Operation N is underway. Our main characters except Naruse Shinji, (= three residents of Nobara Apt.), and the murdered couple start to get closer and their relationships start to get tangled. We'll yet to see how Naruse Shinji will come into this entanglement.
(Spoiler)
2003.
Two Nozomis (Sugishita and Andou) go to Okinawa to take part in a volunteer program to save the coral reefs. The program is led by Mr. and Mrs. Noguchi, the murdered couple. Nozomis get on the same boat with Noguchi and play a Japanese chess game, hoping to be noticed by Mr. Noguchi whose hobby is Japanese chess.
Nozomis and Mr. and Mrs. Noguchi scuba dive together. Mrs. Noguchi is a new diver and is still scared of diving. While they are diving, she gets panicked and is rescued by two Nozomis.
Nozomis and Mr. and Mrs. Noguchi scuba dive together. Mrs. Noguchi is a new diver and is still scared of diving. While they are diving, she gets panicked and is rescued by two Nozomis.
The rescue incident makes the Noguchis and two Nozomis get closer to one another. Nozomis are invited to dinner in Okinawa. Andou plays Japanese chess with Noguchi Takahiro, and gets drunk with wine. When they come back to their inn from the dinner, Andou kisses Sugishita. Later on, Andou apologizes, and Sugishita forgives him saying, "You were very drunk."
Back in Tokyo, two Nozomis report to Nishizaki Masato that Operation N is going very well. Then Sugishita suggests that she'll be the one to ask about Midori Bldg. owned by Noguchi Takahiro's father. She doesn't want Andou to get involved on this matter because Andou is going to work in the same company as Noguchi's and is worried that Andou may have a hard time if Noguchi finds out Nozomis approached the Noguchi with a purpose. However, it is not clear that that's her real reason or something is bothering her because of Andou's kiss. Andou accepts her proposal.
Mr. Nobara, the landlord sets off small fireworks for fun with two Nozomis. Nishizaki refuses to join. He seems to have a phobia of fire.
Naruse Shinji who stopped going to college after the death of his father, gets involved in a scam group. He collects money from people who were made to think their sons harmed other people and are in need of a large sum of money. He hesitates, but does what he is supposed to do anyway.
Two Nozomis go to Noguchi's place and have dinner together. After the dinner, Andou and Noguchi Takahiro play chess. While they play, Sugishita Nozomi and Mrs. Noguchi chat together.
Sugishita goes home from the dinner, and asks Nishizaki to help her write a thank you note to the Noguchi's. While they chat in Nishizaki's room, Nozomi hears her mother knocking her door. Suddenly all the bad memories from Aokage Jima comes back to Nozomi.
She tells Nishizaki that meeting her mom is like going back to the island. She does not want to go back to the island and wants to live all by herself. Nishizaki asks "Are you going to ask nobody for help?" Thinking of Naruse Shinji, Sugishita answers "There was one person I wanted to ask for help, but I couldn't say it." Nishizaki now knows that's the person Sugishita "shared guilt," and asks her where that person is. Sugishita tells him she doesn't know.
While Nishizaki and Sugishita are talking about Naruse Shinji, Naruse Shinji is in his apartment, thinking of Sugishita Nozomi with a guilt for scamming innocent people.
In Aokage Jima, Takano the policeman and his mute wife visit a hospital. She became mute because of a psychological shock she received from the fire that burnt down Naruse Shinji's parents' restaurant. She doesn't disclose anything about the fire. Takano suggests they move to Tokyo and receive treatment there.
After receiving a thank you note from Sugishita Nozomi which mentioned about Midori Bldg, Noguchi Takahiro meets Sugishita to talk about the building. It's just Noguchi and Sugishita. No Andou or Mrs. Noguchi. While they are talking, Mrs. Noguchi watches them from afar with a suspitious look.
Noguchi tells Sugishita that his father has no intention to sell the building so that there will be no need to sell Nobara Apt.
Nishizaki and two Nozomis celebrate as Operation N is completed with success. Their area's commercial development plan will not be executed.
Sugishita tells Nishizaki that she caused Mrs. Noguchi's panic incident in Okinawa. She confesses she tighten the screw on Mrs. Noguchi's air tank and made her hard to breathe. She also tells him she's a daughter of parents who are both big liars and deceivers.
Sugishita Nozomi gets a phone call from her younger brother and hears the news that their mother is going to remarry a social worker helping the mother.
Naruse Shinji gets caught by a police for his involvement in a scam operation.
On a rainy day, Mrs. Noguchi comes to Sugishita's apartment, but Sugishita is not in. Mrs. Noguchi waits outside Sugishita's door. Nishizaki, drenched by the rain walks past her.
It's 2014.
Andou goes to Nobara Apt. and meets Nishizaki. Nishizaki tells him he is not going to talk about the murder or associate with anybody involved in the murder.
Takno's wife is still mute, and regularly goes to hospital, but things stay the same. On their way from a hospital, Takano meets Andou. Andou tells Takano that he does not think Mr. Noguchi was killed by Nishizaki. Nizhizaki is scared of fire, and there is no way he could pick up a candle stand with a burning candle and use it to hit Noguchi.
Sugishita receives an envelop mailed by Nishizaki. She finds 500,000 yen in the envelop.
Takno goes to Sugishita's apartment. Sugishita sees Takano's face on her intercom screen. Suddenly bad memories of Aokage Jima come back to her. She tells herself "Once I tell a lie, I keep telling the lie. That's the only way to turn the lie into the truth.
N no Tame ni Ep.4
N no Tame ni OST
N no Tame ni Ep.3
N no Tame ni Ep.2
N no Tame ni Ep.1
