Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 167 What else can I do besides this? [5 chapters, please vote!]

Chapter 167 What else can I do besides this? [Fifth update, please vote!]

The night is already deep.

It was almost eleven o'clock when Kiryu Yaya came out of the Toto-kan.

I got back to the apartment at 11:30.

He turned on the light in the entryway, took off his shoes, and placed his briefcase on the table.

A night breeze blew in through the balcony window, gently lifting the curtains.

He opened his notebook and jotted down a few notes about what had happened that day.

He was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of information about the East China Solidarity Association tonight, making it difficult for him to process it all.

However, becoming a member of the East China Association is a good start.

In any case, we now have one more way to obtain information.

The platform is neutral. Since some people use it for evil, they can use it to fight against evil.

Kiryu Yaya thought of those thousand points again.

A total of ten million yen.

This is no small sum.

Even if he only takes out half, it would be enough to pay off his debts.

But upon closer reflection, Kiryu Yaya shook his head.

For him, converting Dongzhenghui's points into cash is a very risky thing.

After all, he wasn't like those business owners or high-ranking officials who had huge pools of funds to cover up millions of yen in transactions.

This is different from the risk-free funds awarded by the system; if someone follows the clues, they can find these funds.

After thinking it over, Kiryu Yaya decided to keep this sum of money for later use.

Sitting in his chair, he glanced at his memo and suddenly remembered that he hadn't replied to Matsushita Saeko's promise.

He then picked up the receiver and dialed the number left by Saeko Matsushita.

The phone rang twice before being answered.

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a distinct sigh of relief.

"Kiryu-Mr. Kiryu—I'm sorry to trouble you so late—"

"It's okay, I just got home."

Kiryu Yaya leaned back in his chair, his tone calm: "The work situation is starting to look promising."

Saeko Matsushita's voice rose noticeably, tinged with a cautious anticipation: "Really?"

"Yes. There's an administrative position at the Miyazawa Group headquarters with a monthly salary of 220,000 yen, social security, and weekends off."

"I confirmed with them, and they said I could go for the interview anytime."

"2. Two hundred and twenty thousand —"

Saeko Matsushita repeated the number, a hint of nervousness in her voice: "Mr. Kiryu, I—I only have a high school diploma, this kind of job—"

"Education level is not important."

Kiryu Yaya interrupted her: "What they value is being reliable and hardworking. I believe you can do that."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the phone.

Then, Saeko Matsushita's voice lowered, becoming almost choked with sobs.

"Mr. Kiryu—thank you—thank you so much—"

Kiryu Yaya didn't respond to that. Instead, he changed the subject: "But Ms. Matsushita, before I tell you the specific address, I'd like to ask you something."

"What is it?"

"About Yuki Matsushita."

Saeko Matsushita asked cautiously, "Please ask."

Kiryu Yaya had always kept in mind the matter of Matsushita Yuki's previous debts.

But since Matsushita Yuki was also there that day, he chose not to ask any questions.

But now, on the phone, Kiryu Yaya decided to ask about the matter clearly, otherwise it wouldn't be a good thing to recommend Matsushita Saeko to the Miyazawa Group if her character wasn't up to par.

Kiryu Yaya considered his words carefully before speaking: "I heard from your daughter that her three million yen debt was initially transferred to her by you. How did that happen?"

There was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the phone.

Matsushita Saeko did not answer immediately, nor did Kiryu Yaya urge her.

He leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping lightly on the table, and the breathing coming through the receiver gradually became heavier.

"Mr. Kiryu————"

Matsushita Saeko finally spoke: "What Yuki said is all true. I did make her take on that million-plus yen."

She paused for a moment, as if doing her final mental preparation, before continuing.

"Yuki's father—didn't he die in a car accident? Before the accident, he had actually been sick for more than half a year. When it was discovered, it was already in the middle stage of stomach cancer. The doctor said there was still a chance, but he needed to have surgery as soon as possible, and then he would need chemotherapy after the surgery."

"At that time, our family didn't have much savings. The surgery fees, hospitalization fees, chemotherapy fees—all of them were borrowed."

"I borrowed from relatives first, my brother, sister, parents, everyone I could ask. At first, they were willing to help, but after I borrowed a lot more, their attitude changed, and I didn't dare to ask again, so I went to consumer finance."

"Takefuji, Ko, Komi — borrowing from one place to pay off another, robbing Peter to pay Paul. I was working at a small supermarket at the time, earning 800 yen an hour. Even if I worked my butt off for a month, I couldn't earn 150,000 yen. I couldn't even pay off the interest alone."

"Later—later, when I was really desperate, I went to take a bubble bath."

After those words were spoken, there was a long silence on the other end of the line.

Kiryu Yaya's fingers stopped on the table.

Saeko Matsushita continued, "I know you'll find this disgusting, and I find it disgusting myself."

"But at that time I really had no other choice. I stood in the supermarket for eight hours, and when I got home I didn't even have the strength to cook for Yuki. The debts I owed, I could never pay off in my lifetime with that kind of work."

"A day's income from bubble baths is equivalent to a month's salary at a supermarket."

"I did this for over a year, and my health deteriorated a lot, but I finally paid off part of the debt."

"I didn't tell Yuki or my mother any of this. Yuki only knew that her father died in a car accident."

Her voice choked with emotion: "Later, I met a few customers who were generous. They would occasionally take me out to eat or buy things, and then—"

"Kajiwara is not the first."

"The first one was a middle-aged man who worked in real estate. He gave me an apartment to live in and gave me some living expenses every month. I stayed with him for more than half a year, but then his business ran into problems, and that was the end of it."

"The second one was in finance, and he was more generous than the first one, but his wife found out not long after, and they broke up."

"At that time, I still had some debts, around a few million yen."

"It was around this time that I met Kajiwara."

"We haven't been together for long, it started last fall. He said that once he got his loan, he would buy me a house and put it in my name."

"I thought he was lying to me, but to my surprise, he actually bought it."

"He paid for Abeno's house; he paid for the down payment, the renovation, and the monthly mortgage payments."

"He said he was not in a position to hold real estate for the time being, so he would put the house in my name first, and then move it back to me when it was more appropriate. As compensation, the difference of 20 million from the 130 million loan agreement would be given to me."

"At that time, I thought that after I finished this deal and got 20 million, I could pay off all the remaining debts."

"Yuki no longer has to bear my debts. She can focus on retaking the exam, get into university, and live a normal life."

"I can—"

She didn't continue.

But Kiryu Yaya understood.

After finishing this deal, I'll pay off the debt and give my daughter a better life.

Then she can stop, climb out of that bottomless quagmire, and start anew.

But before he could finish the deal, Kajiwara Masazō was arrested by the bank and the National Tax Agency.

"Mr. Kiryu."

Matsushita Saeko's voice finally trembled with a hint of a sob, but she quickly suppressed it.

"Yuki doesn't know any of this. She doesn't know that her father is sick, she doesn't know how much money I borrowed, she doesn't know that I went to bubble baths, and she doesn't know how many men I've been with."

"All she knows is that I've changed, from a mother who picked her up from school every day and made her lunchboxes, to a bad woman who's never home and hangs out with different men."

"What she said was all true."

"I am not a good mother."

"But I really don't know what else I can do."

Intermittent sobs could be heard from the other end of the phone.

Kiryu Yaya remained silent for a long time.

Then, he slowly began to speak.

"Ms. Matsushita."

"exist."

"Once Abeno's house is disposed of, the 20 million yen difference will be yours."

"Pay off the debt all at once, and use the rest of the money to live a good life."

"Thank you, Mr. Kiryu, but—when will the house be dealt with?"

Saeko Matsushita's voice carried unease.

"The bank's procedures are quick, but the legal department has to go through the process, which will take at least two or three months."

"Two or three months —"

"For the next two or three months, go to work at the Miyazawa Group. If you're frugal each month, you should be able to get through it."

"Mr. Kiryu, I understand. I will do my best and will not let you down."

Kiryu Yaya replied, "The address is: 2-chome, Otemae, Chuo-ku, Osaka. When you get there, find Section Chief Uesugi Akio of the General Affairs Section and tell him that I introduced you."

"Uesugi——Akio."

Saeko Matsushita repeated the name.

"Yes, I've already scheduled the interview. You can come on Monday morning."

"Monday morning—I'll remember that."

"Also, dress appropriately, not too formally, but not too casually either, first impressions are very important."

"----good."

"That's settled then."

Kiryu Yaya paused for a moment, then said, "Goodnight, Ms. Matsushita."

"Goodnight, Mr. Kiryu. Thank you."

The phone hangs up.

Kiryu Yaya put the receiver back, leaned back in his chair, and stared at the ceiling for a long time.

The hardships of life are always varied and unexpected.