Kaoru Kobayashi plays Hirai, a middle-aged prison guard who becomes close to a Death Row prisoner and then volunteers to become his "crutch" (sonaeyaku) when the Justice Minister signs his execution order. A "crutch" is expected to hold on to the death row inmate when they make their final walk to the gallows and hang on to them until the trapdoor drops. In return for taking on such a stressful task, the person is usually given a weeklong vacation prior to the execution. Hirai then spends his week off work going through an omiai arranged marriage with single mother Mika, played by Nene Otsuka.