I'm still wondering how Kobori ties into all of this. He seems like the main focus of this arc, yet Itabashi more resembles the debtor undeserving of empathy. Thanks for the translation per usual.
I watched the movie so I know how this arc ends but yeah, I don't like Kobori. He's the perfect example of that "herbivore" stereotype where he just takes shit and doesn't do anything about it. In Japan you don't switch companies often and if you do it's considered a negative so I understand why he doesn't leave but still...ugh. I have a friend in a shitty situation and just won't do anything to get himself out of it...Japanese men are pretty sad sometimes...
Oh, and I've never seen a non-rich person blow 1k so fast in my LIFE. He's such trash that I can't sympathize with him. And without spoiling anything, I will leave it at that...
@tfwnosuccubusgf
Well, they come as a duo, they're best friends (in their own somewhat sad way), and they also act like semi-foils for each other. Their duo is the ark MC.
@Lithe
As others said he brought it on himself, but what happened is not nearly that crazy, it's normal in Asia for a higher standing employee to pay for his kouhai during work outings. My Chinese boss always payed for us, no questions asked.
But in Kobori's case he's not the boss, though is a senpai, I guess. So it's only half as bad as you interpreted it.