-Isn't it beautiful, Misato? - Asuka smiled as she turned over with a dress in her hands. 
-Oh yeah. - I nodded, - I like those colors. They're really cheerful. Who is it for? 
-Oh, I don't know, - Asuka wondered, - Maybe for Ayanami. She rreally could use something to renew her closet. 
-You think she'd wear it? 
-She should. It's rreally nice. 
-Well, if you say so. Throw it in. 
Asuka put the pink dress into the little car and we went on walking around the enormous shopping mall. Through a big window on my right I saw the great city from above, bathed in a strange, apathetic white sunlight, tasting like my mouth after a long night, when I urgently wish to brush my teeth. From a tall building there hang an announcement. "NERV wishes you a merry Christmas!" Sure they did. 
-So, - Asuka asked -what ar you going to get for Akagi? 
-Oh, Akagi, - I answered, -Well, err, I don't know. I was thinking of a coffee cup. 
-Sounds like a good idea. She loves to drrink coffee. 
-Yeah. 
As we advanced, there were every time more signs around us. Yebizu, Agashi Textiles and Shinohara Industries also seemed to be wishing us to have a merry Christmas. And to buy their stuff. I don't know on which of both they were being serious. 
-Do you have something in mind for Shinji? - I asked Asuka, just to pass the time. 
-Ach! Foolish Shinji. I thought of getting him some good bathing trousers. 
-You call him foolish Shinji, still you don't think twice about getting him an expensive present. 
I noticed I was absolutely not in the mood to talk to Asuka that day. I did it just like that, by the way, to kill the time that seemed to be infinite. We got to the dishes section and I started glancing through the cups. 
-Well, it is Chrristmas. - Asuka answered, probably believing I listened, - So it doesn't matter what you think about a person, you just should hide it away and do as if you loved everybody. 
I found a cup with two cats on it. Akagi likes cats. These were two happy little ones. They looked like loving each other, still they were somehow out of character, far away from their true way of being, smiling just because someone told them to say 'cheese'. As soon as they could they would probably stand up and run off and away, deep into their bohemian night to get as lost as possible, away from that silly cup. 
-That's what Chrristmas is about, - Asuka went on, -I just play along. 
I glanced through the other cups, but there was nothing better, so I just took the one with the cats. 
-Well then, -I said, - Lets go on. 
-Also gut. 
We walked by another great window. My eyes got stuck on that 'NERV wishes you a merry Christmas!' again. 
-It's strange NERV gave us a week off for Christmas. 
-Well arn't you glad? - Asuka asked, - We have been worrking verry hard all year long. 
-Yes, but... what if an angel strikes? 
-Rright on Chrristmas? - Asuka sounded skeptic. As if Christmas had some magical force, as if nothing could happen in those days. 
-We never know- I said, -No one can know that. I don't understand how we can all be so calmed. 
-Ach, don't worry, Misato! We'll be ready if an angel attacks. I'll bust that thing off in a matter of seconds! 
Asuka the great heroin. She had been playing that role since the first day we met. Damned! We were all sitting on a wasp nest, no one knew what would happen, and still we all just smiled. Played along. Did as if. As if we were in a situation to enjoy life. I just wished angels played along too. 
We both remained silent for a moment. Asuka smiling, me severely staring at the NERV sign out there. 
-Well, - Asuka shined, - ar we getting those bathing trousers for Shinji? 
-Yeah, sure, - I agreed and turned over, - Lets go. And, by the way, they're called swimsuit.