When the boss lowered his head again, I casually picked up the basket beside the food.

I selected my favorites from the colorful array on the cart:

chicken wings, drumsticks, crispy cartilage, beef—anything meaty.

Vegetables? Zero interest. Let them sway in the cold wind.

I’m a carnivore. No meat? I can’t survive!

Naturally, my basket held nothing but meat.

After careful picking, I placed it at the end of the row awaiting the boss’s grilling.

“Aren’t you taking any veggies?”

As I set down the basket, the old boss must’ve just looked up and noticed its meat-only contents. Worried about my nutrition, he asked kindly.

“Nope! Meat’s all I need~ As a carnivore, veggies give me indigestion!” I declared firmly, rejecting greens with absolute resolve.

*Make me eat veggies? Over my dead body!!!*

“You’re so small. Skipping veggies won’t do.” With a resigned smile, he plucked half a dozen chives from a tray and dropped them into my basket. “These are on me. Young folks need balance!”

He probably couldn’t bear my scrawny frame.

Truth was, I did look malnourished.

Last time I checked the mirror, I barely recognized my own gaunt face.

Guess instant noodles shouldn’t be a daily diet.

A week of them left me looking starved.

And the boss was just a kind soul.

Seeing me like this… no wonder he forced chives on me.

Even though I hated chives…

I couldn’t refuse his kindness.

“Got it! Got it! Thanks, boss…” I accepted the freebie with fake cheer.

“Go wait at your seat. We’ll bring it when it’s ready.”

Satisfied I’d taken his gift, he shooed me off.

“Thanks for the trouble!” I waved and hurried back to my seat opposite Lin Jincheng.

“Done ordering?” Lin Jincheng lifted his gaze from his phone.

“Yep. Still grinding FGO?” My eyes caught his glowing screen. I recalled he’d played *Fate/Grand Order* for ages, often groaning: *“Ugh, two pulls with no SSR!”* or *“Why you?! Damn it, Master, when will you bless me?!”*

He was notoriously unlucky but hopelessly obsessed.

A true Type-Moon fanboy—even skipping lunches for gacha pulls.

“Yeah. Wanna join?” His eyes lit up.

“Nah. Not my thing.” I shook my head firmly.

“Aw, it’s fun! Just needs grinding, unlike other games~”

“Didn’t you just complain about *‘Ugh, can’t pull this!’* and *‘Ugh, can’t pull that!’*?”

“Pulling and playing are different! I pull for waifus, not utility. One Holy Grail solves everything!”

“Don’t hit me with lore I don’t know.”

“You’re supposed to say *‘What if it doesn’t?’*!”

“Not playing along!”

“Grrr!” Lin Jincheng gritted his teeth, frustrated by my lack of cooperation.

“Keep playing. Our food won’t be ready soon.” I nodded toward the grill, where thick white smoke curled into the sky. Noticing his boredom, I gave him permission to dive back into FGO.

“Mhm.” He bowed his head again, unlocking his phone to grind.

I pulled out my own phone—an ancient relic: the Nokia S530.

Even after Nokia’s collapse, this brick still worked.

Miraculous, really. It took ages to boot, but I couldn’t part with it.

Guess I’m just sentimental.

“You should replace that. It’s five years old.” Lin Jincheng glanced up, spotting my phone. Same old nag.

“Yeah… five years. I still remember my dad—”

“Dad? You *met* him?!” Lin Jincheng’s eyes widened in shock.

“My dad and I…” I swallowed my words, feigning ambiguity to fish for details about him.

“Your dad vanished right after you and your brother were born! Left your mom heartbroken. Total deadbeat!” He spat the words, as if personally wronged.

*Leaving Mom to raise us alone…*

“I see…”

Hearing him curse my father twisted my gut.

*Only I remember his kindness…*

To others, he was just a cold deserter.

But in my memories?

A gentle man.

(Though he never quit smoking…)

My eyes stung.

“No way! You’re not actually hoping to find that ghost of a dad?” Lin Jincheng abandoned his game, staring at my reddened eyes. “He’s been gone twenty years! Think he’ll magically show up? Impossible.”

“I’m fine. Play your game.” I rubbed my eyes hard, hiding weakness. *Be strong.*

Dad’s footprints had vanished.

Erased by the world’s correction.

His absence was patched with a simple story:

*He fathered us, then abandoned us.*

Flawless. Unquestionable.

His house now under Mom’s name—just another fix.

No one knew…

My dad was a loving father.

A giant in my heart.

But in the Fallen World…

He was killed by a Bonesoul.

I couldn’t accept it. Couldn’t show it.

“Stop thinking about him. After twenty years? He’s not coming back.” Lin Jincheng, stripped of all memories of my father, kept ranting like they shared blood feud. “People move forward!”

“Yeah, yeah. You say that every time.”

“Do I? First time I’ve told *you*!”

“Uh… sure. First time.”

He always said *“move forward.”*

Always used it to encourage me.

But now…

His memories of me were fractured.

He’d forgotten saying it before.

If he insisted it was the first time…

I’d humor him.

I used to dislike him. But honestly—

Not everyone faces Bonesouls head-on.

The will to live…

Who doesn’t have it?

(Suicidal folks aside.)

Normal people fight to survive.

Like me…

If that day came—

If Dad and I were told only one could live…

Would my choice match Lin Jincheng’s?

*Maybe it would.*

I smirked bitterly at the thought.

Just then—

“Your order’s ready. Enjoy!”

A light, melodic voice made me look up.

A ponytailed girl stood there, early twenties, bundled in a puffy coat that made her look round. But her clear face radiated freshness.

“Thanks for bringing it.” I smiled politely.

“Hey, cutie. Got a boyfriend?” Lin Jincheng struck a pose, wolfish instincts kicking in at the sight of a pretty server.

“You’re such a creep!”

She snapped back, whirled around, and stomped off—leaving him with a glare of pure disgust.