KAMIO

Detectives Kamio and Izuka stood in front of their partner Yoshikawa's house. Kamio couldn't help but be concerned for him after the Murakami case. He had suffered a complete mental breakdown afterwards. They made their way to the front door and rang the doorbell. Mrs. Yoshikawa answered.

"Excuse me, but I'm Kamio Yuzu and this is Izuka Igarishi. We're Yoshikawa's partners." Kamio said.

"I know who you are." She replied, bitterly.

"We wanted to check up on him. Is he here?"

"No he isn't. Please leave." She said, and shut the door.

They wouldn't give up so easily. Kamio and Izuka walked around to the back and peered through the shrubbery. Sitting on the porch was Yoshikawa, staring blankly into space. Yoshikawa tilted his head towards the two cops, and started a godawful scream. Mrs. Yoshikawa rushed to her husband's aid and begged at the cops.

"Please! Just leave!" she shouted, and they did so.

Kamio and Izuka sat in their tan sedan, watching a sullen-faced Nobuyuki Suzuki walk towards Keisei Jr. High.

"Wasn't that kid found in an abandoned house a few weeks ago?"

'Yeah. His grandparents were found dead. His aunt and uncle is still missing."

"I recently found out that he lived in the apartment where the Kobayashi murder took place. Mr. Kobayashi was found in the attic of the Murakami house after they died or disappeared. Only this kid is still alive."

"Kamio?"

"Yeah?"

"How did Yoshikawa go crazy?"

"He saw a photo of Mrs. Yoshimi Kitada, now missing, and just broke down."

"Show me that photo."

Back at the Yoshikawa household, Mrs. Yoshikawa had stumbled upon a very dead Mr. Yoshikawa, eyes frozen in fear, staring at the ceiling. She heard a weird noise, a croaking, above her. She turned to see the image of Kayako Saeki, eyes moving back and forth, suddenly locking onto her. She joined her husband in the corner before silently becoming part of the ring of horror.

Izuka was sitting on a plastic bench outside of the evidence room of the Saitama police station. Before long, Kamio emerged, in his hands Yoshikawa's photograph and a photo of Yoshimi Kitada before she moved in the house.

"What do you notice about these two photos?" Kamio said as he handed the photos to Izuka.

"Well, her appearance has changed drastically, and…"

"Who does she look like, Izuka?"

Izuka realized it.

"She looks like…"

"Exactly like Kayako Saeki."

Kamio plucked the photos of Yoshimi away and pulled out a lighter.

"Kamio!" Izuka shouted.

"I don't care what they'll say about me, but I believe in curses. I now fully withdraw myself from this case."

Kamio proceeded to burn the pictures, setting them down in an ashtray. Kamio, with a calmed expression on his face, re-entered the evidence room. Izuka sat down on the bench, staring at the smoldering pictures. He pulled out a scrapbook and flipped to see a picture of Kayako in happier times. He felt a hand tap his shoulder and turned around to see Detective Anjou.

"Excuse me Izuka, but there's a woman here to see you and Kamio." She said in a pleasant tone.

"Fine, fine." Izuka said as he got off the bench and started to walk to the front office. Anjou's voice stopped him.

"Izuka, I noticed you have a picture of the woman who's here."

Izuka was shocked.

"You mean this woman? Right here?" he said as he pointed to Kayako's picture.

"Yes. What's wrong?"

"This woman's been dead for a year."

They didn't see the shadowy figure of Kayako float into the evidence room. A half-second later, Kamio burst out of the room, screaming and pointing.

"Kamio!" Izuka and Anjou shouted.

Kamio didn't respond, still screaming.

"Calm down, Kamio! Calm down!"

Izuka ran into the evidence room, Anjou following him. Their screams were muffled inside the room.

Kamio, still in shock, glanced in fear at the evidence room. Then the croaking started. Kamio glanced down at the floor and saw Kayako emerge from beneath the bench. Without a sound, Kayako pulled the helpless man under the bench and into the darkness.