Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk.

Kiryu Yaya watched her retreating figure, picked up the can of coffee, and pulled the tab.

The coffee had the typical sweetness of convenience store canned coffee, but for some reason, it tasted pretty good today.

By 5 p.m., rumors about the Shiraishi case had spread from the third floor to the ground floor.

Someone came up from the sales department to deliver documents, and deliberately slowed down as they passed Kiryu's desk.

"Kiryu-kun, thank you for your hard work."

"Thanks for your hard work."

"I heard the fifth floor was quite lively today?"

"It's just a normal execution process."

"The normal execution process would alarm the branch manager and the debt management department? You're speaking with the style of Chief Chihaya."

The other person smiled and left.

Ten minutes later, a young staff member from the International Affairs Department poked his head in, asking Section Chief Yamada for a signature. After signing, he couldn't help but glance at Kiryu.

In the end, even a female staff member from the general affairs department whispered to her colleague next to her while delivering teacups:

"Is that Kiryu-kun from the Financing Review Section?"

"He looks quite energetic."

"So young."

Kiryu Yaya kept his head down, writing his report, pretending not to hear.

He finally realized that the most troublesome thing about fame is that you don't need to actively provoke it; it will come and sit down at your table on its own.

At 5:30 p.m., Masakazu Yamada came out of the section chief's office and clapped his hands.

That's all for today.

Everyone in the office was stunned for a moment.

Masakazu Yamada looked at everyone:

"Put everything on the table in the drawer first. That's all for today's case on the Shiraishi Refrigeration machine."

The office fell silent for a moment.

Almost instinctively, everyone in the financing review class looked up at the wall clock.

5:32 PM.

At this time, in the financing review department of Mitsubishi Bank's Osaka branch, there is usually still one agreement, two review forms, and three customer confirmation calls to complete before the end of the workday.

"There's one more thing."

Masakazu Yamada held up the folder in his hand and patted it lightly twice in the air.

His gaze swept across the entire financing review session.

Twenty-odd desks, filing cabinets along the wall, piles of waste paper boxes next to the photocopier, and the Midosuji street gradually darkening outside the window.

Finally, his gaze fell on Kiryu Yaya.

"The notification from the HR department just arrived."

Kiryu Yaya's heart stirred slightly.

Masakazu Yamada placed a thin piece of paper stamped with the personnel department's seal on his desk.

"It's Kiryu too."

"Yes."

Kiryu Yaya immediately stood up.

Masakazu Yamada looked at him, his tone more formal than usual:

"Upon application by the Financing Review Section, approval by the Financing Department Head, confirmation by the Human Resources Department, and approval by the Branch Manager, effective May 1st, your new employee rotation will end, and you will be officially assigned to the Financing Review Section."

The office fell completely silent.

In just a few seconds, almost everyone's eyes fell on Kiryu Yaya.

Formal assignment.

Financing review course.

I've been in the industry for less than a month.

The combination of these three elements is surprising enough in itself.

Masakazu Yamada continued:

"In other words, starting next week, Kiryu will no longer be a newcomer rotating through our department."

He paused for a moment.

"He's now part of our financing review team."

This statement carries more weight than a formal assignment.

In Japanese banks, departments are not simply offices.

Where a person belongs often determines their evaluation system, network, faction, and career path for the next few years or even more than a decade.

Kiryu Yaya stood up straight and bowed deeply.

"Please continue to guide and instruct me in the future."

There was a moment of silence in the office.

Immediately, Masakazu Yamada clapped his hands first.

"Welcome, welcome."

Chihaya Yuri chimed in.

"Nice to meet you, Kiryu-kun."

Several female employees also smiled and applauded.

The applause was not enthusiastic.

The welcome at the bank office is always very restrained.

So

Masakazu Yamada clapped his hands, drawing everyone's attention back.

"At 6:30 tonight, at 'Takenoya' behind Yodoyabashi Bridge."

Someone's eyes lit up.

"Is the section chief treating us?"

"Use the in-class friendship and harmony fees."

A low murmur of disappointment suddenly filled the office.

Masakazu Yamada added slowly:

"I'll cover the rest."

"Long live the section chief!"

"It's also Kiryu's welcome party."

Masakazu Yamada looked at everyone:

"To celebrate the completion of the procedures for the Shiraishi Refrigeration case, and to welcome Kiryu to the Financing Review Division. Everyone who can come today, please come. Those who cannot come, please write down a reason and let me see if it is sufficient for my approval."

Someone asked:

"Section Chief, isn't this mandatory?"

"It's not mandatory."

Masakazu Yamada remained expressionless.

"I'll just remember who didn't come."

Another low chuckle echoed in the office.

Kiryu Yaya sat back down and picked up the personnel notice.

The words on the paper are very ordinary.

Date, name, department, assignment decision, confirmation stamp.

But for him, this piece of paper meant that he had a real place in Mitsubishi Bank.

Chapter 31 Financing Course Welcome Party

At 6:10, the group from the financing review team left the bank one after another.

It was already getting dark in Midosuji.

The wind at the end of April blew along the street, and the new ginkgo leaves gleamed with a tender green light under the streetlights.