On the sweltering summer day of August 14, Shintarou Kisaragi is compelled to step out of his room for the first time in two years. While bickering with Ene, the cyber girl residing in his computer, Shintarou accidentally spills soda all over his keyboard. Although they attempt to locate a replacement online, most shops are shut for the Obon festival, leaving them with no alternative but to head to the local department store. Going outside makes Shintarou intensely anxious, yet the prospect of living without his computer is even more dreadful. In a twist of fate, the very day he finally ventures out, he becomes trapped in a horrifying hostage crisis. Fortunately, a group of teenagers possessing mysterious eye abilities, who refer to themselves as the "Mekakushi Dan," help Shintarou resolve the situation. Consequently, he is coerced into joining their group, along with Ene. Their powers appear to function like interlocking puzzle pieces, and as each member's history is revealed, the secret binding them together is gradually exposed.