Financial Ruin by LilBitz

Day 1

Authors Corner: Hey everyone, this is my first story so I would love to know what you think!! I hope you enjoy it as much as I love writing it. 

He looked up from his desk at the beautiful view of downtown Tokyo. The sun was setting and the sky was lit with majestic oranges, dark reds, and honeyed ambers. With a heavy sigh, he didn't know what to do, his middle son had gotten into trouble with the police again, his oldest son and nephew were at the poker tables again. Running his hands through his hair he prayed to every god and goddess he knew of in hopes that his daughter Rin didn't pick up any of their habits.

BING!!!!

Speaking of Rin….He read the text message she sent and his eyes shimmered pink with rage. She had been expelled from her school for exploding a teachers car and was now sleeping over at her friend's house to celebrate.

He was at his wit's end he had no idea what to do. There was a soft knock on the door before it opened.

“Sir! I'm so sorry I thought you had left for the night. Please, a thousand apologies.” A man in his mid 40 with short black hair and chocolate brown eyes bowed low to the man accidentally dropping the report he had worked late.

“What do you have there Higurashi ?”

“The projections for the next 3 fiscal years.”

“Already ?”  A silver eyebrow rose into his bosses hairline. His matching head of hair he had long since cut short, leaving some stylish bangs to help conceal a blue crescent moon on his forehead. Through demons were well integrated into everyday life in Japan, there were some parts of the world where the old ways were still strong.

“Yes, sir.” He said picking them up he handed the massive binders over to his boss. “I present 2019, 20 and 21. I have included other projections as well. If I may Tashio-dono ?”

“By all means, we may as well.” He looked at the human thinking to himself that they both should be home with there respected families but maybe all wasn't as it seemed.

“I have in each year included the projects that have been proposed, approved and any denied that may or may not affect the company sir.” Surprised, Tashio-dono looked at the projections. Some time passed in silence and Higurashi was starting to get nervous.

‘Kuso!! I should have waited until the morning.’ He mentally started to curse himself. His supervisor had wanted the numbers done by the next morning and he had busted his….

“There's a mistake”

“Sir ?” KUSO!!!!!

“Right here”. His boss took out a pen and started to write on his work

“Please, if you let me fix it tonight sir I'll recalculate the numbers and...”

“It's not that, it's Higurashi correct ?”

“Ye...yes sir Higurashi, Benji.”

Putting his pen down, Tashio, Inumaru looked his employee square in the eyes and asked. “Why is your supervisor's name on this report and not yours? How long have you been with the company ?”

“Part of our training was that all of our departments' work went under his name. As for your second question since I graduated from Tokyo University in 1990.”

“With what background ?”

“I did a double major in finance and then an associates degree in business.”

Inumaru blinked at him. ‘He...how…when…’

They were interrupted by Inumarus’ cell phone. He picked up and tossed it at the wall breaking it. His eyes becoming a little pinker. Taking a deep breath he exhaled relaxing a bit. His ex-wife calling for more money. All of the why questions still circling around in his head.

“Sometimes I wish I was broke.” He wished out loud. “ Would you like a brandy ?”  Not waiting for a reply he pours two tumblers and motioned for his employee to sit.

“If I may ask? Why do you wish you were broke ?”

“Children don't understand. Everything was handed to them. Sure the eldest two fought in a few wars here and there. My nephew as well, but that was the Edo period. My Daughter, she just got expelled and is currently celebrating.”

“My niece was kicked out of her house and we took her in. Her family felt the need to marry her off to some horrible family.” His eyes darkened at the memory “He got mad at her for being too active, kendo, hand to hand combat so on and so forth. He beat her pretty badly and threw her down the temple stairs.”

“ They kicked her out because she chose not to marry a horribly abusive ass hat”

“Yep.”

“That’s...harsh.”

“Yes, so she rents the tea house on our shrine, works hard and goes to school. I keep telling her there’s enough room in the main house for her but she’s adamant.”

Then he got it. An idea formed in his head. “I have a proposal for you and it might benefit us both.”

“ What do you mean Tashio-dono.”

“Please call me Inumaru. On Friday I’m going to bring in my family's finances and I want you to analyze the whole thing. I want you to figure out how much I owe to everything. I’m going to make my family poor”

“ But the company is doing well.”

“Listen to my plan. I’m going to pay everything off and then I’m going to tell my family that we have no money. That will stop the crazy spending, we’ll move out of our current house rent something and cut everything down.”

“But that would take months of planning”

“We’ll set up another meeting on Friday and discuss it”

“How much time should I put aside sir ?”

“The day” he picked up his pen again and wrote down an address “we’ll work from my house. See you at 9:00 sharp”