Wave, Listen to Me! (波よ聞いてくれ)

A countless number of amulets, a suspicious vase,

and...

Gross! Oh god, it reeks!

A black liquid that reeks of rotten meat,

a haggardly man's wailing, and Mizuho in a shrine maiden's outfit!

Ritsukooo!

How am I supposed to describe all this on the radio?

Hey, Miss Minare. Are you there?

Hello, Nakahara? It's me, it's me. Do you have a minute?

Hey, remember what you said earlier? Could I take you up on that?

Yeah, that's it!

Ritsukoooo!

Huh? Wait, hold on, I'll text you.

Come to that guy's place where we dropped off the salmon

and wait until I signal you to come in.

Do you own a stun gun? Bring it if you do.

Forgive me! Ritsuko!

I've seen that pose in The First Step .

Mr. Oki, please stay with us.

Could you tell us what happened with the woman named Ritsuko?

We're good to go.

Okay.

All right.

Huh?

"Episode 7: I Want to Cry"

Ritsuko is...

Ritsuko Azohara is a woman I met when I lived in Tokyo.

She's a third generation Slavic woman who loves manga and hot springs.

We met on a Dogashima hot springs bus tour.

As the young ones among the group, we naturally started to chat.

Eventually, we went off on our own to check out the hot springs.

Oh, what a wonderful start to a romance!

Well, I don't know about romance...

Because, you know...

We never crossed that line...

Actually, everything started from that fact.

So you're saying you wanted to cross that line.

I confessed my feelings for her a year after we met.

I'm flattered...

Let's go to a secluded, open-air, co-ed hot springs... Just the two of us.

And there...

How romantic!

That sounds fishy, and plus you'd be a nuisance to other customers.

So, then...

We chose the hot springs by throwing a dart on the map while holding each other's hands.

Just hearing about it makes me wanna vomit...

"Yamagata Prefecture"

It's Zao.

The open-air co-ed hot springs in Zao is...

"Kamoshika Hot Springs"

"Mount Zao Okama (Five Color Pond)"

Kamoshika hot springs.

Kamoshika hot springs is such a cute name.

I don't know if it's cute...

But what I do know is that it's a very secluded hot springs.

From the Zao Echo Line's Sainokawara parking lot,

we walked off the beaten path for an hour and a half.

We were headed for an open-air hot springs located halfway up the cliff

where we were at risk of falling rocks.

It's a great nature setting that rejects all humanity!

It's the perfect spot for lovemaking under the stars.

You would think so.

But despite its location, people still make it out there during tourist season.

So that's why...

Ah... In order to secure...

...a completely secluded hot springs...

We chose to go in the winter when there're no tourists.

We also chose a windless day so the volcanic gases would accumulate better.

We did all that to avoid encountering anyone.

I see. So you carefully concocted a situation that screams out disaster.

That was the first time I laid eyes on...

...Ritsuko's beautiful body...

Our fingers intertwined...

And our lips drew closer...

And then...

My memory draws a blank beyond that moment.

You can absolutely blame the gas for that.

When I came to,

I was rescued and resting at a house nearby Gaga hot springs.

What happened to the woman who was with me...?

Huh? We only found you.

Boy, what a sight. We found you on the ground butt naked.

Even when spring came around, they couldn't find Ritsuko's body.

She must be wandering around Zao somewhere right now, as we speak.

I haven't been able to retrieve my heart from the mountains, either,

ever since that winter...

Excuse me.

I've got a question for you.

Yes.

According to the fax you sent to Moiwayama Radio, it clearly says that she died.

Does this mean you're sure that she is, deep down?

That Miss Ritsuko's dead?

I was completely distraught when I wrote that, to be honest.

But, well, I don't know...

When I try to think, my head just...

This room has the same layout as mine, right?

Mr. Oki, do you have a flashlight?

Oh... Um... Where did I put it?

Oh, Miss Minare. I brought one.

I brought it just in case--since it was a nighttime investigation.

What are you doing?

Mr. Oki, I have no idea why you came to me for help after listening to my program...

I'm borrowing this, by the way.

But since I've never been to the spirit world, I tend to come up with realistic solutions

before I think about how to return from that world.

Ah!

Here it is. Miss Minare, please be careful.

You bet! Don't worry.

Just checking if it works.

This reminds me of a scene from The Grudge .

There's typically a feint at first...

They don't just come out like that...

Whoa! It's there!

What did you see? A ghost? A zombie?!

A specter? An evil spirit?!

What? Um... A fly...

Oh...

A fly?

A fly.

Let's see... It goes that way over there...

So I go this way...

Agh... Oh, huh?!

I need to focus or else I'll lose consciousness from this stench!

And... What's with this ridiculous swarm of flies?

Is this a bug disaster movie from the 70's?

And let's be real. This isn't a situation where a young maiden can keep her sanity, right?

Ah! Let's move!

Ahhh! I'm not giving up!

It's easy to tell where she is.

Ah! Whoa!

It reeks!

Shoot! My 3,980-yen Onmyoji costume from the discount store!

They don't sell such a thing!

Huh? This sound...

I heard it right before the spoiled juices dripped down.

So basically...

Things are not as scary as they seem.

This is the sound of the upper tenant using the shower or hot water supply.

So this leak is the reason for water getting everywhere.

Huh?

From what I can see, this water's clear.

What makes this water spoil...?

Huh?

Dammit...

One... Two, three, four, five, six...

That's enough to bag up a petit woman's body...

Huh?

"Go inside and hold down the guy.

I think the door is unlocked. He might take Mizuho hostage.

If that happens, say, 'Dammit, you coward.'

That'll be my signal to break through the ceiling"...

Ah...

Dammit! Is this a divine calling for me to switch to journalism?

Yes, this is the Sapporo Kita Police.

Hey! Who the hell are you?

All right, just calm down.

Um, I'd like to report that a rotting body was found...

S-Stop!

What should I do?

This is the main office. Please respond.

I didn't kill anyone... It wasn't me... I didn't kill anyone...

It wasn't me.

I climbed into the attic from the room's ceiling.

In that outfit?

Yes, in this outfit.

It wasn't me.

I didn't kill anyone...

Evil was destroyed...

Wait, evil...? Was he an evil man...?

Do I even have the right to judge him like that?

If justice can settle a tragedy caused by trouble between lovers,

what a wretched world this is.

His crime...

...will be detailed by the police soon.

Morning.

Good morning.

Morning.

Autumn is already here. How is everyone doing?

Last night, since I had an urge, I watched the uncut version of In the Realm of the Senses .

Sada Abe said, "I have no doubt other women have thought of doing what I did.

They just don't do it." I think I've come to understand her words now.

Sada Abe cut off her lover's genitals while making love.

Can you call that love?

I heard you had quite a night last night.

I'll say...

There was a dark abyss, a ridiculous swarm of flies, spoiled black water,

an indescribable stench... It was too much.

Lovecraft?

During the police investigation, one of the officers stopped by.

They told me it's most likely a mutilated body, but it's too far decomposed now...

Oh, no.

But, according to what you said, Miss Minare,