Pale Flower

Muraki is released from prison after serving a sentence for murdering a Funada gang member. He learns that his gang and the Funada gang have since merged. The revelation hints at the new power dynamics in the underworld he inhabits.

At an illegal gambling parlor, Muraki bets a large sum of money and loses to Saeko. Saeko is a young upper-class thrill-seeker who exudes danger and allure. The loss marks the beginning of a volatile connection between them.

Later that night, Muraki reconnects with Shinko Furuta, his former lover. The encounter reopens old tensions and unresolved feelings. It sets up the personal dynamics that will influence Muraki's choices ahead.

The next day at a horse race, Muraki learns that the Yakuza and Funada have made peace to counter an incursion by the Imai gang. This alliance alters the balance of power in Muraki's world. The news foreshadows the coming violence against Imai.

A week later, Saeko asks Muraki to take her somewhere she can play for higher stakes. The request signals her craving for bigger thrills and Muraki's role in supplying them. Their relationship deepens amid the escalating danger.

A coworker from Saeko's office proposes marriage to Shinko Furuta, but she rejects him. She reveals that she still loves Muraki, though he urges her to marry the coworker. The moment underscores strained loyalties and complexaffairs.

Muraki takes Saeko to a high-stakes gambling den at Aikawa's Inn in Tsunamachi, Tokyo, where she wins again. Muraki notices Yoh, a heroin addict who fled Hong Kong after committing two murders. The encounter foreshadows the dangerous entanglements around Saeko.

With Muraki as a passenger, Saeko challenges another driver to a high-speed drag race, and laughs in delight after it ends. The moment captures her craving for extreme thrills and the chemistry between them. It also heightens Muraki's fascination and unease.

The gang leaders consider sending Muraki to kill the head of the Imai gang. The plan illustrates the brutal calculations of power and retaliation in Muraki's world. Muraki's path grows darker as violence becomes his option of choice.

After another night of high-stakes gambling, Muraki is ambushed on the street by a knife-wielding assailant. The attack leaves him wary of his surroundings and intensifies his resolve to take control of his fate. The identity of the attacker remains unknown.

Out of gambling money, Muraki endures days without Saeko. He tells Reiji about a recurring nightmare in which Yoh injects Saeko with drugs. Upon waking, he learns that Tamaki, a Funada member, has been killed by the Imai gang.

Reiji offers to avenge Tamaki's death, but Funada turns him down. Muraki volunteers to kill Imai, and Funada gives him the time he needs to prepare, suggesting he use a knife instead of a gun. The decision marks a grim commitment to personal vendetta.

At Muraki's apartment, Shinko demands to know about Saeko and threatens to stalk the couple. Muraki again encourages her to marry because he will be returning to prison. Shinko reveals Saeko's message asking Muraki to meet her at their usual place.

Muraki meets Saeko and she admits experimenting with heroin. He urges her to stop, offering a bigger thrill: to watch him kill a man. He takes her to the cafe where Imai is eating and brutally stabs him to death in front of the patrons.

Two years later, Muraki is imprisoned for the murder. Jiro visits and reveals that Saeko was killed by Yoh in a crime of passion. Muraki reflects that her true identity doesn't matter, and even in death he still hungers for her.