One thing we're not considering - Maybe Sawa didn't go past "high school" or even middle school. He might have left school and started as a rookie cop, had some dazzling collars and became a detective, then had a few more dazzling cases and been rewarded with management within, say, 5 years.
If he'd *just* been demoted when we see him at 23, it's possible. Then you can imagine he began work on novels right away after leaving the force and had some immediate success -- he might have even written about a few of those dazzling cases to start. And it seems to me that Nitta writes Sawa as highly prolific. Bringing in my "Gravitation" reading as well (Yuki is another successful novelist), I believe Sawa could knock out two or even three books a year.
So, if we're meeting him in the regular Haru timeline at 28, we already know he's a well-known, successful novelist, who financed his own successful movie and then had a hit TV show. Oh, yes, all these money streams could easily give him a house and restaurant, etc. at 28. Sawa might seem immature at times, but it seems obvious that money is not one thing he's immature about. He invests, and the only way he seems flashy is his wardrobe, and we're not given the impression that he is a clothes horse, so he probably buys quality over quantity there.
I think in terms of Japanese society and codes of honour, it might have been harder for Iwaki to approach a younger man for help with his house loan. However, because Sawa is so responsible with money and has been an employer of Iwaki in the past, I think Iwaki was able to see past the age difference to ask him for the help. In fact, Iwaki might be having the same problem that we are - forgetting that Sawa is younger because Sawa seems so together on the surface.
If he'd *just* been demoted when we see him at 23, it's possible. Then you can imagine he began work on novels right away after leaving the force and had some immediate success -- he might have even written about a few of those dazzling cases to start. And it seems to me that Nitta writes Sawa as highly prolific. Bringing in my "Gravitation" reading as well (Yuki is another successful novelist), I believe Sawa could knock out two or even three books a year.
So, if we're meeting him in the regular Haru timeline at 28, we already know he's a well-known, successful novelist, who financed his own successful movie and then had a hit TV show. Oh, yes, all these money streams could easily give him a house and restaurant, etc. at 28. Sawa might seem immature at times, but it seems obvious that money is not one thing he's immature about. He invests, and the only way he seems flashy is his wardrobe, and we're not given the impression that he is a clothes horse, so he probably buys quality over quantity there.
I think in terms of Japanese society and codes of honour, it might have been harder for Iwaki to approach a younger man for help with his house loan. However, because Sawa is so responsible with money and has been an employer of Iwaki in the past, I think Iwaki was able to see past the age difference to ask him for the help. In fact, Iwaki might be having the same problem that we are - forgetting that Sawa is younger because Sawa seems so together on the surface.
Hope I'm not full of it!
love, lore