Chief, look at this.
What's the matter?
Marukou, look.
Oh my.
Chief, it's the Inspector General.
This is Fukazawa.
Child-towing Detective, Illegal Search.
Does this mean someone was following that case?
Whoever it was took good pictures.
I knew something like this was going to happen.
Yes, I'm terribly sorry.
Maruoka Shunin!
Takuya.
I'm sorry. It's my fault.
I'm sorry. I'm really sorry!
Were you the one who leaked the story?
It's true the reporter who wrote this article is my former colleague.
And I did tell her that there's a detective who's a single mother.
But I didn't say a word about the case.
The media's gathering.
They're fast.
Police bashing is fun for them.
They must have nothing better to do.
Marukou, Inspector General wants to see you.
Go to the Metropolitan Police Department immediately.
Inspector...
Looks like the internal investigation's begun.
Listen. Your reasoning won't hold water with the Inspector General.
I'm sure you're aware, but
it's for your own good, watch what you say.
She's coming!
Detective Maruoka, did an illegal investigation really exist?
What's the truth behind the sting operation involving a minor?
What about your moral as a police officer?
Step back please. Step back please!
What's the matter, Shunin?
Nothing.
These magazines think they can fabricate sensational stories
as long as it sells, don't they?
This is what they say.
"Performed a sting operation on a synthetic drug trafficking organization using a minor ."
We've been receiving a flood of complaints and accusations since this article came out.
Staging an open fire in a crowd.
Making the suspect wear a bomb.
Planning an escape with a criminal who locked himself up.
All these are groundless accusations, are they not?
They're groundless accusations, right?
If you can't tell me they're groundless accusations,
don't ever show your face before me again!
You will be notified of your disciplinary action in due time.
One more article, and you will be dismissed immediately.
However,
your resignation is welcome any time.
I'm not resigning.
There are plenty of people to replace you.
You're Detective Maruoka with the South Azabu Precinct, right?
Nice to meet you. I'm Murakami Reiko with "Shukan Bunka."
I wrote the article about you.
Ah~.
I wish you took a better picture of me.
Excuse me.
Do you mind talking to me for a bit?
I have nothing to talk about.
First of all, what are your thoughts on
your use of illegal tactics in order to raise your arrest rate?
Using a minor in the sting operation of a drug trafficking organization
is unjustifiable, isn't it?
What I can't understand more than anything else is the issue with your child.
Why are you bringing him with you to dangerous investigation sites?
I'm a journalist.
It's my job to convey the truth.
If you won't answer my questions,
I will follow you until I get the answers.
Go right ahead.
I'm a detective.
My job is to apprehend criminals.
And no matter what happens,
the fact remains that I have a child.
I'm prepared for anything.
I was contacted by someone who says you gave him hell.
I'm scheduled to hear his story after this at the editorial office.
I'm going to cover your past cases too, but
you don't mind, do you?
So your friend was the victim of
Detective Maruoka's illegal investigation?
Yes. 6 years ago
he was hanged upside down naked and splashed with water.
Hanged upside down naked?
He was ready to admit to his crime and turn himself in.
Why did she do such a thing?
That woman has no heart.
I met her once too, but
- she's a devil. - Devil?
He atoned for his crime and was released from prison, but
he's still suffering.
Emotional scar will remain for the rest of his life.
I won't forgive that woman.
They're saying whatever they want.
Nowadays news travel faster on internet message boards
than on TV news shows.
Whether they're groundless rumors or just rumors, they spread before you know it on the net.
Senpai! How did it go?
Hi Hashizo~. Come here.
- So how did it go... - About what?
- What do you mean "about what"? - Your disciplinary action.
I'm dismissed if another article comes out.
Well, you are in fact getting all kinds of attention on the internet.
Look at this one.
"Let's set fire on her curly perm and make it frizzy perm."
Hey!
Excuse me for a minute.
- Hello. - I'm outside your office now.
I'm sorry to bother you, but can we talk?
If 5 minutes is enough.
That's fine.
Reiko-san, what's with that article this morning?
I'm not apologizing.
That guy...
Police?
That article isn't the truth.
I only wrote what I saw with my own eyes.
Besides, I did some research.
She's a crazy detective with a long history of illegal investigations.
There are people who were traumatized by her and still suffering from it.
I was talking to one of those people just now.
You don't understand Maruoka Shunin as a person at all.
Then what is it about her that you admire, Sasaki?
Shunin takes people's feelings into consideration too.
What do you mean by that?
If you don't understand a simple thing like that,
you have no right to write about Shunin.
If another article comes out, Shunin will be dismissed.
That can't be helped, can it?
If she's really guilty of all those things... But that's not my problem.
I'm a reporter. I'm continuing with my coverage.
I'm sorry to keep you waiting.
I can trust you, right?
What I told you today, you'll write about it, right?
Before I do that, I'll have to talk to
your friend who was victimized.
Why?
Do you think I'm lying to you?
No.
It's my policy to verify everything
I haven't seen with my own eyes.
I'm sorry if I offended you.
Alright. I'll let you meet my friend.
Let's go right away.
That guy...
"Maruoka is a devil. Revenge on Maruoka."
- This is unjustified resentment! - Even if Marukou does go too far,
it's maddening to incur resentment for arresting criminals.
It's our destiny as detectives, I suppose.
"Blue Giraffe
Best morning ever. I see that woman
getting beat up by the media now.
Serves her right."
Blue Giraffe...
"Kadota Yuji, who tried to set fire with an origami of a blue giraffe
at Mita Memorial Hospital, has been apprehended."
Russell, we're going.
Okay! Plan B!
Huh? What? What? What...? Huh?
We planned this when you went to see the Inspector General!
Because there's no way you'd sit still!
Plan B. If Marukou tries to leave, restrain her and force her to stay put.
Huh?! Hey... What are you doing!
You'll be dismissed next time you're in an article. You stay put quietly!
Anyway, be patient until things settle down.
Don't touch me! Let me go!
Settle down!
Shut up!
- It's been a while since that flew! - Be still!
It's all for your own good.
Russell! Do something!
Alright!
Senpai, I'm not letting you go anywhere today.
You...!
Let me go!
Wah~! You traitor!!
You say you're not letting me go anywhere?
Are you planning to watch me all day?
Yes.
What if I have to go to the bathroom?
You'll have to hold it as long as you can.
But if you really have to go, use this.
Don't worry.
In the event you need to use it, I'll close my eyes like this.
- Russell, water. - Yes, yes. Right away.
Here you go.
Russell, are you enjoying yourself?
Of course not.
Daa~
- I'm just thinking about you, Senpai. - Daa~
I swear, I'm not lying.
Senpai, wouldn't this uproar
have a negative impact on Hashizo-kun's custody battle?
That woman will surely take advantage of it.
I'm the only mother Hashizo has.
It's in the best interest of the child to be with his mother.
When you found out when you were pregnant with Hashizo-kun, didn't you waver?
I mean,
you'd have to raise him alone, and you'd have to continue working.
You'd be faced with a lot of obstacles.
In my case, I'm wondering what to do...
What are you agonizing about? Huh?
Oh dear, Russell. When did you...
Wait a minute. Whose child? Which one?
W-who is... Takuya...
Shirato-san...
And so? Is that a bad thing?
I mean, it's not a bad thing, but
I'm not sure under these circumstances...
Then you're not having it?
I want to! But, how do I say,
I always thought I'd get together with someone I really love
and carry the baby of the person I really love, so
if it's Shirato-san, that "really" part
would be sort of lacking...
Listen,
your "really" doesn't matter.
Now, even as we speak, the tiny life inside of you
is undergoing cell division every day, and
growing bigger and bigger.
In other words, you're already a mother.
You're the only one who can protect that life inside of you.
That applies after the baby's born too.
Am I even qualified to bear the baby?
Don't you want to meet your baby?
When you imagine what this baby's smiling face will look like,
what the crying voice will sound like,
doesn't that make you happy?
Then why don't you
just look forward to that day and wait?
- This way please. - Kadota-san, where's your friend?
For you.
- This is...? - A giraffe.
What is it that you want to do?
You lied about your friend, didn't you?
I told you I'm not lying!
Don't stand in my way.
Kadota-san?
Thanks to that woman,
my life was totally destroyed.
It's only natural I'd want revenge.
Hurry up and write an article that would get her fired.
"Blue Giraffe. Chance for revenge."
"After this, I'm kidnapping the reporter from 'Shukan Bunka'
and make her write an article to crush that woman."
Russell, call Sasaki.
- Excuse me? - Just call him.
- Aoi? - Just a minute.
Senpai wants to talk to you.
Where's Murakami Reiko right now?
That, I don't know.
She disappeared with a guy who was outside the station.
- Where are you now? - 3-chome in Mita.
Okay. I'll call you back.
I'm an artist.
I'm going to show the beauty of fire to the world.
What are you talking about?
Fire is the beginning of civilization.
Fire consumes everything.
Within fire is god.
You're the one Detective Maruoka arrested 6 years ago...
I
breathed life back into the dilapidated 50-year old house.
Embraced by flames, the old house came back to life passionately and sensually...
- You're the arsonist? - It's not arson!
It's art.
That's right. Lastly, I wanted to burn down this place.
I wanted to envelop this big, cold chunk of concrete
in bright red flames.
I came this far, but that woman tracked me down.
She hanged me upside down naked and threw water on me and said
"What you burned down wasn't a house, it was a family remembrance."
This is your punishment.
If you won't write an article about her,
you're gonna have to burn.
Don't move.
Russell.
Will you run an errand for me?
But...
Take Hashizo and go to Bailan for me.
Why?
It's a top secret mission.
But I have to guard Senpai...
Shirato or anyone can do that.
Only you, who shared
the joys and sorrows with Hashizo, can accomplish this top secret mission.
Only me?
Alright.
Just a minute.
Before you go to Bailan, I have a few missions for you.
Thanks for waiting.
12,000 yen for Maruoka-san, right?
Please take this.
Got it.
Here you go.
Tell her it's good stuff from Laos.
What's in here?
It's a rare high quality powdered item, so handle it with care.
Got it.
She said it's very high quality.
Yes indeed.
This arrived via ship from Russia yesterday.
Don't drop it.
Tell O-taka-san I should be getting some high quality goods
from Iran in the spring.
Russia... Iran...
I bet you didn't know I can tell fortune with a rope.
- You wanna try? - What the heck is that?
I can tell you two's compatibility by the way you untie the rope.
I'm not falling for that.
This type of knot was tied by Russell.
So?
The hard tight knot tied with brute force.
This is an clumsy impulsive type who rushes headlong once she sets her mind on it.
It really shows Russell's personality.
I guess so.
In other words, this rope is Russell's heart.
Heart?
Which means if you can untie this hard tight knot
quickly and skillfully, Shirato...
Russell is yours.
You don't think you can do it, huh?
All I have to do is untie it skillfully, right?
Shirato, put your heart into it.
Remember, this is Russell.
Aoi-chan.
Ah~ You may be the type who'll never achieve what you want.
Aoi-chan, I like you. Aoi-chan, Aoi-chan.
I did it~! I did it! How's that?
Too bad. You won't get past the kiss.
You're right...
But Russell said she had fun that day.
That day? I said we kissed, but
we were drunk and when we tripped our lips just briefly came into contact.
And just 2 seconds at that.
After that, Aoi-chan passed out and
it took everything out of me just getting her into a cab.
How old are you anyway.
41 years old.
What a sorry guy.
What happened?
What's this?
Ah~! Marukou. We've been had!
- Where did they go? - Really, where did they go, huh?
Chief, take a look at this.
"Blue Giraffe. The climax will be dazzling with kerosene."
"Sure wish that woman could've seen it."
"And now, the revenge begins."
Blue Giraffe?
Blue Giraffe!
He's Kadota, the guy Marukou arrested 6 years ago!
Track down Kadota!
Hey, wait!
Here you go.
He said good quality stuff from Iran will be arriving in the spring.
- Thanks. - Mission accomplished, right?
Caviar?
Yes, premier product from Russia.
This is a trading system O-taka worked out.
It's a system where you can get hard to find items by bartering.
So what did the man in the boiler room get?
- Coffee from Laos. - What about the top secret mission?
Oh, that's right, I have to feed Hashizo.
Do you want to feed him?
May I?
Here. Thanks.
- He ate! - You did it.
- Maybe Hashizo can sense it. - Sense what?
- The baby in your tummy. - How did you know that?
Rin Rin!
We're making sekihan* tonight. (*red rice for celebration)
Do you have a new man?
No, it's for a happy event.
Really?! Congratulations, Aoi.
Hello, this is Nagashima.
- Russell-kun, are you with Marukou? - Shirato-san's watching Senpai.
So you don't know where Marukou is either.
What happened?
There was a threatening post on the message board.
It appears Marukou's after that guy.
If an article comes out again, she'll be dismissed for sure!
Can you watch Hashizo-kun for a while?
- What happened? - I'm going to look for Senpai.
No, you can't go.
- How come? - Because it's a top secret mission.
You have to stay here with Hashizo.
- So why? - Because you're in your first stage of pregnancy.
O-taka didn't want to take you to a dangerous crime scene.
But Senpai always brings Hashizo-kun with her.
Why is that?
That's because...
Flames are beautiful, aren't they?
You're not an artist.
You're just a criminal.
What did you say?
You're a rotten criminal who blames others for everything.
Shall we begin?
You chose to do this.
If you had said you'd write the article,
this would've never happened.
Playing with fire again?
You're gonna wet your bed if you play with fire all the time.
Shut up! You stay out of this!
Ah~ Sorry. You were getting ready to kill her, weren't you?
I'll watch quietly so carry on.
Shunin!
Sasaki...
Is this the way your respected Senpai operates?
That woman reporter was snooping around me and was being a pest.
Go right ahead and kill her.
10 years ago, O-taka's senpai detective who was her partner
arrested a stalker guy.
Because of that incident, that man's family was broken up.
He lost his social status, and he misdirected his resentment at the senpai detective.
He targeted the senpai detective's 6-year old daughter.
The child was kidnapped on her way home from school and...
her body was subsequently found.
O-taka
was very fond of that child.
When the child entered grade school,
she went to buy a ransel with her and gave it to her as a present.
When that child was killed and O-taka was crushed
for not being able to save her, the senpai detective told her
"As long as I'm a detective, it can't be helped."
"A detective's family is in constant danger."
"So I've been prepared for anything."
But O-taka didn't think that was right.
She didn't give up.
That's why she always has Hashizo-kun by her side.
She was going to protect her child herself even while working as a detective.
Protect your child yourself...
Being a detective and a mother at the same time...
may appear to be a handicap to others.
But you know,
to O-taka who's prepared to protect her loved one...
well...
it's freedom.
Senpai's strong, isn't she?
Yes, she is.
I don't know if I can do it, but
I want to be strong like her some day.
I think you can be. Because you're going to be a mother.
If you're stabbing her to death, one stroke on the jugular vein.
You can't do it with a candle.
What are you talking about?
I'm telling him how to kill you.
I'm not a murderer. I'm an artist.
What are you doing?!
This is getting too bothersome. I'll do the killing.
So that's how you've been doing things illegally.
It's illegal to point a gun at a citizen, and it's illegal to conspire with a criminal!
Aw, shut up.
You're prepared to do anything to pursue the truth, aren't you?
So this, too, is your fate.
Stop quibbling!
Huh? It's harder than it looks to hit the mark.
Alright, this time for sure...
You suck! Be careful!
Sasaki.
Sorry.
I gave you the wrong punishment 6 years ago.
Instead of hanging you upside down naked,
I should've burned you at the stake.
Your treatment of the criminal you arrest...
I'll write about that in the article too.
Go right ahead.
Sorry, but you take care of the rest.
Sasaki, you're a poor judge of characters, aren't you?
Reiko-san, you're a poor judge of characters too.
When Shunin shoots, she doesn't miss.
Then why?
She did it to protect Reiko-san.
She took a shot, but missed on purpose.
She befuddled the criminal and distanced him from Reiko-san.
And then nabbed him.
Shunin's action is intended not only to capture the criminal but
to ensure the safety of those around her.
This time too, to ensure Reiko-san's safety,
she redirected the criminal's attention to herself.
Sure enough, the criminal never got the chance to
harm you.
It's not something an indifferent person can do.
Are you still going to write about Shunin?
Of course I will.
Why...
However...
I'll do it when I get to know her better.
Senpai! Where were you?
Hashizo, I'm back~.
Okay, we're going. We're going, going, going...
He kidnapped the reporter from "Shukan Bunko" and held her captive.
Maruoka Shunin arrested him on the spot for attempted murder.
I brought him here on her behalf.
He's Kadota! This guy's Kadota!
This caviar's the best!
Oh, that's right...
The father of your baby isn't Shirato.
What? Did you ask him?
The kiss, he said, lasted just 2 seconds.
That's not a kiss. It's an accident. Accidental kiss.
Is that right...
Are you relieved?
Senpai...
I want to be strong like you.
And be a mother who can protect my child.
Thanks to the top secret mission.
Chief, we found something incredible on Kadota's PC...
I know I've heard of this somewhere.
It's an off balance sheet for the bar he worked at.
This...
- This is it. - Thank you.
So money was flowing down to the underworld.
"New World Co., Ltd."...
Senpai.
For Hashizo-kun's sake too, don't be too reckless.
Excuse me.
Maruoka-san, thank you for your hard work until today.
Pardon me?
For raising our Kayama Hashizo.
Kayama Hashizo?
I'm sorry, but I don't plan to marry Daisuke-san anytime soon.
Of course not. What Kayama family needs is not you, but
Hashizo-chan.
Kayama Hashizo.
Hashizo is Maruoka Hashizo.
Or should I say "soon to be Kayama Hashizo."
Soon to be or whatever,
I'm not giving you custody.
Maruoka-san, Japan is a country governed by law, is it not?
We are bound to obey the law.
And the law is on my side.
Excuse me?
The Family Court's temporary injunction.
In view of the welfare of the child,
the guardianship and custody of your son
has been temporarily transferred to the Kayama family.
What?
Transferred to the Kayama family?
After review of Maruoka-san's childrearing environment,
it has been determined that you are unfit to be his guardian.
What's unfit?
We've submitted sound evidence.
The magazine article featuring you as well.
I'm of the belief that you and Hashizo-chan
should not be together.
And the law recognized that.
How much more explanation do you need?
Hashizo is my son.
This is a court decision.
In other words, it's an order.
The effective date is today.
If you should refuse to hand your son over,
you will be charged with kidnapping.
Do you understand now?
Then...
I'm not giving Hashizo to you.
Maruoka-san, you are no longer considered to be his mother.
Hashizo, let's go home.
Let's go home. Let's go!
- Who cares what she says. - Oh dear. I'm appalled!
She's trying to kidnap this child!
You, the detective over there. Please arrest her.
Aren't you going to arrest her on the spot?
Oh dear, how scary~!
She's starting to look like a real criminal.
O-taka, fighting the law is a losing battle.
You shouldn't be committing further crimes,
should you?
Or are you going to arrest yourself in the end?
Ms. Detective with the No. 1 arrest rate.
Stop it!
What's going to happen if you get arrested?
Is that going to do Hashizo any good?
Please, restrain yourself, O-taka!
Hand Hashizo-chan over.
O-taka!
You're sure slow to catch on.
I'd like to know how you were raised.
Okay, Hashizo-chan, let's go.
Good day.
Hashizo...
Hashizo's calling me.
O-taka, please, I beg you, get a hold of yourself.
Can't you see Hashizo's calling me!
O-taka!
Let go of me!
If you go now, you'll never see Hashizo again. Is that what you want?
Let go!
Hashizo will come back! You've got to believe that!
You're his mother, aren't you!
- Let go! - Mutsumi-san!
O-taka~!
Senpai!
Please go.
Hashizo!
Hashizo, wait for me. I'm coming.
Let me go!
Senpai!
Russell, let go!
No, I'm not letting go!
For god's sake, let go!
I'm not letting go.
Hashizo!
Let go!
Hashizo~!