Original subtitles

People cannot know what lies in the hearts of others.

Even those closest to you, those you love.

They still keep secrets.

Will I be able to reach it?

That place hidden deep in the forest.

The glimmer of light you stored there.

A growling stomach just proves you're alive.

You always say that.

Here you go.

Thanks. Oh, it's hot.

Thank you.

Thanks for the meal.

Thanks for the meal.

Oh, that's good.

I used to think that once you were old enough to marry,

I wouldn't get to eat here with you anymore.

What?

Does 21 count as old enough to marry?

Passed your prime, huh?

What's with that?

But, still,

thanks for tagging along with me even though it's Christmas.

I get restless if I don't eat the ramen here at least once a week.

It just happened to be Christmas Eve.

But, well,

ramen tastes extra good when I eat it with you, Dad.

Same here.

What's with the face?

No, it's just, well…

What do you want? You know, as a Christmas present?

You're not supposed to ask.

Present?

Yes.

I want those.

What?

Words of gratitude.

What?

I do a lot of chores around the house, you know.

All while doing my studies.

And who wakes you up every morning?

In any case, I think I've earned a few words of gratitude.

You're right.

Here.

Wipe your snot.

I'm good.

Blow your nose.

-I don't need it! -It's okay. We're family.

What's with that?

Didn't you have a drinking party with your friends?

Crap.

-Bye then. -Contact me when you're done, okay?

I'll come and pick you up. I'll wait at the station.

Overprotective much?

-Thanks for the food. -Sure thing, Komugi.

-Take care, okay? -See you later.

Where to next?

-I want to eat some noodles! -Sounds good!

-Let's get some ramen! -I'm in.

Want to go for karaoke?

Mugi?

Mugi.

Are you really going?

Yes, sorry. My dad is coming to pick me up.

Oh, that sucks.

Be careful, okay?

Later then.

-Later. -Bye-bye.

TOBU STORE

You're late!

DAD NO ANSWER

DID YOU FALL ASLEEP?

I'LL WALK HOME! SORRY IF YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY!

It's burning like crazy.

-Are the people inside all right? -The fire has fully developed!

The firefighters will try to control the fire and prevent it from spreading!

-The rescue team will… -Please keep your distance!

Dad…

It must have been tough for you, Komugi.

Tell us if you ever need help.

Komugi.

Mr. Akazawa made time to come despite being busy with the investigation.

-Mrs. Akazawa is here too. -Komugi…

I'm very sorry for your loss.

I don't know what to say…

Ms. Kyoko.

Mr. Yamashita did a lot for me and Kyoko.

I'm sure my father owed a lot to you as well when he was alive.

Not at all.

Remember to thank him, Komugi.

It's thanks to his efforts that the culprit was caught so soon.

Thank you so much.

He's still only a suspect.

At least offer your farewell to him.

Here, come inside.

But still…

I'm shocked

that it was the son of the culprit behind the Higashikayama case.

Yes.

Mr. Yamashita and I arrested the culprit behind that incident.

Did he want revenge for his father?

We can't say just yet.

Komugi.

I'm sure it's tough, but you'll have to move forward.

This is the time to cry as much as you need.

Crying…

won't bring my father back to life.

And also,

whether I move forward or not…

is for me to decide.

Okay.

What is it like, living on your own for the first time?

The paperwork is tedious.

And your university?

I'm planning to go back next week.

Listen. I have to tell you about Haruo's insurance payout.

I'll manage your money for a little while.

Temporarily, of course.

If you let me handle it, you can focus on your studies.

Right? What do you say?

Okay.

It's decided then.

Don't you worry. We're family.

-I don't need it! -It's okay. We're family.

What's with that?

Okay, Komugi?

Yes.

I should have saved more.

I'm shocked

that it was the son of the culprit behind the Higashikayama case.

FEATURED ARTICLES

On the 24th of last month, Haruo Yamashita, a former policeman,

lost his life in an arson incident in Higashikayama, Adachi City.

An unemployed man named Tomoya Endo has been arrested as the primary suspect.

The police say he is the only son

of the death row inmate, Rikiro Endo, who received the death penalty

for murdering a family of six in Higashikayama 22 years ago.

The police will continue to investigate any other links to the Higashikayama case.

The Higashikayama case…

HIGASHIKAYAMA CASE

He worked on this case?

Dad…

Don't cry!

Don't cry.

Don't cry.

SATURDAY, JANUARY FOURTH

Proof that I'm alive, huh?

RAMEN

Welcome!

Thank you for the meal.

Sorry for coming in at a weird time.

Oh, not at all. It's the perfect time, actually.

I have something I need to hand over to you.

That night, Mr. Yamashita left an envelope with me after he finished eating.

Here.

What the…

You didn't know what was inside?

No.

TO KOMUGI

TO KOMUGI I'M SURE THE MONEY MUST HAVE SHOCKED YOU

To tell the truth, I was very conflicted on whether to write this letter or not.

If I didn't write it, you would probably be able to stay happy.

However, if the worst case I can think of comes to pass…

"That is to say,

if I am murdered by someone…"

Should any of the people listed below happen to be arrested.

Tatsuo Mikita.

Kouta Tsujii.

Tomoya Endo.

Tomoya…

SUSPECT ARRESTED TOMOYA ENDO (34)

…Endo?

"That person has been…

falsely accused."

FALSELY ACCUSED

Thanks for the food.

Yes?

You're Mr. Matsukaze, right?

I am.

"If one of the people I've named ends up being arrested,

go to the attorney I've named and ask for their services.

The enclosed three million yen should cover the charges."

YOSHITERU MATSUKAZE

What?

How did you know my father?

Well, I've honestly never even heard his name.

So creepy. How did he know about me?

What?

Then… why?

That's what I'd like to ask.

Just to be clear, are you certain your father wrote this?

Yes, it was definitely him,

I think.

You think, huh?

What about it?

Nothing.

Just that you're only as sure as an "I think."

So you're not fully certain.

I'm fully certain!

Hey, you can't just do that. No retroactive certainty.

Retroactive what now? I've never heard that before.

And I've never said it before.

-Okay, so roughly summarizing-- -Don't summarize it "roughly!"

Okay, summarizing precisely then.

You'll cover the attorney fees,

so you want me to defend people who might become suspects?

I want you to defend a person called Tomoya Endo.

Would you do it, Attorney Matsukaze?

Just hold on a minute.

Before anything, do you actually think this Tomoya Endo has been falsely accused?

Honestly…

-I'm not sure. -Wow.

-What? -To be clear, I meant that in a bad way.

I decline.

But why?

Assuming Tomoya Endo did do it, what then?

You want to hire and pay me to help a man who might have killed your father.

From the outside, your behavior is highly unusual.

Hence, "creepy."

I'm led to suspect an ulterior motive.

It's a low possibility,

but please don't tell me you want me to be his attorney

so you can get me to do a poor job of representing him.

I have no idea why you're doing any of this,

so might I suggest you take a long rest?

That ran a bit long, but that's all from me.

So you think what my father wrote

was a lie?

Did you even listen?

-I didn't say that. -I've heard enough.

You know what? Right now, I'm angry at myself.

Angry at myself for calling you "Attorney" even once.

Who cares what you call me?

-I heard the last bit. -Don't come out all excited like that.

-"Retroactive certainty"? -Heard it from the start, did you?

I wonder how he knew about you.

It's not like you're someone

with an impeccable record on high-profile cases.

And yet he named you in a letter.

How weird.

You sure about turning her down?

That letter was just way too fishy.

But didn't you say this back then?

"Even if it doesn't turn out to be the optimal choice when looking back,

it's much better than pretending not to see."

Isaid that? When?

You did.

-Hello. -Hello there.

Anyway, stay cool.

Why did it have to be me?

Sorry for the wait.

Thank you.

You okay?

You must be tired. Sorry for making you come all this way.

It's okay.

Mr. Akazawa,

you said at the funeral

that you arrested the culprit behind the Higashikayama case

alongside my father.

Why was my father targeted now, 22 years after it happened?

You already know that Tomoya Endo is maintaining his silence, right?

Yes.

Please don't share the following information with anyone.

Part of it is my own speculation.

On July 7th, 2002,

we received a report that an entire family had been murdered by someone

inside a single room in the residential area of Higashikayama.

The six members of the Hayashikawa family had their limbs tied up

and were hanged on a spiral staircase.

The second daughter of the family was six months old,

and miraculously survived as she was in a different room.

Rikiro Endo, 40 years old at the time, was the one arrested for the murders.

He lived in the same area as the victims and was the first person on the scene.

The reason for his arrest

was that he knew information only the killer could have known.

His own statements implicated him.

After his arrest, his son, Tomoya, was placed in a foster home.

His mother had left when he was little and he had no other relatives to rely on.

Apparently, he was subjected to severe bullying at the foster home.

Perhaps as a result of it,

he tried to set fire to the foster home, and caused a small fire.

After he left the foster home, he got employment,

but it seems he couldn't quite fit in.

His second case of arson was setting fire to his boss' house.

Thankfully, no one was harmed.

He had been serving his prison sentence until he was discharged just recently.

It's a common story with criminals,

but their perception often gets twisted in an effort to justify themselves.

Their perception gets twisted?

Normally, one would think it was because of his father's crime

that he had to go through some terrible experiences.

In Tomoya's case…

ENDO RECEIVES DEATH PENALTY

…for whatever reason, he thinks the police framed his father and blamed them instead.

As a result, he saw Mr. Yamashita, who led the investigation,

as a target for his rage.

His father, Rikiro, was arrested right on Christmas Eve.

I'm certain he picked the same day on purpose.

He must have been planning his revenge right after being released.

What if…

What if he's staying silent

because he didn't do it?

No.

He's definitely the one who did it.

Even if he doesn't confess, we have evidence for the prosecution.

Evidence?

At the time of the crime, we had him on CCTV footage near the crime scene.

Rest at ease.

The chances of him being proven innocent

are next to none.

HIGASHIKAYAMA POLICE STATION

I ended up coming after all.

This is who I am.

A certain someone told me to come and meet you.

I'll get to the point.

I have some questions to ask you about the murder of Haruo Yamashita.

Dad…

I don't know what I'm supposed to do.

Komugi.

I want you to know that Dad is on your side.

You can take your time.

Can you tell me what happened?

Please?

It's okay.

Please?

This morning, Emi brought a scarf that her mom had given her.

We were all saying how nice it was.

But after the lunch break,

the scarf was all cut up.

It was in tatters.

And then they said I was the one who did it.

They said it's because I don't have a mom.

I trust you, Komugi.

It must have hurt to have everyone doubt you.

But know this.

The person who cut up the scarf

might be thinking they managed to get away with it.

Get away?

Someday, that person will have to face the fact

that they were the one who cut up the scarf.

There's a saying that goes,

"Who saw the peacock dance in the jungle?"

Hey! Hold it!

That would be illegal dumping.

It's punishable by up to five years in prison,

or a maximum fine of one million yen, or both.

That's way too strict.

I went to meet Tomoya Endo.

What? Why?

I thought about it.

About whether you forged the letter yourself--

-I didn't! -Let me finish.

I thought about what you could stand to gain if you did, in my own way.

To conclude,

it was all very unconvincing.

Not a single explanation was able to satisfy me,

which is why I decided to go and talk to Tomoya Endo.

I don't know what I'm supposed to believe anymore.

Mr. Akazawa from the police said

that Tomoya Endo was definitely the person who killed my father.

That's the normal conclusion.

And it's not like the police would lie.

The police tell lies too.

I still want to believe what my father said.

Do you know the saying, "Who saw the peacock dance in the jungle?"

What?

My father told me about it a long time ago.

If there was no one around to see a peacock dance in a jungle,

would it be the same as if it never happened?

The only one that knew the truth would be the peacock.

Even if the peacock lied to itself,

it could never escape the fact that it danced.

When I think about it now, maybe those words from my father

were directed partly at himself.

I don't know why my father wrote down your name.

But right now, all I can do

is confront what was written in my father's letter.

That's why…

Would you accept my request?

He said something, you see.

So you won't answer, no matter what I ask?

Could you at least tell me why you're remaining silent?

The only one who knows…

is the peacock.

What?

I can't really say what he meant by that.

Maybe he just happened to know the same story.

Can I ask you something that has been bugging me all this time?

How can you believe that letter?

From A to Z.

I just can't figure out where that faith of yours comes from.

Because my father wrote it.

He has been with me forever,

and he left me that letter.

My father trusted me.

That's why I trust him.

All I can do is what's within my power as a defense attorney.

Nothing more and nothing less.

I accept it. Your request.

I'll help you find out whether the peacock danced or not.

I'll accompany you to the jungle.

I will be…

your eyes.

What does that mean?

-Scratch that. -Be my eyes?

-I said nothing. -Stop.

So persistent! What are you? A prosecutor?

I'm home.

It's still here.

ADACHI YOTSUBA KINDERGARTEN ENTRANCE CEREMONY

ADACHI YOTSUBA KINDERGARTEN ENTRANCE CEREMONY

I ENJOYED MY BATH. THANK YOU, KOMUGI! FROM DAD

I knew it.

It's his handwriting.

Mr. Yamashita's daughter?

What?

I'm a reporter for a magazine called Weekly Jidai.

The name is Kamii. Your father--

At least let me finish.

GREEN TEA

Got it.

I'll send someone over there.

Are you somewhere safe right now?

Yes.

I'm fine.

That's good.

Tell me, Komugi.

Yes?

Why did you go there?

I just…

Yes?

I wanted to see if there were any pictures of my father.

I see.

Anyway, call me immediately if anything happens.

Okay.

KAMII FROM JIDAI

Kamii.

I'm his partner at this office. My name is Hasami.

I'm an attorney, same as Teru.

Teru?

We've been buds since grade school.

It's nice to meet you, Attorney Hasami.

Oh, please, drop the title.

No need to be so formal. Just call me Hassa.

Call me Hassa, yes? Anyway, stay cool.

What?

It means, "Don't do anything lame."

But the one right now was more like, "Stay strong."

-Oh, I see. Okay. -Just ignore him.

Takashi Kamii from Weekly Jidai?

I looked him up on the internet.

He wrote an article on the Higashikayama case.

BY TAKASHI KAMII

The Higashikayama case.

I made a call to the publisher.

That's hella proactive.

He was away from the office at the time.

The person I talked to said he would be at the office after 4:00 p.m. today.

4:00 p.m. today.

It's nice that you're proactive and all, but you don't have to rush things.

No normal person would just poke around in someone else's house without permission.

He's got some screws loose.

If you'd like, here's something sugary for your tired body.

Hey! I bought that for myself!

Who cares? Just stay cool!

Moving on.

I've roughly summarized the main points of this case.

The link between Mr. Yamashita's murder and the Higashikayama case stands out.

We'll start looking into the other people whose names were mentioned

in Mr. Yamashita's letter.

I'll be visiting Tomoya once again.

I need him to appoint me as his counsel.

Okay.

Now, I'll ask this just in case.

Are you certain you want to proceed?

Are you okay with me proceeding?

I know I'm being pushy, but what if Mr. Endo really did kill your father,

but is pretending to be innocent?

I'd never…

forgive him.

I'm sure.

But I'm a criminal defense attorney.

If he says he didn't do it, I'll back him on that.

SUSPECT: TOMOYA ENDO

If there's a chance an innocent person will be forced to suffer,

it's much better to let ten actual criminals get away.

So do you just ignore criminals who get away with it by some mistake?

You have to live with it to a certain degree in order to do criminal trials.

The injustice of letting criminals roam free

is of a different class than the injustice of falsely punishing innocents.

I'm guessing it didn't quite click for you.

A criminal trial is a balance between trying to punish actual criminals

while trying to avoid punishing innocent people.

We too want the people who commit crimes to atone for their actions.

But what if an innocent person gets convicted as a guilty one?

False accusations are a tragic thing.

Once you're the subject of suspicion,

it doesn't go away even if you manage to clear your name.

Whether through rumors or the internet,

people will view you with curiosity, inquisitiveness,

and sometimes even fear, no matter where you go.

It sticks with you for life.

Something dark and murky, yet different from filth,

seeps into you.

Could you still call it pudding after it has become like this?

What you're about to do is an even crueler act.

You might be helping unleash the person

who killed your father back into the world.

It's not an unlikely possibility if this was forged by someone else.

Let me translate.

Teru isn't trying to criticize you.

He's worried about the burden you might have to deal with.

There's a chance that if you go down this path,

you might see things you don't want to, and learn things you wish you hadn't.

They might even be about your father.

This is…

pudding.

I'm sure my father was also…

worried about false accusations.

That's why he left me this letter.

Even if I am killed,

it's in part due to unavoidable circumstances.

In order to prevent people from suffering for crimes they didn't commit,

I have no choice but to ask you for help.

I'm sorry I couldn't be a better father.

Finally, I want to tell you something I've been too shy to say.

Komugi, no matter what anyone says,

I'm proud to call you my daughter.

I know my father better than anyone.

This letter…

was written by my father.

TO KOMUGI

So you don't have to worry about me.

And also,

I trust my eyes.

You go ahead and trust your father.

And I'll trust you.

I'll let you know if there are any developments.

Bye then. Thank you for your help.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Sorry for scaring you back then.

Come on, please don't look at me like that.

I'm not your enemy.

I guess I should introduce myself again.

-I'm Kamii from Jidai. -Why were you at my house?

Do you mind if I just cut to the chase?

You're…

not Mr. Yamashita's real daughter, are you?

What?

Will I be able to reach it?

That place hidden deep in the forest.

The glimmer of light you stored there.

What are you talking about?

What? But…

What? Brought a guardian along?

This is who I am.

Could I hear more about what you were just talking about?

You'll take me to the jungle where the peacock is, right?

-I'll sue you. Just wait. -What are you hiding?

I'm the killer.

Subtitle translation by: Saim Ul Hassan