Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 250 Kiryu Yaya's Plans [Basic Update]

Kiryu Yaya returned to the bank in the evening.

The fluorescent lights in the financing review department were already mostly on.

Kiryu Yaya pushed open the door and entered, first reporting to Yamada Masakazu, "Section Chief, I'm back."

"How's it going? Any progress on Watanabe's side?"

Kiryu Yaya put down his briefcase and shook his head: "The terms aren't quite right. The other party's guarantee structure is weak, mainly relying on current assets and accounts receivable, and the residual value of the equipment is also very low."

"Moreover, the concentration of downstream orders is too high. In the current market conditions, this structure is prone to problems at the slightest sign of trouble."

After listening, Masakazu Yamada nodded and hummed in agreement, as if he had already expected this outcome: "In the current market, it's really not easy for asset-light manufacturing companies to get decent financing. You didn't lose out by making this trip; at least you have a better understanding of the situation now."

He turned his gaze back to the documents on the table and casually added, "Okay, thanks for your hard work."

Kiryu Yaya bowed slightly and turned to walk towards his workstation.

Today's field trip was exciting, but there's still a lot of work left behind.

He began to deal with them one by one.

Meanwhile, the sky outside the window was gradually darkening.

Kiryu Yaya filed the last document and looked up to find that only a few lights were still on in the office area.

He looked at Chihaya Yuri and said, "Senior, I'll take you back."

Chihaya Yuri glanced at him and nodded slightly.

Kiryu Yaya walked to her table and stopped, his gaze falling on her ankles.

The bruise that was swollen yesterday has subsided considerably today.

I feel like I'll be able to get out of bed on my own in a few more days.

Fortunately, it's Friday today, and there's still a weekend before the next workday, so Chihaya Yuri can take a good rest.

Kiryu Yaya helped Chihaya Yuri through the elevator and headed towards the underground parking lot.

The two got into the car and drove out of the parking lot, only to find that it had started raining outside.

The drop was a bit too big.

The windshield wipers turned on automatically, swept left and right twice, pushing away the water streaks and revealing the street ahead, which had been blurred by the rain.

Chihaya Yuri gripped the steering wheel, slowed the car down, and looked at the dense clouds in the sky, saying, "I really don't know when this rain will stop—"

Kiryu Yaya nodded: "Yes, but after this rain stops, it should be sunny for a few days."

The rain was pouring down relentlessly.

The dark blue Toyota sped away through the rain.

However, the rain lasted much longer than Kiryu Yaya had imagined.

It was still raining on Saturday morning.

The sky seemed to have been ripped open, and the rain poured down from dawn until morning without any sign of stopping.

Kiryu Yaya stood downstairs at the apartment building, holding a black umbrella.

A black Toyota Crown drove up from the street corner and came to a smooth stop in front of him.

The car window rolled down, and Keiko Miyazawa poked half her face out, a smile on her lips: "Hurry up and get in, it's raining so hard."

Kiryu Yaya closed his umbrella and bent down to sit in the passenger seat.

The moment the car door closed, most of the sound of rain outside was shut out.

"Did you bring the contract?"

Keiko Miyazawa asked.

"I brought it."

Kiryu Yaya patted his briefcase: "Once Marui confirms the terms, we can sign the official documents today."

Keiko Miyazawa nodded, stepped on the gas, and drove the car into the rain.

The rain was heavier in eastern Osaka than in the city center, and even with the wipers on their fastest setting, visibility was still somewhat poor.

Marui Fiber's factory looked somewhat gloomy in the rain, but several cars were already parked at the entrance, and people were waiting for them.

After the car came to a stop, Kiryu Yaya got out of the car with an umbrella, walked around to the passenger side to open the door for Miyazawa Keiko, and the two walked quickly into the workshop side by side.

Makiko Marui was already standing at the door waiting, with accountant Terada standing beside her.

She wore a clean white shirt today and looked much more relaxed than the day before.

"Mr. Kiryu, Ms. Miyazawa, you've arrived."

Marui Makiko bowed slightly: "Thank you so much for yesterday."

"It's all in the past."

Kiryu Yaya took out a document from his briefcase: "This is the formal contract. Ms. Marui, please check it. If there are no problems, we can sign it today."

The content of the contract is not complicated:

The acquisition price was 45 million yen. All shares of Marui Fiber Industries, Ltd. were retained, and all existing bank loans, accounts payable and accounts receivable remained under the name of the original legal entity, to be gradually disposed of by the new shareholders.

Makiko Marui took the contract and turned the pages one by one.

Terada, the accountant, adjusted his reading glasses, leaned closer to look at her, and then nodded slightly to her.

"No problem."

Makiko Marui picked up a pen, signed her name on the last page of the first contract, and then stamped it.

Keiko Miyazawa took the pen, signed her name "Keiko Miyazawa" in the transferee column, took out her seal from her bag, and pressed it down.

Her handwriting used to be a bit childish and rounded, but now the strokes are crisp and clean, and the endings are neat and crisp.

It's obvious he's been signing a lot lately.

Three contracts, three signatures, settled one after another amidst the sound of rain.

Makiko Marui put one of the contracts into a file folder, then stood up and bowed deeply to Yaya Kiryu and Keiko Miyazawa: "Thank you—really, thank you for taking over Marui Fibers. If my dad knew, he could focus on his recovery without worry."

Yes.

Keiko Miyazawa reached out to help her up, her voice gentle: "Ms. Marui, your father's illness will get better. Don't worry about the factory; we'll handle everything properly."

Marui Makiko straightened up, nodded vigorously, and said nothing more.

She turned and walked deeper into the workshop, where she and the accountant, Terada, began to count the last batch of inventory and documents that needed to be handed over.

Kiryu Yaya and Miyazawa Keiko did not leave immediately. The two stood side by side at the workshop entrance, looking at the street blurred by the rain.

Just then, a semi-transparent interface silently appeared in front of Kiryu Yaya.

[You have chosen to fork in Sany's business model. While pursuing the acquisition of Marui Fiber, Sany is also in contact with the Kansai Fiber Industry Cooperative Association to gain a deeper understanding of its operating model and member structure.]

[Task rewards are being distributed —]

[Skill Acquired: Mastery of Fashion Design]

Fashion Design Expertise: Proficient in the entire fashion design process, including trend analysis, fabric selection, pattern design,

Craftsmanship drawing, color matching, and brand positioning. Capable of independently completing all stages from concept design to garment production.

Kiryu Yaya's gaze lingered on those lines of text for a moment, then he smiled gently.

Proficient in fashion design?

For him now, it's a very useful skill.

Kiryu Yaya withdrew his gaze and turned to look at Miyazawa Keiko.

She was staring intently at the rain, her profile softened by the dim light of the workshop.

"Huizi".

Keiko Miyazawa turned her head: "Hmm?"

"Let's find a place to sit down. I have some thoughts on the follow-up to Marui Fiber and would like to discuss them with you."

Keiko Miyazawa looked into his eyes, didn't ask any further questions, and simply nodded: "Okay."

The car drove out of the industrial area of ​​Higashi-Osaka in the rain, followed the national highway towards downtown Osaka for a while, and then turned onto a quiet street.

Keiko Miyazawa stopped her car in front of a coffee shop, and the two went inside and found a booth by the window to sit down.

There weren't many people in the store, and low jazz music was playing.

The staff brought over a pot of hot black tea and two chiffon cakes.

Keiko Miyazawa didn't immediately touch her tea. Instead, she placed her hands together on the table and smiled at Yaya Kiryu: "So, what's your thought?"

Kiryu Yaya didn't beat around the bush.

"I plan to leverage Marui Fiber's existing production capacity to create an affordable clothing brand."

Keiko Miyazawa blinked, then asked doubtfully, "Affordable clothing?"

Kiryu Yaya nodded: "Keiko, do you remember what I said to you in the department store? When I was little, I secretly drew a lot of designs, thinking about creating my own brand."

"Back then, I just thought it looked good and was cool. But looking back now, I suddenly realize that there's something that might be more meaningful than I imagined at the time."

"Over the past thirty years, from postwar reconstruction to high-speed growth, and then to the peak of the bubble economy, everyone in Japan has been chasing after more expensive, better, and more respectable things."

"Brand names, imported goods, golf memberships—everyone is moving upwards, but few people look downwards."

Keiko Miyazawa listened quietly without interrupting.

"But things are different now. The Nikkei has fallen by 40%, and land prices are softening. Those good days that we used to take for granted may very well be coming to an end."

He put down his teacup and looked out at the gray rain outside the window.

"In the next few years, more and more people will find that they can no longer afford those things, but people still need to wear clothes."

"If there isn't a reasonably priced, reliable, and decent-looking garment on the market, then they'll have no choice but to wear cheap, poorly made clothes."

"What I want to do now is to create a brand that ordinary people can afford and feel safe wearing."

Keiko Miyazawa looked at Yaya Kiryu, and she saw a light in his eyes as he spoke.

Then, she smiled and said, "Okay, I'll listen to you. What are you planning to do?"

Kiryu Yaya picked up his teacup, took a sip, then put it down, his gaze falling on Miyazawa Keiko's face.

"In the short term, I plan to do a few things first."

"Using Marui Fiber's existing equipment and workers, we will first polish a batch of sample garments."

"We don't make complicated styles, we only make the most basic items, such as T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts, and casual pants. We limit the colors to four or five, and each style has no more than ten variations."

"First, we make the first batch of sample garments, have people try them on, collect feedback, and then adjust the pattern and fabric."

Keiko Miyazawa nodded and listened quietly.

Kiryu Yaya continued, "Then, we went to Hong Kong to find a contract manufacturer."

Keiko Miyazawa's eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised.

"Hongkong?"

"right."

Kiryu Yaya nodded and explained, "The cost of fabrics in Japan is too high, especially basic fabrics such as cotton yarn and synthetic fibers. The prices in Japan are 20% to 30% higher than in Hong Kong and Southeast Asia."

"Marui Fiber's existing supply chain mostly relies on local Japanese trading companies, so the prices and quality are not the best."

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"If we want to create an affordable brand, we must keep costs to a minimum."

"In Hong Kong, the fabric market and OEM system are much more mature than in Japan, and the turnover is faster. Moreover, Hong Kong does not levy tariffs, making it convenient to import and re-export fabrics."

Keiko Miyazawa nodded: "I heard from the trade manager in the group that the garment re-export trade in Hong Kong is indeed very developed, and it is much cheaper than in Japan."

"It's not just cheap."

Kiryu Yaya continued, "Hong Kong's supply chain responds very quickly, and the fabric market has a wide variety of available products."

"If we place an order in Japan, it will take at least two months from material selection to sampling to mass production. In Hong Kong, the same process can be completed in as little as three weeks."

Keiko Miyazawa nodded slightly: "Then it's settled. Let's proceed according to Kiryu-kun's plan."

It's still raining.

Kiryu Yaya planned to stay cooped up in his apartment for the weekend.

He poured himself a glass of water, then sat down at his desk and opened a blank sketchbook.

The memory of "Mastering Fashion Design" flows slowly through my mind like a long-sealed river.

His knowledge of fabric texture, pattern structure, and color matching flowed out naturally, as if he had spent ten years studying it in his previous life.

He held the pencil and drew the first line in the blank space of the first page.

First the shoulder line, then the armhole curve; he adjusted it twice before it was in the position he was satisfied with.

This is a T-shirt.

The most basic crew neck T-shirt, with a silhouette that lies between classic American style and Japanese modified style.

He added fabric recommendations next to it:

It is a blend of cotton and polyester fibers, with cotton accounting for 75% and polyester accounting for 25%, and the weight is controlled between 200 and 220 grams.

This formula ensures breathability while reducing the probability of wrinkles and deformation, and it is less likely to shrink after washing.

Kiryu Yaya drew a shirt on the second page.

Unlike the standard business shirts on the market, the one he drew has a slightly lower collar, no chest pocket, and a simple concealed button design on the placket.

The shirt has clean, crisp lines and no unnecessary embellishments; its quality is conveyed solely by the cut of the garment.

Then there are hoodies.

He designed a pullover sweatshirt with dropped shoulders and wide ribbed cuffs and hem.

There are no patterns or letters on the front of the garment, only a very thin contrasting line extending down the shoulder seam, serving as an embellishment.

Over the next two days.

Kiryu Yaya drew out the blueprints for the individual items that would be needed later.

The items include three T-shirts (one each of crew neck, V-neck, and Henley collar), two shirts (one each of long-sleeved and short-sleeved), two sweatshirts (one each of pullover and cardigan), one pair of casual pants, and one pair of shorts.

For now, the focus will be on men's clothing.

The design of women's clothing is more complicated; we'll talk about it later when we have more time.

Monday morning.

The rain that had been falling all weekend was still pouring down, as if it wouldn't stop until the world was destroyed.

Kiryu Yaya enters the financing review class.

As soon as I opened the door, I saw Kenta Sasaki standing in the hallway.

He was holding a newspaper in his hand, and when he saw Kiryu Yaya, he handed it to him: "Kiryu, look, the case of Minister Kouyuta has a result."