Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 137 Sasaki in Love [Eight Chapters, Requesting Monthly Tickets]

Kiryu Yaya looked at her, who was on the verge of tears, and suddenly smiled.

Do I look like something's wrong to you?

Yayoi Mizuna paused, then looked closely at his face.

His expression was no different from usual, and even more relaxed than usual.

"But----"

"No buts."

Kiryu Yaya said casually, "These kinds of things happen all the time in banks. Today someone says you're too high-profile, tomorrow someone says you're incompetent, and the day after tomorrow someone says you have a problem with your attitude. If you take every word to heart, you might as well quit your job."

Mizuna Yayoi's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but his words silenced her.

"But my senior clearly did so many things—"

"It's not important how much you do, what's important is getting things done."

Kiryu Yaya looked at her;

"It's a fact that Higashi-Osaka Seiko recovered its 800 million yen. It's also a fact that the Miyazawa Group's 8 billion yen debt has been stabilized. Facts won't change because of what others say."

Yayoi Mizuna stared at him blankly, the mist in her eyes slowly receding and turning into admiration: "Senpai—you're really amazing."

"What's so great about it?"

"It's like—even after being told such nasty things, you can still eat with a smile."

Mizuna Yayoi lowered her head, her voice so soft it was as if she were talking to herself: "If it were me, I probably would have hidden away and cried by now."

Kiryu Yaya looked at her lowered eyelashes and slightly reddened ear tips, and smiled.

"That's because you haven't been told that yet. Once you've been told it a lot, you'll get used to it."

Mizuna Yayoi looked up and blinked.

"—Is this supposed to be comforting?"

"Calculate."

The two looked at each other for a moment, and Yayoi Mizuna couldn't help but smile.

Just then, a familiar figure walked over carrying a tray.

Arima Kishou.

He was wearing the standard vest for the International Finance class, his hair was neatly combed, and his face still had that indifferent expression that seemed to say, "It's none of my business."

He sat down next to Kiryu Yaya, placed his plate on the table, glanced at the food in the bento box, and then spoke in a calm and unhurried tone.

"Yayoi-san's bento box is also very generous today."

Yayoi Mina's ears turned red instantly: "Y-Arima-kun————"

Arima Kishou didn't continue the topic. Instead, he picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of his grilled fish, and chewed it a couple of times.

"Where's Sasaki?"

Kiryu Yaya looked around and asked.

Arima Kishou finished chewing the grilled fish, swallowed it, picked up the miso soup, took a sip, put it down, and then said, "Ever since he was injured last time, that guy's relationship with Shimazaki Miyuki has developed very quickly."

"I passed by the logistics department before lunch break today and saw him standing next to Shimazaki-san's workstation with a smile that made me feel uncomfortable."

Kiryu Yaya raised an eyebrow: "An unsettling smile?"

"It's that kind of silly smile, like someone who thinks they're in love."

Arima Kishou paused, as if carefully choosing his words: "It looks a bit disgusting, so I've decided not to invite him to dinner for the next couple of days."

Mizuna Yayoi couldn't help but burst out laughing, then quickly covered her mouth with her hand.

Kiryu Yaya also laughed: "So, where is he on a date right now?"

"Most likely at a nearby coffee shop."

Arima Kishou said, "He finished organizing all the logistics department's summonses for the week in advance this morning, just so he could go out for an extra half hour during his lunch break."

""

"It's good to fight for love."

Kiryu Yaya commented.

Arima Kishou glanced at him but didn't respond.

The three of them ate quietly for a while.

The surrounding noise was like a blurry background sound, filling every corner of the cafeteria.

People walked past their table carrying trays, some stood at the beverage counter getting coffee, and some were talking about yesterday's TV show.

Kiryu Yaya finished the last piece of tamagoyaki, put down his chopsticks, and was about to get up to pour tea when Arima Kishou suddenly spoke up.

"Kiryu-kun."

Kiryu Yaya looked at him.

Arima Kishou adjusted his glasses, his gaze lingering on his face for two seconds before he said, "You look a little different today."

Kiryu Yaya's fingers paused slightly.

"What's different?"

I can't quite explain it.

Arima Kishou put down his chopsticks and placed his hands folded on the edge of the table: "I just feel like you're in some kind of trouble."

Upon hearing this, Mizuna Yayoi looked up at Yaya Kiryu, her eyes filled with worry once again.

Kiryu Yaya looked at Arima Kishou's eyes hidden behind his glasses and remained silent for two seconds.

Arima Kishou is a man of few words and not particularly noticeable, but his observational skills are sharper than many others.

He can read things that others can't say from a person's expression, tone of voice, or even the speed at which they eat.

This is a natural censor.

Kiryu Yaya smiled and shook his head.

"Nothing's wrong. It's just that there have been a lot of cases lately, so I'm a bit tired."

Arima Kishou looked at him for two seconds, but didn't ask any further questions. He simply hummed in agreement and picked up his chopsticks again.

Mizuna Yayoi seemed to want to say something more, but seeing that Yaya Kiryu had already closed the conversation, she could only swallow back the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

The three of them remained silent.

But when Yayoi Mizuna left, she paused at the cafeteria entrance and glanced back at Kiryu Yaya.

That glance held no questions, only a quiet, unobtrusive concern.

Kiryu Yaya shook his head at her.

She then turned around and walked quickly toward the sales department.

Kiryu Yaya sighed.

Not telling opponents of Ogaki Kiyomasa's caliber is actually a form of protection.

After lunch break, Kiryu Yaya returned to the financing review class.

The atmosphere in the office area became quieter.

Someone walked past his table, paused for a moment as if wanting to say something, but ultimately said nothing and continued walking.

Kiryu Yaya knew what they were thinking.

Yesterday's mid-level management meeting included questions from Tsuyoshi Iwakura and advice from Shinji Miki.

In addition, the news that Ogaki Kiyomasa had assigned him the 200 million yen case separately this morning has already spread like ripples throughout the branch.

Some people felt sorry for him, some were waiting to see him make a fool of himself, and some simply thought the newcomer was really lucky.

Kiryu Yaya didn't care about any of these things.

He sat at his workstation, took out the documents from the drawer of the Heguang Electronics Industry website, opened them, and looked at them page by page, carefully examining each piece of data.

Prepaid accounts.

The book balance is 32 million yen, accounting for 12 percent of current assets.

The fact that the aging report was not included in the documents is suspicious.

stock.

The book balance is 110 million yen, but the turnover days are not specified.

Another point of doubt.

Related party transactions.

The client list includes a company called "Wako Shoko", but no connection is specified.

Another point of doubt.

Kiryu Yaya jotted these down in his notebook and was about to look up more historical materials when he heard the sound of high heels clicking on the ground.

He raised his head.

Chihaya Yuri stood beside his desk.

Today she wore a dark gray suit jacket over a white shirt, and her hair was all tied back, revealing a section of her fair and well-defined neck.

"Chihaya, the section chief."

Chihaya Yuri didn't speak immediately. Instead, she glanced at the documents spread out on his desk and then sat down in the empty chair next to him.

"I've heard about the case involving Wako Electronics."