Chapter 18

Chapter 18 — 018, A Disco Naturally Has to Open Where There Are Lots of Young Girls!

Just thinking that more than 100 million yen would soon be available in a few days put Nagayama Naoki in an excellent mood.

When you feel this happy, of course you should go have fun… no, go observe market trends. In other words: look for land.

Where is the land with the greatest appreciation potential?

Naturally, plots in core commercial districts like Ginza or Roppongi.

But Nagayama Naoki could not afford a single one of them.

Do not assume prices in 1981 were cheap.

The conglomerates, corporations, merchants, and government institutions that turned these areas into commercial centers were all extremely shrewd. They had occupied the prime locations long ago, and almost none were willing to sell.

If he wanted property near commercial centers now, he could only look at areas beyond the second or even third blocks.

However, this time Naoki was not merely searching for a storefront. He genuinely intended to find land suitable for opening a disco.

The proposal he submitted to the bank was, in fact, feasible in certain aspects. Since the loan had been approved based on that proposal, even if the bank would not strictly supervise usage, being discovered using the funds for something entirely different would damage his credit rating.

That would interfere with his snowball investment plan.

Discos had already begun gaining popularity across parts of the United States. Their rise in Japan was only a matter of time. Building one ahead of the trend would be a solid investment whether he later leased it out or hired someone else to operate it.

Running it himself?

Being a landlord was far easier.

Once businesses developed inside, land prices would inevitably rise further.

So where should the target area be?

A disco, naturally, had to be located where there were many young girls.

Given Tokyo’s gender ratio at the time, young women were comparatively scarce and possessed far stronger spending power. Men were also willing to spend money on them. Otherwise, the bubble-era saying about a girl surrounded by “four types of men” would never have appeared.

Where did young women gather?

Many young people who came to Tokyo for work actually lived in Nakano Ward. Opening a disco there would guarantee good business, but land appreciation would be slow.

A disco required at least 200 square meters of space. In central wards, suitable properties were difficult to obtain, and discos were not ideal for excessively busy commercial areas anyway, since most did not operate during the daytime.

Naoki traveled from Setagaya to Nakano, then Toshima, Bunkyo, and finally Shinjuku. After more than three hours on the move, he had probably exhausted an entire week’s worth of exercise.

In the end:

“As expected, it still has to be Shinjuku. Behind it is Nakano’s population flow, ahead lies Shibuya’s commerce, nearby is Waseda’s student community, farther out is Akihabara’s artistic scene… from the bustling Kabukicho to student streets like Takadanobaba, plus Shinjuku Station, one of Tokyo’s greatest transportation hubs.”

He sounded increasingly like a real estate agent.

At that moment, Fujita Keiko suddenly appeared in his mind.

Yes. It was time to continue that connection.

When Fujita Keiko received Naoki’s call, her voice filled with surprise.

“Ah, Naoki-san!”

“It’s been a while, Keiko-san,” Naoki said with a smile over the phone. “How have you been?”

“I’m doing well. How about you? Have you gotten used to the new house?”

“Yes, everything’s good.”

Sensing the conversation drifting toward endless small talk, Naoki quickly redirected it. “Keiko-san, I called today because I need to trouble you with something.”

“A request?” Keiko instantly switched into professional mode. “Please go ahead.”

“Recently I had a bit of luck and earned some money, so I’d like to purchase another property.”

“Eh? Another property?” Keiko sounded shocked. “It hasn’t even been three months since the New Year!”

“Just fortunate timing.”

“Naoki-san really is amazing,” she praised sincerely. “You’re the most impressive client I’ve ever met.”

“Thank you.”

“What kind of property are you looking for? Something similar to last time? There are still several options available.”

“No. This time I want commercial land,” Naoki added. “Preferably in Shinjuku Ward. Previous usage doesn’t matter. Even a warehouse is fine, as long as transportation access is convenient.”

“Understood. And approximately what is your budget?”

“Around 100 million yen.”

“What? One hundred million yen?!”

This was nearly the highest budget Keiko had heard in her five-year career. Even the previous ten-million-yen deal had counted as a high-end transaction for her.

“Naoki-san… will this be a cash purchase?”

“Yes. I’ve never liked being tied down by a mortgage.”

“…Understood.”

Keiko sounded half resigned. “Naoki-san must be the God of Fortune’s illegitimate son.”

“I’ll investigate carefully over the next couple of days.”

“Thank you.”

Why did he contact Fujita Keiko?

Her professional ability was solid. Since mutual trust had already been established, there was no need to change agents.

And besides, although Keiko seemed slightly captivated by him, that was unavoidable. Being admired by an attractive young woman felt quietly satisfying.

Not long after, Nakai Genta called first to inform him the loan had been fully approved and funds would arrive the next day.

This time Genta sounded openly envious.

“Damn it, you really struck it rich this time.”

Naoki laughed. “There will be even more money later. If you perform a proper dogeza and beg me, I might consider giving you some guidance.”

“You bastard. I’m hanging up. I need to go earn money.”

Calls came one after another. Soon afterward, Fujita Keiko phoned as well.

“Naoki-san, there aren’t many commercial plots in Shinjuku that meet your requirements. I’ve found only three. The materials are already organized. Should I deliver them to you?”

“Only three? Then explain them when we inspect the sites in person. Will you still be driving me around like last time?”

“Yes. I’ll pick you up tomorrow afternoon.”

After confirming the appointment, Naoki suddenly realized something.

“Recently people have always been driving to pick me up. Maybe I should buy a car… and get a driver’s license.”

He began excitedly considering different car models.

Then he looked at his wallet.

“Ah… I’m about to be broke again. Never mind. Time to sleep.”