Tokyo, 1991: Starting as a bank clerk.

Page 49

Kiryu Yaya took a few steps closer.

The girl looked up.

It was a very young face, with a hint of impatience in her eyes and lips slightly pursed, as if someone had offended her.

Her eyes weren't big, but they were very bright, with slightly upturned corners, giving her a rebellious air.

"……what?"

Chapter 34 I can go on a date with you.

She glanced at Kiryu Yaya, but didn't stand up. Instead, she moved aside to make way for him.

Kiryu Yaya recognized her.

Yuki Matsushita.

The landlady, Mrs. Matsushita's, granddaughter.

To be precise, it was the landlord's daughter's child.

I heard that she was originally studying in Tokyo, but because she got into some trouble at school, her mother sent her to Osaka last year. She temporarily stayed at her grandmother's house and transferred to a high school here to finish her senior year.

However, she failed to get into her ideal university in the college entrance exam this spring.

We are currently in the review and preparation stage for the exam.

In Japan, students at this stage are called "ronin".

The so-called "ronin period" refers to the blank year after graduating from high school without passing the college entrance examination and while preparing for the next round of entrance examinations.

Those young people who fail the exam are like ronin in ancient times who have lost their masters. They have no home and can only drift between cram schools and exam papers, waiting for the next opportunity.

Kiryu Yaya only met Matsushita Yuki once, on the day he moved in.

At that time, she was carrying a bag that looked expensive. She came out of the apartment building without even glancing at him and walked straight away.

After that, whenever we occasionally bumped into each other in the hallway or stairwell, she always seemed indifferent.

Kiryu Yaya was originally planning to walk straight over.

But in that instant as he passed in front of her, he suddenly remembered...

The "banker's eye" is not yet in use today.

Out of professional habit, he looked at Yuki Matsushita and brought up the system interface.

A semi-transparent panel unfolded before my eyes, and lines of text appeared.

Yuki Matsushita

Age: 18

Education: Graduated from Osaka Prefectural Kitano High School

[Work: None (Vagabond period)]

【debt:】

"1. Takefuji: 1,200,000€"

「2.アコム：980,000€€」

「3.プロミス：550,000€€」

「4.アイフル：270,000€€」

Total debt: €3,000,000

Kiryu Yaya paused for a moment.

Three million euros.

Eighteen years old.

High school graduate.

Three million euros in debt.

His gaze shifted from the system panel back to Yuki Matsushita.

She sat on the steps in her school uniform, a cram school textbook spread out on her lap with the word "代ゼミ" printed on the cover.

There was a bag at my feet.

Louis Vuitton's Monogram canvas bag.

It's a classic style, and it looks like it's from a couple of years ago.

In Japan in 1991, this bag cost around 70,000 to 80,000 euros, equivalent to about a quarter of the monthly salary of an average office worker.

Kiryu Yaya glanced at the watch on her wrist again.

The pink Swatch plastic watch isn't particularly expensive, but it's not something a casual person working at a convenience store should buy on a whim.

In addition, there were small pearl earrings on her ears and white sneakers that were clearly well-maintained.

At first glance, it easily brings to mind four words: €€€€

Overspending.

In 1991, Japan's bubble economy had just burst, but the lingering effects of consumerism had not yet dissipated.

In the past few years, the slogan "Consumption is a virtue" has resounded throughout the streets and alleys, credit card companies have been issuing cards everywhere, and consumer finance advertisements have appeared on every television channel.

It has become perfectly normal for young people to borrow money to spend.

Consumer finance, also known as "salad money," has shockingly high interest rates.

The statutory upper limit is close to an annual interest rate of 29.2%.

Many companies even use various pretexts to push the actual burden upwards.

Borrow 100,000, repay 150,000.

Borrow one million, and it balloons to two million.

This kind of thing happens all the time.

A debt of three million euros, if rolled over at the highest interest rate, would amount to nearly nine hundred thousand euros in interest each year.

An 18-year-old prodigal son, with no stable income and no ability to repay his debts, how will he pay them back?

She probably never seriously considered this question.

Kiryu Yaya stood in the alley, looking at Matsushita Yuki, without rushing to leave.

Yuki Matsushita noticed his gaze, looked up, and frowned slightly.