The seventh episode of the drama series "The Hot Spot" (NTV, Sunday 10:30 pm), starring actress Ichikawa Mikako, was broadcast on February 23rd. At the end of the episode, the true identity of Murakami Hiroki (Fumiyo Kohinata) works, was revealed, and her relationship with a certain guest attracted attention on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers.
In episode 7, February 23rd is "Mount Fuji Day". Kiyomi is working at the hotel's front desk while chatting with her colleague Eri (Maki Sakai). As Kiyomi and Eri are having a self-deprecating conversation about how "the people who stay at our hotel are the ones who couldn't get a reservation elsewhere", Takahiro Uemura (Mamoru Hagiwara), a high school student who had stayed at the hotel before, comes to stay again with his family.
Meanwhile, Kiyomi and Eri are approached by Murakami, a long-term guest, who tells them the reason he is staying at the hotel. Murakami explains that he used to stay at the hotel as a guest in the past and has fond memories of it.
Later in the story, Murakami reveals to Kiyomi that the hotel will soon be gone. Kiyomi wants to hear more, so Murakami says, "I'm going to tell you a story that's a little hard to believe, but can you listen to it until the end?" He then reveals his true identity, saying, "The reason I know that the hotel will be gone is because... I'm actually from the future."
On social media, the names of Murakami and the examinee Kamimura, "Murakami Hiroki" and "Kamimura Takahiro", are similar, with just the letters swapped, and so speculation has gone wild that they are the same person. "Is Murakami the kid who got in?" "I saw Murakami hiding when the Kamimura family was checking in." "There's a theory that Kamimura from the future is Murakami." "Murakami Hiroki and Kamimura Takahiro... surely this is confirmed now?" "When he said he'd stayed here in the past, he meant when he was taking the exam?" "It's possible that they make you think they're the same person, but it's just a different person." "Is Kamimura from the future here to help out the hotel that helped him out of a tight spot because of the exam ticket issue...?" Speculations like these gathered excitement.
