The Killer

Episode 7. The Killer

Inspector Taisuke Sakura lights a sheet of paper and burns the evidence of his crime under the bridge. He recalls how he stabbed Manager Tateiwa and strangled Sayuri Nose to death because they threatened to expose his past crimes.

Mariko Nose confronts Yukimura Sota about his social media account, which he used to follow her for years. He admits this was before they met at Nose Cosmetics. She says she thought they shared common interests but didn't know the extent of his attention to her life.

Yukimura explains that visiting cafés is one of his hobbies and that he is a Marvel superhero fan—assuring her these were not fabricated.

Mariko admits she thought of him as strange because he seemed to know her forever and appeared whenever she wanted him to. She realizes none of those occasions were coincidental; he was anticipating them. She asks him to say something more than just apologize.

When she tries to leave the office, he attempts to stop her. He apologizes again. The following day, he waits for her at the bridge to accompany her to work, but Inspector Sakura accosts him and demands he go to the police station for questioning. Sakura informs him that Sayuri Nose was found dead. Yukimura looks back at Mariko, who receives a call from her father, President Ginjiro Nose and is worried about what she would think.

Photos of Yukimura near the murder sites of Tateiwa and Sayuri are presented as evidence by Sakura. He also points out Yukimura’s long relationship with Mariko, spanning middle school, high school, university, and work. Yukimura insists these have no connection to Sayuri’s murder.

Rejecting the idea of coincidence, Yukimura argues that events happen for a reason—or someone intentionally points to them to show a connection, which he wants to uncover.

His friend and housemate, Tomoya Sagara, believes Yukimura was protecting Mariko from Tateiwa and Sayuri, threatening them with evidence of their plot against her. Yukimura confesses to Tomoya that “liking” Mariko’s social media posts gave him an incredible feeling, and before long, he was liking everything she did.

At the funeral home, Mariko gives her grandmother, brother Keito, and father energy drinks while they wait.

Her office workers are shocked by the news of her stepmother’s death. They assume this explains her absence the previous day, but she suddenly appears, apologizing for not coming to work. She instructs them to prepare for the upcoming presentation of their new Velel cosmetics line. She thanks them for their concern, and everyone returns to work.

Later, Yukimura approaches Mariko in the pantry to apologize for trying to stop her from leaving the other night. She brushes it off, saying she is too busy. At the end of the day, Yukimura reflects that his 32 years of life were short but fulfilled with Mariko. He vows he cannot die until he ensures her safety and happiness. He notices the florist from Fusaido leaving a flower at the site where Sayuri’s body was found, just as before.

President Nose discusses the murders of Tateiwa and his wife with Sakura, suspecting Mariko’s kidnapper from 25 years ago, Satoru Hatano, as the culprit. He also mentions his missing secretary, Gota Asai, who had been sending emails about visiting his ailing mother. A note from the writer of an article on Hatano was found on Asai’s desk. Nose suspects Hatano is behind Asai’s disappearance. Sakura reassures him that he will investigate, given the concern for Mariko’s safety.

Hatano has Asai tied up and demands to know who called the police that led to his 25-year incarceration. He wants revenge. Although Yukimura asked Asai to hide his identity as Mariko’s savior during the kidnapping, Asai revealed it to Hatano. Sakura later discovers that Yukimura was indeed the one who saved Mariko.

Yukimura ends the workday by reporting to Mariko about using PET packaging for sustainability in their new cosmetics. He tries to explain what happened the other day, but Sakura arrives at the office and takes Mariko away. He informs her that Asai is missing, which alarms her. He assures her he will protect her from Yukimura’s stalking.

Meanwhile, Izumi and Takuma ask Yukimura why he hasn’t been speaking to Mariko. He explains that she hates him for recent incidents.

Sakura begins escorting Mariko to work, showing interest in her activities. Mariko tells him it isn’t necessary and admits that Yukimura’s behavior makes her uneasy. She insists, however, that she doesn’t believe Yukimura could kill anyone.

The police track Asai’s whereabouts through his smartphone.

At Sayuri Nose’s funeral, Yukimura does not attend, which his colleagues notice. Izumi meets Tomoya afterward with a bag of snacks. Mariko and Keito discuss their parents’ words, suggesting both were guilty. They were unaware of what this could possibly be.

Sakura wants to arrest Yukimura for stalking Mariko and causing her anxiety, without her knowledge. He also threatens him over the coincidental crimes that implicate him.

Tomoya overhears Sakura’s accusations and defends Yukimura, saying he wasn’t forcing himself on Mariko but protecting her. He discovers Yukimura’s diaries in a cabinet.

Mariko finally recalls her school memories and all the things Yukimura did for her—the four-leaf clover, the bandages during the summer festival when she was down. She admits these gestures were creepy and out of line, saying she never asked for his protection or kindness. Yet, as he apologizes, she tells him she will never forgive him if he ever leaves her side.

Yukimura is stunned at what Mariko said. He doesn’t realize Mariko overheard him telling Tomoya that all he wanted was for her to smile and be happy, if his disappearance was best for her.

Meanwhile, Sakura remembers making Mariko happy as a child when he gave her calla lilies for her mother. He completes his portrait of Mariko as he carries a bouquet of calla lilies.

Finally, Asai reveals to Hatano that Sota Yukimura was the one who saved Mariko and that he can be found at Nose Cosmetics.

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