Chapter 54

Chapter 54: The Convertible at the Door Is Big Brother’s?

After eating their fill—

Well, without any alcohol—

the three sat in the living room watching television and chatting after dinner. After opening her gift, their mother Nanako was extremely happy with the bright and beautiful silk scarf. She tied it around herself while discussing with Tsuruko what outfits it would match, while Nagayama Naoki could only smile beside them.

For some reason, the topic suddenly shifted back to Naoki.

“Ni-chan, why did you suddenly decide to come home? It’s not a holiday or anything,” Tsuruko asked bluntly, saying exactly what was on her mind.

Earlier, although Nanako had also been concerned, she had been afraid that something might have happened to her son in Tokyo and didn’t want to hurt his pride, so she hadn’t asked.

“It’s nothing special. I was just passing by my hometown during a road trip, so I came back to take a look.”

Nagayama Naoki had never considered how others might interpret his sudden return.

“A road trip? Traveling?”

Tsuruko still seemed unable to grasp the concept. After all, this way of traveling was still relatively new.

“Yeah, it means driving yourself on a trip. You plan your own route and destinations and go wherever you want.”

While Naoki was still promoting the advantages of road trips, he noticed Tsuruko becoming extremely excited.

“So the convertible parked outside belongs to Ni-chan?”

“…Yes, it’s mine.”

Since he had bought it some time ago, Naoki had already grown unaccustomed to people’s surprise about his car purchase.

“Ah—Mom! Did you know Ni-chan bought a convertible sports car?” Tsuruko immediately turned to their mother.

“I… didn’t know.”

When Naoki entered earlier, he had been carrying things inside and then dinner preparations began, so Nanako truly hadn’t seen it.

Tsuruko immediately dragged their mother outside to look at the car.

Summer nights arrived late. Red evening clouds filled the sky, and the entire town was bathed in a faint crimson glow.

In traditional Japanese culture, this time was called the “twilight of meeting demons.”

People believed that anyone walking alone at this hour might lose their way and even their soul.

Some traditionally minded families didn’t allow children to play outside during this time.

Nagayama Naoki suspected adults had invented the story simply to make children come home for dinner.

The black convertible was parked beside the Nagayama house, blending into the building’s shadow. Without careful observation, it could easily be overlooked.

But up close, its understated luxury became obvious.

Naoki opened the door and let Tsuruko, who had been circling excitedly while pulling their mother along, sit inside. Watching her touch everything with obvious curiosity, he cooperated by raising and lowering the convertible roof.

Nanako, however, looked at the car with concern.

“Naoki, this car must be very expensive. How long will the loan take to repay?”

“Mom, don’t worry. Ni-chan is super rich now.”

Before Naoki could answer, Tsuruko leaned her head out from the car to explain.

“Well… it’s not as exaggerated as Tsuruko says, but I do have some spare money now,” Naoki said, trying to sound modest.

“Even so… a car like this is too eye-catching.”

For a small-town housewife, such a luxury car felt excessive. In her impression, only people like her father-in-law—leaders of yakuza organizations—would show off by buying expensive cars.

“No need to worry. In Tokyo, this kind of car is only mid-range. The design just looks a bit novel.”

That was true. At most it counted as an upper-mid-class vehicle, merely uncommon.

The true top-tier luxury cars required not only money but also reputation or even power to obtain.

After Tsuruko finally satisfied her curiosity, the three returned inside.

At last, they could quietly watch television and rest.

Nanako suddenly remembered something.

“Naoki, you’re leaving again tomorrow, right? Should I prepare a lunchbox?”

“Mom, that won’t be necessary,” Naoki replied.

“Tomorrow I’ll continue along the coastline toward Nagoya. I’ll have lunch there.”

Tsuruko immediately became excited again.

“You’re still going south? Driving all the way south?”

“Yeah. After Nagoya I’ll head back, but through the mountains—passing Nagano and then returning to Tokyo via Ogano Town.”

“Eh—” Tsuruko blinked her big eyes. “Ni-chan, can you take me with you?”

Before Naoki could respond, Nanako spoke first.

“What are you thinking? You still have school!”

“I can just take leave, Mom…”

“No amount of begging will work. Spring break just ended, and summer vacation is coming soon. If you skip school now, do you even care about your studies this year?”

Nanako entered strict-mother mode, which was genuinely frightening.

“But…”

“No ‘but.’ Study properly! When you start working later, you can travel as much as you want.”

Thus, Tsuruko’s dream was suppressed on the spot.

Seeing her pitiful expression, Nagayama Naoki had no choice but to promise that the whole family would go skiing together in Hokkaido during winter.

Most Japanese families followed the pattern of a strict father and gentle mother, but Naoki’s father happened to have a softer personality and was clearly henpecked.

Perhaps Nagayama Ken actually enjoyed it.

Around ten at night, after a full day of work, his father and older brother returned home. After greeting them, Naoki handed over their gifts.

During casual conversation, Tsuruko naturally brought up Naoki’s newly purchased convertible and his house in Tokyo.

“Naoki has truly become an adult capable of supporting himself,” Nagayama Aoki said.

After only a year and a half struggling in Tokyo, his younger brother already possessed the means to establish himself in life. It made the eldest son both happy and slightly disappointed—after all, he was still working at the family izakaya and might never afford a luxury car in his lifetime.

“It’s just luck with the times,” Naoki said.

He had previously considered whether he should financially support the family business or directly subsidize household expenses.

But the family wasn’t poor. In the 1980s, as long as people worked diligently, life generally improved step by step.

Moreover, giving money as charity would be equivalent to treating family members like beggars.

Throughout history, countless relationships had been destroyed by money and profit. Especially since his chances of becoming extremely wealthy in the future were almost certain, he needed to be cautious about financial relationships.

Teaching someone how to earn money was better than simply giving money. Helping the family improve together and allowing the entire family to rise was the only lasting way to preserve familial bonds.

With knowledge more than thirty years ahead of the era, helping his family become comfortably wealthy was more than achievable. The simplest example—buying property at this time.

“Actually, real estate has been rising quite well in recent years. If Father and Brother have spare money, you might consider purchasing a property,” Naoki said.

“The apartment I bought in Tokyo has already increased nearly five percent in value.”

“Really?” Nagayama Ken looked surprised.

“But our house here has also risen quite a lot compared to when it was first built—almost doubled.”

“You asked about housing prices?” Nanako asked casually.

“Yes, I got curious earlier and went to check,” Ken replied, unaware of anything wrong.

“Are you planning to sell the house?” Nanako’s expression remained calm.

“Sell the home we built with our own hands and have lived in for more than twenty years?”

“Huh? No, I only mentioned it because Naoki brought it up.”

Only then did Ken realize that since he had never discussed such thoughts with his wife, she had misunderstood him as intending to sell the house.

For the older generation, their first home carried deep emotional significance. It might be the only residence of their lifetime.

Especially a house built by their own hands and lived in for decades—where life’s major events had taken place—was filled with memories.

If one partner suddenly inquired about housing prices without discussion, then the issue was no longer merely about property values.

“Father, Mother, we’ll go rest first.” ×3

The three children clearly sensed that the old couple had matters to resolve between themselves, so they quickly found excuses and returned to their rooms.