ICTV - Chapter 52
I Changed The Villain
A small boat passed leisurely in front of the railing. The woman shyly offered a bright bouquet of roses to the man sitting across from her.
“Please stay with me for the rest of your life.”
“Oh my God, I’m so happy…!”
The man covered his mouth in joy, and I froze like a stone. Shit. I had barely forgotten about Belial. It’s authentic…!
I immediately screamed, holding my head, and everyone around me looked at me in shock.
“Miss, what’s wrong? Are you sick!?"
“No, something like that...!”
Yes, of course, in a place popular with couples, you can often see confessions of love and bouquets of roses! But why now...!
The timing was bad, but it was too bad. I immediately ran ahead of Beryl.
“Brother, let’s go quickly!”
“Mera was ahead of me earlier, but is it you this time? Go slow! You don’t even know the way!”
The destination doesn't matter. It just doesn't have to be here. Unless it's a space where lovers whisper their love…!
That was when I desperately increased my speed.
'If that's not love, what is?'
Ah, it's already too late. Belial's face appeared before my eyes. Although he is a cold handsome man representing the world view, he is warm only to myself.
That face used to be so friendly. My eyes became hot for no reason.
"Strange. It's really strange."
I should have answered no to that question without hesitation, but I was so captivated by the kindness and strangeness that I avoided answering.
In the end, I was and still am a coward.
That was the moment I thought so.
“Hey! Look ahead! Look ahead..!!”
"Huh?"
Belial's face disappears and he is replaced by a mocking light purple bead. The hanging tree filled my field of vision.
"Miss...!"
Thud.
My vision went dark along with a heavy sound. I ruined the mood again.
I laughed helplessly while lying on the floor.
***
“Master, I will do it.”
"It's okay. I’m out.”
“... If you need anything, please call.”
Taksha looked at Beryl while holding the hem of Mera's skirt. Beryl was wringing out a wet towel with an expressionless face.
I covered my swollen forehead and spoke with a sigh.
“I said there’s no need to do it like this. Let’s just get out.”
“Don’t talk nonsense and lie down quietly.”
“I don’t like it. I’m really fine.”
“Why don’t you stop moving around like you don’t and come here?”
I dodged Beryl's hand here and there near the window. Beryl's expression was so miserable that everyone who saw it was upset. It's natural that he's upset. We went on a trip, but the girl got hurt, and even our plans for today were ruined.
Mera quickly made eye contact with Taksha and said.
“Let’s stay out.”
"Yes… .”
Taksha kept looking back at the two. He followed Mera.
“I have to go to a restaurant first. I have to bring tea to you two. Taksha, you come with me. I’ll buy you some snacks.”
“Oh, I… .”
Taksha reflexively said he would go, but hastily shook his head.
"I'm fine. I guess I still haven't digested the waffle I ate earlier. I’d like to stay in my room.”
“What’s going on? Then wait in the room. I’ll just get the tea quickly.”
"Yes."
Mera waved at Taksha and headed to the restaurant. As Mera came out the door, she stopped walking and the man standing at the corner of the hallway spoke to her as if he had been waiting.
“Did you come alone?”
"No."
“But now I’m alone. You are on your way to the restaurant, right? Would you like to have a meal together? It’s lonely when you eat alone.”
“I don’t have time to eat.”
"Ah, yes."
That's why you can't have a lover.
Taksha shook his head. Taksha thought it was strange that Mera didn't have a lover because she was secretly popular in that house, but it was because she unconsciously built an iron wall like that.
What would you do if you lived with a love book?
Unless you break down that iron wall, you will never be able to find a lover.
Taksha put his hands in his pockets. A rather large bag of money was held in his hand. Taksha's cheeks turned pink. Even when he lived in the back alley, there have been a few times when he's held a bag this big, but he's never felt as proud as he does now.
Taksha recalled the great advice Rose once gave him.
‘Taksha, listen carefully. Since you are a worker in our mansion, you will receive a salary. You have to save twice when you get paid.'
Taksha, who was studying writing under Rose, became curious.
'Twice?'
'Huh. One is for you in the future, the other is for you now.'
Rose explained in an easy way for Taksha to understand.
'The world doesn't know what will happen. There is nothing to lose by saving money, but if you spend it, you will be able to sustain yourself.'
Taksha nodded.
'Oh, and don't ever tell anyone close to you how much money you've saved. Don't even tell your family about their bank account situation.'
'Bank account? I don't know what it is. All right. Does this mean I shouldn't tell the Young Lady and the master how much money I saved?'
'Huh. Don't ever tell us either. There's no need for us to ask that in the first place.'
'All right, Miss! I'll make sure to save up my money!'
Rose gave him a lot of really valuable advice. Taksha held the money bag tightly. He hid the money for his future self in a chest under the bed, but he kept the money for his current self like this.
Money earned through hard work. It felt very reassuring to hold it.
“I can buy cotton candy with this.”
A scene he saw one day came to mind again. A child walks side by side with his mother while holding cotton candy.
The reason why that scene was particularly memorable was because the child did not bite into the cotton candy that his mother had given him right away.
Instead, he took a small piece off and put it in his mother's mouth. Taksha didn't understand why he was putting more food in his mouth than he was busy doing, but now he understands.
It was love.
If there is anything, he feeds it first, and he wants to share even a little more of the food that he is too busy eating.
Taksha ran down the stairs like a rabbit. With this money, he will buy a lot of cotton candy and eat it on the terrace with the Young Lady, the Master, and sister Mera.
Taksha hopped over and looked up at the completely dark sky.
It's soon time for fireworks to celebrate the start of the festival. It is said that the Master deliberately consulted with the manager and chose the room with the best view of the fireworks.
Originally, he would buy snacks at the night market. After looking at various things, Taksha returned to the inn and tried to watch the fireworks, but the Young Lady lady was injured.
Taksha was scanning the street vendors at the night market with eagle eyes when he came across a sign. There was a picture of a cute dragon that looked like a pure white cloud and a fluffy girl with pink hair like a cloud sharing cotton candy with a big smile on her face.
"Found it."
Even if he rolls over and looks at it, it's definitely a cotton candy store sign.
Taksha quickly ran to the front of the store.
The owner smiled warmly as he put the fluffy, cloud-like cotton candy on a stick.
“Are you here to buy cotton candy?”
Taksha answered vigorously and held up the money bag.
"Yes!"
“Oh my, I guess you got a lot of allowance from my parents for the festival.”
“It’s not pocket money. It’s money I saved myself.”
“Is this the money you saved yourself? It's amazing. You are better than our son. So, how many cotton candy are you going to buy?”
“Four!”
“What color?”
"Uh..."
The light purple cotton candy that is on special sale during the festival is great, but he can't give up the white and pink ones either. It truly feels like the quintessential cotton candy. Since he has to buy four anyway, let’s buy all three colors.
Taksha answered.
“Please give me one white and one pink, and two lavender ones, please.”
"Okay. But can you carry it alone? The shape will definitely be ruined.”
Taksha was shocked. The round cloud-like shape is the lifeblood of cotton candy. Still, it's important to eat together. Taksha nodded solemnly.
"Please."
“It’s so refreshing. It feels good! Hold out your palm.”
A few candies fell like shooting stars onto Taksha's palm.
“It’s a service. While I making cotton candy, you can eat.”
"Yes!"
It feels really good to buy something legitimately with money. Taksha quickly put the candy in his mouth. He doesn't think he can do it anymore even if he were told to steal. Because he knows what it feels like to spend his own money. He has to work hard in the future.
Taksha bowed to the shop owner and then turned his back. And he saw it.
"..."
The crowd has grown even bigger. This is why the shape is ruined. Taksha looked down at the cotton candy, which already looked like a cloud, but had become more like a cloud after clumping together. Aside from being out of shape, he was worried that it would touch other people's clothes. He shouldn't cause trouble to others.
Thinking of Rose and Beryl, Taksha returned to the cotton candy stand.
"Mister."
"Why?"
“I have to go to the Crescendo Inn. I want to take a road less traveled by people. Do you know anything?”
“Um, Crescendo Inn?"
"Yes.”
The owner immediately pointed somewhere with his finger.
“Even people who have shops usually set up stalls at the night market during festivals. Me too right now. So the shopping area is really quiet.”
“Can you tell me in more detail?”
"Of course. If you walk in front of the clock tower in the middle of the shopping street, cross the arched bridge and you will see the Crescendo Inn building. The inn is so big, you’ll be able to find it easily.”
"Thank you!"
“Okay, it’s not that people aren’t walking around at all, but just in case, be careful!”
Taksha immediately walked in the direction indicated by the show owner. As the owner said, the lights were off in all the stores except three or four. The only thing shining brightly was the stars in the night sky.
Taksha passed by people sitting on benches chatting. Taksha stared at the sky.
“Now that I think about it, it’s been a long time since I walked alone at night.”
Because wherever he went, he was with Master Beryl. When Master was away due to work, he moved in with Lady Rose, and he felt very empty because there was no one around to talk to him.
It hasn't even been an hour since he went out alone. In the past, he wouldn't have had time to feel lonely because he was hungry and cold. Abundance also gives us room to feel loneliness. He doesn't know if this is good or bad, but again, it is clear that Taksha does not want to live like before.
He has to go back quickly.
As Taksha was just passing through a narrow alley, a star fell from the sky.
“Oh, it’s a shooting star.”
Taksha tried to put his hands together but realized he couldn't because of the cotton candy, so he just closed his eyes.
“Please let this daily life continue… .”
Someone pushed Taksha hard. Taksha was struggling helplessly and fell on his butt. The cotton candy is muddy and rolled around on the floor.
'My cotton candy..!'
It was the moment when Taksha cried.
"Hey."
Someone struck a match and lit a cigarette. Cloudy smoke floated in the air.
Taksha sat back, shrugging his shoulders. He didn't feel anything. In the past, he would have sensed something ominous and ran away...! Now he was like a hedgehog with all its thorns pulled out.
Then one person asked.
“Do you have any money? Because I don’t have it, I can’t enjoy the festival.”
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