Chapter 34
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: The Pizza Truck
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Nixon! Come on out!
Uh, yeah, I got it. Johnny? Where are you, Johnny? Daddys heading out now.
Nixon (Yoo Jeongseok), part of the rowdy group, played Jonathans (Han Siu) father in the play RUN.
The son, whod come along like an accident at a young age, had always been nothing but a burden to him.
Nixons naturally upbeat personality meant he never treated Jonathan outright badly.
But that was as far as it went.
He was a friendly father whenever they crossed paths, like old pals, but Nixonlacking any real sense of responsibility to properly raise his sonwas dreaming of rock stardom once again today.
He bustled about in the late afternoon, getting ready to answer his friends calls.
Going somewhere again?
On the cozy, homey set.
Han Siu, playing little Jonathannicknamed Johnnypoked his head out from the small room.
There wasnt a trace of a smile on Johnnys face as he asked in a sullen tone.
His dad seemed less mature than he was at seven years old, and who knew if hed come back tomorrow or the day afteror at all.
Oh, Johnny. Lucky I got to see your face before I head out. Keep the house safe, okay?
Nixon, whod rushed in and out of the house that morning, greeted his son warmly while stuffing things into his guitar case.
Hed thought this time hed stick around longer.
But Johnnys energy drained away at the sight of the guitar case on his fathers back.
When are you coming back?
When I snag an opportunity! Or, waitno, if I snag one, I might even head out farther. All the big recording studios are in LA, usually. Our bands heading there too.
...You might leave?
Johnnys voice trembled with anxiety.
It really felt like his dad might just up and vanish one day.
Leaving him behind, always waiting at home like usual.
Of course, Johnny. Youve gotta live believing itll happen.
If you go to LA, do I have to move too?
Hmm. Well talk about that later. Daddy really has to go now.
Nixon brushed it off and stood up.
Hey! Nixon!
A voice called his name from afar.
Seeing his father sling the guitar case over his shoulder, Johnny grabbed at him desperately.
If youre not coming back tonight, theres no bread for tomorrow. So,
Ask the neighbor, Mrs. Matilda. Alright, Im off!
Mrs. Matilda left for a family trip yesterday... Hes gone...
Nixon flashed a grin, insisting itd be fine, and took off.
Left alone on stage, Johnny held back tears and curled up on the narrow sofa meant only for him and his dad.
...Then things took a turn.
Nixon really did end up leaving with his friends, far away.
Whether fortunate or not, before departing, his father mustered one last shred of responsibility and found someone to look after Johnny.
Just like that, Johnny was dropped off at his grandmothers housea grandmother he hadnt even known existed.
Bella (No Yeonghui)s home.
Bella gave off none of Nixons sunny vibe; since her husbands death, shed become a cranky old woman who never left her dim, gloomy house.
Determined from the start, Johnny launched a project for the ages when he was first left at Bellas.
Operation: Dont Get Abandoned.
To pull it off, he transformed into the bubbliest kid on earth, hovering around his grandma.
...Its been a whole week since I came to Grandmas. Todays the day Ive gotta win her over, even just a little.
In one corner of the stage, Johnny mulled over the plan hed devised all night.
He cleared his throat with a loud ahem and eyed his grandma in the living room, lost in her knitting.
Bella was deep into her knitting in the living room, lit by a single candle.
A far cry from the house where Nixon and Johnny had lived.
Same stage set structure, but different: vintage furniture, floral wallpaper with a bright touch.
Handmade knickknacks everywhere showed off Bellas craftsmanship.
The cozy interior felt like something out of a fairy talebut shrouded in darkness.
It was mid-morning, when sunlight should pour in warmly, but Bella wouldnt allow the blackout curtains to be touched.
The house was always lit by just one or two candles.
As if that darkness felt cozier and safer to her than anything.
Ahem, Grandma?
......
Grandma!
......
Johnny crept up to his grandma and tried to speak.
She ignored him completely.
Even as her grandson called out, she kept her lips sealed tight, hands busily knitting away.
Bella wore a baggy floral skirt and a sweater shed knitted herself, with tiny reading glasses perched on the tip of her nose.
Her face was rigidly stern.
Her stubbornly pursed lips revealed her temperament perfectly.
Johnny glanced at his unresponsive grandma, then quietly succeeded in slipping into the armchair in front of her.
Grandma.
......
Grandma?
......
Grandma Grandma, Grandma, Grandma, Grandma! Cant you hear me... Grandma!
Goodness, you startled me!
Johnnys booming voice made Bella jump, dropping her knitting.
Seeing the yarn ball tossed aside, she glared at him, fuming.
Watching it all, Johnny stuck out his tongue and made a cheeky face.
He looked just like a little angel.
Jonathan, what on earth? Do you enjoy tormenting an old woman like me?
No, Grandma, I just...
Just? Speak properly.
I wanna eat pizza.
Right on cue, Johnnys stomach let out a loud gurgle.
Bella deflated at the pathetic sound, letting her arms droop.
What sin did I commit in a past life to endure this... My word.
Bella hadnt taken kindly to her grandsons sudden arrival.
Shed wasted years waiting for her fool of a son, whod run off chasing music.
Just when shed given up, figuring he was grown and could do as he pleased.
Out of the blue, word came that the same deadbeat had a son.
No visit, just a phone call.
No word on where the mother was.
Probably ditched him to chase that money-losing music dream.
Shed assumed theyd fend for themselves, but then he showed up begging her to watch the kid while he went to some rock festival far away.
The boy, with his clear eyes, hadnt seemed all that scared of her from the start, oddly enough.
Said you were a good, quiet kid who wouldnt be any trouble. Pizza? We dont have that here.
Aww, Grandma, come on. You can smell it, right? Theres a pizza truck right out front!
Chattering on, Johnny went to the window right in front of Bella and reached for the curtain.
Seeing this, Bellas eyes widened as she stopped her grandson.
Ah, no! Dont touch the curtains.
But you really gotta see itits right there...
I cant go.
Grandma...
Her pitiful grandsons plea slipped out.
His big, teary eyes looked ready to spill over.
Afraid shed cave if she looked longer, Bella waved him off.
Dont call for it.
I wanna eat that pizza.
...You planning to talk about that all day?
Seeing her weary tone, Johnny beamed brightly and nodded.
He sidled right up to Bellawho rubbed her throbbing head with one handand put on a determined face.
I really wanna eat pizza with you, Grandma! No one elsejust you and me!
Jonathan, you...
Itd only been a week since Johnny arrived at Bellas.
Hed never once pushed his own wants so firmly before.
But now, staring straight into her eyes with lips pressed tight, he looked just like her own reflection.
It churned something inside Bella.
A feeling shed never had raising young Nixon.
As if he knew her inner turmoil despite her efforts to hide it, Johnnys earnest pleading made her sigh.
Youre sure youll be quick?
Of course! Want me to grab your hat, Grandma?
Whered you even find this?
It was hanging in the room next to mine? Isnt it yours?
Wordlessly, Bella took the wide-brimmed straw hat from Johnny.
It was the one shed worn on walks with her husband when he was alive.
As she stroked the hat, her lips softened for the first time.
Missing it, Johnny hurriedly slipped on his shoes, grabbed Bellas arm, and tugged.
Hurry, Grandma. Hurry!
Pizza trucks dont vanish that fast. Slow down.
You sit behind curtains all dayhow do you know?
...Jonathan, open the door.
Johnny opened the front door, and bright spotlightslike warm sunlightbathed them both.
They took one step toward the audience, silently soaking in the light.
One step.
Stepping out past the flower bed... Its been ages.
Feels pretty nice, right, Grandma?
Hmph. Still better than our living room.
Bella hadnt left the house much since her husband died.
The bright world felt awkward to navigate alone.
And she didnt want to face how her aging body was growing frailer.
Wait, Johnny. Hold my arm, dear.
Whats wrong, Grandma?
Thats how it is when you get old. Knees ache, back hurts, all that. Youre still a little beanyou wouldnt get it.
Wheres a bean this big?
The two walked slowlymatching Bellas pacetoward the red pizza truck in the distance.
Bella chattered nonstop, like a button was stuck, stringing together sentences longer than three words for the first time in ages.
At her side was Johnny, attentively caring for her and nodding along.
The stage went dark.
The first act ended amid tension.
Jessica and Jo Isu stood at the directing booth, facing the stage directly.
Jo Isu, arms crossed as he watched, let out a long sigh into his headset mic.
Jessica, beside him with a relaxed expression, chuckled and asked,
Feeling less tense now?
Phew. Eh, somewhat.
Jo Isu rolled his stiff neck as he replied.
As the one overseeing all staff, he monitored everything in real-time during the show, walkie-talkie on his belt, watching tensely.
This spot between the first and second balconies overlooked the entire stage, letting him check lighting changes on the fly.
Hed watched the whole act tense enough for two, his neck nearly snapping.
Strictly speaking, Jessica didnt seem to tense up at all.
Enjoy it. Enjoy. Our actors are having a blast up there.
True to her rock-solid confidence, Jessica put it plainly.
Wonder if shed be that chill as assistant director.
...She probably was, even back then.
...Yeah. Siu looks like a kid at the playground. Hows he so relaxed?
It is a playground. For that kid.
Jessica gazed warmly at the darkened stage.
Shed felt it in rehearsals, but that small frame commanded the stage like he owned itimpressively so.
No worries if it keeps going like this.
Jo Isu turned to Jessica at her utterly laid-back words, no reply.
She wore a smile, brimming with anticipationnot a hint of tension.
Same as ever.
Hed known it from the first moment he saw her.
No one loved and enjoyed theater itself more than Jessica.
Honk honk!
Car horns blared, lights rose, and Act 2 began.
In the changed backdrop stood Han Siu and No Yeonghwi still.
Han Siu flitted across the stage with the lightest, most joyful steps imaginable.
That little kids smile wasnt fake.
...Yeah. No worries.
Caught up in Han Sius vibe, Jo Isu chuckled unwittingly and realized once more.
Maybe Han Siu and Jessica clicked because they were so alike.