Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 237 No way, a chaotic love triangle! [Basic Chapter 5k]

"It's okay."

Mizuna Yayoi shook her head, as if she had already guessed the answer, and just came over to confirm: "Then let's do it another day, the driving school won't disappear."

Kiryu Yaya opened his mouth as if to say something, but suddenly Chihaya Yuri's voice came from behind him.

"Kiryu-kun."

He turned around.

Chihaya Yuri, leaning on her cane, got up and walked towards the two of them: "You go ahead, I'll handle the class matters. Just give that summary sheet to Nakamura. I've already looked through the remaining indexes, I'll just add a few notes tomorrow."

She paused, looked at Yayoi Mizuna outside the door, smiled and said, "Don't put off the driving school thing. The sooner you register, the sooner you can schedule a time slot. It will be even harder to book when there are more people in the summer."

Kiryu Yaya stood there, but hesitated: "Chihaya-sama—this isn't a good idea, your leg isn't fully healed yet—"

"Feet are feet, hands are hands."

Chihaya Yuri chuckled softly: "I don't write with my feet."

"Besides, you took care of me all day yesterday, I can't just not help you with this little thing, can I?"

"But remember to come pick me up after you're done at driving school."

The words lingered in the air for about a second and a half.

The already small office area seemed to freeze after hearing this conversation.

Everyone was stunned by the amount of information conveyed in just a few words from Chihaya Yuri.

In the office area, the first thing to break the silence was Misaki Yamaguchi's gasp.

The summons in her hand hovered in mid-air, her lips slightly parted, as she scanned it twice between Chihaya Yuri and Kiryu Yaya.

Then, Misaki Yamaguchi slowly turned to Yuka Nakamura at the next table, her lips moving silently.

The lip movements clearly said:

Did you hear that?

Yuka Nakamura did not speak.

She had been looking down at a client's file, and that page had been stuck in the same spot for a long time.

Just as Wakako Kishigami took a sip of tea, she was stunned by Yuri Chihaya's almost self-destructive statement and nearly spat out her tea.

Not a sister————

Weren't you being quite stubborn at noon?

Why did you suddenly explode in front of everyone, especially when Yayoi Mizuna and Nakamura Yuka were both there?

You're so brave!

Even Arima Kishou, who had been working at his desk, couldn't help but look up at Kiryu Yaya.

Then his gaze shifted to Yayoi Mina, Chihaya Yuri, and Nakamura Yuka, and he clicked his tongue.

At that moment, Mizuna Yayoi stood at the doorway, at the intersection of the light and the shadows of the corridor.

Her already somewhat disappointed face was now half-covered by the light, seemingly revealing an awkward smile.

Then the other half hides in the shadows, their sadness or something else is unclear.

Mizuna Yayoi stood there, motionless, as if she had heard something that required time to process.

Kiryu-kun————

Section Chief Chihaya —

Sprain, care, home —

At this moment, the images belonging to Kiryu Yaya and Section Chief Chihaya merged together in her heart.

She felt a strange sadness in her heart.

It's like a heart that was already incomplete, and now it's missing a piece.

She remembered what happened in the cafeteria at noon.

At that time, she was sitting opposite Kiryu-kun. He picked up a piece of teriyaki chicken and said, "It's still so delicious."

At the time, she felt that everything was slowly flowing in the direction she expected.

She had even planned that after she got her driver's license, she could drive him to Kyoto on weekends.

Take the Meishin Expressway, and after exiting the expressway, turn into the teahouse she used to frequent when she was a child.

She wanted to take him to see the autumn leaves of Arashiyama and tell him that the cold brew tea at that teahouse was her favorite flavor.

Those images had been painted countless times in her mind, each frame crystal clear.

But now those images have suddenly faded.

It's as if someone put a watercolor painting in the rain; the colors gradually blur and flow away, leaving only a blurry outline on the paper.

Mizuna Yayoi slowly lowered her head, looking at the light-colored cloth bag in her hand.

She made a point of finishing her work at the sales department early in the afternoon, and even went to a stationery store to buy a new ballpoint pen, thinking she could use it to fill out the form when registering tonight.

She even thought that if the registration went smoothly, she might be able to arrange to have the same coach as Kiryu-kun so that they could have classes together every week.

But now she suddenly finds those thoughts somewhat ridiculous.

It's like a child building a sandcastle on the beach, still trying to build it up as the tide comes in, unaware that the seawater has already begun to rise.

She raised her head, her gaze passing over Kiryu Yaya's shoulder and landing on the figure leaning on a cane in the office area.

Chihaya Yuri had already returned to her workstation and was now back to work with her head down.

Looking at Chihaya-senpai's cool and composed demeanor, she seemed unperturbed by everything.

Mizuna Yayoi silently compared the two in her mind.

If she were in that position, what tone would she use and what words would she say?

She couldn't imagine it, because she had always been the one standing at the door waiting, afraid of disturbing others, and even rehearsing repeatedly before taking the initiative to invite people.

So she lost.

She lost before Chihaya Yuri could even open her mouth.

Mizuna Yayoi took a deep breath, lowered her head and said to Yaya Kiryu, "Senpai, I suddenly remembered that there's still a document that the sales department hasn't finished compiling."

"Tonight might not be a good time to go to the driving school. Why don't you go back and help Section Chief Chihaya? Her foot isn't fully healed yet, and it's not convenient for her to work overtime alone."

Kiryu Yaya glanced at her.

His gaze lingered on her face for a moment, as if confirming something.

Mizuna Yayoi did not look away from his gaze, but she simply stood there, maintaining that polite smile, waiting for his reply.

Seeing Yayoi Mizuna on the verge of collapse, Kiryu Yaya chose not to explain anything.

He simply smiled gently, with his usual warm smile, and said to her, "Mina, wait a moment."

After saying that, he turned around, walked back to the office area, and stopped next to Chihaya Yuri's workstation.

Chihaya Yuri was looking down at the documents when she heard footsteps. She looked up, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

"Chihaya, the section chief."

Kiryu Yaya's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for those in the nearby rows of workstations who were listening intently to hear clearly: "I've already arranged to go to the driving school registration tonight with Mizuna."

"I'll finish the lessons after I get back from the driving school. Your foot isn't fully healed yet, so you need to rest. I'll come back to pick you up."

Chihaya Yuri glanced at Kiryu Yaya, then looked over his shoulder at the figure still standing by the door, before nodding: "Be careful on the road, don't rush."

Kiryu Yaya bowed slightly, then left the office. Reaching the door, he smiled at Yayoi Mina and said, "Let's go, Mina-chan."

After Kiryu Yaya took the distraught Yayoi Mizuna away.

In the office area of ​​the financing review department.

The atmosphere subtly shifted.

Misaki Yamaguchi was the first to realize what was going on.

She turned her head and whispered to Hashimoto Natsumi beside her, "Natsumi, Kiryu-kun's move is quite something, trying to have his cake and eat it too."

Hashimoto Natsumi thought for a moment and nodded slightly: "Although I don't know how he did it, he was clearly taking care of the feelings of two people at the same time, but every word he said sounded like it was only natural."

Kishigami Wakako squinted, took a sip of tea, and muttered to herself, "No explanation, no denial, no promises—sigh, I never knew Kiryu-kun was this kind of person."

I feel like Lily-chan's days ahead aren't going to be easy.

Yuka Nakamura sat at her workstation, the client information still open in her hand, but her gaze had been fixed on that page for a long time.

She was just thinking, if Kiryu Yaya could accept two women at the same time, why couldn't there be another one in between?

The subtle atmosphere in the office only dissipated when the frosted glass door to the section chief's office was opened.

Masakazu Yamada emerged from behind the door, holding a document that had just been signed, and prepared to submit it to the General Affairs Department for signature.

He took two steps forward, then suddenly slowed down.

Something's not right.

But something felt off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

A puzzled Masakazu Yamada scratched his head, then suddenly looked at Kiryu Yaya's workstation and asked, "Where's Kiryu-kun?"

When Masakazu Yamada asked that question, the atmosphere in the office area became subtle again.

Chihaya Yuri glanced around and replied, "Section Chief, Kiryu-kun went to register for driving school. He said he'll come back to work after he finishes there, and I've approved it."

Upon hearing the word "approval," Yamada Masakazu nodded and said with a smile, "That Kiryu guy should have gotten a driver's license a long time ago. He always makes me drive him on field missions. What kind of behavior is that?"

7

At that moment, Kenta Sasaki pushed open the door and came in, looking as if he had been pulled out of the water.

After entering, he leaned against the door frame to catch his breath before staggering to the center of the office area.

Sasaki placed the documents in his hand on the nearest corner of the table, and collapsed as if he had lost his support.

"Section Chief————"

"I can't run anymore, can I ask to leave work early?"

Yamada Masakazu glanced at him, his expression turning serious: "Sasaki, you're so young, how can you say you can't? Today is a crucial day, how can you even bring yourself to leave early?"

Sasaki glanced at Kiryu Yaya's empty seat, pouted, and silently cried out in his heart.

The section chief is so hypocritical!!

Kiryu Yaya led Yayoi Mizuna out of the office area, through the corridor, down the stairs, until they pushed open the back door of the bank and entered a narrow alleyway connecting to the street.

The evening breeze blew in, carrying the unique warmth of late May, and ruffled the wisps of hair on Yayoi Mina's forehead.

She kept her head down and didn't say anything.

When the two stopped in front of the vending machine at the alley entrance, Kiryu Yaya put in two coins, pressed the button for two cans of lemon tea, and handed one of the cans to her.

Mizuna Yayoi took it, her fingertips touching the warmth of the aluminum can, but she didn't open it.

"senior----"

"You were in the office just now; you didn't actually have to come out."

Kiryu Yaya pulled the tab on his lemon tea can, took a sip, and didn't respond immediately.

He leaned against the wall next to the vending machine, watching the streetlights gradually light up on the street outside the alley, and the commuters hurrying to work with briefcases on their backs.

A few seconds later, he turned his head and looked at Yayoi Mizuna.

"Mina, you know what? I'm not very good at doing two things at the same time."

Mizuna Yayoi was slightly taken aback and looked up at him.

Kiryu Yaya continued, "But I have one characteristic: I will do my best to carry out what I say I will do."

"If I say I will do something, I will definitely do it."

Mizuna Yayoi's lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she swallowed it back.

Kiryu Yaya noticed her hesitation, so he gently placed his hand on the top of her head, pressing down on her soft hair. His voice was gentle yet undeniable: "Since I promised to go to driving school with you tonight, I will definitely go with you. I will arrange things with Section Chief Chihaya, so you don't need to worry about her."

59

"Senior—you're doing this—"

Mizuna Yayoi's voice trembled slightly.

"You're being too kind to me and Chihaya-senpai, it's making me have unnecessary expectations."

Kiryu Yaya slowly withdrew his hand from her head, his gaze falling on her lowered eyelashes.

The evening breeze blew by, ruffling the strands of hair at her temples.

"Mina."

He spoke, his voice lower and more serious than before.

"Your expectations have never been superfluous to me."

Mizuna Yayoi's eyelashes trembled slightly.

Kiryu Yaya didn't look away, just staring into her eyes.

Then, in an almost frank tone, he said the words he had prepared long ago: "I can't turn a blind eye to everyone around me who needs me, whether it's Chihaya-senpai or you—I want to do my best to protect them."

The alley was quiet for a few seconds.

The vending machine's light cast two long shadows on the wall, one high and one low.

Mizuna Yayoi stood there, head down, her gaze fixed on the slightly loose floor tile in front of her, as if trying to process the meaning of what she had just said.

"senior----"

Her fingertips slowly gathered around the cool can of lemon tea: "If I were to say that I wish my senior could spend more time with me, not just during work, not just during lunchtime..."

She looked up, her eyes glistening with tears, her voice choked with emotion: "Wouldn't this be a burden for you, senior?"

Kiryu Yaya did not answer immediately.

He looked at Yayoi Mizuna's reddened eyes and her slightly trembling eyelashes, and a pang of pity flashed through his heart.

He silently stepped forward, wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his fingers, and then said with a smile, "Of course not!"

"If someone is willing to spend time with another person, it must be because that person is very important to them."

"You have never been a burden to me."

Mizuna Yayoi's eyes reddened even more.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but found that she couldn't utter a single word.

Kiryu Yaya looked at her like this, chuckled softly, and then placed the can of lemon tea he had already drunk a few sips from on top of the vending machine.

"Let's go."

He held out his hand, palm open, and said to her, "Go register at driving school."

"I will keep my promise to you."

Mizuna Yayoi looked down at his outstretched palm, hesitated for two seconds, and then reached out and placed her hand in his palm.

In that instant, Kiryu Yaya closed his fingers and took her hand.

Mizuna Yayoi's face flushed red in that instant.

"senior----"

But Kiryu Yaya acted as if he hadn't heard her, turned around, and led her out of the alley and into the street where dusk was falling.

The driving school in Umeda is on the second floor of an office building, not far from the subway station.

The two walked out of the subway station, turned into a relatively quiet alley, and stopped at the entrance of an office building.

Yayoi Mizuna looked up at the signboard, then looked down again, her face still flushed as she gazed at the hand that Kiryu Yaya was still holding.

"Sen--senpai."

She spoke softly.

"Um?"

Kiryu Yaya turned around and asked in confusion.

Yayoi Mizuna lowered her head and whispered, "That—hand—"

"ah?

'

Kiryu Yaya said he didn't hear what she was saying.

'

Mizuna Yayoi didn't dare to speak, thinking that if Kiryu-kun wanted to hold her hand, then so be it.

Kiryu Yaya had already pushed open the glass door.

The driving school's reception area wasn't large, but it was very tidy.

The receptionist was a woman in her thirties, wearing a dark blue uniform and sporting a standard professional smile.

"Welcome! Are you two looking to inquire about driving school courses?"

"right."

Kiryu Yaya stopped in front of the counter: "We would like to know about the course schedule and fees for the full-time program."

The receptionist nodded, took out two folders from under the counter, and pushed them in front of the two people: "Okay, these are our course introductions and fee details. You can take a look first."

As she spoke, her gaze inadvertently swept over Yayoi Mizuna's flushed cheeks and ears, and then looked at Kiryu Yaya standing beside her.

A knowing smile flickered in her eyes, but she said nothing.

Mizuna Yayoi opened the folder and looked down at the course schedule, but not a single word entered her mind.

Kiryu Yaya was watching very attentively.

After flipping through the folder, he asked a few more questions about the schedule and exam arrangements, then turned his head to glance at Mizuna Yayoi.

"Mina, what do you think?"

Mizuna Yayoi suddenly snapped out of her daze and realized that the folder in front of her was still on the first page, and she hadn't read a single word.

"Ah—I think—it's great—"

Kiryu Yaya couldn't help but chuckle at her guilty look, then said to the receptionist, "Let's register two people, commuter students, regular automatic transmission."

"Okay, please fill out these two registration forms."

The receptionist took two forms and two pens from under the counter and handed them to the two people.

Kiryu Yaya took the pen and began filling out the form.

But just then, a familiar voice rang out from behind: "Kiryu-kun, you're here too?"

Kiryu Yaya raised his head and looked in the direction of the sound.

A man wearing a dark gray athletic short-sleeved shirt was walking into the entrance of the driving school's reception area.

That face was all too familiar to Kiryu Yaya.

It was Kato Dan, the old friend who had put his arm around his shoulder in the izakaya and loudly proclaimed that he had "gotten into Tokyo University and then into Mitsubishi Bank."

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