The second episode of the Nippon Television drama series "Punch-Drunk Woman: Only XX Days Left to Escape" (Sundays at 10:30 PM), starring actress Ryoko Shinohara, aired on January 18th. The episode revealed a certain past of female prison guard Kozue Fuyuki (played by Shinohara), which sparked a stir on social media.
◇The following contains spoilers.
In the second episode, Kozue, a prison guard who serves as the head of the female section of Hikawa Detention Center, begins to become emotionally disturbed by Reiji Kusaka (played by Jesse), who has been transferred to the area on suspicion of murdering his father. Meanwhile, a fight breaks out in the female section. Taking advantage of the confusion, someone steals Kozue's tablet.
The tablet contained confidential data such as records of inmates and staff, as well as court records. The head of the treatment department, Koyanagi Taisuke (Ukaji Takashi), pursues Kozue's responsibility. Kozue also resolves to "take disciplinary action if they can't find the culprit," and sets out to find the culprit.
Meanwhile, Reiji contacts Hiroyasu Yoroizuka (Yamato Kawachi), a death row inmate in solitary confinement, and proposes escaping from prison. Yoroizuka then says he needs a tablet... and so the story unfolds.
In the episode, Kozue, searching for the tablet, volunteers to interrogate Reiji, who caused the commotion. While talking with Reiji, Kozue recalls being abused by her mother, Seiko (Yorie Yamashita), and the time when she was almost hit by a truck after stepping out onto the road and was saved by Haruomi (Jesse) during their college days. In a flashback, Haruomi, who was a college student at the time, holds out his hand to Kozue (Azusa Ohara), saying, "That must have been hard...Didn't you ever think about running away from your mother?" "Let's run away together...Kozue." Kozue takes his hand, but then sees Haruomi walking with another woman.
On social media, Kozue's past became a hot topic, with comments such as "That's the worst... I hate her," "Did she betray me?", "What a tragic past..." and "It breaks my heart."
