The Case of Hana & Alice

Fourteen-year-old Tetsuko, known as Alice, moves into the Fujiko neighborhood with her mother. While settling in, she notices a girl her age spying on her from next door. She later finds a stash of tests with bad grades hidden in her bedroom closet, hinting at a troubled history connected to the new place. These clues plant the seed that the coming days will be tied to the local legend surrounding Judas.

At her new school, the teacher assigns her one of two desks that strangely do not collect dust. The desks sit on top of letters written on the classroom floor, suggesting a hidden story behind the room. Alice senses there is more to this place than ordinary schooling.

Fellow students discuss an evil spirit named Judas with four wives haunting the class. Moo, a heavily made-up student, accuses Alice of releasing the spirit and leads the class in an elaborate ceremony to reseal it. The myth permeates the classroom and sets the central mystery in motion.

Moo reveals she was playacting as part of the Judas legend. The previous year's class told a story of a boy named Judas with four wives who died by anaphylactic shock. Moo had sat in Judas's desk, was teased, and chose to embrace the persona to escape bullying, even changing her look to resemble a witch. She notes that Hana Arai is the only student with firsthand knowledge of the story.

At home, Alice examines the tests more closely and discovers they belong to Kotaro Yuda. She realizes that Kotaro Yuda is the Judas of the class story, and that Hana Arai is the girl living next door. The discovery connects the myth to real people in her neighborhood.

Alice sneaks into Hana's house to confront her about the Judas legend. Hana says she does not know if Kotaro Yuda is really dead, but she knows Kotaro's father and recruits Alice into a plan to trick him into revealing Kotaro's fate. The moment tightens the bond between the two girls and sets the next steps in motion.

The next day, Alice goes to the corporation where Kotaro's father works but ends up wasting the day with one of his coworkers instead. The failed attempt demonstrates the difficulty of uncovering Kotaro's fate through the adults. Hana remains a crucial link to locating the Yuda family.

Alice and Hana follow leads to the Yudas' home, spying on the residence while waiting for Kotaro. They lose track of time and miss the last train home, forcing them to shelter under a truck as night falls. The moment blends tension with a hidden truth about Kotaro's whereabouts.

Under the truck, Hana reveals the truth: Kotaro had been her long-time crush, and she tried to win him with small favors like Kit Kat bars. Kotaro distributed pretend marriage certificates to other girls, deepening Hana's humiliation. The fear of anaphylactic death after the bee incident drives her to stop going to school.

The next morning, Hana wakes early to continue spying. Alice narrowly avoids being crushed by the same truck and fears Hana is still stuck underneath. In the ensuing confusion, Hana and Alice unexpectedly run into Kotaro Yuda, who is alive and apparently well.

Alice pushes Hana to confront Kotaro, who then tells them he knew Hana put the bee in his shirt and will never forget the pain. Hana takes comfort in his words as a sign that she may be loved after all. The moment marks a turning point in their relationship and in the unraveling mystery.

A few days later, Alice's new school uniform arrives, signaling a fresh start. Hana feels able to wear her old uniform again and return to school, resuming her life with a sense of belonging after the unsettling events.