Sakura hurried up the stone steps of the shrine, clutching a bundle of fresh Red Lilies. The torii gate loomed above her, marking the boundary between the living and the dead. She was the only florist contracted by Tengoku Corporation – a company that handles funerals across Hokkaido with a precision that felt almost mechanical.

Inside the shrine, men in black suits bowed before the altar, and women in black kimonos pressed their hands together in prayer. The priest began his sutras. Sakura’s bored eyes drifted over the crowd until they caught sight of Tengoku Corp. emblem embossed on a business card near the incense stand.

Months passed, Sakura had delivered arrangements for countless of funerals. Red Lilies continued to bloom while the same could not be said of their owner. Each death she learnt from grieving families, was a sudden cardiac arrest. Always the same. Always too clean.

One morning, Sakura went to visit Mr. Yamazaki Toshiro, the managing director of Tengoku Corp., to drop off a bundle of Red Lilies specially requested by him. She was informed by security that he was unavailable and requested her to keep them on his table. It was the first time Sakura has been inside the room. She saw beautiful paintings on the wall, a dartboard with every dart exactly at bullseye. After a small tour, she kept the flowers on the table. She saw a folded piece of paper. On opening it, She quickly replaced the note as it was and left hastily. She felt like she read something she shouldn’t have, “The business cards are sent.” What on Earth did it mean?

Shortly, and to no surprise, another funeral came by. The family believed was due to his declining years, which did not fool Sakura.

Again, Mr. Toshiro’s request for the flowers came. Sakura anxiously entered his room. Mr. Toshiro stood facing the window, which bore the view of the city of Utashinai. ‘Do you know how the company profits, Sakura-san?’, he asked. Sakura answered sadly, ‘It’s our old generation, isn’t it?”. “No” he corrected. “We profit from death. Death does not discriminate”, he continued calmly with a cold gaze that reflected off of the window. He then gestured her to leave.

Sakura left the flowers and scampered out of the room. The receptionist threw a devilish smirk as he passed her with a bag full of darts. The darts sent chills through her spine. But she was all burnt out to think and called it a day.

‘Ding-Dong’,her doorbell rang. It was past midnight. Sakura, half-asleep, opened the door. There was no one, but a card pinned to the door by a dart. The business card of Tengoku Corp.

The next morning, funeral arrangements were made, but in the absence of the Red Lilies.

******The end******

My love for Japan and it’s culture led me to write my very first short story. Hope you enjoyed!