Satsujin-sha....the murderer.....

At the Tokyo Police Hospital, Naoki follows a police officer down a corridor & stops, disbelief on his face, staring at a door. A detective approaches him, Naoki seems startled when the man says "I'm Detective Onda from the Metropolitan Police Investigation 1st Division....whether or not she's the woman you're looking for....could you please verify...." Naoki seems frozen stunned & only starts to move when the detective prods him........

Naoki opens the door & slowly makes his way into the room. Pulling off the sheet covering the face of a body he sees Yuri & tears well up in his eyes. He flings the sheet on the ground, stoops down hunched over, the detective getting his answer from Naoki's actions. Looking at Yuri & crying, Naoki touches her forehead....

Minako & Kiichiro hurry down a corridor, seeing Keita sitting emotionless on a bench. Minako says "Thank you for letting us know...." Keita doesn't reply, merely looks up, tears in his eyes. Minako & Kiichiro look towards the door that Detective Onda opens "Please...." Minako looks into the room & sees Yuri's body, Naoki sitting on the ground with his back to the door....on Naoki's face, there is this strange expression........

(-= CJ =- Instead of the Camouflage theme song they have that intense violin music playing instead....)

Walking down a street with determination Naoki says to Keita "If Yuri developed the film, I think it had to be somewhere nearby....right up front there's another shop, go take a look...." Keita, panting to keep up with Naoki asks "Why didn't you tell the police about the photos? Kokubu wanted to take back the photos &...." Naoki cuts him off "Just because the photo was taken by me, he killed someone else?! Don't be stupid!" Keita replies "That's something the police should be checking out...." Naoki grabs Keita by the collar "We're doing it! We'll find the one who killed Yuri!" Keita yells back pushing Naoki away "Just us....what can we do?!" Naoki says "You loved here didn't you...." "Ah....more than you...." "If that's so than hurry & go!" says Naoki, walking away........

At a photo shop the attendant tells Naoki "The prints were ready at 3 in the afternoon....she came exactly then to pick them up...." Naoki asks anxiously "What sort of state was she in?" "As soon as she got them she opened to look....ah, she stood there for a while looking at the photos...." Naoki turns & imagines Yuri standing in the corner of the store, looking at the photos. His voiceover says "Looking at the photos at 3pm until the estimated time of death at 10pm....7 hours...."

Standing overlooking the place where Yuri's body was discovered Naoki says to Keita "Yuri didn't come back to my place, didn't go to the office either...." Keita asks "How did the murderer know Yuri had the photos?" Naoki says "Yuri must have been the one that approached him...." "You're saying that she went to get herself killed?" When Naoki doesn't reply, Keita says "Then, I wonder if there are people who know the area well...." Naoki tells him "This wasn't where she was killed...." Keita asks "How come?" Naoki sounding a little exasperated "Think! Yuri was the one who took the initiative....why would she take the trouble to come to a place she doesn't know to meet & do something dangerous....10pm....alone with the murderer....definitely someplace else...." Naoki grimaces as his ear gives him trouble & he touches it. Keita asks "Are you alright? Still hurts doesn't it...." Naoki doesn't reply, just turns & starts walking off, Keita left with no choice but to follow........

At the Orchid Square, stamping a document & handing it back to Minako, the boss says "Even sending my wife an invitation, thank you very much...." Minako shakes her head "It's ok...." "Had to buy an evening dress, trembling with excitement....but now is the happiest time, just a bit more...." Shoko hands out mail "Here, Minako's letter....here boss...." Minako looks at her letter & her expressions changes to shock....

Outside alone, Minako reads the letter "December 10th, 8pm....I'm writing this letter....I heard about the incident (concerning you) from Keita...." Minako pauses. As she continues reading aloud, her voice fades out & Yuri's voice says "tonight....I don't know what's waiting for (going to happen to) me....but there's something I want to tell you....you should not look away from the past....don't lose, Minako....I won't lose either...shouldering half of Naoki's burdens, for the sake of Naoki's happiness...." It's signed Sakuma Yuri. Minako looks up, an expression of pain on her face. Her voiceover says "How about stopping the wedding...."

In their apartment Kiichiro drops some cards on the table "I understand how you feel....but if we lose now, it's what Kokubu wants...." Minako says "Going on with the wedding is what Kokubu wants, isn't it....he will certainly show up on that day....his Christmas present will be definitely delivered on that day!" Kiichiro replies "If that's the case then we should carry on with the wedding! Being terrified of Kokubu like this, you hate it to don't you...." Minako looks back at Kiichiro who then turns to look at the stack of wedding invitations on the table "Kokubu will definitely show up, mixed in there...."

At a pier, some people leaving call out "Takahashi! Shall we go together?" Kokubu replies "Thank you....I'm fine...." "Then we'll go first....otsukare...." With an "Otsukaresama!" back to them, Kokubu turns & walks away....the ship looms in the background........

Naoki sits silently at his desk. Keita comes in "How are you feeling?" Naoki doesn't reply, just looks at him. Keita sees an envelope on the table "What's this?" Naoki says "They said they wanted me to have it....just now Yuri's mom brought it here...." Keita opens the envelope "Pass case?" Opening it he sees Yuri's season ticket transport pass....& a photo of Yuri & Naoki together. Keita's expression changes....on closer look, it's a photo of Keita, Yuri & Naoki with Keita cut out. Neither of them say anything until Keita pulls out some pieces of paper "These....receipts....the police said that it's possible to figure out her movements the day she was killed, from the receipts...." Naoki starts looks at the receipts piece by piece as Keita continues "But was Yuri a methodical person?" Naoki looks & then says "No....maybe she was trying to tell us her where she went...." Naoki grabs a street directory & spreads the receipts out. "This....1625, Cafe Rashina at South Aoyama....1748 Nogizaka Library, photocopied something...." circling all the spots on the map. Keita asks "What did she copy? Newspaper article on the incident 15 years ago?" Naoki nods "Probably....this....1620 bought a letter set at a stationary store in Roppongi....2050 East Asabu....coffee...." Keita asks "Killing time?" Naoki barely whispers "This is the last one....2135, Shiba Park convenience store, bought a 80yen stamp...." Keita says "Letter to who....the estimated time of death of 2200 isn't wrong....she must have been killed around here" pointing at the last place Naoki circled on the map. Naoki says "Yuri first took the photos...." & as Naoki joins all the circles on the map Keita mutters "then went to South Aoyama....Nogizaka....Roppongi....East Asabu....Shiba Park....took a taxi, or bus?" Naoki answers "She walked....it's that route...." "That route?" "The route that we walked together...." Naoki imagines Yuri walking along the streets "If she was doing that, then the last place she went to was........" Yuri walks towards a lighted up Tokyo Tower............

At Hamazaki's studio, Hamazaki reveals his finished portrait to Minako. Minako says "It's really touching....I'll treasure it...." Hamazaki tells her "Kiichiro said that he wanted to hang this up in the new apartment & keep his mother's portrait....why Kiichiro decided to go to Fukushima University, did you here?" "No...." "Fukushima is the hometown of Makiko who abandoned Kiichiro when he was 13....was where his mother grew up as a young girl....he chose Fukushima....waiting for the mother who disappeared to return home perhaps........" Minako stares at Makiko's portrait in front of her while another of Makiko looks at Minako from behind her shoulder........

Up on the roof of a building, Naoki glumly stares out into the view of the city. He hears Keita say "I brought this...." holding up a plastic bag. Naoki goes over, takes the bag from Keita & sits down on some piping. Taking out a bottle of liquor he says "Let's do it here....our memorial service for Yuri....she (her spirit) might still be here...." Keita looks around, not saying a word. Naoki tells him "What are you doing, come over here...." Keita goes over, Naoki hands him a glass, ice, vodka & lime. Naoki says "To Yuri...." Keita repeats "To Yuri...." Both of them looking at the lighted up Tower of Tokyo, Naoki says "I've never told you....when work used to get me down, I'd come here pretty often....you said before, that you fell in love with the Yuri I shone light on....that's wrong....in the end I couldn't give any light to Yuri...." Keita doesn't say anything while Naoki takes a sip "Drink! You're not drinking...." Keita gulps his drink down & Naoki pours him a refill. Naoki says "Why did Yuri had to die in my place?" Keita says pained & in anger "Probably because she had that film....if you hadn't taken the picture of the Santa Claus' real identity!" Naoki quietly answers "That's true...." After a pause Naoki asks, as if wondering out loud "But did that Santa Claus really kill Yuri? For sure the real identity of that Santa Clause was captured in print, the murderer 15 years ago...." Keita interrupts him "That's for sure! That Santa killed Yuri....Kokubu...." Naoki says "But what if there's someone else besides Santa....what if there's someone else...." Keita continues "To use the photos as proof to blackmail the real murderer...." "For the sake of money...." "That person snatched the photos from Yuri & seal her lips?" Naoki nods. Keita says "Besides Yuri, the only other one who knows about the photos are you...." "& you too...." answers back Naoki & the both of them sit tense, silent at the implications. Naoki says quietly "Besides Yuri, the only people who know about the existence of those photos are right here....only me & you...." Keita sits frozen while Naoki drinks & tells him "I said drink...." Keita finally asks "What are you saying?!" 

Naoki gets up & starts walking around. Keita asks "What are you doing?!" Naoki replies "Maybe the murderer left something behind at the scene of the crime...." looking around. Suddenly Naoki says "Hey Keita!" "What?" "What's wrong with that?" "Huh? What?" Naoki taps his own left hand with his right "That injury...." looking at Keita "I've been watching...." Keita pulls up his sleeve & looks at his left arm as Naoki says "I was wondering all this while 'what sort of trouble left you those wounds...." Keita answers "The usual loan collectors....if you don't stop this nonsense I'll get mad...." Naoki doesn't reply, walking around, looking & suddenly stops "What's this...." Picking up a cigarette butt he says "Hi-Light....smoking it until this short...." Keita says "That sort of thing, must have been dropped here...." "By who?" "The murderer of course! At the scene of the crime, a saliva covered cigarette butt...." Naoki cuts him off "You were here weren't you...." holding up the cigarette butt. Keita doesn't reply, just stares back stonily. Naoki walks slowly towards Keita, still holding up the cigarette butt "It's you isn't it, Keita...." They stare at each other in silence....Naoki to Keita....Keita to Naoki.... & back again............Keita stares at Naoki & finally turns away....Naoki is stunned, muttering "Don't kid...." Naoki goes up to Keita & holds him in a tight hug & screams "Why!?!" Half crying Naoki says "You....loved Yuri so much! Why did you kill her?!" Keita answers blankly "If I die, there's 5 million yen...."life insurance, beneficiary is a finance institution....had to pay back my debts in exchange for my life...." "Wanted money?" "No...." "Then what?" "Because I loved Yuri...." Naoki still holding on to Keita doesn't say anything. Keita says "Because I wanted to make Yuri my woman...." Naoki's face changes to one of pain as tears roll down his face. Gritting his teeth he bites out "Do you know what you've done?!!" flinging Keita away from him. Keita answers "I know....I ended Yuri's life with my own hands....became my woman...."

Keita remembers Yuri coming up onto the rooftop & as she approaches the Santa Claus standing by the real, Santa turns around & Yuri shocked says "How? How come you're here?" Keita says "Calling one to a place like this....you're asking to die! You brought the photos....give them to me...." Yuri cries "How did you know I'd be coming here?" Keita doesn't answer, just rushes after her in a mad rage, strangling her, pushing her down onto the ground "I love you Yuri!" When Yuri no longer struggles, Keita stops & with a crazed smile, picks her up & holds her....

Back in the present Keita says to Naoki "I've stolen Yuri from you....she's mine now....I understand perfectly....15 years ago, the feelings of the murderer who killed Morita Kimiko...." Naoki asks "Who is it? You know....don't you........" Keita answers cynically "Use that brain of yours & think...." Naoki stares back. Keita suddenly jumps over the rail & onto the ledge of the room. Naoki says frantically "What are you doing?!" running forward. Keita shouts "Don't come here!" As he walks on the ledge, perilously close to the edge Keita says "My life's crap....never thought that life would be this crappy...." Naoki says "Come back!" Keita pauses "Can I ask you something?....Did I really leave behind a Hi-Light cigarette butt?" Naoki doesn't reply, just pulls out a packet of Hi-Lights from his pocket. Keita says "I've been had....the both of us have been deceiving each other...." Keita pulls out a photo & looks at it "I'm afraid....meeting Yuri again....will she forgive me?" starting to walk along the ledge again. Naoki says "Stop...." "I'm tired of living already...." "Keita! Listen! No matter what past one has or what mistakes one's made, one has to live!" With the lighted up Tokyo Tower in the background, Keita stops at the corner & peers over the edge "How can I live life over?" Naoki says "No! One cannot live life over! People cannot live life over!" Keita slowly turns back to look at Naoki with tears in his eyes. Naoki tells him "Do you think you can make amends by dying?! Dying & then being in peace, do you think that will make up for things?!" Keita moves back closer to the edge "I don't want to live...." Naoki panicky, says "Listen Keita!" "It hurts too much...." Keita says moving back a little more. Naoki yells "I said listen!!!" Keita stops & Naoki says "It hurts doesn't it....that's why I'm saying you have to live on! Do you know why you were born into this world?!" Keita sobbing "It was a mistake....a mistake being born...." "That's not possible! What do I have to say to make you understand?! You're 25 years old....you don't know that! You don't know that! If you don't live on some more you don't know that!!! (being born into this world is a mistake....) You don't have any other roads left...." Keita turns away & looks over the edge. Naoki yells "Keita! Keita! There's no road over there! The road's over this way!!!" banging on the rail in front of him. Keita doesn't move, stands at the edge crying. Naoki tries again "Come back!" Keita turns back to look at Naoki telling him "It'll be alright! I'll walk with you....it'll be alright...." holding out his hand to Keita "Come on...." Naoki climbs up leaning over the barrier & holding out both hands to Keita says "Come on....come one Keita...." Keita holds out his hand Naoki & Naoki tries to reach for him "It'll be alright...." Keita grabs Naoki's hands in a death grip & with a smile says "In the hiding place....it's sleeping...." Naoki stares at Keita who suddenly pulls free of Naoki's hands & falls back. Naoki in shock leans over & falls over the barrier onto the ledge screaming "Keita!!!" Naoki falls apart, crying on the roof, Keita lying on the street way down below. On the ledge is the photo Keita put in Naoki's hands just a few seconds before. It's the same photo Yuri had in her pass case, the photo of the 3 of them with Naoki cut out of the photo....

Detective Onda sitting across from Naoki questioning him says "Underneath the fingernails of Sakuma Yuri were found traces of skin tissue....it's consistent with Nakajima Keita's blood type....it'll be clear with DNA testing...." Naoki sits looking down, immobilized, not replying. Onda continues "Sakuma Yuri's killer is Nakajima Keita...." Naoki neither moves nor replies. Onda adds "On the roof, what did you talk to him about?........look here...." Naoki finally moves a little, looking up at Onda. "Did you drive him into a corner?" No response. Onda tries again "In order to apologies for his crime to you....he jumped?" Finally Naoki says "Is it alright?" Onda looks questioningly at Naoki who says in a numb tone "Talk....later alright?........have to do it again........friend's funeral........"

It's barely dawn, remnants of the night lingering, when Naoki walks out of the police station & along the street, remembering both his friends........in Naoki's apartment Keita in the veranda looking at Yuri cooking "Although I definitely love Yuri more than you do, there's no room in her heart for me........"........with his face covered in bruises Keita says to Naoki "In any case my life's crap!" Naoki tells him off "Someone like you giving up on yourself, no one's going to praise....to boldly live on, that should be the Nakajima Keita...."....packing up in his apartment Naoki tells Yuri "said so already, by the end of summer....break up!"....Keita tells Naoki "It's about time you feel the happiness of being loved...."....Naoki telling Keita "You love her, what are you doing?" "When I see her cry, it's painful...."....Yuri getting dressed "Loving someone hurts....terribly....that pain, can I bear it? Can you?"....Keita saying "The Yuri that (Naoki's) light shines on, that's my desire...."....Yuri telling Naoki "Next, save (help) me....if you're not by my side I feel like I'm dying! Save (help) me!"....Yuri on the night she died, saying to Naoki on the phone "Now, tell me a little?" Naoki replies "I love you...." "I'm happy....wait for me...."....& then Keita's last words "In the hiding place....it's sleeping...."........Naoki closes his eyes in despair........

Minako's sitting up in her bed, appearing tense as if she hasn't slept at all. The phone rings & Minako answers it "Hello...." "It's me....Ito Naoki...." Naoki says slowly. Minako breathes a sigh "It's you...." Naoki tells her "Our....our childhood friend....died last night...." Minako's shocked "Childhood friend is...." Naoki says "Keita jumped off a building....the one who killed Yuri was Keita........the one who killed Keita....was me...." Minako's stunned, silent. Naoki continues "In the hiding place, it's sleeping....those were his last words...." "Eh?" "We have to go....to the hiding place in your heart...." "Hiding place...." repeats Minako, tears in her eyes........

At the Orchid Square, Kiichiro speaks to Shoko "On vacation?" Shoko replies "Seems like she called encho this morning, said that due to the wedding preparations, wanted to take a day off...." Kiichiro replies "Ah....we have a date later, my mistake...." "Only one more week...." The encho calls "Shoko!" "Yes?" "Please handle this...." Shoko says to Kiichiro "Excuse me...." & goes off. Kiichiro mutters "Minako, where have you gone?"

In the forest where Naoki & Minako first met, Minako holds both cut-off photographs from Keita & Yuri as Naoki reads Yuri's letter "Don't lose, Minako....I won't lose either, shouldering half of Naoki's burdens, for the sake of Naoki's happiness...." He looks at the envelope....Sakuma Yuri....Minako puts both photos together & sees the complete picture of Keita, Yuri & Naoki. Both of them are standing on either side of the hammock when Naoki says "Minako, do you know?"

The forest is no longer green, the trees are bare, snow & leaves on the ground. The narration from the opening first episode comes on Naoki's voice comes on "Isn't there a Sleeping Beauty in a forest? That famous French children's story....that princess, the moment she woke up she accepted the prince's proposal....when you think about it, doesn't it seem strange? That princess had been asleep all along....she didn't know what difficulties the prince had to go through in order to wake her up....just accepted his proposal when he appeared in front of her?...." Minako's voice continues "She must have known by the look in his eyes that he was the one....the one that fought a watch & would have willingly given up his life for her...."........Naoki says "Just knowing by the look in his eyes?" Minako answers "Yes!" Naoki says "That's a little unbelievable...." Minako says "Hey...." Naoki "hm?" Minako asks "When I wake up, will you be there for me?" Naoki agrees "Yes...." Minako asks "Really?" Naoki assures her "I'll be there for sure....I'll be there...." Minako says "That's a promise...." Naoki tells her "Let's go...."

	実那子： 直季： 実那子： 直季： 実那子： 直季： 実那子：	ねえ．．． うん？ 私が目覚める時、目の前にちゃんと あなたがいてくれる？ ．．．いいよ． 本当？ ちゃんといる．俺がいる． 約束よ．

(-= CJ =- I loved the way they did this scene....the both of them just looking at each other not speaking out loud but with the voiceovers instead....& their expressions as if they were really speaking with their minds....sugoi....)

In the cottage Ito draws the curtains shut when Naoki & Minako walk in. Ito greets them "Welcome...." Naoki asks "Is this ok?" Ito nods & asks Minako "Are you alright?" Minako nods not answering & Naoki says "What's been sleeping in the hiding place in her heart....need to pull (get) it out now...." Ito says "Then, let's get started...." Placing Minako on a bed & turning on some strobe lights Ito says "You feel the light don't you...." Minako nods. Ito continues "According to the rhythm of the light, let yourself go....listen to my voice....you know my voice....when you hear my voice, you feel at peace....slowly slowly you fall into a deep sleep....I have brought with me a time machine....look, looks like a helicopter doesn't it....I'm going to turn the dial....I'm setting it to 1983, December 24th....the place is your home....what do you hear?" Minako, with her eyes closed, moves a little, not answering. Ito continues "It's the sound of the rain....it's a stormy night....you can hear the thunder too...." Naoki looks at the light as they start blinking faster, listening to his father's voice "You as a 12 year old....have been told to stay upstairs on the 2nd floor....the turkey's roasted, the cake's also done....although this is the Christmas Eve dinner, you've been banished upstairs all alone....why?" The strobe lights slow down its rhythm again as Minako answers in a little girl voice "A guest has arrived...." Ito asks "Someone you know?" Minako shakes her head "I don't know...." "You did as you were told, waiting in the playroom....finally, you heard something downstairs didn't you....what can you hear?" "Someone's...." "Someone's??" Minako puts her hands to her ears, trembling & all of a sudden opens her eyes & sits up "Someone's shouting!"

A young Minako's standing at the top of the stairs, hearing someone crying & slowing makes her way down. As she enters the living room, her father's bloodied hand swipes her across the front of her dress. Looking, she sees her mother & father lying on the ground in pools of blood & is stunned. Suddenly she hears a scream & looking across she sees her sister struggling to get away from someone, crashing a cabinet to the floor....

The Camouflage theme song starts to play as Minako back in the present, still in a trance, recalls someone holding onto her sister sobbing. Minako says "I love you....I love you Kimiko....you're mine, I won't let anyone else have you...." Ito asks "That person's face....you saw it...." Naoki's tensely waiting for her reply. Ito asks again "How?....can you see?" Minako answers "Yes! That person, turned & looked my way...." A young Minako stares at the man holding on to her sister as he slowly turns towards her. Ito says "Your eyes met....who is it? Can you tell me?" Naoki bites his fingers waiting. Minako finally says "It's him...." That man turns around & young Minako screams............the man's face is all bloodied............it's Kokubu............

(-= CJ =- This ended up being my favorite episode.....the hardest to write because it was so full of despair....& also the first time I thought KimuTaku's acting superb....)