01x10 - Drowning in a Dry Room [Part 1]

[bunniefuu]

13TH MARCH

(THURSDAY)

[papers rustle]

[YU]

Huh?

[gasps]

TAKANASHI YU,

STARTING 1ST APRIL, 2025

YOU WILL GO WORK

AT JUNSEI MEDICAL

UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL'S

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL MEDICINE.

Uh.

[men panting]

27TH FEBRUARY (THURSDAY)

[Ryuichiro groaning]

THIS ANIME IS A WORK

OF FICTION AND HAS NO

RELATION TO ANY

ACTUAL PERSON OR ORGANIZATION.

THE MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND

EQUIPMENT USED IN THE SHOW

MAY VARY FROM WHAT IS USED

TO TREAT INDIVIDUAL SYMPTOMS.

[KOJIRO]

Hurry up!

[MALE CLERK 1]

It won't open.

The door's locked.

[KOJIRO]

Damn it.

Quickly, brother!

We need it unlocked, now!

[keys jingling]

[DAIKI]

Save me.

Wait.

Daiki?

[groans]

[DAIKI]

Inside your study.

[door opens]

[Daiki groaning]

[RYUICHIRO]

No.

Daiki.

[retching]

[Ryuichiro pukes]

[beep]

INTERNAL LINE:

05 RECEPTION ROOM CALL ENDED

[clothes rustle]

[gasps]

[KOJIRO]

His heart's not beating.

[gasps]

[KOJIRO]

We need to resuscitate him.

Call an ambulance right now!

[MALE CLERK 1]

Yes, sir.

[groans]

[KOJIRO]

One, two, three, four.

[water splashes]

Uh.

[gasps]

[all sigh]

AMEKU M.D.: DOCTOR

DETECTIVE

DEPARTMENT OF INVESTIGATIVE

PATHOLOGY OFFICE

[TAKAO] What's the meaning

of this, Kotori?

[MAZURU]

Per Dr. Takanashi's contract,

after he finishes

his term in March,

he'll return

to the university hospital.

[TAKAO]

That still doesn't explain

why he has to go back!

Because of

the General Medicine Department

at my parent hospital,

Junsei Medical.

I don't know why,

but a doctor there,

he's unable to keep working.

- So I'm replacing him.

- And?

Specifically, why is he

suddenly unable to work?

[YU] I heard he got caught up

in something serious.

[TAKAO]

Good grief.

Is this set in stone?

Mostly.

Sometime around next week,

the hospital will

officially confirm it.

Beginning in April,

when he's gone,

a different doctor

will replace him.

Look.

Dr. Takao.

You shouldn't worry.

Whoever they get, I know

it'll be someone like me.

They'll support you.

[TAKAO]

Someone like you?

[YU]

Hm?

I couldn't be happier

you're going

back to that university!

What a relief

not having this birdbrain

slowing me down anymore!

- Cool it with the name calling!

- [MAZURU] Takao!

Small birds have small brains.

It's basic science.

I don't even

want to see your face!

Don't wait till March!

Get out, now!

[door opens]

[MAZURU] I'm so sorry

about Takao's attitude.

[YU]

Don't be.

I think the idea of losing you

is proving too much

for her to handle.

She's anxious.

She doesn't work well

with others.

[grunts]

TENIKAI GENERAL HOSPITAL

[door slides open]

[MAI] All right!

Explain!

- Hm? Sorry?

- Just what do you mean

you're leaving our hospital

at the end of the month?

Would you please calm down?

Yeah, and how do you

expect me to do that?

[YU]

There's nothing I can do.

My department ordered me back.

More importantly,

how did you hear

about me leaving?

[MAI] Dr. Takao called me

late last night.

She sounded super angry.

Like she'd been

stewing all day.

[bangs]

What is it?

This is your plan?

- Just abandoning her?

- Huh?

[YU]

I'm not abandoning anyone.

[MAI]

All I know is,

the two of you

make a really great duo.

[Yu sighs]

You're not the first.

[phone chimes]

Uh?

- A message?

- Hm?

[MAI]

From Dr. Takao?

MARCH 14TH

2025 FROM AMEKU

TAKAO COME TO THE

HOUSE NOW. ASAP!

[clock ticks]

[TAKAO]

Sure took your time.

[YU]

Yeah, sorry about that.

Emergencies kept pouring in.

Kuwata.

Huh?

[TAKAO]

Seiji Kuwata.

That's the name of the doctor

who got into trouble

and isn't allowed to work, right?

That's right.

Why, what's wrong?

[TAKAO] Junsei Medical

University Hospital.

He was a superior

and is currently

implicated in m*rder.

What?

[TAKAO]

He hasn't been arrested yet.

But it says here

he's been taken in

for questioning.

For m*rder?

No way.

Furthermore,

this doesn't seem to be

your average m*rder case.

[chuckles excitedly]

It's a locked-room mystery!

[car door shuts]

[YU]

So, where do you want to go?

[TAKAO]

Read this first.

[YU]

Huh?

"On the twelfth,

the Metropolitan Police's

Tanashi Station sent documents

to the prosecutor's office

on Dr. Kuwata Ryuichiro,

chairman of Kuwata General."

"He is suspected of violating

the Medical Practitioners' Act

by failing to report a possible

unnatural death to the police."

[TAKAO]

The "unnatural death"

is the victim

in this m*rder case.

Ryuichiro Kuwata

is Seiji's father.

He was there at the time

the individual died.

We'll get details from him.

I'm shocked

you could get an appointment.

Well, we're both doctors.

Seems he's heard rumors

about my genius.

[YU]

I have no doubt.

[TAKAO]

He sounded pretty eager

for us to help

prove his son's innocence.

[engine revving]

[birds chirping]

♪

[RYUICHIRO]

It's his fault.

All of it.

He's truly gone and messed

everything up this time.

[YU]

Um, excuse me,

but who are you referring to?

[RYUICHIRO]

Hmm.

Daiki, my

KUWATA GENERAL HOSPITAL

CHAIRMAN KUWATA RYUICHIRO

Well, he was my eldest son.

[YU]

Huh?

So the victim was

Kuwata's older brother?

[RYUICHIRO]

Yes, that's right.

Before we go further,

tell me about Daiki Kuwata.

He was just a brainless thug.

I enrolled him

in a prestigious school.

But not only did he manage

to fall in with a bad crowd

while attending,

he got expelled for threatening

a fellow classmate over money.

After moving out,

he kept coming back,

asking for more money.

Since there was no end

to his requests,

I eventually had no choice

but to cut him off.

Later,

he snuck into my study

looking for cash.

Any checkbooks he could steal.

And believe it or not,

even the deed to the house.

[YU]

Was he successful?

[RYUICHIRO] No.

A servant caught him in the act

before he could take anything.

I decked him on the spot

[thud]

and cut all ties with him.

After that incident,

it would be several years

before I saw Daiki again.

What caused him to deviate

from the straight and narrow?

[RYUICHIRO]

Huh?

I'm asking

if there's a reason behind it.

[grunts]

I don't see

how that's

pertinent information.

[TAKAO]

Maybe not you,

but that's up to me to decide.

[grunts]

After starting school,

Daiki's mother

chose to take her own life.

- Uh.

- [TAKAO] So his mother

committed suicide

and the shock of it

caused him to rebel?

Just now,

you referred to her

as Daiki's mother.

Does that mean

Seiji and Daiki are

from different mothers?

[RYUICHIRO]

Yes.

My two sons are half-brothers.

Seiji was from a relationship

with another woman.

When my wife found out,

she grew mentally unstable

and eventually

took her own life.

[TAKAO]

Afterwards,

did you marry

Seiji Kuwata's mother?

[RYUICHIRO]

Hmm.

About a year after

my first wife passed away,

she and I wed.

My second wife passed away

from cancer three years ago.

[TAKAO] All right.

Take me through

the day in question,

step-by-step.

[RYUICHIRO] We were

celebrating my seventieth.

As well as holding a party

in honor

of the hospital's

thirty-fifth anniversary.

When suddenly,

Daiki made an appearance.

[YU]

Did he receive an invitation?

[RYUICHIRO]

Of course not.

I don't even know

how he found out about it.

♪

[MEMBER 1] Allow me

to offer my congratulations.

[MALE CLERK 2]

Sorry, but you can't go in.

[RYUICHIRO]

Thank you very much.

You've always

[MEMBER 1] Huh?

[RYUICHIRO] Huh?

Hey, old man!

Long time no see.

Daiki, you're

Banished?

Got to say,

pretty arrogant of you

to be partyin' like this.

Especially after

disownin' your own son.

Oh, by the way, folks.

My mother died

because of this man.

You know he had a child

with another woman?

After the funeral,

he goes and makes her

his second wife.

And then kicks me

out of my home.

So happy seventieth

to this scumbag!

[drink splashes]

[glass shatters]

[DAIKI] What?

Don't tell me

you haven't thought

the same thing.

All right, brother.

That's enough.

Look who's here.

So, Seiji,

you think

you can order me around?

- [Ryuichiro gasps]

- [DAIKI] How 'bout now?

He actually hit him?

Was he all right?

No, not at all.

There was blood.

A lot, from a head wound.

Naturally,

I ordered him

to go to our hospital

for treatment.

And then,

I proceeded to kick Daiki

out of the party hall for good.

Which only made him angrier.

Initially, there was a ruckus.

But he left when I threatened

to phone up the police.

If things had gone as planned,

I was to make an announcement.

How I was retiring

in a few years

and Seiji would

take over my role

as the hospital's chairman.

But once again,

[thuds]

he had to go

and ruin everything!

[YU] The event in question

happened right after that?

[RYUICHIRO]

Yes.

While cleaning up

after the party,

the house phone rang.

[RYUICHIRO]

causing me trouble.

[phone ringing]

INTERNAL LINE:

03 STUDY CONNECTED

[RYUICHIRO]

An internal call?

[grunts]

[DAIKI]

Save me.

Wait.

Daiki?

[groans]

[DAIKI]

Inside your study.

Just to be safe,

I took a few other people

along with me up to the study.

[YU]

Who were they?

[RYUICHIRO]

There was my little brother

and medical director

of Kuwata Hospital, Kojiro,

and one of the hospital clerks.

I wasn't feeling my best.

I got there

a little after them.

[MALE CLERK 1]

It won't open.

[RYUICHIRO] We unlocked

the door and entered.

[all gasp]

[RYUICHIRO] Daiki had collapsed

in the middle of the room.

[RYUICHIRO]

No.

Daiki.

[RYUICHIRO]

He was in cardiac arrest.

[TAKAO] So this is the scene

of our locked-room m*rder?

[RYUICHIRO] Kojiro immediately

started chest compressions

to no avail.

He was taken

to the emergency room,

but died

early the next morning.

[YU] Afterwards, you wrote

on his death certificate

he had died from an illness,

and then had him cremated.

Yes.

[YU]

In a situation like this,

the Medical Practitioners' Act

requires you

to contact the police

before taking any other action.

[RYUICHIRO]

I know.

But I haven't

practiced in years

and didn't recall

the law at the time.

[TAKAO]

Why would the police

launch an investigation

in the first place?

You didn't report

an unnatural death.

It was an internal complaint.

[YU]

Who made it?

[RYUICHIRO] Someone whispering

lies into the police's ears.

They claimed

Daiki was m*rder*d

and I was trying to conceal

evidence a crime

had been committed.

[door creaks shut]

Hmm.

[TAKAO] Would you say

this room is typically locked?

No.

It's possible

for any occupant of the house

to freely enter.

Having said that,

only Seiji and I have

a key to lock it.

[TAKAO] And yet,

on the day of the incident,

the door was secured.

Correct?

[RYUICHIRO] Yes.

There's no question about that.

[TAKAO] When you found

Daiki Kuwata on the floor,

what position

were the window locks in?

[RYUICHIRO]

They were latched.

All of them were closed.

[chuckles softly]

Then this is really

a genuine locked room mystery.

Why did he go into

cardiac arrest on that day?

Were there obvious

external wounds?

[RYUICHIRO] The most likely

cause of death

[bubbling]

was drowning.

[YU]

He drowned?

In this room?

[TAKAO]

Fascinating.

The eldest boy was

kicked out of the party hall

only to end up in a locked room

with water in his lungs.

♪

Now this is more my speed!

AMEKU M.D.: DOCTOR DETECTIVE

How could he have

drowned in here?

[RYUICHIRO]

I don't know.

I guess he did.

His mouth was full of water.

When Kojiro started

doing chest compressions,

he coughed up a fountain.

[gasps]

Do you know why Daiki would

be inside your study?

Obviously venting over

being kicked out of the party.

Or attempting to steal

something of value.

[TAKAO]

That's laughable.

[RYUICHIRO]

Huh?

Meaning?

[TAKAO]

I'll return to that later.

When you saw him,

you believed somebody was

responsible for his condition.

Say, for instance,

Seiji Kuwata had

drowned his brother in revenge

and dragged his body up here.

Am I far off?

Huh?

His own brother?

You said only two people

had room keys.

Yourself and one other person.

That's why you risked ignoring

the Medical Practitioners' Act

and documented his

cause of death as illness.

You even cremated him

before a proper autopsy

could be performed.

To protect your son.

Hmm.

[RYUICHIRO] That's surely

what the police think.

They currently suspect him.

[TAKAO] Doesn't Seiji Kuwata

have an alibi?

Surely he went to the hospital

to get his head wound seen to.

[RYUICHIRO]

No.

Seiji never ventured

far from the property.

[TAKAO]

Huh?

[RYUICHIRO] The bleeding

stopped right away,

so he parked on a nearby street

and waited until

his anger had subsided.

The heck?

You're joking, right?

So he was all alone in his car

for a few hours?

Is it any wonder the police

have their suspicions?

[RYUICHIRO]

Seiji can't be the culprit!

He's such a good child.

I refuse to believe

he's capable

of k*lling his own brother!

KUWATA GENERAL

[YU]

Severe cerebral edema.

[TAKAO]

He had hypoxic encephalopathy

from cardiac arrest.

Daiki Kuwata's death

was officially pronounced

just around

4 o'clock in the morning,

right before dawn.

And were you the one

that made the official call?

[AKIRA] No.

It was the chairman,

Dr. Ryuichiro.

Was it, now?

Do you believe

this person died from drowning?

Uh. I can't say

with absolute certainty.

We didn't perform

an autopsy, but

- still.

- Yes?

Go on.

Take a look at this.

When the patient was intubated,

water back-flowed up the tube.

If you want to know

my personal opinion,

I'd say there's a good chance

this patient did

die from drowning.

I see.

[light switch clicks]

Sorry for bothering you

while you're so busy.

Thank you.

It's fine.

Director?

I'll excuse myself.

Yes, go right ahead.

Something tells me

this incident

is also causing you

a whole lot of trouble,

Director.

[KOJIRO]

You've no idea.

A real headache.

For the last few days,

I've been working

on practically no sleep.

[TAKAO] Were you aware

Seiji Kuwata was going

to be appointed

the next chairman?

Yeah.

I knew, but

the announcement

was never made.

- 'Cause of this mess.

- [YU] Hm?

[KOJIRO]

You wanted to go

to the plastic surgery

department next?

[TAKAO] Please.

Lead the way.

KUWATA SEIJI

The day after the party,

it was you who treated

Seiji Kuwata's wound.

Is that correct?

Yes, that was me.

The bleeding had stopped,

so there wasn't much

that could be done

except disinfect the wound

and wrap it in medical gauze.

How would you describe

Seiji Kuwata's mental state

at the time?

Now that you mention it,

he seemed less calm than usual.

[TAKAO]

Hm?

The word "usual" would imply

you're somewhat

familiar with him.

[YUKO] Hm.

You could say that.

We have a conversation

every once in a while.

Dr. Seiji works part-time

at this hospital

and is around

about once a week.

I'm here three days a week,

so our schedules will

sometimes overlap.

[YU]

Only three days?

[YUKO] I started working

part-time after I got married.

[TAKAO]

Mmm.

[YUKO]

Um.

How is Dr. Seiji holding up?

I heard the police suspect him.

This early

in the investigation,

we can't be sure of anything.

[YUKO]

I understand.

The police have questioned me

a number of times on the issue.

I tell them what I can.

They keep asking

about Dr. Seiji.

[TAKAO] All right, Kotori.

Let's head back.

Huh?

You mean we're leaving already?

[TAKAO] I need to go home

and think things over.

Oh, and thanks.

[YU]

Hey, wait.

Uh.

I'm sorry.

We've taken up

enough of your time.

Thanks for your help.

Oh.

It's fine.

[footsteps receding]

[door slides shut]

Hm.

[TAKAO] Catch up, Kotori,

or I'll leave you behind.

[YU]

How do you expect to do that?

You can't get back without me.

[TAKAO]

Untrue.

As long as I have the keys,

I can drive myself back.

Wait.

So you have a license?

A golden one!

No accidents or tickets!

That's easy to earn

when you never drive anywhere.

[Takao gasps]

[TAKAO]

Blame my sister.

She won't let me.

[YU]

Smart move.

So here's the deal,

Miss Gold License.

You can just sit quietly

in the passenger seat.

[gasps]

How dare you!

Gimme your keys, now!

I'm gonna show you my skills!

Absolutely not.

My last car went up in flames

and I just bought this one.

I still have to pay the loan.

[TAKAO] Shut up!

Your superior's ordering you!

[YU]

If you keep being unreasonable,

guess I'll be forced to

call Mazuru and tell her.

[gasps]

[TAKAO]

That's cheating!

[YU]

Still, I'm glad.

It looks like you're finally

back to your normal self.

Huh?

After seeing

how angry you got yesterday,

I was a little bit

worried about you.

But now that you're focused

on this case--

[TAKAO]

Don't be stupid!

What do you think

I'm doing this for?

[YU] Um.

[TAKAO] Seiji Kuwata

will be exonerated

when I solve this.

In other words, he can go back

to his usual duties

at the hospital.

And they won't make you return

to that dumb university.

You mean

[TAKAO]

Duh.

I'm doing all this

so you can stay

in Investigative Pathology.

[YU]

Dr. Takao.

[TAKAO] The key to breaking

this case is figuring out

how a man can drown inside

a locked room with no water.

Trust me, Kotori.

There isn't a mystery

I can't solve.

Hm.

Uh.

[chuckles softly]

[YU]

I know.

♪