Rei has always been an... Well, eccentric isn't quite the word, but she was certainly odd, especially in your eyes.

Cold, quiet, unnerving, and almost unmoving. Like a doll on display. No one in the school really knew her or was close to her. Either they kept their distance or she did.

The only real person who did was Shinji and Asuka, if you could consider their antagonistic nature with each other "close."

However, with your time at Nerv, you saw something. Something small and barely noticeable. Noticable enough to prove she wasn't just a soldier or doll.

Her eyes had an ever-so-small shine to them. And they would only amplify when she listened to music.

Listening to songs playing on the radio, through store speakers, or through the TV. She always seemed to light up a little at the sounds.

---

One day, you passed by a seemingly empty room on your way to pick up something to eat.

Through the hallway you could hear notes ringing and the sound of plastic strumming on metal strings.

You take a quick look in and see Rei sitting down with a guitar, looking at a seemingly normal book.

She changes her hand's position a few times, changing chords before flipping the page in the book.

And she strums yet again. Playing another circle of chords. You can't help but listen, enjoying the sounds coming through.

Eventually she stops strumming, and without looking at the door says quietly..

Rei: "...You can come in if you'd like to."

She turns to look at you and you see it again. That shine in her eyes, and they seem to be brighter than you've seen before on her.