This week, it's mostly about what happened in 2002 - 2003. We get to know why they got to know the celebrity couple who was murdered and what "Operation N" was about. This is just the beginning of "Operation N" and we wait for more details.
(Spoiler)
In 2014. Takano the former policeman from Aokage Jima goes to see an attorney who defended Nishizaki Makoto as a part of his investigation on the murder of Noguchi Takahiro and his wife. The attorney tells him that nobody witnessed the actual murder. Nishizaki was sentenced guilty because he confessed that he killed Noguchi, the husband, and the testimonies made by two Nozomis; Sugishita and Andou, as well as Naruse Shinji who were at the murder scene were consistent. However, the attorney is not sure if Nishizaki hadn't confess, he would have become guilty.
Reading official records of the murder, Takano learns more about what happened. Two Nozomis were invited by the Noguchis to have dinner at their place. Sugishita Nozomi got to their place before Andou. While waiting for Andou, she played a Japanese chess with Nogucchi Takahiro in his study. Noguchi left the study for a moment, and then Sugishita heard a big noise from the living room. She went to the living room to check what happened. There she saw Nishizaki. She didn't know Nishizaki personally knew the Noguchis, so it was a big surprise to see him there. Then she saw the two dead bodies on the floor and surprised even more.
Naruse Shinji worked for a restaurant. On the night of the murder, he was to deliver food from his restaurant and serve to the Noguchis as the Noguchis frequented the restaurant. When Naruse got to the Noguchis' door, nobody answered. Naruse felt something bad was going on. Then he heard Sugishita Nozomi calling for help through the intercom. He never expected to see his childhood friend there.
So it was a coincidence that Sugishita saw Nishizaki at Noguchi's place. And another coincidence that Sugishita saw Naruse there. They "happen" to be there at that time. That's what the official records say. However, Takano doesn't buy that. He believes they can't be coincidences.
Two Nozomis meet in a restaurant. They talk about the murder. Andou says "If I wasn't there (at the murder scene), the two would have never died." He feels it was his fault, Sugishita tells him to stop and leaves the restaurant by herself.
In 2002, Sugishita Nozomi is working hard juggling different jobs from early morning (building cleaner) till late at night (server at a Japanese-style pub, Izakaya).
In Nobara Apt., Nishizaki asks Sugishita Nozomi what her "ultimate love" is. She answers "Sharing guilt... Not complicity, but sharing... Without telling anybody including the partner, taking over half the guilt... and then steps away."
Nishizaki panics when he sees fire on a stove. He seems to have traumatic experience concerning fire from his childhood days.
On their college campus, Andou Nozomi asks Sugishita Nozomi what she wants to be after finishing college. She answers she doesn't exactly know yet, but she wants to go higher because she made a promise. While saying that she looks up the sky. Andou asks her with whom she made the promise. She doesn't answer. She just smiles. Andou realizes she has somebody in her heart.
Sugishita Nozomi goes back to Aokage Jima to go to a class reunion. Although she didn't tell anybody, her reason for going back to the island is that she may get to see Naruse Shinji. Soon after she arrives, she goes to see her mother. Her mother who had never earned money through a job is now working at a fish market.
Sugishita receives a phone call from her old school mate, and is told that their class reunion may be cancelled because Naruse Shinji's father had a heart failure and died suddenly.
At Shinji's father's funeral, Sugishita Nozomi sees Shinji. They see eye to eye, but do not talk to each other. Takano and his wife were at the funeral also.
Shinji receives his father's life insurance money, but the money is all used to pay off the debts. Shinji is penniless and is all alone.
Back at Nobara Apt., Nishizaki and two Nozomis get together and hear the news that Andou Nozomi is going to work for Mitsuwa Shouji, a large trading firm after graduation.
Nishizaki tells two Nozomis about a plan of setting up a commercial district including condominiums, a hospital, a shopping center, a theater, a park, etc. in the area around Nobara Apt. In order to protect Nobara Apt. and its landlord who does not want to sell his apartment, they start "Operation N". In addition to Nobara Apt., there is one more building whose owner isn't willing to sell his property. That building owner is Noguchi Ki'ichirou.
Nishizaki proposes that they get close to Noguchi to find out if he is really serious about going against the commercial district development plan by not selling his property. Noguchi Ki'ichirou is old and sickly and does not go out much. However, his oldest son, Noguchi Takahiro is a socialite and is well known for his charity work.
Days later, Nishizaki and two Nozomis go to a party for a charity project to protect ocean and coral reefs in Okinawa. They see Noguchi Takahiro and his beautiful wife for the first time with their eyes. The couple is shining with an aura of those who are from high echelons of society.
From the information Nishizaki and two Nozomis gathered from the party, they find out Noguchi Takahiro works at the trading company for which Andou is going to work. They also find out one of Noguchi Takahiro's hobbies is playing a Japanese chess, which Sugishita Nozomi is good at. As a part of "Operation N", two Nozomis are going to Okinawa to take part in the charity project. They are going to pretend to be a young couple in love.
One day, two Nozomis walk together on a busy street to go to have Yakitori dinner together. Then, Sugishita sees Naruse Shinji walking across the street. Sugishita leaves Andou, cancelling the dinner, and runs after Naruse. However, she is unable to catch him.
A little later Andou calls Sugishita and asks who was the person she ran after. She tells him he is her childhood friend all the way from kindergarten to high school. Andou gets hurt to hear about the existence of such a person.
After his father died, Naruse Shinji does not go to school. He spends his days, playing Pachinko and other gambles. His friend recruits him to take part in Ore Ore Sagi, a bank transfer scam.
N no Tame ni OST
N no Tame ni Ep.3
N no Tame ni Ep.2
N no Tame ni Ep.1
