Ep. 5: Sakuragi endures abuse to protect Mario after Ishihara and Sasaki conspire against him.

5

Following his hospital discharge, Sakuragi rejoins his cellmates, noting that Kumagai has replaced Ishihara, who remains under house arrest for the fire. During community service, the group shares their aspirations, carving them into a tree and vowing to reunite upon release. Meanwhile, Ishihara allies with Dr. Sasaki to target Sakuragi, who is scheduled for release in a month. They transfer him from cell 2-6 to a cell with aggressive inmates who beat him nightly. Sakuragi endures the violence with a smile, frustrating his tormentors. When Mario offers to swap places to save Sakuragi, the bullies crush Mario’s right hand with a stone. Upon learning of this attack on his friend, Sakuragi punches the ringleader, declaring that while he tolerated their abuse, they crossed a line by harming Mario.