First Love (ファーストラヴ)

This is from a 42-year-old mother living in Nerima Ward, Tokyo.

It's been two months since my middle schooler daughter started to become a hikikomori.

She rarely comes out of her room these days.

We just listen to her voice through the door once a day.

I called out to her the other day when she was in the bathroom.

As a result, we got into a quarrel.

I just want my daughter to eat and go to school normally.

I just want us to be a normal family, so could you give me some advice? Thank you.

- That was the message. - Okay.

So... I would like to ask a licensed psychologist,

Makabe Yuki-sensei, for her opinion.

Hello.

I understand that through counseling,

you deal with hikikomori children and their parents

on a daily basis.

In fact, you have published a book on this particular subject.

"Empathy and the Dark Side of the Heart Behind a Trauma"

That's right.

- This is a wonderful book. - Thank you.

Let's now get into the topic. What are some of the things

that concern you the most about working in clinical practice?

The root cause of hikikomori

is the relationship between parents and children,

but it is sometimes very difficult for the parents to understand this.

"The problem lies with the children, not me."

"I'm trying so hard to raise them. So why?"

The first news, a follow-up report

on the murder of a famous painter and lecturer at Kanto University of Arts.

The daughter Kanna,

who was arrested and charged with the crime,

committed the crime right after she took announcer test for a commercial television station,

an interview with the police revealed so.

On the day of the crime,

she is believed to have had an interview for an announcer test at a private TV station in Minato Ward, Tokyo,

and then headed to Kanto University of Arts

where she killed her father, Naoto, by calling him into the restroom

and stabbed him in the chest with a kitchen knife.

Defendant Kanna responded honestly

to the police interrogation and admitted to the crime itself,

but on the other hand, she said,

"Figure my motives out yourself."

It will be interesting to see

if her motive for the crime is revealed in the course of the trial.

I'm home.

Hi.

Is this perhaps your special pot-au-feu?

Yup. It'll be ready soon.

By the way.

- It's about my next piece. - Oh, you'll write a new one, right?

Yeah, I'm thinking of covering Hijiriyama Kanna.

I just watched it on TV. About that case?

She is completely treated like a psychopath.

We don't even know yet what happened.

But she called her own father and stabbed him with a kitchen knife, didn't she?

You know, there might some sort of reason that triggered her to do that.

She might be just confused and can't articulate her feelings properly.

Oh, I'm starving.

Can I eat now?

Not yet.

I am so glad Hijiriyama Kanna agreed to the interview.

She seems to be a reader of your books.

Oh, really?

That's good to hear.

Society has a simplistic view of things,

so I am hoping to change that, even if only a little.

The lawyer in charge is this person.

- Anno? - Anno Kasho-sensei.

He is a good-looking and highly capable lawyer.

Even though it's court-appointed, but high-profile cases get the best defense counsel.

Is something the matter?

Do you perhaps know each other?

Well... sort of.

I'll talk to them and see what I can do.

If we can reach a settlement,

we'll have another meeting later.

All right.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Please follow me.

Sensei, she is here.

Okay.

Long time no see, sister-in-law.

Please have a seat.

I come for Hijiriyama Kanna's case.

That girl is peculiar.

I can't read her mind. She is unpredictable.

You'll get hurt if you mess with her.

Would you still do it?

I'm honestly surprised.

I knew about your activities, but I never thought you'd want to get involved in a case like this.

Kanna-san agreed to be interviewed.

I think there are things she wants someone to understand that she can't say in court.

That's what I am trying to ask her.

There's no helping it then.

- I'll tell Gamon-san... - Pardon me.

Please have some.

I told my brother about it.

- You did? - Good luck, he said.

You know,

he is a guy who doesn't doubt people's goodwill.

It's upsetting to be with him.

Okay, I'll take it.

Good.

Here we go.

Okay.

- Thank you. - Thank you.

- Hi. - I'm home.

How was it?

You met Kasho, didn't you?

I heard he's working on that case too.

Yeah, it seems so.

He's a surprisingly objective and capable guy,

so I think you'll be able to rely on him when you work together.

Could this be Nami-chan from Tanabe family?

Yup.

I'm so grateful, they've been patronizing since my father's era.

Their baby has grown this big.

Say.

Don't you want to take your own picture again?

Why do you ask?

I just thought... are you okay with this.

It's like I am the only one going out and doing what I want.

Don't say that. You should work as hard as you want.

Thanks.

Come in.

Nice to meet you. I am Makabe Yuki.

Thank you for accepting this interview.

You might feel nervous, but you don't have to say anything you don't want to.

If you feel sick, you can interrupt immediately, rest assured.

I'm sure you had a tough time during the interrogation.

Figure my motives out yourself.

What?

That's what they said on TV, right?

But I didn't mean to sound so conceited.

I don't even know what my motives are, so I am hoping they can help me find it.

I see.

I am a liar, you know.

If it's something that is not in my favor, my head gets fuzzy.

I'll lose consciousness and won't know what's going on.

I just want you to know that I am on your side.

The lawyer, Anno-sensei as well.

Oh... Anno-sensei.

A strange guy. He is handsome but twisted,

like he's confident that all women will like him.

You both are close, aren't you?

Well, we are relative.

- He is my husband's... - I know.

He said, "She is my brother's wife."

but called you by first name right after,

you must be really close.

But why do they have different last names as siblings?

Good morning.

Sensei,

I am sorry for my conceited attitude

when you came all the way to see me the other day.

But after meeting you,

I've come to learn more about myself.

To feel no remorse even after what happened,

I think there is something wrong with me.

Sensei.

Please make me a person with a proper sense of guilt.

Hijiriyama Kanna.

F

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Translation: rid (@waterhyacinth_)

Special thanks: MagicStar

I started interviewing Kanna.

Apparently, she has complex PTSD and dissociation, so it's difficult.

If there's anything she's told me that might help her in the trial,

I'll tell you with her consent.

We need to work in team.

Okay.

Let's forget about our personal situation for now.

Our personal situation, like what?

I'll get this straight.

In her case, the problem is her mother.

She is refusing to be a witness for the defense side.

I bet she is going to be a witness for the prosecution side.

The prosecution side?

So it's going to be a confrontation between mother and daughter in court?

To side on blaming her own daugther,

I can't help but wonder if there's more to it than meets the eye.

My senior in college.

I didn't like him at all from the beginning,

but he pushed me to date him.

He said "I'll die without you," so it was hard for me to leave him.

How long were you dating?

Two and a half years.

Two and a half years with someone you don't like at all?

I previously dated a senior who did DV to me,

and I talked to Kagawa-kun about it.

At first he empathized with me.

But the way things were going,