The eighth episode of the drama series "The Hot Spot" (NTV, Sunday 10:30 pm) starring actress Ichikawa Mikako was broadcast on March 2nd. Towards the end of the episode, a childhood friend of the alien Takahashi (Akihiro Kakuta) appears. Takahashi's nickname and unknown side were revealed, causing a stir on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers.
In episode 8, Kiyomi (Ichikawa) learns from Murakami (Fumiyo Kohinata), a man from the future 50 years in the future, about the future of the hotel that no one knows yet, and shares the secret with Hatchi (Suzuki Anne) and Minapu (Hiraiwa Kami). Kiyomi and others, worried about Takahashi, talk with him at a cafe, saying, "Isn't Takahashi the one who will be most affected if the hotel disappears?"
Takahashi reveals memories of his family to Kiyomi and the others. When he was a child, his father Kyosuke (Nomaguchi Toru) told him that they were aliens. He promised not to tell anyone. Even when he confides his secret to his close childhood friends, Takahashi keeps his promise to his father and lies by saying that he watches "11PM" (a late-night program) every week, which makes his childhood friends call him "Erosuke." Unable to reveal his secret, Takahashi returns home with a lonely look on his face.
Later in the story, Takahashi reveals to Kiyomi and the others that because he is an alien, he has decided to remain single for life and has no interest in dating. Takahashi continues, saying that he can't help being lonely, to which Kiyomi and the others respond, "But we're here," to which Takahashi comments, "Indeed, since I came out to them, I no longer feel lonely." However, at that moment, two of Takahashi's childhood friends, who were at the bar, call out to him, "Erosuke!" When they come to Takahashi's table, they tease him, who is surrounded by women, and further tease him, saying in a friendly manner, "Are you okay? Have they noticed that Erosuke is erotic?" and "He was banned from the bar for being too persistent with the hostesses," making Takahashi panic.
On social media, many people were amused by the fact that Takahashi, who was thought to have always lived a solitary life, was nicknamed "Erosuke" by his childhood friends, who teased him by revealing details about his private life. Comments such as "I burst out laughing at Erosuke," "It was funny hearing Takahashi called Erosuke," "It was a little touching, but then they called him Erosuke," and "When he was feeling down, they called him Erosuke lol" were posted.
