Kayo Hinazuki is the story's first victim. A neglected ten-year-old, she disappeared on March 2, 1988, and was found dead days later when the snow melted. Her case sets everything in motion—she's the tragedy that haunts the entire narrative, even though she doesn't get much screen time herself. Fans often note how her death, though it happens early, becomes the emotional anchor for everything that follows.
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