At some point after death,
someone removed the sphenoid bone.
Why are you bothering with this case?
It's a case his brother was investigating.
Sensei...
I'm...
...going to disappear.
Hitoe, has something...
What do you mean, you haven't been able to contact her since yesterday?
Have you told the police?
My husband doesn't want a fuss...
Can you think where she might have gone?
I'm sorry.
Hitoe is at a friend's house.
There's no need to worry.
But if you can't contact her...
A fuss over her running away could harm my reputation.
Is that what you're worried about?
You have no right to criticise me!
You drove a student to disappear,
and now you act like you care?
Please leave!
I hate being alone...
If I have to be alone...
I'd rather disappear...
I don't know what to do~
Perhaps it was rash of me.
She's waiting for us to ask what's wrong.
I'll leave this to you.
Wait...
W-what's wrong?
Eh? You want to know?
I'm meant to present some research
at the upcoming symposium.
Really?
Well, I said for myself that I'd do it.
That's impressive.
There's no way I could do that.
I'm bad at answering questions after a presentation.
Everyone asks such serious questions.
That's true.
I thought I'd ask Isozaki-san for help last night,
but he hasn't answered my email.
Isozaki-kun has asked for a few days off.
A relative isn't well.
But...
Why not Tanigami-kun?
No, as I said,
I'm bad at presenting research.
Ah~ What should I do?
I'm no good at tutoring...
I know that.
Eh?
Will Sakurako-san agree to help you?
Please, you ask her.
What?
I don't wanna...
Or rather,
there's no way she'll do it anyway.
Ah...
I don't have time. I'm busy.
You see?
Naturally, I'll give something in return.
Habaro Bavarian cream.
She's tempted.
She's feeling tempted.
Habaro Bavarian cream...
They only make 20 a day.
Huh?
I should have known.
Sakurako-san's an adult, so bait like that...
First, read this to verify it.
Fallen to Bavarian cream!
Sunk by Bavarian cream!
The presentation is in a week,
so I'll come every day.
Good idea.
If you want to sleep here, feel free.
Seriously?
Yes, the more the merrier.
Thank you very much!
When Madoka Hitoe was in high school,
I was her homeroom teacher.
If she contacts you, can you let me know?
- This is... - Sorry.
Isozaki-san?
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
- But... - I'm fine.
A Corpse is Buried Under Sakurako-san's Feet
Bone 5
Subtitles by Candylemon
Isozaki-san said a relative was ill,
but I think it's something else.
Oh, apple pie?
You came to check on snacks?
Aren't you worried about Isozaki-san?
Has something happened?
I saw him yesterday,
and something seemed wrong...
Hey, Miss Sakurako.
He was asking around about a former student.
Maybe something's happened to that student?
In that case, he should tell the police.
Eh? Aren't you worried?
Um, I don't know if it's relevant,
but at the high school where he worked
something happened to a student,
and he felt responsible so he left the school.
Will you come with me to his house?
- What? - Please.
I'm worried...
If it's you asking,
I think he might talk to us.
Please!
Miss, would you like another taste?
You really are meddlesome.
What?
Has something happened?
Ah...
A relative isn't well.
Excessive blinking, hiding your mouth,
and pointing a foot away.
You're clearly agitated.
In other words, you're lying.
We don't mean to pry.
But we're worried...
Ah, wait!
I'm sorry.
Come in.
Excuse us.
Please, sit down.
Thank you.
Has something happened to your former student?
I thought you weren't going to pry?
Sorry.
But if there's any way we can help...
Thank you.
But...I'm fine.
Are you?
You're no longer a teacher, but you're still haunted?
What?
The plants in this room
were all collected in the past 5 years.
In other words, you turned to plants
when you left the school.
I don't know what happened with the student,
but your response has been
to surround yourself with innocent lives that won't leave you.
In other words, you feel compelled to collect plants.
Am I wrong?
You see everything, don't you?
When I was a teacher,
there were three close friends in my class.
Madoka Hitoe,
Nishizawa Futaba,
and Tsutsumi Minami.
Hitoe and Minami had been friends since elementary school,
and in high school, Futaba joined them.
People nicknamed them the Three Sisters,
and they seemed to enjoy that.
None of them were happy at home,
so they often stayed behind after school.
Because they didn't want to go home?
Then one day, Futaba disappeared.
Has something happened to Futaba-san?
She's suddenly gone missing.
She hasn't just run away.
We teachers and the police searched for her,
but she was never found.
As her teacher, I was held responsible.
That's why you left teaching?
Having to shoulder that alone...
Before Futaba disappeared,
I was the last person to see her.
What?
I'd like to be reincarnated as something with wings.
Something with wings?
Mm.
I'd fly somewhere far away from here.
I've promised Hitoe and Minami
that we'll go together.
If I'd noticed something wrong...
3 days ago, Hitoe contacted me.
Sensei...
I'm...
...going to disappear.
Hitoe...
I went to her house, but she wasn't there.
Do you have any idea why?
Hitoe has an uncompromising family.
Her father is a doctor,
and cares more about appearances than her.
Ever since high school,
Hitoe has often complained of feeling suffocated.
That's not unusual.
Why are you searching so frantically?
It's not your problem anymore.
That's not true.
- She's his student. - Not anymore.
You didn't keep in touch after you left, did you?
Or do you think there's a link
between Hitoe's disappearance now
and Futaba's case 5 years ago?
If you find Hitoe, will that clear your conscience?
Whether the disappearances are connected or not,
you can't change the past.
You can't change the fact you ran away from your students.
How can you say he ran away?
Isozaki-san took responsibility...
He quit teaching and broke off contact with his students.
He retreated to caring for plants.
Is that taking responsibility?
Well then, even if he did run,
what's wrong with that?
We're not all strong.
It's reasonable to choose
to run away before you're broken.
And yet...
Why do you have to pick at the wound like that?
You wanted me to, didn't you?
You said you wanted to do something for Isozaki.
You said you wanted to get involved.
- But... - Enough.
Kujō-san is right.
Isozaki-san...
We don't know if Hitoe's disappearance
is linked to the case 5 years ago.
But I don't want to make the same mistake again.
Before Hitoe disappeared, she contacted me.
She must have wanted to say something.
This time, I want to listen to my student's voice.
Have you contacted Minami?
Wasn't she friends with Hitoe?
She's rejecting my calls.
Sakurako-san?
Take me to Minami's house.
If there's a clue anywhere,
it'll be there.
Minami said she hadn't spoken to Hitoe since gratuation.
She hasn't been home for 10 days.
What?
Must be staying with a colleague from her part-time job,
or with a man, right?
They sellin' somethin'?
It's Minami's old high school teacher.
Have you contacted her?
No way.
She always rejects my calls.
Where does she work?
Minami.
What?
We heard from your colleague you'd be here.
Hey...
What do you want?!
Hitoe hasn't been home.
Do you know something?
I wouldn't know anything about Hitoe.
You really haven't spoken since graduation?
Drop it! I told you!
There's no way I would, after what happened!
Excuse me, could you keep your voice down...
Chocolate banana parfait!
Eh? Ah, yes.
Ah, um, your voices...
We're sorry.
Not at all...
Excuse me.
- There's a new order. - Thank you.
You and Hitoe were so close.
That was long ago.
I can't trust her anymore.
What happened?
Minami.
That girl...
Hitoe was smiling, 2 days after Futaba went.
- I want you to listen. - I wanna hear it.
- Here. - Thanks.
It's good, right?
Like nothing had ever happened...
Like she'd never been friends with Futaba...
She wasn't the old Hitoe.
She was like someone else.
No way I'd want to be with her.
I didn't want to.
What's it to you, anyway?
Being a teacher this late?
If anything happens to Hitoe...
That's what I'm talking about!
After you ran away from Futaba...
W-what?
I see.
As I thought.
You're quick to become emotional,
your posture is bad, and your facial muscles are slack.
This is due to fatigue
suppressing serotonin secretion.
Did you sleep here last night, too?
What?
Are you telling me to go home?
Even though you don't know
what that man of Mum's might do to me?
I left because of the way he leers at me.
In that case,
come to my house.
Fatigue-induced bad posture
places a burden on the internal organs and intervertebral discs.
If you don't want to walk like an elderly person,
at least stay the night.
Rest on a futon.
Eat some good food.
Are you a doctor?
No, an osteologist.
Huh?
My uncle is a doctor.
He's a forensic doctor, specialising in corpses.
Come to my house.
But first, my chocolate banana parfait.
They're slow.
Ah, wait...
Please, do come in.
Welcome back.
Dinner is ready.
She's made herself at home.
You're Isozaki-san's former student?
This way, please.
It's kind of you to let her stay here.
You don't get it.
What?
Minami is hiding something.
Eh? What do you mean?
She knows that Futaba is dead.
Eh?
She is?
"Hitoe was smiling, 2 days after Futaba went."
She said she couldn't trust her because of that,
but after only 2 days
it was still possible she'd just run away.
Don't you think that attitude
suggests she thought they'd never see Futaba again.
Hey.
Don't tell me
you hadn't considered the possibility Futaba might be dead?
Did you try not to think about it?
Hitoe might not be alive, either.
How can you be so cruel?
Cruel?
I'm just suggesting the possibility.
Hitoe said she'd "disappear", didn't she?
Did she mean she'd go somewhere,
or disappear from this world altogether?
Did you plan to search for her
without being prepared to find a corpse?
Prepared...
You're right, I wasn't prepared.
Isozaki-san...
Look after Minami for tonight.
I'll talk to her again when she's calmer.
Boy, phone him.
Who?
Fried Otaru chicken
It looks great!
- Please, eat plenty. - Okay!
I'll serve yours, Miss.
Here you go.
That's big.
- Here. - Thank you.
- There's so much. - There is.
- Ready... - There.
A good bone.
Delicious.
It's really delicious.
Thinking about it,
it's ages since I've been able to chat to a girl my age.
At work it's all older men.
I see.
I never meet any potential boyfriends.
What about Young Master Shōtarō?
No no no no...
Too many "no"s.
Minami-chan, do you have a boyfriend?
Then what's your type?
What blood type?
You ask from the start?
I know it won't go well with a type B.
Why would blood type affect that?
I've dated three type Bs,
and they were all gigolos.
That's not connected to blood type.
Sorry about this.
Come in, come in.
- In here. - It smells great!
Looks delicious.
What are you doing here, Detectives?
The more the merrier, right?
They're Hachimine Station guys.
Don't call us "guys".
Still, thanks for inviting us.
We normally only see corpses.
This'll heal our spirits.
Where shall we sit?
Here at the counter.
Thanks for the invite.
- Here? - That's fine.
Hey, Kondō, move.
Sorry!
I've got a hilarious story for you.
You keep saying that...
We were chasing this underwear thief,
and the monkey was wearing a bra!
Skipping straight to the punch line?
And it wasn't even funny.
Don't butt in when I'm talking.
Ah, that's right, call Iso-chan.
Isozaki-san?
That's right, Iso-chan.
We went drinking together,
and hit it off big time.
Seems way back his student disappeared,
and he's been worried all this time?
Shouldn't dwell on things for so long.
Right?
What's up?
I just feel sleepy.
Let's prepare you a futon.
Come along.
Will you help?
Yes, of course.
She looked anxious when she heard you're detectives.
I've done my part, right?
Give and take, okay?
See you.
Kondō.
Thanks for the meal.
You didn't have to come with me.
I'm concerned, too.
Oh, a shooting star!
100 million!
Give me 100 million!
Is Kujō-san going to help with your investigation?
100 million... You think I mean yen?
- Yamaji-san. - It's dollars, dollars.
She wants to know because her uncle investigated it.
It's a win-win situation.
She's a civilian.
Leaking investigation details is prohibited.
No one else is looking at it anymore, right?
The boss doesn't like it.
I know it concerns your brother,
but you're trapped by the past...
It's none of your business.
Well, if I'm fired, I'll leave things to you.
Sensei...
I'm...
...going to disappear.
Good morning.
- Studying? - Mm.
I'm presenting work at a symposium soon.
That's why I'm staying with Sakurako-san.
A symposium sounds amazing.
Well, I'm nervous,
but I wanted to use the opportunity.
That's great.
You're brave.
Well, I wouldn't call myself "brave"...
Oh, are you hungry?
Here's yesterday's dessert, apple pie.
Your share.
Sit down.
Gran and I made it.
Eat it if you like.
It's delicious.
Really?
I'm glad.
A friend of mine used to make it.
Apple pie.
Ta-da.
I made apple pie.
- Again? - What do you mean, "again"?
It was always burnt or something,
but it tasted good.
And now?
Eh?
Doesn't that friend make it anymore?
Shouldn't I ask?
Mm...
We don't speak anymore...
You fought?
It may have been my fault.
I should have talked to her,
and faced her properly.
I didn't have the courage.
I see.
Ah, I know.
Would you like a warm drink?
There's some good tea.
How are you feeling?
Sensei...
I'll help search for Hitoe.
Is she the friend you mentioned?
Yes.
Well then, will you tell us?
What you've been hiding.
What?
Why did you sever ties with Hitoe?
You did it from the start.
When Futaba went missing.
If your relationship with Hitoe had been shallow,
it would have made sense when you lost your mutual friend.
But you and Hitoe were childhood friends.
When your mutual friend disappeared,
why did you break up?
I already told you.
She was acting like she'd forgotten Futaba...
Even though Futaba was dead?
And what's more,
when one or both of you caused it,
you couldn't forgive Hitoe alone for forgetting.
Is that true?
Were you and Hitoe involved with Futaba's case?
Minami.
That doesn't matter now.
It's Hitoe we're looking for.
Do you know where she is?
Somewhere close to the school?
When Hitoe telephoned me,
I heard a bird in the background.
A migratory bird called the great reed warbler.
It comes to Japan in this season.
They often visit the wetland near the school.
When we'd just started the second year,
Hitoe told me she was dating someone.
She said he's a photographer,
and he travels the world photographing rare butterflies.
There's a place they'd always meet
when he returned to Japan.
Where's that?
I'll speak to Hitoe.
- Minami... - Sensei!
Please.
Minami!
We'll follow her.
Why did you try to lose us?
Is Hitoe here?
Hitoe!
Are you there?
Hitoe!
What are you doing?
This place is away from view.
For a couple,
it would be a good place for secret trysts.
But also...
The wild roses grow vividly there.
Wait! Wait!
Are you okay?
Sakurako-san?
Stop!
- Stop! Stop! - Wait, what?
- Calm down. - Let go!
Stop it!
Stop!
Will you be able to keep living
with your hidden guilt?
Hitoe...
I'm so glad...
You're safe...
Sensei...
You came...
Minami is outside...
A human radius.
What?
There are cases of red roses blooming overseas
more beautifully in cemeteries than anywhere else.
The roses here have a vivid hue
because they absorb a particular nutrient.
Calcium from human bones.
Kujō-san...
Is that...
Futaba?
What happened here?
Hitoe.
Minami.
She killed herself.
What?
Futaba...
...hung herself here and died.
Hey, shall we die together?
Are you joking?
No, I'm serious.
Every day is so boring, isn't it?
So let's die.
We'll make our parents regret it.
For a reason like that?
I thought it was stupid myself.
So I left...
But when they didn't come out, I was worried...
Futaba? Hitoe?
She hung herself...
Police...
Wait, wait.
Won't we be arrested?
After all,
she kept telling us she wanted to die,
but we didn't stop her.
If there's a fuss,
they'll say it was our fault.
Our lives will be ruined.
It would be best if no one found her body.
That way, we wouldn't be blamed.
They'd just say she killed herself.
We told ourselves that...
Hitoe.
It's over now.
Let's tell the police everything.
Let's tell them she committed suicide.
What are you talking about?
This wasn't a suicide.
What?
The thyoid cartilage and hyoid bone are broken.
Those are flexible in teenage girls,
so if they hang by the neck,
unless the body is very heavy
or they jump from a high place,
they won't break.
Hanging herself from a doorknob,
there's no way they'd break.
What does that mean?
Someone strangled her to death.
No...
It wasn't me!
Did you climb onto her to increase the weight?
You even know that?
What?
You said she killed herself, right?
That's why I helped you bury her...
But...
You killed her?
No...
Hitoe?
Stay back!
If you come closer, I'll...
Hitoe!
Are you okay?
Yamaji-san, it's Tatewaki.
We've found bones we believe are Nishizawa Futaba-san's...
Yes.
Got it, we'll be right there.
- Hey. - Yes, sir.
Any idea where she's gone?
Isozaki-san?
Eh? Wait...
Hitoe!
How did you find me?
You promised Futaba, didn't you?
She'd be reborn with wings,
and fly far away with you and Minami.
What happened?
Tell me.
At that time,
I planned to die, too.
But I was scared
so I said, "Let's stop".
Futaba wouldn't allow that...
We said we'd die together!
What's this, suddenly?
If you're scared, I'll kill you first
and then follow you.
Let's fly away together.
Hitoe...
I was in a daze...
I didn't want to die.
But before I knew it,
Futaba was...
I was so scared...
So I ran away.
But...
This time...
I've decided to follow Futaba.
To go far away...
Hitoe!
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry.
Why are you apologising?
I didn't leave teaching to take responsibility for Futaba's case.
I was scared, too.
I ran away.
Do you know anything about Futaba?
I don't.
It's not your problem, anyway.
Until that happened to Futaba,
I didn't know anything about you three.
I should have faced you properly.
But...
I never realised you were suffering...
I'm sorry.
Will Iso-chan be okay?
That's for the future.
Yamaji-san!
Huh?
We've searched the area where the body was found,
but there's one bone missing.
What?
It's rather strange...
The sphenoid has been removed.
Someone removed the sphenoid bone.
Hitoe told me she was dating someone.
There's a place they'd always meet.
This case isn't over yet.