My Broken Mariko (マイ・ブロークン・マリコ)

-Thank you for your patronage. -I enjoyed the food.

-Excuse me. -Coming.

It's November 16th, Afternoon News.

A 26-year-old woman from Nakano City was found dead.

The woman seemed to have fallen from the balcony on the 5th floor.

Her name was Mariko Ikagawa who had lived in this apartment.

Around 4:30 a.m. this morning, a resident of the apartment block

found her lying on the ground and called an ambulance.

The youth of today die easily.

-Miss Ikagawa had multiple injuries… -I bet she was flamed on social media.

-Imagine that happening in your condo. -Heck, no thanks.

It's reported that she had taken a large amount of sleeping pills.

CHINESE CUISINE

MARIKO, GIVE ME A CALL

MARIKO

ASSHOLE BOSS

The dead woman, Mariko Ikagawa,

was my buddy.

It's 47,000 yen per month.

It's 38,000 yen per month.

A 57-year-old apartment?

Sneeze and it'll collapse.

Wow! Look, only 26,000 yen per month!

We can just about make it if we work part-time.

We can totally rent this place.

Hell, yeah. I want to leave home now.

I want to live with you, Shii.

Doesn't matter how old the place is.

I want to move in with you.

Right now.

We can live together and have fun together.

With a cat too.

I can't cook, is that okay?

I know you can't. The cooking class…

That was you, Mariko. You cocked that up.

-No, you did, Shii. -No, you.

Doesn't matter. I'll do the cooking.

And…

we'll be together even when we become old women.

MARIKO, GIVE ME A CALL

Mariko, I won a set of fireworks.

Fancy lighting them with me tonight?

Yeah!

I want to do it! Are they from the prize draw at the mall?

Yes. The first prize was a trip to Hawaii.

The second prize, which I won, was some fireworks, lame.

Fireworks are good! The highest I've ever won is sixth prize.

What was the prize?

-A tissue pack. -You lost.

Right.

Anyway, if the second prize was a trip, we couldn't go.

Nope.

So fireworks are far better!

How about 6:30 p.m. at Choo-Choo Park?

All right!

What's with you? Go away.

-I won't. -It's too hot!

No new sales, you're kidding, huh?

-The result is all that counts! -I'm sorry.

You've got zero sales this week, dumbass.

What are you here for, huh? Read that slogan there.

Morning. I'm off.

Hey, Shiino! Where were you yesterday?

Answer me, bitch!

She's just blanked me, right?

Excuse me…

I was a good friend of hers.

Okay.

Can I see inside?

Oh, but it's already empty.

Her parents took away all her belongings.

Oh, I see.

Yes.

So…

How about the body?

At her parents?

I don't know.

Wait, I heard they chose to do a direct.

Direct…

Right.

…mail?

No, a direct cremation. The body is cremated immediately.

Though you need to wait at least 24 hours after death.

So I guess, she'd be burned to ashes by now.

That's a bit harsh.

They should've done a funeral for her friends.

Or at least pay me if they could afford that.

Guess this property is now stigmatized.

At least she didn't die inside.

It wouldn't have been like this if you had checked more carefully, right?

But I was told by the senior, and…

You.

-Yes? -Don't "Yes?" me.

You skipped one visit and ignored my calls yesterday.

And your attitude earlier.

Where the hell were you?

Do you know you're putting this shit on us?

Spoiling the company's reputation.

-Even as a person-- -Sorry.

I was upset as my buddy died.

Well that, Shiino,

isn't a good enough reason for bunking off work.

Sorry, sir, I've got a question.

Why do you ask me everything?

Sorry, I'll work it out.

Gee, why do you give up so soon?

Buzz off, asshole.

-HEY, DON'T SPOIL THE STORY. -OKAY. BUT I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT!

-LOOKS LIKE YOU, SHII -HANDSOME CAT, THAT IS

-WHICH ONE DO YOU LIKE? -LEFT

-I'LL WEAR IT NEXT TIME -AM I YOUR BF?

It's like we're doing a live chat.

You always read…

my texts immediately.

MARIKO, GIVE ME A CALL

Hey, Mariko.

Is there anything I can do for you now?

Something…

Something I can do?

I'm going to save you this time.

Wait for me, Mariko.

Where the hell are you going? Huh?

You're not going to cook food and piss off, aren't you?

Are you laughing?

Say sorry you little shit!

You idiot! Goddamn idiot!

I said say sorry!

-I'm sorry. -Say it!

Mariko!

Hey, open the door! Or I'm going to call the cops!

Open the door! Open the damn door!

I'm calling the police, you hear me?

Open the door, you dumbass!

Come out you prick! Mariko! Open the door!

Mariko!

Hi, Shii.

I'm…

I'm sorry.

But I can't go out tonight.

Back then, Mariko was trying her best to be a good girl,

every day, every minute, and every second.

Yes?

I'm terribly sorry to trouble you. My name is Shiino from Hatomune Corp.

I'm visiting door-to-door around here to help solve problems you may have.

I've lost track of the number of problems we have already.

I feel you, ma'am!

Wait. You're…

This must be Kyoko Tamura, her dad's second wife.

If you have any troubles, we'll hear you out.

And we'll provide a relevant professional service you may require.

Of course, you can try the products beforehand and…

Please! I beg of you!

Will you please let me explain at least?

Otherwise the evil, shitfaced boss of mine will fire me today!

Oh, dear.

Looking at you brings me back to the hell of my early days.

Come in and have a rest.

-Thank you ever so much! -Okay.

-Thank you, ma'am. -Okay.

-No worries. -Excuse me.

Yeah.

What a pigsty, huh?

Not really.

Way better than during middle school.

Find somewhere to sit. I'll make some tea.

Thank you very much.

If this woman had married Mariko's father a lot earlier,

Mariko would still be…

Oh sorry, for the intrusion.

Listen to this, Shii.

My mom…

has left again.

She said it was my fault.

It was all my fault.

Because I…

I "seduced" my dad.

That's why Dad did it to me.

What should I do, Shii?

Mom may not come back ever again.

Who the hell are you?

Look what you've done to my daughter's Buddhist altar!

Stop it!

-Give her back! Who are you? -Stop it! No!

-Who the fuck are you? -Stop!

A scumbag like you who raped your own high school daughter!

A scumbag like you who enslaved your own middle school daughter!

You took her mother away from your elementary school daughter!

A scumbag like you…

doesn't deserve the right to mourn!

Your shamefulness makes me want to puke!

Mariko…

I'm Tomoyo Shiino, I grew up with Mariko.

I won't back off.

I'm taking Mariko with me.

You son of a bitch.

-Give her back! Move! -No!

-Ouch! -Ma'am!

Mariko!

Mariko!

Everything is your fault, isn't it?