Quartet (カルテット)

Why would he lie?

Why did you hold her in custody for a week...

over just a minor charge of bicycle theft?

She wouldn't tell us her name.

I wanted to let her go after taking down the details but I couldn't do that.

Anyway, while they were asking if she had a rewards card,

the topic of her residence card came up.

Actually, you won't be criminally charged for selling your family register to a stranger.

I see...

The moment she heard that, she was like...

Huh? Then I won't be arrested?

Apparently, she sold her family register 14 years ago to a black-market money lender.

After that, she was scared of getting caught...

so she's been living without a residence card ever since.

Wait, that means I could have gotten a rewards card at TSUTAYA?

Anyway, after we questioned that lender,

we found out about the woman who bought Saotome Maki-san's family register.

We discovered that she lived in Tokyo and well...

She was married to your son.

Let's see, her real name is Yamamoto um-- Akiko? Yeah, Akiko.

Born in Touyama Prefecture.

Lost her mother in an accident when she was 10 years old.

After that, she was left in the care of her stepfather whom her mother remarried.

Her stepfather frequently abused her physically.

She tried to run away from home multiple times...

but was always brought back to her father.

On December 19, 2003,

she purchased a family register with 3 million yen in cash...

and has disappeared since then.

Yamamoto Akiko's deceased mother was an enka singer.

This song wasn't publicly released, but have you heard of it?

Maki-chan...

She bought the family register...

so that she could escape her stepfather's abuse, right?

She's a victim, isn't she?

Well, in general, most criminals...

all start with the mindset that they are the victims.

Buying a family register wasn't all she did?

Just looking. Just looking.

- Just looking. - Just looking~

These look good on you.

They look better on you, Suzume-chan.

Suzume-chan, your birthday is April something?

April 3.

Huh? Are you gonna buy me a present?

Just asking.

Your birthday is on August...

August 10. Huh? Are you gonna buy me a present?

Just asking.

- You're so good! - You can do it, Maki-san!

- You can do it, Maki-san! - This is enough.

This is enough. Just swinging, just swinging!

We're back.

Welcome home.

- Suzume-chan, did you buy eggs? - Maki-san, eggs.

That's the cat next door, right?

I want to get a cat too.

But it will feel lonely while we're out.

How about a tropical fish?

That's a good idea. Maybe a Nemo?

- Nemo is so cute right? - Yeah it is.

Nemo?

You know, a Nemo.

What is this?

- It's a Hotchkiss.* - No, that's incorrect. (T/N: Staplers are 'Hotchkiss' because it's one of the first companies to mass-produce staplers.)

This is a stapler.

What about this?

- Elbow. - This~

Band-aid.

No, it's a bandage.

Hotchkiss is a brand name.

Band-Aid is also a brand name.

Post-its are sticky notes.

Tupperware is a plastic airtight container.

- What about Doraemon? - Robotic cat.

- How about YAZAWA? - Yazawa Eikichi.

How about the Pakkon we use when the toilet is clogged?

It's a plunger. Also, you're getting rice on your sleeve again!

See? It's all crusty now.

The name of that fish is clownfish.

Nemo is a brand name. Call it using its real name.

"Go after beating me!"

Are you gonna sell this place?

My family is discussing it.

Why did you keep quiet...

I'm sorry.

- No need to apologize. - That's right.

It will be fine.

Even if we don't have this place, it's not like we can't continue...

...with our quartet. Each of us can...

...rent a cheap apartment.

- I've also started working. - I'm gonna work more too.

I'll get a job too.

Then those will end up becoming your main jobs.

Isn't that fine?

No it's not.

Soon you'll prioritize a full-time or part-time job. I've seen so many people who stopped working...

on things they originally wanted to do because they have to work other jobs.

But as it is, we will really be the grasshoppers.

We'd starve to death.

We'd die alone.

We probably should get our act together and live like real adults.

- Right? - Yes, gotta get our act together.

I got my act together and this is the result.

"Let's get our act together and practice."

"Let's get our act together and study the music scores."

That's what I used to tell the kids in my violin class when I was small.

The kids who didn't get their act together then...

are all successful internationally now.

While I, the person who always told them to get their act together, am here...

So what if we die from starvation? So what if we die alone?

Our name is...

Quartet Doughnuts Hole. If there's no hole, it's not a doughnut.

I like the fact that you don't have your act together.

Even if the whole world rejects you,

I'll do everything I can to take good care of you.

That's true. If there's no hole...

...then it's just a piece of fried bread.

"Quartet Fried Bread"...

...would be awful.

Please give me a little time. I'll definitely protect this villa.

Thank you.

Can you give me an A?

Yamakoto Akiko-san lost her mother when she was 10 years old.

Yamamoto Akiko-san...

She's Maki-chan.

I heard the story from the police, but I won't believe it.

What did Maki-chan tell you?

That when she was young, her father died from an illness,

and her mother died in an accident.

I see... But her mother actually remarried,

and eventually also divorced that person.

Maki-chan was left to the care of her stepfather after she lost her mother.

I heard he was a terrible man.

Yeah, he would leave bruises on her face.

But...

Apparently he did raise her quite properly as her stepfather.

The offender paid damages for the accident, right?

Maki-chan was the beneficiary. That's why her stepfather took her into custody.

Yeah. 200 million yen.

He let Maki-chan go to her piano classes, and also allowed her to attend college.

Wait, so she can't take piano lessons using her mother's compensation?

That's not what I meant.

She bought a family register...

so that she could run away from domestic violence, right?

Yeah, it's a charge of "False Entries in the Original of Notarized Deeds."

Who cares about these documents...

Her stepfather passed away.

Huh?

He had a heart failure around the same time Maki-chan disappeared.

That's just a coincidence right?

He had a heart failure right?

What are you thinking?

It's not what I think.

The police are suspecting Maki-chan.

Eh...

Eh, eh, eh!? Why?

Eh!? Eh~!?

Arisu-chan, do you know where Mama went?

Probably went out to buy some stuff?

Okay...

Ah! Daijirou-san?

Good morning.

Daijirou-san, you're the owner of the restaurant right?

Yeah, I'm the second generation though.

That's pretty amazing.

The location is great, and the land is wide too.

Daijirou-san, you have wide shoulders too.

You think so?

As expected, they are wide!

I'm tired somehow.

- Huh? What's going on? - She's a cat. A cat.

For some reason I've been feeling lonely recently.

A dog getting drenched in the rain.

Say, Daijirou-san.

Now she's a tiger.

Daijirou-san.

I...

What are you doing?

- Hm? - Can you stop doing this?

- Hm? - I love Mama.

Ah... Is that so?

- Yeah. - Fine~

Welcome back.

Good morning~

- Papa! - Hm?

Beppu-san, Beppu-san!

Thank you, Takami-san.

No problem.

I really like you, Takami-san.

Maki-san, please don't forget me.

I probably won't.

Iemori-san, when are you taking me skiing?

I'll contact you later.

Um...

Ah... I'm Beppu.

Beppu-san! I really like you!

Suzume-chan, wanna be my partner and we can plan a big...

You sure?

I see.