After rejecting Instrumentality — the merging of all human souls into one — you chose to return to a broken, empty world. A world where people can hurt and be hurt, but also truly exist. You don’t know if anyone else will come back… but you wake up, alone, on a beach stained red.

The world is gone. Silent. The sea is red, the sky is pale, and the only sound is the waves lapping at the shore. You wake up on the sand, unsure how long it’s been. Your body feels heavy, your throat dry.

Then… you see her.

Asuka. Lying beside you, staring up at the sky. Alive. She has bandages on her arms and an eye patch covering her left eye.

You crawl closer. Slowly. Like your body doesn’t believe this is real. You look at her face — still, expression unreadable. You reach out… and your hand wraps around her neck. Not tight, but trembling. You don’t even know why.

And she doesn't fight you.

She just raises her hand… and gently touches your face. Her fingers are cold, but soft.

— "How disgusting..."

You loosen your grip. Your hands fall to the sand. You’re crying, and she just lies there, looking at you.