"...Fine."
Faced with Fuyutsuki's heavy-handed statement about the safety of humanity, Misato Katsuragi had no choice but to back down. After all, once the vice commander played the "fate of mankind" card, there was nothing left to argue.
At that moment, Asuka was still at NERV HQ.
"Here, here—these are all my suitcases. Be careful with them!"
Standing in front of a large truck, Asuka was busily directing the movers. The sheer number of bags made Misato's eyelids twitch.
"Hello, I'm Misato Katsuragi. Welcome to Japan."
Of course, when it came to women, what they show on the outside often differs from what they feel inside. Misato's face wore a bright, welcoming smile—making it impossible to tell she was inwardly fuming.
"Ah, you're Major Katsuragi? The Vice Commander already filled me in. I'll be in your care," Asuka replied with a polite nod.
Clearly, she already knew she'd be living at Misato's place.
"Well then, in that case, let's celebrate your arrival with a nice dinner tonight!"
Misato stepped forward, lips curling into a warm smile as she looked at Asuka.
"Thank you so much, Major Katsuragi!" Asuka responded cheerfully.
But her lively tone only made Misato's suppressed rage burn hotter.
This girl... how the hell does she have so much luggage?! And it's all clothes, shoes, and bags! And now she's going to live under the same roof as me and Kitazawa-kun?!
That was the real issue. Someone else was about to compete for Ryota Kitazawa, and Misato didn't like that one bit.
Still, she didn't let it show. Her smile only got sweeter.
Driving home together, the two arrived back at the apartment.
To their surprise, Ryota Kitazawa was already home.
The house was filled with the delicious aroma of food, making mouths water.
"Wait… is Kitazawa-kun the one cooking?"
Misato peeked toward the kitchen in amazement. Sure enough, there he was, apron on, preparing dinner.
"You're back, Misato-san."
Ryota walked out holding a tray of dishes, smiling warmly at the two.
"You?!"
Asuka froze, shocked beyond belief. Her reaction was dramatic.
"What are you doing here?!"
"Heh, let me explain," Misato said, her face glowing with friendly sincerity. "The media was swarming Kitazawa-kun's house and completely disrupting his life, so he's temporarily staying with me."
And that, Misato thought gleefully, is precisely why I didn't tell you earlier.
She wanted to catch Asuka off guard, ideally provoking her into storming off to complain to HQ. That would be perfect.
Women's scheming hearts… terrifying.
"What?! There's no way I can live under the same roof as this guy!" Asuka shouted, stomping her feet and pointing furiously at Ryota.
"Well, that's out of my hands," Misato replied with a helpless shrug. "This arrangement came directly from Command. There's nothing I can do."
Cunning… truly cunning.
"Ugh…"
Asuka glanced at Ryota. She clearly wanted to walk right out the door, but the idea of living with the guy who had defeated her in battle… that was unbearable. It was like a constant reminder of her humiliation.
She absolutely refused to accept it.
"Let's sit down and eat first," Ryota offered, smiling slightly. Of course, he already understood Misato's intentions—but he saw no need to call her out on it.
"Yeah, let's all eat together. You've had a long day, Shikinami," Misato agreed, acting supportive on the surface—but inside, she was thinking:
Just wait. After dinner, the chaos will really begin.
Ah… the subtle warfare of women.
"F-Fine…"
Asuka wanted to stomp off, but the aroma of the food kept her rooted to the spot.
Her mouth was watering uncontrollably.
"Kitazawa-kun, what kind of soup is this? It smells amazing," Misato asked between bites, clearly impressed.
"Ah, that? Just regular tomato and egg soup," Ryota answered casually.
Back in China, where Ryota came from, this was a simple, everyday dish—something nearly everyone could make. But in Japan, it was far less common.
Yet somehow, in his hands, even this simple soup had completely won them over.
Asuka, in particular, devoured her meal—eating faster and more ravenously than anyone else. She even finished off every last drop of the soup.
"I'm stuffed! That was incredible—thank you for the meal!"
Misato sighed with satisfaction.
Even Asuka's mood had noticeably softened.
But she knew… the real battle was just beginning:
The fight for a bedroom.
"Kitazawa Ryota! Don't think just because I ate your food that I owe you anything! Starting today, this room is mine!" Asuka declared, standing in front of Ryota's bedroom door like a guard on high alert.
"Why?" Ryota asked calmly.
"Duh! Japanese rooms are tiny! There's nowhere else big enough for all my stuff. This is the only room that might fit it all!"
"Hmm, I see," Ryota nodded and stepped inside the room.
"Hey! That's my room now!" Asuka roared, trying to shove him out.
But of course, with Ryota's physical strength, Asuka's efforts were completely futile.
Then, in one sudden move, Ryota slipped behind her using agile footwork, took hold of her firmly, and—
Tossed her out.
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