Just as everyone was chiming in and about to decide which patch of sea Susumu Ishii should be sunk into
Shuichi, who had been silent all along and sitting to the side resting his eyes, slowly raised his hand.
"Everyone, please hear me out first."
As soon as Shuichi spoke, the few people who had been talking stopped almost simultaneously.
Someone put down their wine glass, while another placed the phone they were already holding back onto the table.
The gazes that were previously scattered around the room quickly concentrated on Shuichi.
"New credit can be halted, that is not a problem. Whatever has already matured and must be dealt with according to the contract will be handled as usual."
Shuichi opened his eyes, looked at everyone, and slowly continued.
"However, no one is to make a rush tonight."
"For loans that have not reached the conditions yet, do not demand additional collateral in advance just because you are worried others will collect their money first; and do not rush to sell Tokyu's stocks onto the market either."
"After you all go back, reinvestigate Ishii himself and those related companies. Loans, collateral, accounts, and the businesses still running right now—make sure everything that can be confirmed is confirmed first."
He glanced around the room.
"At least for tonight, no one should make the first move."
As his voice fell, the room remained very quiet.
Not a single person objected.
The few people who had been discussing whether they should make a move first just nodded to themselves at this moment.
After a moment, that political figure spoke up.
"I have no objections to this arrangement."
He looked at Shuichi and added:
"However, Shuichi-kun, I would like to confirm something."
"Is this Miss Satsuki's intention?"
Tanimoto, who had just been about to reach for the phone, paused.
Everyone else also looked at him.
This question was obviously not questioning Shuichi.
It is just that things had reached this point; keeping a lid on things tonight could certainly be coordinated by Shuichi, but whether to continue maintaining it tomorrow, or let banks, enterprises, insurance companies, political circles, and the media start pulling back together—that was a completely different matter.
In matters like this, everyone knew who the one with the true decision-making power was.
Shuichi did not take the credit for his daughter's judgment onto himself either.
"No."
He shook his head very decisively.
"Satsuki is still at school. I am just holding things down for tonight so that before we figure out what is going on, our own people do not end up crashing Tokyu first."
Upon hearing this, the few people instead wore expressions of understanding.
Tanimoto nodded.
"Then let us proceed according to Mr. Shuichi's arrangement for now."
The few people beside him did not say anything more either.
Soon, phone calls were made one after another.
The credit department temporarily suspended demanding additional collateral, accounts originally prepared for re-disposal were left as they were, and each firm began re-examining the past years of transactions between Ishii and those related companies.
It took no more than a few minutes.
Banks, companies, and financial institutions that had been preparing to make their own moves in completely different places just a few hours ago stopped together like this, preserving Mr. Ishii's high-quality sleep.
After the last phone call was finished, that political figure looked back at Shuichi.
"Since this is only tonight's arrangement, what we do tomorrow will have to be asked of Miss Satsuki."
This time, no one in the room raised any objections.
President Kuroda suddenly looked towards the door.
"Miss Satsuki is not coming over today?"
Shuichi glanced at his wristwatch.
"She will not be coming for now; she has classes today."
Tanimoto was slightly stunned.
"Today?"
"President Kuroda, Satsuki is still a university student after all; she has classes on Mondays."
Shuichi reminded him.
Tanimoto probably only remembered then.
The person they had just been prepared to wait for to decide how several banks, companies, and even political circles should act tomorrow had only just entered Gakushuin University this April.
Someone nearby could not help laughing.
"Why do not we simply send someone to talk with Gakushuin?"
Shuichi raised his head.
"Talk about what?"
That person spread their hands with a straight face.
"To have them take up a little less of Miss Satsuki's time. Such a huge event has happened in Japan, surely we cannot keep our brains locked up in school attending classes, can we?"
Immediately, someone in the room chimed in.
"That is not a bad idea."
"Dean Naito (Yorihiro Naito) is really lacking in tact; at least Monday evening could be accommodated."
Shuichi looked at them with a somewhat helpless expression on his face.
"If you guys really dare to go to Gakushuin for a matter like this, I reckon she will be looking for you guys first."
The laughter grew a bit louder.
The slight gloom that had been pressing down on the room finally dissipated.
Shuichi shook his head and still gestured to the waiter by the door.
"Contact Chizuru."
When the door of Chōshōken opened again, it was already past eight o'clock.
The waiter stepped inside first and reported in a low voice:
"Miss Satsuki has arrived."
The people who had just been flipping through documents and talking in low voices raised their heads almost simultaneously.
When Satsuki actually appeared at the doorway, what she saw was a scene like this—more than a dozen men who usually had the final say in banks, companies, and Nagatacho were sitting there neatly in unison, all their gazes falling entirely on her.
Her footsteps paused.
"..."
Chizuru, following closely behind, almost bumped into her.
Satsuki turned her head back to look, then turned back toward the room, the expression on her face turning resentful bit by bit.
She had indeed come directly from Gakushuin; she had just finished class and was immediately dragged here to work.
Over a light-colored top, she only wore a thin cardigan, along with a knee-length skirt, and the leather bag she usually used for classes was still hanging on her arm.
"I just finished class."
Satsuki stood at the doorway, her gaze slowly sweeping across everyone's faces.
"I did not even go home before being forcibly dragged here to work overtime by a single phone call from Father."
"Should not you all give an explanation first?"
The room fell quiet for a split second, and then someone laughed out loud.
"This is indeed our fault."
A company executive sitting close by quickly raised his hand.
"Miss Satsuki's dinner tonight is on me, and how about I compensate you with a fountain pen besides?"
"Just a pen?"
The person beside him immediately showed disdain.
"You are far too insincere. I think at least we should have something decent sent over from Ginza."
"Then I will compensate her with a set of jewelry."
"Why are you people getting more and more out of line the more you talk?"
Shuichi listened and frowned straight away.
The room instead became even livelier.
Satsuki had originally been intentionally putting on a stern face, but at this point she simply took the opportunity to walk in.
"Exactly."
She handed her bag to Chizuru and nodded with a serious face.
"You think a single fountain pen is enough to call me back from school? Am I someone that easy to deal with? At least it should be—mph!"
Halfway through her sentence, it was abruptly cut off.
Shuichi had somehow speared a large piece of shrimp meat from the plate in front of him and directly fed it into her mouth as she passed by his side.
Taken completely by surprise, Satsuki instinctively reached out to cover her mouth.
"Father!"
Her voice was muffled.
Shuichi pulled the fork back.
"Have not you eaten yet? Eat first before talking about compensation."
The surroundings instantly burst into laughter.
Satsuki glared at him, but since she really could not spit out the shrimp meat in her mouth, she could only chew while taking a seat next to Shuichi.
After chewing a few times, the dissatisfaction on her face visibly loosened a bit.
"Mhm..."
She chewed twice more.
"It is actually pretty good."
At this, the laughter in the room grew even louder.
Shuichi did not even look at her, only pushing the plate of food next to them that had not been touched much closer to her.
Satsuki did not stand on ceremony either, picking up her fork and picking out another piece.
"Forget it."
She swallowed what was in her mouth and finally put away that deliberately aggrieved look from just now.
"Seeing as the shrimp is not bad, I will not hold it against you all today."
Someone smiled and reminded her:
"The apology gift we agreed on just now still counts."
"Of course it counts."
Satsuki immediately chimed in.
"You cannot go back on this."
There was another round of laughter in the room.
She lowered her head to eat a couple bites of food, and once the laughter gradually subsided, she raised her eyes.
Her tone had already returned to normal.
"Where were you guys talking up to?"
The change happened almost right after that single sentence.
The people who had just been joking with her quickly wiped away their smiles.
Everyone sat a bit straighter, holding their spines upright, just like a bunch of newcomers who had just entered a company.
Tanimoto first pushed the documents in front of him a bit toward Satsuki.
"Mr. Shuichi has already put a lid on tonight's moves. New credit is suspended, normal maturities are handled according to contract, several other firms will not demand additional collateral in advance for now, and there is no rush to dispose of Tokyu stocks."
As Satsuki listened, she speared a piece of shrimp from her plate.
Tanimoto continued to clearly explain the real problem that arose tonight.
"At first it was just that 4.7 billion to be renewed tomorrow. Later, when everyone put what they had investigated together, they found out the matter was more troublesome than imagined."
"What can be confirmed right now, besides the loans between several financial institutions and Ishii's related companies, also includes securities accounts, insurance financing, and corporate transactions. If they really tighten everything together, the impact on Ishii's side will not just be one or two loans."
The trust bank director beside him took over the conversation.
"Those 4.7 billion of ours do not amount to much on their own; the real trouble is that a good amount of Tokyu stock is weighed down in the collateral."
"If we do not renew tomorrow, and the other party cannot come up with new cash, they will have to supplement the collateral. If they cannot supplement it, in the end we can only dispose of the existing stocks."
He paused slightly.
"The problem is, it is not just our firm re-investigating right now. If several firms sell together, Tokyu's price will be smashed down by ourselves first, and by then, what could have originally recovered eighty percent of the money based on today's prices might end up returning less than fifty percent."
It was only then that Satsuki stopped her fork.
"Regarding that 4.7 billion loan, if it is not renewed, when is the latest we would need to provide additional collateral?"
"Before tomorrow afternoon."
"Has anyone formally issued a margin call notice yet?"
"Not yet."
The director shook his head.
"A few institutions started recalculating this afternoon, but Mr. Shuichi asked everyone to hold off for the night, so currently it is still just an internal review."
Satsuki nodded.
That was enough.
She did not press further about the exact loan amounts for each firm, but instead turned her gaze to the others at the table.
"If, starting tomorrow, none of the financial institutions present here give Mr. Ishii any new funds and simply let the existing financing mature according to their original terms, how long can he hold out?"
This time, several people did not rush to answer.
Tanimoto thought for a moment.
"Judging only by what we have uncovered so far, it is hard to give an exact figure."
"He might not even last a month."
Someone beside him added:
"It also depends on how much cash he actually has on hand, and whether he can find financing outside of The Club. If he has other channels we do not know about, it could take longer."
Satsuki set her fork back on the edge of her plate.
"What if it is not just the banks?"
Kuroda understood what she was asking.
"Great East Asia Corporation has two subsidiaries doing business with Ishii's side. The amount is not large, but if all of The Club begins reviewing everything, the impact will not just be limited to cash flow."
The representatives from the insurance sector nodded as well.
"On our end, we can re-examine the relevant financing and collateral relationships. If there are real issues, whatever needs to be halted will be halted."
The political figure leaned back in his chair, his tone actually being the most relaxed.
"Needless to say about Nagatacho right now. Nomura and Nikko have just resigned, so no one will step forward for Ishii at a time like this. As long as Saionji does not want things to end here, people in the Parliament will naturally keep pressing the issue."
"Over at the Inagawa-kai, who is currently handling this matter with Mr. Ishii?"
Several people at the table exchanged glances.
The political figure spoke up first.
"At least for now, we have not seen them step out publicly. Ishii has already stepped down, and the one truly calling the shots in the Inagawa-kai now is Yuko Inagawa. With something like this happening, the internal organization definitely knows, but no one has taken an external stance yet."
Satsuki nodded.
That was hardly surprising.
The most troublesome aspect for Susumu Ishii right now was not whether those few loans could be renewed or not.
With the Nomura and Nikko incidents exposed, the hand he had painstakingly reached into the formal financial system over the past few years was now laid bare before everyone.
What is more, the Anti-Boryokudan Act had just been promulgated this May.
Even without this securities scandal, banks, enterprises, the police, and local society would only become increasingly reluctant to be involved with these people in the future.
Ishii had simply crashed into it ahead of time.
Satsuki speared another piece of shrimp with her fork, ate it slowly, and then spoke again.
"Then let us not rush to crush him to death just yet."
Someone at the table looked up.
Satsuki wiped her hands with a napkin.
"Father's arrangements just now will continue. Stop new credit, handle what matures normally according to contract, and the rest of you should not rush to dispose of anything tonight either."
"As for Mr. Ishii and those affiliated companies, just re-investigate and clarify their loans, collateral, accounts, insurance, and the business dealings currently still active."
She paused.
"Keep all the original files as well. If things suddenly go missing at a time like this, it will only make people think there is something even shadier hidden inside."
Everyone nodded one after another.
Naturally, they had no objections.
Since Satsuki had spoken, tonight's matter was settled.
The political figure was still looking at her, however.
"Miss Satsuki, are you planning to see how the Inagawa-kai handles this first?"
"Something like that."
Satsuki picked up her water glass.
"Mr. Ishii alone is not that important. But we cannot act like the Inagawa-kai behind him does not exist either."
Hearing this, Shuichi had already vaguely guessed his daughter's intention.
"You want to make contact with them?"
Satsuki did not answer immediately.
She looked at the intelligence materials that had just been gathered on the table and pondered for a moment.
"Let me reach out once first."
"It is a good opportunity to use Mr. Ishii's matter to let them know where Saionji stands right now."
She put down her glass.
"Though there is no need to go directly to the Inagawa-kai."
Shuichi asked:
"Then who are you planning to reach out to?"
"Mr. Ishii."
Satsuki said matter-of-factly.
"Although he has stepped down, people in the Inagawa-kai still listen to him. Besides, this whole matter started with him in the first place, so having him pass the word back is more appropriate than us showing up at their doorstep directly."
Kuroda, who had been leaning back on the sofa listening for a long time, chimed in at this point.
"Who do you plan to send?"
Satsuki thought for a moment.
"Saionji Maki."
When that name came out, the expressions of several people at the table visibly turned more serious.
Anyone truly familiar with Saionji knew that over the years, she had been managing the family's most difficult and least negotiable matters.
On top of that, she was extremely rigid and unyielding—showing no mercy even when dealing with relatives—making her a terror within the family that could stop a crying child in the night...
Shuichi glanced at his daughter, somewhat surprised.
"Sending Maki to see Ishii? Are you trying to..."
Wipe out the Inagawa-kai just like how she wiped out the Black Dragon Society?
He did not speak that last sentence aloud.
"Mm."
Satsuki picked up her fork again.
"First, 'ask' Mr. Ishii to shoulder his own mess. Pay back the money that should be repaid, handle the assets that need handling, but do not let people from the Inagawa-kai pressure banks, securities firms, or anyone else just because funds are tight."
"And then have Maki pass along a message for me."
Shuichi asked:
"To Yuko Inagawa?"
"To whoever in the Inagawa-kai can actually make the decisions right now."
Satsuki nodded.
"Tell them that in a little while, Saionji will arrange a private gathering."
"I want them to send someone who can represent the entire Inagawa-kai."
Hearing this, Kuroda's brow twitched slightly.
"Only invite the Inagawa-kai?"
Satsuki looked up at him.
"Since we have encountered this kind of matter, it is naturally less troublesome to talk things through clearly all at once."
At this point, she actually smiled.
"Let us invite the other two as well."
The room fell silent for a moment.
Everyone understood who the "other two" referred to.
Yamaguchi-gumi.
Sumiyoshi-kai.
Plus the Inagawa-kai.
The three heaviest organizations in Japan's underworld.
Shuichi, who had originally just been listening, finally sat up a bit straighter at this.
"You want to call all three together?"
"Mm."
Satsuki looked down and poked at the food on her plate again.
"The Anti-Boryokudan Act has already been promulgated; they will have to figure out how to survive in the future anyway."
"It just so happens I would also like to hear what they themselves think."
Her tone sounded very casual.
Yet no one at the table actually treated this as an ordinary gathering.
Gathering all three major syndicates together at this juncture could not possibly be a mere whim of Satsuki's to share a cup of tea with everyone.
Saionji was preparing to reach its hand into Japan's underworld.
Everyone showed different expressions, silently guessing what Satsuki was planning to do this time, whether it was the next big trend, and how they should follow up.
Shuichi was silent for a moment.
"Then when will Maki go?"
Satsuki turned her head to look at Chizuru.
"Have Maki set off tomorrow and bring the 'Special Security Unit' with her."
Chizuru immediately opened her notebook.
"The Special Security Unit? Is she really going to... uh, help Ishii 'euthanize'?"
Shuichi shook his head with a slight headache.
"Then I will give the Metropolitan Police Department a heads-up so they can have a few security cameras 'break down' tomorrow."
Satsuki laughed in exasperation, pointing her fork at Shuichi.
"Father, did not I say it is just to deliver a message? The security unit is only there to protect Maki's safety."
"No, no, I just think the public surveillance system in that area really has reached the time for routine maintenance."
Satsuki was speechless, but did not intend to argue with Shuichi further.
Better to focus on the prawn in front of her.
Chizuru had already gotten up and walked out to make a phone call.
The people in the room began discussing again.
Except compared to earlier, everyone had another layer of things to organize now.
In addition to Ishii himself and those affiliated companies, people were also starting to look into the connections the Inagawa-kai had established over the years in banking, corporate enterprises, real estate, and the securities market.
Satsuki did not intervene any further.
She was finally able to finish the rest of her dinner in peace and quiet.
Before long, Chizuru returned.
"I have informed Miss Maki."
Satsuki nodded, still chewing on a piece of meat.
"Mmhmm... let her go."
She thought for a moment and added:
"Contact Mr. Ishii first and tell him someone from Saionji will visit him tomorrow."
"As for who is coming, no need to say in advance."
Chizuru was slightly taken aback, then immediately understood.
"Understood."
Satsuki picked up her fork again.
The people around the table exchanged glances, however.
Maki visiting in person.
Susumu Ishii would likely realize very soon
What Saionji was having him bring back would never be just a simple invitation.