C&C is greatly appreciated, as this is the first draft.
On with the show.
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The Sum of All Parts : Magenta
Maison Otonashi
=====
Part 2
"Good morning. I am Katsuragi Misato, Captain, Operations
Commander, deputy head of Public Relations, and I represent the
organization known simply as NERV. Welcome to the NERV recruitment
seminar."
"Oh, my God!" Sakamoto whispered. "She's a babe!"
"She's the Operations Commander!" Kobayashi breathed.
"She's my neighbor!" Godai exclaimed.
Sakamoto and Kobayashi stared at Godai.
"It's true!" Godai said. "She's that beer-chugging woman who
lives a room down from me. It's just that I've never seen her like
this before."
Sakamoto blinked and took a longer look. "Hey! You're right!
She's the woman who always wears those really short denim cutoffs!"
"I told you."
"Let me get this straight," Kobayashi said, pushing back his
glasses, "this woman parades half-naked around Godai's apartment and
neither of you two jokers noticed how sexy she was until now?"
"Well, I was taken aback before," Sakamoto replied, "and I've
never seen her sober. But that's only because I don't live there.
What's your excuse, Godai?"
"I, uh, that is..."
"There will be a short instructional film clip after this,"
Misato continued, "then a short recess. After that, you will be
interviewed, then classified according to aptitude, so that in the
event of your employment --"
"We wish," the three chorused.
"-- you will be assigned to a job best suited to your
abilities."
"All right, Godai!" Sakamoto said, slapping Godai's back. "If
NERV has job openings for the chronically indecisive you'll be a shoo-
in!"
"Hey, quit it!" Godai snapped.
"Pipe down and listen, you two," Kobayashi whispered. "They
might give a test on these things."
They quieted down and listened to the rest of the speech.
"Those with scientific leanings will be handled by Akagi
Ritsuko, Ph.D., Research Division deputy head," Misato continued,
motioning to a blond-haired woman who was at that point walking out
dressed in a lab coat worn over a blue blouse and short black skirt.
"That's their Research Division deputy head?" Godai said.
"Damn, I knew I should have studied harder for our Physics
class!" Sakamoto whined, snapping his fingers.
"The Information Division is headed by Kaji Ryoji." A tall,
pony-tailed man walked onstage, scratching the day-growth of stubble
on his chin and grinning wryly while facing the audience.
Squeals erupted from the crowd.
"I hate him already," Kobayashi muttered.
"I know him," Godai whispered. "He's Misato's lover, I think."
"No!" Sakamoto said. "I can't believe that loser is Miss
Katsuragi's boyfriend!"
"Believe it," Godai snickered.
"I will handle the Operations Division and, in the absence of
Dr. Ikari Yui, the Public Relations Division," Misato finished. "You
will have a chance to meet more of our staff during your internship.
For now, thank you for coming, and please make yourselves comfortable.
We will now show the instructional video. Lights, please."
The lights went out, and the projection screen went blue,
followed by the NERV logo, red on black.
"'God's in his heaven, all's right with the world'? What's that
supposed to mean?" Sakamoto whispered.
"Shhh!" Kobayashi hissed. "Pay attention!"
"The history of NERV," the voiceover said. "NERV was formed in
response to the Second Impact, a catastrophe that melted the polar ice
caps and caused massive flooding all over the globe."
"I remember that," Sakamoto said. "I was just a kid, then, and -
-"
"Will you shut up?" Godai chided.
"Sorry. Hey, isn't that Nobuyuki a few rows back? Who's that
cute blue-haired girl he's with?"
"Shut up!"
"Okay! Okay! Sheesh!"
"Greetings, Kanrinin-san," Yotsuya said, tipping his hat to
Kyoko. He was decked out in his trench coat again, and he looked like
he stayed up the night before.
"Welcome back," Kyoko said, pausing her front-step-sweeping.
"May I ask where were you all night?"
"At my job," Yotsuya replied casually. "Say, isn't young Godai's
application for internship today?"
"Why, yes," Kyoko replied. "I hope he does well. It'd be good
job experience for him."
"I suppose so, but what skills could he possibly bring to the
outfit he is applying for?"
"Ah, well," Kyoko said, searching for answers, "that is, well, I
suppose he could..."
"Hey, Kyoko!" Mrs. Ichinose yelled from inside Otonashi-kan.
"Don't we have tennis practice later on?"
"Um, that's right," Kyoko replied. "I better finish my chores
early. Excuse me."
"Of course," Yotsuya said. "I'll be heading inside now."
"Okay." Kyoko sighed as soon as Yotsuya entered the building.
"Now I'm more worried about Godai than ever. I hope he does well."
"Name?"
"C'mon, Misato, it's me, Godai!"
"Please show the proper decorum. We can talk when this interview
is finished. Name?"
Godai sighed, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
The suit he was wearing made him itch, and the tie was too tight. He
was beginning to sweat, and the tip of his nose begged to be
scratched. "Godai Yusaku."
Misato nodded and leafed through his application. "What is your
major?"
"Education."
"Any work experience?"
"I did several stints helping out at a local preschool, and I'm
applying to student teach at several high schools." There. He could be
professional when he wanted to, and he really wanted to give his
interviewer a good impression, even though he knew it was 'just
Misato'. Besides, she was really pretty when she was dressed properly,
and a babe IS a babe.
Misato nodded. "That's what it says here." She closed the
folder. "Mr. Godai, are you aware of the extent of NERV's holdings in
the Greater Tokyo Area?"
"Not very well, I'm afraid. Only what I learned from the film,
and even that is sketchy."
"Well, NERV runs several schools in Tokyo, including the one in
the Nerima District."
That's where Soichiro works, Godai thought.
Misato stood and held her hand out to Godai. "Well. That will be
all for now. Thank you for coming, Mr. Godai. You will be notified of
the results through mail."
Godai shook her hand. "Thank you for having me here."
Misato took off her glasses and grinned at Godai. "Well, that
went pretty well, huh?" She sat down. She picked up a bottle of water
nearby and opened it. "We still have a few minutes. Have a seat and
relax."
Godai slumped in his seat, grinning. "You really scared me back
there."
"Did I? That's good," Misato said, taking a drink. "I'm not all
goof-off, you know."
"I can see that, now."
"Now you know why I'm so laid back at home. It's the only place
I can really relax."
Godai chuckled. "I'll keep that in mind the next time you lie
down on my desk."
Misato leaned forward, smiling. "It's not like you can complain
or anything."
"Well," Godai said, "I was really surprised when I saw you come
out. You're really pretty when you want to be."
"Thanks," Misato said, "but flattery won't help you get the
job."
"What? No! That's not what I meant by --"
"Oops, look at the time," Misato said, looking at her watch.
"Better get going. Call the next applicant in on your way out."
Godai got up, flustered, but before he could leave Misato walked
up next to him.
"By the way, thanks," she said, kissing him on the cheek. "It's
nice to be told that now and then."
Godai could only stammer a "no problem" while Misato opened the
door and ushered him out.
"Hey, Kentaro, wait!"
Kentaro turned to see Yoshimi running up to him. "Oh, hi,
Yoshimi."
"Can I walk home with you," Yoshimi asked, a puppy dog look in
her big, dark eyes, "please?"
"Oh, okay," Kentaro said, "if you really want to."
"I do. Besides, my house is just a few blocks away from yours,
so why not?"
They climbed the steps up the hill that led to the playground
near Maison Otonashi.
"Well, here's the daily exercise," Kentaro said.
"Yeah."
"Hey, Yoshimi..."
"Yes?" She turned to face him, and from this angle, with her
medium-length black hair in the sun like that Kentaro was suddenly
reminded of Ikuko.
"Uh," he began, stammering, "h-how are you and Ryunosuke?"
"Oh!" she exclaimed, blushing. "W-why do ask?"
"Um... it's nothing, really."
"Oh. Okay. Hey, did you hear? Soichiro-sensei is going to stop
teaching the level higher than us and concentrate on our batch, 'cause
he wants to get more rest."
"Yeah," Kentaro said, "must be the trouble with the manager."
"What trouble with the manager?"
"Well, Soichiro-sensei is our apartment manager's husband."
"Really? Wow."
"Yeah, so it gets pretty exciting around my place."
"Hey, Ken-chan..."
Kentaro gave a start. 'Ken-chan'? Not even his mother called him
that! "W-what is it, Yoshimi?"
"Can I visit your place one of these days?"
"Oh, sure! Sure! Anytime!"
Yoshimi smiled. "I'm glad. Well, here's my house. See you
tomorrow, Ken-chan! Let's do this again!"
"Sure... s-see you tomorrow, Yoshimi..."
He watched her enter the house before he finished his sentence.
"...chan."
Godai stepped out of the train station onto the sidewalk, which
was damp from the early evening rain. He touched his cheek as he
walked home.
It felt good. It felt really good to have that kind of
affirmation, even if it was just from Misato.
Godai shook his head gently. Even if it was just anyone.
Just anyone? He frowned. Was that it? Would he be happy with
just anyone? Anyone? It disturbed him; the idea that it didn't matter
who he was with, as long as he was with someone. Was that truly how he
felt?
So why did he insist on being in love with Kyoko? If he could be
happy with just anyone, why did he insist on trying to win a married
woman? What business did he have getting between a woman and her
husband?
Godai loosened his tie; he was finding it difficult to breathe.
"I take it you weren't accepted, then?" Yotsuya said, sliding a
can of beer next to Godai.
"I don't know that yet," Godai replied, putting away his papers
under his desk. He grabbed the beer and opened it. "What even makes
you say that?"
"Well," Mrs. Ichinose said, between chugs at her personal bottle
of sake, "it's that long face you're wearing. Men only wear that face
when they're either having trouble at work or with women, and I doubt
it's woman trouble."
Shows how much you know, thought Godai.
"At any rate," Yotsuya continued, "Misato isn't home yet, so we
have to pace ourselves. We cannot get this sympathy party going unless
we are all here."
"I'm home, mom," Kentaro said as he entered the room. "I'll be
going off to our room now. I just wanted to tell you I was home." He
turned to leave.
"Hey, now," Mrs. Ichinose said, "what's with the long face,
son?"
Yotsuya raised an eyebrow. "It is just me, or is the face your
son is wearing identical to the one on Godai?"
"Where've you been?" Mrs. Ichinose asked.
"Aw, nowhere," Kentaro replied.
"Aha! It's a girl, isn't it?" Mrs. Ichinose yelled. "Atta boy!"
"No!"
"Methinks the boy doth protest too much," Yotsuya said. "That's
a good lad."
"Hi," Kyoko said as she entered the room. "What's up?"
"Hello, Kanrinin-san," Yotsuya said, handing Kyoko another beer,
"we were discussing Kentaro's love life."
"Quit it!"
"Oooh, Kentaro!" Kyoko teased. "You're going to make this girl
very happy."
"You... you think so?"
"Aha! So there is a girl! So, is she cute?" Mrs. Ichinose
prodded.
"Mom! I don't wanna talk about it!"
"All right," Mrs. Ichinose said. "You're obviously embarrassed
about it, so we won't force the matter."
Now if only they did that for me, Godai thought.
"Hi, guys," Misato said, entering the increasingly cramped room,
lugging two six-packs in a plastic bag. She was dressed in her denim
shorts and green sleeveless shirt, and she set herself down on the
floor. "Ah, what a day. So many applicants, so little time."
"Greetings," Yotsuya said, "you're just in time for the sympathy
party."
"For whom?"
"Godai," Mrs. Ichinose replied. "Who else. Job trouble."
"It is not!"
"Come now, Mrs. Ichinose," Yotsuya said, "let's give the young
man some credit. I earlier commented on the similarities between Godai
and Kentaro's expressions. Since we have deduced that Kentaro is
having women trouble --"
"Am not!"
"-- I think it is safe to say that the nature of Godai's problem
is similar as well."
Godai nearly choked on his beer.
"Well, it isn't job trouble," Misato said.
"What do you mean?" Kyoko asked.
Misato smirked. "Here," she said, handing an envelope to Godai.
"You're supposed to receive this tomorrow by mail, but I figured I'd
hand it to you myself."
Godai opened the envelope and unfolded the letter inside, hands
trembling.
"Read it aloud," Misato urged.
"Godai Yusaku, we would like to inform you that you have been
accepted to student-teach at the NERV-sponsored Nerima Junior High
School starting this Wednesday...!"
"Yep," Misato said. "Congratulations."
"Here, here," Yotsuya said. "To young Godai, the educator. May
the minds he shapes never need psychiatric treatment when he is done."
"Uh, hear, hear," Kyoko said, flinching.
"This calls for a dance!" Mrs. Ichinose shouted, bringing out
her fans.
"Thanks, Misato," Godai began.
"No, no, don't thank me," Misato said. "You were the most
qualified person who applied for the job. Besides, there was an
opening since one of the teachers decided to reduce his work load for
personal reasons."
"I know," Kyoko quietly said.
The room fell silent.
"Soichiro called this morning. He said he was going to teach
less, to devote more time to me, because that's what I wanted, he
said."
"Then that means..." Mrs. Ichinose started.
"... That young Godai here is taking over Soichiro's place..."
continued Yotsuya.
"... and Kyoko will be leaving with her husband," Misato
finished.
A second, longer silence descended upon room.
And then, the sirens rang.
To be continued...