Contains spoilers for this episode and earlier episodes.
Kaji investigates the organizations associated with the Marduk Institute, uncovering another apparent shell company behind the body said to choose Eva pilots. His inquiries continue while the others prepare for personal appointments. Misato and Ritsuko attend a wedding, Asuka has a blind date, and Shinji visits his mother's grave with Gendo. Nerv's commander explains that the marker contains no body and that he keeps no photographs of Yui. Their conversation is brief, but Shinji manages to say he is glad they talked before Gendo leaves. At home, Asuka hears Shinji playing the cello and discovers an ability he dismisses as merely something he never stopped doing.
Asuka has abandoned her disappointing date and proposes kissing Shinji to relieve her boredom. The awkward encounter leaves her frustrated. Meanwhile, Misato drinks with Kaji and Ritsuko after the wedding. On the way home, she admits that her old explanation for leaving Kaji was false: his resemblance to her father frightened her. Kaji interrupts her self-criticism with a kiss, and their renewed closeness becomes apparent to Asuka when he brings Misato home. Later, Misato confronts Kaji at the entrance to a restricted area and reveals that she knows about his intelligence work. He opens the door to show her a crucified giant, identifying it as Adam and exposing another secret kept from her.