Original subtitles

Mom.

Shuuto.

Huh?

You're Mrs. Aoi Tachibana, correct?

Tachibana!

We'd like you to come to the station with us

regarding theft and a few other matters.

Where are they taking her?!

Mom!

Mom!

What are you doing?

Ms. Makimura, why are you here?

Ms. Makimura!

I'm sorry.

Sorry for what?

"Sorry" doesn't explain anything!

Tell me what's going on!

I'm sorry.

Wait.

Get that on camera!

Sorry.

Lion.

Um…

We're out of milk.

Oh, sorry.

You can open a new one in the back.

Oh, here's a new one.

Good morning, Lion.

Good morning.

What's wrong?

Here.

- It's a baby lion. - Mi!

Let's wash your face first.

- Mi, you can eat first. - Okay.

URAO CITY HALL

Morning.

Um, Ms. Makimura hasn't come in yet, has she?

Yeah, Ms. Makimura said earlier that she'd take today off.

Huh?

- Is there something urgent? - No.

Thank you.

Phew, I'm exhausted.

Who was that mysterious woman?

Who knows?

It's the kid who's more important.

I told you not to come here before we open.

This isn't your home.

Mom, I'm hungry.

I told you, I'm not your mom!

Thank you.

That kid is definitely Aoi Tachibana's son, right?

He said they hadn't seen each other in ages, so why?

And they seem to be living together too.

Let's take a moment to think about it.

There's Mr. Komori, a boy,

and another family member.

They went to the amusement park.

And then there was Aoi Tachibana.

Mr. Komori and the boy walked over to Aoi Tachibana,

and that's when the mysterious woman appeared,

along with the police.

W-wait a second!

- I'm using that to-- - Oh, by the way!

I saw it.

The article on Kamegaya's affairs.

Seven simultaneous affairs? How scandalous!

Thank you for the tip.

No need to thank me.

More importantly,

want to buy some new gossip?

A nasty rumor about Kamegaya and his former secretary.

That's enough for Kamegaya.

The missing mother and child are more important.

Well, they aren't really missing anymore.

- Excuse us. - Thank you.

Sorry for all the questions.

I'm Takada from the Yamanashi Police Department.

And I'm Saeki.

We have some questions to ask

besides the club theft case.

I believe you're already aware of what this is about.

I killed him.

What?

I…

killed my son.

"I'll come for you."

That's what my sister wrote in the notebook.

AOI TACHIBANA IMPLIES SHE MURDERED HER SON, SHUUTO

Why would she…

tell such a blatant lie?

I'm sorry to drop by so late.

Can we talk for a minute?

I'm having trouble understanding the situation.

Why were you there, Ms. Makimura?

Did you know the police were coming?

Do you know something…

I had no choice but to do that

in order to protect Lion.

What do you mean?

I can't tell you…

I'm truly sorry.

Wait!

She can't tell me?

FROM X YOU HAVE ONE NEW MESSAGE

TOMORROW, 5 P.M., THE LAST EMBANKMENT

The last embankment?

PLEASE GET IN THE CAR

Huh?

I'LL EXPLAIN EVERYTHING THERE

Um…

Who are you?

Yurugi…

is my name.

I'm here to talk about Mrs. Aoi Tachibana.

This phone…

Wasn't the message from my sister?

I controlled everything.

What is your connection to my--

Please don't disclose anything we discuss here.

A child's life is at stake.

Mrs. Aoi Tachibana contacted me

due to certain circumstances.

A NEW REQUEST HAS ARRIVED

TWO PEOPLE: AOI TACHIBANA, 36, SHUUTO, 5

She is my client.

Client?

To help her…

I took

that child to your home.

You'll be safe if you stay here.

Don't leave that house no matter what.

Um…

Wait, I don't understand this at all.

Mrs. Aoi didn't have any money.

She had to work, so she left the child with you.

But why…

No one would take in a child based on just one message.

Normally, you'd take a lost child to the police.

But you didn't go to the police.

She anticipated that you wouldn't report him.

Her brothers wouldn't carelessly abandon her son.

What do you know about us?

You were the only one

who accepted her as family.

That's what she said.

After observing your actions,

I tried to meet with you once.

But I couldn't meet you,

so I asked Ms. Mio Makimura for help instead.

What?

I asked her to keep an eye on you so you wouldn't go to the police.

Um…

I don't understand a thing.

What are you saying regarding my sister?

Mrs. Aoi had just one wish.

To start over

and live a new life with her son.

What she chose…

was to fake their deaths.

Fake their deaths?

To disappear, making it look like suicide.

To live under different identities in a distant town.

That was Mrs. Aoi's wish.

But the police didn't consider it a suicide

and continued the search as a missing-persons case.

I was simply exhausted from parenting.

It was painful just to look at my son.

So you even considered a murder-suicide with your son?

Yes.

Faking their death?

Isn't that a crime?

Yes.

But in this world…

there are people who have no other choice

but to take such measures.

For Mrs. Aoi,

that may have been her last resort.

Why would my sister do this?

Excuse me for a moment.

The reason she chose to fake their death

was her husband.

Shougo Tachibana's

domestic violence.

At first, it was only directed at Mrs. Aoi.

But then, it extended to the child.

So that's why…

I'd had enough.

I wanted to escape

from that life every single day.

Mrs. Aoi reached out to me for help to escape her husband's abuse.

Initially,

the plan was to proceed over a longer period.

Get money and carefully leave the home.

But feeling threatened, they left much sooner than planned.

They ran away hastily.

I'm sorry.

Where are we going?

It's okay.

Take this.

Keep it safe.

It'll feel like I'm with you.

I put the notebook inside too.

If anything happens, make sure to check it.

I'll be with you

wherever you go.

Okay.

Get off here.

Hurry before it gets dark.

Shuuto!

Does it hurt?

Hang in there.

Mom, are you leaving?

Listen, Shuuto.

Aoi Tachibana…

and Shuuto Tachibana…

end here.

The next time we meet,

we'll be reborn with new names.

Until then,

Shuuto…

you'll become a lion.

A lion?

Yes.

But I still want to be with you, Mom.

Become the king of beasts.

And then,

I'll definitely come for you.

I promise.

Promise?

Until then…

I'm sure your kind uncles will protect you.

I'm sure of that.

So,

just for a little while…

be a good boy and wait.

And then,

I strangled him.

After that,

he lost consciousness.

Then, I threw him off the bridge.

But in the end, my sister was arrested.

So all of that was for nothing, wasn't it?

No.

She hasn't given up yet.

That's why…

I thought of jumping, too.

But then something dawned on me.

If my son was gone,

I'd finally be free.

I could live happily on my own.

So, you

headed to Tokyo and started working?

I wanted to start a new life.

Do you think

that lie will hold?

Please continue living with the child as before

in that house.

Please, keep the child out of the public eye.

Hide him?

So that his father won't find him.

That's easier said than done.

If he gets sick again…

I'll forge a health insurance card.

That's a crime!

But this is…

the choice

Mrs. Aoi made, risking her life.

I couldn't immediately accept

my sister's reckless plan.

4082C Warm Red 13.48,

Violet V2 8.95, Black 3.08.

It's France White 74.49.

Yes, I'm correct.

Mi.

Lion…

seems to have had quite an adventure before coming to us.

This is 395C…

He ran away home with his mother

and now he's hiding at our place.

He must have been so scared.

I'm correct.

The sun sets earlier now.

The color of the sunset is

122C Yellow PY12 22.68,

Orange 016 3.35, Trans. White 73.97.

Thanks for waiting.

Welcome back.

He just finished his math drill.

Right?

I guess he just wants to be engrossed in something right now.

Did you finish it all?

Yes.

I see.

Good job.

You've done well

to make it this far.

Good.

Good job.

Good job.

Well done.

SON PUSHED OFF THE BRIDGE SEARCH CONTINUES FOR AOI TACHIBANA'S SON

IMPLYING HER INTENT TO KILL

MS. MIO MAKIMURA

Hello?

He told you everything, right?

Yeah.

It must have made you anxious to suddenly be dragged into this.

I'm sorry.

Where are we?

It's the grave of a child

I was responsible for when I was a teacher at a daycare.

That child was being abused by their parents.

I was the first one to notice

the signs of abuse.

Oh, you're giving that to me?

Thank you.

Excuse me for one second.

But, I was new there,

and I didn't know what to do.

Could we talk for a moment…

What?

What!?

Hurry up!

I consulted the daycare,

but the situation didn't change.

I kept thinking

that I couldn't let things continue,

but in the end, I couldn't act.

Then, I heard that the child had died

and my mind went blank.

If only I'd acted sooner,

I could surely have changed things.

That child could have grown up.

It's like I let that child die.

Because of that, I quit the daycare center.

But I realized nothing would change unless I took action,

so I started my current job.

The man named Yurugi approached me

on my way home after we met at that shopping mall.

He used his knowledge of my past

to his advantage.

That's awful.

I'm the one who's awful.

I tried to refuse his instructions many times.

But deep down, I was hoping…

that if I could protect Lion,

maybe I could make up for what I'd done in the past.

But, I realized…

that the child who passed away is not

Lion.

I can't make up for what I did.

I should have told you everything from the start.

But I didn't.

And because of that,

I made Lion feel afraid.

But

in the end, you helped me protect him.

So,

thank you.

Are you okay?

Ah, yes.

Don't take it too hard. I'll bring you some coffee.

The boss is concerned for you.

What a kind older brother you have.

Well,

I'm not actually feeling down, though.

Aoi

would never kill him.

I'll do whatever it takes to find Shuuto.

If that's the case,

why don't we rally public support

in order to find him?

- Hey, Komori! - Huh?

Komori!

Komori!

Komori, hey, listen!

What?

Sit down!

Isn't this the kid you're looking after?

Huh?

What's this?

I don't know,

but isn't this getting out of hand?

Mr. Komori!

We're here again.

Why did you come all the way here?

Did you see the news?

Shougo Tachibana publicly released his son's photo.

They haven't shown any photos for privacy reasons until now.

Why the sudden change?

You can't keep coming to me.

Where are you going in such a hurry?

Why should I have to tell you?

The other day, you were with the kid in this photo, right?

At the amusement park.

You were meeting Aoi Tachibana before her arrest, yes?

Mr. Komori, didn't you say

you hadn't been in contact with Aoi Tachibana?

And that you didn't know about the child either.

What are you trying to do?

I'm not accusing you of anything.

I just want you to tell me what you're hiding.

So,

what are you hiding?

Thanks for waiting.

- The car's ready. - Huh?

We're on a date, so please excuse us.

Let's go.

She's really cute, isn't she?

Idiot, it's the girl from the amusement park.

Really?

She's cute.

Sorry for acting without permission.

No, that was helpful.

Was that a reporter?

Yeah.

Apparently, they saw us with Lion at the amusement park.

This is getting out of hand.

Is there really no way I can help?

Huh?

I know you probably don't trust me,

but I've been watching over you all this time.

It was so much fun being with the three of you.

I know that's not a good enough reason,

but I can't bring myself to think that I'm not involved anymore.

That's asking too much, isn't it…

You're right.

We can't just say we aren't involved.

The reason she chose to fake their death

was her husband, Shougo Tachibana's,

domestic violence.

You were the only one

who accepted her as family.

That's what she said.

What can I do?

How can I protect Lion?

It might just be a small comfort but…

5:29:58 p.m.

5:29:59 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

- 5:30… - He's right on time today.

Right on time.

- Good job. - It's 5:30 p.m.

I'm heading home.

- Thank you. - Goodbye.

Oh, Mi, did you forget something?

That's Mio Makimura.

She's my fan.

She caught Lion. She held his mouth shut.

And Lion cried.

What do you mean?

I'm sorry

for scaring both Lion and you, Michito.

Mi, I'd like to stop by somewhere…

It's okay, let's go.

Excuse us.

Hello, Grandpa Tora.

- Oh, perfect timing. - I'll wash my hands.

Oh, you're here today?

Do you want to have some oyakodon?

- Yes. - Okay.

I'm back.

Okay.

It's okay.

I told you yesterday, remember?

She did it to protect you.

I'm sorry.

Will you forgive me?

Okay.

Come on, you guys, take a seat.

Michito's already eating.

- I'll wash my hands. - Excuse me.

Lion, do you have a moment?

We bought new outfits for you.

Alright, let's get you changed.

Why?

It's for Hide-and-Seek.

- Alright. - Oh!

It looks good on you.

- So, what should we do next? - I picked it. It's a zebra.

It's been decided!

Mi?

It's said that the zebra's stripes

can protect it from predators.

Also, flies carrying diseases tend to avoid stripes--

Sorry.

Maybe we should choose something else.

Maybe this?

Mi, what do you think?

It's said that stripes protect against flies that carry diseases.

Michito, you're a zebra fan, aren't you?

Yes.

What about you, Lion?

Anything's fine.

Should we change your hairstyle too?

- Alright, here we go. - Okay.

Alright.

Yeah, it looks good.

Oh, it looks nice.

- Sorry, it's late. - Oh, no, it's fine.

Let me know if I can help you with anything again.

- Thank you. - No problem.

Are you wearing that?

Zebras have a wide field of vision

and can quickly spot predators.

Their special skill is kicking backward.

I'm honestly surprised that I still have the energy to laugh.

It's really surprising.

Hey.

Can I talk to you two for a moment?

Your mom's promises are written

in the notebook inside this stuffed animal,

right?

Today, I'd like to add

one more new promise to this promise notebook.

Promise notebook?

Until Lion's mom comes back,

the three of us will live together and laugh.

So, Mi and I will protect you, Lion.

That

is our promise.

But Mom broke her promise.

She went somewhere else.

That's true.

You're probably wondering why.

But I'm sure Lion's mom hasn't given up.

She still loves you.

But right now, it's difficult.

That's why she entrusted you to us.

So we can protect you.

Did Mom tell you that, Hiroto?

Yes, she told me the other day.

So,

the three of us will wait for your mom together.

Is that okay, Mi?

Me,

Brother and Lion,

we're all part of the same pride.

A safe pride.

Thank you.

Will I see Mom next time?

Yes.

Until then,

let's grow stronger together.

Promise.

Promise.

Promise.

Promise.

That's so sudden!

Don't shout so loud!

Ow, ow…

Zebras don't say “Roar”!

That's enough! Enough!

Lion, that's enough, enough!

Stop it already!

SHUUTO TACHIBANA

SHUUTO IS SUPER CUTE.

- I want some too! - Wait your turn.

What about mayonnaise?

I want some!

Lion bumped into me and spilled the milk.

Sorry, Mi.

Lion bumped into me and spilled the milk.

- I said I'm sorry! - Both of you!

Can you remember the promise we made yesterday?

- Lion bumped into me and spilled the milk. - Shut up!

Enough, Mi!

TO AOI TACHIBANA

TO AOI…

COME AND SEE US ANYTIME, FROM YOUR MOTHER

Why are you staring at it?

I'm just happy.

It's my first time having a family.

Alright. Keep an eye on Lion for a bit.

Huh?

I just want to know the truth.

I have to protect him.

Has word gotten out that the kid is here?

I just want the three of us to go on a trip together.

Liar…