What the heck is this?
What's this?
"During class again today, someone stabbed me in the back with the tip of a compass."
No way, seriously?
Is this guy an adult?
He's completely clueless.
There's no point in getting so serious about it.
Attention everyone!
Starting today, this bag is going to be used as the class rubbish bin.
Everyone, feel free to use it, and be sure to thank Kikukawa-kun.
Take care of this for me.
Okay.
In fact, bullying goes on in my class, too.
Okay.
Well, it's all pretty peaceful.
Compared to being stabbed in the back with a compass, this is nothing.
Thank you.
Thank you...
Today's shigofumi seemed rather good.
Shigofumi are neither good nor bad.
They just contain a person's honest feelings.
Humans are the only species that aren't honest.
All other living things are much more true to themselves.
If that's the case, why do you want to become human, Kanaka?
Well, if I were human...
I'd be able to lie!
Poor thing.
Survival of the fittest.
That is a primal rule.
Mikawa Fumika was admitted to that hospital three years ago.
She's been in a coma ever since.
That means the girl you met was someone else.
There's no way it could've been her.
Someone else?
But...
Why?
Why did Mikawa end up like that?
What happened?
Let me guess, you're "sworn to secrecy as a detective"?
I take pride in my job as a detective.
In that case, at least tell me one thing.
Did Mikawa really shoot her father?
Yes, she did.
The traces of gunpowder proved it.
Right then, for this question, let's have pupils number 10, 20 and 30, as listed in the class register, solve it.
Yes, sir.
Is number 10 absent today?
Kikukawa.
You're number 10.
What's the matter, Kikukawa?
I... don't know the answer.
What is it?
That!
It's fine if you only do as much as you can, just come to the board.
I don't know the answer.
Hold on a second.
Could this be the same...?
"Half-dead person."
So it is you, after all.
You have to help me, Morishita-kun.
It's killing me.
I can't take it anymore.
Help me!
You will, right?!
Even if you say something like that...
Please.
Please help me.
Don't rely on others.
That's precisely why you get bullied in the first place.
That's not true!
It's not the victim's fault!
It's the bullies'.
I'm not to blame!
I get good grades at school, and I even play basketball.
I bathe every day.
I even bullied others in middle school!
I get the picture already.
You're wrong...
I'm... normal.
I'm not the one at fault.
I'm not the one in the wrong.
He really does seem pretty desperate.
Kikukawa had a friend, after all?
That's not how it is.
What are you talking about?
You don't have to hide it.
Surely it's a good thing?
Being best buddies and all.
If you'd like, how about we change your role in the scheme of things?
My role, meaning what exactly?
Playing dumb again, are we?
It's essential to have at least one in every class.
A person who lets us release all the built up stress from our hectic school lives.
A scapegoat, so to speak.
Cut this out, guys.
There's no way he'd be my friend.
He makes me feel sick.
Okay, then prove it.
Who is this?
It's Morishita.
Morishita-kun?
At school today, you asked me to help you out, didn't you?
I'll do just that.
Really?
You'll really help me?
Yeah.
So come to the school roof now.
The roof?
Right now?
You hate being bullied, don't you?
Morishita-kun, where are you?
It's Kikukawa.
Welcome, Kikukawa-kun.
We were thinking we'd like to play a game with you tonight.
A game?
There was something pretty interesting in this comic book I read the other day.
Morishita, explain the rules of the game to him.
Morishita-kun?
The rules are simple.
You see that steel beam over there?
You just have to walk across that.
However,
if your hands touch the bar, it means you've failed,
and you have to start again from the beginning.
You're kidding. I mean, from here, I could...
We put a lot of blood and sweat into carrying that steel beam.
You should be grateful.
Cut this out.
I'll die doing this.
I'll shoplift for you, or do anything else you ask.
Just please...
don't make me do this.
If you'll do anything for us, start walking across it.
Read between the lines.
Please let me go!
Don't make me do this.
What are you boys doing up here?
This area is off limits.
Did you get permission from a teacher?
We're sorry.
We're members of the Astronomy Club.
We wanted to take a look at Mercury.
That may be, but you can't just come up here-
What's wrong with you?
I'm sorry.
I dropped a contact lens.
You don't need to look for it anymore, Kikukawa.
Thanks.
O-Okay.
Jeez, don't go scaring me like that.
That was really risky.
A game like that is way too risky.
He still hasn't posted yet, huh?
I saved you for today.
But from now on, you need to carry on by yourself,
"half-dead person".
Everyone, could you please quiet down.
Last night, Kikukawa Kouichi-kun passed away.
Dammit.
No way, seriously?
No way.
Our school has been receiving negative publicity ever since the recent hostage incident.
Because of what's been going on at school recently,
every one of you needs to be careful about what you say.
The investigation is going to be held here at school,
so I ask all of you not to say anything unnecessary to the media.
As students of this school,
please don't say anything that would embarrass us.
What an idiot.
Is it normal to kill yourself over that?
Everything got out of hand.
That's not possible!
Well, I guess he got bullied because of the kind of person he was.
What was that?
Things have finally calmed down.
Well, it's been a week now.
There've been all sorts of other things in the news, too.
I'd definitely blame the suicide of that freshman on bullying.
It's really a childish thing to do.
It does come as a shock, though.
Until recently, I associated death with the elderly, or with foreign countries at war.
But it's much closer than you'd think.
I am...
being bullied.
Before, another person was being bullied, but he's no longer here,
so I've become the next target.
Being ignored.
Graffiti.
Hiding my stuff.
It's your standard bullying.
However, when it goes on all the time,
it's unbelievably painful.
You need your iron!
It feels like the whole world has turned against you.
I thought that being stabbed or punched would be worse,
but I realize now that psychological bullying is in fact very hard to take.
Is there anyone else out there who's been bullied before?
Really?
It's hard to bear, isn't it?
These people...
are killing my soul...
Someone else will be chosen as the new victim sooner or later...
Until that time, I am a half-dead person.
Not all of me is dead.
Just half of me.
Jeez.
He's no fun.
What do you want today?
We haven't been getting much of a response out of you lately, Morishita.
So we were thinking we'd have you play a game so we can enjoy ourselves.
A game?
Stop!
Cut this out, would you?!
How about you do it blindfolded today?
Blindfolded?
Don't ask me to do something so twisted.
I'll definitely fall.
It's all right.
It's a game after all, so all you need to do is win.
What the hell is this?
No one else will become their new victim unless I die?
Give it up already.
You can't run away.
Who are you?
A student here?
What are you trying to do, in an outfit like that?
Don't touch me so freely.
Y-You...
Not again...
Who the hell are you?!
Give me a break!
I told you not to use me as a weapon!
Th-Thanks for helping me out.
I, uh...
A letter?
It's a shigofumi.
A letter delivered from the afterlife.
The sender is Kikukawa Kouichi.
Morishita Shunsuke-kun.
Now can you understand how I felt?
It's hard to bear, isn't it?
It's painful, isn't it?
With this, you probably understand how much I longed for someone to help me.
Despite my plea, you sided with the bullies and became one yourself.
Nice going.
Die.
Let your soul die.
Experience what I felt.
Why did he...?
I helped you out, didn't I?
Where did... Where did...?
Who the hell was that bitch?
An acquaintance of Morishita?
In that case, you'll have to be accountable for her.
Wait right there!
Don't run away!
The game still isn't over.
Round two!
You should be pleased.
We're gonna play till morning.
Come on, stand up!
You have to continue.
Die.
Let your soul die.
Come on, start walking across.
Don't forget your blindfold!
No!
What's with the resistance?
How about we play soccer instead?
Start the night game!
Let's have a game of penalty kicks.
Hey, hey, start crying.
Kikukawa was way more fun.
H-Hey...
What have you...?
No... way...
He stabbed him.
He'll have to go to a reformatory because of those scumbags.
He fought to defend himself.
If someone gives you hell, give it back to them?
That's primitive thinking.
Humans are supposed to be social creatures.
Indeed.
Socially, he died.
However.
As an animal, he survived.
Hello?
Nothing but smoldering...
A feeling once felt in a distant dream.
I will definitely make things right again.
Next time on Shigofumi:
"Kirameki."