Chapter 55

The next morning, it was clear that Father and Mother had already made up.

Mother had returned to her usual self, bustling about making breakfast and tidying up the house, while Father sat in the living room reading the newspaper.

Indeed, both Eiichi Nagayama and Nanako Nagayama were happy in their marriage.

Nao Nagayama had to leave early in the morning, as he still had a long journey ahead of him.

However, Tsuruko managed to persuade him to drive her to school, and it seemed he was determined to experience the luxury car at least once.

......

After dropping Tsuruko off a short distance from her school, Nao Nagayama continued his self-driving tour. The next stretch of the road was mostly along the coastline, offering a beautiful view of the sea.

It seemed that it had rained lightly the night before, making the air on the road even fresher.

Occasional sea breezes carried the faint taste of saltwater.

Listening to music on the car stereo and enjoying the coastal scenery, Nao Nagayama occasionally got out to explore the nearby beaches or take photos of the vast blue sea from the rocks. He was so immersed in the scenery that he lost track of time.

The occasional passing vehicles were mostly fully loaded trucks or hurried pedestrians, few of whom could enjoy the leisurely drive like Nao Nagayama.

For lunch, he had seafood in Hoku City, which was nothing special except for its freshness. In the afternoon, he continued his journey.

Nagoya has been famous since the time of Tokugawa Ieyasu. The famous Nagoya Castle, though damaged by war, still stands in Nagoya City and is known as one of the three great castles of Japan.

Other famous attractions include Atsuta Shrine, Tokugawa Garden, and Daikannon Temple.

After arriving, Nao Nagayama only briefly toured these attractions. For someone who grew up in this new era, these temples were merely a bit more scenic.

After a day of driving, the characteristic cuisine of Nagoya was what he most wanted to try. He found a specialty restaurant in the city and began to enjoy the food.

Nagoya people are particularly fond of sauces. The famous flat noodles and soy sauce-cooked udon lived up to their reputation, as did the tempura rice balls. These dishes filled Nao Nagayama's stomach to the brim.

He found a hotel for the night, which had no "special services" at all!

The next morning, Nao Nagayama had a breakfast of unagi cha (eel tea), and then began his journey to the mountains.

The mountain roads of the Showa era were not as well-developed as they are now, and he occasionally encountered small animals crossing the road.

Nao Nagayama drove very carefully, not even speeding up.

However, he also got to enjoy the green trees in the mountains, the red flowers by the roadside, and the streams between the rocks. Of course, there were also mosquitoes everywhere...

Nao Nagayama didn't stop to take photos along the way until he reached Iijima-cho, where he took a short break and tried the famous soba noodles of Nagano Prefecture.

The afternoon journey was even slower, and as the altitude increased, the temperature gradually dropped. Driving with the convertible top down, Nao Nagayama felt a bit chilly.

Indeed, Tomoyuki Yoshimura was right about coming to his hometown to escape the heat.

He arrived in Suwa City around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. If he continued, he might have to spend the night in the mountains, so Nao Nagayama decided to rest here for a day. It must be said that the evenings in the mountains were indeed a bit cold, and soaking in a hot spring was very comfortable.

On the fourth day of his self-driving tour, Nao Nagayama set out from Kiri-no-mine and drove on the "Venus Line," known as one of the best scenic drives. This road, specifically developed for tourism and self-driving, winds through the mountains of Nagano, with numerous viewpoints along the way.

All the flowers in the world have faded by April, but the peach blossoms in the mountain temple are just beginning to bloom.

Although it was already mid-June, there were still many flowers blooming in the mountains, dotted among the lush green leaves. The colorful mountain pools, like pieces of agate strung together by streams, added a colorful necklace to the already beautiful scenery.

Nao Nagayama's camera was almost non-stop, and he stopped at every viewpoint to admire the scenery.

It is said that in autumn, when the leaves change color, this place looks like a palette of nature. Nao Nagayama was already considering whether to come back in the fall.

The road deeper into the mountains was winding and the altitude was constantly rising. Sometimes, even with a map, Nao Nagayama couldn't figure out the direction. Fortunately, the rest stops along the way and other sightseeing vehicles provided guidance, and he finally arrived at the Mi no Harahara Plateau.

He took a photo at the highest rest stop in Japan and visited the Mi no Harahara Plateau Museum, buying a bunch of souvenirs...

It was already past 2 PM, and he had spent most of the day driving, taking photos, and admiring the scenery. He even bought a bento for lunch at a store.

They say it's easy to go up the mountain but hard to come down. If he didn't go down now, he might reach the foot of the mountain in the dark.

The scenery on the way down was still beautiful, but Nao Nagayama only glanced at it, stopping to take photos only at particularly beautiful spots.

Following the flow of traffic to the foot of the mountain, Nao Nagayama drove to the hot springs in Otaki to rest and wash away his fatigue.

After driving for four consecutive days, crossing mountains and seas, even with the company of beautiful scenery and delicious food, he was indeed a bit tired. He didn't sleep well that night.

As soon as it was light, Nao Nagayama started his self-driving tour again, but this time he didn't continue into the mountains. He followed the national highway through Gunma, heading straight for Tokyo.

It seemed he hadn't gone to Oguni-cho? Never mind, the closer he got to Tokyo, the better his mood became. Listening to CityPop on the city roads really felt more appropriate.

Driving at high speed, it took less than three hours for Nao Nagayama to see the buildings of Tokyo. It looked like he could have lunch at home in Tokyo.

He finally arrived at the apartment in Waseda at noon and had lunch at a nearby ramen shop he often visited.

Although he had enjoyed various delicacies along the way, the familiar taste of the ramen made him feel nostalgic.

......

......

The apartment, which had been unoccupied for nearly a week, had clearly accumulated some dust.

Nao Nagayama put down the souvenirs and gifts he had brought back and started cleaning.

At the same time, he pressed the answering machine to listen to the messages left during his week away.

The earliest was a message from Shigechi Araki, asking Nao Nagayama to inspect the operation of the disco in June. This manager was indeed very responsible.

Yuta Nakai left a message to inquire about his recent situation and suggested meeting up.

Mother and Tsuruko left messages asking him to let them know he was home safely.

The most recent was from Shuichi Ido: "Nao Nagayama, are you back from your self-driving tour yet? I've received an offer to direct a TV drama. Please call me back if you receive this message to discuss it and give some advice~"

It seemed that Shuichi Ido was preparing to direct a TV drama, but it was a significant shift from being a film director to a TV drama director. It was uncertain whether he could make the transition smoothly.

While cleaning, Nao Nagayama thought about it and then replied to the messages, especially arranging to meet Shuichi Ido at the studio the next day.

After the self-driving tour, he needed to get the photos developed, arrange the souvenirs, and sort out the gifts and postcards to send to different people in the afternoon.

By the time he finished all these tasks, it was already dark...

For dinner, he didn't go out but cooked two simple dishes and slowly finished them while watching a TV program.

Late at night, Nao Nagayama finally slept in his first home in Tokyo again, and this time, he slept very soundly.