As SAINT combat android Tou Ryuga enters the lives of Suguru and his friends, disguised as a substitute teacher, Suguru becomes aware that some sort of connection exists between Ryuga and Mahoro. To further understand their relationship, Suguru invites all of his friends, as well as both Ryuga and Saori to a party at his house. At the same time, Mahoro is becoming more and more aware that her view of herself - as well as her relationship to Suguru - is changing the more she time she spends living with him. Originally, she saw herself as merely atoning for causing Commander Misato's death, but as the days go by, she comes to realize that what she is truly looking for is a place to belong, a home to be able to take care of and come back to, and people to care for. In contrast, Ryuga's self-examination shows that he sees his entire raison d'etre as fighting - and defeating - Mahoro. His entire identity is of a warrior who was defeated once but is desperate for a second chance, because without it, he is nothing. The party at Suguru's house, where Ryuga comes to realize that Suguru, despite suspecting the depth of Mahoro's past is still unaware of his role in it, sets the stage for the final confrontation between the two combat androids. However, Suguru's intervention means that the actual duel will take place two days later, in a mutually agreed-upon location. With the time and place of the duel now determined, Mahoro again faces the fact that Suguru still has no knowledge of her impending death. She has already caused him immeasurable pain once, and is left to wonder - it is worth living just a few more months with him if the end will still be same pain.
