“Sometimes, it feels like I don’t really have any options either.”
CHAIN-LINK EVENT
WARNING: this Event is part of an Event Chain! You've lost all control over your own actions and must now sit back while
someone else takes the wheel. Enjoy the ride while it lasts, and hope that you did things right before taking the plunge!
Watching Nodoka's continueddisregard for her feelings, Futaba is left angry but not surprised that things would lead to this; Rin offers up half-heartedly consolation. Sensei meanwhile has walked up to the group, confused as to how he even got here in the first place. Finally having an opportunity with him again, Sana points out how Sensei's been spending almost the entire night with Touka – Rin adds to this, confirming that everyone else has noticed and found it strange but aren't saying anything as all of them like Touka just as much.
This prompts Sensei to tell a joke, which infuriates Futaba, who sees it as insensitive. Rin and Sana, meanwhile, are left in shock. As the jokes pour out, Futaba becomes increasingly annoyed with him, only being stopped when he briefly "snaps out" of his stupor to apologize. While Futaba slowly cools down, and Sana tries to placate, Rin slowly realizes just what's going on with Sensei. At first she tries to avoid saying it directly, but ends up telling both Futaba and Sana that Sensei seems to be having a mental breakdown and that he needs to be somewhere safer. She offers to go home early with him, but he repeatedly refuses to do this, claiming he wants "to party" longer. He further denies the various voices of concern from the girls, with Sana trying to back him up and assert that they should listen to him. Throughout that entire conversation, though, Sana's words have come out as extremely strained and slow, prompting Rin to voice a similar level of concern that Sana's starting to suffer from the heat of being in such a stuffy costume.
Before this topic can be expanded on, though, Sana collapses onto the floor, prompting Sensei to reach down and lift her up. Ayane rushes over to check on Sana, guiding Sensei to an infirmary within the estate. Rin follows along at Ayane's behest, not trusting how strange this scenario seems and being unable to go herself. Sensei, Rin in tow, stumbles through the halls of the Amamiya Estate until he reaches the infirmary, eventually managing to get Sana out of her suffocating costume and lay her down on a bed. Both watch over her, uncertain of what to do next.
Unbeknownst to both of them, Sana is fully conscious, somewhat impatient at being denied an opportunity to be alone with Sensei. Trying to fill the silence, Rin talks to him more about what she thinks is going on with him – She believes he's currently dissociating and has been clinging to Touka all night because she makes him feel comforted. Unsure of what to do to remedy this, she suggests a series of different ideas, asking Sensei which he thinks will help him the most. He's somewhat demoralized by how easily everyone's seen through him today, but Rin reminds him just how much everyone in class cares about him, and while he tries to use the moment to ascertain if she's aware of their long time together, she dismisses his question.
Moving on, Rin once again suggests they leave the party together once Sana's awake. Hearing this, Sensei makes her uncomfortable by asking a strange question – He asks how much different she thinks things would be if Otoha never showed up. He continues, explaining that he's been plagued by these thoughts more and more as of late, even during their overnight stay at a hotel after Nodoka's book signing. When Rin asks him if he would've been happier if that night went differently, he claims it doesn't matter, but when he states that she was completely happy with how it went, Rin partly negates his statement.
Realizing he's said something he shouldn't have, Sensei tries to apologize, but Rin refuses to hear him out, acknowledging that these are just the unfiltered thoughts of his collapsing mental state. She leaves the room, both to take a breather and to get him a bottle of water.
As he's left alone with Sana, Sensei turns towards the door as he hears it open.
