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Eternal 831, The (2022)

Posted: 02/11/24 10:35
by bunniefuu
My name is Suzushiro Asano.

It was the year the world
was in turmoil

following an unprecedented disaster.

Like so many others,

I was also in extreme financial
and emotional distress.

I only managed to
make it to Tokyo

because of a newspaper scholarship

and a single-minded desire
to escape "stopped time."

'Morning.

Oh, good morning.

You're new, aren't you?

Student?

Yes.

College kids doing paper routes
are a rare sight these days.

But school hasn't started yet, right?

Shouldn't you still be
at home with your parents?

No, I wanted to get away
as soon as possible.

Get away?

Where is there to get away to
after the disaster?

I know...

Are you okay?

Yes... I'm fine.

Be careful.

Yes...

Last summer,

a classmate committed
su1c1de because of me.

Ever since that day,

I've been wandering
all alone in "stopped time,"

unable to share my pain

with even my family.

That is, until I met her...

a person who endured a similar,

or even worse,
experience than I went through.

ETERNAL 831
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Well done.

You finished by seven.

Yes...just barely.

You got this far in a week.

You're doing pretty good.

Thank you.

Go get some breakfast.

Okay.

Hi, guys.

Good morning!

- Good job.
- Good work.

Suzushiro!

I hear you can do the route
on your own now.

Come sit here.

Thank you.

Sugoroku has been on a newspaper
scholarship for eight years

and is my senpai at Teio University

where he will graduate
this spring.

Tea, Suzushiro?

Thanks.
I'll get it myself.

You're so nice to youngsters,
Belle.

I can't have students think

news vendors don't treat
their people well.

Take your time.

School hasn't started yet, has it?

No.

This fetching woman

who everyone
affectionately calls "Belle"

is Akina, the store manager

and only daughter of
the shop's owner

who I heard died two years ago.

They say the economy
is looking up.

Don't they know
how many more people

can't even afford
the newspaper?

The government can go to hell.

The way things are going,
it makes no difference

if the prime minister's from
the opposing party or a woman.

Outbursts like that make you
sound like a menopausal old man.

Didn't Father tell you

that news vendors are journalists
on the front line?

Now shape up.

Don't you start now, Belle.

Belle's escapades
during her college days

kept the late boss's hands full.

Hey, enough!

What do you think, Suzushiro?

As a young man
who has to live through

the unprecedented disaster.

I...hadn't really thought about it.

It was, after all, the worst thing
to happen to postwar Japan.

The pros who run the country
can't do a thing to fix it.

Nothing people like us say
will make any difference.

You lucky students have it easy.

Suzushiro...

Before school starts,

you should get to know
which customers are deadbeats.

Shall I make the rounds
with you?

I'd appreciate that.

It's the same as
the morning delivery.

Press 4 - 2 - 8 - 1 - 3 - 2.

That's the code for paper delivery.

If you ring them from here,

they'll always pretend
they're not home.

I'll wait for you here,
so give it a try.

What?!

Okay...

I'm from Toto Shimbun.

I'm here to collect.

What do you want?

You interrupted my work.

You owe three months' subscription.

Huh?!

You're not the same guy
who signed me up.

About that...

There's a lot I don't like
about your paper,

so I'm not paying.

Huh?! Wait!

Just a minute!

So you do read it, right?

Wait here.

You can have all these back!

No!

Newspapers are information.

You can't just return them
after you read them.

Nowadays, if a consumer
isn't satisfied,

it's understood that
he can return it.

No, that's not how it works.

Take them and get out of here!
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Take them and get out of here!

Uh-oh...
It's been a while.

Everything stopped.

How long will it be this time?

This is "stopped time."

This state is usually triggered
when I'm angered by injustice.

When it happens,

I have no sense of
how long time has stopped.

The first time it happened,

I think it lasted
about three minutes.

After that, when the parents of
my classmate who committed su1c1de

and students at my school
came after me,

time often stopped for
a week or more.

That gives me an idea...

He's a smoker...

Oh...

It's not the best plan,

but if it helps calm me down...

it might be the way to go.

How'd collection go, Suzushiro?

Good man, Suzushiro!

I nearly had to force that guy
to buy a subscription,

so I was certain he wouldn't pay.

Huh...?

That was the moment

I discovered how to
start and stop time

since I began wandering
through frozen time.

So, I want everyone to read it.

As for the section on student life...

There are still open places, right?

I think so.
How about there?

Oh...

Asano, the two of us are thinking
about going for a drink.

Want to come?

Sorry.
I have work.

Aside from your part-time job?

Yeah.

Okay, maybe next time.

See you.

- Say, Muroto.
- Yeah?

What's a way to cut onions
without crying?

Well...

Welcome back.

- Oh, Suzushiro!
- Have you got the hang of it?

Yeah, getting there.

Oddly, there was no complaint call

from the man I went to
collect from the other day.

Go upstairs.

There's lots to eat,
so go help yourself.

Okay.

What? Hamburgers?

You once said
you like pot stickers...

Even though time had stopped,

it wouldn't have been odd to question
if I had gone into his residence.

But there was no trouble

aside from his cancelling
his subscription.

Damn it!

Perhaps he felt guilty about
not paying his newspaper bill.

When people are aware
they're doing something wrong,

they show more anger than necessary
when someone points it out to them.
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Could you...
please pay for your subscription?

I told you not to come
during business hours!

But I'm afraid I can only come
to collect when you're open.

Well, it's your job
to collect regardless.

You're right.
I'll come again.

Still not angry enough...

Hello!

Evening edition delivery.

Excuse me.

Along with your evening paper,

could you please pay your ten years
of unpaid subscriptions?

Oh, you're new, aren't you?

I'm with a guest now,
so mind coming around back?

For the past ten years,

this household has subscribed
to several papers,

but efforts to collect payment
have mostly failed.

They're stubborn deadbeats.

Just who the hell
do you think you are?!

You embarrassed me
in front of my guest!

I served as a member of
the Tokyo Assembly for ten years!

Companies gladly bring their papers
to me to read for free!

You're the first person who's had
the gall to ask me to pay!

What paper are you...?!

He kept every one of
his past invoices...

I felt like a thief,

but if I looked at it as recouping
what the shop was long due,

I felt like
I was doing justice.

Was she...looking for me?
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How was she able to move?

I need to get angry
all over again.

That kid!

This is going to get me yelled at.

Hi.

I'm sorry.
It got a little wet.

That's okay.

I was expecting you.

Here you go.

What's this?

This month's payment.

Thanks for all you do.

You've subscribed to
our paper for years.

Why haven't you switched to direct
payment from your bank account?

Direct payments are simpler,

but then, I can't thank you
like this, can I?

Take this with you, too.

Here.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Oh, thanks.

Another good day
to deliver news, guys!

Good morning.

Oh, 'morning.

Guys! Look at this!

This hasn't made the TV news yet!

Hey, hey!

Haven't seen a scoop like this
in more than a decade!

Oh! There's nothing about it.

If the attack at
the prime minister's residence

happened at night,

and they just managed to
send it to the presses,

then it happened at 1:00 a.m.

Not even the internet news
has this story.

- That's awesome!
- Awright!

Everyone!
Get these delivered ASAP!
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'Morning.

Good morning.

Did something happen?

You're lucky
you have it easy, Belle.



"Anti-Government Group Sends Threat
to PM's Official Residence."

"Hints at Kidnapping
Hughminicc's Matsunaga..."

Let me see...

"To the people who run Japan,
'the country where time stopped...'"

The country where time stopped...

Enjoy it, Suzushiro!

On my way.

- Be careful!
- Bye!

The country where time stopped...

Look...

Oh that.

Yeah, I saw it.
Read on.

- A threat?
- Yup.

That's scary.

A kidnap threat.

This isn't fake.
I'll explain, so read on.

This is scary.

Disasters, terror att*cks...

Enough already.

We're not in the Showa Era!

No, that's not what
the Summer Breakers are.

I have high hopes for them.

Just who are the Summer Breakers?

I'll explain from the start.

There are many ways
to interpret it...

There was quite a bit on the Net,
before the media picked it up.

We have learned that
an anti-government group

calling itself the 831 Front

has warned of acts of terrorism
against the Japanese government.

The terms "Summer Breakers"
or "831"...

It's exactly that.

People thought
these guys are crazy...

But then, they took on
this hero aura.

I get it now.

So they like...

They punish the powerful
to save the poor.

- Yes, yes. Cool.
- They're saviors.

Cool, right?
And they intend to act.

You think they will?

t*rrorists trying to end
summer vacation,

ergo "Summer Breakers"...

Is there someone else
who can also stop time?!

Could that girl also...?

How long will time stay stopped?

It worked!
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The uniform!

Wireless isn't working,

so I can't use the internet.

I'm back.

- Hey.
- Welcome back.

How was school?

Cancelled.

Oh...

Because more people died...

An all-girl school in Shibuya...

That's nowhere near here...

What was she doing there?

Hey!

The 831 Front effing did it!

This is breaking news.

Tomiyo Matsunaga,
chairman of the board

of the staffing firm
Hughminicc Group,

has been kidnapped.

We repeat.

- Here.
- This is getting interesting.

Tomiyo Matsunaga,
has been kidnapped.

The incident follows
on the heels of a threat

delivered earlier this morning
to the Prime Minister's residence.

Police believe anarchists
calling themselves the 831 Front

are responsible

and are investigating
their connection to the incident.

At Hughminicc headquarters,
the site of the incident,

the driver of the car
carrying Matsunaga

says he stopped on the roadside
in front of the building,

but when he opened the back door,

he realized that Matsunaga
was not there.

In response to
the kidnapping threat,

the scene was heavily guarded
by police officers

and Hughminicc employees,
but there were no witnesses...

The 831 Front used "stopped time"
to commit that crime.

She's not here, after all.

What good would it do
to look for her?

Back then, too,

if I had kept quiet to the school

about the stolen
student council funds,

nothing would have happened...

Huh?!

Hello?

Where am I?
Just...

looking for something.

Uh-huh, okay...

What?

Again? Right now?
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That girl has definitely
been looking for me.

What now?

Number 2 headed for Shinjuku-Shibuya
will arrive shortly.

For your safety, please stand behind
the yellow line.

Takada-no-baba. Takada-no-baba.

Thank you riding the train.
Number 2 doors will close. Please be
careful.

Next stop: Shin-Okubo.
Please disembark from the right.

Please silence your cell phones
while you are on board.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Maybe this isn't a good idea...

Why, Asano?!

Why did you tell the teacher
before coming to me first?

Miyamae is about to
go to Nationals.

The student council won't need
the funds for a while,

and after the match,

the money for cleats and uniform
was going to be...

Even if you intended to
return the money,

those funds were collected
from the student body.

Miyamae has no right to it.

Look, I know that!

But if we had kept silent,
it wouldn't have been an issue!

Hearing Shinohara
shouting in tears,

I realized for the first time that

she and Miyamae
were seeing each other.

You tried, Shinohara...

I'll give up going to Nationals.

But...you worked so hard for this!

Asano...

What made you want to
be so righteous

that you'd ruin a life for it?

I was only...

I bet you're feeling pretty good
about yourself.

You think you beat us
by doing the right thing.

Shinohara took the student council
presidency from you,

so this is your way
of getting back.

That was never my intention!

You're misusing justice...

and you're going to pay for it.

I'm not letting you win.

And then, it happened...

August 31.

Miyamae called the police
and told them I stole the money

and then, he jumped off the roof.

Shibuya. Thank you for riding the
train.

Please be careful
when you step onto the platform.

Number 2 doors are closing.

I'm in...

Eighth floor...
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Huh?

Oh, a newspaper guy...

We don't want a newspaper.

No loitering!

Huh?

Did time just...

stop?

It was her.

Forgive me, Nazuna.

This should be moving, but...

Eighth floor...

It's that newspaper guy.

Don't touch him.

He'll start to move.

This time, it might not be stopped
for very long.

Let's hurry.

Gotcha.

That was close...

But...how're they able to...?

Are you...all right?

You're that newspaper guy...

How did you...?

So you did see me!

I realized that there was someone
other than me who could stop time.
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I realized that there was someone
other than me who could stop time.

I thought maybe you were the one,
so I followed you.

You were looking for me then,
weren't you?

I thought maybe
there was someone else too...

I think it was about a year ago...

when I first became aware of time
being frozen that was not my doing.

I've been looking for you
ever since.

One year ago was probably me.

How long have you...?

Since the first year
of junior high...

so five years.

That long?

But I only noticed
your time stoppage recently.

That's because I hadn't done it
for nearly a year.

Before that,
you had probably stopped, as well.

You just never noticed.

I see...

Sorry!

I'm Suzushiro Asano.

I came to Tokyo this spring.

I'm Nazuna Hashimoto.

By the way,
who were those people earlier?

And what's with this g*n?

What was it that made you
able to stop time?

For me, it's usually "anger."

For me...

it's "death."

Death?!

Then is this...?

Don't!

If you touch it, your intervention
will cause huge trouble.

Did one of them...?

The one who fired it...

was my older brother.

My brother and his friends
are the rogue group

calling themselves the 831 Front.

What?!

Can they stop time, too?

Then how are they able to move?

My brother was there at
the moment of my death

and he's been able to move
ever since.

As for the others,
they can move if I intervene.

Can your brother move
during time that I stop?

I don't know...

I think he probably can't.

Let's run away from here together!

Where will we run away to?

This is my home.

My brother is the only one
I can depend on.

I don't know what's going on,

but I would never point a g*n
at my own sister

and use her to commit a crime.

You mustn't stay with
a person like that!

Stop it!

Please!
Please stop it!

Gramps? It's me, Yuki.
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Gramps? It's me, Yuki.

Hello? Grandma?
It's me.

It's me!

Oh, Grandma...

Right. It's me, Hiro.

I'm in a bit of a jam.

Yes, regarding your credit card...

Yes, the credit card you use.

Yes, a foreign purchase was
made on that credit card.

I used company money.

I'm calling to check
if you bought anything...

My phone's gone...

My wallet, too.

I did a stupid thing.

I know that.

At this rate, your money will be...

They said they'll tell my company
if I don't pay.

One million yen.

I need to know your bank
account number by today.

Can you lend me some money?

I don't know what to do?!

Yes.

I swear I'll never do it again!

Yes, if I can have
the number by today.

Uh...

I'll be fired or
even arrested!

Am I in some kind of scammers den?

You're the new guy, right?

Better get working if you don't
want to get in trouble.

If you can't pay...

Isn't what you're doing wrong?!



Hey...
Working hard?

- Hello.
- Hello.

You...

Come with me.

Get in.

Yo, Suzushiro.
Sleep well?

I hear you were
good to Nazuna yesterday.

Thanks.

You sure about
giving back his phone?

If he tries to run,
we can track him.

"Suzu" as in "pure" and "shiro"
as in "white."

It's a name
I feel a connection with.

I'm Seri Agawa.
How do you do?

Seri... Nazuna...

Like the seven herbs of spring...

Student body vice president at
a prep school in Utsunomiya.

Top five in your class.

Ran track in junior high.
Placed third in the prefecture.

Considered a prodigy
until junior high?

In high school, I was called
the picture of mediocrity.

I like you a lot though.

What I'm trying to do,
you've already done.

I checked up on you.

I'm sorry to hear that your parents

had to close down
their real estate agency,

but let me praise you on behalf
of your late father.

What you did wasn't wrong.

You did the right thing.

Nazuna and I went through
a similar experience.

I'm going to make the people who
hurt her pay for what they did.

Is this about claiming
responsibility and the kidnapping?

I don't know your circumstances,
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but I feel like I understand.

But why do you do it that way?!

Each time you force her
to stop time,

she has to feel the fear of death
all over again!

You're right...

- That's what I like about you.
- What?

You can stop time too, right?

We've had lots of students
quit without a word,

but Suzushiro was getting
the hang of it.

There were no signs that
he was going to give up.

Suzushiro's bicycle was abandoned
near the intersection at 7-chome.

What should we do?
Call the police?

Let's contact just the school
and see what happens.

I'll have Sugoroku
do his deliveries.

What?!

Thanks.

All right.

The "831 Front," believed to be
behind the series of kidnappings,

has issued demands to
the government for ransom,

including an end to
the casino construction project.

Did this happen when
time stopped yesterday?

Yeah.

We're kidnapping this guy next.

Why?

Who cares, Suzushiro?

Do your thing and stop time.

No, that's going to be a problem...

What?

I can't stop time until
I become extremely angry.

Huh?
Then get angry.

Anger isn't something that happens
in a situation like this.

Then I'll pound you until you do.

No, I'm not a fighter—
I'd just give up.

You're right.

It won't be easy to make you
angry enough to stop time.

He's useless...

Donki!

What?

Wait a minute!

If you're willing to go that far,
I'll stop time for you.

Chill.

Donki won't get caught.

He's not the one I'm worried about.

He was abused by his parents
from the day he was born.

Probably treated worse than
a dog waiting to be put down.

Child protective services
turned a blind eye.

Then, when he was twelve,

he k*lled his parents
with a blunt object.

Suzushiro...
I'm glad you're okay!

Where's my brother?

After they took you,
I was so worried about you.

I thought something
might happen to me too,

but for some reason,
your brother took a liking to me,

so I'm still alive.

I think my brother likes you

because he learned
you can stop time.
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You need to get away before
he takes advantage of you!

As much as I want to run away,

I don't know if it's because
he trusts me,

or because he sees
right through me,

but he told me
to come alone to see you.

I want you to tell me your story.

I know it'll be hard for you,

but tell me, so that I can
stop time in your place.

My father was remarried
to my mother.

He was over 60 at the time and
worked for the Ministry of Finance.

As I recall, it was the year

the consumption tax
was being debated.

As part of his duties,
he would appear on television.

But at home,
he was constantly troubled.

He fell ill
and missed a lot of work.

That day...

my father was feeling sick
since morning.

I was worried

and came home earlier than usual.

Dad?

Nazuna!

Nazuna!

Breathe, Nazuna!

At first, my brother and I

didn't realize
that time had stopped.

Breathe.

My brother and I lived apart,

but he happened to come by

after receiving a silent call
from our father.

Do you know who he is?

Dad...

Time has stopped.

Nazuna!

Get away from her!

Who was that man?

I don't know.
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I told the police about him,

but they said I was hallucinating

from the shock of seeing
my father die.

My brother didn't make
any statement about the man.

My father's death
was ruled a su1c1de

and widely reported on the news.

They labeled him a crook who forced
the consumption tax hike through.

Every day, we received phone calls
and e-mail blaming him for it.

I think I remember that incident...

A finance official
pushing for the tax increase

k*lling himself out of remorse.

Nazuna...

This next one will be...

the last time you stop time.

Good work.

This is breaking news.

Economic analyst Masayuki Kishimoto
was the victim of an attack.

Due to the w*apon having a trick blade,
Kishimoto did not suffer any injuries.

The youth in the attack escaped
and still has not been found.

Mr. Agawa...

Who is it that you're fighting?

The people who have brought
this country to a standstill

and have no intention
of moving ahead.

Do you have any idea who runs
this country's agenda?

The people, I think.

I see.

But the government of this country

is comprised of
special interest groups

that have nothing to do
with the good of the people.

They aren't based in ideology
or political philosophy,

but on market fundamentalism.

They don't help victims
and the needy

during a great disaster like this

because they want to believe that

the people will
return to prosperity

even if they cut off welfare.

Want to believe?

They fatten their pockets by
cutting welfare and social security

and applying it
to foreign investments

and tax breaks for the wealthy,

and turn a blind eye
to the fact that

they are working hard
to build a system in which

people left behind by the economy
have to work like slaves.

The reason the great disaster
forced your father to hang himself

was because of the social structure
those people created.

What we really need to confront

is the defeated-nation status
that has created

a harsh, exploitative structure

that invalidates
the very right to life;

the thorough brainwashing

that makes us forget
we are a sovereign nation;

the media that deprives us
of normal thought;

the colonialism exploited
by trade agreements;

and the irresponsible minions that
happily accept the totalitarianism,

who think that summer vacation
will never end.

Now you will be taking
the fight to them as well.

Shinohara...

It's your fault!
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It's your fault!

What'll you do?!

Miyamae is dead!

You're the one
who should have died!

Bring him back!
Bring him back!

That's not what happened!

I didn't do it!

Listen to me!

It wasn't me!
He...

Wait!

I'm telling you I didn't do it...

Listen to me!

When my father died...

somehow...

I couldn't cry...

The anger comes afterwards,
doesn't it?

In that moment,
you don't know what happened.

But for some reason, it wells up
in you after time has passed.

Oh, wow...

She's not here.

Come with me.

She's here, Mr. Agawa.

She's...

This has got to be a first.

The Prime Minister kidnapped
stark naked from her house!
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The Prime Minister kidnapped
stark naked from her house!

No funny stuff.

Treat her with respect.

Gotcha.

Hey...

Don't lose concentration
and let time start moving again.

- Sorry for the intrusion.
- What ?!

Who are you?!

Stop this!

Let go of me!

Stop!

- Who do you think I am?!
- Yeah, sure.

I had a feeling...I would be next.

But I'm surprised
you came personally, Mr. Agawa.

I'm impressed you got this far.

How'd you get inside?

I used special means.

I can't even imagine
what that might be,

but it's the most brazen so far.

That's because
a Hollywood-style crime

is the quickest way
to achieve the drastic reform

of the social structure
we want from you people.

I see...

So...

what do you want me to do?

For now, we'll demand a ransom of


The money is to be for
distributing aid

to impoverished citizens.

The government will have
no intention of complying

with our demands, of course,

so they will announce
a 10-trillion yen stimulus package

in lieu of the ransom.

So until then,
I'll be a prisoner somewhere?

Yes.

About how many days does it take
for the cabinet to make a decision

in the absence
of the prime minister?

Since it's an emergency situation,
it shouldn't take long.

Five days at most.

That's long.

You're not taking me like this,
are you?

I don't know
where you're taking me,

but at least let me get dressed.

You'll be plenty comfortable
just as you are.

Think about what
the press will say!

Do you want to humiliate me?

Is this payback for five years ago?

Catching you in the bath
was purely a coincidence.

You're the girl from that day,
aren't you?

Nice...

Yours?

No, it's a rental.

Because I can't write it off.
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Suzushiro...

Come.

After you...

One of my people will let me know

when the Cabinet authorizes
the stimulus.

You'll be free to go then.

What happened to the two
you kidnapped before me?

Are they here, too?

Who's to say?

But we have finished short selling
the related corporations, so...

They'll be released tomorrow.

I see...

Then the Finance Ministry will
have a busy day tomorrow.

I will...

enjoy my time off to the fullest.

Mr. Agawa...

The enemy you talked about...

She's not the one, is she?

Wrong.

Five years ago,
when my father had to die alone,

she was the finance minister
at the time

and to me and Nazuna,
definitely the enemy.

But that talk about short selling...

You and your people
had ties to the government

from the start, didn't you?

It's hard to fight with people
you don't know at all.

That might be true,

but I don't understand at all.

Tell me what's going on!

I don't feel that much anger
towards that person.

In fact, I'm beginning to
distrust you, Mr. Agawa.

What was the real reason
your father had to die?

Who was moving this country
at that time?

I think you already know.

If you really don't know...

it's not because you don't know...

it's because
you don't want to know.

You're free to go, too.

You did good work
in Nazuna's place.

I appreciate it.

See you.

Let's go.

Drive.

Suzushiro...

Suzushiro came back!

Where have you been
all this time?

I'm sorry, Miss Akina.

How many delivery days
have I missed?

Days?

- Hey, wait! Suzushiro!
- Suzushiro, what's wrong?

Pull yourself together!

- Suzushiro, hey!
- Suzushiro?!

Hey!

Are you okay?!

Suzushiro!

Suzushiro!

After the incident,
there was a huge uproar.

The Hollywood-style crimes
in the wake of the great disaster

created a buzz
that lasted about three months

as the hunt for
the kidnappers continued.

In this way, the collection
or group that is formed...

becomes known as a unit.
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becomes known as a unit.

Just as Agawa said,

the ransom for the prime minister

was approved by
the budget committee

in the form of about four trillion yen
in aid to the citizens

which quickly
disappeared somewhere.

The Prime Minister is
nothing but the victim here.

You all read the statement
she gave to the police.

Perhaps it was channeled
into the stock market

and led to the surge
in stock prices that followed.

The media reported that
the economy was recovering,

but Sugoroku could not
even find a job

and people continued to default
on their subscription payments.

Oh...

It's been a while.

How have you been?

Here.

Thank you.

For you...

Thank you.

Go ahead and eat.

I will.

See you again.

Do your best.

In my spare time,
I scoured the Internet

to find out more about
Nazuna and Agawa.

After the disaster
of five years ago,

when the priority was
rescuing victims,

the consumption tax was increased
to raise funds for reconstruction.

The people had no choice
but to accept it

as long as it was
for reconstruction.

However,
certain opposition party members

raised suspicions that

all of the additional tax revenue
was used to pay the U.S. military

which had assisted
in the rescue efforts.

As the people lost faith
in the Cabinet

and rumors began to surface
about subpoenaing witnesses

and a Finance Ministry official,

who was in a position
to know the truth,

committed su1c1de.

His motive was attributed
to remorse over the tax increase.

While it seemed unlikely
to appease the public,

the opposition party members

stopped pursuing the matter
any further.

I was still in my second year
of junior high at the time

and did not understand
what the incident meant.

Agawa's mother had passed away,

but Nazuna's mother died in
the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Nazuna's father,
Teruyoshi Agawa,

a Finance Ministry official
at the time,

felt the people
could not afford both

a reconstruction
and consumption tax

and stubbornly opposed a tax hike

that would not be used
for reconstruction.

He attempted to stop the bill,

but the public became convinced
that the bill originated with him

and began bashing him,

and even his family,
on the internet.

The minister of finance
at the time

was the current prime minister,
Kyoko Kagami.

You can find everything
on the internet...

In light of Nazuna's story,

Vice Minister of Finance Agawa
was set up to be the fall guy

and then m*rder*d to
make it look like su1c1de.

Agawa was notorious enough
as a rogue malcontent

to appear on the internet,

but his source of funds

and connections
to the entertainment industry
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and connections
to the entertainment industry

still left many questions.

As I see it,

Agawa was connected in some way

to the man who appeared
at his father's su1c1de.

Comparing stock price movements

of the staffing and
IR-related companies

with the dates of the kidnappings

and subsequent release
of the hostage

as well as the dates of bills
passing in the Diet,

it became very clear that
stock prices began to soar

due to repeated short selling
and buying.

While it could be said that

Agawa achieved
a personal vendetta for Nazuna,

it'd be difficult to say

he carried out his battle against
the people he told me about

who brought the country
to a standstill.

Prime Minister, don't you owe
the people an explanation

about your connection
to the perpetrator?

The Prime Minister became
the topic of scandals,

but continues to hold
her position without much shame.

Hurry!

When all is said and done,

Agawa used me.

Since then,

I've been wandering about
an unending, eternal August 31.

Who should I fight, and how?

Tell me, Mr. Agawa...

"Those who live
August 31 eternally..."

They might make me
disappear as well...

Excuse me.

I'm looking for Suzushiro Asano.

That would be me.

Package for you.

I'll need your stamp
or a signature.

Thank you!

Who could it be from?

Seri Agawa?!

"Your reward."

"End August 31 yourself."
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A foolish life or a noble death?

He's saying it's my choice...

He knows me too well...

After time stopped...

Were you waiting here for me
all this time?

Yes...

Where's Agawa?

He went off somewhere
before time stopped.

To end August 31?

Who knows?

I want to start up time again
on my own terms...

with you.

I'd like that.