But for reporter Kanae Michiue, something feels off about their relationship, including the fact that Suzuki's name is not revealed in Seike's autobiography, a mystery that seems to be related to the secretary's past.
They never lived together..[27] Tōto Shinbun reporter, Kanae Michue, went to Seike's hometown to learn more about this charismatic politician.
She takes the chance when an opportunity to talk to Seike opens, confronting Suzuki during the interview.
[32] During one of their one-on-one meetings, Seike receives a call informing him that Suzuki had an accident, while Michiue learns that Aoyama, a junior colleague, was in that incident.
[10] Michiue tries to gather more information, but is met with resistance from Seike's office, threatening to stop all meetings with him.
[22] Michiue notices a strange similarity between Suzuki and so-called "Hitler Mentalist" Erik Jan Hanussen: besides having influence on their respective person, their ages coincided.
At the same time, Suzuki, still in the hospital, reminisces about "Mieko" and how, for him, she became a crutch in Seike's road into politics.
She discovers from a former Seike classmate, and confirms from Fujita, Takechi's former policy manager, that the woman's name is Miwako Miyoshi, and that her dream was to be a screenwriter.
[38] Something keeps bothering Michiue, as she continues to investigate Hiroko, whose presence seems to overshadow Seike's political dream.
[40] Feeling betrayed, and facing the reality that Seike used him, Suzuki goes to Michiue and helps her keep uncovering the truth on Hiroko.
Suzuki uses the information Michiue has in an attempt to clear the image of his father, whose identity was revealed in a magazine.
Noticing the news about the Secretary of the former Foreign Minister, they decide to visit his widow, who tells them that he didn't commit suicide as reported, but was killed.
[41] As more and more information arises, including about the intimate relationship Suzuki had with Hiroko, Michiue goes on the road to search for her, when she finds Seike in one of his public meetings.
[42] Yamanaka, Michiue's former colleague and current boss, finds information about the time Hiroko was working as a hostess in Ginza.
[45] With Suzuki's help, the journalist team find out the whereabouts of Togashi, a former secretary during the disappearance of Morohashi.
They continue to talk about other things, including the reference to a tape that has information from the BG case, and that Hiroko is holding to.
Turns out that Tadokoro is in reality Arisa Manaka, the woman who Seike had a relationship in their college era.
[48] Just as facts continue to be revealed one after another, Michiue receives a sudden proposal from Seike: he tells her "Stay by my side" (said in a form that could be seen as romantic).
[49] Michiue continues to think about the words that Seike has told her ("Please look at me", ""I won't see you anymore", "As you see out me, so do I", and now, "Stay by my side").
But he has to act carefully not to alienate Michiue, making her think he's playing with her skills as a reporter and taking advantage of that.
He knows that she could be in danger if she gets too close to the truth (just as Takechi, Suzuki and Kanetaka did), and relays the message in very subtle ways, by using those words.
[50] Theme song, "Sunshade", lyrics by singer-songwriter Yuuka [ja] and music by One Ok Rock's Toru, is sung by its lyricist.