TJTPBFB 04

Chapter 4

“What the Grandmother Wanted to Leave Behind”

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“Yes, there’s no mistake,”
said the woman on the phone.
“Your grandmother also left a will.
Would you be able to come here in person?”

“A will?”

Ruri frowned slightly.
A will? Did she have some kind of secret that important?

“Excuse me, but… how did you get my number?”

“Your grandmother knew your address, Ms. Aokawa.
I once suggested she contact you directly,
but she said she didn’t want to trouble you.”

Trouble me?

Ruri tilted her head, puzzled.

“Where exactly is this place?”

“It’s in ○○ Prefecture.
From your current residence, it’s about an hour away—
still within commuting distance.”

“An hour!?”

Ruri was surprised,
but she agreed to visit once and ended the call.

Three Days Later

She took a half-day off work and went to visit the real estate office run by Godai.

It took several train transfers to get there.
If there had been parking, it probably would’ve been faster to drive.

After getting off the station and walking a bit,
she found the office —
a small, old-fashioned company that looked like a home-and-office combined.
It had the air of a long-standing local business.

When Ruri opened the door,
a woman in her sixties rose from her chair inside.

“You must be Ms. Aokawa?”

It was the same voice from the phone.

“Yes.”

Ruri bowed politely and stepped inside.

“I’m Godai, the one who called you.
Thank you for taking the time to come.”

“Not at all. I should be the one thanking you—
I heard you took care of everything for my grandmother.
I’m sorry for the trouble.”

“Not at all. Please, let’s not stand here. Come this way.”

Godai led her into a room in the back.

Inside sat a man who looked slightly younger than Ruri,
seated on a sofa.

“Please, have a seat.
I’ll bring some tea.”

Ruri handed over a small gift bag.

“I hope this suits your taste. It’s just a little something.”

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness,”

Godai said, accepting it with a smile before leaving the room.

Ruri sat down across from the man, wondering who he was.

“Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner,”
he said, bowing lightly.
“My name is Yonekura.
I’ve been in charge of managing the assets of Ms. Eris Aokawa.”

Ruri took the business card he offered and sat back down.

“You said you had something to discuss with me?”

At that moment, Godai returned, carrying a tray.

“Here you are.”

“Thank you.”

Ruri bowed slightly as she accepted the tea.

“I’ll be just in the next room,
so please call me if you need anything,”

Godai said and went back to the office.

Yonekura continued.

“We’ve already handled all the necessary paperwork,
so there are no issues there.
There is, however, one matter your grandmother was very particular about —
she wished to leave one piece of land specifically to you, her granddaughter.”

“Inheritance…?”

Ruri hesitated, unsure how to respond.

“It’s within the basic tax exemption limit,
so there won’t be any inheritance tax problems.
However, it’s not the kind of property that would sell for much.
That said, there’s a bamboo grove behind the house,
and though the home itself is just a small one-story building,
it was rebuilt three years ago,
so it’s in excellent condition.
You should have no trouble living there.
If I’m correct, you currently live in Tokyo?”

Yonekura looked up at Ruri as he spoke.