Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 203 Miyazawahara's Funeral, Farewell to Kouuda

Six o'clock in the evening, Nishinomiya City.

The funeral home's parking lot was already full.

Dark-colored cars lined up one after another, black, dark gray, and navy blue; there were almost no brightly colored cars.

Kiryu Yaya parked his Honda SuperCub50 in the outermost corner, took off his helmet and hung it on the handlebars, and straightened his suit collar.

He was wearing a pure black suit, a white shirt, and a dark tie today.

There are no unnecessary ornaments like brooches.

These are the basic etiquette rules for attending an all-nighter.

He stood at the edge of the parking lot and looked up at the funeral home building.

This is a three-story gray building.

The exterior walls are covered with light-colored tiles, and a white curtain hangs at the entrance with the words "Miyazawa House All Night" written on it in black letters.

Two receptionists in black suits stood at the entrance, guiding guests to sign in and handing them incense sticks.

Kiryu Yaya stepped forward.

He wrote his name and organization in the sign-in book, then took a white envelope from his suit pocket and handed it to the receptionist with both hands.

The envelope contains Xiangdian——

Five thousand yen.

This is the standard amount for participating in an overnight session.

The receptionist took the envelope, bowed slightly, and stepped aside to make way for the passage.

Kiryu Yaya walked through the doors of the funeral home.

Inside the door was a spacious waiting room with a dark gray carpet. Several rows of folding chairs were placed against the wall, where some early-arriving guests were already seated.

A faint scent of incense wafted in the air, mingled with the aroma of fresh flowers and old wood.

His gaze swept across the waiting area and he saw several familiar faces.

Yutaro Kamiya sat in the front row on the left, wearing a black suit, his gray hair neatly combed.

Sitting next to him were Director Matsubara and Director Inoue; all three remained silent and did not speak.

Akio Uesugi stood near the entrance to the funeral hall, holding a list in his hand, and was quietly confirming something with a funeral home staff member.

When he saw Kiryu Yaya enter, he nodded slightly in greeting, but did not come over.

Kiryu Yaya nodded in return, then walked to a seat at the back of the waiting area and sat down.

He didn't rush into the mourning hall.

There is a fixed process and order for staying up all night. There are unwritten rules about when to offer incense, when to perform rituals, and when to leave.

Guests who arrive early usually wait in the outer hall. Once the number of guests has reached a certain level, the master of ceremonies will guide them into the mourning hall in turn.

In Japan, funerals of prominent families are often held at shrines or temples.

Especially for a conglomerate like the Miyazawa family, it's not unusual for them to have their own Buddhist temple.

However, if the funeral is to be held at a Bodhi-ji temple or a family shrine, it is necessary to make advance reservations with monks and coordinate the temple's schedule.

Preparing the venue and ritual supplies usually takes at least a week.

And most importantly, the funeral was held at the Bodhi Temple, which is a privilege reserved for the head of the household.

Second sons like Miyazawa Hara are not entitled to have their funerals held at Bodhi Temple.

It's 6:10.

The number of people in the outer hall of the funeral home gradually increased.

In the waiting room.

The folding chairs were almost full, and the air was filled with suppressed whispers and the faint scents of incense and white chrysanthemums.

An evening breeze occasionally wafted in through the doorway, causing the white curtains to sway slightly.

Kiryu Yaya sat in the back, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the mourning hall.

The door to the mourning hall was half open, and from this angle, you could see part of the interior furnishings.

In the very center is Miyazawahara's portrait, a black and white photograph surrounded by a large cluster of pure white lilies and chrysanthemums.

In the portrait, Miyazawa Hara is wearing a dark suit, and his expression is more serene than at any time in his life.

Above the portrait hung a black plaque with six large characters: "Namo Amitabha Buddha".

Several rows of white cushions were placed in front of the altar, reserved for family members and close relatives.

Michiko Miyazawa knelt at the front, dressed in black mourning clothes, her head slightly bowed.

Keiko Miyazawa knelt slightly behind her.

The formal process of the all-night service usually begins after the monks arrive.

In the waiting room, the guests took their seats in order.

The front row was mostly filled with former employees of the Miyazawa Group, business associates from the Kansai financial sector, and several local councilors who had old ties with the Miyazawa family.

The last few rows show Miyazawa's personal relationships before his birth—

Drinking buddies, golf buddies, and old acquaintances I occasionally bump into at the ryokan (traditional Japanese restaurant).

Their expressions varied; some were genuinely grieving, while others simply lowered their eyes as a matter of routine.

Kiryu Yaya sat quietly in the corner, his gaze silently sweeping across the faces of the people present.

He silently memorized everyone's face and location.

Just then, a slight noise came from the doorway.

Several guests turned their heads at the same time, and their previously somewhat scattered gazes immediately converged on them.

Shuichi Kuroda has arrived.

He was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit and walked naturally into the waiting room, his eyes sweeping around.

Someone stood up and whispered "President Kuroda" to him. He didn't stop walking, but simply nodded slightly in response.

Several directors of the Miyazawa Group sitting in the front row glanced at him, then quickly looked away.

Different people had different emotions about his arrival, but no one showed it on their faces.

Then, Kuroda Shuichi's gaze passed over several rows of folding chairs and landed on Kiryu Yaya in the corner.

However, he did not choose to sit down next to Kiryu Yaya.

At this time, especially on the Miyazawa family's territory, it would be best for the two of them to avoid suspicion, given their relationship.

He chose a spot that wasn't too close or too far away and sat down, whispering something to the person next to him.

About two minutes later, another figure appeared at the door.

He was not tall, and even seemed somewhat inconspicuous among the tall and imposing figures of the Kansai business community around him.

But when his face appeared, many people present stood up: "Minister Kouyuta!"

"Mr. Kouda, please accept my condolences."

"It's been a long time! Did you come all the way from Tokyo?"

""

Kiryu Yaya's eyes narrowed slightly.

Kouyuhiko has arrived.

Quite a few people stood up to greet them.

Some were former employees of the Miyazawa Group, some were colleagues in the Kansai financial world, and some were mid-level managers in the banking system with whom he had interacted.

Kouyu Hiko responded to each point.

The faint, almost gentle smile on his lips remained there, like a mask he had worn for a long time.

Then Gu Yutian walked to the registration desk, took out a white envelope from the inside pocket of his suit, and handed it to the receptionist with both hands.

The envelope was slightly thicker than a regular incense book, indicating it was worth more than 5,000 yen.

The receptionist bowed his head to receive the envelope, his movements carrying a hint of solemnity.

Then, Kouyu Tianyan turned around and glanced around the waiting room.

His gaze swept across Yutaro Kamiya's face, paused for a moment, and he nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Yutaro Kamiya nodded in return.

Then, Kouyuhiko's gaze continued to move, passing over several rows of folding chairs, and lingered on Kuroda Shuichi for a moment.

Finally, his gaze fell on Kiryu Yaya in the corner, noticing the empty seat next to him.

Then, Kouyuhiko made a move.

He walked up to Kiryu Yaya and stopped.

The two were about a step apart.

The funeral home lights shone down from above, casting the two people's shadows in opposite directions.

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