Returnee from Another World - Chapter 60: The Crossroads of Fate

Chapter 60: The Crossroads of Fate

Entering Ando Finance, I sat at the front desk with a calm facade.

From this angle, a partition obscured half of Kyouka Amasawa’s figure, but I could see four people seated, including her. I immediately recognized Akuzawa Hitoshi among them. The other two were unfamiliar. One, dressed like a thug, was likely tied to the Hayashi-do group. The other, a timid-looking middle-aged man, radiated a purple [Fear] aura like Kyouka’s, suggesting he was another of Akuzawa’s victims.

Kyouka’s anxious expression, glimpsed briefly, set my nerves on edge. I wanted to grab her and leave immediately. But causing a scene here would be reckless—a last resort. I could overpower them, but that would complicate things. Losing my deal with Yasunaga was inevitable, but since Akuzawa might already know Kyouka’s home, escaping wouldn’t solve everything.

For now, Kyouka didn’t seem harmed by Akuzawa. Did that mean the turning point was her email, not the horrific scene from my memory? I couldn’t be certain, but if so, saving her through other means was the better option. First, I needed to understand why she was here and Yasunaga’s role in this.

“Excuse me, is Yasunaga-san here?” I asked.

“Yes, Masuda-sama. Yasunaga is currently in a meeting with President Takayanagi in the back room. I’ll call him shortly, so please wait here,” the receptionist replied.

“No rush. I’m fine waiting until Yasunaga-san’s business is done,” I said.

Truthfully, I wanted to stall to gather more information about Akuzawa’s group. Waiting didn’t bother me. But the heavily made-up receptionist knew me well. Pretending to be a random customer wouldn’t work, and Yasunaga would likely come quickly once informed.

Kyouka’s group was a bit far, but my sharp hearing caught their conversation faintly. Hoping to learn something before Yasunaga arrived, I eavesdropped while seated.

“Look, if you don’t sign, your dad’s done for. You know he’s in debt, right? We’ve been to your house for collections before. I hate to say it, but we’re in a bind too. Eight million yen is a lot. If we let that slip, I’d have to lose a finger or two to make up for it,” Akuzawa said.

“Dad…” Kyouka murmured.

“I’m so sorry, Kyouka,” the man said.

“It’s just playing hostess sometimes. Maybe serving drinks to some guys. No big deal—it’s just a side job. If a customer’s a creep, you can say no. I’ll teach you how to handle them,” Akuzawa added.

“Eight million yen? Dad, how did you end up owing that much?” Kyouka asked.

“It’s… for a business I’m starting. It was necessary,” the man stammered.

“Exactly. Your dad’s working hard to give your family a better life. But he went bankrupt before, and your mom was a guarantor, so neither can borrow from banks,” Akuzawa said.

“I’m just a student…” Kyouka said.

“Student or not, doesn’t matter. It’s just lending your name. Your dad’s the one paying it back,” Akuzawa replied.

“But…” Kyouka hesitated.

“Kyouka, please. Just sign this once. I swear I’ll pay it back in six—no, three months,” the man pleaded.

The conversation reached my ears. The middle-aged man was apparently Kyouka’s father. I’d never met him, as Kyouka always seemed reluctant to invite me to her home. I’d never been there.

Yet, his voice was familiar. It matched the man I’d overheard at Ando Finance before, trapped by Akuzawa’s schemes. I hadn’t seen his face then, but it was likely the same man—Kyouka’s father. As I processed this, the receptionist returned with Yasunaga and Takayanagi.

“Well, well, Masuda-san. Here for another deal?” Yasunaga asked.

“Yes. You said sooner was fine, and I’ve been needing cash lately. Sorry to trouble you,” I said.

“No trouble at all. You’re always welcome,” he replied.

“That’s reassuring. Here you go,” I said, placing the attaché case on the desk.

Takayanagi took it and headed to the back office without checking the contents.

“Standing around here’s no good. All we’ve got is coffee, but let’s head to the back,” Yasunaga offered.

“I don’t want to impose on your busy schedule. Here’s fine,” I said.

“Fair enough. By the way, the girls at L’OASI are eager for your visit. I’m tied up today, but if you’re free later, swing by,” he said.

“I’d love to, but I’ve got plans. Sorry, I’ll definitely stop by next time. By the way, it looks like Akuzawa-san’s here. Is that related?” I asked.

Yasunaga’s gaze sharpened. Unlike last time, Kyouka’s involvement as a minor made this risky. He hesitated briefly but seemed to decide it was safe to talk, a sign of the trust I’d earned.

“Yeah, something like that,” he said.

“Sorry for prying, but I was curious. Last time I was here, Akuzawa was talking about a two-million-yen debt with you. The man’s voice sounds familiar,” I said.

“You’ve got a good memory. Yes, that deadbeat from before,” Yasunaga confirmed.

“I thought so. And the girl next to him?” I asked.

“That’s Amasawa’s daughter. Poor thing, doesn’t know she’s headed for hell,” he said.

“Hell?” I asked.

“Just what Akuzawa does. He’ll use the debt to lure her to his place, trap her with sex and drugs, and probably sink her into the sex trade. She’s good-looking and young, so she’ll make a fortune,” Yasunaga said.

His words revived the memory’s horrific scene. If I did nothing, it’d unfold exactly as before. I now understood why Kyouka was here and Yasunaga’s vague involvement, though how Akuzawa targeted her was unclear.

“What? Her own father sold her? I’m not judging Akuzawa, but that’s her dad, right?” I said, feigning casual interest to avoid suspicion.

I’d heard of parents in impoverished regions selling their daughters, even in Japan’s past. But I needed a plausible reason to get Kyouka out quietly.

“There are hopeless scum who get hooked on gambling. They’ll sell anything for money, even their own daughter. Or maybe he thinks he can still turn things around. The loan’s eight million yen, but only one million goes to Amasawa. He might use it to try something,” Yasunaga said.

“For gambling?” I asked.

“Probably. What else can that loser do?” he replied.

“But last time, it was two million, with lower interest temporarily. How’d it jump to eight million?” I asked.

“We’ve lent him more since then, at reasonable rates, not loan-shark levels. He pays interest, then borrows more to cover it—the usual pattern. The idiot uses over half for gambling, not repayment,” Yasunaga said.

So, Kyouka’s life was being ruined over a mere eight million yen, sold by her own father? For a salaryman, even five million in debt could destroy their life, let alone borrowing from a shady lender like Yasunaga. And her father might borrow more.

“That’s… something,” I said.

“You can’t choose your parents. Cutting ties with that guy’s the best move. Akuzawa’s good at sweet-talking—‘just do a little work to help your dad,’” Yasunaga said.

“Work? She looks really young,” I said.

“Yeah, a 17-year-old high schooler. Minors can borrow with parental consent, but without it, they’re not obligated to repay. Normally, no one lends to a minor without consent, but Amasawa’s father agreed, so she can’t dodge it,” he explained.

“I see,” I said.

“She could declare bankruptcy, but her father’s the guarantor, so we won’t lose either way,” he added.

“Even if she did, Akuzawa wouldn’t let it go easily,” I said.

“Of course. Amasawa can’t repay, so Akuzawa covers the eight million for now. Yakuza don’t let things slide—they’ll push hard, even if it’s messy,” Yasunaga said.

Then I’d have to cover Amasawa’s debt myself. Eight million yen was nothing to me now. But why would James Masuda do that? And Kyouka’s father would never reform. Even if I paid, he’d drag her down again. Cutting ties was the only way, but in my past life, Kyouka couldn’t, which led to her fall to Akuzawa. That wasn’t the priority now—I had to get her out first and deal with her father later.

“Hmm, I have a request,” I said.

“A request?” Yasunaga asked.

“Not for you, but for Akuzawa-san,” I clarified.

“What do you mean?” he asked, eyeing me.

I took a deep breath. I couldn’t rush this. I’d have to accept some suspicion—James Masuda had no reason to save Kyouka. But I had to make this deal work.

“Could you let me take that father and daughter?” I asked.