Chapter 297: Actually, I'm a Northeasterner

Tokyo, Chiyoda Ward, National Diet Member Apartment.

The apartment walls are hung with minimalist ink-wash scrolls; in the center of the living room sits a low natural-wood table paired with a fabric sofa. Before the floor-to-ceiling windows, which allow for abundant natural light, sits a pot-bellied bigwig.

National Diet Member Yuasa Masamichi is about fifty years old, with a wealthy appearance and a face that always wears a Buddha-like smile. In particular, his chin is upturned, his cheeks are full and slightly drooping, and his forehead is rounded; with his slight paunch, he gives people a harmless, Maitreya-like impression.

But in reality, Yuasa Masamichi is sinister and ruthless in his methods; the people of Nagatacho have nicknamed him the "Meat Kasaya Nio."

Precisely because of his vicious style, this Diet member did not secure a position in the Cabinet, but it was also because of his vicious style that he became the Secretary General among the Party Three Roles. This position is equivalent to a vice-national rank, provided to those who possess immense influence and prestige but, for certain reasons, cannot serve in important Prime Ministerial Cabinet posts (because he is frightening).

However, recently, Yuasa Masamichi has been having a run of bad luck. He was unfortunately implicated in the Yokohama Case, and his behind-the-scenes "revolving door" relationship with the Kudo-kai smuggling operations and the Kanagawa Prefectural Police Headquarters was dug up. The Saiming Academy affair from years ago was also unearthed. This Meat Kasaya Nio had no choice but to voluntarily demote himself to General Affairs, one of the Party Three Roles, and pay the price of capitulating to Prime Minister Oowada to escape accountability.

Yet, Yuasa Masamichi had thought that was the end of it, only to find that his son had brought him more bad news.

The five-year-old Kanagawa body-dumping case had been dug up again by Uesugi Muneyuki! After the investigation reached Nidoshi Foreign Trade, it pointed to him once again!

Is this Uesugi out of his mind?!

I didn't provoke you, yet you keep coming to cause me trouble again and again?!

Sooner or later, I'll make you vanish from this world!

You have no idea what kind of power I truly possess...

Yuasa Masamichi's son, Yuasa Yang, is not yet thirty. He dyes his hair silver and has a rather dissolute, handsome, and frivolous appearance. He is quite the looker, with a body of streamlined muscle. However, his eyes are full of malice. There is no help for it; having a father who is a Diet member and Party Secretary General, the first half of his life has been too smooth, and this is the first time he has encountered setbacks.

"Have you investigated clearly? Who exactly let Uesugi Muneyuki investigate the case again?" Yuasa Masamichi said coldly.

"Investigated clearly, Father. It was the request of Sugishita Ukyo, Chief of Investigation Division 1 of the Metropolitan Police Department." Yuasa Yang's face was full of impatience: "He took the initiative to obtain a copy of the case files from Kanagawa through illegal means and stirred this up."

"Why does the Metropolitan Police Department always have such rude detectives?" The Meat Kasaya Nio patted his belly, his face showing hatred: "How does Watanabe Eiji serve as Superintendent General? How can he not even control a Division Chief of Investigation Division 1?"

"Sugishita Ukyo is a man of Onoda Koken, Director of the Commissioner's Secretariat of the National Police Agency; Watanabe Eiji cannot control him." Yuasa Yang sneered: "He is the younger brother of the Face of the Metropolitan Police Department."

"No wonder." Yuasa Masamichi was dismissive: "Sugishita Ukyo, is it... He seems quite famous. It was he who ordered the assault during the embassy hostage incident over a decade ago, right?"

"The 'Whale' letting his own brother control the police department is planning to build a Shogunate outside of Nagatacho. Once Onoda Koken controls the National Police Agency, the 'Whale's' strength will be even greater. Once Nagatacho combines with Sakuradamon... Father!" Yuasa Yang raised his guard: "Our days will be difficult. Father, we should seize this issue of illegally obtaining files and give them a fierce..."

"No!" Yuasa Masamichi was as amiable as a Maitreya Buddha, shaking his head: "Don't forget, we have already fallen once because of this matter!"

"This time, not only should we not show force, but we must show weakness." The Meat Kasaya Nio earnestly educated his son: "Politics is essentially the art of transaction and balance, a game where the majority approves and the minority opposes."

"Prime Minister Oowada uses the 'Whale' to check and suppress us; we should just show weakness to indicate loyalty and submission. We will wait for the right moment to act. In the future, when the Prime Minister needs to check the 'Whale,' he will surely think of us."

"Son, this is what Father teaches you: anticipate danger, know when to retreat, and know when to change."

"Yes... Also, Father, recently Uesugi Muneyuki and that 'God's Hand' program on Fuji TV are super popular! I want to..."

"Heh, I know. You want to get Hirate on that program, right? You want to get Bai Chuan's private phone number through this program, right?" Yuasa Masamichi saw through his son's thoughts at a glance, and under the other's expectant gaze, he slowly nodded: "I see... That's fine. After retreating, then we change."

……………………

"Off to Hakone we go~"

Sitting in the back seat of the Lexus, Miss Minami excitedly spread her arms to show off: "Da-da-da~ They go to work while we take a holiday~ They are tired as dogs while we soak in hot springs~"

Having taken off her Metropolitan Police Department office uniform, Miss Minami today changed into a gentle, creamy-yellow cashmere dress, perfect for a sunny lakeside. She wore a brown trench coat over it, a green beret on her head, and her smooth black hair tied into a ponytail hanging behind her head. She was truly youthful, invincible, and full of vitality. Paired with her exceptionally sweet apple-shaped face and beautiful apricot eyes, she was worthy of the name "Face of the Metropolitan Police Department."

Moreover, unlike the beauty of Mai, Miss Minami's beauty naturally made people feel close and pleasant, exuding a fragrant aura like a ripe red apple.

Having taken off her commuting high-heeled shoes, Miss Minami changed into a pair of brand-new red Converse canvas shoes, paired with thick black 80D Wolford-style stockings. The red shoes and black stockings added a touch of steadiness to her petite frame. The two strands of hair hanging by her ears were sweet and lovely without losing the heaviness of late autumn, like a croissant soaked in honey, needing to be savored carefully.

Uesugi Muneyuki sat right next to Miss Minami. Seeing her so excited, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Speaking of which, Minami, have you never soaked in a hot spring?"

"How is that possible? I go every year." Miss Minami glanced sideways at her fiancé and smirked: "It's you, is this your first time, Muneyuki?"

"It seems it really is my first time soaking in a hot spring." Uesugi Muneyuki held a Hakone travel guide and said helplessly: "The Uesugi Residence doesn't seem to be into these kinds of activities."

"Aren't you from Yamagata Prefecture?" Ikeda Erena, who was driving in front, became interested. The tall beauty had a smug expression that said, "I've crammed my knowledge of the Uesugi family": "Yonezawa City is in Yamagata Prefecture, right? I remembered!"

"That's right, so actually, I'm a Northeasterner. The wind blows through the wheat waves and the rice flowers are fragrant; the black soil raised our parents. Every winter, the heavy snow flies; we chat on the warm heated brick bed... The Great Northeast is my hometown, the suona blows out a beautiful appearance, brothers gathering must have a couple of drinks..." Uesugi Muneyuki could not only talk, he could sing!

"You're a ghost of a Northeasterner!" Miss Minami looked at him with disdain: "The Uesugi family moved to Tokyo in the Taisho era, right? You spend all day lying to Ikeda like this?"

"Anyway, she can't tell." Uesugi Muneyuki shrugged: "Isn't this very interesting?"

"Hey! Uesugi! You guy!" Erena was angered by Uesugi Muneyuki, but since she was driving, she dared not act out, so she could only pout and signal to Miss Minami: Look, he usually bullies me like this!

"Hahahaha~" Miss Minami laughed and fell into Uesugi Muneyuki's arms, thinking to herself that this was why she chose him to be her consort.

However, the career-minded Miss Minami suddenly associated something else.

Speaking of which, the Northeast region is indeed the private territory of the old Peerage. Compared to other parts of Japan, the traditional atmosphere and the influence of the Peerage in the Northeast region are particularly strong. The Uesugi of Yamagata, the Date Clan of Sendai, the Sasaki Clan of Akita, the Soma Clan of Fukushima, the Nanbu Clan Clan Clan of Iwate—these surnames still possess large amounts of land and industry locally, or possess huge cultural influence.

Now the Chiba Headquarters and Kanagawa Headquarters are both my father's people. Is it time to manage the Northeast next?

Sooner or later, I will make the entire Japanese police force surnamed Watanabe... Oh no, that's not right, surnamed Uesugi!

The journey was full of laughter and joy, until Uesugi Muneyuki signaled Erena not to go directly to Hakone, but to take a turn and visit a place on the way.

The Moritsugu Curry Shop in Kanagawa, commonly known as the Ultra Seven Shop.

"Eh? Are we going to eat lunch at that shop?" Miss Minami was a bit unhappy after hearing this: "The Ultra Seven Shop doesn't seem to have a very good reputation."

"Yes, the beef bowl at that shop has a bland taste and they like to put in a lot of onions; it seems the staff isn't very enthusiastic either." Uesugi Muneyuki nodded: "However, Grandfather wants to give something to Moritsugu-san, so we'll eat there."

Moritsugu Koji, the actor who played the human form of Ultra Seven, Moroboshi Dan.

"Ultraman, huh? It feels like a very old and boring thing. I don't understand what's fun about two guys in rubber suits wrestling over there." Miss Minami lay directly on Uesugi Muneyuki's lap and said casually: "Tokusatsu stuff like that is only something the Japanese are so obsessed with. You say it was normal in the sixties and seventies, but what time is it now? It's still rubber-suit battles; it's meaningless."

"Normal. When I was a kid, I always thought the one who descended was a Giant of Light. When I grew up, I realized it was just a guy in a rubber suit." Uesugi Muneyuki held Miss Minami in his arms, letting her find a comfortable position: "If you don't like it, then you and Ikeda can wait in the car. I'll go give the item to Grandpa Moritsugu, and we'll leave."

"No, we'll go with you." Miss Minami bit her lip, poked her body out from his arms, and whispered in his ear: "Aren't you confused why I'm so excited this time, even though I go to hot springs every year?"

"Of course it's because this is the first time I'm going to a hot spring with you, idiot! Wherever you are, I'm happy~"

After finishing, Watanabe Minami gently bit Uesugi Muneyuki's lip. The tip of her nose brushed against his slightly rough skin, and her beautiful eyes were rippling like water, misty and full of flickering confusion and charm: "I don't want to wait until the engagement day, Muneyuki-kun~"

Uesugi Muneyuki narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the soft, beautiful, and charming Miss Minami in his arms, ripples rising in his heart.

Oh no, this is the feeling of falling in love!

(End of chapter)