Kidnapped

Episode 8. Kidnapped 

Sato Yukimura decides to stop following and protecting Mariko Nose, the girl he has sworn to protect since he was seven years old, because it makes her uncomfortable. She tells him that his knowledge of her life since childhood is frightening, but warns that she will not forgive him if he leaves her side.

The time he has spent monitoring her and keeping tabs on her social media has consumed much of his daily life. He finally decides to unfollow her account, convincing himself that it is no longer his duty. Police Detective Taisuke Sakura describes his constant presence as stalking, and Yukimura resolves to let others take care of Mariko.

Meanwhile, Mariko’s kidnapper, Satoru Hatano, has taken her father’s secretary, Gota Asai, captive to discover who reported him to the police when he tried to kidnap Mariko at age seven. Asai reveals the name of Sato Yukimura, describing him as an employee at Nose Cosmetics under Mariko. Asai manages to escape after striking Hatano with a pipe until he becomes unconscious.

Detective Sakura, guilty of killing two people who threatened Mariko’s life—Tateiwa and her stepmother, Sayuri Nose—continues to call Mariko on her cellphone and monitor her whereabouts.

Yukimura leaves work early, surprising Mariko, who decides to follow him with her secretary, Isumi Takeda, and daughter, Sara. Isumi teases Mariko about Yukimura being labeled a stalker and questioned by police about the deaths. Mariko declares that she must remain cautious and protect other employees because of the police attention.

Yukimura strolls home, searching for ways to fill his time now that he no longer shadows Mariko’s life. He wonders what he will do with the spare nine hours daily until he is eighty, knowing he must live the rest of his life without her.

They are discovered following Yukimura when Sara recognizes Tomoya Sagara and runs to him. Tomoya goes home with Yukimura and discovers the journals in the cabinet and tears of a page in one. He denies to Yukimura that he read the contents and distracts him by saying that he overheard Mariko’s brother Keito tell her about the secret shared by his mother Sayuri and President Ginjiro Nose. This is their secret too that he shares with Yukimura so he could investigate the matter, which Yukimura doesn’t want to hear about. Yukimura says that the detective and police should be investigating the details and no longer him. Tomoya is frustrated because Yukimura is saying that he made a mistake of introducing himself to Mariko and that he doesn’t want to scare her anymore. Tomoya warns him about the danger that Mariko is actually facing and that Yukimura must still protect her. 

Mariko goes home and asks her grandmother, Akiko Nose, about Keito’s whereabouts. She is surprised to see her father and Detective Sakura in their house. President Nose bows his head as he says that Detective Sakura could protect Mariko, which she protests.   

Dutifully, Detective Sakura watches Mariko who visits her mother’s grave in the grounds. He tells her that they should be together until the murder of Sayuri is solved even if she refused for him to walk her home. She pulls her hand away when he suddenly holds her hand. He confesses that he has started painting again, thanks to her. He receives a call from his office and announces to the Nose’s that Asai has been found and is at the hospital. 

Mariko asks her father if it is possible that the man who has done this to Asai is the same one who killed Tateiwa and Sayuri. He evades the question and Mariko probes him on that secret they shared with Sayuri that Keito overheard before the murder which Sakura overhears.

Mariko is absent minded at work and Yukimura observes it but catches himself from doing his normal tasks of giving her coffee. Yukimura stays behind in the office when Akiko Nose enters and says she is there to see him about police interrogations regarding his involvement in the death of Tateiwa and Sayuri. Akiko explains that she never liked Sayuri who spread the lies that Kyoko, Mariko’s mother, was having an affair with a younger man. She said that Sayuri told seven-years old Mariko about it during Kyoko’s funeral. Yukimura confesses to Akiko that he has followed Mariko from elementary to college and to the Nose company and believes that she didn’t believe the lie about her mother. He admits to Akiko that he has loved Mariko but never mustered the courage to talk to her. 

Akiko said that he had enough opportunities to tell Mariko how he felt. Yukimura said that it was enough that he saw that she was happy. He is told not to look in other persons for his answers.

Tomoya knows that Satoru Hatano, Mariko’s kidnapper is dangerous and runs out of the house.

Hatano has kidnapped Mariko and sends a message to Yukimura showing her tied up unconscious. Hatano tells him to hurry up and save her. Yukimura finds Mariko and Hatano who explains that he wants revenge for his 25 years imprisonment. Yukimura asks him to let Mariko go because he was only after him to avenge his lost opportunities. Yukimura is able to knock out Hatano by hitting him with a pole. Yukimura tries to untie Mariko when Hatano goes after him with a knife and cuts him in the arm. Mariko gets loose and hits Hatano with a steel pole in the head.

Sakura finds the warehouse where Asai was held. He finds Mariko’s ID and tries to call her but gets no answer. He rushes to the site just in time to save Mariko and Yukimura who is hurt. The police take Hatano into custody. 

Yukimura explains to Mariko that he has never had the courage to talk to her for 25 years because he was scared that he might scare her as they walk home together after the incident.  She told him that he forced himself to like the things that she liked but she didn’t know the real Yukimura and his life. Yukimura admits that his life was about her and that since she appeared in his life, he has been happy. He is living his life with Mariko in it, and he apologizes for watching her life without her permission.

She goes up to him and kisses him. He freezes.

Tomoya goes to Sagara House and recalls his childhood when his sister, Mizuki Sagara, was one of the victims of Hatano in the years of the kidnappings.