Fushi is reunited with his revived friends.
And...
You all came together here because your hearts are connected!
Aoki-kun, Mizuha's gone missing.
As of two days ago.
Mizuha
He's gone...
President Hanna!
There you are! Finally!
Is something wrong, President?
Huh? Oh...
It's nothing.
We'll help search for Mizuha-senpai.
The assistant principal and a few others are looking around the city.
Okay, let's split up and search around this area.
I think I walked past Mizuha-senpai here the day before yesterday...
She was walking in this direction.
Where did she go?
Ow, ow, ow...
Sweet!
I have a badass scar like Kai-san!
What are you doing, Yuki?
Fushi! Why are you here?
I came here because I sensed pain, and some of it was coming from you.
You can do that? That's awesome!
Kazumitsu and Aiko are worried about you.
Let's go home.
Just a sec.
Mizuha-senpai's gone missing.
I've been looking for her.
Mizuha?
She'd hurt her leg, hadn't she?
I might be able to find her through her pain.
Really? Wow!
Should I just make sure she's safe and take her home?
I'll try it.
Mizuha!
She must have been troubled.
I hope she hasn't gotten any ideas...
President Hanna!
I heard from the assistant principal.
You're going to get sick.
Get in. Let's drive around.
Okay.
Are you all right?
I think you should go home.
I'm fine.
I'm more worried about Mizuha.
Who are you?!
Ow...
I'll never get used to tall heels.
Who are you?! What?!
Oh, sorry. I...
I'm, um, Yuki's big sister.
Wait, his cousin? His mother's...
Yuki-kun's? But why...
They asked me to help you.
Everyone's worried about you.
Come on, let's run.
Mizuha-chan.
Is that a friend?
I would have served some tea if you'd told me.
Grandpa.
It's okay.
I'm about to go home.
Oh, so this is your grandpa's place.
You have to stop bottling it in.
You can always come over if you get sick of your home.
Okay. Thanks.
Let's go, miss.
Mizuha!
Senpai, we were so worried about you!
You aren't hurt, are you?
Sorry. I'm all right.
I'm so relieved you weren't in danger or anything.
Yeah. Sorry.
Hang on, is that you, Fushi?
Mizuha! What have you been doing this whole time?
Where were you?
At Grandpa's.
He dragged you there, didn't he?
I've had it. He abducted you!
I need to report him.
Wait! It's nothing like that! I went because I wanted to.
You skipped school just to go there?
Did I do something to you?
No, it's my fault.
I just saw Grandpa for the first time in a while, and I missed him, so...
He didn't do anything or say anything to you, did he?
No, nothing.
He just let me read his books.
Books?
I don't know if you've noticed, but your grandpa and I don't get along very well.
I had a hunch.
Then don't put me through so much misery.
Okay. Sorry.
I'm glad you understand.
Everyone, thank you for your help today.
Please let me repay you later.
I'm glad I found out you had good friends.
"Had"?
I'm moving.
Look, this is our new house.
I'm thinking of getting these curtains to match the flooring.
What do you think?
Oh, yeah, it looks nice.
Oh, hold still, Mizuha.
I have to get this month's.
If you go, I'll cry.
Hanna...
If you're holding something back, please tell me.
I want to be the one to hear you.
I want...
to stay here.
Hey, did you hear?
Mizuha from Class 1 actually just ran away from home.
Yeah, I heard.
Crazy.
It's always the quiet ones you gotta keep an eye on.
I saw her talking to some foreigner the other day.
For real?
Mizuha, let's go to the club room.
Okay.
Oh, that feather! That's the one I made.
I thought so.
Sorry. It was in the club room, so I took it.
It's okay.
I made it for you.
I figured.
Uh, is your leg okay?
It's great! I can run!
Hey, take it easy.
Not again.
We aren't the Otaku Club or the Occult Club!
It's the Handicrafts Club!
What's going on with your move?
Nothing's happening yet.
Okay.
Let's try telling your mom again that you don't want to go.
Okay.
G'morning, senpai ladies!
Jeez, you scared me, Yuki-kun.
It's not morning anymore.
True. Just being business-polite, y'know?
Mizuha, I'm sure it'll work out.
Mizuha, I'll take this cardigan and dress to the cleaners.
Okay, Mom. Thanks.
Hey, Mom?
I'm sorry, Mizuha.
As your mother, I should have thought more about why you left home.
What pains me more than anything is the thought of you distancing yourself from me.
So I'll call off the move.
Thanks, Mom.
I appreciate it.
Mom, have you seen my feather hair tie?
No. Are you sure you looked everywhere?
I can't find it in the laundry, either.
That's odd...
I thought I'd left it on the bathroom counter.
Oh, you're hopeless.
Give me your hand.
What's this?
It's been my favorite since I was in elementary school.
I held on to it, hoping I'd have an adorable girl like you that I could hand it down to.
Are you sure about this?
Knowing me, I might lose it again.
It's fine.
Turn around.
See? It looks great.
My dear child.
I'm really sorry.
I can't believe I lost the hair tie you gave me.
Don't worry about it.
It was fun having a matching pair,
but it's not like we're going to lose our bond because of it.
Hanna...
I'm actually glad you lost it.
It helped us find out that your mom's really kind and cares about you.
It looks good on you.
Really?
She called off the move, too.
Maybe you won't get in trouble if I take you somewhere.
What do you mean?
Wanna hang out at the station this weekend?
I want a new hand mirror.
I'll ask Mom.
So cute.
This one, too.
Okay. I'll buy this one.
Thank you very much.
That looks great on you.
You got complimented.
This one's cute.
Which one?
Gonna buy it.
Sounds good. It suits you well.
Oh, let's split these hairpins.
Sure.
Hey, have you been to the new crêpe shop on the third floor?
Nope.
Let's go.
Two might have been a bit too much.
Mom might kill me.
You eat too much.
I'm a growing girl.
It's so peaceful, huh?
Wh-Why are you crying?
L-Let's come back another time.
I'm home.
Welcome home.
Mizuha, did you have fun?
Yeah. I did.
Mizuha?
A lot of the people around me say I'm perfect.
That I have everything.
I think so, too.
I could do anything better, earlier than anyone else.
I never had trouble at school, either.
I got praised a lot in sports, too.
Okay, Mizuha-chan, you're in the middle.
Why is it always her?
This is easy. Anyone can do it.
Why is this so hard for you?
I thought I was perfect.
But I realized in middle school that there were things I hadn't gotten.
Wow, you're so good, Mizuha-chan.
I know.
First, a perfect friend.
Wanna go out with me?
Sorry.
I didn't want anyone beneath me.
I didn't see a point in being involved with someone I couldn't admire.
Second, a perfect mom.
Mom's always wanted to make me do everything.
I didn't really hate it.
I could accomplish anything, after all.
Mom, look at my trophy!
Mizuha, you're my purpose in life.
To my mom, I'm the trophy.
Third, enough time to satisfy my mom.
Eternal time.
Eternal youth.
No matter how much I can do,
I'd look disgraceful with sagging skin and wrinkles under my eyes.
I'm perfect because I'm young.
Once I'm older, I'm mediocre.
I wanna die.
One day, I started dreaming of ending myself before I grew up.
I know it's a horrible personality.
But I can't bring myself to do anything about it.
Maybe if someone would set me straight...
So you should be careful, too, Hanna-chan.
She's kind of a slut.
You're all idiots.
She doesn't have time for that.
I'll be okay.
I have a safety net.
A net that'll catch me even when other people hate me.
Will you cry for me if I die?
I thought she was just a safety net,
but my heart skipped a beat when she didn't respond immediately.
You probably shouldn't ignore that.
Once I grow up, I'm going to lose even more freedom.
Work, household, relationships, self-esteem...
I think I'll be dead by the time I'm done being seventeen.
We'll be out by next month. Be ready.
I told you. We're moving.
Grandpa...
I keep telling him to stop sending letters!
Regrets...
Something illogical was still lingering inside me.
To be honest, I don't know what Mom's thinking.
I wasn't perfect in my mom's eyes.
A modest act of rebellion.
Just having a little fun.
Mizuha-chan. What brings you here?
Have you told your mom?
Y-Yeah.
Is that so?
Mom's accepted you, then, huh?
Into the Guardians.
We can count on you, can't we?
What are you talking about?
Guardians?
My family's been involved in what you might call a religion for generations.
In this run-down house?
You must be wondering where all the followers are.
Some people don't take kindly to our activities.
So we don't do any preaching.
You're the eighteenth—the new leader.
But your mother just wouldn't allow it,
and now we're estranged.
Sorry, Grandpa.
To tell you the truth, I didn't tell Mom I'd be here.
She's probably looking frantically for me right now.
You look happy.
So, tell me more.
What do the Guardians protect?
An immortal monster.
The records are in the library.
Take a look.
A woman named Hayase, one of my ancestors,
is said to be the first to protect the monster.
He revived the dead, brought them into his ranks,
and saved Renril from beings called Nokkers, who were considered a legend.
That monster is Fushi.
Merely a legend.
Listen up, y'all!
I picked up a beast boy!
Of course! He's family!
Gramps and my sister both love Fushi!
Everyone's worried about you.
There's no way anyone could come through the only window in this room.
A small act of rebellion brought about a huge realization.
The missing piece.
What I really needed.
Rather than count and lament the things I don't have,
I need to take something that transcends everything.
Then I can finally become perfect.
I...
want that man.
It's so odd.
I've never felt this happy.
I wonder if people become indifferent to all their complexes
once they discover their grand purpose.
My accessory looks so nice on you.
An imperfect mom. Not bad.
Mizuha-senpai!
I like your accessory!
Really?
It's my mom's treasure.
I-It's cute!
Good for you.
Imperfect friends. Not bad.
Silly moments, drifting into the past.
Not bad.
What I lack, I can make.
I just need to try and connect.
My life, with my own hands.
To see how perfect I can become.
Bye, Mizuha. See you.
Yup.
Huh?
When did I get home?
Was I sleeping in the hallway?
Dad?
Mizuha?
I'm not going to make it home tonight. Go ahead and have dinner.
Okay.
Is Auntie's leg okay?
Yeah. She's still sound asleep.
Well, say hi to Mom for me.
Okay. Bye.
Mom, Dad says he can't make it home today.
Mom!
Mom?
What just happened?
Mom...
Why am I running?
I don't remember anything.
Dad...
I need to call Dad...
What's that?
Aw, shit.
Let's go after it.
Wanna take video?
Quit it.
Did I kill her?
Someone...
Someone, help me!
Could you not depend on your beloved friends?
Is there anything I can do for you before this happens?
Be my friend.
Preview
In one corner of a city so peaceful that it feels boring,
a young girl has killed her mother.
Indifferent to the wary gazes of those around them, Fushi and Mizuha grow closer.
Then something bizarre happens.
The One Who Vanished