"It's over, I'm totally immersed as Tonz now."
"I don't know him, I don't know him, I don't know him. Who is this loudmouth next to me? I don't know him at all."
"I told you a long time ago, you should interact less with Okabe."
"You are…" A hint of surprise flashed in Makise Kurisu's eyes, as if she recognized the person who had laid hands on her not long ago.
The staff behind her stepped forward, intending to deal with this person, but she extended a hand to stop them, then said:
"Rather than saying it's too early, I think it's something that shouldn't exist in theory."
Okabe Rintaro's expression became solemn:
"What did you say?"
Hashida Itaru, beside him, finally broke free from his embarrassment, remembering that what he should be doing wasn't pretending not to know him, but quickly getting this guy down. He hunched his head and vigorously tugged at Okabe Rintaro's shoulder.
Unfortunately, Okabe Rintaro had no intention of sitting down.
"Then, let's change it to a discussion."
"That way, it seems people with stubborn minds are also more likely to accept it." Saying this, Makise Kurisu smiled and raised her head: "Right? Mr. Hououin Kyouma?"
"(Frantically curling my toes.)"
"Doesn't Okabe feel awkward? As Tonz, I already feel like dying of embarrassment. I frantically want to shout at him to shut up, and I already have the urge to drag him out."
"Ah ah ah ah ah ah, she smiled at me, she has me in her heart!"
Perhaps sensing the audience's emotions, the moment Makise Kurisu said Okabe Rintaro's self-proclaimed name, the scene began to switch.
Under the dim yellow sunset, between tall buildings, Mr. Okabe Rintaro stumbled alone on the road in a 'defeated posture' almost bent at a right angle.
"Makise Kurisu…" He was dejected, he gritted his teeth.
Fragments of memory flashed through his mind.
"—In summary, time travel cannot be achieved in cosmic string theory."
"But do you want to challenge it? Mr. Hououin?"
The high and mighty Makise Kurisu.
"Indeed, then, why don't you find me exotic matter, Mr. Hououin?"
Makise Kurisu, holding the microphone, constantly defeating his rebuttals with her words.
"Those are all my arguments. If you still want to refute, I'll be all ears, Mr. Hououin?"
Makise Kurisu, playfully twirling her hair and smiling as she looked at him.
Infuriating! Infuriating! Infuriating!
As fragments of memory flashed by, Okabe Rintaro finally couldn't hold back. He suddenly straightened up, clutched his head with both hands, and loudly vented: "That guy is so overbearing just because she has a bit of talent!"
"Wait, that woman is probably a secret agent sent by the Organization. Perhaps this lecture itself was a carefully designed mental attack on me." After venting, Okabe Rintaro quickly put on a calm demeanor again. He muttered to himself, spreading his hands:
"Hmph, I won't fall for it."
"Hahahaha, hmph hahahaha… Huh?" His wild laughter was interrupted by a sudden phone call.
"\Makise Kurisu/! \Makise Kurisu/! \Makise Kurisu/!"
"~Mr. Hououin~"
"Precious record of cannon fodder Okabe being utterly defeated by a genius girl.mp4"
—"Although it's satisfying to see Okabe get utterly defeated, it gives me a sense of relief, clearing all my previous embarrassment. But if I think about it carefully, a Time Machine must exist in this world, which can be seen from both the theme and the plot of the first episode."
—"In other words, hurry up and show us the scene where 'the genius girl who was just eloquently arguing that a Time Machine is impossible personally witnesses the existence of a Time Machine, and due to being proven wrong, she starts to stubbornly adhere to her opinion just like Okabe Rintaro, yet is still defeated in the face of a genuine Time Machine'!"
—"…Such a rich imagination, I'm impressed."
The bullet comments and the audience below discussed animatedly, while the animation screen transitioned very smoothly.
Yanagibayashi Shrine.
"Eight—" A delicate voice, panting, counted: "Nine—"
Okabe Rintaro slowly descended the steps.
"One more time, come on~"
"Ten!" Accompanied by an extremely forceful sound, the 'shrine maiden' with short black hair vigorously swung down the sword in her hand.
Sitting on the steps in front of the shrine, Mayuri clapped her hands:
"Ruka-kun is amazing~"
Soon, she noticed Okabe's arrival, straightened her legs, raised her hand, and greeted him:
"Okabe, tuturu—"
Mayuri leaned forward, and the 'shrine maiden' also stood up straight, gripping the wooden sword with both hands, her shoulders hunched, and her pretty face slightly flushed as she said:
"Okabe-shifu, ah no… Kyouma-shifu…"
'Her' words were cautious, and her tone, coupled with her slightly flushed pretty face, showed a hint of 'girlish' shyness.
"You forgot the secret code, Rukako." Okabe Rintaro said earnestly, with his hands in his white coat.
The 'shrine maiden' replied somewhat flustered:
"Eh, ah, EI psy kongari…"
"It's kongroo." Okabe Rintaro corrected her.
Rukako quickly bowed: "I'm sorry."
Although Rukako didn't seem to remember the 'secret code' very clearly, Okabe Rintaro didn't pay much attention to it and went straight to the point:
"And then, what needs to be moved?"
This was the reason he came here.
The camera shifted to Mayuri. On the steps beside her were several plastic bags containing yellowish-green vegetable leaves.
Pointing to the plastic bags beside her, Mayuri said: "It's here. Sorry about this."
"Mayushii can't carry it alone."
"It was given to my father by someone else, and my family can't finish eating it." Rukako explained with a smile from the side.
Okabe Rintaro also smiled: "Is that so? Thank you for providing food support to the Laboratory."
"The morale of the Laboratory members will also be boosted."
"That's great, you look very happy too!" Rukako clearly showed a joyful expression.
Holding the wooden sword with both hands, she moved closer to Okabe, her small face slightly flushed.
"Ah no, this…" But Okabe Rintaro's reaction didn't seem very enthusiastic about it.
"Ruka-kun practices sword swinging every day."
At just the right moment, Mayuri suddenly spoke.
So, Rukako also replied accordingly:
"Yes, because this is an agreement with Oka… Kyouma-shifu."
"I—can't—take—it—anymore—"
"Mom, I like this. I want her to be my girlfriend!"
"I protest! Why! Why is Okabe so popular! I've realized! I want to be a chunibyo too! I want to be surrounded by beautiful girls!"
"Wake up, Okabe is the protagonist. What are you? If you become a chunibyo, you'll just be one more chunibyo."