted his head towards him.

“And yet, she chooses to spend as much of her free time as she can with you. How often is she over here after school? How many times a week do you get invited to her house for dinner? She likes you, Toji. Don’t put yourself down. No one sees you like that. Not me, not your mom, not Shinji or Asuka or Kensuke or Misato or Kaji.”

He poked Toji in the chest.

“And certainly not her. Don’t keep her waiting, son. I did with your mom and it nearly made me miss out on something incredible.”
“Hey! Can you guys have your heart to heart after we get back?” Kaji called out, hanging half out of the driver’s side window, “We got..urghh!!”

A slender pair of arms reached around his neck and yanked him back into the van. Itsuki grinned as he heard Misato chewing the man out.

“I’ve kept you too long, Toji. Your friends want to get going. But remember what I’ve told you, son. She thinks you’re worthy of her…”

He pulled Toji into a final short hug.

“Even if you don’t. Now go.”

Toji took a deep breath, managed to drain the color from his cheeks, and turned to his waiting friends.

“What was that about?” Hikari asked as she climbed in the van, Toji getting in and sliding the door closed behind him.

“It was nothin’, class rep. Just my dad tryin’ to embarrass me in front of my friends.”

“Oh. O…Okay,” she responded, her face scrunched in confusion. She stared at him for a few moments before he looked at her.

“What? I got somethin’ on my face?”

“Ah… Nope, sorry!”
Hikari spun around in the seat and started fussing with Sakura’s seatbelt, the smaller girl struggling to get the buckle to work. Behind them, Shinji and Asuka watched, smirking. Behind them, Kensuke chuckled slightly, his face hidden behind his camera yet again. He turned the lens on the boy and girl in front of him, making sure they couldn’t tell of course. He saw the small smirks on their faces fade as they looked at each other, their faces slowly turning as red as Asuka’s hair. They looked away, each pulling out their phones and opening some program or another.

Kensuke grinned. This was going to be an interesting trip.





God's in his Heaven because He's scared of our superior firepower...-Yui Ikari


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