"What do you mean by that?", Takeru asked.
Yuko turned over to Takeru and said, "When you enter this building, you'd normally enter Shimisu corporation. Right?"
"Yeah...?", Takeru replied.
"Well, that's for everyone except us. There's a pocket dimension inside there and only we, the SOMA members, are permitted to enter it."
"THERE'S A WHAT?"
"A pocket dimension. Didn't you hear her, huh?", Rento replied.
"I can't believe these people are being so casual about this... A pocket dimension? That's insanity! Its really cool though... I love pocket dimensions in manga. I still remember the first time I read Kukutsu Jaisen and witnessed its awesome pocket dimensions... I was with my boys, Hiroki and Kaito. I wonder what they're doing right now? They probably haven't stopped reading manga and watching anime since they got home from school today or maybe they're playing a game together without me? Aww man... That's sad to think about. I hate being left out...
I still remember that first time I felt left out. It was back in middle school. The teacher had told us to get into a pair with someone else. Hiroki and Kaito got together after I lost the round of Janken. Poor me was all alone. It was so embarrassing just watching everyone else get into pairs while I was there just sitting alone. I was sad... until... until my Aiko-chan came to pair up with me. She was so sweet. She saw me and decided to make me her partner. That was it... That was when I fell in love.
Aiko-chan, I'll never forget those kind words from you that day. The way you brought me into your team with such care and lifted me out from a time of darkness, you truly are a goddess! I knew from then that you were the one for me and that you loved me too! I mean, why else would you go out of your way to come and be my partner? I know that you've just been nervous to confess your feelings to me and I've been nervous but I promise that one day, I'll overcome it and be yours for eternity. That day... you showed me your love, Aiko-chan." In reality, Aiko had also just lost a round of Janken.
"Hello? Ichino-kun? Why're you just standing there? Lets go inside. You're not registered as an official member yet so you'll have to hold one of our hands to get in with us. I'll let you choose whose hands to hold.", Yuko said with a cute smile on her face.
Takeru looked conflicted. "Damn... she does look pretty cute but... I CAN'T BETRAY AIKO-CHAN! I guess I have to hold this dickhead's hands."
Takeru immediately grabbed onto Rento's right hand. "Huh? You're really choosing him?", Yuko said in a confused voice.
"WHAT THE FUCK! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME!"
"LET ME GRAB ONTO YOUR HANDS! DON'T I NEED TO DO IT TO GET INTO THAT POCKET DIMENSION OR WHATEVER!?"
"WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU CHOOSE TO GRAB MINE INSIDE OF OUR CUTE SENPAI'S? YOU GAY OR SOMTHING, MAN!?"
"I AIN'T FUCKIN GAY! Not that there's anything wrong with being gay."
"I also agree. There's nothing wrong with being gay BUT GET YOUR FUCKIN HANDS OFF OF ME!"
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"
Yuko was laughing hysterically while all this was happening. "You're so- so funny, Ichino-kun!", She said while trying to hold back her laughter.
"SENPAI! PLEASE TELL THIS GUY TO GET HIS HANDS OFF OF ME!"
"Takahashi-kun... you're really disappointing me, you know? You're really showing off your fragile masculinity right now.", Yuko said sounding like a mother teasing her child.
Rento suddenly calmed down. "I am...?"
"Yes you are, Takahashi-kun! I thought you were better than this, you know?"
"I'm sorry... Senpai, I failed you...", Rento said in a sad voice with tears in his eyes. He was borderline making sad puppy eyes.
"Its okay, Takahashi-kun. Its not too late, you can still confidently walk into the office while holding Ichino-kun's hand!"
Takeru was just there staring looking at these two's weird relationship. "What the fuck was that...?"
"YES! I SHALL DO EXACTLY THAT, SENPAI! COME ON, LITTLE MAN! LETS HEAD INSIDE HOLDING EACHOTHER'S HANDS WITH NO SHAME AND ABSOLUTELY NO UNDERLYING GAY LOVE FOR EACHOTHER! JUST TWO DUDES HOLDING HANDS TO FULFILL A CONDITION THAT WOULD NOT BE FULLFILLED IF THEY WERE TO NOT HOLD HANDS!!!!!!"
"Alright, man. You don't have to make it weir-" Rento paced towards Shimisu corporation's entrance with incredible speeds.
Yuko just watched and laughed at the overly enthusiastic nature of her precious kohai.
Eventually, all three entered the building.
"Did you notice that ripple in space when we walked in, Ichino-kun?"
"Yes... I did notice something like a ripple." He didn't, he was too distracted by Rento's grip and speed.
"That was us entering the pocket dimension, Ichino-kun. It is the unique ability of our chairman. This place we entered looks exactly like the inside of the actual Shimisu corporation. Its an exact duplicate placed in a pocket dimension placed inside the real Shimisu corporation. You get it?"
"I guess...?"
"That's good enough.", Rento replied.
Yuko walked up to Takeru's face. He got nervous. "I just realized... Me and my kohai never even properly introduced ourselves to you, Ichino-kun! Let me begin. I'm Ikari Yuko, 1st class low alternate-user. Its nice to meet you!"
She looked over at Rento and gestured him to do the same. "Fine, Ikari-san... I'm Takahashi Rento, 3rd class medium alternate-user. Its nice to meet you, I guess."
"Hehe... Nice to meet you guys too." "Not really"
"Alright, Ichino-kun! You better present yourself well. We're heading up the elevator now and meeting up with the chairman.", Yuko said excitingly.
"All you gotta say is that you're an alternate-user and that you're willing to join SOMA, okay?"
Takeru's awkward smile faded. "About that... I'm really not willing to do that. I'm just a kid and I wanna go on living my normal life. I know I should've said this earlier but yeah... I can't be doing this."
Rento sighed. "I knew you were gonna say this... Listen here, Takeru. You have no choice. Get in the elevator, now."
Takeru felt fearful of Rento once again. "Huh? I don't get it."
"You don't have a cho-"
"I'm sorry, Ichino-kun... You really don't have any choice, especially you. You'll be punished for what happened to your grandma if you back to your normal life. Just go up with us and say what Takahashi-kun told you to say." Yuko and Rento had both realized that they should keep the fact that Takeru is a special case secret until SOMA and its members trust him.
"Oh... I see... I understand."
"I'm sorry, kiddo. This is your new life and there's nothing you can do about it.", Rento said.
All three got into the elevator and during the ride, the gravity of the situation finally settled in for Ichino Takeru.