Chapter 2: From Delivery to Dinner: A Pizza and a Child’s Trust

“I’m at work.”
After eating ramen at the house next door, I went to my part-time job.
I got my motorcycle license as soon as my birthday passed this year, and I was working as a delivery person for a pizza place.
When I opened the store door and went in, the manager greeted me, who was sitting at the counter.
“Did you eat?”
“Yes. I ate today. Where should I go first?”
“It hasn’t been long since the order came in, so don’t rush.”
“Yes. Then I’ll go change into my uniform.”
After changing into my uniform in the changing room, I held the packaged pizza box.

“Be careful on the icy roads because it’s winter. You can’t get hurt, okay?”
“Yes. I’ll be careful. I’m going.”
I got the motorcycle key from the manager and went straight out of the store.
Working as a delivery person on a cold winter day isn’t easy, but there’s also money coming in per delivery.
Since it’s hard whether it’s waiting tables or delivering, it didn’t matter much.
I was now used to delivering on a motorcycle in the cold winter wind.
“What building and number was it… Building 201 is… over there.”
I pressed the call button at the common entrance and went up in the elevator.
I rang the doorbell, and the front door opened shortly after.
But as soon as the door opened, both me and the customer were frozen.
The person was my class president.
Still, it wasn’t school now, nor were we close, so I just handed over the pizza.
“Enjoy your meal.”
I went back to the store after the first delivery and went straight to the next delivery location.
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Enjoy your meal.”
“Enjoy your meal.”
I wished time would pass quickly as I gave the formal greetings.
But no matter how quickly time passes, will my life change?
No. I decided not to think like that.
Mom often said while she was alive.
That if you live, there will be both misfortunes that you can laugh off and a hopeful future.
That those days will surely come, so you just need to spend each day diligently.
Honestly, I didn’t think Mom was right.
Still, I was trying to live as Mom said.
Because Mom would surely want that.

“Good work. It seems like there were more deliveries than usual because the kids are on break.”
“I’m thinking it’s good because the money coming in per delivery has increased.”
“Doesn’t it seem like there’s no warmth if a kid is too focused on money?”
“It’s a stinging word for someone who has neither money nor warmth.”
“I’ll apologize.”
“It was a joke.”
The manager didn’t know much about my situation because we didn’t share personal conversations.
Since he didn’t know that I had no parents or that I was living alone, I could understand.
“Oh, Manager. I have something to tell you.”
“Huh…? Why…? Do you have to quit?”
“No. It’s not like that. I want to work as a waiter starting tomorrow too.”
“Is it okay~? It’s like the hours from lunch to evening…”
“Wouldn’t it be hard? I’m looking for a part-time job right now,but…”
“It’s okay. I have a lot of time because it’s vacation. Is that possible?”
“It’s possible, but you’re starting 2nd grade, so you’ll have to study, won’t you?”
“It’s okay.”
The manager hesitated for a moment and then agreed.
“Okay. I understand. Only during the break?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
“Still, let’s start the waitering after the new year. The other part-timer said they’d do it until then.”
“Yes. Understood. Then do I rewrite the employment contract then?”
“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
I was planning to save a lot of money this winter break.
I wanted to save up enough for a security deposit for a place of my own when I became an adult.
“Okay. You worked hard today. Do you want to take a pizza home?”
I got tired of pizza since I started the part-time job.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have any. Aren’t you taking it?”
“Mmm. I’ll take it.”
“Yep. It was canceled just now, so it’s still warm.”
“Yes. Then I’ll go first.”
“Okay~”
I was holding a pizza box in my hand and headed home.
I climbed the steep alley and arrived in front of my house.
It was an uphill road that I walked every day, but I was slightly out of breath when I arrived home.
As I was climbing the stairs of the old villa, something was sitting on the stairs.
“Hello.”
“Ugh~! You startled me. I thought it was a ghost. What are you doing sitting here?!”
“I’m waiting for Grandpa.”
In this cold winter day, wearing only a jumper?
“Where did your grandpa go?”
“He went to work.”
“Do you know when he’s coming back?”
“He said he’d come back tomorrow morning.”
“Then why are you outside, instead of staying home quietly until morning?”
The little kid didn’t answer my question and kept their mouth shut.
“Hey. Talk.”
“I can’t hear well, so I went up a few stairs.”
“I was scared of being alone…”
“What’s there to be afraid of in your house? Don’t you think it’s more scary outside?”
“O, outside… because people are walking around… I’m not scared…”
Ah- the thoughts of young kids are a little different.
“Okay, go inside for now. You’ll catch a cold?”
“I don’t want to. The house is scary.”
“What’s there to be scared of in your house? The scariest thing in this world isn’t ghosts or anything, but people.”
“This is the first time I’ve been here…”
“Haa-”
Even if I called the police, I probably wouldn’t get much help because it’s in front of my house.
“Hey, you said you know your grandpa’s phone number.”
The kid nodded.
I took my phone out of my pocket and handed it to the kid.
“Call your grandpa and pass me the phone.”
Because we live next door, maybe?
Without hesitation, the kid took the phone from me and gave it back.
As soon as I pressed the call button, a dial tone followed, and then the voice of the old man next door was heard.
-Hello.
“Hello. I’m a student who lives next door.”
-Oh my. How is your child in trouble? Did you get into trouble? [Screaming]
-Hah, what a mess. Can I have my granddaughter talk?
“Yes.”
I handed the phone to the kid.
“Here – it’s Grandpa.”
The kid received the phone from me.
“Grandpa. When are you coming?”
It was the voice of a lively child.
It seemed she was relieved as soon as she heard her grandfather’s voice.
I was in a difficult situation, but this young kid was a bit pitiful.
The kid continued the call for a moment and then handed me the phone again.
“Grandpa said to switch.”
“Huh? Wasn’t the call over?”
The kid nodded.
“Hello?”
-I… my granddaughter seems to be very scared. If it’s okay, can you watch her until she falls asleep? I’m sorry for the difficult request. I will also reward you as soon as I can tomorrow morning… isn’t it possible?
It was awkward.
Because once could become twice, and twice could become ten times.
“I suppose it’s okay for a day or so.”
-Thank you. Really thank you.
“Yes, well… is there anything I should be careful about? Something the child doesn’t like?”
-She’s a little shy, but she saw you during the day, so it’s okay. Student. Thank you very much.
Does she get shy?
I don’t think so at all.
“Yes. Then I’ll hang up now.”
After ending the call, I stared at the kid looking up at me.
I’ve never taken care of a kid in my life, so what should I do?
“Hey. I’ll stay with you, so go inside.”
I was worried about what to do.
I couldn’t just force my way in.
While I was worrying, the kid’s gaze turned to my hand.
The kid was staring at the pizza box, even though it was a little cold.
“Let’s eat pizza together.”
I tried to lure her with pizza, but she still seemed hesitant to go into the house.
“You don’t want it? Then I’ll eat it alone.”
As I was about to pass the kid, the kid grabbed my arm.
“Ca, can I eat it with you?”
“I can’t eat a whole pizza by myself. Want to help?”
The kid clenched both fists and shouted.
She ran to the front door of the house and opened the door wide.
“Come in.”
There was no sign of the wariness from earlier.
I don’t believe it.
“Hey. Just in case, don’t open the door like this if someone gives you food, okay?”
“Oppa lives next door, so it’s okay.”
In the end, I went into the kid’s house with the pizza that I was going to eat for breakfast tomorrow.
I forgot the most important thing as I crossed the front door.
There was no cola, which I definitely needed to eat with the pizza.
“Do you want a cola?”
The kid shook her head.
“Grandpa said not to eat them because it’ll rot my teeth…”
Mmm- It’s troublesome.
I can’t drink it alone.
“Did your grandpa tell you not to drink cola?”
“Yes.”
“What about cider? Did he tell you not to drink cider either?”
The kid thought for a moment and then smiled brightly.
“Okay. Let’s go buy some cider.”
“But I don’t have any money.”
“I’ll buy it. Come on.”
“Is it okay…? Grandpa said not to get anything for free…”
A kid who hasn’t even entered elementary school yet is being very careful.
She must have been expecting to run out, cheering with joy.
“Then what about the pizza?”
“That’s okay because Oppa can’t eat it alone, so you asked me to help you.”
Oh- logical.
“You’ll be good at studying. Do you know multiplication tables?”
“I know the 1 times table-!”
The kid smiled brightly and nodded repeatedly.
“Yes!”
When you see her like this, she’s a seven-year-old kindergartener.
After leaving the house, I locked the door and came down the uphill road.
After arriving at the convenience store, I paid for the cider and came out of the store.
“I’ll carry it! Give it to me.”
“You can carry it?”
“Yes.”
The kid was hugging a 1.5L bottle of cider as she walked.
“It’s a secret that you drank the cider if Grandpa comes tomorrow, okay?”
The kid smiled brightly at my words and replied.
“Oppa is a genius?! You’ll be good at studying.”
“Uh…? Don’t hit a sore spot.”
“You can’t study well?”
“No… well… I’m not good at it.”
“Then, average?”
“Don’t ask.”
“Are you embarrassed? It’s okay. You can do better next time.”
The kid, who isn’t even a primary school student yet, encouraged me, and I burst out laughing.
“Yeah. I’ll try to do better next time.”
It was me, walking up the hill with someone for the first time in a long time.