After the talk with The Chairman, Rento went up to the 21st floor to join his senpai for breakfast and Kanji-Man was sent to the 2nd floor to get his suit.
Kanji-Man had reached the 2nd floor and was looking at the mirror after taking off the helmet of his Senshi Suit. He had a sad look on his face. "You have served me well for all these years but it is time I let you go... It is truly a tragedy that I cannot dawn you as I do my hero work but I promise that I will always cherish you." A singular tear rolled down his eye.
On the 21st floor, Yuko and Rento were having breakfast like usual but this time, Otori Tobu had joined their table. Kanji-Man eventually showed up on the 21st floor and all the other groups looked his way for a second due to the surprise of there a foreign alternate-user.
Yuko waved at him and he went towards Group 5's table. Seeing a new person there, he bowed and said, "Nice to meet you, comrade."
"No need to be so formal but nice to meet you as well.", Tobu replied with a smile.
"Looking good, Louis.", Rento said seeing Kanji-Man in the black suit, an actual proper attire contrasting the ridiculous Senshi Suit. Kanji-Man looked surprised. "Myself, I think this is a clear downgrade and also, please continue to call me Kanji-Man instead of my name, comrade."
"Well then, stop calling me comrade like I told you to!", Rento replied. Yuko began laughing. Kanji-Man sat down on his chair as the food was already there for him brought by Yuko.
As they were enjoying their meal, Tobu said, "So Ikari-chan already told me why she brought me here to eat with you guys. Apparently, you were unaffected by my unique ability?"
"Yes, that seemed to have been the case.", Kanji-Man replied. "What could have been the reason for that?", Rento asked.
"Well... My unique ability detects people based on how they look. When I use it on a large amount of people from all the way up there in the sky, I have to account for any sort of appearance they may have in my head. Obviously, all the regular looks and clothes are accounted for but I also have to think of weirder appearances like when people cosplay. I have to make sure to think of all those looks in my head so my unique ability detects everyone.
This is why everyone in SOMA wears the exact same suit so I can easily target them at all times even when they're scattered all over Tokyo to make sure they go unnoticed by the common folks. The only I could think of someone being unaffected is if they had such a bizarre and weird appearance that my ability couldn't register them but no way that's the case..."
"..."
"..."
"My Senshi Suit is that terribly made...?"
"Your what?"
After getting done with their breakfast, all the groups headed out for patrol once again. Group 5 still had no car so they walked to their patrol area like always.
"I need to have serious chat with Chairman-sama about our car!", Yuko said making a grumpy face.
"Seriously, senpai... Isn't this workplace harassment or something?", Rento replied looking tired.
After a few hours, Group 5 was currently walking through the Nippori neighborhood in the Arakawa ward. Being there reminded Yuko of Takeru as it was his home neighborhood and the place they had first met. Easily being able to tell from the look on her face, Rento tried to cheer her up.
"Senpai, lets go to Yanaka Ginza. We'll have some nice street food and pet some cute cats while we're at it."
"Sure, Takahashi-kun..." From her voice, Kanji-Man realized as well that Yuko was saddened. "What is it, Ikari-san? You seem disheartened."
"Its-"
"We can't tell you, Kanji-Man. Its a sensitive topic."
Kanji-Man nodded. "I respect your wishes. Now, let us go enjoy a nice meal together."
Yanaka Ginza was a cozy shopping street with great street food and a bunch of friendly roaming cats. After picking up a cute orange cat and giving her some kisses, Yuko was already in a much better mood distracting herself from thoughts about Takeru.
"Awww! Look at this cutie, you two.", Yuko said in sweet voice. Rento and Kanji-Man both started to play around with the cat. "She really is so cute.", Rento said trying his hardest to not sound too lame.
"I agree, comrade.", Kanji-Man replied.
"Oi..."
"Whoops... Sorry, Takahashi-kun."
"Whatever... Are you a cat-person too?"
"I must say, cats are quite adorable indeed but I would consider myself a dog person."
"I see... And you thought that we could be comrades?"
"Eh!? Is it really that serious!?"
Yuko finally dropped the cat after swarming it with kisses and said, "Yo! Lets go have some Menchi-katsu!"
All 3 continued walking around the street while munching on their Menchi-katsu. "Hey, Kanji-Man-kun. Are you upset that you're not on some cool hero mission or something?"
"Not at all, Ikari-san. After all, it is essential for Sentai teams to have lots of bonding moments where they hang out with each other and connect so that the audience will get attached to them as characters!"
Rento looked annoyed and Yuko chuckled. "Why must you laugh, Ikari-san?", Kanji-Man.
"No no, I just found it funny that you both turned out to be absolute otaku." Rento's look of annoyance shifted to a look with a slight hint of sadness.
"Both?"
"Well, Kanji-Man-kun. You should practice using the 2nd form now, you had already been using it without knowing of course. Now, you can use it better and more efficiently by chanting '2nd form' instead of solely concentrating on a part of your body.", Yuko said trying to be a good senpai.
"Alright, Ikari-san. 2nd form."
"Good, its the same as before except one thing that you didn't realize you could do."
"Yes, I will try and stretch my hand just like how those alternates are able to."
"Not your whole hand, just do one finger."
"As you say, senpai." Kanji-Man's thumb started to slowly stretch and lengthen. "It feels weird... This part of me doesn't feel human."
"But you are, Kanji-Man-kun. Even with all this, at the end of the day, we're all human. Never forget that, okay?"
"Of course, se-"
brrring! brrring!
Rento quickly shoved the rest of his Menchi-katsu down his throat preparing to go battle.
"It seems your hero work has arrived, Kanji-Man-kun." Kanji-Man nodded in both fear and excitement.