The foreman turned out to have a sliver of a conscience after all. He didn't hoard all the credit for himself; instead, he laid out the true situation to the old man exactly as it was, then gestured toward Ryunosuke, who was currently taking a break.
Ryunosuke simply waved toward the grandfather without saying a word.
The old man bowed deeply to Ryunosuke in a silent show of gratitude. Immediately afterward, the foreman arranged for him to take on the lightest task available: operating the excavator.
The excavator in question was a mini-type, so small it looked like a month-old infant in the world of heavy machinery. With a bucket width of only about 60 cm, it was incredibly practical for navigating private residential plots. The old man began to dig, peeling away layers of earth with his miniature machine.
The foreman returned to sit under the shade umbrella with Ryunosuke to chat.
"Thanks, Kid," the foreman said.
Ryunosuke replied with a flat expression, "Don't mention it..."
The foreman let out a resigned sigh. "Do you think I'm being manipulative? Wanting to help, but taking such a roundabout way to do it?" He offered Ryunosuke a cigarette. Ryunosuke accepted it and tucked it behind his ear.
The gesture was telling; it showed he didn't smoke, yet he respected the other man's offering—a very polite bit of social etiquette. To refuse a cigarette outright can sometimes make the giver lose face. By tucking it behind his ear, he gave the impression that he would "smoke it later," even though it would likely never be lit. It was a way to preserve the other man's dignity without inconveniencing himself.
Responding to the foreman's question, Ryunosuke was blunt: "Didn't you just want to avoid paying the difference out of your own pocket?"
The foreman nearly tripped over his own feet. "How can you say that about me?"
"Am I wrong? If that weren't the case, how could a foreman like you not afford such a tiny bonus?"
The foreman went silent for a moment before explaining patiently, "I can't help him indefinitely. I have a whole crew of men who need to eat. If I give him special treatment unilaterally, my other workers won't stand for it."
Ryunosuke waved him off. "Forget it, I know you have your reasons. You're being noisy!"
Foreman: "😐"
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
The mini excavator made quick work of the foundation. Afterward, the workers began laying and tying the rebar, preparing for the concrete pour. As dusk began to settle, the steelwork was halted halfway, scheduled to be completed the following day.
Ryunosuke treated them all to dinner and informed them not to bother bringing breakfast tomorrow morning, as he would provide it. To him, that kind of money was negligible. Covering three meals a day for the workers wasn't expensive; rather, it was a smart investment to ensure they worked with their whole hearts.
The workers thought more simply; to them, saving on a day's worth of food meant keeping an extra 1,000 to 2,000 Yen in their pockets. It made them incredibly happy, knowing that money could go toward their children's needs. Such is the nature of parents—always wanting the best for their offspring.
The 72-year-old grandfather returned home that night and recounted the day's events to his wife.
"Goodness, I really met a saint today. That young man doesn't look much older than our granddaughter, but his character is truly extraordinary."
"What do you think... should we introduce our granddaughter to him?"
The grandmother gave him a sharp look while she continued tallying the monthly ledger, ensuring expenses didn't exceed the budget. Without looking up, she said, "Perish the thought. Romance is a free choice these days. Let our granddaughter choose who she likes; we just need to support her from the sidelines."
The grandfather scratched the back of his head and let out a sheepish laugh. "Haha, true enough."
Despite her words, the next day the grandfather actually brought a photo of his granddaughter and flaunted it in front of Ryunosuke.
"Look, this is my granddaughter. Pretty, isn't she?"
"Well? Interested in an introduction?"
Ryunosuke: "😐"
(Good grief, I treated you like a colleague, and now you want to be my grandfather?) he thought.
Ryunosuke wasn't actually interested, but he couldn't help stealing a glance at the photo out of curiosity. However, the moment he saw the picture, he nearly choked.
(Dammit, another acquaintance!)
The grandfather prodded him, "Come by my house today, I'll treat you to a drink."
Ryunosuke shook his head as fast as an electric fan. Just as he was about to refuse, the old man pulled out the "sob story" card. He stared at the photo of his granddaughter with misty eyes.
"This granddaughter of mine... she's had a hard life."
"Her father abandoned them when she was in middle school. Then, her mother died of overwork when she was in her second year of junior high."
"Only the two of us, her grandparents, are left to look after her. Once we're gone, what will become of her?"
"Stop! I'll come, okay?! I'll come!" Ryunosuke surrendered, feeling utterly defeated.
The grandfather immediately flashed a triumphant grin before shifting back into "story mode." "Actually, my granddaughter is very strong... but her heart is fragile. When she was little, whenever there was thunder and rain, she would always sneak into someone else's blanket looking for safety."
Ryunosuke listened without interrupting, but eventually, he couldn't help but comment.
"Why is this conversation getting so derailed? Aren't you supposed to be building my house? Why are we still talking about your granddaughter?"
But the old man kept rambling incessantly. Ryunosuke had no choice but to listen patiently.
It was as if the grandfather wanted to spill every one of his granddaughter's secrets so Ryunosuke would know her inside and out. As a man who had lived for 72 years, he felt his instinct for judging character was razor-sharp. Ryunosuke was someone who could be trusted.
He and his wife were old; their time to accompany their granddaughter was limited. The person who would stay with her for the rest of her life would be her future partner. Don't blame this old man for worrying too much; at 72, he might only have ten years left, or even less. And his wife would likely follow not long after he was gone.
When that happened, his granddaughter would be all alone in this world... Old people always worry about a future that hasn't happened yet. Or perhaps, he was beginning to feel his own health failing, making him desperate to find a pillar for his granddaughter to lean on. If they left her to suffer alone in the world, the two of them would never be able to rest in peace.