My piece of shit of a brother suddenly sent me...
Episode 5 "Trigger"
Something must be up for him to suddenly ask such an odd question.
What's your brother like?
I wonder if I have a picture.
Oh, my mom sent me this one over New Year's.
All done!
How you use the ingredients makes all the difference!
Here are today's recipes!
How you use the ingredients makes all the difference!
Here are today's recipes!
I asked my brother what happened, and...
Hello. Excuse the intrusion.
Welcome.
When he went to hang out at a female friend's house...
A female friend? Not his girlfriend?
My brother's love life is pretty messy.
I see. So you're nothing alike.
Well, cheer up.
I'm on your side, okay?
Shut up.
Thank you for being so nice to Miya.
Forgive us for being so doting, but we really love our adorable little girl.
We appreciate you being her friend.
Uh, sure.
In any case, their family seemed cheerful and friendly.
Have some dinner.
Thank you.
This looks good.
Have a seat.
Oh, we're one chair short.
Miya, could you go get one?
Okay.
Let's eat.
Anyway, that's when it happened...
What? Really?
Yeah. Rumor is Nekozuku-kun can see spirits.
Oh, right. Mom, when are we visiting Uncle?
Well...
Oh, would you like seconds?
Yes, please.
Thank you.
Thanks for the food.
Let's do our homework together.
Okay.
Good for you.
I'll be watching TV in the other room.
The lack of explanation is terrifying.
Apparently that's what happened.
You sure he's okay?
They're not gonna sacrifice your brother to something, are they?
If that family invites him to a festival that takes place every 90 years,
tell him to turn them down.
I thought it was scary when I heard about it, too.
But there's actually more to this story.
Anyway, it made me laugh.
What did you think, Ume-chan?
Uh, yeah. Me, too.
Her family's probably from somewhere in the countryside, and it's just their custom.
I didn't find anything on it,
but they must just be from really deep in the mountains or something.
Sorry for staying so late.
Come back soon.
What...?
What's wrong?
Did you see a bug?
When I was little,
I hit my head on a dresser and hurt myself.
Since I hit my forehead, I bled more than expected.
It was the first time my parents paid attention to me since my brother was born,
so I felt both happy and incredibly guilty about it.
I'm okay.
Anyway, Umeharu's crying. Go check on him.
I thought they wouldn't accept me unless I said that.
Magi
When was the last time you visited your parents?
New Year's.
People who live alone despite attending a university in their parents' city
are generally independent, want a convenient commute,
or have an awkward relationship with their family.
Your analysis can be annoying sometimes.
Tell him I'm an alumnus who can supposedly see spirits.
It's better than making up an elaborate story.
And tell him Yae-chan introduced me to you.
In my experience, involving a girl makes people lower their guard.
This is the one thing you're good at.
Plus, you're calmer when Yae-chan's present.
It's surprisingly important to do things with others.
It makes us feel safer and stronger.
Having Yae-chan with you must've played a big role when you tried to help me.
You wanted to impress her, right?
If you'd been alone, you would've panicked and lost track of me.
Mo...
Mom, Dad!
He brought his girlfriend home!
She's not my girlfriend!
She's nice.
What was that pause just now?
Say it.
Depending on your answer, I might stab you.
I just thought she was nice and small.
Small? What's small?
In four words or less.
Hey, could you tell me what happened?
Oh, right. Come in.
First, what's this Miya-chan girl like?
I think I have a picture.
Big brother red panda, little brother red panda.
I have so many, I can't tell anymore.
Which one is she?
Oh, here.
Why'd you take this picture?
It looks like VHS-era adult video packaging or a centerfold model...
Miya-chan's great because she's so sexy.
Also, are big breasts the only thing you care about?
As long as she's got big breasts, nothing else really matters.
Damn it...
Don't get me wrong.
It's, uh, you know...
My bad. I can't come up with an excuse.
All I can say is sorry.
I had my eye on a first-year named Inukai-san,
but I gave up since she's hanging out with Nekozuku.
He's gloomy and scary.
Sorry, Magi-kun. Your brother sucks.
I know.
You're classmates with Kyoshiro, huh?
Small world.
Do you see Miya-chan as a whole person?
Don't you think you shouldn't be showing us that picture?
Miya-chan said being looked at excites her, so it's okay.
We exchange those kinds of messages, too.
What?! Then you're perfect for each other!
Her messages are insane, though.
She'll send five thousand words of "I miss you" over and over.
That's actually kind of scary.
What should I do?
Don't ask me.
Even if she stabs you, it'll be your own fault.
It would serve you right.
What's that face for?
Are you two done joking around?
Oh, sorry.
Wait, I haven't introduced myself yet.
I'm Magi Umeharu.
Come to think of it, what's your given name?
Kuriaki.
Wasn't expecting that.
Magi Kuriaki, older brother.
Kuri (Chestnut) Aki (Fall)
Ume (Plum) Haru (Spring)
Magi Umeharu, younger brother.
Fall is chestnut season, and spring is plum season.
Were you born in the fall and spring?
Yeah, that's right.
Wait, you said you're 21, right?
If you're a third-year who hasn't turned 22 yet, did you fail to get into college once?
So what if I did?
You're sharp.
I wouldn't say that.
Mogura gains people's trust
like a shady fortune teller showing off with rapid-fire observations.
Kuriaki-kun told me some of what happened, but let me ask you a few questions.
Don't call me that.
Sure. It terrifies me, so I'll tell you whatever you want to know.
First, tell me about the doll.
Was it an expensive-looking one for decoration, or one for kids?
For kids, I think?
Like the baby dolls you see in commercials.
Was it new?
No, it looked pretty old, like a kid had played with it for years.
Next question.
Did the home have an altar?
Yeah.
I think that was an altar.
Were there any photos of a girl besides Miya-chan on the altar or anywhere else?
Come to think of it,
I assumed they were pictures of Miya-chan when she was little, but...
Hello. Excuse the intrusion.
The photo in the entryway might've been of a family of four.
Then most likely the spirit is that girl in the photo, and that doll was hers.
Possibly Miya-chan's older or younger sister.
I thought it might be a cursed doll, but in this case,
it's probably just what's keeping the family mentally stable.
The spirit's inhabiting that doll they treasure and living with the family.
That part's not too scary.
Why do we find dolls scary, anyway?
Most people find human dolls scarier than stuffed animals.
There's something about them we find fascinating.
Originally, dolls were representations of something else.
We transferred our own misfortune onto them, letting them take our place.
That's the origin of Hina dolls.
Cursed straw dolls take the place of the victim.
Humans recognize dolls as substitutes for human beings,
so we think they have a will of their own.
That's why they're scary.
Of course, some of 'em have scary faces that make you wonder why they were made that way.
But why did my brother suddenly start seeing spirits?
He's your brother.
You probably always had the potential for it.
But seeing is noticing.
Even if there were a spirit visible in Shibuya,
most people wouldn't realize it was a spirit.
Spirit
But if one showed at a known haunted spot, most people would claim they saw a spirit.
Sometimes people notice because they're in a situation or state of mind
that makes them look for something that feels off.
But the girl in the photo was young, and the spirit was around Miya-chan's current age.
She was, uh... pretty.
She could be synced up with Miya-chan because of a strong attachment.
She considers herself equal.
From what I can tell, the family's odd closeness is evidence of that.
Turn it on its head, and something will break.
It seems to me like they're afraid of change.
And... sorry, but I have to say it.
Based on what I've heard, there's a clear difference between the sisters.
I'm more interested in everything besides the doll.
While she's a good girl with her parents,
Miya-chan is desperate for approval and has a highly dependent personality.
Then there's the spirit stuck so firmly to Miya-chan that it's synced with her.
The unnaturally smiley and close family.
The cracks are already starting to show on the surface.
So if we look deep down inside, especially inside Miya-chan...
What will we find down there?
If you want confirmation,
ask Miya-chan for the truth, but be prepared for it to hurt her.
If you don't want to get involved, then don't ask.
Especially if a spirit is involved.
You can probably just ask her about the doll.
Despite everything I said, 99 out of 100 times, the doll would be a trauma thing.
Asking her about it won't make her think you're crazy.
You're right.
I'll ask her about it.
It might hurt her now, but after seeing that,
I can't keep acting like I never noticed.
Besides, I'm good at listening to girls.
Every year, my old room turns into a storage room more and more.
All right! Let's raid the place!
Hello?
I'm so happy you called, Ume-chan. What's up?
Oh, right. The doll.
Sorry. I forgot to explain.
No, I'm sorry for bring it up.
I wasn't sure if I should ask.
No, I know. It's scary.
It's just become so normal for us.
Sorry.
So she was fine with me asking about it after all.
That was my older sister's doll.
He was right.
Is she the girl in the photo on the altar?
Yeah. Cute, right?
Her name's Maya. "Ma" as in hemp, and "ya" the same as mine, with the ear radical.
Miya and Maya.
She was in an accident when she was eight.
I was seven at the time.
Everyone thought she was so cute.
Yeah. She was pretty.
Yeah, unlike me.
What?! You shouldn't say that!
You're both great.
I'm hideous.
Hey, uh... why don't you tell me about your sister?
You can tell me whatever you want.
If you don't get this stuff out, it'll fester, you know?
I loved my sister.
They say sisters born a year apart tend to fight, but she was so nice.
My dad and mom were so sad.
My mom especially had a really hard time getting over it.
I wish she'd lived.
But there's a part of me that's glad my pretty sister isn't alive.
Sometimes I wonder if my parents would dote on me like this if she were still here.
And if she were alive, I wouldn't want to introduce you to my family.
You'd fall in love with her instead!
All the girls love you.
I don't know how to connect with you except by being sexy.
But I hate myself for thinking that way.
Sorry for losing my composure.
You must think I'm annoying.
Actually, uh... I wonder why you let it bother you so much.
You're right. Why do I let it bother me?
Probably because...
What will we find down there?
"Why'd it have to be the cute older sister?"
When my sister died, that's what my uncle said.
Why'd it have to be the cute older sister?
He said, "Why'd it have to be the cute older sister?"
That uncle's sick right now.
It's not looking good.
Come to think of it, you said something about visiting him when I went to hang out.
Yeah. My whole family dutifully visits him regularly.
But I feel terrible that I'm not actually sad on the inside.
I genuinely want to get along with my family and uncle,
so I hate that I'm like this.
Until the day my mom stops taking care of that doll,
I have to be a good girl like a doll, too.
Mogura, stop eavesdropping!
I don't think that's your burden to bear.
Honestly, you should probably put the doll to rest, too.
One second.
What is it, Mom?
What? Why?
It was on the chair this morning!
Oh, sorry.
Apparently my mom's panicking because the doll's missing.
I gotta go, okay?
It's missing?
Hey! Where's your uncle now?
At the New Yatsume Hospital.
Wait, who is this?
New Yatsume Hospital...
That's west of here.
Mogura?
Wait, what? Who was that?
Did he just go to the hospital? Why?
Wait, I'm scared! I'm going, too!
Let's go, too.
Does he know how to get there without a map?
He's lived without a cell phone until now, so he might have an internal map of the city.
That must be it.
Come to think of it, he bragged about knowing most of the phone numbers of the nearby shops.
So annoying
Blah Blah
That's amazing! That's an ancient power!
But it's also an annoying "back in my day" brag!
He's fast, so we'd better hurry.
What's going on? I'm going with you.
Wait, did you hear all that?
Uh, yeah. Pretty clearly. Sorry.
Mogura was actively trying to listen in.
So was Miya-chan's sister's spirit watching over her out of concern?
I'd be worried too if my sister turned out like that.
Relatives can be shockingly insensitive about the things they say, but...
Care to share your female perspective?
I'm not sure, but my gut tells me...
It's hard to put in words, but this is a deep-seated problem.
If I were Miya-chan's sister, and something were keeping me in this world,
would it really be as simple as a desire to watch over her?
Maya?
I see. You're Maya, aren't you?
Have you appeared in my dreams as a grown-up girl?
You were supposed to grow up this pretty, huh?
Miya and her family were so sad.
I was sad, too.
But it looks like I'm crossing over now, too.
I can finally touch you.
I've been waiting for this moment...
You piece of shit.
Mogura!
We finally caught you.
What's going on?
I'm worried about the uncle,
but I'm worried about her older sister, too.
Your words turned Miya into a living corpse!
That triggered everything!
I felt so, so sorry for her!
I stayed in this world because I hated you so much!
I've been waiting for this moment!
While you were healthy, no amount of speaking to or hitting you seemed to work!
But apparently it was slowly affecting you.
You grew weaker and weaker.
I could drag you closer and closer.
Now I can even hurt you!
What's going on, Maya?
I don't understand why you're so upset.
What's wrong with you?
Come on, Maya. Smile.
Don't say such nasty things.
You're ruining your cute face.
Come on, smile. Smile for me.
Smile.
The way you talk pisses me off!
Don't talk like that when you're not prepared for the consequences!
If you're going to be so nasty, you'd better be prepared for it!
If you're not, then keep your mouth shut!
You're worth less than cockroach shit!
I'll stuff your mouth with rocks and sew it shut!
You never said anything interesting at New Year's, idiot!
We were all just being considerate because of your age!
Did you know that?!
You deserve to meet your end at the hands of the niece you thought of as a doll.
This is the most interesting moment of your whole life!
I'll give you my biggest smile ever!
Miya, I'm sorry! I'm sorry!
The least I can do is shorten his life!
You think this is humiliating?!
Mortifying? Unfair?
Episode 6 "Brothers and Sisters"