The bonds of childhood friendship are tested by suspicion and the shadow of a murder in the latest episode of Silent Truth. Detective Junichi Tobina is forced to confront his three closest friends from childhood as the investigation into a supermarket manager’s killing zeroes in on the secret they have all kept buried for 23 years.
In Episode 3, which aired on January 27, 2026, the central mystery deepens as the physical evidence disappears and the psychological tension escalates. Detective Junichi Tobina and his three friends—Makiko, Keisuke, and Naoto—confront the empty hole where their buried secret once lay. Meanwhile, Detective Ms. Nara sharpens her focus, deciding to formally question all four childhood friends, including her own partner Junichi, convinced their shared past is the key to solving the present crime.
The Time Capsule Is Opened and Reveals Nothing
Acting on a plan to gauge his friends’ reactions, Junichi convinces Makiko, Keisuke, and Naoto to dig up the time capsule they buried under a cherry tree 23 years ago. The capsule, sealed with the combination “1029” (which is Makiko’s birthday), was meant to hide the service revolver belonging to Keisuke’s father, Officer Kiyohara, who died in a shootout with a bank robber. This same gun has now been used to kill supermarket manager Hideyuki Sakuma.
However, when the four friends reunite to open the capsule, they find it completely empty. The missing gun confirms Junichi’s worst fear: one of the only four people who knew its location must have retrieved it and used it for murder. This discovery throws the group into a state of mutual suspicion and “creates an uncomfortable air” among the childhood friends.
Detective Nara’s Investigation Technique: A Gathering of Suspects
Detective Ms. Nara operates on a clear theory. She has uncovered the old files linking Junichi, Makiko, Keisuke, and Naoto to the discovery of Officer Kiyohara’s body 23 years ago. Her unique investigative method involves bringing all the suspects together.
“She wants to throw information at them and see how each of them reacts”.
She formally requests to question all four friends together, treating even her partner Junichi as a potential suspect within the group. During the questioning, she reveals the critical fact that the murder weapon is the long-missing gun from the old case. Keisuke’s reaction to this news is particularly telling; he gives an “extremely exaggerated reaction of not knowing,” which only raises Ms. Nara’s suspicions further. She notes their alibis for the night of the murder are “too flawless to be true”.
Revealed Motives and a Complicated Triangle
Under pressure, Makiko and Keisuke come clean about a partial truth. They admit to visiting Sakuma, the victim, because he was blackmailing them for 300,000 yen. The manager had caught their son, Masaki, shoplifting and threatened to release the footage. This provides a clear motive for the couple.
The episode also delves deeper into the simmering history between Junichi, Makiko, and Keisuke. In a private conversation, Keisuke questions Junichi about why he never contacted Makiko after graduation, hinting at a past romantic rivalry. He reveals he once saw Junichi years ago but didn’t approach him, saying, “Junichi’s mention would just ruin my chances” with Makiko. This history adds a layer of personal tension to the professional investigation.
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A Critical Cliffhanger and Junichi’s Personal Turmoil
The episode concludes with a major breakthrough for Junichi, but one that pains him personally. While investigating separately, he learns from a local that a man was seen loitering near the closed school grounds—the site of the time capsule—on the night of the murder. The witness even identifies the license plate of the car seen there.
The car belongs to Keisuke. This visual evidence triggers a “flurry of images” in Junichi’s mind, where he imagines Keisuke and Makiko planning and carrying out Sakuma’s murder. While this may be his imagination, the tangible evidence points directly at his old friend. Throughout the episode, Junichi is also haunted by the past, seen vigorously washing his hands in a scene that echoes a deep sense of guilt. Fan discussions point out this repeated action, wondering what traumatic detail from 23 years ago he is trying to cleanse.
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