01x02 - Episode 2

[bunniefuu]

SENGOKU WEEKLY

Hello, Sengoku Weekly.

I have a scoop.

What kind of scoop?

I saw a cat holding a human hand

in its mouth.

A human hand?

I thought a tabloid might take action

on something like this.

Shinoda, you gotta be fed up

with people trying to trick you.

Could you tell me more?

How much do you pay for information?

We can discuss that after I determine

if this is a potential article.

Where did it happen?

It happened at an old residential area

north of the Umegaya shopping arcade.

The building is now abandoned,

but unfortunately

I don't know the exact address.

Is it next to a baker's shop?

Yes!

One moment, please.

By the way,

is it possible the cat had a piece

of bread in its mouth, not an arm?

Huh?!

Oh! It's not that I doubt you.

It was no bread!

I know what I saw!

When did you see it?

Just now!

It should still be in the area.

Tell me the details

from when you saw it.

There's a thin cinderblock wall

in the back,

and the cat was slowly walking on it

from the right to the left.

And the cat had the hand in its mouth.

How could you tell

it was a human hand?

There was a ring.

Could it have been a doll?

It was unmistakably a human hand.

How can you be so certain?

It was red and dirty where it was severed.

What's up?

It also smelled awful, so I'm sure of it!

The cat was walking on the wall, right?

I'm impressed you even noticed

the cat from so far away.

Well, I heard it cry.

So, um…

You said you were on the road,

and saw the ring.

Which means the back of the hand itself

was facing the road.

Meaning the cut should've been

on the opposite side.

So how could you tell it was red?

Did the cat make a U-turn

on the thin wall?

And if it cried out, it would've

had to put the hand down first.

So where did it drop it?

She hung up.

Sounds like a scam.

Probably after money.

There are people like that,

so stay vigilant.

Another dead end.

Ms. Shinoda.

Yes?

Are you free?

I need a high school girl.

Say what?

Sorry I took a while.

Sorry about this.

I wonder if you remember this story.

A woman who died from an unexpected

accident in a Shinagawa park last month.

I vaguely remember.

Well, we found a picture of the victim

with a high school girl.

We tried to meet this girl to talk to her,

but somehow, she's gone missing.

Her name is Madoka Hashimoto.

We basically have no leads.

All we know is she had a part-time

job for a few months since last fall.

It's some clothing store by the station

that's popular with young women.

It'd be really helpful if you could

pin down which shop.

I'd like you to approach them

by saying her mother asked you

to look for your missing classmate.

You could pass for a high school kid.

Just replace your shoes and bag.

So go ahead,

you'll be reimbursed for them.

Right now?

Yes.

Madoka Hashimoto was

part of the Movie Club,

and she was cheerful and outgoing,

with average grades.

You can show this picture if necessary,

but don't offer your card.

Good luck.

Wait!

So I find her workplace,

then what?

If you figure out her workplace,

we might find out where she currently is.

Okay, you've got this.

Hold on!

What do I wear?

Something fit for

a high-school girl, right?

Why are you asking me?

Anyway, you'll be fine as long as

you don't look like an office worker.

Sorry.

I'm supposed to meet someone now.

Good luck.

You're right, she's the only one

who could take on this mission.

But she's late.

Has she messaged you?

MS. SHINODA

THIS FEELS CRINGE

Nope, nothing.

Yeah?

I'm worried she might be panicking.

DID SOMETHING HAPPEN?

Mr. Murai!

I'm back.

Good job.

Were you okay?

I didn't have time to change

before coming back.

Let's meet up in the conference

room for a debriefing at 18:00.

Let Akutsu know, too.

Excuse me.

Can I get a comment?

Good work.

SENGOKU WEEKLY

Really?

Your fit is on point today.

Like that, right?

Even if you say it as a joke…

No, I'm quite serious!

Also, what was that message?

Sorry, I sent that to you by mistake.

I thought I sent that to Asuka,

a coworker in sales.

I see.

Canvassing is tough.

How did you do it?

Well.

There were so many shops.

I just basically repeatedly approached

the staff who were on the floor.

I asked if Madoka Hashimoto

ever worked there.

Then I mentioned that Madoka

hasn't been home lately.

Those were my talking points.

The first shop was a bust,

but I felt some relief when I realized

I just had to repeat these two steps.

But then the second shop

was really uncooperative.

And when I told the third

that her mother asked me to do this,

they asked me if that was true.

I panicked so hard,

I thought my heart would burst.

What gave it away?

It seems she didn't get along

with her mother.

So they doubted a mother like that

would ask me to help.

That makes sense.

We should go.

Yeah.

After hearing that,

I asked the worker how they knew that.

Good point.

According to this coworker,

Ms. Hashimoto worked there

from last fall to the new year,

hiding that she was still in high school.

They often had their breaks together,

and Hashimoto did mention a boy,

but the staff didn't remember the details.

Hashimoto also wanted to model,

and considered auditioning.

She told the coworker about

attending a seminar in that field.

That's all I've got.

Sounds like great work!

Good job. This doesn't always work out.

Even without results,

this legwork is important.

Tabloids are made up from an accumulation

of misses and dead ends.

We're finished if we neglect that.

Never forget that.

Anyway, great work.

Excuse me.

What do you mean by "finished"?

Our article quality.

The amount of work put in.

Every small detail

depends on the care we put in it.

If we cut corners, our quality dips.

If our quality dips, we lose trust.

If a tabloid loses trust,

it's finished.

You'll get it eventually.

Anyway, good work.

Good work today.

Shinoda, you can pull off disguises.

What?

Is it working?

I could use your help on something.

But before that,

I want you to go to Niigata tomorrow.

Here's a b*llet train ticket.

TOKYO TO NIIGATA

What's the job?

Let's talk over dinner.

I hope she is safe.

Just go home already.

I'm praying nothing has happened,

and that this picture

won't need to get published.

Thanks for waiting.

- I'm sure you're curious about the job.

- Yes.

Kota Kubozuka, age 27.

In his teenage years,

he caused an as*ault case.

At the time, he was under the care

of a Mr. Kazuo Watanabe.

They lived in Niigata City at the time,

but Kubozuka moved to Tokyo with friends.

Mr. Watanabe is currently

living in a home in Tokyo.

But to be sure, I want to check

their Niigata residence.

To check if Mr. Watanabe is there?

Making sure he's not there

is part of the job.

So this is an intel gathering mission.

Make sure you ring the doorbell.

Okay.

And even if nobody answers,

can you check

if the meters are running?

And also walk a lap around the house.

Understood.

Thanks.

The next morning, I went to Niigata

with plans to come back within the day.

But I got lost

and now I'm in the home of a stranger

I interviewed this afternoon.

I managed to make it

to Mr. Watanabe's house,

but then I got lost on the way back.

And then it got dark.

And then my phone died,

so I couldn't call anyone.

And then it started raining hard.

And then I saw a sign that said

beware of bears--

Maybe come in?

For now, you should come in.

Here, dry yourself off.

Come on, you'll catch a cold!

Thank you, I'm sorry!

I'm terribly sorry to ask,

but could I charge my phone here?

Are you going somewhere again?

Back to Tokyo.

You can't go back today!

It'll be tomorrow, most likely.

Stay the night here.

We have a spare room.

Take a bath, get a good night's sleep,

and then go home tomorrow, okay?

Thank you very much!

Ms. Shinoda?

Yes?

How's the water? Not too hot?

It's perfect.

Thank you.

That's good to hear.

Enjoy.

Thank you.

In the mountains of Niigata,

I encountered human warmth

I had not felt in a while.

But what am I even doing?

I didn't join a publisher

to do stuff like this.

Are my daughter's pajamas too big?

Not at all.

It's perfect.

Thank you.

Is Sengokusha that publisher?

Yes.

I read it sometimes.

Let's see…

Here.

That's the Weekly Truth

from our rival company.

This isn't it?

But Sengokusha is well-known.

- I'll help.

- Don't be silly.

Sit down.

But I assumed if it's a tabloid,

the reporters would be more experienced.

You're a full-time employee?

Yes.

I joined last spring after graduating.

They sent a girl

in her second year on the job

to a place this remote by herself?

Even if it's just research,

that's so dangerous.

It's not really research.

More like, gathering intel.

Watanabe wasn't there, was he?

No.

I think he moved to a group home

in Tokyo two years ago.

He lived alone,

so his house has been empty

for a while.

I knew that coming in.

You knew it

and they still sent you anyway?

Checking to make sure

he wasn't here is part of the job.

You're impressive for someone so young.

Do you visit home often?

I'm sure your folks worry.

My parents don't know I've transferred

to the Incident Team,

they think I'm still editing the PR zine.

I'm sure they'd love a call from you.

Can you drink?

I'm still on the clock.

Sorry.

Do you usually drink?

Yes, I do. A bit.

What'll happen if you get drunk?

Don't ask her that!

- I'm so sorry.

- It's okay.

Why don't you come sit here?

Thank you.

I go drinking a lot

with my friend in sales.

And she says I don't change at all.

Really?

You hear me, stupid Sengokusha!

Cut it out.

I'm so done.

I'm going to quit!

Keep your voice down, it's embarrassing.

ASUKA MEGURO

Who cares, nobody's listening!

The bartender's here.

How much did I tell you?

I went to Niigata--

That's enough. Let's just go home.

I rang the doorbell in the rain.

You said that already.

They let you spend the night.

Yeah.

That's it.

You gotta listen to what happened!

I'm listening!

And then--

I woke up in the morning,

and helped with the laundry.

Then they fed me again.

Then they drove me to the station,

and I couldn't thank them enough.

I didn't think they'd ever

accept any money from me,

so I left some money and a letter

on my bedding.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP

I think the wife will find it.

I'm surprised you had letter paper.

I always do.

So you really are

doing your best at work.

Yes, exactly, I'm trying so hard!

You're being relied on.

But if they ever ask me

to do some weird job again,

I'm definitely turning it down.

Will you though?

Can you?

I bet you're secretly feeling fulfilled.

Give me another!

MULTIPLE SUSPICIOUS DEATHS

HARUE KOMIYAMA

MADOKA HASHIMOTO

KOTA KUBOZUKA - FUGITIVE

You've reached Sengoku Weekly.

TO BE CONTINUED

We might catch them sleeping over.

An outfit to trick an up-and-coming

influencer and the Blue Ranger.

This apartment is our target's home.

You make a living on others' misery.

I thought I was

a stronger person than this.