25 Years of You (告白ー25年目の秘密ー)

I must do what I need to do.

I cannot forgive anyone who threatens.

Mariko's happiness…

I looked into you too, you know.

What are you to Mariko?

…because I'm the only one by Mariko's side,

protecting her.

Don't just stand there. Have a seat.

- I'll make us some tea. - That's all right.

Don't be like that.

These are very fine tea leaves.

PROFILE

Your parents' home is very close to ours.

3-4-8 Kita-Okamoto, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.

You're the same age as Mariko, went to the same schools as her, even university.

And to top it off, you both joined Nose Cosmetics.

So, what instructions did Mariko give you?

That girl acts like she has no interest in company politics.

Yet she quietly had her childhood friend placed right by her side.

I wonder what she's planning.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Hearing you say "childhood friend"…

What? That's creepy.

I heard something very interesting.

COMPANY PROBLEMS A FACE SHROUDED IN DARKNESS

It seems you're currently under suspicion.

Then I got it.

It was also you who sent this to my husband, right?

Tateiwa truly was hopeless.

Engaging in such petty misconduct.

You were in the accounting department from 2018 to 2021, right?

And after that, the IT promotion department?

I heard you were extremely competent.

Illegally accessing the accounting system to retrieve data should be easy enough

for someone like you, wouldn't it?

Say, why don't you join my side?

I would love an underling like you.

You can keep pretending to be Mariko's ally just like before,

as long as you also do what I ask.

- What you ask? - Yes.

That girl is an eyesore.

Her mother died so easily and gave up her position.

But in that regard, she's not like her mother at all.

I'll prepare a suitable position for you as well.

Far better than staying attached to Mariko...

I'm sorry.

No, so…

You've completely misunderstood the situation.

I haven't been taking any instructions from Mariko.

Mariko is an upright person with a strong sense of justice,

so she would never use underhanded methods like you.

She earns what she wants through hard work, fairly and squarely.

And I also won't forgive you

if you try to scheme against Mariko any further.

What? Are you saying you're doing all this of your own will?

So even Mariko doesn't know about this?

About this background of yours?

What is this? How creepy!

- Are you her stalker or something? - Stalker?

- Me? - Well, of course.

You're this obsessed with her.

I wonder how Mariko would feel if she found out.

Do as you wish.

My background is something anyone can find, like you did.

But I'm certain you won't tell her.

After all, if your own actions were exposed, you have far more to lose.

Around every bright light,

there are always annoying bugs, swarming.

YUKIMURA

SOTA YUKIMURA

YUKI SONO 2199.

You do not need to know.

It's fine. I know how…

To protect Mariko.

REGARDING WHAT I ASKED YOU FOR

A private investigation agency?

I'm back!

Were you able to restore the PC data from Tateiwa's secondary residence?

Yes, I'm checking it out right now.

There's a lot of shady stuff on here.

Lots of internal company data.

Did he intend to prepare all this and stage an internal coup?

Which means it was probably someone from the company.

Those expense fraud documents sent to the president

also seem like the work of an insider.

Can we see where it was sent from?

Well, it's tough at the moment.

I think it's someone who's very well-versed in tech.

Sota Yukimura would be able to do that, right?

He came from the IT department and was quite capable.

Those skills would come in handy.

But we don't know the motive.

First, we want to know if that DNA found at Tateiwa's murder scene the other day

belongs to Yukimura.

Can't we make up a reason to bring him in, then test his DNA?

That would be problematic.

What reason? We found nothing else regarding Yukimura, right?

Well, yes.

Even if the DNA belongs to Yukimura,

he already admitted himself that he met.

Tateiwa at the scene right before he was killed.

In that case, it wouldn't be strange for his DNA to be left at the scene.

- But Kajiwara... - More importantly…

Oh, yes.

At 1:15 p.m. the day after the body was discovered,

this was caught on CCTV at Tateiwa's secondary apartment.

If this person deleted the data…

There's a high probability they know something.

Identify them immediately and look into them.

- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.

- Let's go. You and you, come with me. - Yes, sir.

- We'll go to the scene first. - Yes, sir.

Lately I've had to think about Mariko so much

that my head feels like it's about to explode.

Mariko's safety and smile matter more than anything else.

And yet…

Why did I end up saying something so bold?

What makes you like that person so much?

Her sense of justice, I suppose.

She's my hero.

She definitely realized I was talking about her.

How am I supposed to face Mariko going forward?

Do you like that one?

It's cute, isn't it?

Yes.

Looking at it makes me feel at ease.

Take your time.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- Good morning. - Yukimura, I know you just got here,

but check this for me.

Yes.

If there are no issues, just leave it at the usual spot.

Understood.

Huh?

She's acting as if nothing happened at all.

It really is as if nothing happened.

Huh?

Wait, did Mariko not realize that I was talking about her?

Wait, hold on!

What is it? That's scary.

A-Are you okay?

Yes, I'm sorry.

I've finally realized something crucial.

There was no way Mariko would think those words were directed at her.

Why?

Mariko believes I have had someone I liked for a very long time.

Wait, so what?

I mean someone I've liked for a long time!

- Ah! - Don't "ah" me.

Besides, the more seriously

I talk about my feelings for this person I've liked for a long time,

the further I fall out of Mariko's romantic consideration.

Wait, why?

He has someone he's liked for a long time?

Yes.

So, I won't be pursuing him.

Wait a second.

Even assuming Yukimura has someone he's liked for a long time...

He does.

Why do you have to stop pursuing him?

Who he likes is his business!

What about your feelings, Mariko?

Besides, it's not like that person is his girlfriend yet, right?

Is there a problem with that?

I don't like that kind of situation.

Hm?

When I date someone, I want to build a relationship with a future in mind.

So I don't want a one-sided, unrequited love.

I mean, falling for someone who already likes someone else

is basically hoping they and the other person will drift apart.

He's a bit unusual, but he's a good person,

so I hope things go well for him.

I could really tell how much he likes that girl,

and it felt like true love…

Which I thought was wonderful.

No, uh, besides, I didn't like him in the first place.

This is because you ran your mouth, Tomoya.

Me?

Me, huh?

Still, depending on how you look at it, this is an opportunity.

I mean…

You can just start talking

- to her more from now on. - You always say the exact same thing.

No, I really think this is your chance.

She already knows you have someone you like,

and she understands that your feelings are serious.

Then all you have to do is tell her that it's her.

- Just say it, you got it! - There's no way I can say that.

Why?

There's no way I can tell her I've liked her for a long time.

Really?

Well, that kind of thing…

I guess it's creepy, huh?

The progress…

Yes, this.

It's fine, it's fine. It'll work.

It'll work. It's fine.

What? Even you only got an email from Asai, President?

Yes. He has never taken time off like this before,

so I got worried that something might have happened.