Ch.001 – Hither away – 05

The next morning fog still clings around when Renji sigh, closing the zipper of his jacket and wearing his delivery gloves. Even the streets still showed early signs of life. Bike tires rolling over the untouched snow, street vendors pulling up tarps, stray cats walking into alleys.

"Hey, old man. Is this all?" Renji asked with half yawn, nodding at the half-filled thermal cargo box sitting on his scooter.

"Ah—wait a sec, there's another batch! Came in last minute!" Tetsuo's voice groaned from somewhere behind the restaurant's wall.

"Alright, lemme help you pack it."

"Appreciate it."

As Renji entered the kitchen, he helped to open empty paper bags, arranging dumpling boxes, tying the sauce bag with diligence.

Outside, unnoticed, Renji's delivery scooter stood cold and unguarded in front of the restaurant, it's thermal cargo box still open wide as if waiting. And minutes later, both of them emerged from the clattered restaurant, arms full of paper bags.

"Whoa… this is a lot…" Renji carefully placing everything inside with Tetsuo helping him.

"Yeah... but I should be grateful for this, right?"

"You should find yourself a successor, Lord Tetsuo."

Yet Tetsuo didn't answer immediately. He just stood there, looking at Renji like he was considering something. Like he saw more than just a delivery boy in that moment.

"Don't even say it old man... I refuse the inheritance."

"You'd get used to making dumplings if you kept at it. I bet you'll do well in a month."

"I won't," Renji said, closing the cargo box together with the conversation too.

"Tch… such a shame." Tetsuo crossed his arms dramatically, turning to stare off into the white-cold street like a dejected dad.

"Come on... don't sulk, anyway, I'm going now. Everything's inside, yeah?"

"All hot, sealed, and good to go. Watch the road, Renji."

Tetsuo watched him go as Renji nodded inside his chicken helmet and kicked the stand off his scooter. He gave a quick salute as he drives into the morning traffic.

--------

I'd clear my schedule by noon…

As he driving through main streets, Renji's mind shifted toward today's real plan as he saw a billboard for a new movie series adapted from one of the novels he read.

"Oh, I know that one… well… it deserves the adaptation to be honest…"

He stopped at a red light. A breeze hit his face. Somewhere far off, sirens echoed, comes and goes just like that.

Then he tapped his backpack slinged on his chest, the manuscript he worked on is inside and printed and completed. It wasn't perfect, but it was real. He'd already printed the submission form too. Rookie Writers' Winter Cup, hosted by some niche publisher out in Shinagawa.

If I win… I'll get a publishing deal, a mentorship, or a shot at serialization…

It felt surreal even thinking about it. But he was tired of telling himself 'Next year.' Tired of waiting for the perfect chapter, the perfect time.

"This was the best I could do right now. It had to be enough…"

All that left was to fill out the entry form and drop off the script by afternoon.

He'd spent so many nights wondering whether this story even mattered, whether anyone would mock at his imagination. But this morning felt different.

Maybe it was the way Tetsuo quietly supported him. Maybe it was the air itself, fresh with possibility.

"Or maybe…" Renji smiles under his helmet, watching a small group of pedestrians scrambling across the street, "...maybe something simple—something good—can still come out of a dumb story written in the dark."

A quiet defeated chuckle followed, but still, deep down, a flicker of hope sparked.

Fine… Let's be positive! I can feel it! UWOOOOGGH!! Dream come true!!

Despite his animated overhyped scream like Saiyan power inside his imagination, only a sigh comes out with hopeful stare at the sky, until—

"...Let's believe for once."

—The light turned green.

Renji driving forward with his scooter, eyes focused on the road, thoughts still on fiction and dreams.

And behind him, something hidden quietly, unknowingly. The extra weight in his bag that didn't belong.

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After delivering one by one on his usual route, his final stop was always the same. The KHX office.

When parking his scooter on the lot, his fingers tightening slightly around the paper bag with the red ribbon as he stares toward the distant garden inside the glass house, remembering yesterday.

That classy woman with simple tailored outfit and sharp tongue, humming to herself while watering the flowers like a treasure.

Will she be there again today too…?

"No… no need for distractions. Not now… not going to sit there again anyway…"

Just drop off the food on the receptionist and go…

Renji adjusted his gloves and locked his scooter. And as he about to walk from it—the noise of city traffic faded beneath someone's stone-like voice.

"Sir, please step away from your vehicle."

He immediately turned his head to the voice in reflex. Two men stood at the side of parking lot, both in blue and black uniform complete with golden badge. And both men approaching Renji, calm and sure.

"We need to inspect the contents of your delivery cargo. Right now."

"What? Why? What's this about?"

"You've made repeated stops at this building over the last few weeks, your profile matches a report connected to suspected activity."

"Of course I am… one of our regular customers is here…What? you think I'm criminal? You serious?"

"It'll only take a moment." The taller police officer clearly not backing out.

Renji hesitated at this unexpected situation. But refusing would only make it worse. With annoyance, he walks back to his scooter, and flipped the cargo box latches open.

Does it really have to be now of all days…

"Fine. Whatever… I'm on a clock anyway."

The officers didn't speak as they moved in. One scanned the inside out of the cargo box. The other checked the chassis, nook and cranny. And the moment the taller officer digs past the stacked thermal pads inside, the tip of his finger found something hidden inside.

"…It's a hit," he muttered to his partner while taking out the dense, black and neatly wrapped package from the cargo box.

"…The hell is that…?" Renji blinked, his brain trying to catch up with the event that unfolds before him.

No one answered him. As the officers only exchanged looks at each other's.

The taller one was already peeling the first layer open, punching a small hole with his penknife to ascertain what's inside. A white powder.

Wait, wait wait wait… Seriously, the fuck is that…?

He took half a step back. "Hold up. I don't know what that is. How is it there?"

"Do you handle your own deliveries?"

"Yes! I don't work with anyone—"

The second officer already on his phone. "Dispatch, we've got a confirmed package. The intel's match. One runner on-site, estimated one kilo. Requesting immediate team to investigate KHX building. Relay it to detective Suwabe."

Renji could feel his heartbeat spiked the moment he heard it.

…WHAT?? What's going on….?

He looked between them like they'd just started speaking another language. "Wait, whatever it is, I swear it's not mine!"

The taller officer walks closer to Renji. "You're in possession of a controlled substance in commercial quantity."

"I'm what—?? No, man, I didn't even know that was in there!"

His voice raised in tension a cold sweat trailed down his spine as the paper bag containing the food was now completely forgotten on the snowy pavement.

"Look! Check with KHX. Ask the front desk. I'm really just delivering food every day!"

"We'll ask them later, for now, you're coming with us." A firm hand locked down on his shoulder. Another hand was already guiding his wrist backward with no warning, not even a chance to pull away.

"—Wait, what are you doing?!"

Cold metal snapped around one wrist. Before he could fully react, the other wrist was yanked behind his back, wrenched at a harsh angle. The handcuffs locked tight with a sharp click.

"Fuck—! Hey! You don't need to—!"

The officers didn't respond to his protest. Procedure took over with mechanical and efficient tone. One recited his rights. The other secured the evidence in a labeled bag.

"Keep still and cooperate."

What the hell is happening????

His mind was spinning, drowning and screaming all at once.

The fuck?! Did Tetsuo use the bike to deliver this kind of shit at night???

"This is insane!! Listen to me!"

"You can explain yourself at the station." the second officer that carrying the evidence replied with a knowing look. "Everyone always says same stuff you did."

"I AM NOT!!"

The taller one repeated, "you're holding one kilogram of illegal drugs. Intent to distribute is assumed."

"I—this is a mistake, alright? I swear. You don't get it, I just—I just deliver food, I've never even touched this shit in my life!"

His legs stumbled. His mouth moved, but no one seemed to hear anymore. The polices guiding him toward their car like a problem already solved.

This has to be a joke!! A setup? Wrong guy? Mistaken identity? Something??

"You're cuffing the wrong guy!!!"

A group of pedestrians had stopped on the other side of the street. A few of them were watching now— the commotion began to draw attention. A couple workers inside KHX turned toward the entrance. One of the building's security guards, the one who often nodded at Renji when he walked in, stepped out and looked toward the scene. His brows furrowed as he reached for his radio.

Inside the building, the receptionist blinked up from her monitor as she answered from the intercom. Her expression changed. She glanced half with disbelief toward the glass front doors and saw the figure being pulled to the police car.

"…That delivery guy?"

The siren of a patrol car flared, wailing through the street as the traffic swallowed it whole.

Above them, Snow poured lightly from the bright morning sky. As if mocking those who had a bad start today.

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Almost an hour later where the commotion already died down, in the private glass house garden behind the building, soft shears clipped at a stubborn vine. The woman carefully adjusting the angle of the branch.

"...…" With unreadable expression, she glances at the empty chair under the tree, where she usually found that man writing and sighing.

Looks like he finally got something better to do.