Original subtitles

Are you okay?

This?

Ah, it's a bear bell.

A demon repellent?

Here, take it.

Let's go home.

Big brother...

...has been rescued.

According to Gunma Prefectural Police, Shohei-kun...

was found near a river about 3 kilometers from the forest road where he went missing...

by a male volunteer who was part of the search party.

Oh, good morning.

I'm home.

Did you just wake up?

Yeah.

Ah, hey! Too bright, too bright, stop it!

Ah...

You should've called me. I would've picked you up.

Tsukasa, you're working too, right?

Well, yeah.

Oh, that’s for Keita.

From Mom again?

Yeah.

My parents wouldn’t even send me anything if I asked.

What’s wrong?

Hungry?

Should I make something?

Ah… It’s fine.

Oh, no— Actually, maybe I’ll have something.

Yeah, got it.

Hey…

Do we even have a VCR?

Uh, can I help you with something?

Sorry to drop in like this.

I’m Mikoto Kuzumi from the Gunma Shinpo’s Society section.

Huh…

I wanted to ask Kodama Keita-san a few things.

I rang the doorbell earlier, but no one answered.

Oh.

He just got back, so he might be asleep.

Oh, right. That makes sense.

Um, about Kodama Keita-san…

I’m his roommate. Something up?

It’s about that boy—

Shouhei Matsushima, the one who went missing and was recently found.

Saw it on the news. What about it?

Oh, do you mind if we walk and talk?

Ah... yes

After finding Shouhei Matsushima— he disappeared from the scene—

There are volunteers

I think that might be... Keita Kodama-san

And then?

Do you know about the disappearance case from 13 years ago?

About Kodama-san's younger brother— Hinata-kun

This might be rude, but...

That personal alarm...

It's just a guess, but...

I'm not stalking, but... I've been following Hisumi-san

I can see them, you know— things of that nature

Nobody likes being interrogated, right?

Tsukasa Amano

About Keita... I might not be able to help

But if you're troubled by something like that, I can at least listen

Well then, excuse me

Does this have something to do with your brother?

Why would Tsukasa know about this?

A journalist approached me today

They were asking about Keita

They're looking for volunteers who found that kid in Gunma the other day

I declined the interview, but...

He went missing

When I was in elementary school

He still hasn't been found

Sorry for keeping quiet...

He's gone to his room

Tsukasa...

I want Tsukasa to watch it with me too.

Hinata and Dad are playing catch.

Hinata is...

Keita.

That's Dad's, isn't it? He'll get mad again.

It's fine. Dad said it was okay.

Really?

Well then, Keita, why don't you go play outside with them?

Ugh, annoying.

Should I go...?

What's that?

Should I go...?

Looks like a dam.

Whoa, no way! It's so high...

There are no fish.

This place is kinda sketchy.

It's scary here.

Whoa, it's all rocks.

Big bro.

Go away.

Why?

I wanna play alone.

I wanna play hide-and-seek.

Well, I don't.

Why?

"Why, why"—ugh, so annoying.

Just go over there for now.

Hey, go stay with Mom.

What is this place...?

Amazing.

There's a Puyo Puyo!

What? A bug?

Puyo Puyo!

Huh? What's that?

There's nothing here. See?

Big bro, can't you see it?

No.

Then let's play hide-and-seek.

Hmm... Hinata, you hide over there.

I'll be "it" first.

No.

Come on, stop with that already.

Here, go on.

１ ２ ３

4, 5, 6

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10

Ready or not?

Can I come out now...?

Not here.

Not here either.

Where is she...?

Found you!

Okay, your turn to be "it," Hinata.

Huh?

Hinata?

Hinata?

Hinata?

Hinata?

That's enough...

That's enough...

Hinata...

That's enough...

Hinata...

That's enou—

What happened after that?

We went down the mountain

And told my father and mother

The police came

But no matter how much they searched that ruin it couldn't be found

That was the end of it?

Do you feel something?

I think we should burn this or throw it away

Yeah, you're right

Keita's mother... why would she...

Ah... the door was open

The children will be arriving soon

Just a little while is fine

Pardon me

Is she angry about something?

Was it Amano-san who gave you my number?

To whom?

I got a call yesterday from Keita Kodama's father

But we couldn't really have a proper conversation

I'm not quite following what you're saying...

"Please take care of my son"

What on earth is that about?

Um...

That guy's father passed away last year.

Huh?

His ashes are at my place right now.

His parents got divorced, so...

Apparently, there was no one else to take him in.

Wh... What... That can't be...

Is this really okay with you?

Thank you very much. Yes.

Thank you very much.

Yamato... Yamato... Yamato?

Yamato?

Yamato?

Yamato?

Yamato?

Kodama-kun, could you go handle the register for a bit?

Yamato?

Huh? Is he lost?

Yamato?

Nah, nah, we'll find him in no time.

What if we don't?

Huh?

Mama...

Yamato!

See? Found him, just like that.

The register, please. Handle the register.

A videotape... capturing the moment he disappeared?

Yes

His mother

While organizing the luggage, we found his father's belongings

She sends them occasionally

It was mixed in with those

Can you take a look at it?

No, that's a bit...

I see

But why so suddenly?

Sometimes I can't tell what Keita is thinking

So I guess I just wanted to talk to someone about it

S-sorry...

It's straying further from the original direction of the article

I'm wondering what to do...

What will you do?

Hmm...

Can I also ask about Amano-san's story?

Huh? Is it related?

Just personal curiosity

Oh, sure

You can see things normal people can't, right?

Meaning...

Dead people

That would be correct

If you see them, then...

How do you handle it?

I don't do anything special

Most don't require intervention

Most of them...

Yes

Does it affect your daily life?

Well, seeing them is normal for me, so...

Not particularly... but

But?

If I had to say...

Maybe it just means more secrets to keep?

Do you know Keita Kodama?

Yes, I know Keita.

Since I can see them—

I see.

I... this...

Even indoors, I can't go without it.

I think I'm starting to understand...

what exactly I'm afraid of.

If you'd like, I could ask Keita—

if he'd at least be willing to talk.

What changed your mind?

He doesn't seem like a bad person, so...

Ah... yes.

Oh... good morning.

Well, I should get going then.

Ah, wait just a moment.

It'll be over soon.

Then, see you tomorrow. Looking forward to it.

Yes.

Um...

Aren't you scared of Amano-san?

I'm not scared of him.

Yes

I'm home

Welcome back

Ah, I'm tired

What are you doing?

As I thought... this video I'm going to return it to Mom

That kind of thing You could just mail it back

I want to talk

I don't want to see Mom though

But when she sends me things like this...

I want her to just stop

That's because Keita is family

Mom doesn't know anything about me

Things like family...

Or living with that pitiful older brother look on my face

I want to end all of that

Then I'll go with you

Your phone's been ringing nonstop

Ah, it's fine

Ah, it's fine

Ah, it's fine

Amano's absent today

Ah...

He contacted us this morning I think he'll be here tomorrow

Understood

Yes Thank you

Good work today, this is Hisumi

So? What about that super volunteer we talked about?

Were you able to talk to him?

That guy is definitely the right one, isn't he?

Yes, it's definitely Kodama Keita-san.

Oh, great. Then...

We should be able to make it into tomorrow morning's paper.

But the situation has changed...

Huh? You met and talked with him, right?

Well, he ended up breaking his promise...

We need to get this done by today.

W-Wait a minute, please.

Can I have just a little more time?

How much longer?

I'll go back there once more today.

Then maybe 2-3 more days from there.

Hurry up, or...

Other companies will start catching wind of this soon.

Sorry, there's somewhere I need to go.

I'll be back by tonight.

Hello.

I'm home.

Excuse me.

Mom...

What's wrong?

Can I stay downstairs for a while?

Is the second floor scary?

Mom wasn't there.

I see.

That's the one I used when I was little.

I think this is the first time I've seen Keita's family.

There's not even a portrait of his father.

It feels kind of strange.

Really?

Looking at it like this...

They seem like a much more normal family than I'd heard.

Oh, sorry.

Haha...

There's a small park in this neighborhood...

We used to play catch there a lot.

On holidays, Dad would take me and Hinata...

Hinata was still little, so she'd just watch.

"Make sure you learn by watching your big brother," he'd say.

Somehow, ever since then, I...

Felt like he was just playing the role of a father.

It creeped me out.

Even after Hinata disappeared...

On holidays, Dad would...

"Let's play catch."

"Let's play catch for Hinata too."

Mom was the same.

Every year on Hinata's birthday...

She'd always buy a whole cake to celebrate.

So cheerfully...

As if Hinata were right there with us.

"Happy Birthday, Hinata," they called out

Even Dad joined in

Even though it wasn’t normal anymore

Sometimes I wonder if family

is just people playing roles, father, mother, child

I used to think that as a kid

Tsukasa...

Both Dad and Mom

Probably thought I killed Hinata

That’s impossible

I know

I think I’ll go to that mountain now

It’s about an hour by car

The mountain...?

Where Hinata disappeared

You’re climbing it now?

It’s fine

Didn’t bring much gear anyway

Won’t go too deep in

Seriously?

Gotta work off the lack of exercise

This is rough

Climbing now, are ya?

Yeah

Ah, right

Be careful now

It gets dark early

Ah

You're Kodama Hinata, right?

You know him?

Of course I do.

Folks around here searched for him desperately.

Me... after he went missing,

I once saw him in the mountains.

Huh?

I tried to follow him,

but he vanished right away.

This kid...

Maybe he's just been playing hide-and-seek all this time.

It's happier to think that way.

That's what I believe. What do you think?

Sorry...

Wait, Keita.

Hold on... Let's rest...

Ah!

Hah... Hah...

You okay?

Yeah.

Oh, right.

I already gave the bell away.

It's getting dark already.

Hinata?

Hinata!

Hinata! Hey... Keita!

Hinata...

Ah...

Keita, that's...

Huh...

An urn...

But why would something like this...

There's more over here. What?

What's going on?

I'm sorry for keeping you so long.

Not at all.

It's likely that during a grave relocation somewhere...

The reburial service illegally dumped them.

Illegal dumping...

Of something like that?

It's downright sacrilegious.

That concludes our discussion. Thank you for your time.

Can you make it back on your own?

Ah... I'll be fine. I have a car.

Mr. Kodama Keita...

Yes.

14 years ago, your brother Hinata went missing...

It was 13 years ago.

My apologies.

13 years ago, your younger brother Kodama Hinata disappeared...

Correct?

Yes.

It happened right when I was assigned here...

So I remember it well.

I see.

Regarding Hinata-kun's case, we're still doing our best.

I feel utterly useless.

Your mother used to come here often too.

Though I haven't seen her much recently.

You might already know this, but about that mountain...

Takidashi-san.

It's about time...

Ah...

Well then, sorry to trouble you. Thank you for your cooperation.

Keita.

Has that contractor still not been found?

No.

Ah... Also, I wanted to ask about the person who reported it...

Anything known besides it being a hiker...

I see.

Yes, thank you.

You startled me...

Ah, sorry.

You seem more fired up than usual somehow.

Do I?

Originally...

It was about being glad that Shohei-kun was found, right?

What's the point of digging into Kodama-san's past cases?

I know that but...

That place you mentioned wanting to visit on the phone - Mount Mashiro?

Yes.

Though it crosses prefectures...

That's right.

Expenses won't be approved.

Well, about that...

And... if we want to pursue this further, we'll have to go there ourselves.

Yes.

There's a case I was investigating 20 years ago...

"The Meiyo University Mountaineering Club Mass Disappearance Incident."

Some of the members were from this prefecture.

I was covering it back then.

Mt. Mashiro itself isn't much of a mountain.

It's strange that no bodies have been found there even now.

"The unfound ruins"?

Among the lack of clues, only one piece of evidence was discovered.

A cassette tape and recorder.

The voices of the missing club members were recorded on it.

What was on it?

The members were hiking...

And seemed to have reached some ruins.

That much could be gathered from their conversation.

And then...

Right after they entered, the audio cuts off.

But those ruins were never found?

If I wrote about it seriously, people would think it's just an occult story.

So it never went public.

Anyway...

This is that tape.

Isn't this evidence?

Heh... Got it from a police contact.

Even the police couldn't handle this story properly, right?

It's all static.

Uh... Are you with this inn?

More or less.

So was it you who found the urn?

What if it was?

No...

Do you know about Hinata?

Everyone around here knows about that.

Yukito.

What are you doing?

I'm sorry about my son—his attitude is terrible.

Shut up.

Please. Uh, well...

I still have someone with me—I'll go get them.

Keita.

Huh?

I'm gonna take a quick bath.

Yeah, got it.

I have some documents I want to show you, so a video call might be better...

Okay. The signal might cut out, though.

Were you with Kodama-san when you reported it?

Yes.

So, what kind of information did you gather on Hisumi-san's side?

Wait—it might be hard to see...

On Mount Mashiro, there have been other inexplicable incidents periodically.

Mysterious disappearances.

This one was a mass suicide.

A family suicide pact.

This many?

With this many cases, you'd think it'd actually be famous as a haunted spot...

Don't you think?

There are very few such posts online.

There was also a time when it wasn't called Mount Mashiro.

The mountain's name has changed several times.

The town underwent repeated mergers and redistricting.

It was quite difficult to gather all this.

I see.

You've done thorough research.

And... this is the audio recording I mentioned earlier that I'd like you to hear.

Ah, about the college student who went missing.

Yes.

This might also be hard to listen to.

Yes, uh...

We started about two hours later than planned.

The beginning part is easy since we walk on paved roads for a while from the starting point.

My brain is running late.

Seriously...?

There's a building.

Uh...

It's not on the map or anywhere...

We entered the ruins.

It's definitely ruins—no one's here.

Is anyone there? Stop it.

I'll check upstairs just in case.

Want to come with me?

Nah, I'm good.

Scared of the second floor?

Nah, not really. It's not that I'm scared or anything...

You okay?

Someone's here...

Huh? So many... look...

In that room too...

That room...

What... do you think?

The ruins in this recording...

They also appeared in the videotape that captured Hinata-kun's disappearance.

They were there.

What did the ruins look like?

More than a house...

It felt like some kind of facility.

We traced records back to the Meiji era, but...

That area—aside from mountain trail maintenance—

never had any major facility construction.

So then...

Both the hiking club students and Keita's group...

went to a place that doesn't exist.

Do you think that's possible? Something like that?

Impossible.

...That's what you'd think, right?

Are you okay?

When Keita went back to his family home...

he said something similar to that recording earlier.

Asked if the second floor wasn't scary...

What does that mean?

I don't know

But I think I'll go to Keita's family home

Um, I was actually planning to head there now too

Right now?

I want to see it with my own eyes

And also... about Keita Kodama

I'd like to have a direct conversation with him soon

I'm sorry. I broke our promise

That's alright Let's meet up there

Okay, see you later

Ah... Hisumi-san, um...

Ah... Hisumi-san, um...

Ah, wait...

Um...

Haven't seen my companion?

Went to the bath and hasn't come back for a while

I saw them go outside earlier

Ah... I see

Um...

Something else?

Can we talk for a bit?

About what?

You said you knew about Hinata

He's my younger brother

What should I tell you?

Anything about that mountain

If it could help find my brother

Find him...?

I saw Hinata

Before finding the urn

The customer found it after all.

That place has all kinds of things like that just dumped there.

Everyone's known about it since forever.

The police said something similar too.

If you knew, why would you just leave it like that?

Because it's a place where you can dump things.

A place where you can dump things?

How should I put it...

My late grandmother used to say...

It was my grandmother who started this inn.

That place, that mountain...

Since she was little, she was told by her parents not to go there.

But the adults...

After the kids went to sleep at night...

They'd all sneak off to the mountain.

So Grandma thought the adults were sneaky.

When Grandma was little...

She wondered if the adults were doing something fun up there.

That's what she thought.

But it was completely different.

And then?

Grandma couldn't stand it anymore...

One evening...

She went to the mountain with some friends and played tag.

Nothing really happened, but...

When they got caught later...

She said they got scolded like crazy.

And then... Grandma...

Said, "I know the adults go there to play!"

Then Grandma's mother...

Great-grandma?

To my great-grandma...

She told me, "Adults don't go to the mountain just to play."

And then... Grandma...

When she asked, "Then what do they do there?"

She said, "They go to discard things."

Discard what?

The gods.

Huh?

Gods, Buddhas...

Things belonging to the dead...

Even their ashes.

She said they threw all those things away on that mountain.

You know...

Grandma had her first period just before starting middle school, apparently.

She said she was terrified and so embarrassed at the time.

And since it was a small village...

Word would spread instantly— "That family's girl became a woman."

The gossip would spread immediately...

She said she absolutely wanted to avoid that at all costs.

That's when she suddenly remembered that mountain.

"That's right... I can just go there to discard it."

She thought.

So... Grandma secretly took her stained underwear at night...

And went to the mountain.

Deep in the mountain, it was too dark to see clearly...

But torii gates and sacred ropes...

Were scattered like trash everywhere.

And there, Grandma threw her bloodstained underwear into the pile.

And then...

Grandma said she never had her period again after that.

"I'm glad, so glad,"

"My life was better without that troublesome thing bothering me."

She used to laugh a lot about it,

but when I first heard that story, even I—

"Grandma, that's great for you,"

But now...

Every time I remember Grandma's laughing face,

it terrifies me.

Because then... who on earth did Grandma give birth to?

What am I to Grandma, then?

What about Mom?

You just met her earlier—that customer.

That woman...

She's my mother, but she's not Grandma's child.

Is that how it is?

So I stopped thinking about it.

I try to stay as far away from that mountain as possible.

It's hard to escape since my family home is here,

but I just avoid thinking about it altogether.

Thanks.

I don't know what you plan to do,

but you should leave quickly with the person you came with.

That's what I'd do.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five.

6 pieces

7 pieces

Wow, today is...

Hinata's 7th birthday! Congratulations!

Hinata, congratulations! Congratulations!

Congratulations!

Take a picture. Okay, okay.

Here, Hinata-kun. 7 years old, happy birthday!

Congratulations!

Alright, let's sing "Happy Birthday"!

Oh, sing? Wait a second.

Ready— Go ahead.

Happy birthday to you

Come on, Keita too.

Happy birthday to you

Happy birthday, dear Hinata

Happy birthday to you

Congratulations! Wow, congratulations!

Blow them out... Yeah.

Here, congratulations! Happy 7th birthday!

Congratulations!

Currently unable to answer the phone...

Mom...

Tomorrow is Hinata's birthday.

You can't forget, right? You're his big brother.

I didn't forget.

You're lying again.

I'm not lying.

Hinata has been waiting all this time.

This isn't Mom's life.

Hah...

Please find her quickly.

Mr. Keita Kodama... right?

Nice to meet you.

Mr. Kodama...

You've been to that abandoned ruin on the mountain, haven't you?

Yeah, well...

This cassette tape...

For some reason, it recorded the entire journey.

If we rely on this and your memory...

Do you think we can somehow make it there?

Why do you want to go there so badly?

Why... I wonder...

Oh, can I take this call?

Sure.

Hello, this is Hisumi.

Hisumi-san...

Is Keita nearby?

He is, but...

On the second floor of Keita's family home...

His mother's body was found.

She probably took her own life days ago.

Did Amano-san find her?

Earlier today, Keita went up alone...

to the second floor once.

He must have seen it then too.

But I probably couldn't see it.

He'd already been affected by that mountain long before.

Mr. Hisai.

Even if Keita wants to go somewhere, you must stop him no matter what.

Go to the mountain now.

Take Keita with you.

Huh?

What do you mean...?

What? Mr. Hisai?

Hello? Mr. Hisai?

I'll go by myself.

Mr. Hisai, can you wait for Tsukasa?

Are you sure? There's no need to go right now.

Right now... I feel like I can reach that place.

If Tsukasa hears about this, he'll try to stop me.

No, but...

Please tell him I'll be right back.

We've been walking about an hour from the trailhead.

Uh... we've come out onto a pretty open route now.

From this point, if we walk another two to two and a half hours...

We should reach the summit.

The fallen trees must be from last month's typhoon.

Uh, and then...

Huh? Did you hear that sound just now?

Hear what?

It's like... someone's calling from behind us.

What? You heard it too?

I can't hear you.

No, you can hear me just fine.

Uh—Sakai tripped and slightly twisted his ankle.

He says he's fine, but I'm a little worried.

They went ahead already. Yeah.

Uh—

It's already pitch black, and it's only 2 p.m.

The trees are getting denser, and the path is becoming much steeper.

Huh... Someone's watching us right now.

Calm down.

What? Look, look, look—over there...

Uh—we found a sign.

It says we're 3.8 kilometers away from the summit.

How much farther is this...?

It's so dark...

Should we turn back?

Nah...

Huh? What's that?

What?

There's a building.

Um... It's not on the map or anything.

Maybe we can take shelter from the rain there?

Let's go.

Hello?

Tsukamoto?

You should go see her, don't you think?

You should go meet her.

Maybe I should go see him...

Huh?

Um...

Uh, the sound is a bit...

Uh, the sound is a bit... Please take care of my son

Please take care of my son

Uh, Mikoto, Mikoto...

Ah... ah... ah...

Where's Keita?

He's already gone

Please wait

Before, you said "most things" don't require any action

Right?

Yes

Then

What's in this mountain...

Isn't "most things," is it?

Hinata-kun called it "Puyo Puyo"

Surely, that was the only way he could explain it

I also...

Don't know what to call it

Let me go too

That's...

You said before you weren't scared, right?

Excuse me.

I was lying.

To be honest, I’ve never once thought I wasn’t scared.

Hearing that actually makes me feel relieved.

This... Kodama-san took it...

I think Keita probably remembered.

A ruin... No one's here...

Is anyone there? Stop it, man...

Just checking upstairs too...

Let's go...

What's wrong?

No...

Let's go.

Th... this...

That just now...

Keita.

Hinata.

Found~ you.

Keita!

Let's go home. Together.

Yeah... Hinata too.

That thing isn't Hinata-kun.

What are you talking about?

There's something I've been hiding from Keita all this time.

What?

Hinata-kun has always been right beside Keita.

Even now

I could see it from the very beginning

Ever since I first met Keita

So...

Hinata-kun is already dead

What Keita is seeing right now... that's not Hinata-kun

That thing is...

I see

Yeah, you're right

I'm sorry

Let me go

Huh...?

Found you!

Okay, Hinata's "it" next

What?

Hinata?

Keita

Hinata?

Hinata?

Hinata?

Where's Tsukasa?

Aaah!

Aaah!

Aaah!

Found you!

Okay, Hinata's "it" next

Isn't that the story Tsukamoto-san got mad about? Said it wasn't publishable

You're still chasing that?

Because it's not over yet

Besides, someday it might turn into a proper article

Hah...

I'm home

Tsukasa?

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