BG: Shinpen Keigonin/ Personal Bodyguard - Episode 7 (Recap)

Trotwood: I apologize for the delay in this recap.
kakashi: And I apologize for taking so long to comment. 
Panda: I apologize for taking even longer to comment. I still have not fully settled in/adjusted to my new busy schedule.
I actually haven’t been as busy as I have in the past; it’s more because I didn’t want to face this episode. As I said to my older daughter, what I really want to say here is the following:

"Episode 7 was a perfect hour of television until the last minute. I actually thought, 'This is perfect' to myself while watching--those actual words. Everything just seemed to work perfectly like when you are playing with a team and things just go seamlessly whether it’s on the field or on an assembly line. Then something painful happened in the last minute. I felt betrayed—slapped and punched. I am still hurt. The end."

Instead, I’m going to keep going and give you what I thought was going to be the briefest recap that I’ve ever done. I didn't think my psyche could handle doing a regular length one, but I'd forgotten the specifics of why I had loved the episode so much, and while recapping, I couldn't help relishing everything despite the alarm bell in my head dinging a warning.
Sigh.

Episode 7

Cold Open: We are looking down the barrel of a gun with the time on screen. We then see Shimazaki with his hands up asking to be able to say something before he dies. Well, that grabbed my attention.
kinda does...
tbh I paid it no mind cos I knew Shimazaki couldn't get shot and nothing else could hurt me right? RIGHT??

We then go back 27 hours back to the meeting between Shimazaki and his ex-wife, Odagiri Hitomi, that we ended with in the last episode. She tells him that she needs his protection because she feels that she has been targeted, and she didn’t know who else to ask. The harassment started around the time that Shun left to live with Shimazaki, which is why she hasn’t made more of a fuss about him coming back to live with her.
I don't know, seems awkward. Why him? Are there no other security guys around?! 
Maybe she is simply more comfortable with him handling the matter. They seem to have a fairly amicable relationship.
I continue to love the effort made to really think about how we are watching these scenes. For example, we get to listen to this quiet scene but watch it from different angles and from different perspectives, which I think is important for this show. For example, one of the shots in this scene is through to drinking glasses, which is beautiful but also reflects the mood of sadness in this scene--these two good people who were once so close and are still so awkwardly estranged.
I wondered a bit about those shots though. In my opinion, we shouldn't necessarily notice these kind of "artful" things... if it's too much, it disrupts the flow of a show (cause I'm going "why did they shoot it this way? What do they want to tell me?"). It's borderline for me.
I didn't notice this the first time I watched, but I've been looking since I started talking about them.

Back at headquarters, he reports to the team about his wife’s request. He asks them if one of them will take the case. Sugu questions this because it seems to her that Odagiri asked for him specifically while Newbie is super excited, thinking this might be an opportunity for them to get back together.
I don't think so.......
Nope. Not happening.

He assures them it really isn't like what they are thinking because his wife is already remarried. Sugu solemnly teases, "Having an affair with your ex-wife, that's new," but Shimazaki shoots her a look, and she immediately apologizes.
They've come a long way, haven't they! To be able to tease him like this, wow. 
This group here has my heart.

He thinks it would be awkward and not necessarily professional for him to take it, and Murata breaks in (being perfect boss) and supports this idea saying that even surgeons don’t want to operate on family members (actually, I think in the States they aren’t allowed to) because of the potential conflicts and distractions from the personal connection. He assigns Sugu the lead on this and volunteers himself as back up. Takanashi just gives Shimazaki his usual suspicious glare.
They are handling this well. No, you should never mix professional jobs and relationships. Even in office settings, I think it's not okay. 
I definitely agree.

Murata and Sugu show up at a fantabulous house for their meeting with Odagiri. Clearly, Shun was not over exaggerating when he said his step-dad was wealthy. Odagiri seems disappointed even if she isn't surprised that Shimazaki didn’t take on the job himself. Come on now, woman! You got a divorce, leave him alone. When Murata asks her if this is a problem, she says it isn't and that she only asked him because he is the only BG that she knows. 
There's the internet though. You can easily search for these kind of services. 
I completely understand her reaching out to him; they have an easy-ish relationship and she KNOWS him and that means she knows he will try his best for her.

Murata takes out his recorder to tape the conversation and asks her to tell him what is going on. She describes to him the phone calls and the feeling that she is being followed. Sugu asks her what she does for a living and gushes at the idea of living her life when Odagiri says she makes flower arrangements for places.
Nice. Does it pay well? 
I'm pretty sure it's her new husband that's paying for all this.
I want such a job right now. Sobs

Sugu gushes at the idea of living so elegantly (I know she is thinking about how much money they make to be able to live in this place; I’m thinking that, too, Sugu!). Odagiri laughs and says it isn't as "elegant" as it looks, especially the physical work of the flowers, which reminds her of the destruction of the flowers on her patio. She shows them all the flowerpots turned over, and while Sugu takes pics, she tells Murata that the first time it happened, she thought it was the neighborhood cat, but since it happens again as soon as she fixes everything, she knows that it is done on purpose. He asks her about her husband and what he thinks, but she tells him that she hasn't said anything because she wasn't sure if it was a really threat and doesn't want to worry him while he is out of the country.

We then switch to a man walking up flights of stairs really slowly, obviously struggling with despair. He finally makes it to the roof, and I'm relieved to see high gates around, but almost immediately alarmed again when he can just push a door in the gate open to stand on the edge.
Something about his gait seems familiar...

But before we can see whether he jumps or not, we switch to see Shimazaki following Takanashi to the bar of  the restaurant the team went to in the last episode. What? What is this I see? Did Takanashi call him out?

Shimazaki is just as surprised as we are, but Takanishi denies that he has invited him to dinner and orders two beers.  With his dour face, he asserts to Shimazaki that he wants to talk to him and that Shimazaki has to knows what this is about. He stares. Shimazaki looks awkward and finally asks if this is about his wife and why Takanashi is always so irritated.
Maybe he has ulcers? Or don't people with ulcers look disagreeable more often? 
He just loves pouting/ showing off his lips.

He tries to order, but Takanashi says they aren't finished talking yet and then proceeds to lecture Shimazaki about taking on his ex-wife’s case because men really should protect the women in their lives. Blah blah Blah. Seriously. Did we not just have that talk about being professional? What are you doing Takanashi? Shimazaki looks at him the way I would, too.
pfffft

However, as annoying as the words coming out of Takanashi's mouth are (he even admits that this might make him sound like a male chauvinist--you think?), I did enjoy this scene. It's clear that Takanashi thinks Shimazaki should take on the job to get over his hesitation about being able to be professional. Awwwww. Okay. Forgiven. It's also clear that despite him being hard to know that he considers Shimazaki someone with whom he can have this conversation. I also thought it humorous because of the little details, like the way Shimazaki keeps wanting to eat or drink with Takanashi stopping him to talk.
My Bromanceeeeee!!

And the fact that he shows Shimazaki the cheapest things to pick on the menu. We also see from this scene that not only do Sugu and Newbie like Shimazaki, but Takanashi does, too. He still tries to pretend like he doesn’t care about this team (he doesn't smile when he holds out his glass for a toast), but he clearly does (he holds out his glass for a toast).

Unfortunately, PM Tachihara is not having a supportive meal with her colleagues. She is, once again, at a meal with her evil mentor, Chief Secretary Igarashi, who is talking to a bunch of politician cronies about a rival who is beginning to be a problem. He thinks it will be a good idea to sic PM Tachihara on him because the rival will think they are weak sending a news broadcaster after him. And they all laugh as if this is the funniest thing ever, clearly indicating that they don’t take her seriously as a politician (as if we didn’t know that already). We get all these  close up shots of these men eating while having this conversation which emphasizes how gross and offensive they are.
Very effective. I'm so put off. 
Disgusting.

She smiles politely and even says that the rewards will be great if she wins. However, it is clear that she feels like she is swallowing bile and questioning whether the rewards are worth all of this. I did too. I could never degrade myself for a political career. Never. She goes to the bathroom and practices her fake smile in the mirror, but ends up hitting the mirror in disgust.
I actually pity her, those men are disgusting.
I did, too. I don't think I'd be friends with her, but she is so much better than ANY of these guys.

Hearing this, Ochai, who has been guarding the bathroom, asks her if she is okay. She merely complains that no matter how far she comes, she is still seen as a joke and wonders if he thinks the same. He admits that he understands but that he doesn't want to speak further. She asks him to speak unreservedly with her to tell her to suck it up or to quit or something. However, Ochai is a strictly by the book guy and tells her that his job is to protect her, and he can't be distracted.
Ah, darling... this was your chance, Big Guy. Now you can't go and whine about her looking for another shoulder to cry on... 

Why didn't you create the "opening" uhn?

You can see that he wants to talk to her but keeps it in. Bad move Ochai! But he is working hard (too hard) to keep this relationship strictly professional, and it’s clear she is disappointed and feeling even more alone by his non-response.

He's lost. Hahahahahahaaaaa.

Shimazaki isn’t finished with his colleagues after his dinner with Takanashi because when he approaches his apartment building, he finds Murata standing outside.
Is it "let's talk it out"-day? 
Hahahaha
Hehehehe

He’s surprised but immediately invites him in and offers him something to drink since Murata brought snacks with him. They sit at the tiny table in the kitchen while Murata tells him about their meeting with Odagiri as Shimazaki reviews the file. He delicately tells Shimazaki that it was clear Odagiri wanted him to do the job, and Murata wonders whether they should do as she had initially asked.
Don't do it. BAD IDEA. 
But he IS going to do it.

Shun comes in, and Murata introduces himself. He’s typical silent Shun giving a quick nod and embarrassing Shimazaki. However, when Murata offers him some steamed buns, Shun comes back out, introduces himself and accepts the bag.
And runs away with all of it... ahahahaha. 
That boy is a scamp.

Shimazaki apologizes for him and being at the rebellious age, but Murata says his own son is 19 and still hasn’t grown out of it. Sweetie. When they sit down, he confesses that his own wife has asked for a divorce. Oh no.... Shimazaki is surprised, but Murata tries to joke by saying that it seems you can’t be a real BG unless you’ve been divorced at least once. Some jobs really have a high divorce rate, especially those in high risk areas so there is a lot of truth in what Murata said. Can I hug him now? Can I hug them both? (okay, can I have them both?)
*Gasp*! At the same time???? 
Yup. I'm greedy.
GO TROT!!

Shimazaki says that he seems to have really recovered (meaning from the incident in the past I assume), but Murata assures him that it has been really difficult. Before it gets too serious, he tells Shimazaki to have a bun while they are still hot. Can I hug him now? Can I hug them both? (okay, can I have them both?) I mean look at him eating that steamed bun!
AGAIN?! 
Actually, this was a typo, but I'm leaving it in now because it actually makes sense. I did think it again after all.
Just look at that expression! I think I had my first twinge here but it faded fast.

The next day at headquarters, Shimzaki tells them that he will take on the job. He gives Takanashi a look, but BG pouty still looks sour. Why? He's doing what you wanted him to do!
Obviously, he just likes to be sour.
It's the lips!! They have a mind of their own.

Murata tells him and Sugu that they are in charge of doing general security for the company today, leaving Newbie as the back up person. Newbie reminds Shimazaki to call him every 60 minutes. But when Shimazaki does the time check, his watch is wrong! The looks of shock at the breaking down of their now error routine!
Uh-oh........ bad omen. 
:((((

Shimazaki is really frustrated, saying why today of all days. He keeps glancing at the monitor that has Odagiri's picture. Murata, noticing his discomfort, steps up and gives him his watch to use. He really can't go anywhere without a watch in this job. I'm actually surprised they don't have some spare watches in office just in case.
Everything about this makes me NERVOUS. This show doesn't waste time on needless things...
Second longer twinge. I just have a feeling you know?

Pause: All of this happens in the first 15 minutes of the show. Someone in the comments asked about theme songs for Japanese shows a couple of eps ago, and I remember being startled because it is right here in this episode at 14:59 that we get the opening credits. It was jarring to me upon rewatching to recap that I had completely forgotten that we never got them and that for the director, what comes after is the real beginning of the show.
I agree!! It seems LATE. 

We see Shimazaki running through snow flurries to get to the house without a coat. He's blowing on his hands and looks freezing, but it's pretty to watch. (it reminds me of all the BTS pics of them bundled up in coats and the cool BG crew jackets.)

He shows up to the house, clearly impressed. Who wouldn’t be, but this has to be hard. I know I’d feel weird if I showed up at my ex-husband’s new home, and it was 20 times better than how we lived when we were together.
If anything, it would make you feel... inadequate. 
and ... small. Hehehe

He looks at his watch, and we get a flashback to him and Odagiri who gives him the watch, telling him that he needs a really good watch in his job. They are clearly very much in love and discuss how they want to protect each other for the rest of their lives. Like Panda says, they are both good people, and it's sad to see them so happy, knowing that they don't work out and that they were so close but now are at the stage where he officially introduces himself to her when he shows up for the job.
It's sad, yes. But actually, their current situation doesn't make me sad at all. I feel they're both in a "good place" about things. 
Indeed K. People fall out of love and they seem quite adjusted to their new realities. It's healthy.

Odagiri seems to notice right away that he isn’t wearing the same watch, but she doesn’t say anything. He asks her to contact her husband to let him know that she is being guarded. When she refuses, he asks if they can contact him if the threat becomes imminent; she counters with a request for him to take care of Shun if something were to happen to her. Of course, he agrees. He calls in to check in with Newbie, and as we look at the clock, we switch to . . .

The guy from the roof turns out to be for sure (if you weren't sure already) Chief Secretary Igarashi's old secretary. The one who crashed his party in the last episode. He is waiting in a roadway tunnel looking haggard. A van pulls up. A black guy gets out. They exchange packages. He has brought a gun. At least we know where that gun comes from in the cold opening, and we get a time check.
It's what this show does so well. Tie all the loose threads together, unexpectedly. As said further up, not a minute is wasted.
That guy! Hmmmm, he came back.

Odagiri and Shimazaki arrive at a restaurant where she begins to do the flower arrangements. She talks about her business expanding, and he says that he knows, partly because Shun told him that is how she met her husband. He stands by a window while she works, and guess who happens to drive by. Guess, guys?
You, Trot, on your way to claim Shimazaki as yours? 
LOOOL. I wish.

PM Tachinara sees him with his ex-wife through the window of the restaurant and has the car stop. She calls him, and he checks the number, looks out the window, sees the car, but merely bows without picking up.
Hmmmmmmm, is Tachinara jealous?
Yes, she is!

Frustrated, she calls him again. This time, he picks up and tells her that he can’t talk because he is on duty. She wonders if he really is or if it’s just fun—seeing him with a pretty woman. She teases him about wanting to take him out to dinner to apologize for her behavior from before, and we see a flashback of them at the tv studio, where she had kept flirting with him, and he kept telling her he was working, but she just acted like he was conceited until he got mad.  
She is indeed jealous!!!!! And he's hot when he's worked up like that. Look at that pic below, she looks at him like he's a juicy piece of bacon.
RAWR. They both seem bothered with each other. There are definitely sparks from either party.
Really? I think he does notice her in that way. He did from the very beginning when he let her car pass in that tunnel from ep. 1, But here, I just think he is annoyed that she thinks he has time to joke with her. I think this is why I still don't like her even when I want. She takes her job seriously, but she doesn't take his job seriously.
I think it's called flirting :)

It's clear that she just needs to talk to someone, so she asks him if he likes his job, wondering if it isn’t frustrating to always be working in the shadows and thinking about the needs of someone else. He wonders why she is asking this when her whole job is about being in the service of others.
It is because she likes you silly!

Obviously, this strikes her as if she had forgotten why she has been putting up with all this crap. I believe that his comment makes her remember why she went into politics in the first place. She quietly thanks him when she hangs up.
I love this dynamic between them, ha! Even if I'm the only one. 
I actually like this dynamic. I would like her more if she was always this plain with him rather than treating him like he's the playdate that has been assigned to her and thus has to do what she says. She needs a friend, and he'd be a good one.
She would like him to be more than a friend "wiggles eyebrows".
Who wouldn't? Well maybe his ex-wife.

She just needed someone to tell her that she was doing okay I think. And this is contrasted with her previous conversation because Ochai has seen this interchange from the car behind hers, and he isn't happy.
Should have talked earlier, bro. Bye.
Exactly. No sympathy from me.

When Odagiri finishes the job, they head to the next place with Shimazaki confirming with her the location. She seems impressed, but he really is just doing his job. I find all her interactions with him very interesting because she seems surprised at what he actually does--both his profession and his professional behavior. I wonder if he never talked to her about what he actually did during a typical day.
It could be that they never did or it could be because it is always a bit strange to see your partner in his working-environment. We're the same there and yet different. It brings out another side of us.
I agree with both points. I know I definitely have a different persona at work compared to being at home. Also, I feel this could have also played a part in their divorce.

Shimazaki is wary. We've seen a glimpse of someone who might be following them, and it's clear he has, too, so when Odagiri jokes about being stalked, he isn't laughing. He asks her if she didn't get 2nd place in a race in school, and she laughs wondering why he suddenly remembered that, but he tells her this because he wants her to start running. She immediately picks up on his instructions and they head off. Suddenly, Shimazaki pulls her to the side, so he can suddenly appear to the person who is chasing them.

Turns out the person following them (and the culprit of all the other disturbances) is Odagiri's husband’s ex-girlfriend.
Unexpected! Oh no, the poor woman, she looks deranged. 
Sigh.

Shimazaki wants to call the police, but his ex-wife tells him that she wants to talk to the woman. She even knows the woman’s name because her husband told her about them and that they had broken up before they got together. The woman doesn’t deny this, but what makes her furious is that he moved on with Odagiri who is older than her and already has a kid.
It's not about age though...

She can’t see how Odagiri is better than her and demands that the older woman hand him over. Odagiri says she can’t because her husband isn’t an object to be passed around. She’s very gracious, but the woman is hurt and walks away. Pffffft. I think she needs help. Odagiri assumes that everything is over. I don’t and neither does Shimazaki, but she doesn’t think the woman will bother her anymore.
Oh, good, then we can all go home now. 
If only TT___TT

However, since she knows she still has Shimazaki’s time, she insists on taking him out to dinner to thank him. Shimazaki texts Shun to tell him to meet them, and he calls into headquarters. Newbie is excited when he tells Murata that Shimazaki is under orders to go to dinner with his client.
Pffft. 
I laughed too.

He thinks about how great it would be if they got back together but wonders if that is a problem since she is so rich. Murata merely thunks him on the head with a folder, but he does pick up Shimazaki's broken watch and heads out.
Sigh.

Shimazaki and Odagiri go to the same restaurant as earlier. Shun contacted him about coming late after his afterschool clubs. They make awkward small talk with Odagiri teasing Shimazaki about much he's grown up in the past 6 years, but it is clear that they still like each other as people and could probably be friends if they could get past the awkwardness and Shimazaki's guilt.
Yes, that's why I said they're "in a good place".
Compared to some divorced couples, they are almost besties.

While this is happening, PM Tachinara shows up with her bodyguards; she is there to meet with Chief Secretary Igarashi. We also see that Igarashi's illegal gun buying secretary is also there. SHIT. Of course, she sees him sitting with his ex-wife and comes over, much to Ochai’s chagrin. [The irony of this is that she probably wouldn't have seen him if Ochai hadn't stopped to stare at him. She stopped and turned around because he stops!!] 
She is everywhere he is like a rash!

She teases Shimazaki, hinting that he was lying when he said he was working before. Jeeealous, jeeeeeealous! She compliments Odagiri on her flower arrangements and then goes to her meeting. 

Odagiri is impressed that Shimazaki knows her, seemingly surprised that he is connected to such high clientele. PM Tachinara actually chose to meet with the Chief Secretary here rather than where they usually meet because she wanted privacy.
She would even be more impressed if she knew PM wanted to jump his bones.

She requests that he let her resign from the party (Hurray for her. No, I still don't like her, but she is making the move she needs to make so she can like herself again). Of course, he is surprised, and then spitefully asks her what she thinks she can without his support. (Umm. Maybe be happy, Sir, because I don’t feel like I’m selling my soul to the devil?).
How can you not like her!!!!!!
Fine! She has grown on me a bit.

She merely says that she wants to become a real politician, which also seems to surprise him. We also see Ochai's shocked look outside the room as well.

Murata, too, shows up at the restaurant, calling Shimazaki downstairs to give him the watch. He stopped on his way home to get it fixed.
Too much emphasis on this watch. And watches/clock symbolize one thing in many cultures...
....

Shimazaki looks at him in surprise, and Murata laughs when he says his wife gave him his watch, too, so he guessed when Shimazaki was so upset about the watch being broken today that it was the same scenario. They both laugh, and I just want to stop time right now and do several rounds of hugs with the both of them.
I never knew you had it in you...
"Rounds of hugs" C'mon Trot, we are all adults. Let us know how you really feel :))

Shimazaki is about to go back upstairs when he notices our gun secretary. He gestures to Murata and they decide to tell Ochai, who coldly thanks them for the heads up. Pfft. Murata stays watching downstairs while Shimazaki heads upstairs and tries to convince his wife to leave.

[Break: This is where I got annoyed. She is resistant to leaving because their food hasn’t come yet despite her noticing his change in demeanor. I don’t know about you guys, but if a professional bodyguard tells me that I might want to leave a place because it’s going to get dangerous, I’m listening not resisting. I’m not asking for details. I’m leaving some money on the table and heading out.] ---> THIS is exactly why you should not mix professional and personal life. She clearly forgot he is a professional because in this setting, they're not there as that.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No such luck. The secretary goes upstairs and requests to speak with the PM which is of course denied. He takes out his gun on Kyota and even shoots, but he clearly has never shot a gun before because his aim is terrible and he’s not used to the kickback, so he only nicks Kyota's ear. This, of course, makes everyone scramble. The workers and patrons downstairs get out, but not the people upstairs.
A gun in the hands of such a volatile person is very bad news. I think it would be better if he knew how to handle it.
I am admittedly more nervous than when I saw the cold open.

The SP go into protection mode for the two PMs while Shimazaki and Murata try to protect the patrons. The Secretary recognizes Shimazaki, and we are back to the cold open.

Shimazaki proceeds to stall for time and to try to get the secretary to let the others go. He asks what he wants, and the secretary just wants an apology which the Chief Secretary Evil seems too freaked out right now to give.

He's so despicable. Hate him with all I have. 

He asks if he can make his own apology to his ex-wife for not being a good husband to her, including never going out to dinner as a family, losing his temper and even hitting her. He hit her?! Why, he asks, do those of us who know we have done wrong refuse to apologize? He turns to Odagiri and bows slowly. She looks bewildered not touched or sad or anything as if this were a true confession. Oh, so he didn't hit her. I hope. He gives her a long look like he wants her to do something and she stares back as if to say "what?" He slowly turns back to face the gun, and then we see why they got married in the first place and why it will be such a shame if they are estranged and awkward forever.

She's great, I love her. 

Odagiri stands up and starts arguing with him. He glances at Murata who nods, and we realize that this is all an act to distract secretary gunman from the others, so Murata can help them get out the door (that he has been slowly getting to and opening). She purposefully walks away from the others and starts yelling at him about how he never really knew her and she left to give him space.

Smart woman.

He starts yelling back, and they have a typical divorced couple argument while moving away from the group. They do well for the most part except for the break when she yells about him not wearing the watch, and he breaks character and says that he is. She's like "how?" but then remembers that they have to keep going. Ha.

Sweeties. Hahaha. 

Hehehehe.

While they are arguing, he waves his fingers at Ochai, who comes out from behind with his gun drawn. He tells him to put the gun down, and when he lowers it, Murata ushers all the patrons out the door. He comes back in for Odagiri, who doesn't seem to want to leave even though Shimazaki tells her to go.
She's so brave!
I like her a lot.

This leaves Murata and Shimazaki on one side of secretary gun and SP, chief evil, and PM Tachihara on the other.

Ohhhhh, get her out too!!!! 

Ohh, will she be the one shot?

Newbie is back at headquarters making ramen and complaining because Shimazaki hasn't called in. He and Sugu wonder if it is because he's having too much fun with his ex-wife, but Takanashi says that is more reason for him to call. 

Not essential to plot, but we haven't had a team pic for a while

He does look worried when Newbie calls and Shimazaki doesn't pick up his phone.
Yup, it's either a sign to be worried or a sign that Newbie was right about the reunion....
A different type of reunion from the one that is taking place for sure.

He doesn't pick up because he's sort of busy. But not the good kind of busy. Secretary Gun remembers that Ochai is the person who grabbed and hurt him before. He doesn't care when Ochai puts down his gun or when Ochai standing in for Chief Evil kneels in apology.

Secretary Gun feels lost and says he will kill himself after getting an apology, but Chief Evil doesn't care and is furious that a lowly secretary wouldn't understand that his sacrifice was important to the nation (Pfft). What an ugly bastard. He tells him to die already and apologize for causing such a disturbance. Ochai (who has a gun pointed at his head) calls out to stop the chief. Even Murata yells out that Chief evil is being unfair.

And then everything happens very quickly. While the secretary is distracted, Shimazaki grabs him and they wrestle for the gun. It goes off in the air with Shimazaki getting thrown. Secretary Gun aims at him, but Murata pushes him out of the way as the gun goes off again. At this point Ochai is up, and he and Kyoto take the secretary out. Everyone is relieved, except Shimazaki who realizes that Murata has been shot in the leg.  He takes off his tie and makes a tourniquet for his leg. 

Shit...

It's just the leg, it is fine. Phew.

We next see the aftermath. Shimazaki following the stretcher with Murata out to the ambulance. Chief Evil and PM Tachihara being escorted to their cars. Shimazaki comes out past the crowd looking around.

He sees the PM in her car, and she looks at him worried, but he isn't looking for her but for Ogahiri who is standing by the side wrapped in a blanket with Shun and some of the other patrons. He checks in with them, and when she tells him that he's fulfilled his duty, he goes back to the ambulance.

Awareness and concern for the Minister, but his smile isn't for her... yet? 

Right when I'm thinking, "can we please go to the hospital?" Ochai shows up and forces Shimazaki to stop closing the ambulance door so that he can apologize. He does his stock speech apologizing for the fact that a civilian got hurt when SP should have contained the situation. I'd be mad at the words if he didn't look so genuinely sorry. Of course, Murata being the best boss ever tells him not to worry. Nobody died, so it's all good.

Well, I think Ochai is right to apologize. He really didn't do anything. Well, almost. 

Murata is such a genuinely good human being.

As they leave, one of the paramedics tells him the hospital they are going to, and Shimazaki starts contacting people. We see a brief shot of the headquarters with Takanashi running in to tell the others. Newbie is in such shock that Sugu has to yell at him to get it together.

Back in the ambulance, Shimazaki tells Murata that he called his family and talked to his son who is heading for the hospital. He thinks of when Murata told him about his son being still in the rebellious stage and wonders if that isn't a good thing. Murata asks him about his watch, wanting to know if it is still working. When Shimazaki says it is, he slowing raises his own arm to check the time on his watch, calls out the time, and they both say "no error" and smile. (I'm not crying--that's allergies)
They're obsessed :D

He falls unconscious and Shimazaki puts a blanket on him. He still talks to his boss, thanking him for encouraging him to take on the job for his wife.

He smiles, most likely thinking of what happened in the restaurant and says, with a little bit of whimsy and much wonder, that all those years haven't been erased completely and seems relieved. Lovely. It's a great moment . . . until the monitors start going and than go off. Murata suffers cardiac arrest. The paramedics try CPR, but nothing works.

NOOOOOOOOOOO!

F.U.C.K. Y.O.U. SHOW

Comments:

I've got nothing else to say, so I'll just add a Perfect Boss retrospective here: 

What a great episode. But.... yeah. Well, he might still make it (*insert wishful thinking*) because I did not actually think this was this kind of show. I mean.... this brutal.