Chapter 19

Chapter 19 — 019, Filming Another Commercial Again?

Fujita Keiko did not delay. She arrived punctually the following afternoon.

Inside the car, Nagayama Naoki received the detailed information on the three properties. He immediately took interest in a warehouse located near Takadanobaba.

Leaving JR Toyama Entrance of the station, passing through a narrow street filled with restaurants and izakayas, the property stood behind one of the taverns.

Transportation access was excellent. Students from Waseda University and Tokyo Fuji University often spent their weekends in this area.

The land had originally been a prewar air-raid facility. Later it became a temporary fish storage warehouse, where freshly delivered catches transported from the coast were refrigerated before being distributed to various shops across northern Tokyo.

After the Great Kanto Earthquake, Japan’s fish markets became centralized elsewhere. With advances in refrigeration technology and transportation, the Takadanobaba warehouse gradually shifted to storing tools, timber, and miscellaneous goods.

The warehouse covered roughly 200 tsubo and had only one floor, yet its ceiling height reached an impressive four meters. Most potential buyers considered the height unsuitable for conversion into a two-story commercial building, while the 200-tsubo area felt excessive and impractical for use as an izakaya or restaurant.

Eventually, it became a difficult property to sell, with the entire site priced at only about 80 million yen.

Nagayama Naoki immediately favored it. As a prewar structure, it was extremely sturdy and provided good sound insulation. Although the height prevented a second floor, installing decorative lighting, promotional fixtures, a stage, and a bar area would make it ideal for a disco.

While imagining the future interior design, Naoki spoke to Fujita Keiko.

“Keiko-san, this place feels excellent. Let’s settle on this one.”

“Yes, Naoki-san’s decisions are as decisive as ever.” Already accustomed to his style, Keiko began preparing the next steps.

“Well, since we’ve chosen the property, would you like to have dinner and a drink together, Naoki-san? It’s already this late, and there are many izakayas around here.” Fujita Keiko adjusted her fashionable “Seiko hairstyle” and looked at him with shining eyes.

Was she inviting him to dinner… or trying to taste fresh grass?

“Ah, it’s already this late!” Naoki quickly adopted the tone of a dense, steel-straight man. “I promised to meet a friend at the pachinko parlor. I’ll be late if I don’t hurry.”

“Thank you very much today, Keiko-san. I really appreciate your help! I’ll skip dinner this time. I need to catch the train to meet my friend.”

He expressed his thanks repeatedly, then turned and left decisively.

“I’ll leave the rest to you, Keiko-san. I’m heading off. Bye.”

“Hmph. You blockhead. Idiot. Baka!” Fujita Keiko stomped her feet several times in frustration before driving away.

Nagayama Naoki still valued the purity of his nineteen-year-old body.

Because it was a full cash purchase, the warehouse transfer procedures were completed quickly.

He also asked Fujita Keiko to introduce a reliable first-class architect, Honma Takashi. After detailed discussions about the disco construction requirements, Naoki requested design drawings first, with the overall budget controlled within 15 million yen.

Budgets always exceeded expectations anyway.

His wallet had just been swollen with one hundred million yen; now it was nearly empty again. Money truly disappeared quickly.

The cold February wind grew harsher. Late winter chill was especially unbearable.

After coordinating with Honma Takashi, the design plans were finalized. Honma had already assembled a construction team, and renovation work began energetically.

Completion was expected around April.

So what should he do during these two months?

Lying lazily under the kotatsu like a salted fish, Nagayama Naoki began contemplating the meaning of life.

Aside from his obsession with becoming rich overnight, he seemed to have no other life goals.

What exactly was the so-called life of poetry and distant horizons? What was he truly pursuing? Why had he come into this world?

Gradually, Naoki confronted the three famous ultimate questions of life:

“Who am I? Where do I come from? Where am I going?”

His mind only became more confused. Even Plato, filled with wisdom, might not have answered such questions. Naturally, Naoki could not either. Ninety-nine point nine nine nine percent of humanity could not.

If someone managed to understand this before death, perhaps they could claim their life had not been wasted.

Just as his thoughts drifted further, the phone rang.

It was Yoshimura Daitomo — the lecherous balding middle-aged uncle.

“Naoki-kun, long time no contact. How have you been?”

“I’m doing well. How about you, Daitomo-kun?”

“Thanks to you, my work has been going smoothly.”

“That’s excellent news.”

They exchanged casual pleasantries while Naoki waited for the real purpose of the call.

“Naoki-kun, I’m calling today again regarding a commercial.”

“Huh? Didn’t we already finish filming? Was the advertisement ineffective? Did the client come complaining?”

“Hahaha, not at all. The advertisement performed extremely well. Though the client did indeed come back.” Yoshimura Daitomo laughed easily.

“As mentioned before, your commercial was a trial launch for a soda series. Because the plum flavor sold very well, additional flavors — orange, cherry, watermelon, and others — are now scheduled for release.”

A standard strategy. Naoki recalled how, in later years, certain sugar-free soda brands released more than a dozen flavors within a single year.

Still puzzled, Naoki asked, “That sounds great, but what does that have to do with me?”

“That’s exactly the point. After the previous commercial, the client was very satisfied with your image,” Yoshimura Daitomo continued, pausing dramatically.

“Additionally, Ito Shuichi proposed a new project. He hopes to turn this entire advertising line into a fruit-flavor story series, covering the promotion of Yumashu Beverage’s new drinks throughout the entire year. I heard the publicity director greatly appreciated this proposal.”

Interesting. Naoki thought privately that Ito Shuichi clearly had strong connections with Yumashu Beverage if he could secure an entire year of product promotion.

“So you’re inviting me to continue filming commercials?”

“Yes. As the original representative figure of the series, Ito Shuichi believes you can serve as the narrative thread connecting all the stories.”

“What is Naoki-kun’s opinion about continuing participation?”

Naoki had little to do recently, and the previous collaboration had been pleasant. He had no resistance to accepting more advertising work — especially since it paid well.

“Daitomo-kun, I understand. I’m fine continuing the cooperation. Will the profit share follow the same arrangement as last time?”

“Regarding that, Naoki-kun, since this involves a full year advertising series, the contract terms will differ. Would it be convenient to meet and discuss the details in person?”

“Of course.”

They agreed to meet at the agency the following morning. Yoshimura Daitomo offered to pick him up by car, and Naoki gladly accepted.

“Maybe I really should get a driver’s license,” Naoki muttered after hanging up. “And buy a car too.”

The payment from this round of commercials would probably be considerable anyway.