Episode 8

THE COUNTER-SECRET POLICE COVER OPERATION (MISSION: 8　対秘密警察偽装作戦) is the eighth episode of the SPY x FAMILY TV anime series and the eighth episode of the first cour.

Synopsis
Ostania's counterintelligence agency and national security bureau conducts spy hunts and keeps surveillance on its citizens to maintain peace within the country. They are also called the Secret Police and are feared. Yor's younger brother Yuri actually belongs to the Secret Police and is hunting down spies while keeping this a secret from Yor and others around him. One day, he suddenly shows up at the Forger residence. The Forgers, who are full of secrets, and Yuri, who has a secret identity, come face to face!

Summary
At Eden Academy, Anya is in math class, and her teacher calls on her to answer the question he has written on the blackboard. She confidently announces that it is three-thirds, to the amazement of Becky and irritation of Damian, but the teacher tells her that her answer is completely wrong.

In the city, Loid and Handler have met up, and the latter is asking if they can expect Anya's grades to improve since HQ is planning around eight Stella Stars in four months. A visibly tired Loid smirks and says it will not be a problem and Handler comments on how bad he has become at lying recently. Moving on, Handler tells Loid that one of their informants at city hall was arrested and warns Loid that the enemy has been cracking down hard, so he should be careful, especially since Eden is in the middle of the city.

At Berlint City Hall, Millie explains to Yor and Sharon that Jim Hayward was arrested today by the SSS for espionage. Sharon overheard that he was from the financial department and had been selling official documents on the black market. A sleepy Camilla then walks in and greets the three, then turns to Yor and questions her after hearing from Dominic if she has told her brother about her marriage yet. A shocked Yor exclaims that she knew she was forgetting something and asks what she should do, but Camilla says Yuri will be calling the office later, making Yor remember that she never gave him her new house's phone number. Yor frets about forgetting him after being relieved that her marriage went through. Millie asks if Yor's brother is hot, and Yor shows her a picture, which she and Millie call cute. Yor then tells them that he would always call her "Sis" and refused to leave her side. Millie then rebounds, giving him a hard pass if he is one of those types, and Sharon comments that if he loves Yor that much, it is even more awful that she forgot to tell him.

A Lieutenant is interrogating Jim at the SSS Headquarters, asking him for information on the documents and who he gave them. Jim asks to be released, and the SSS lieutenant stubs his cigarette in Jim's hand in response. Yuri then enters with a salute and says he will do his best as he walks into the interrogation room to swap places. The SSS Lieutenant pats Yuri's shoulder as he exits the room, sitting down on a bench next to another member who promptly asks him why the boss let someone as young as Yuri on the team, despite his talent. The lieutenant tells him that it was because the boss said Yuri was cute, like a puppy. The lieutenant says that every organization needs a member like him and that even Yuri can get the job done indiscriminately.

In the interrogation room, Yuri takes his hat off and greets Jim, who quickly steels himself and claims that he has nothing to say. Yuri ignores him, beginning to excitedly tell him about Yor and that he plans to visit and congratulate her on her marriage after finishing work for the day. Yuri would appreciate it if they could finish up quickly and asks Jim to spill everything he knows. Jim feigns innocence, and Yuri produces three photos of Jim dealing the documents to someone and tells Jim that it is better off being honest. Jim admits that he gave his clients the papers for cash and that he does not know anything about his client aside from him being from the West. Yuri asks for more details, but Jim does not remember. Yuri's face turns cold as he asks the man if he's heard of "Twilight." Yuri explains that Twilight is a dangerous spy from the West and the natural enemy of the SSS. Jim asks if he will be let off the hook if he can help catch "Twilight," and Yuri reminds him that if he feeds the SSS nonsense, it will only be added to his crimes. Jim tries to plead with Yuri, saying that he just wanted cash to fool around with girls and that Yuri should relate as a man when reminded that he has a wife. Yuri puts on his gloves and tells Jim that he keeps his job a secret from his sister because he does not want her to know about his dirty work. He slams Jim's face into the ashtray on the table. He says that what he has done is treason and that, unlike Jim, Yuri loves his family and will do anything to protect the country his sister lives in.

Anya is watching Spy Wars at home, Loid sitting behind her and wishing she could pay that much attention when they're studying. Anya turns to Loid and asks how many shots Bondman's pistol has on the show, and Loid replies that it should have eight, then looks at Anya in surprise as she calls out "two-eighths" when referring to the number of bullets he has left. Loid exclaims that she got it right and notes to himself that she learns better with the cartoon. Yor then comes home, worriedly announcing that Yuri is coming over to visit that night to congratulate her on her marriage, much to Loid's surprise. She asks Loid what they should do, and he replies that this is exactly the occasion they prepared the "lovey-dovey marriage" set for, decorating the house with stereotypical things a loving married couple would have. After Loid and Yor share glances when in front of an over-the-top bed, Anya says that they are flirting, and her now-flustered parents say that they're not. While waiting for Yuri to arrive, Anya asks Loid when Yor's brother will be coming, Loid corrects her saying that he is her uncle, and tells her to go to bed since it's getting late. Anya protests that she wants to meet her uncle but falls asleep on Loid.

Yuri is skipping down the street to the Forger abode with a large bouquet of roses in one arm, abruptly stopping when a rib Yor broke through a hug during their childhood begins to ache. He thinks about how overwhelmed he must be by her love, then wonders why she never told him about her marriage for a whole year and concludes that she married such a terrible man that she could not have possibly told him. As he makes his way to their apartment, Yuri thinks about how he will eliminate anyone who poses a threat to Yor, even if it is her husband. Yuri stops and reminds himself to calm down as she must not find out about his job. As Loid and Yor prepare for their guest, he thinks about the fact that the closer Yuri is, the easier it is for them to let their secret slip and must not lose the family he worked so hard to create for his mission. Yuri arrives, and the couple welcomes him, Loid and Yuri both hiding their dark looks.

The television plays footage of ministers from Ostania and Westalis talking over normalizing relations between their countries as Loid greets Yuri as he enters the Forger household as he wonders if Yuri will be a threat to his fake family or not. At the same time, Yuri wonders if Loid is truly worthy of being his sister's husband. Loid heads to the kitchen to make a quick meal while Yuri and Yor catch up. Yuri thinks to himself that he would not want to eat something Loid made as Yor remarks that his face is scary, commenting that he must be nervous. Yuri worries that he accidentally let his hostility show since he has not calmed down since the interrogation, pledging to act as a diligent civil servant in front of Yor while she pledges to act as a loving wife in front of Yuri, not wanting to tell him that she got married so she could continue with her assassin work.

Yor thanks Yuri for the flowers, which prompts him to say that he has not accepted Yor's marriage yet, asking her why she kept it a secret from him for a whole year. Loid, watching from the kitchen, thinks to himself that that is a natural question as he replays his and his wife's earlier conversation in his head. The flashback begins with Loid asking her if it would be okay to tell Yuri the truth: that she married to avoid the stigma and suspicion of being single at her age. Yor says that it would not work since Yuri is sensitive and would probably lose it if he heard that she married someone she was not in love with. She knows she is making things difficult but does not want her brother to worry and claims to have the perfect excuse to tell him.

In the present, Loid is counting on Yor to handle the situation. When Yuri asks for an answer, Yor looks him straight in the eyes and confidently says she just forgot to tell him. Loid is dumbfounded, while Yuri is confused and brings up the phone call the other day during which a partner was mentioned, asking why she did not just tell him then. Yor says, again with confidence, that she forgot that she forgot to tell him. Yuri says that it must be true then, losing all reason when dealing with his sister, as he laughs and apologizes to his sister, saying that she can be such a klutz sometimes. Loid is shocked that Yuri is satisfied with that answer, wondering if this is normal in the Briar family. Loid returns as he brings a plate of the lemon marinade over, Yuri takes a bite and is shocked at how good it is, taking a few more as Yor comments on how good Loid's cooking is. Yuri thinks that he will not be won over by his food as he produces a bottle of wine that he brought, deciding to get Loid drunk to expose him. Loid whispers to Yor that she should not drink if they do not want a repeat of last time at the castle.

Yuri asks the two how they met, and they explain their first meeting at the boutique. Yor says that Loid was staring at her, with him saying that he could not help but look at how beautiful she was. Realizing that this topic is dangerous territory, Loid decides that he needs to change it, so he tells Yuri that after a few dinners together, they eventually hit it off. Yuri starts asking more specific questions about their relationship, and Loid feels this has turned into an interrogation. Loid is asked what he calls Yor, and he simply replies with "Yor." Knowing that he hesitates to call her by her given name, a panicked Yuri asks Yor what she calls her husband, suggesting nicknames like "Loidy" or "Loi-Loi." Yor is too embarrassed to speak, and Yuri assumes it is true, picking up the wine as he starts to drink away. Yor vehemently denies this, saying she just calls him "Loid."

Loid asks Yuri if he is okay and brings him water. Yuri takes the glass while wondering what his sister likes about him. He inadvertently brings up Loid's good points, which gets him to drink even more. Yor tells him to calm down, and Loid wonders if all Briars are bad with alcohol. Loid changes the topic, asking Yuri about his career and telling him how much Yor boasts about him. Yor tells her brother that she heard from Dominic that he went to Hugaria. Yuri explains that it was for work and tells her how nice the city was, wishing he could have shown her. He mentions a café said to be the Empress' favorite back in the day, which catches Loid's attention, and he asks Yuri if the café was in the capital city of Obda, saying he went there when he was a medical student. They talk about a restaurant called Kalpatia which is run by an old man and Loid asks if the wine was also from Hugaria. Yuri tells him that he found it in a shop on Hedger Street. Loid hopes it was not too expensive, and Yuri says it costs around 200 dalc.

Loid, who had predicted Yuri's replies, reveals that the responses are from a manual used by Ostanian intelligence agents. He explains that they are a template used to fabricate details of non-existent travels abroad, meaning that Yuri's trip was a lie. He also reveals that the information in the manual is outdated, pointing out holes in his story. He has been wary of Yuri since he heard that he worked at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, saying it is one step away from espionage. After an investigation from Franky, Loid found that Yuri was working at the Ministry until about a year ago, which he predicts is when Yuri was recruited by an intelligence agency. He deduced that Yuri is involved in domestic counterintelligence, which is none other than the SSS, WISE's greatest enemy. Despite this, Loid thinks that as long as his true identity is not discovered, maintaining a relationship with Yuri is not a bad idea and could serve as a valuable intel source for his enemies. Loid also notices that Yuri is hiding his real job from Yor and thinks he might be easier to manipulate than he thought. When Yor asks Yuri if he is happy to have such a nice brother-in-law, Yuri reiterates that he does not recognize both the marriage and Loid as his brother-in-law. He tells Loid that the reason he has an important job and can buy expensive bottles of wine is all because of Yor.

Yuri flashes back to his past when he and Yor were orphaned and living poor. Yuri waited for his sister to come home, and Yor, soaked in blood, announced her arrival, which shocked him as he asked what happened to her. Yor brushed it aside and gifted Yuri an encyclopedia he wanted, saying that her payday was big at work, so she bought it for him. Yor continued to come home covered in blood while she brought Yuri things, leading him to believe that she was working herself to death for him, unaware of her assassin job. Yuri then resolved to become a successful man that could protect his only blood relative. He asks Loid if he can understand how it feels to have the most important person in your world be taken away by some stranger. He always wanted Yor to marry someone and be happy, as long as that someone is more capable of protecting her than him, asking "Loidy" if he can do that. Loid states that he loves Yor as much as Yuri does, if not more and that Anya loves her as well, saying that Yor is already a part of the family. He lies in an utterly shameless fashion, declaring that whether it is from spears or meteors from the sky, he would risk his life to protect her. Yuri is stunned to hear this and wonders if Loid is that powerful. In denial, he accuses Loid of being a liar and spills some water on the table. Yor and Loid both reach out to clean the mess, and after their hands end up touching, they pull back awkwardly. Yuri sees this and wonders if that is their reaction after living together for a year, and questions their marriage.

The couple tries to dissuade his suspicions and tell him that they really are in love. Yuri does not buy it and demands that the two prove their love, ordering them to kiss. Yor is unsure about kissing in front of her brother, but Yuri tells them to do it just once, and he will believe them, or he will go to city hall to have their marriage annulled. Loid thinks about how the situation has escalated, but in 0.1 seconds, reminds himself that he is Twilight, Westalis' greatest spy, who has faked relationships with countless women before, so a kiss or two is nothing for the sake of the mission. Loid agrees to Yuri's demands and tells Yor they will just do what they always do. On the other hand, Yor is unprepared for her first kiss, blushing furiously as Loid moves in closer.

Anime Notes

 * In the anime, Mille is much more clearly present during Jim Hayward's detention than in the manga.
 * The emblem of the State Security Service does not feature the organization's name or initials as seen in the manga.
 * The anime does not mention that the photos from the "lovey-dovey marriage kit" are doctored.
 * When Anya falls asleep, she falls onto Loid's lap; in the manga, she falls to the opposite side of the couch. The anime excludes the following scene of Loid and Yor bringing Anya to her bedroom and their brief conversation while doing so.
 * Yuri brought orchids in the manga, while in the anime he brings roses. The key visual for this episode does show him with orchids.
 * The bridge shown while Yuri waxes eloquent about his supposed trip to "Hugaria" bears a more than passing resemblance to the Chain Bridge. It links the two old cities of Buda and Pest, now united as Budapest. Hungary, especially Budapest, was a hotbed of spy activity during the Cold War.
 * Loid states he would protect Yor against bullets and nukes in the manga, while in the anime he says he would do it against spears and meteors instead.
 * In the manga, when Yuri questions Loid and Yor's marriage, the two show him one of the fake photos of them as a couple. In the anime, they instead join hands together to form a heart (so as not to disrupt the flow of the scene).

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