I just want to believe in you,
The Seventh Bone The Entrusted Bones, Part 1
Sakurako-san...
A Story Dedicated to Those Trapped by the Past
Welcome! Meisei Fest
17th Meisei High School Festival
The light music club's concert will start shortly!
The Cosplay Café is in Class 2-2!
I didn't think you'd actually come!
Did I not say I would?
Well, yeah, but...
It's next weekend.
My brother came down with pneumonia, so Mom has to go to Tokyo on short notice.
She's sad she can't make it to my school festival.
Isn't that funny?
My mom really likes festivals.
Then I shall go.
Huh?
I just wouldn't have thought you'd find a high school festival interesting at all.
My class is doing a pancake shop.
What do you think? Do you want to eat some?
You asked me that thinking I wouldn't refuse, didn't you?
Because that's how communication works.
I thought you knew that I despise meaningless conversation like that.
I just want to have a conversation with you. What's wrong with that?
What is the benefit of having a conversation with me?
Like I said, that's...
Sakurako-san!
K-Kougami-san? Why are you dressed like that?
I'm supposed to be a ghost with her head twisted around backwards.
Y-You look good...
Haunted House
Right?
You look good in that, too, Tatewaki-kun.
Really?
Yeah! I mean, when you're next to Sakurako-san,
you really look like her butler.
It brings out your subservient attitude!
Is that really a compliment?
Yuri! Help out with check-in!
Coming!
Sakurako-san, come by our classroom later, okay?
I'm glad to see her in high spirits.
I don't know if it's high spirits...
This was an all-girls school until ten years ago,
so even now, the girls are more assertive.
Oh, my classroom is just ahead.
Maid Café Welcome Back, Master!! Recommended!! Delicious Pancakes
Welcome back, my lady!
Table for one.
Okay.
Sorry to keep you waiting, my lady.
I got you extra whipped cream and chocolate.
Do enjoy it, my lady.
I don't know what I would've done if she didn't like it...
Hey.
Tatewaki, who's the pretty lady?
J-Just someone I know.
What do you mean, "just"?
I mean...
You two, stop goofing off and help carry this!
Okay!
Oh, Tatewaki-kun, please make a shopping run to Seikoma.
We need four two-liter water bottles.
Four two-liter bottles?!
Don't forget the receipt, okay?
Man, our girls really are assertive...
I'm back.
Thanks, Tatewaki-kun.
Hey, Tatewaki.
I guess she really is a casual acquaintance, huh?
Huh?
That pretty lady left as soon as she finished eating.
What?
Man, she's always so inconsiderate...
I-Imai... Sorry, but I'm stepping out for a bit.
Take care of things here!
Huh?
Hey!
Science Room
I thought you'd be in here, Sakurako-san.
I was looking at the bones.
I can tell.
I'm surprised you got here so quickly, given how far it is from everything.
Are these the only ones here?
This isn't your house.
Didn't you see the sign saying no one can enter without permission?
Let's go—
Okay, five more minutes.
But that's it, okay?
Fine, ten minutes.
Ten minutes, and no more!
I'm sure the girls are going to yell at me when I get back...
Hey, you can't touch them!
That's not allowed!
Fine.
Huh?
The upper arm, humerus.
The forearm, radius.
The other forearm bone, ulna.
Ulna...
Huh? I've heard that before...
Hey!
I-Isozaki-sensei!
I believe the sign on the door says to keep out.
I'm sorry.
Are you the one in charge of this room?
Yes, I suppose...
Huh?
Kujou-san, why are you here?
This is a disgrace to the bones.
Pardon?
Why do you think they were stripped of flesh and exposed?
Huh?
It was to teach others how they support and move the body.
It was not to gather dust in the corner of a classroom!
Not to mention, all of these specimens are superb.
This is supremely disrespectful toward the bones and the one who assembled them!
Do you understand?
I... I'm sorry.
I wouldn't have guessed such a pretty young lady was an osteologist.
No wonder you knew so much about the ring.
She may be pretty, but she's pretty with flaws.
Oh, and for your information, she has a fiancé.
Well, I don't think that should matter.
If you like her, what else matters?
But I guess someone like her, who wouldn't have trouble getting dates,
wouldn't need to bother with you.
Wh-What are you talking about?
I'm not...
That'll do it.
Look, see?
This way, it's far more reminiscent of a rabbit.
I'm more of a plant specialist, so it didn't really occur to me.
You're entirely right.
I should have shown them more respect.
Hey, Sensei!
There's no need to apologize.
I only want to see improvement.
Bones are not mere decorations.
Kujou-san, um, if I might ask you another favor...
The haunted prep room?
Apparently, it's gotten that reputation since it's where the bones are stored.
B-Bones?
They were assembled by a science teacher who worked here long before my time.
But since he passed away while he was still working here,
they've been left alone for a long time.
The school principal has been after me to go through them.
I do want to show his work to students for educational purposes,
but there are just so many...
It can't be coincidence that you're here.
Could you help me go through them?
I can't pay you or anything, but I can treat you to a meal, at least.
Very well.
Really?
But in that case, I prefer cake over a meal.
Cake?
The cake the boy bought the other day.
Oh, the one from Dandelion?
The pumpkin mont blanc was superb!
I want three of those.
Sure, if that's all you want.
However...
You mustn't tell Gran.
Huh?
Even if we keep it a secret, there's no way you'll
be able to eat dinner if you eat three of those.
Once I eat them, it's a done deal.
If I can eat three of those mont blancs,
I can tolerate any number of hours listening to Gran grumble!
I can't believe you...
Science Prep Room
All right, I'll help, too.
Maid Café Welcome Back, Master!! Recommended!! Delicious Pancakes
This is impressive!
There's no way one person could handle all this.
How should we start?
With a list.
Huh?
Bring them out here.
Whether repairs are necessary,
whether they have reference value... I can patch anything of value.
Depending on what we see,
we may need to do additional work so they can be used pedagogically.
This bone belongs to an animal.
There are a ton of bones.
Only one teacher put them all together?
Evidently.
It was someone called Sasaki-sensei.
I've only seen him in photos,
but I've heard he was rather antisocial and eccentric.
I see...
He sounds just like a certain someone I know.
Simply superb... There's no other word for it.
This is truly superb work!
You should be proud that you are a student of this school.
Okay, sure.
There are plants, too.
Oh, I'll do those!
Wow, the flower specimens are also amazing!
Who knew such treasures were buried so close by?
Help with the bones, too.
Yeah, I know.
Look at this Gerbera specimen...
How is their beauty preserved so well?
All right...
I brought the whole box, since it was so large.
What bones are in this box?
Sheep bones.
The one in front has dog bones.
Dog...
What's wrong?
Oh, I just feel a little conflicted about pet bones.
Why?
They're all livestock.
The only difference is whether they're eaten or loved as pets.
But people would have memories of caring for them.
Even you have Hector now, don't you?
Also, didn't you have a cat before?
Oh...
The name "Ulna" on the cat specimen in your room...
It's the name of a bone, isn't it?
Yes, that was what I named the cat.
Y-You turned your pet cat into a specimen?
Who else would?
It died an unnatural death, and I couldn't determine the cause.
So I wanted to confirm.
Confirm? You mean...
It was already dead.
It isn't as if the cat suffered because I performed an autopsy.
After I investigated the cause of death,
I made Ulna into a specimen.
It was the first specimen I ever completed.
Wasn't it hard on you?
To, you know, dissect your own cat?
When it died, I was sad.
It was in a lot of pain.
Is that all?
What else is there?
Didn't you remember how you used to touch those paws?
Or stroke its head?
What bones are those?
Cat bones.
I'll get the next batch!
Even if I feel like I've made a connection with her,
we're very different people.
I thought I knew that, but...
What's the matter, Tatewaki?
Oh, it's nothing.
I see.
This is so heavy...
A poetry anthology, books...
This looks like a letter.
What should we do with the things that aren't bones?
A photo?
This is...
"At Shunkoudai,
as I stand in remembrance of youth disemboweled,
the autumn wind blows."
It's a short poem.
Disemboweled...
It's a little sinister.
Did Sasaki-sensei write this?
No, it doesn't look like his handwriting.
Oh, here we go.
I pray you are doing well. Natsuko
It's similar to the handwriting on this letter.
Natsuko
You're right, it is.
These look like his personal effects.
We shouldn't be poking our noses into them.
Oh, there's still one left out.
What's this?
Mistletoe by Tokutomi Roka...
I'm not very familiar with his work,
but I think the story's set in Asahikawa.
If I recall, there's an info panel about it in Hokuchin Memorial Hall.
Oh?
Let's give these to his family.
That sounds good.
"At Shunkoudai"?
I don't think we can finish today...
What's this old chest?
I thought we'd already brought out all the big ones.
Hey, Sensei...
I think we'll have to give this chest to his relatives, as is.
But what if there are bones inside?
Sakurako-san?
What?
Uh, well...
My grandfather often lost his keys.
I can open a lock like this with no trouble.
What is it?
Did you find something unusual?
This is...
This is a mandible.
Only humans have this bone.
H-H-Humans?!
You mean he had a human specimen, too?
Surely this isn't...
No.
This is not something Sasaki-sensei put together.
What?
You can see fire damage on the skull.
This often occurs as a result of the head being blasted by flames.
This was probably cremated.
Cremated?
Then you're saying he took cremated bones
and kept them in this chest, instead of placing them in a grave?
Regarding the human skeletal remains found at an Asahikawa high school,
the remains have been identified.
Police do not believe suspicious circumstances were involved.
The young lady has gone to visit Shitara-sama.
Shitara-san... Sakurako-san's uncle?
I'm so sorry.
I'll ask her to call you right away when she returns.
Oh, no, that won't be necessary.
Thank you... Goodbye.
Science Room
Boy, what a mess that was.
I didn't think the police would take all the animal bones, too.
On top of that, we were questioned by the police,
and I even got interrogated by my classmates.
Oh, right... They learned who the bones belonged to.
Yeah, they belonged to a woman named Sone Natsuko.
She used to take care of Sasaki-sensei's sister.
Ah, the police asked me not to tell anyone, so this doesn't leave this room.
Natsuko-san...
Natsuko
I wonder why Sasaki-sensei kept her bones close, instead of burying her.
Who knows?
Well, it won't do any good for us to dwell on it.
We only have a bit left, so let's clean this up.
Okay.
Oh, by the way, where's Kujou-san?
Huh?
Um...
Sakurako-san is apparently busy right now.
I see...
The list is almost done, anyway.
We can finish it ourselves.
Yeah, let's get to it.
I'll get the next batch!
Was it because of the way I reacted?
Huh?
What's the matter?
Is this everything the police brought back?
Yeah, it should be.
That's odd.
The cat bones are missing.
Cat bones?
Yeah, there should be one set of cat bones.
Really?
Should we ask the police?
Given how many there are, I don't think one cat's bones will be missed.
Besides, they're not even on the list.
What?
Can I take a look?
No, that...
That can't be...
Cat bones.
But this is awkward...
Huh?
With all the uproar, I wasn't able to get the cakes,
so I bought them today.
Sakurako-san does have her unique brand of morality.
But still...
I don't want to believe she'd do that.
But that's why I need to confirm what happened for myself.
Huh?
That's unusual.
It's locked.
Why do you need that now, after all this time?
I'd like to confirm something that's bothered me for a long time.
There's only one thing you would say that about.
Didn't you remember how you used to touch those paws?
Gran's not home, either...
I guess there's nothing else I can do.
"Disemboweled," huh?
It was raining that day, too.
If that's how you feel, investigate it to your heart's content.
Just don't do anything dangerous.
This unsolved case file,
handled by you, Professor Shitara of Forensic Medicine...
I now have it in my possession,
Masamichi-san.