The loan sharks used to be different when Maruochi Ginza was the president. The pathetic man forced a depression by giving everyone free money.
Obviously the value of money dropped, and now the people needed a lot of it for basic stuff. So they had to depend on loans to get through the depression.
Loan sharks thrived in this market.
They would prey on anyone who was desperate enough to want a loan. But with the competition increase after an actually competent man took the presidency and reduced inflation, they had to lower their rates.
Which then in turn lowered their margins. Defaulting on a loan became a whole lot more dangerous for them so they became a lot more selective with their money.
Akira was kicked out for seven different establishments that night. A night that was slowly coming to an end as the businesses around him closed down.
He felt his heart sink. That house was the only one that could provide both treatment and aid to his Pa. Giving up on that meant giving up on any hope for Pa.
As the rejections kept piling on and the streets became emptier, Akira almost felt like he was short of breath and that his stomach was swimming around his innards. He ran between shops asking about coverage, interest, and other stuff-- only to then later be deemed unworthy.
No one wanted to lend him money.
With all the stress he was getting delirious. His circumstances, though, would not allow him to give up on this quite yet. It there was one thing that part time taught Akira, it was grit.
So picked himself up and dusted himself off.
He was headed to beg the sharks leaving on the street, but fate had another opinion. He felt some weight on his shoulders as a stark black cat jumped in front of him. It wagged its tail as it walked to a small staircase leading up a building. The building was narrow, but significantly more premium looking than the offices next to it.
Best of all, its lights were still on.
He followed the cat.
The outside matched what was inside. It was a clean environment but completely desolate. No customers, no staff, an empty reception. Even the cat seemed to have disappeared.
Akira knocked on the glass door before entering.
Inside the cabin was a lady quite a few years older than him. She had supply pale skin without a wrinkle in sight. Her start maroon dress juxtaposed the minimal colours in her office. Her long lustrous gun silver hair flowed all the way down to the floor.
"What can I help you with?" The lady's low voice snapped Akira out of his trance.
"Ah-yes I am here to apply for a loan."
"How much?"
"Two hundred thousand."
She noted something completely unrelated on her notebook and then- "Alright."
"Huh?" He was expecting another rejection, or at the very least more questions. An approval shouldn't have been that easy.
"Well, we send bonds though. So you'll have to pay the interest along with your principle at the end of the period. You cannot pay ahead of time, at the same time you won't be able to pay after it."
"Th-that's totally fine."
"Do you have a date in mind?"
"Can you please tell me the interest first?"
"I forgot to mention this, but the payment is not going to be in the form of money. You'll sell us the rights to use you after the moratorium is up. The rate is reasonable and would be calculated based on part time wage. For example if you work for a 1000 yen an hour, we will own you for two hundred of your hours."
"Wait, what are you going to do with me for that long? Are you going to sell my organs?!" Akira hugged his body.
"No, it's more like you'll turn into our asset. The contract will protect you against damages from the organisation so you don't have to worry about that."
"I need to look at the contract first."
"Sure."
The lady picked up a piece of paper printed on the desk and gave it to him. Almost as if she was expecting him.
"I don't get it."
"It's just a bond with a different repayment schedule is all. The higher your previous salary was will affect the repayment period so I expect you to be truthful. Also as I mentioned, this is a bond. Any late payment will come with a punishment where the rate goes up by 30% compound every day." To any sane person that was an abominable rate.
But to the person who was just desperate enough, the price was doable.
That was the case for every other organisation as well so it didn't catch him by surprise.
He saw down the street from the window above. It was completely empty. This was his one shot.
Akira reconsidered whether begging the clinic lady would be a better idea. But quite frankly he wasn't mature enough to show desperation and vulnerability to someone he considered his antagonist.
He stood staring blankly at the sheet.
"I pick a moratorium of 1 month and 1 weeks."
Let's see. I get the 2 months' salary worth from the loan. Send it off to Granny. I continue to earn this month, that should cover the month I'll spend working for this loan company. What a strange structure.
"Can I get a pen?"
A cheap ball tip pen was handed to him. He signed the document and handed it back to the lady.
"You know you're our youngest customer yet."
"I could've wagered a guess."
"Well, it means that you'll be very useful within our ranks. Remember to use the money wisely and I will be expecting your service soon."
"That's the plan."
"Well my name has been Ebizu Scarlet. Pleasure doing business with you, Master Akira."
'You don't know what you don't know.' A common human adage. You can't expect someone who has no experience in trades to make a well informed one. In just this one conversation, Akira made a hasty decision that would then alter his way of life going forward.
With the actual cash in hand, he walked back to his home only to be confronted with a different reality.
The sound of sirens wailing and loud voices. He saw a stretcher and an old man laid on top of it.
"It's already been half an hour."