Here's today's story. One that I have rewritten a number of times (actually another rewrite is still waiting for me to return to it) and never fully satisfied with the result. The first versions of this story were titled "Just another day at Tokyo-3 school".

Asuka Saves the Day

(Evangelion, Ayanami Rei, beheading, implied cannibalism, casual)

The bell sound announced the long break. It was the one long break in the week that was quite puzzling. To eat or not to eat: that was the question. You see, we had only one lesson left after the long break, so instead of eating lunch boxes in class or going to cafeteria, there was an option to wait a little longer and then have a full lunch at home. Perhaps, I would have done exactly that, but it wasn't that simple. The lesson after the long break was P.E., so it required some energy. It would be a bad idea to have P.E. on an empty stomach. So, “to eat” was an answer. Another question was: “how much?” Only long experience allowed you to figure out the exact amount of food, which gave you enough energy, yet wasn't too much to make you nauseated during P.E.

And actually, after half a year of such a timetable, most of us had enough experience and it wasn't a problem anymore. However, there was another thought that occupied my mind. I turned back to see Rei sitting at her desk, looking out the window. The blue-haired girl was ignored by most of the boys, but not by me. I noticed her the moment I first walked into the classroom. Quiet and docile, she reminded me of my own self. As I knew her better I discovered she was truly an angel. No word described her better. She was so selfless she didn't care for her own self at all. I couldn't help but admire that quality of her and hope sometime I can learn to be just like her.

Every day during the long break, Rei just sits and looks out of window. I never saw her bringing a lunch box from home, and she doesn't go to cafeteria either. And when she sits there alone, while everyone gathers in groups to eat and chat, it looks really sad. Doesn't she have any friends? I don't think she had any before I transferred, but I hope I deserved the right to call myself her friend, at least I was really trying to be one. Yet, I never kept her company during the long break. It wasn't a problem for me to come up to her and have a chat, at any other time we enjoyed the company of each other. But during the long break there was lunch. If I sit in front of her eating, while she has nothing, it would be really awkward if not rude. So, I had prepared a lunch box for her too, and it clearly was a step beyond friendship. I did want to make this step, but it took me some time to gather the courage. And finally, here am I with two lunch boxes.

Naturally, I felt nervous. Even if we have seen each other almost every day for half a year, and became good friends, it will be the first time for me to clearly show my romantic interest in her. For a moment I even thought if I gaining a little more courage and trying another time. But then I thought: “what would Rei do in my place?” It was the question I asked myself every time I wasn't sure. And as always the answer was: she wouldn't hesitate. Neither should I. So, after taking a deep breath, I approached her and offered the lunch box. She stared at it puzzled.

”Is that for me?” she finally asked.

”It is,” I answered. “May I keep you company?”

Rei nodded in confirmation. I turned the chair in front of her desk to face it and took a seat. While casually opening my lunch box, I watched how Rei carefully opened hers. I didn't want to hurry her, as she studied the contents.

Knowing Rei is a vegetarian, I didn't put any meat in it. There were fruit salad and tamagoyaki (a couple of weeks ago, pretending to be just curious of vegetarianism, I asked her if she ate eggs, and it appeared she did). This menu was not only due to Rei's diet, but also because of the upcoming PE lesson. One would think meat would be more appropriate, but when the PE is just about to begin, what you really need is something quickly assimilated. That's why I had the same in my lunch box (and also I thought having something different would make Rei wonder if mine is tastier, and it wasn't a thought I would like to be on her mind).

”Did you fix it yourself?” she asked.

”Especially for you” I added.

Rei opened her mouth without saying anything and her eyes widened just a bit. Most wouldn't even notice, but I knew she was completely taken aback. No one has done something just for her before. It took her some time come out with response.

”Thank you” she pronounced carefully and then asked: “was that the right word?”

”I'd like you to try it,” I said.

”Sorry” she replied, “it was the first time I spoke that word.”

”Oh, no, it wasn't a mistake,” I hurried to assure her, “What I meant is I want to know if my cooking is to your liking.”

”I see,” she gave it a thought. “Then I will try it.”

Rei took the chopsticks and as carefully as she does everything took a piece of pear in her mouth. She chewed it thoroughly, and after finally swallowing it, she concluded: ”It's sweet,”

”So, do you like it?” I asked.

”I think I do,” Rei said.

It appears, sweets are also new to her. It's a little sad. But, on the other hand, how much else could she experience as something new and intriguing, which would be just common things to others? Introducing Rei to those experiences makes me see them in a new way. And also, there are a lot of things in a world I don't know either. I feel that discovering them together with Rei would make those new experiences more rewarding for both of us.

I also started with fruit salad and we almost finished eating eat, when Asuka returned to the class. Having all my attention on Rei, I hadn't notice that the redhead left the class in the first place and assumed she was eating lunch with class rep as she usually does. Asuka and Hikari are very good friends and often spend time together, but, apparently, not today. Asuka also claimed to be friends with me and Rei. And in spite of her sometimes excessive obtrusiveness, she was a beautiful girl and an outstanding personality. She could even become my love interest, if not for Rei, so I liked to think of her as a friend too.

Right from the door Asuka purposefully headed towards us. Her face was shining as if she came up with a brilliant solution to a problem no one else could solve. I wonder if that solution somehow included the massive serrated knife in her hands. Without a word Asuka went to a desk behind Rei and took a seat. Then she spoke: ”Idiot, can you lend me our blue-haired friend for a minute?”

It was a bad habit of hers not to address people by their names. Yet, why I had to be an idiot, while Rei was just blue-haired?

”If you don't see, we're having lunch,” I answered.

”Oh, don't worry about lunch,” Asuka smirked. “She won't need it anymore.”

”What do you mean?”

”I could use a head,” Asuka proclaimed, showing her knife.

”So what, are you going to cut off Rei's head?” It was some kind of joke, wasn't it?

”Well, of course,” Asuka answered in all seriousness. “How else can I get it?”

No way, she was serious!? Well, it was quite like her, but it was still sudden. Asuka is going to put the girl I love to death, destroying our future together and all the experiences we are going to share. That's certainly not how I imagined this day. My first impulse was to tell Asuka there's no way I would let her take Rei from me. But before I spoke, I stopped myself with the same question again: “what would Rei do in my place?” Or, rather than that, what would she do if I don't interfere? Would she be taken aback by such an unreasonable request? Would she decline politely? Or would she actually let Asuka have her way? I really wanted to know that.

”Then you should ask Rei, not me,” I answered to Asuka.

”Ah, so idiot doesn't mind?” Asuka grinned. “Well then, blue-haired, are you ready to give your life for my selfish whim?”

Rei did not spend a moment thinking whether or not to grant the request. She just nodded as if she couldn't care less for her life. She'd always been like that, not caring for her own self, even a bit, but I always wondered how far that selflessness of her went. Seeing that it went all the way to letting her life be taken on the first request made me feel relieved. Now I knew for sure Rei was truly an angel. Knew that image of Rei I admired and fell in love with was Rei's true self, not my idealized impression of her.

Rei had just finished the fruit salad, so she put her chopsticks aside. From that casual gesture you could never guess it weren't just the chopsticks she put aside, but also her life. For Rei it wasn't much difference. I would be disappointed in her if I saw her clinging to life. Yet, while I was glad that Rei justified my confidence in her, I couldn't help but want to spend some more time with her. Even if it was just for the lunch. That's why I asked: ”Won't you finish it?”

”I won't,” Rei said shortly.

”Why? Was I wrong putting the eggs in it?”

”Eggs are fine,” Rei said. “But as Asuka said, I won't need it anymore.”

”I see,” I said with relief that using eggs was not a mistake.

”Letting me eat it would be a waste of food,” Rei continued. “It will be better if someone else eats the rest.”

”Oh, really?” Asuka cut in. “Then can I have it after I kill you?”

”Sure,” Rei answered. “Help yourself.”

”Well, shall we start then?” Asuka said, bringing the knife to Rei's throat.

While Rei was waiting for Asuka patiently, doubts suddenly began to fill my mind. For Rei her own death wasn't a big deal, but what about me? Just to think of it, a minute more and I'll never see Rei's smile again, never again I will hear her voice, and never again I will be able to touch her.

”Wait a minute!” I decidedly stopped Asuka.

”What's wrong?” she asked, disappointedly removing the knife.

Just in time I realized why Rei's death was worrying me so much. It wasn't because I won't be able to spend time with her. As much as I wanted to stay with her longer, I've already decided that exploring Rei's personality was more important. But what really bothered me is that after Rei is gone, I won't be able to reveal my feelings to her. There's no way I could let her go without telling her how much I love her. That's it. I had to tell it right now. ”I want to talk to Rei,” I explained to Asuka.

”Well, I guess she has the right for a final statement,” Asuka agreed.

Still, I didn't know what to say. Just a minute ago it felt like we had all time in the world and now it's our last moment together. I didn't want to rush our relationship, but I had no choice now. So, I'll just have to tell it straight. I took Rei's hands in mine and looked in her eyes. She was staring back at me with barely noticeable embarrassment over my gesture, waiting for what I was going to say. All right, take a breath and tell her, ”I love you, Rei.”

Rei blushed and looked away. So cute! “I appreciate your feelings,” she answered.

”Death is really not a big deal for you,” I sighed.

”Would you want me to decline?” Rei asked.

”Above all I want you to be yourself,” I assured her. “But death is still sad.”

There's no sadness in death,” she replied, “once dead I will feel nothing, experience nothing, no, not even that,” Rei tried to find better words. “Feeling nothing would assume feeling, but there will be no feeling in the first place. There will be no ‘me' who could feel. Rather than sadness or happiness it's just nothingness.”

”That's good for you you're not going to feel sad,” I said sincerely. “But what about me?”

What?” she didn't understand.

”Don't you think I'll be sad for you?” I asked.

”You don't seem to understand. My very existence will be no more,” she emphasized. “There will be no ‘me' to feel sad for.”

”You make death sound so easy,” I sighed. “But what about life? Just think of all those experiences you could have, we could share. Don't you regret losing them?”

”I'll lose unpleasant experiences along with pleasant ones,” Rei said. “It sounds fair to me.”

”Are you saying you're trying to avoid unpleasant experiences by dying?” I was confused. It sounded like weakness, totally inappropriate for an angel.

”I'm neither longing for death nor escaping unpleasant things,” Rei explained. “Here's what I'm trying to say. If I live, I will have a lot of both pleasant and unpleasant experiences. In sum it's effectively zero. If I die, I will have no experiences at all, which is still zero. They're equal. Therefore I see no sense in preferring life to death or vice versa.”

”Ah,” I sighed with relief, “so it's not like you have any suicidal tendencies.”

”Of course not,” Rei replied almost chuckling over the absurdness of such a thought.

”Then go on and die,” I could finally say with ease. “I won't feel sad for you,” I assured her.

”And at last we can start,” Asuka sighed impatiently. “We can, can't we?”

Rei looked at Asuka's knife. It looked really scary. ”I don't believe I can handle the pain,” Rei said putting her hands in mine.

”Maybe we can find a guillotine?” I suggested.

”Are you an idiot?” Asuka said. “It's a school, not a torture chamber.”

”That won't be necessary,” Rei said. “I only ask Ikari-kun to hold me tight so I don't break free when panic hits me.”

”Well, of course,” I said, squeezing her hands tighter. “I do care for you after all.”
Rei replied to that with an uncertain look.

”Only while you're alive,” I specified. “I won't care for nonexistent.”
Rei nodded now fully confident in me.

”Okay, here we go then,” with a gesture Asuka asked Rei to lift up her head a little and positioned a knife against her throat. “You were really good friend, Rei. I knew I could count on you.”

”Thank you,” Rei replied. “I'm glad to be of help.”

Asuka made the first small cut, more like a scratch, and a drop of blood came out. It was such a contrast to her pale skin. Rei squeezed my hands, bracing herself for the upcoming pain, and I returned the gesture. Asuka cut a little deeper and now a string of blood was slowly running down Rei's neck. It looked surprisingly beautiful. Rei slightly moaned from the pain and instinctively tried to pull her hands out of mine to reach the source of this pain. I squeezed her hands tight not to let her do it.

”Hold on,” I said to her. “I'm with you.”

Rei relaxed her hands again and looked at me guilty for her involuntary actions and grateful for my support. Then with the next cut Asuka pushed the knife with all her force and finally reached the throat. Rei's lungs immediately started to flood with blood, and more blood came out the cut. Rei's previously calm face twisted in a grimace of painful panic. Tears poured out of her eyes, she tried to scream, but only managed to produce gurgling sounds and cough with blood. She almost pulled her hands out of mine and tried to shake her head. Asuka had to hold Rei's head with her free hand.

”Hey, I can't proceed like that!” Asuka said. “Do something with her.”

Rei's convulsions drew the attention of the rest of the class, and everyone was now watching wondering what's going on. Kensuke even started filming. None of that concerned me, as I was trying to reach Rei through her panic.

”Rei! Listen to me!” I shouted to bring her back to her senses. “It won't take long. The pain will end along with your life. Don't resist!”

But her pain was too much, my words didn't reach her. It was painful to see Rei like this. But it seemed just words weren't enough to distract her from pain. If I wanted to break Rei's panic, I had to act. I took one of her delicate fingers and decisively broke it. As senseless as it would seem, the new source of pain broke Rei's concentration on the old one. A faint light of conscience appeared in her eyes. While it wasn't gone I hurried to continue speaking to her:

”Remember, Rei, you're dying,” I said. “Just bear with it a little longer and you'll fall into so tempting nothingness.”

Rei concentrated on that thought, it becoming an anchor keeping her from losing it again. With an effort she stopped shaking her head and soundlessly, just with her lips spoke: ”Break more,” she pleaded.

”Nothing can prevent your death now,” I assured her as I broke one more of her fragile gentle fingers. “No need to fight.”

Accepting the inevitability of death made Rei calm down. I nodded giving Asuka a sign to proceed. She nodded back and continued to cut deeper. Rei wasn't trying to pull her hands out of mine anymore, just jerking a little with every cut.

”You're dying, Rei,” I continued to reassure her, looking into her eyes. “You're going to die.”

As I spoke I didn't hesitate to break more of her lovely fingers. It could seem a waste to ruin such a beauty, but I knew she wouldn’t need them anymore, so I didn't hold back. Every time I did so, Rei looked less like she was suffering and more like she was welcoming her fate. Encouraged by her reaction, I went on and on.

”Die, my love,” I said tenderly while breaking her fingers. “Die completely, irreparably. Die with both your body and your mind. Let your whole existence be nullified.”

I already broke all Rei's fingers except her thumbs, when Asuka finally reached some major blood vessels. A stream of blood spurted out right into my face. I heard some girls scream in surprise and our classmates had to take a step back not to be stained in blood. However, I didn't have that luxury. I was grateful that at least the blood missed my eyes. The fact that it stained my face, then my clothes and finally was pouring on the table with both unfinished lunchboxes was not my concern at that moment. The only thing that mattered was Rei's decapitation happening before my eyes.

”Did you see that?” I said teasingly. “You made such a mess!”

I didn't expect her to answer, but to my surprise she did. ”The pain,” Rei spoke calmly with her lips, “it's fading.”

”That's a good sign!” I said. “Your brain is starting to die.”

Rei welcomed the news with a peaceful smile.

I was watching Rei closely as Asuka cut deeper and deeper, and more blood was pouring out Rei's neck and it seemed like that blood was life itself leaving her body. It was so beautiful. Rei was a cute girl herself, but now she was wearing such a pacified facial expression that I never seen from her before, and also her skin became even paler than usual because of blood loss. Everything was perfect in that scene. Even the blood that covered all her neck below the cut and soaking her uniform was only adding to the image.

Yet, a thought came to my mind that Rei would look even more appealing without the blood on the chin that flowed out of her mouth. It wasn't flowing anymore, so there was just a little on her chin and lips, and maybe some left in the mouth. Well, maybe it wasn't the blood that really bothered me. Maybe I was just looking for an excuse. The experience of watching Rei dying, being with her at her final moments, comforting and cheering her while breaking her fingers at her own request appeared to be too much for me. It was nothing like sadness and grief one could expect, instead there was an overflowing feeling of intimacy. And that feeling had to be expressed.

I leaned closer and licked the blood from Rei's chin. She was surprised for the moment, but as I proceeded to her lips, she got the idea and surprise changed to embarrassed anticipation. She might have even blushed if only the blood could reach her head. Instead her heart rate increased and the blood poured out on me with new force. But being covered in blood didn't bother me. For me it was only a sign that Rei was as excited as me. So, at last, I did what I couldn't even dream about just a few minutes ago. I kissed Rei.

”Woo hoo!” I heard Touji commenting as my lips touched Rei's. It was just a light kiss, but the taste of her blood. Not the taste itself, but it being the proof Rei was dying, increased the sensation ten times. Not only I was kissing the girl I love, and not only she was dying on my hands, but both of that happened together. It's embarrassing to admit, but the certain part of my body felt tight in my pants. It made the urge to proceed further irresistible, all the more so as I already had an excuse that the inside of Rei's mouth also needed cleaning from blood. So I stuck out my tongue once again and pressed it between Rei's lips. She didn't resist me opening her mouth like that and I proceeded deeper. As my tongue entered her mouth, I started exploring it, intoxicated by the increased taste of blood. I was trying to feel every bit of her oral cavity and extract every bit of blood as if by such an act I was drawing her life from her. But before I could complete that ritual something happened so unexpected that it made me forget any thoughts I had. Rei was responding to the kiss!

Rei's tongue started to move inside her own mouth first, but every next movement was more energetic and bold. Before I knew it she was exploring my mouth with the same passion I explored hers. For a moment she even took the lead, but immediately corrected the overshoot, deliberately adjusting to my pace. That was amazing energy for someone so far beyond the point of no return. Did her body, being on the verge of death, put its hidden reserves to use? Or was she doing it on pure willpower? Either way she was remarkable. Being so lively while almost dead, she was really having best from both words.

Rei's actions were certainly much more then appreciating my love to her. With that kiss she was telling me she loves me back. Realizing our mutual love made me feel such a unity with Rei like we weren't even different entities anymore, but one. It made Rei's death as insignificant for me as it was for her. Every day a person loses a million of skin cells. For united me-and-Rei entity losing Rei was no different. Realizing it allowed me not just accept Rei's death, but welcome it as much as she did.

As we continued our passionate kiss, suddenly Rei's arms that I was still holding went limp. That was it! She's dead! Before I had time to think so, the pressure in my pants released, creating a wet spot. I came from Rei's death! Rei's life that I sucked with her blood, it was like I've let it pass through myself and then released it with the semen. I concentrated my consciousness on cumming to release as much semen as possible. I wasn't even bothered that everyone was watching when I helped my penis with my hands through the pants. With every pulse I felt glory as I spitted out another portion of Rei's life. I was dedicated to make sure there's nothing left, not a drop of it, as if in other case Rei won't properly die.

And even if it was just a coincidence, I appeared to be right. When I finished cumming and looked back at Rei I realized she was still alive. She didn't die, it was just Asuka severing the connection between Rei's brain and body. As her body no more received commands from the brain it went limp, and while cumming I broke the kiss, so I didn't notice that her head was alive all along.

Rei's body being limp also meant that instead of her head being supported by the body, it was now Rei's body supported in its almost vertical position only by the still uncut part of Rei's neck, while Rei's head was held by Asuka. Redhead couldn't continue like this, so I had to take Rei's head in my own hands. They were wet with cum and Rei certainly felt it. But we were far beyond the point where it concerned either of us. Rei saw me cumming in the first place and in my eyes she read what I was thinking. And in her eyes I read she was touched by such thoughtfulness of mine.

Rei looked sleepy, but still conscious.

”So, what is it like not to feel your body?” I asked curiously as Asuka continued to cut.

”I feel free,” Rei answered with her lips, ”from all the cares in the world.”

”I bet it will be even better once your head is completely disconnected,” I said. “Let's see if you can hold long enough.”

”Okay,” she answered shortly and concentrating on staying awake.

”That's my girl!” I said proudly and kissed her again. This time I let her take the lead, but with time, as Rei's brain continued to die, it became harder to her. Then I gently captured her tongue with my teeth. With her death being imminent there was no sense in restraining myself, all the more so as I've already broke her fingers. Rei also believed that, so she didn't mind when with a sharp bite I bitten off her tongue. After all, after us becoming one, it's no different than moving from one pocket to another. I swallowed it and now a part of Rei would be always in me not only mentally, but also physically. Rei seemed to find it to be inventive of me to come up with such an idea. I hope Asuka's need for head doesn't include the tongue.

I pushed my tongue back to Rei's mouth, playing with her stump of the tongue. Now my domination was unhindered. Rei didn't enjoy her new submissive role any less then leading one. I guess she would say they both had their pluses and minuses just like life and death, so there's no difference.

It was incredible how slowly time went. It felt like day has already to be at its end, though of course not more than a minute really passed. But during that minute a year's keep of emotions, impressions, intimacy was experienced by me and Rei. Neither of us would have changed it to a fast guillotine.

At last Asuka finished the cut. I broke the kiss to see what happened. Rei's body lost its support and leaned forward, its neck stump facing me and pouring out blood all over me and the table. Gladly Rei's heart has already stopped, so the flow ended shortly. I held the head in its place above the body. As the knife no longer interfered, all remaining blood from the head freely gushed on her body, completely dyeing Rei's body and uniform in red. It also meant no blood remained in her head to keep her brain at least barely alive.

”Fading away,” Rei barely moved her lips as life rapidly abandoned her.

”What's it like?” I hurried to ask her. “Are life and death really equal?”

”Was wrong,” I more guessed her words rather then read them. “Death better.”

And on that death-affirming note she died. This time it wasn't accompanied by glorious orgasms or anything, she just quietly and peacefully discontinued to live. I brought her head closer and softly kissed her lips while watching right into her dead eyes. No reaction. Rei was always somewhat passive, but this time there was no reaction at all. Her now pale lips didn't respond, her eyes indifferently stared into nothingness. There was no spark of life anywhere. Rei was beautiful alive, but that was a kind of beauty I've been used to. Now that I saw her dead and it struck me how she wasn't less beautiful than when alive, only now it was a different, dead kind of beauty, which made it even more special.

Rei was as dead as stone and it was delightful. Her body is still here, sitting in front of me, her head is in my hands. I can touch it, stroke its hair, and kiss it in the lips as much as I want, but nowhere will I find Rei. Such a being just didn't exist anymore. How could this be possible? Life's end appeared to be no less a wonder than its creation.

Asuka gestured me to put the head on the table. At first I looked around to find some paper to underlie Rei's head, but since the table was already covered in blood, I just put the head on it. Along with the table, Rei's body was also covered in blood. And there must be even more blood on the floor. As the show ended classmates returned to minding their business.

”Now that's a mess,” I sighed. “I hope whatever you have in mind for the head is worth it.”

Just several minutes ago I couldn't imagine I would say that. I would consider the mess nothing compared to Rei's life. So, I would probably ask if Asuka's idea was worth taking Rei's life rather than if it worth the mess. But just like Rei said, once she ceased to exist, disregarding her came surprisingly natural.

”Don't worry about the mess,” Asuka replied. “I gave Hikari my lunch for helping to clean the mess.”

I see, that's why she was so happy when Rei allowed her to finish hers. But both Rei's and my lunchboxes were filled to the brim with her blood now. Yet it didn't stop Asuka from taking Rei's lunchbox and eating the blood-soaked tamagoyaki as if it was a delicacy.

”But you could really use a shower,” Asuka added.

”Yeah, that's true,” I had to agree. “But I guess I’ll finish my lunch first.”

I took a bit of the bloody tamagoyaki. I didn't hesitate to taste blood as I've already drunk a lot of it from kissing Rei. It also appeared to be not a bad sauce to add some variety to simple tamagoyaki.

”Wait a minute!” Asuka just realized: “If we have shower rooms attached to the locker rooms, why didn't we cut Rei's head there? That would have save us from the mess.”

”Why do you ask me? It was your idea in the first place,” I pointed out.

”Damn it! I was so carried away I didn't think of it.”

”That's so like you,” I couldn't help but laugh.

”Idiot,” Asuka muttered, but joined me laughing.

Surprisingly Rei's death didn't make me feel sad, it didn't even make me feel loss. On the contrary it made me feel easy as a weight off my mind. No more Rei, so no need to worry about her, our relationship or whatever. I could laugh sincerely over the mess she made with all that blood while she was dying, and it felt wonderful.

”Ah,” Asuka sighed as she stopped laughing. “To tell the truth, I didn't expect it to be so easy. Of course, I didn't doubt Rei, but I thought you would protest some more.”

”I wanted to object initially,” I admitted. “But then I realized if I wanted to be confident in Rei she had to face the choice of life and death sooner or later. And in case she would disappoint me, it's better to come sooner than later. Luckily, she justified my trust in her.”

”I see,” Asuka said. “You must have really loved her.”

”I did,” I nodded. “But now I can look at other girls and not be fixed on Rei. It's kinda refreshing. Guess I have to thank you for that.”

”The pleasure was mine,” Asuka giggled. “So, do you already have someone in mind?” she asked curiously.

”Not so fast,” I answered with a smile.

”By the way,” I said, “I guess I can wash that blood off my body, but what about my clothes? They look irreparable.”

”Ha-ha, that's true,” Asuka laughed. “Why don't you wear it like this? Let's say it's a new fashion.”

”A new fashion, huh? I'll buy it only if you change your clothes with Rei. Ah, I know! You only take Rei's head now, not the body, right?”

”Right, why?”

”Then let's make it a challenge whoever wears bloody clothes longer gets Rei's body.”

I meant it to be a joke, but Asuka loved challenges so much, she took it seriously.

”I'm in,” she said. “I guess I'll just bury the body though.”

”Oh, I can't let that happen,” I replied. “A grave will be like a part of her existence that's not gone. I'll make sure to win not to allow you to do it.”

”By the way,” I said. “What exactly do you have in mind for the head?”

”You'll see that soon,” Asuka said as she finished her lunch. “That was tasty.”

”Thanks.”

”I wasn't thanking you, idiot,” she said teasingly, “I was thanking Rei for the blood.”

”Ah, you're always like this,” I sighed as I also finished my lunch. “Alright, it's time to go.”

We lined up on the sports ground. The teacher stood before us, holding his hands behind his back.

”We had football planned for today,” he said.

The class cheered.

”But, unfortunately, we ran out of balls.”

The mood instantly dropped.

”We ordered more balls, but they will only arrive tomorrow,” the teacher continued. “However,” he paused for a moment to get our attention. “Sohryu-kun found a solution.”
From behind his back he produced Rei's head!

”It's not a ball, but it's round and about the same size,” the teacher said. “So, thanks to Sohryu-kun we still have football today!”

The class cheered even more than before. As the saying goes: to make someone good, make them bad, and then return as it was. But to use Rei's head as a replacement for the ball, Asuka surely was a genius!

We divided to teams as usual, boys against girls. Except before there was one more girl in our class than there were boys, so one of the girls had to sit on the bench. And most of the time it was Rei. Now she didn't have to stay aside and could participate in the most central role in the game, the one of the ball.

I was not a good athlete, so as usual I was on the gates. It meant most of the time I could relax and enjoy the view of classmates kicking Rei's head around the field. But finally it headed my side. I concentrated. Asuka kicked the ‘ball' and it flew in the air, ready to enter the gates, but I caught it. I looked at the ‘ball’. It was all beaten and dirty, one eye and half of the teeth missing, nose broken. The students surely didn't hold back to use all their force on the ‘ball', and have fun. That was the only moment when I regretted Rei was dead. Not the fact of her death by itself of course, I was sure it was the right thing. But I wished she could have lasted as a living head at least to the end of the game and enjoy it with us. After all, that was what Rei gave her life for in the first place, but she never even had chance to know that. Anyway I was glad to know everyone who is still alive was having fun. I looked over the field and saw practically no girls were around Touji. So I passed the ‘ball' to him with a strong kick. The game continued.

It was a tense game until the end. The girls won, breaking the draw in a final moment, but still everyone had a lot of fun. Maybe even more than usual, ‘cause it's not every day that you have a chance to play football with your classmate's severed head. Speaking of which, Rei's head was all ruined, hardly resembling Rei anymore. I smiled, ‘cause every bruise marked a portion of fun from today's game. I showed the head to the teacher and he said, “It's so ruined it can't even serve as a ball anymore. That’s not a big problem though, ‘cause we'll have new balls as soon as tomorrow.“

So I just threw Rei's head in the trash. I took my time, watching as the flies swarmed it. It looked, well, maybe not exactly beautiful, ‘cause it's waste after all, but it certainly looked right. Among all that rotten food garbage and swarming flies a selfless angel like Rei looked perfectly on her place. I'm sure she would have been happy to know such an end awaited her. Maybe I can make it even more appropriate? I looked around to make sure no one was looking. Then I unzipped my fly and emptied my bladder right at Rei's head. My beloved Rei willingly gave her life on the first request. Leaving her to rot with other waste and peeing on her was the least I could do to honor her ultimate act of selflessness.

When I returned to the classroom, Rei's body lay on the table, naked and covered in dried blood. It was beautiful. I don't know how much time would have passed before I had a chance to see her naked if Asuka hadn't killed her. But now I can admire Rei's perfect body as much as I like, and the blood stains only added to that. Rei's death continued to delight me more and more.

Hikari was cleaning the blood from the classroom, and Asuka was now dressed in Rei's blood-soaked uniform.

”Does it suit me?” she asked as she saw me.

”It's the clothes of the friend you killed soaked in her blood,” I said. “After you killed her you put on her clothes to commemorate it. There's no way it wouldn't suit you.”

”Idiot”

”Do you intend to wear it?”

”Hikari said it suits me without the senseless speech like yours, so I trust her opinion.”

”By the way, why Rei?” I asked.

”What?”

”Why did you choose to use Rei's head, not someone else's?”

”She's my best friend, that's why,” Asuka answered. “I knew I could count on her.”

”I see,” I nodded. “Come to think of it, if I needed to cut someone's head, I would have come to Rei too.”

”Idiot!”

”Okay, okay, now that she's gone I'll cut your head next, okay?”

”Hmpf! I'll cut Hikari's.”

”Are you speaking of me?” Hikari overheard.

”I'm saying I trust you,” Asuka explained. “If I need another head, I'll come to you. I can count on you, can't I?”

”Well, of course!” Hikari answered. “I trust you the same.”

”So, what do we do to the body?” I asked.

”Yeah, we'll need to keep it somewhere until the challenge is over,” Asuka agreed.

”Perhaps I can be of help,” Hikari said. “My family runs a restaurant and we can keep the body in the refrigerator.”

”Sounds good,” Asuka agreed. “Just don't mistake it for meat,” she said jokingly.

”Actually, if none of you claim it for a while, I intend to use it as meat,” Hikari answered seriously. “It would be a waste to just let it rot.”

”That's it!” I realized. “To hell the challenge, we've already found out that bloody clothes look stylish, no sense in making it a challenge anymore. And none of us really have a use for the body. Then why don't just let Hikari use it as meat right away?”

”Now that you put it that way, it makes sense,” Asuka agreed. “Alright, Hikari, consider it yours!”

”Thank you,” Hikari answered. “Rei's going to be main dish tonight.”

It was a little awkward leaving Hikari to clean the classroom, while me and Asuka left for home, but Hikari told us she was already paid with both Asuka's lunch and Rei's body, so it was okay. On our way we passed by the trash where I left Rei's head. Some crows were now fighting for it, tearing pieces of meat apart. I stopped to look at it.

”You know,” I said to Asuka. “I could never imagine having my love killed would be so delightful.”

”Whatever, just let's go,” she insisted. “It stinks here.”

I had to go along with redhead. “I just wanted to say thank you,” I said. “You made that experience possible for me. And for Rei. In the end she said death was better. I thank you on her behalf too.”

”Thank you doesn't pay the bills, you know,” Asuka said.

”Huh? What do you want?”

“Well, what about a, you know, date?”

”Don't see why not. When?”

”Why not tonight? I know one good restaurant nearby.”

”Ah, let me guess,” I said. “It's called ‘Horaki's', isn't it?”

”Actually it's called ‘Three Sisters', but you got the point,” Asuka grinned.

_____________________

I also have an idea for a sequel titled Asuka Saves the Night. Shinji and Asuka come to the resaurant only to find it overcrowded. Apparently, when the Horaki sisters' advertisment that they are serving girl meat today worked better then they expected and now Rei's meat alone is not enough for everyone. Hikari (the restaurant's cook, while Kodama is the manager and Nozomi is a waitress) asks Asuka to help and be cooked and Asuka sees no reason to refuse helping a friend and saving the night for the restaurant. Hikari cooks cooperating Asuka as Shinji watches (and maybe also helps). Seeing how Shinji appears to be experienced in cooking, after finishing cooking Asuka and realizing it might still not be enough, Hikari asks him to cook her too and take her place as the restaurant's cook. I probably wouldn't write a second cooking scene as it would just repeat the first one. But if someone else writes it and feels confident enough to describe two cooking scenes in one story, it might be nice to see how Nozomi runs in from time to time to pick another piece of Rei or Asuka while Hikari is being cooked and chat casually with Hikari as if the fact she is being cooked is not worthy of attention.
As usual, feel free to take that idea and write on it if you feel like it, or write any other sequel or whatever insipred by this story.