Returnee from Another World - Chapter 24: The Man Named Akuzawa Hitoshi

Chapter 24: The Man Named Akuzawa Hitoshi

“Thank you so much for indulging my unreasonable request the other day. It really helped us out.”

“No, no, we made a profit from it, so it’s mutual. I’m just relieved to hear your trouble’s been resolved, Masuda-san. If that issue had disrupted our supply, it’d be a huge loss for both of us.”

“I’m glad you feel that way. I hope to maintain a long and fruitful relationship with you, Yasunaga-san.”

“Here’s to a good partnership. Now, I’ll have the cash prepared, so please wait a moment. Oi, Takayanagi, take this.”

Yasunaga called a man named Takayanagi and handed him the attaché case I’d brought.

Apparently, Takayanagi is the nominal president, but Yasunaga’s the real owner—a mere formality, no doubt.

It’s already mid-November.

I’d reached out to Yasunaga myself for the first time in a while and visited his office.

“So, was Yasu useful to you, Masuda-san?”

“Sorry? Yasu-san helping me?”

“Well, you specifically requested a different handover location. Given the circumstances, I wondered if you had some ulterior motive for calling Yasu. My apologies—probably just my imagination. In this business, unexpected things make me suspect hidden agendas. Bad habit.”

A slight menace flickered across Yasunaga’s face.

“I see. But, Yasunaga-san, it’s a bit unfair to assume I used Yasu-san for something. As I said on the phone, I just couldn’t go far from that location. Thanks to you, the trouble’s been handled, and I’m grateful.”

“No, I’m sorry. I know that was rude of me. I didn’t mean to offend. But we have to avoid getting tangled in disputes with other organizations. I hope you understand why we’re a bit paranoid. If that’s not the case, feel free to use Yasu as much as you want.”

He’s sharp.

I thought I’d played it smoothly, but something in my dealings with Yasu must’ve seemed off.

Still, it’s probably just a minor suspicion.

Yasunaga’s attitude suggests he’s not fully distrustful—just laying down a warning. As he said, he’s likely genuinely worried about getting caught in a turf war.

Yasu’s encounter with those delinquents probably doesn’t register as a real threat to Yasunaga. This is more about setting boundaries for the future.

“Don’t worry, Yasunaga-san. I’d never cause you trouble.”

“Sorry, really. It’s not that I don’t trust you. If something like that happened, I’d have to cut ties with you, tears or not. I just ask you to keep our situation in mind.”

It’s a polite warning, but clearly a threat.

Still, I didn’t take it personally. I did use Yasu, and our relationship is what it is.

Yasunaga’s stance seemed reasonable enough.

But staying silent wouldn’t do.

It might imply I’m rattled by his jab. Just as I opened my mouth to retort, a shout came from outside.

“What? You’re the one who didn’t pay up! You begged for the loan, and now you’re complaining? If you won’t return my precious money, I’ve got ways to deal with you, punk!!!”

“No, that’s not… I thought I borrowed about 400,000 yen total.”

“Look, buddy, ever heard of interest? You dodged paying even that, so it’s piled up. We went out of our way to your house, and your family played dumb. We wasted trips over and over!”

“No, I plan to pay. I’ll come by later… definitely.”

“Good. If you’re serious, you’ll sign this IOU, right?”

“No way! Signing for a 2-million-yen loan? That’s insane!”

“I explained already. It includes the interest you didn’t pay. Stop whining and sign!!!”

Yasunaga’s face darkened at the commotion.

I recognized the gruff voice.

It was definitely Akuzawa, the guy from Sayaka’s shop.

I didn’t know why Akuzawa was here, but Yasunaga’s sour expression showed he wasn’t welcome.

“Sorry, Masuda-san. It’s noisy outside; I’ll check on it.”

Yasunaga stepped out.

I was curious but couldn’t just follow like a gawker. I sipped the coffee the receptionist had made and waited quietly.

About ten minutes later, Yasunaga returned with Takayanagi.

“Sorry for the wait. The cash is ready.”

He presented the attaché case I’d given Yasu, stuffed with cash—payment for last time and this.

I checked each stack carefully. Not that I doubted Yasunaga—it’s just the image I’m crafting as James Masuda: a calculating man who doesn’t easily trust. Not greedy, but cautious.

“Looks good.”

After thoroughly inspecting the cash, I closed the case and addressed Yasunaga.

“Has the commotion outside settled?”

“Yeah, embarrassing as it is. Seems Akuzawa was here. I allow him to use this place for business, but I’ve told him not to make a scene with other clients around.”

“I heard something about 2 million yen. Pardon my layman’s curiosity, but is it safe to lend that much at a ten-to-one rate?”

“No way, normally it’s 50,000 or 100,000 yen, depending on their ability to pay. Most people here, aside from hostesses, are blacklisted. You don’t lend big to them.”

If my memory’s right, the Money Lending Business Act was recently amended, making illegal lending a criminal offense. High-value loans could be risky if a desperate borrower reports it. At best, it’s a big loss; at worst, it’s a violation of the Money Lending or Investment Laws.

“So why’s Akuzawa doing it? He mentioned a principal of 400,000 yen, but even at ten-to-one, that’s steep. Was the borrower wealthy?”

“Who knows? The guy seemed like a deadbeat. Met him at the boat races, apparently. Akuzawa mentioned keeping interest low in exchange for some task. I don’t know his plan, but he’s probably got something in mind.”

“And that’s why he came here?”

“No, just to get the IOU signed. To cover the inflated amount, including interest, he makes it look like the full sum was lent initially. That’s his MO. He targets losers at the races, reels them in. Starts with drinks, prying into their lives—address, family, hometown. Despite his tough look, he’s good at playing the friendly guy. People fall for it.”

“Hmm.”

“Once he’s got their info, he lends small—5,000, 10,000 yen, low interest. Even deadbeats can pay that. He gradually increases the loans, and when they’re hooked and strapped for cash, he refuses more. Then he demands repayment of everything, including interest.”

“What if they can’t pay?”

“He’s got their details locked down—address, everything. Probably has his thug buddies handle it. If they can’t pay, he slaps on high interest as a condition for delaying repayment. If they scrape together something or pay interest, fine. If not, he lets them stew.”

“I see. And then drags them here to sign for an inflated amount. But how does he get them to sign?”

“Akuzawa forces them. These are broke people with no options—bankruptcy or debt restructuring types. They can’t borrow elsewhere, and most lawyers won’t touch a case against a yakuza like him. Our business isn’t much different, but Akuzawa’s another breed. Violence, threats, assault, rape—he’ll do anything. We’re prepared to take a fall if we mess up—Takayanagi’s set to take the blame. We’re careful, but Akuzawa doesn’t care about prison. That’s how he gets away with it.”

“Wow. You mentioned he’s old-school yakuza.”

“Akuzawa Hitoshi’s just a dumb thug. That’s his only way to make money. He’s scary because you never know what he’ll do.”

“Sorry to interrupt, Yasunaga-san, but it’s about time.”

Takayanagi cut into our conversation.

“Sorry, Masuda-san, I’ve got some business to attend to.”

“No, I’m sorry for keeping you. I’ll head out. Next meeting’s in a month, right?”

“Yes, looking forward to it.”

I stood, case in hand.

I had plans tonight, starting late. I had some time, but I couldn’t linger here.

After a quick handshake with Yasunaga, I left the office.

Heading to the station, I slipped into a public restroom and retrieved items from my dimensional storage for my meeting with Sayaka—my first in two weeks.