Death Cash (2016) Episode 2

Episode 2

Once you watch episode 1, this drama is like Oreo cookies; you can’t eat just one! Needless to say, I felt compelled to not only continue watching the drama but also to talk about it! As the deaths continues and the cash flows, let’s go onto episode 2! (For cast and synopsis information see Episode 1)

　Now with the death of Miura (Yuki Yamada), Yuka (Jurina Matsui) is once again confronted by Det. Wakamoto (Shigeyuki Totsugi) and he continues to have suspicions about her being the perpetrator as once again she is at the scene of yet another death! A distraught Yuka has no response but Det. Wakamoto can no longer hold her so he let’s her go with a warning about future killings because he holds her responsibility for some reason when she refuses (or just can’t from the shock) speak.

The next day, Yuka goes to the athletic fields to talk to Kawabe (Shirasu Zin). Kawabe and Ikumi had been dating for awhile and Yuka wanted to talk to him about what happened to her. Safety first, Yuka! You never walk right onto a field where athletes are practicing all types of sports whereby flying objects can kill you! As she walks onto the field, Kawabe is doing one of his practice throws of the javelin, his sport of choice and the javelin just misses a clueless Yuka on the field! Kawabe doesn’t want to talk as he is practicing diligently. It is time for the training team to be picked for the University. As this is Kawabe’s last year and last chance to be picked, he is really not in a very good mood to talk or be disturbed. He yells at Yuka to “go back” and reminds her that she was there when Miura died and she might bring misfortune to him too! Yuka ignores him and yells back that Ikumi (Mai Nishida) was her friend from high school and she wants to know what happened.

Later that evening, Yuka and Kawabe do talk and he tells her how he broke up with Ikumi cruelly to concentrate on his javelin throwing and making the training team. He even admits that he told her that he was breaking up with her because of her ugly face, his guilt can be seen. Poor girl! Yuka goes on to tell him to not blame himself because she doesn’t think that Ikumi committed suicide and neither of them seem to know where she could have gotten all of that money. They are interrupted by Tsutsui (Yamato AnaFutoshi) who is a nasty sort of fellow, mentioning that Kawabe hasn’t wasted time getting another girlfriend as well as talking about his latest performance on the field. Yes, a nasty sort of guy you hope death cash gets to too!

As Kawabe walks away, Yuka turns and sees Det. Wakamoto who was watching (and listening) to her conversation with Kawabe. Once Kawabe walks away, he comes down the bleachers. Yuka asks him if he is following her and his response is to ask Yuka whether or not Kawabe is the next victim. Det Wakamoto also tells Yuka that she is an important material witness for the case. Now, you should be asking yourself whether that justifies his stalking but I guess in his mind it does. Det. Wakamoto is also curious why Yuka has been present at all of the deaths. He states that he will continue following her until he knows the truth. Yuka walks away.

Back at the station, Det. Wakamoto has one of the other detectives, Obata, investigate the source of the money that has been found in the possession of all the victims. The detective states he has checked all sources: consumer loans, loan sharks, bank accounts. The source of the money remains unknown. He says the money came from nowhere. Det. Wakamoto finds this hard to believe and tells the man to continue investigating and look into foreign sources regardless if he cases were deemed suicides.

At home, Yuka tells her sister, Kiyome (Kiyohara Kaya) about the detective following her to the University. Her sister mentions he must be good but Yuka says he’s like a stalker. Kiyome is still impressed with the detective and his determination and suggests that Yuka tell him about her ability. While she is sitting at the couch, she talks about the show on TV that she is watching. The man on the screen, Junji Inagawa is talking about the to the legend of the “cursed money”. The show features scary stories and the “Death Cash” legend just happens to be the subject tonight. Kiyome talks about the money suddenly appearing and it being cursed; those that spend it will die horrendous deaths. Yuka thinks back to the deaths of both Satoshi and Ikumi. The death cash is really starting to make her think.

The next day, Yuka returns to the field to once again speak with Kawabe. Once again, Det. Wakamoto has followed her to the school and as they are walking on the field, she has a vision of him being hit in the head by a flying discus. We see the rewind where just at the moment of impact, Yuka pulls Det. Wakamoto’s arm and he avoids the discus altogether. Det. Wakamoto gets this strange look in his face and asks her how did she know. He asks her if it was just like this for Satoshi and Ikumi’s death and whether that was the reason she went to the crime scenes. Yuka remembers what Kiyome said last night about whether or not he would believe her and Yuka finally confides in Det. Wakamoto about her ability. He tells her that he believes her and for her to contact him in the future if she ever senses something again.

That evening on the field, the coach announces the participants for the javelin training camp. As the names are mentioned, the last person picked is that nasty Tsutsui from the previous scene with Kawabe. Tsutsui wastes no time in throwing his selection in Kawabe’s face (really starting to dislike this guy more). Kawabe confronts the coach who tells him that the reason Tsutsui is going is because he personally paid to attend. The fee is only 1.2 million yen and if Kawabe can come up with that money by tomorrow, he too can attend.

This news doesn’t sit well with Kawabe. He has struggled with many jobs to pay his tuition and fees. He doesn’t come from a wealthy family so there is no way that his family can help him. The coach offering to help him find another job doesn’t sit well with him either. Yuka, who came to see Kawabe overhears how he wasn’t picked for the team and doesn’t get an opportunity to speak to him. So, he sits in the locker room and takes out his frustration on an unsuspecting locker, wishing for money to pay to go the training. As he says, he only needs money. And so we hear that ominous music begin to play.

Suddenly, there is a rumble of sound coming from his locker in front of him. Kawabe cautiously puts his hand on the door opener and leers into the locker and is astonished but what he sees. There is several bundles of ten thousand yen bills hanging from strings inside, the blood already beginning to run from Fukuzawa Yukichi’s eyes on the bills.

The following day, Yuka and friends are sitting around talking about Kawabe. One of the girls mention that he was selected to attend the training camp for the world championship. Yuka remembers that she heard he was not going but she is told that Kawabe came into some money and paid the entire 1.2 million yen fee in cash! On the field, Kawabe is confronted by Tsutsui who wants to know how he came into so much money. Kawabe chooses to ignore him and tells him to not talk to him. Kawabe tells Tsutsui that “You don’t have anything that I don’t have anymore”. This surprises Tsutsui and Kawabe walks off onto the practice field.

As Kawabe is walking onto the field, we see one of the players moving the javelin rack onto the field. The ominous music continues to play as we see a nut fall from one of the wheels of the javelin rack. No one seems to notice that the rack is slightly unsteady as it is left on the field, tethering upward by three wheels.

Yuka runs to the field after hearing the news from her friends. She remembers her conversation with Det. Wakamoto and calls him to come to the field immediately. She goes to Kawabe and tells him that he is in danger. As expected, he ignores her once the coach reminds him he needs to practice and pushes Yuka away from him when she grabs his arm saying that his life has no meaning without making the team.

As he walks away, we see the wind picks up, equipment rolling on the ground and the javelin rack swaying as one of the wheels has come off. Another big gust of wind and the rack tilts in the direction of Kawabe. Det. Wakamoto runs up and Yuka screams as the javelins just miss him; however, minutes later, several shot put balls fall to the ground and all are rolling in the direction of the javelin rack. Kawabe turns around with his back to the javelin rack and another player inadvertently throws towards Kawabe, hitting the rack and the javelins are propelled forward whereby several impale Kawabe from the back!

To the shock and horror of Yuka and Det. Wakamoto, they BOTH get to witness the killing of poor Kawabe; a javel death of the extreme! YIKES!

Thoughts
I’m starting to notice a pattern with the Professor. It seems that each and everyone of his lectures are basically a foretelling of the demise of the students. First we had his lecture of business planning and failures; next his lecture talked about the business of sports players and their goal to “cash in”, if you will, because it is such a big business. Every time he looks into the camera, it is that devilish gleam that appears that grabs your attention. Every one of these friends that are hungry for money in their pursuit of fame, happiness, or their personal goal is really sad. Kawabe’s story is just as sad as the other two. Not only does he have the guilt of Ikumi’s death but the constantly egging on by Tsutsui doesn’t help his situation as he really wants to succeed in his sport. I like that Yuka was able to tell Det. Wakamoto about her gift in a very convincing manner; by actually saving his life makes what she tells him even more believable. Add to that he gets to witness for himself that Yuka’s prediction of Kawabe’s death came true and she had nothing to do with it!