I Suddenly Became Rich, But I Have No Idea How to Spend the Money

“We’re going to Atami.”

“Alright.”

And so, on a day in early August, that simple exchange marked the beginning of our trip.

With final exams over, the weight that had been pressing down was finally lifted, and we were no exception.

To reward ourselves for our hard work, I had booked a rather luxurious hotel.

It was none other than the famous Hoshino Resort’s high-end ryokan—Kai Atami.

“I’ve always wanted to stay at a Hoshino Resort.”

As a bit of a hotel enthusiast myself, I had chosen it with great anticipation.

“Alright then, let’s set off.”

Saying this, Hitomi handed me her ETC card.

“Thanks, Hitomi. By the way, we’re driving to Atami this time, so expect about a five-hour trip.”

“Whoa, five hours! That’s longer than I thought!”

“I bought a car recently, and I wanted to try a longer road trip.”

Hearing my words, Hitomi nodded in understanding.

“Oh yeah, did you buy this car yourself? Or did someone get it for you? Your parents must be well-off.”

“Nah, I bought it myself. I saved up for it.”

I felt a bit awkward flaunting my earnings, so I decided to keep my financial situation under wraps with a little white lie.

“Really? Still, you’ve been spending pretty freely lately. You bought three high-end suitcases that I recognize, and you don’t even have a part-time job anymore.”

That was true—I had quit my job.

Back in April, I had reduced my shifts, and by the time my assets surpassed 1 billion yen, I informed the cram school I was leaving. I officially quit at the end of May, though I had barely worked that month anyway.

“Well, I saved up a lot before, and I make money online in different ways.”

I kept my answer vague.

“Oh, online business? That makes sense. Man, I envy people who are doing well.”

“Says the girl living in a luxurious family condo. You’ve got no right to talk.”

By now, I had visited Hitomi’s home multiple times.

For some reason, though, we had never had a sleepover. This trip would be our first time staying together overnight.

“Well, that place is a company-owned property. My family runs a small real estate business in Minoh, so that’s why I can live in such a nice place.”

“Oh, so you’re the real deal—true wealth. I’m so jealous.”

I chuckled to myself, thinking, A university student with 40 billion yen in assets talking about jealousy—now that’s something.

Since the Obon holidays hadn’t started yet, the roads were relatively clear. The cruise control system in my Lexus LX proved to be incredibly useful, allowing me to make the most of it.

“Cruise control is amazing. The car keeps a steady speed without me having to press the accelerator.”

“Oh, I know that one. My car has it too.”

“Dang, nice ride.”

“My parents have money, after all.”

We continued our lighthearted banter, stopping at multiple service areas along the way before finally arriving in Atami.

As we got off the Numazu Interchange, Hitomi turned to me and asked, “Where are we staying?”

“Kai Atami.”

“Oh, one of the Hoshino places?”

“Yep, the starry one.”

Hearing my answer, Hitomi couldn’t hide her excitement and anticipation.

She kept murmuring, “I can’t wait!”

We had left Osaka a little after 7 a.m. and now, just past noon, we arrived at the hotel.

The moment we pulled into the main building’s parking lot, an attendant promptly approached my driver’s side.

“Welcome to Hoshino Resort Kai Atami. May I have your name, please?”

“I have a reservation under Kirishima.”

“Understood, Mr. Kirishima. Would you like us to take care of your luggage?”

Of course, they weren’t being impolite, but I had noticed that high-end establishments tended to use this kind of formal phrasing.

Still, I simply replied, “Thank you.”

I parked the car near the entrance, popped open the trunk, and pulled out my prized Rimowa suitcase along with Hitomi’s trunk.

When I had loaded them into the car earlier, I had a hunch, and now as I took a closer look, I confirmed it—Hitomi’s suitcase was a Globe-Trotter.

Yep, she’s definitely well-off.

I handed both pieces of luggage to the attendant.

“I’d like to check in first.”

“Of course. Please allow me to guide you.”

With that, the attendant led the way.

By the time we reached the check-in counter, our registration forms were already prepared.

“Welcome, Mr. Kirishima,” the front desk staff greeted us. Once again, I was impressed by the hotel’s hospitality.

The attendant must have radioed ahead using their earpiece.

“High-end hotels really do have amazing hospitality…”

After completing check-in, we left our luggage at the hotel and, since it was lunchtime, decided to go sightseeing while grabbing something to eat.

We got back into the car and headed for the Izu Peninsula Geopark.

“There’s a place called Ryugu Sea Cave. I really want to check it out.”

“Sounds good. Let’s go.”

Hitomi agreed immediately.

Once we arrived, we marveled at the “Heart of the Earth” formation inside the cave and were captivated by the deep blue of the ocean, standing in awe for a while.

“That was truly a mystical place…”

“Yeah, but since it’s summer vacation, it was a bit crowded.”

Laughing, we continued exploring the geopark together.

Before we knew it, it was around 6 p.m., so we decided to head back to the hotel.

By the time we arrived, our room was ready, and the moment Hitomi saw it, she let out a delighted squeal.