Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 181 Mizuna's Classmate [Requesting Monthly Tickets]

When Mizuna Yayoi returned to the restaurant.

Kiryu Yaya was standing by the window, sunlight falling on the stone lanterns in the courtyard.

He turned his gaze upon hearing the sound.

She had changed into a light blue dress, and her hair was loosely tied back with a plain hairband, revealing a section of her fair nape.

Compared to the strict rules of the bank, she exuded a more girlish charm and gentleness.

"Senior, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Kiryu Yaya smiled and said, "No, let's go."

Kenta Sasaki and Kishou Arima were already waiting at the entrance.

Kenta Sasaki, with a camera hanging around his neck, was looking down at the photos he had taken that morning, muttering to himself, "This one's not bad—this one has a good composition—finally, we can't see Arima's stiff expression in this one—"

Arima Kishou stood expressionlessly beside him and said calmly, "Because you took a picture of my back."

Kazuko Yayoi stood at the entrance, holding a small paper bag in her hand, and handed it to Mizuna Yayoi.

"Mina, this is a water yokan I made this morning, to bring everyone to eat on the road."

Mizuna Yayoi took the paper bag, glanced at it, and gave a soft "hmm".

Yayoi Kazuko then looked at Kiryu Yaya and bowed slightly: "Kiryu-kun, thank you for coming all the way to Kyoto today."

Kiryu Yaya returned the greeting: "Madam, you're too kind. We've disturbed you."

"Mina, take good care of the guests."

"Yes, Mom, don't worry."

Mizuna Yayoi waved to her mother, then turned and walked out the door.

The butler, Ito, was already standing by the door and opened the heavy, black lacquered wooden door for them.

After leaving Yayoi's house.

At Kiryu Yaya's suggestion, the four decided to go shopping in the Shinkyogoku shopping district.

After all, with a reimbursement limit of 100,000 yen, less than 10,000 yen was used up in just one morning.

In any case, I should try to spend some money this afternoon.

Shinkyogoku is the busiest place in Osaka on weekends.

The square was packed with people.

Young girls carrying shopping bags, middle-aged office workers in suits, and tour guides holding small flags led a group of tourists through the crowd.

"Where to go first?"

Kenta Sasaki stood on tiptoe, looking around, and suddenly seemed to come alive again: "Hankyu Department Store? Or should we go to Hankyu No. 5 first? It looks like a new arcade has opened over there."

Arima Kishou pushed up his glasses: "Your enthusiasm for shopping is in stark contrast to your work attitude in the logistics department."

"That's different! We work to survive, we go shopping to enjoy life!"

Sasaki was perfectly justified.

Suddenly, he looked around and his gaze fell on a pink neon sign with the name BigEcho on the exterior wall of a building next to Hankyu Department Store.

Sasaki immediately perked up: "Want to go sing some songs?"

"This BigEcho in Shinkyogoku is newly opened, and the equipment is said to be incredibly advanced!"

Arima Kishou pushed up his glasses: "Your singing technique has nothing to do with how advanced your equipment is."

"Arima, do you feel uncomfortable if you don't argue with me today?"

"I'm just stating the facts."

Mizuna Yayoi stood to the side, watching the two bicker, and couldn't help but laugh again.

She looked at Kiryu Yaya and asked softly, "Does senpai want to go?"

'

"Go."

Kiryu Yaya smiled and said, "It's a rare weekend out, so let's relax a bit."

The four of them walked through the pedestrian street next to Hankyu Department Store and turned into a relatively quiet alley.

The BigEcho sign is on the third floor.

The elevator doors opened, revealing a dark gray carpet in the corridor, from which one could faintly hear singing coming from various private rooms.

The receptionist was a young woman in her early twenties with a ponytail and a professional smile.

"Welcome! How many of you are there?"

"Four."

"Private room or the main hall?"

Kenta Sasaki answered first: "The lobby! I want to sing in front of everyone."

Arima Kishou glanced at him: "Are you sure? You'll get nervous if there are too many people."

"When have I ever been nervous?!"

"—We'll see."

Kiryu Yaya interrupted the two with a smile: "Let's go to the main hall then, it'll be more lively there."

The waiter led them to a row of seats by the window.

The hall was larger than I had imagined, with seven or eight tables scattered around and space left in the middle.

Each table has a screen embedded in it for selecting songs, and a microphone on each side.

As soon as the four of them sat down, Kenta Sasaki rushed to the song selection station and quickly tapped the screen with his fingers.

The lyrics to "LOVELOVELOVE" popped up on the screen, and the piano intro flowed from the speakers.

Kenta Sasaki took a deep breath, gripped the microphone with both hands, closed his eyes, and looked completely absorbed.

Then he spoke.

"LOVELOVELOVE——♪"

The moment the singing started, guests at the other tables also turned their attention to it.

Arima Kishou expressionlessly took off his glasses, slowly wiped the lenses with the hem of his shirt, and then put them back on.

Then he muttered to himself, "How can I describe this feeling? Sasaki's voice is like a mixture of a crow whose tail has been stepped on and an old, dilapidated motorcycle engine."

"He can't reach the high notes, he can't reach the low notes, every note is out of tune, yet he sings loudly with great confidence."

Kenta Sasaki, completely unaware, continued singing:

LOVE LOVE LOVE——♪

「Servant Jun を爱してる

♪"

Seemingly caught up in the emotion, Sasaki even used a vibrato technique.

Mizuna Yayoi pursed her lips tightly, her shoulders trembling, unsure whether to cry or laugh.

Kiryu Yaya didn't know how to evaluate the singing. He shook his head, picked up his oolong tea, took a sip, and casually glanced across the hall.

Then, his gaze stopped.

On the other side of the wall, two women and one man were sitting.

The two women looked to be around twenty-three or twenty-four years old, and both were dressed very elegantly.

One of them, with long hair and wearing a white knit sweater, was looking down at the menu.

Another woman with short hair, wearing a dark gray dress, was smiling and talking to the person opposite her.

The man sitting opposite them was wearing a well-tailored dark gray suit, and his hair was neatly combed.

Beside him was a black briefcase with an inconspicuous silver-gray logo printed on it.

Kiryu Yaya recognized him at a glance.

It is the corporate emblem of Mitsubishi Bank.

Japan is still too small; there are competitors everywhere.

Kiryu Yaya's gaze lingered on the briefcase for a moment before shifting to the man's face.

He looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with regular features and a faint smile on his lips, exuding an air of sophistication.

"senior?"

Yayoi Mizuna noticed his gaze and looked in his direction: "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Kiryu Yaya withdrew his gaze: "It seems I've spotted a colleague."

Just then, the long-haired girl felt the gaze and suddenly looked up, her eyes meeting Yayoi Mizuna's.

The two of them were stunned for a moment.

"Mina?!"

The long-haired girl stood up, a look of surprise and delight on her face: "It's you?"

Mizuna Yayoi also stood up, looking somewhat surprised: "Mayu?"

"Oh my god, it's been so long!"

The long-haired girl walked briskly over, stood in front of Yayoi Mina, looked her up and down, and smiled with the enthusiasm of an old classmate reuniting: "You've changed so much! Your hair is longer, and your clothes are so pretty—are you out today?"

Yayoi Mina nodded, a polite smile appearing on her face: "Yes, with friends."