Thank you for taking the time to see me.
What a nice little shop.
No, thank you for coming to see me.
This place was a recommendation of a friend of mine.
I have a number of things to ask you.
Yes. And I have a lot of things I'd like to explain.
"Stand My Heroes"
It looked like you and Kaname had no idea about that data.
Correct. But you did.
You said it was a new drug being developed by Omori Pharmaceuticals.
Please tell me. What is Square?
It's a drug that is tied to the DCD's current investigation.
And that investigation...
"New drug" "(Developed by Omori Pharmaceuticals) (The base drug for Plus)"
Plus-0?
It's official name is Square.
In the sample photo, there were two tablets in one set.
We can pretty much tell from the reports Izumi gathered
that Square is what Plus was modeled after.
Which means we can pretty much say that it is the new drug
that Omori Pharmaceuticals was developing.
"New drug" "(Developed by Omori Pharmaceuticals) (The base drug for Plus)" that Omori Pharmaceuticals was developing.
So apparently Mr. Aoyama was correct.
If the data needed to create Plus came from the Kujo Family...
...doesn't this mean we've caught Kujo red-handed?
That'd be jumping to conclusions.
We need proof first.
We can't let this information out before then.
That includes to Miyase.
I'm sorry, I can't go into the details.
Do you think that the Kujo Family is connected with this?
We do believe that that's a possibility.
Does this also have to do with STAND?
That... I'm personally not sure.
I see.
To be honest, I have regrets.
If you're correct, I might need to distance myself from that house.
But preparing meals, cleaning the mansion, and working hard so he can sleep well...
I don't think I can change my routine.
I think I'm a little uncertain about what I should do...
Would you be willing to help me out?
If there are any suspicions, we will look into it completely and gather proof.
That's the job of the DCD.
We just have to keep searching for the truth.
I believe that your will is also part of the proof we need.
You're one of the closest people to him, so if you believe that Mr. Kujo is innocent,
we have to look into it to see if it's true or not.
And, for that to happen, we need your help, Mr. Miyase.
You want to officially ask Go Miyase to cooperate with us?
Yes.
It would be nice to get more internal information on the Kujo Family
even if it came with some risks, but this may end up hurting you in the end.
Are you sure about Miyase?
I believe it'll be okay.
In that case, I'll leave this to you.
Huh?
Why do you seem so surprised?
You came to this decision on your own, didn't you?
Just be bold as you were earlier.
Yes, sir!
Is Kujo still at the office?
Yes...
That's a rather lifeless response.
Is it?
Kujo's condition refuses to stabilize as is.
I don't need you collapsing on me, too.
I don't know the details, but the person he counts on the most is you.
Hello.
Please, come this way.
I was trying to figure out where we could relax and talk...
But I apologize if this isn't to your liking.
It's fine.
Oh, geraniums.
How pretty.
I'm glad I got to show you them just like I promised.
Were you in the middle of working with them?
I replant them every season.
Do you decide what to plant?
Yes.
How to care for a flower depends on what kind it is,
but it's a very nice thing seeing them sprout just how you wanted.
Wow, that sounds fun.
Would you like to give it a try?
Huh?
Like this?
Yes. Now add a little more soil...
And you're done.
Yes!
Pardon me a moment.
You had a little dirt on your cheek.
S-Sorry for causing you trouble!
You have such small hands.
And you're trying to grasp at the shapeless truth with those hands.
You are a very strong person.
I'm sure you're going to continue forward, straight and true.
Mr. Miyase...
I'd been in Mr. Kujo's care ever since I was a child.
That's why I believe that I see him as my older brother.
I believe in Mr. Kujo.
My mind won't change on that matter.
Miss Izumi, knowing that fact,
would you still be able to take my hand?
This is exactly why I asked for your help, Mr. Miyase.
Very well. I will help you out.
Mr. Miyase gave us a promising reply.
I see. That's a great catch.
Can we really trust this man?
He's not after your body, is he?
Could you not say it like that?
But even if he's willing to help us,
I'm sure he won't be able to tell us everything considering his position.
We probably need to simplify what we want to ask him.
Right, but there are so many unknowns, so we don't know where to start.
Things would go a little smoother if STAND was a bit more cooperative.
I actually have a plan concerning that.
Wow, that's a lot.
Is that all for that one case?
Yeah. Where did Mr. Hattori go?
I haven't heard from him ever since he left all that with you.
Good luck with that.
Natsuki, how'd the questioning go?
Yeah... Nothing's changed.
He just keeps saying that he has nothing to say.
I see. If Makoto Tsuzuki would actually cooperate,
we could move forward with the Anonymous Case.
There's been nothing new. Just all those old files.
The DCD... Or rather, Rei's been pretty quiet lately.
I'm sure she would be considering what happened.
Hello.
Um, there was something I wanted to discuss with all of you.
Wait, this again?
What did you want to talk about?
I've been scouting Mr. Kujo for a few weeks now,
but it's not going very easily.
If you receive any additional information not in the files, could you tell me?
What?
Of course, we can't.
You're not a part of STAND, therefore we have nothing to tell you.
Does that mean that Mr. Kujo is involved
with the case STAND is currently investigating?
I may not be a member of STAND, but I am the scout for STAND.
And I am absolutely doing my best to do this job right.
So for that to happen, could you at least tell me something?
There's been nothing more than the files we already have.
Understood.
Thank you very much.
Well, she seems to be back on her feet already.
And ready to cause trouble again.
STAND has found out something about Mr. Kujo.
That's more information than I need.
Mr. Aoyama.
Arakida. Good work.
Izumi came to see us this morning.
Right. She went to get information on Kujo.
Sorry for the trouble.
This isn't part of your plan?
No.
Though our hands are being tied, so I'm sure she's doing whatever she can.
But it's always been like that.
Wasn't she just chosen to be in the DCD because of her condition?
At first, yes.
But Izumi is currently doing everything she can to not rely on her condition.
You're the one who gave her that advice, aren't you?
That wasn't my intention...
But that's how she took it.
That's how she is.
I was pretty sure that you figured that out by now.
"Sosei Arakida"
Huh?
Hello, this is Izumi.
Are you working right now?
Yes... Oh, but I have some time.
I see.
Um...
I still don't think I was wrong when I called you naïve.
Right...
But... there were things I didn't see.
And the reason I couldn't admit that was because of my bias.
You're not just some princess that needed protection.
I'm sorry for how I was acting.
Oh, no! Please don't apologize!
You were exactly right, Mr. Arakida.
I'm not skilled enough to stand with all of you yet.
The reason I'm here to begin with is due to my drug immunity.
It made me feel inferior.
Even then, I didn't really care at first.
If I could be of use to everyone because of my condition.
But I can't protect anyone like that.
I figured out that I have to think on my own as an agent of the DCD.
Your words made me realize that, Mr. Arakida.
I want to become stronger,
so I can protect the weak and support them.
That's why I decided
that I won't look down anymore.
I guess that's just how you are.
Huh?
The unidentified corpse that was found in connection to the Anonymous Case...
If we can find out who that was, it should help make Soma Kujo cooperate.
Is that...
That's information I can give you as a scout.
You're having trouble negotiating with him, aren't you?
Mr. Arakida.
I can't help any more.
I'm a member of STAND, and you are not.
That doesn't change.
Even then, we both want to solve this case.
I will do everything I possibly can in my position.
Right.
I see. So that's where we are with the Anonymous Case.
I'll take care of the rest.
About that...
Izumi is asking if we can look into the identity of the victim from that case.
Rei is pretty reliable after all if she was able to get that far on her own.
So you're saying that you want to give her this information, Maki?
It's just Kei. I feel the same.
I know it's information that's tied to the Kujo Family,
but it's not information that'll determine the culprit.
I don't think you need to worry about it.
What did you get from this information?
Do you think Kujo is guilty?
Under the current circumstances...
...we can't say.
But, if we hide this right now,
I think we're being insincere to both Mr. Kujo and Izumi.
I see.
If you want to help her out, go ahead.
But I'm saying that because I trust you three.
And we trust you, too, Hiyama.
I see.
"The name of the victim from the Anonymous Case is Yuki Hibiya."
"Yuki Hibiya"
The Omori Pharmaceutical Company.
Now this ties Mr. Kujo with the Anonymous Case.
"You're in really deep right now. Be careful."
So about this Hibiya person you gave me a call about the other day...
Yes. You said you didn't know who they were, correct?
Yes, but I found something out after that.
Really?
It's not official, but we found this record.
Did Kaname find this?
Mr. Hibiya was a talented researcher,
but all of his work records have been wiped after a certain point.
He's been missing ever since.
So right around the Anonymous Case...
The Anonymous Case?
Oh, it's nothing...
Also, regarding Square that you were so interested in...
...he was a central figure in its development.
Thank you for taking the time to see us.
Let's cut the pleasantries. You had something to report?
Yes, sir.
Regarding Soma Kujo, the person we're currently scouting...
It's become clear that we need to investigate him further.
There is a possibility that he's tied to a drug we're currently investigating.
And?
Wouldn't it be better to hold off on scouting him
until we know his involvement for sure?
And do you have any proof of this?
Nothing worth showing you yet, sir.
Then I'm not sure if that's enough to make my decision.
But, if we were to get solid proof,
it would affect his reliability in becoming a member of STAND.
I understand what you're trying to say.
But currently, the MPD has control over all STAND matters.
I apologize, but this is out of my hands.
In that case, I'm going to go talk to the MPD. Are you all right with that?
Do as you please.
How did it go?
They refused to see me.
I see...
But there's one thing that's clear now.
The brass is plotting something.
Our higher-ups know about there being some dark,
drug-related rumors concerning the Kujo Family.
What we presented them with today would've been enough
for the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to put pressure on the Kujo Family.
It was ideal information.
Not only did they not bite, they tried to stop us, which is strange.
It also concerns me that all the candidates for STAND
have some ties to the Anonymous Case.
That was bothering me a little, as well.
Maki, who was taken hostage as the suspect tried to flee.
Makoto, who is being questioned about the case.
His younger brother Kyosuke.
The Kujo Family, who's being suspected to be behind all of this.
And Aoyama has ties with the Aoyama Trading Company,
who was funding the development of the new drug.
STAND is supposed to be an agency that looks into unsolved cases.
In that case, it makes sense for them to be looking into the Anonymous Case.
--But... --Everything's too convenient.
I looked into why STAND was created with Aoyama,
but we couldn't find anything.
There's just too little information.
The more we look into it,
the more it feels like they're trying to hide something.
The one who looks completely guilty.
The person who believes in him, no matter what.
The ones who should be on our side become more and more mysterious.
The closer we get the more the truth changes its shape,
confusing us even further.
I couldn't shake that feeling,
and it made me hesitate to take a step further into the darkness in front of us.
I'm going to go see Mr. Arakida for a bit.
Sure. Tell him hi for me.
Come on, you know you shouldn't be in here.
Mr. Hattori.
I even gave you a fair warning,
but I guess you still want to poke your nose where it doesn't belong.
"Received Message" "Don't get involved any further if you don't want to die"