Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk

Chapter 36 Kitahama Old Shop Wagashi Exchange Coupon

Yuki Matsushita's eyes immediately turned cold.

It turns out all her words were for nothing. She had hoped to move the bank employee with her own experience, but it was all in vain.

"...I knew it."

Kiryu Yaya said calmly:

"What you need to do now is not to keep borrowing money."

Yuki Matsushita frowned.

"So what do you want to say?"

Kiryu Yaya looked at her and said, word by word:

"Go back and tell your grandmother about the money you owe."

The air fell silent for a moment.

The next second, Yuki Matsushita looked up abruptly as if her tail had been stepped on.

"What did you say?!"

I said, "Go back and tell your grandmother."

Kiryu Yaya repeated it.

"Tell me exactly how much money you owe, how you incurred the debt, and how much you are short each month."

"Are you crazy?!"

Her voice suddenly rose in pitch.

"How could I possibly tell?! What if she knew—"

She'll find out sooner or later.

Kiryu Yaya interrupted her directly.

"Collection calls, demand letters, notices of tutoring class suspension."

"Which do you think is more dignified, saying it to yourself or saying it aloud?"

Yuki Matsushita's face turned pale instantly.

"I don't--"

"You already said that once."

Kiryu Yaya looked at her.

"You can say you're on a date with another man today."

"You don't even know what you'll say next time you're desperate and have nowhere to turn."

"Shut up!"

Yuki Matsushita practically shouted it out through gritted teeth.

Her eyes were very red.

"Do you think I wanted this?!"

"Of course I know you don't want to, but the problem is, not wanting to is useless. What you should be doing now is not trying to cover things up. You should find someone who is qualified to know and must know, and lift the lid on the debt."

"……no."

"Why not?"

"It just won't work!"

"Because it's embarrassing?"

"..."

"Or is it because you yourself know that this is something you can't handle alone?"

Yuki Matsushita opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a single word.

It felt like something was blocking her throat.

The night breeze blew through the alley, causing the wisp of light chestnut hair on her forehead to tremble slightly.

Kiryu Yaya looked at her and continued:

"Your grandmother took you in and gave you a place to stay, thinking you could focus on your studies here. But now you're living in her house while carrying a three million yen debt. If this continues, the day the debt collectors come to your door, she'll be in even more pain than she is now. At the very least, you should tell the truth."

Yuki Matsushita lowered her head.

She bit her lip hard.

After a long time, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence:

"She will be disappointed."

Of course.

Kiryu Yaya answered quickly, even somewhat cruelly.

"But disappointment is better than being completely kept in the dark."

These words were like a needle, precisely piercing the spot that Yuki Matsushita least wanted to touch.

She suddenly raised her head.

Tears finally welled up in my eyes.

"I just don't want her to think I'm useless!"

"I failed my college entrance exam!"

"My mom dumped me in Osaka, leaving me with my grandma like trash!"

"If I can't even handle this money properly, she'll definitely think I'm just like my mom, someone who only causes trouble for others—"

As she spoke, her voice became increasingly incoherent.

Tears streamed down my face.

But she still subconsciously raised her hand to wipe it, as if even crying was shameful.

Kiryu Yaya looked at her quietly.

After a moment, he spoke.

"Matsushita-kun."

"……what."

"You're already causing trouble for others."

"..."

"He's just a troublemaker who doesn't even realize it."

Yuki Matsushita was speechless for a moment after hearing those words, and even her tears stopped for a second.

She looked up and glared at him fiercely.

"You're a really annoying person."

"Thank you for the compliment."

I wasn't praising you!

"I know."

Kiryu Yaya put his hands back in his pockets and looked at her for two seconds.

"Tonight, tell your grandmother everything that needs to be said."

"If you said so, come find me tomorrow morning."

"If you hadn't come looking for me—"

He paused.

"Then I'll tell your grandma in person tomorrow morning, since the rent is due this month anyway."

Yuki Matsushita stared at him blankly.

It was as if they hadn't expected that the bank employee living upstairs could say such hurtful and despicable things.

Kiryu Yaya didn't look at her again.

I've said everything I needed to say.

His only act of kindness as an adult was to point out a clear path to success for this girl who was preparing for college entrance exams.

After saying that, Kiryu Yaya turned around, opened the glass door of the apartment, and went straight upstairs.

The door slowly closed behind me.

Separated by a pane of glass, Yuki Matsushita remained standing in the same spot, clutching Yoyogi's textbook in her hand, her eyes terribly red.

It felt like being slapped in the face.

……

The next morning at 7:30.

Sunlight streamed in from the narrow window of the old apartment in Osaka, falling into the six-tatami mat room.

Kiryu Yaya had just finished washing up and was about to go out for breakfast when there was a knock on the door.

Thump, thump.

The sound was very soft.

Each movement was very disciplined.

He went over and opened the door.

There were two people standing outside the door.

One was the landlady, Mrs. Matsushita.

The other one is Yuki Matsushita.

Unlike last night when she was all prickly and stubbornly refused to back down, Matsushita Yuki's eyes were noticeably swollen and her face was somewhat pale today.

She stood behind her grandmother with her head down, not saying a word.

The elderly lady Matsushita was carrying a box of pastries.

As soon as the door opened, she bowed her head.

"Kiryu-kun, sorry to bother you this morning."

I'm sorry for causing you trouble last night.

Kiryu Yaya turned to the side.

"Please come in and have a seat."

"No, it won't stop you from going out."

Grandma Matsushita quickly waved her hand and glanced at Yuki Matsushita behind her.

"Last night, Yuki told me everything."

"The debt, the tutoring classes, and her coming to you to borrow money."

She paused for a moment, then lowered her voice.

"I know everything."

Yuki Matsushita's shoulders tensed slightly.

Mrs. Matsushita bowed her head again to Kiryu Yaya.

"This child did something very rude. I'm so sorry."

"Yuki".

When her name was called, Yuki Matsushita remained silent for two seconds.

Then, she took a step forward.

Her hands hung at her sides, her fingers gripping the hem of her skirt tightly.

She lowered her head and bowed deeply to Kiryu Yaya.

"...I'm sorry about last night."

"I shouldn't have asked you for money that way."

"I shouldn't have said those things."

She paused, as if the next few words were harder to say than an apology.

"And... thank you."

Kiryu Yaya glanced at her.

"If you really want to thank someone in the future, don't do anything foolish again."

Yuki Matsushita pursed her lips.

This time, she did not refute it.

He simply nodded slightly.

"understood."

Mrs. Matsushita sighed beside her.

"This child cried for a long time last night, and I scolded her too."

"Fortunately, I still have some savings, which can help my wife get through this difficult time."

Kiryu Yaya nodded:

"That's good."

Mrs. Matsushita handed the snacks in her hand forward.

"This isn't a thank-you gift, it's just some snacks from home."

"Kiryu-kun, please accept this."

Kiryu Yaya initially wanted to refuse.

But seeing the old lady's serious, almost stubborn expression, he finally accepted it.

"Thanks."

Mrs. Matsushita seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief.

She bowed to him again with Yuki Matsushita to express her gratitude before turning and leaving.

The sound of two people's footsteps gradually receding into the distance could be heard in the hallway.

Yuki Matsushita paused for a moment when she reached the top of the stairs.

She seemed to want to turn back.

But in the end, there was still no reply.

I just followed my grandmother downstairs.

Kiryu Yaya stood at the door, watching their figures disappear around the corner of the stairs before closing the door again.

The room fell silent again.

Just then, a semi-transparent system interface appeared before my eyes.

[World line converging - bifurcation two selected]

Bank deposits increased by 5 yen.

Current bank account balance: ¥653,200

[Obtain the item "Kitahama Old Shop Japanese Confectionery Exchange Coupon"]

Kiryu Yaya raised an eyebrow.

The 50,000 yen has been credited to my account.

As for the reservation ticket...

When he looked at the words "Kitahama Old Shop Wagashi", the first person that came to mind was Ayako Shiraishi.

It would be inappropriate to arrive empty-handed for the Shiraishi family's dinner party in the afternoon.

Giving something too expensive would be considered excessive.

This kind of traditional shop and confectionery gift box is just right.

Neither frivolous nor shabby.

Kiryu Yaya looked away, placed the snacks left by Mrs. Matsushita on the table, picked up his coat again, and prepared to go out.