January 20, 1988.
The cold wind at Chiba Port felt much harsher than in downtown Tokyo. It carried the smell of rust and seawater, cutting through clothing and making people feel cold all the way to their bones.
The doors of S.A. Logistics' Bonded Warehouse No. 1 were wide open. Several forklifts were moving inside, slowly transporting goods while making loud warning sounds as they reversed.
Shuichi stood on the steel inspection platform on the second floor. One hand rested on the freezing railing while his expensive coat moved in the wind. He did not care about the cold. What he was looking at in front of him made him feel restless instead.
The warehouse was completely full.
Everywhere he looked, there were boxes of the same type.
Pale yellow cardboard boxes were stacked so high that they formed unstable piles. The wide paths meant for forklifts were now squeezed into narrow gaps. Even the emergency exits were filled with goods wherever there was space.
"President… there is really no more room."
The warehouse supervisor, an old man who had worked for the Saionji Family for thirty years, removed his helmet and wiped the sweat from his forehead again and again.
"Factory Manager Takahashi in Shanghai is too efficient. After introducing the 'Special Workshop' and 'Braised Pork' reward systems, production increased rapidly. Three new production lines were added last month, and shipments are now arriving one week earlier than expected."
He pointed to a wall covered with documents behind him.
"All of this is S-Style basic T-shirts and jeans. Warehouse No. 2 next door is filled with hoodies. Even Warehouse No. 3, which was supposed to store fabric for next spring, was taken over yesterday."
Shuichi walked forward and lightly tapped one of the boxes.
It made a solid sound.
These boxes were not empty. They were filled with products that had already cost money to produce—materials, labor, electricity, and transportation.
According to Satsuki's original plan, these goods were supposed to be stored until after the economic bubble burst. At that time, they would be sold to dominate the market.
But now, the goods had piled up too quickly.
Before the plan could even begin, the situation was already out of control.
"What is the current inventory level?"
Satsuki, who had been standing quietly behind them, finally spoke.
She was wearing a thick scarf and holding a small notebook, writing something quickly.
"1.2 million items."
Endo, the CFO, checked his report.
"At the current cost, we are losing about two million yen every day just to store and maintain these goods."
He hesitated before continuing.
"And… cotton products do not last forever. Even with moisture protection, if they are stored like this for more than two years, they may turn yellow or grow mold."
Two years.
That was how long it might take before the economic bubble collapsed.
If they waited until then, these products might become worthless.
"We need to start selling now."
Satsuki closed her notebook.
"We cannot wait any longer. We need to slowly release these goods into the market."
Shuichi frowned.
"Now? But S-Collection's high-end image in Shibuya has only just been established. If we suddenly sell cheap goods, it will damage the brand."
"We won't touch Shibuya," Satsuki said calmly.
"And we won't touch department stores either."
She began walking toward the exit.
"We will go to the suburbs. Roadside locations. Busy highways where many people pass by."
"We will open a new type of store. No decorations. No service. Just a warehouse-style shop where clothes are piled up and customers pick what they want."
"We will use the secondary brand we already registered—S-Style."
Shuichi nodded.
This approach separated the high-end and low-end markets. It allowed them to protect their premium brand while selling off the excess inventory.
"But… who will manage it?" Shuichi asked.
The moment he said that, everyone fell silent.
The Saionji Family had many talented people.
There were butlers who were perfect at organizing formal events. But asking them to sell cheap clothes would be inefficient.
There were real estate experts who handled million-yen deals daily. But they were not suited for running small retail stores.
As for Itakura…
Satsuki glanced at him.
He was good at handling troublemakers, but not capable of managing a large retail system.
The problem was clear.
The Saionji Family lacked a very specific kind of person.
Someone practical. Someone focused. Someone who cared about small details and costs.
"Father," Satsuki said quietly.
"We have the tools, but no one to use them properly."
"If we let Fujita manage the store, he will turn it into a luxury experience."
"If we let Endo manage it, he will try to save money by turning off the lights."
"We need someone extreme."
"Someone who is obsessed with selling clothes."
Back at the Marunouchi office, the warm air made everyone feel more comfortable.
Satsuki sat on the sofa and opened a thick file. It contained information on clothing companies across Japan.
She reviewed them one by one.
"GAP… American."
"Hollywood Ranch Market… too niche."
"BEAMS… too focused on trends."
She continued flipping through the pages.
Then she stopped.
She picked up a simple black-and-white photo.
The man in the picture looked ordinary, but his eyes were intense.
Below the photo was the company name:
Ogori Shoji.
Location: Ube City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
Main business: clothing.
Note: Opened a store called "Unique Clothing Warehouse" in Hiroshima in 1984. It opened at 6:00 AM so customers could shop before work.
"Unique Clothing Warehouse…"
Satsuki whispered.
In the future, this would become Uniqlo.
She studied the information carefully.
The company was struggling.
It expanded too quickly and lacked funds.
Competitors were pressuring them.
Suppliers were unreliable.
Most importantly, the founder, Tadashi Yanai, had big ideas but limited resources.
He had no factories.
No land in major cities.
No strong financial support.
"But he understands retail," Satsuki said.
"He knows how to sell basic clothes efficiently."
This was exactly the type of person they needed.
"Endo," she said.
"Look at this."
Endo reviewed the file.
"A small company like this… is it worth it?"
"Yes," Satsuki replied.
"We will acquire it."
Shuichi paused.
"Acquire it?"
"Yes. Completely."
She turned to Endo.
"Send a team to Hiroshima tomorrow."
"Offer one billion yen."
"Provide factories, locations, and advertising."
"In return, we take full ownership."
"He can remain as president, but he must follow our direction."
Endo hesitated.
"What if he refuses?"
Satsuki calmly solved her Rubik's Cube.
"Then we open a store right across from his."
"We sell cheaper than him."
"Ask him how long he can survive."
Endo felt a chill.
This was pure financial pressure.
"Understood," he said.
Meanwhile, in Akasaka, Tokyo…
A quiet office building stood in a narrow alley.
Inside, a powerful underworld figure, Onizuka Toranosuke, sat in a dim room.
He listened as his subordinate reported.
"The Saionji Family is expanding rapidly."
"They have massive cash flow."
"But they have not contacted us."
Onizuka placed a game piece down.
"They are too clean," he said.
"In this city, no one survives alone."
He smiled slightly.
"They need to learn the rules."
He ordered his men to investigate and create trouble.
Back in Marunouchi…
Satsuki stood by the window, looking at the city lights.
Everything seemed under control.
But she felt uneasy.
"Father," she said.
"Has anyone suspicious contacted you recently?"
Shuichi shook his head.
"No."
Satsuki nodded.
But she knew the truth.
When you become powerful, attention follows.
Not all of it is good.
She opened her notebook and wrote one word:
Security.
"We don't just need people who make money," she said softly.
"We also need people who can protect it."
She closed the notebook.
"If someone wants to test us…"
"Then let them try."
Outside, Tokyo's night grew darker.
And beneath the surface, danger was quietly approaching.