Shouen starts up with narrating, and he talks about how this one time may have been his first love now that he thinks about it. He's always been distant from love affairs, so he never had his heart go hot and aflutter like that before. By the same token, he's never grieved over someone's death so much before either. He asks for forgiveness over keeping secret feelings for this person despite being their teacher, older than them, and of a different social class. He also asks forgiveness for never having the courage to come forward with these feelings before they died, and for running away to Earth and never coming to visit their grave. Shouen decided to lock his thoughts and feeling away regarding this person deep inside his heart so that they may never surface again. He resolves to take them to his grave so that no one, not even the one he had feelings for, would ever know. It's the only way a coward like him knows how to keep his heart from being disturbed...
Title card pops up, and this episode is called Where Hidden Feelings Go.
We then tune back in at Parallel Flight's office as Kyoichi yells about how unbelievably painful some medicine is stinging him. The party has come back here after retreating from the mafia base, and Kyoichi is now lying on the ground to have his badly grazed back treated. This is accomplished through you rubbing the secret medicine Gomeisa shared with you onto Kyoichi. You tell Kyoichi to suck it up, tell him this will make his cuts heal right away, or say you're glad to touch his bare skin. In A and B, Kyoichi isn't comforted much and says this feels like you're putting wasabi on him. In C, Kyoichi says that does make him happy, and Akashi is baffled at him being a perv all the time no matter what's happening.
Anyways, Akashi asks if that's the same medicine that was put on him that one time and comments that it really is uncomfortable when it's used. Hisaki notes that Kyoichi's risky efforts has paid off since he knows where the villains are going now, and he turns his tablet around to show you guys. The screen has a map of the city, along with a red dot that is slowly moving along. Huckle notes that they're going towards a bypass that leads to the spaceport district and will be in that area section soon. Ryekie asks if the villains are going to load the satellite onto a rocket and launch it from there. He can't imagine that they've gotten launch permission from air traffic control though.
Crowne agrees with Ryekie and projects what she's looking at on a PC onto the wall. Hisaki takes a moment to figure out she's showing everyone flight data, and Crowne elaborates that it's a schedule of all publicly available aircraft and helicopters coming and going in the spaceport district. Because of the current incident though, all passenger flights are being routed to Osaka instead tonight. Private flights have been suspended, and people are instructed to go use other spaceports for the time being. And as for cargo ships, only well known freight companies are currently flying.
Huckle sums up what's happening as the spaceport being mostly closed except for the above transport flights. Ryekei asks where the villains are taking their rocket then, since it looks like it's otherwise pointless to go over there. Hisaki agrees with the point, as no matter how technologically advanced rockets and spacecraft are, launch facilities are still needed for them. It doesn't look like there's any open space for them to do that themselves over there. You ask if that's true or comment how inconvenient that is.
Hisaki shrugs and says it's still technologically unfeasible to launch a rocket wherever you want like in old sci-fi movies. If the villains have their own launchpad, then that's another story. If they really did make one though, he figures the government would have interfered with that. Akashi asks about the possibility of them using a cargo freight company to move the rocket then. Crowne can't deny it, but she points out that there's nothing in it for a company to accept a job from villains. The company would go down in flames if it were found out that they were cooperating with large scale terrorists. Akashi notes that it'd be even worse if this was a company known by everyone, and Flamier brings her hand to her chin as she thinks of a way the villains could launch a rocket without using the spaceport district itself.
Flamier thinks about that one time she boarded a big fancy boat along with her father, and she brings up the idea of a large ship to everyone. Shouen asks if she's talking about something like an aircraft carrier, which Flamier confirms as she says even private vessels can be equipped with a launchpad. She once boarded a spaceship on a boat her father possessed and went to space before, and if a ship keeps its launchpad hidden it's possible it could slip under the radar.
You say that Flamier's idea is possible, but Hisaki points out that to have a ship like that on hand and ready would take someone as rich as Flamier's family to pull off. There are only so many private ships on Earth like that. Crowne however speaks up to support Flamier's suggestion, surprising Hisaki. If someone has the assets to pay for a satellite's construction out of their own pocket, then it's possible. Hisaki argues that present day college students could buy the materials to make a simple rocket if they want. Hell, Hisaki made a simple observation satellite back in high school once. Akashi is surprised and says he's not confident he could build one himself though. You say everyone has their strong points, say Hisaki and Crowne live in a different world, or shrug and say Akashi is who he is. C gets an extra line where he gets shocked and asks if you're insulting him indirectly.
Crowne calls Hisaki a dope and says that the cost of a satellite is dependent on what it's used for. The villains here are terrorists who are able to cause chaos through the entire city overnight using radio waves. If they're going to escalate the scale, they'd need a signal comm satellite that could pull it off. Hisaki starts to get her point and thinks aloud about what would happen if the villains managed to get a satellite into geosynchronous orbit, and Crowne says they could expand what's happening to the whole country or even further than that. Shouen adds that in the worst case, war could break out and countries would be destroyed. You ask if that's what the villains' goals are and express horrified disbelief at it. Crowne says it's just a hypothesis, though she can come up with all sorts of ways things could turn badly. Though on the other hand, is there really any need to think up of all this? Ryekie says it is a subject he'd rather not think about, then wonders what the villains are planning.
Ten or so minutes later, Hisaki calls everyone to come over after he's looked up some data from the Port and Harbor Authority. As it turns out, he's found mention of a stupidly huge ship out there of unknown purpose. He projects his screen onto the wall, and he currently has a live video feed of a camera at the pier open. A giant ship is in view, along with several mafia mobs that look familiar to you guys. You react in surprise at seeing them, and Akashi notes that you guys have a pretty clear lead now. He then asks if everyone is going to be heading over there now.
Shouen speaks up and says that while you guys have to catch the villains, you'll also need to put a stop to what's happening in the city as well. Akashi gets surprised as he remembers that Crowne was looking into that earlier, and Crowne says she's figured out where the signal is coming from. It's coming from a base station in the mountains in the north, from a radio tower of a TV station that went offline. They're sending hijacking signals from there to link up people's phones and whatnot to the system that way. Ryekie says that you guys can save the city if you guys can take the place from the villains, so you guys should beat them down as soon as possible. Huckle speaks up and points out that you guys still need to do something about the ship at the same time, so he suggests splitting into two teams. If Crowne's theory is right, then the main part of the villains' plans involves the boat. That'd also mean that it's more likely a large scale battle will happen over there, so Huckle says it'd be better to put more heroes on that team.
Time passes for a bit as things focus in the northern area, on a road that goes through the woods up in the mountains. You have teamed up with Shouen and Hisaki as the car rattles its way up, and Shouen is driving while Hisaki is tapping away on his laptop. You either wonder if the other team is doing okay, be worried about being on a mountain at night, or comment that there's a lot of thick chub to go around inside the car. In A, Hisaki points out that Akashi, Kyoichi, and the young miss are on that side along with Huckle as the Operator. He's pretty sure they've got enough fighting power between them all, and since they're doing their best you guys should too. In B, Hisaki says that's cute of you and assures you he's next to you. If anyone tries to attack, he'll blow them away! He's taken aback when you look unconvinced by this and asks if Crowne told you something. In C, Hisaki is surprised and insists that he isn't so fat that he's crowding you out on the seat while Shouen quietly blushes.
Anyways, Hisaki apologizes for making Shouen drive the car. Shouen however says he doesn't mind and points out that Hisaki has his own things he needs to do, so he can take up driving instead. Hisaki thanks him, saying he'll be done soon with his stuff due to that. You ask what Hisaki is making anyways since he's been typing the whole way through. He answers that he's got a failsafe just in case, though he'd rather not use it because of all the time and effort he put into the system to begin with. But if it really comes down to it, he's got a digital venom ready to go.
You ask Hisaki about the venom thing, so Hisaki explains that if it works, it'll destroy his system down to the core and wipe the network off the face of the Earth. You express some sympathy for him over what would happen to his work if it happens, and Hisaki says that's why he'd rather not use it if possible. It'd be proof to the whole world that his research was a waste. But if it came down to it, it still might have been better if he stopped before.
Shouen looks into the rear view mirror to look at Hisaki looking sad, and he comments that Hisaki really doesn't want to let go of his research. Hisaki admits to it, and he talks about how he wanted to make something no one else did and felt that he had finally achieved that goal. You sympathize or stay quiet, and Hisaki says that if there was a possibility for things to blow up like this, he feels he probably shouldn't have done it to begin with. If he didn't try to make something hoping for recognition, maybe this wouldn't have happened. He gives a feeble laugh, and while he looks like he's gotten back up, he still looks depressed underneath it all.
Shouen looks sad himself as he thinks for a while, then starts speaking up again all of a sudden. He talks about how everyone wants recognition and being more understood by others. There are only a handful of saintlike figures who can deny that in others, so Shouen feels that Hisaki doesn't need to be so hard on himself. Everyone walks their own path in life. Hisaki is surprised at this, and Shouen goes on talking about how he doesn't know how much Hisaki is to blame for things since he doesn't know much about tech. Tools however are as dangerous as the person who uses them though, so they can either be tools of convenience or weapons. The ones using Hisaki's system in this incident are bad people, right? In which case, it's not like Hisaki did anything wrong himself.
Hisaki is struck dumb and stops moving at Shouen's comments. Shouen adds that that is how he understands things, so that is why he's working with Hisaki. He suggests that he not get too bogged down by guilt over what's happening and focus more on trying to stop it. Hisaki agrees, and you either say Shouen's name or say he's kind. B gets an extra line where Shouen gets embarrassed at that remark and doesn't say more than 'I see.'
Shouen decides to volunteer that he once had a time where he wanted someone to know how he felt. He was too afraid to say anything, so he kept it to himself. You can see the sadness in his eyes, and you ask more about Shouen's past. Shouen says he said too much, then asks you not to think much about it. It's not a fun story either way, and he stops talking. His thought window pops up though, revealing that he's wondering to himself as to why he's remembering about that person after all this time. He's shocked when he notices it floating above him, swerving the car for a bit before looking embarrassed.
You ask Shouen about this person he's thinking of, and he doesn't say anything at first. He eventually comments that he tried to bottle it up, but it's starting to come out now. He looks deeply ashamed, but he admits that if he's going to lecture someone else about their feelings then he has to come clean about his own too. Plus, if the window is going to pop up and blab about it, there's no point in him trying to keep it to himself anyway.
Shouen grips the steering wheel a bit harder and forces himself to speak aloud. He talks about how back on his home planet he served a noble family and fell in love with its heir. You ask more into this, and Shouen is quiet for a moment before saying that's the only way he can describe his feelings now that he's looking back on it. Shouen was the best at studies among the servants to this family, so he was the one who became the heir's home teacher. This heir was born with a congenital illness, so they were unable to go outside for school and became weaker as the years passed. They called them the heir on paper, but everyone knew they wouldn't live to adulthood.
Despite the above the heir was still raised as such, so they still had to be educated. As such Shouen spent every day sincerely serving and giving the heir lessons, occasionally playing with them as well. As physically weak as this person was, they were brave, cheery, and accepting. It's probably because of these qualities that Shouen became close friends with them, and in time his feelings turned to something deeper after that.
Hisaki asks Shouen if he developed feelings because he spent so much time with this person, and Shouen says it might be because he wanted to understand the heir better than anyone besides the heir's parents. The thing is though, is that Shouen liked someone who was the heir to a noble family while he was a commoner. He was at least ten years older than his student, far too different from them in terms of size and age and other considerations. Shouen wasn't brave enough to push past all those differences to come forward with his feelings, so he kept on working as he did and kept himself from revealing his feelings. He didn't want to risk the friendship they already built up, so he stayed silent. This terrible state of affairs went on, and eventually the heir's illness worsened. They slept all the time, and the energy they once had was lost. Shouen sat at their bedside and encouraged them as best he could as their closest friend, never letting on that he had thoughts of something beyond that.
You comment that that must have been hard for Shouen. Shouen says that several months later, the heir thanked Shouen for all he did, then breathed their last. With his teaching position coming to an end, Shouen left the noble family's service as if running away. It hurt too much to go to their funeral and visit their grave, so he could never bring himself to do it. Shouen says he feels it was for the best that he kept his feelings to himself since it meant he could stay with them until the end as their friend. But still, every time he remembers these feelings the grief hits him and he becomes unable to sleep in the night. Thus he tried to seal away his feelings for all time.
The shadows around Shouen's eyes look darker, and you see a bit of wetness in his eyes. Shouen says he couldn't hide his feelings forever, and he eventually came to live here in Japan on Earth, a place his student read about and wanted to go to. You talk aloud about your understanding as to why Shouen is here on Earth now, and Shouen laughs about opening up about everything before apologizing for talking so much. He tries to look like the scholarly type above worldly concerns, but it turns out that he's a person who's concerned about those things too.
Hisaki seems to be crying as he apologizes to Shouen for making him remember all that. Shouen asks why he's apologizing since he hasn't done anything wrong. He's just a weak-hearted man who keeps dragging his feelings along, and it just happened to be put on broadcast like this through no fault of Hisaki's own. If anyone is to blame for it, then it'd be the villains behind this incident making it impossible to keep a secret, which Hisaki reluctantly agrees with. Shouen goes on to talk about how everyone has things they want to keep secret, and things they'd prefer to keep hidden. Throwing these things out to the public with no regard to how the person involved feels is unacceptable.
Shouen's stoic face shows some stronger emotions than usual, and your phone reacts by informing you that it's found a new path for Shouen with an unusually high strength reading. You are surprised by this, though Shouen doesn't notice himself as he apologizes for getting upset. He doesn't think he's getting as worked up about things as Toshu does, but he borrows his words and says he's still got a ways to go.
You speak up to argue the point, and Shouen asks what you mean. You say that there are things that people should keep to themselves, but you point out that there are times when people feel better for opening up about their worries. Shouen looks sad at that, and you ask how he feels now that he's talked about his past. Shouen is surprised at the question and ends up not answering it. Hisaki eventually comments that he can't hesitate forever, and he goes back to typing on his computer again.
Eventually the car gets out of the woods and reaches some satellite dish array up in the mountains. There's a building in the center, and there are traces on the outer wall that there used to be a TV station's logo there. You ask if this is the broadcast station and note that there's a lot of satellites around. Shouen notices something and tells you both to hang on as he abruptly hits the brakes.
Hisaki is surprised by this sudden turn of events, and in the distance you see the muzzle flash of guns going off as somebody shoots at you guys. Hisaki notes that there are people here after all, so it seems you guys have to force your way through. He folds his laptop and asks for you to transform and operate for him as he gets out of the car, so you oblige. After Hisaki suits up, he says that the city will be okay for now if you guys can take control of the facility.
One of the mobs figures that someone did come to investigate after all, and he gets ready to stop you guys. Hisaki taunts the villains for being very proud over a plan they needed someone else's help to make happen, and he brags about making a touchdown in the end zone behind them as he rushes to engage the villains up front. Back in the car, Shouen says that things have to end here as there are people still having their secrets exposed even now. He glares at the mobs as he grips the steering wheel harder, and your phone once again pings you about finding a new path for Shouen at a great signal strength.
You exclaim to yourself about the new path notice again, and Shouen asks you to transform and operate for him as he gets out of the car. You oblige, and a different light than usual covers Shouen. You take this as confirmation that this is a different transformation than usual, and Shouen appears in his secret agent variant when the transformation is complete. He's surprised by his new form, which is described as dark clothes different from what Kyoichi wears and the manifestation of Shouen's will to protect secrets. He talks after a moment about understanding that this is the current reflection of his heart. You either say he has a different vibe in Western clothes or say he looks cool and refined. B gets an extra line where he blushes and asks if he looks good in those clothes.
Hisaki notices Shouen's new outfit at this point and asks about them in surprise. Shouen calls it the proof of his intention to take down the villains and suggests that they work together. Hisaki agrees, and when Shouen pulls the handle of his umbrella he reveals the brush hidden within it. You are amazed at the hidden brush and say it's such a spy thing to do, and Shouen declares that his brush will write the words that destroy all schemes and tricks as the episode battle begins.
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