Come on, hurry!
Now!
Mama?
Hurry up and go!
Let's see...
Man, the fridge is empty.
Guess I'll hit the convenience store.
That particular incident occurred in early summer...
Huh?
...in the middle of a night that was
oddly hot and humid for the time of year.
The Second Bone Where Do You Live?
A Story Dedicated to Those Trapped by the Past
Okay, I'm going to ask you again.
What's your name?
Ii-cha!
I guess you wouldn't be able to say your name yet.
Yes, a girl about three years old.
So, you found this girl in front of the convenience store in district one?
Yes, she told me she was waiting for her mother there, but...
Where's your mom?
With little A-cha!
Red roof convenience store,
went out, special...
Ii-cha jumped, whee!
It's no good. I have no idea what she means.
I checked with some nearby convenience stores, but no relevant information.
No missing child report at HQ, either.
Well, now what?
Is there anything else that might help identify her?
Hey, little girl,
can you let the nice officer see your backpack?
No!
Um... Smile?
Then can I trade you this
Castella
for the backpack?
Nothing...
If only we knew her name, we'd have somewhere to start.
Um, look here.
Isn't this blood?
No way. Isn't that paint?
No, Utsumi. It's blood.
Wait, that's it!
I have an idea.
What the hell do you want at this hour?!
A lost child?
Yes.
Boy, I don't care what you choose to do with your own time,
but don't drag me into it.
I was putting bones together until past four in the morning.
What my body wants now is not a conversation with you, but sleep.
Can she really figure out who this girl is?
I believe so.
Hmph, very well.
Let's hear what you have to say, boy.
Indeed, this is blood.
It's still fresh.
From the shape, the handprint is from an adult woman.
It may be from her mother.
Then she may be injured?
So something did happen.
Let's not jump to premature conclusions.
But you should find out who she is as soon as possible.
There is something I want to check.
Ii-cha jumped, whee!
Did you? That's amazing!
Gran...
Sorry to bother you, but could you give her a change of clothes?
It's hot today, so it should be something with short sleeves.
Certainly.
Wow.
Hey, little girl, you look cute.
These belonged to the young lady when she was a little girl.
You kept them all this time?
Of course!
Hey.
Let me see that arm.
Huh?
No!
I won't do anything to hurt you. I promise.
No!
I just want to check something.
No!
Bones are structures that grow and regenerate.
A young child's bones are especially remarkable in that regard.
From the moment they're damaged, bones begin to mend,
in order to support and protect their master.
Doesn't that sound like a beautiful process?
Listen to me, okay?
That arm is proof that your bones tried really hard.
Oh...
Ii-cha tried hard?
Yes, you did a great job.
As I thought... This is an old avulsion fracture.
Avulsion fracture?
In young children, it's particularly common when an arm is twisted with force.
Wait, you mean she was abu—
I can't say for certain, but it's possible.
Not to mention, in her case, the bones haven't mended correctly,
causing the arm to tilt inward.
It's called a cubitus varus.
Fortunately, it doesn't seem to affect her everyday life.
But it must feel slightly off,
and the difference is plainly visible.
She realizes that, despite her young age.
You understand now, don't you?
Huh?
Though avulsion fractures aren't terribly painful, they aren't painless,
and they cause major swelling.
Any decent parent would have taken her to a hospital at least once.
Uh, so what?
You are so stupid!
Huh?
I get it!
If we check hospital files, we might find her name and address!
Take her photo to local hospitals.
This injury happened not too long ago.
O-Okay!
Sakurako-san...
Yes?
You had Ii-chan change her clothes so you could check her arm, didn't you?
Well, she is a girl.
Toukou Lavender Park
Honestly, children are so...
Utsumi-san seems to be having a hard time.
Yes, hello?
Yes.
What?
Yamashita Orthopedic Clinic
Right...
But...
All right...
What is it, boy?
He found the hospital she was taken to,
but both the name and address given to the hospital were fake.
So she feared being reported.
Then she knew it constituted abuse.
She valued herself over her daughter's arm...
Impressive parenting.
But what should we do?
That was our only lead.
Tatewaki-kun?
Kougami-san.
Good morning.
Do you live near here, too?
Oh, no.
Yu-cha!
Ii-chan!
What are you doing here?
Huh? You two know each other?
Yeah, I used to volunteer at a children's center, and we played together a lot.
Do you know this girl's name?
Her real name?
Huh?
Oh, yes.
Boy, call that cop!
Tominaga
Tominaga Yuuka-chan? That's not even close to Ii-chan.
Looks like the house next door is empty.
Tominaga-san, are you home?
Is she out?
Mama!
I'm home!
No!
I know this smell.
This...
This is the smell
of death.
Something isn't right.
Sakurako-san, was this woman...
Now, let us solve the mystery.
Boy, there's something off about this body.
This is not the time to nitpick!
Oh, God...
Um, is something wrong?
Don't come in!
Huh?
I'll contact HQ.
Don't leave this room, no matter what!
Did something happen inside?
Please don't let this girl look in here.
Okay.
Her limbs display slight rigor mortis.
It's been over four hours since her death.
Something definitely isn't right.
Sakurako-san, you shouldn't just—
Most likely...
The killer slashed her at the door in a surprise attack.
She got the cut on her right hand by trying to defend herself.
The chain's been broken,
but there's no sign of the lock being forced.
The killer was someone she knew, who had a key to the apartment.
The noise must have woken up the girl.
The terrified woman fled to the back room
to take her daughter to safety.
It was only a matter of time before the chain was broken,
but the room was a dead end.
The window was blocked by trash and couldn't immediately serve as an exit.
True.
But there was one place that was accessible.
While too small for an adult,
a small child could make it through.
Come to think of it, Ii-chan said she jumped.
She must have been referring to her escape through the window.
Then the mother couldn't make it out...
Still, something is off about this body.
There's only that one defensive wound...
Why?
Why did she stay in here instead of running elsewhere?
Damn!
Why is it so messy in here?!
I can't see anything at all—
There's another one.
Huh?
This isn't the girl's.
She had another child!
With little A-cha!
Little A-chan... Wait a minute!
Yes. The other one should still be in this room.
Where did she hide the child?
Where would have been safe?
Sakurako-san?
Boy, this room is full of trash, isn't it?
Yes.
Is that trash?
No, they're all unopened.
They're past the expiration date, but I wouldn't call them trash.
That's it!
She's in the way!
Sakurako-san!
There!
Please be alive!
Yes, and please send an ambulance, just in case.
Hey... Sir!
This place is—
Stay outta my way.
Lemme go catch the butterflies...
Wait!
He's suffering from heatstroke from being shut in a small, enclosed space.
Get something to cool him down!
Okay!
Crap, no ice...
Anything! Hurry up!
Shrimp Fried Rice
Will this work?
Perfect.
Wake up.
It's too soon for you to die.
Live.
Living is your duty, as one so young.
You must not die!
If you die...
Yu-cha!
Whee!
Ii-chan...
...your sister will be left all alone.
Please wake up, for your sister's sake!
Don't leave her all alone!
Hey, who the hell are you guys?
What're you doing in my home?
S-Sakurako-sa—
Boy, get away from me.
Be quiet and take it slow.
Sakurako-san...
I can't move.
My fingers are this baby's heart right now.
So long as I continue chest compressions,
the baby's brain will receive oxygen.
What are you mumbling about?
Outta my way. I'm here to catch butterflies!
I said get outta my way!
I won't let you through!
Utsumi-san!
Run! Hurry!
Everyone... die!
Don't...
Don't go...
Don't go, Soutarou!
Well done...
Were you surprised?
I'm actually a black belt, trained by my gramps—
You idiot!
Do you have a death wish, boy?!
Never...
Never do something like that again!
Please, man.
I seriously need the butterflies... I have to...
I have to get them to him...
Get in there!
I'm so sorry.
No, because of what you did, the girl didn't lose her brother.
Thank you.
You're welcome!
Ow...
You think Utsumi-san will be okay?
The blow missed his vital organs.
He'll recover just fine.
Huh...
Ii-chan...
Boy, I have revised my earlier analysis.
Huh?
I just felt like it.
Well, half of it is just speculation, but...
The man came in the middle of the night,
while the mother was feeding the younger child.
Dilated pupils and profuse sweating...
The man was a drug addict.
While his motives remain unclear,
he had a psychotic breakdown and attacked her.
Hey...
Open up, bitch!
Mama?
Mama, blood.
Is it ouchy again?
I'm fine.
A-Anyway, want to go out for a bit?
Out? Where?
The convenience store with the red roof. You know it, right?
Yeah!
Okay, take your panda backpack.
Okay!
From here?
Yes. Today is special.
Can you jump down?
Yeah!
Come on, hurry!
What about you, Mama?
I'll come... right after you.
Now! Hurry up and go!
So the mother sacrificed her life to try to save her children.
That doesn't absolve her
of blame for letting her child's injury go untreated.
Don't look so sad,
Shoutarou.
Huh?
Did you call me "Shoutarou" just now?
Now that I think about it...
Don't go, Soutarou!
"Soutarou"?
I didn't mishear that, did I?
I wonder who Soutarou is...