ICTV - Chapter 53

ICTV - Chapter 53

I Changed The Villain

“Give us some money so we can buy some cotton candy. I don't know because you're young, but pocket money is meant to be shared. Hey."

Taksha swallowed dry saliva and obediently took out the money bag. In times like this, if he rebels foolishly, things can get worse. 

Taksha quickly scanned the people. Fortunately, these people just take kids' money. He seemed like a clumsy bully.

That was the moment when Taksha thought so.

“I got the money, so let’s go.”

“No, wait a minute.”

The person who was still smoking blew out smoke openly. Taksha coughed reflexively and got scared.

“I mean, I get upset when I see a kid like you who lives without any worries, right? My father ran away right after I was born, so I had a really hard time.”

Taksha too was abandoned by his parents.

Taksha was about to say that out of reflex, but stopped. Even if Taksha, who has big money pockets and is wearing clean clothes, said something like that, it wouldn't be persuasive at all.

“Let’s take just one hit. You too should know the bitter taste of life.”

The man took another cigarette and grabbed Taksha by the collar. He can't resist. The important thing now is to return home with his arms and legs intact. 

It was the moment when Taksha reflexively closed his eyes.

“Ahh...!”

The man's hand that was holding his collar lost its strength. Taksha's eyes opened brightly. Then he appeared. Beryl is holding the man's wrist. Even though he was wearing a hood, Taksha could tell at a glance.

Why is he here... ?! 

Taksha was surprised to see Beryl. At that time, he saw another person wearing the same robe over Beryl's shoulder. The person moved her red lips and spoke in a truly astonished tone.

“If you know the bitter taste of life, you don’t want others to know the bitter taste. Isn’t it normal? Why are you venting your anger somewhere far away?”

Is there a Lady too? How on earth did she come here?! 

This was the moment when Taksha was surprised for the second time.

"Who are you? Don’t you let go of me?!”

“How dare those who were quiet when they grabbed the child by the collar give orders?”

Beryl sharply broke the man's arm. The cigarette he was holding fell to the floor. Another person lunged at Beryl but was knocked down with one kick. 

Beryl hid Taksha behind him.

“It’s something he’s really good at at his age. These guys with all right limbs smoke in front of kids and take money from them?”

“What do you care..! Even that little guy…!”

“Close your eyes, Taksha.”

"Yes?"

The moment Taksha asked back, Beryl slammed his fist into the man's abdomen. The man's knees buckled.

“This is what the pumpkin flower in our house taught me, so follow it. Secondhand smoke is secondhand murder.”

“Ugh...!”

“Oh, I guess I can’t imitate her.”

The person who was holding his stomach for a moment soon vomited everything up. Ugh, Beryl looked at the man with disgust in his eyes and was shocked to find Taksha with his eyes still wide open.

“What, why are your eyes open?! Don't look at that!"

Beryl covered Taksha's eyes with his palm. Beryl doesn’t have to cover it! 

Let's see it even a little more.

The Taksha he wanted to capture was disappointing, but on the other hand, it was very reassuring. Beryl asked, still covering Taksha's eyes.

“What do you guys want to do?”

People hesitated and retreated. Taksha spoke in a respectful tone.

“You’re amazing even without a bow, Master.”

Beryl just answered indifferently.

“People who are good at shooting archers are good at beating people even without a bow.”

Pulling the bowstring itself requires a tremendous amount of strength. At that time, Rose came into the eyes of those people. One person smiled in conversation.

“Catch that woman...!”

People rushed to Rose. Although he couldn't see what was in front of him, Taksha could clearly see what was inside those people. They say there are many ways to die, and that was the moment when Taksha thought so.

“Those who touch the Young Lady.”

The hair tied together was shaking.

Mera appeared from nowhere, threw away the paper bag she was holding in her right hand, and struck the person closest to her.

“I will rip them all to pieces and kill them.”

Mera bent her upper body and assumed a posture that would not be strange if she ran at any time. The growling sound coming from between the lips was not a human, but an animal itself. The gangsters realized that just because they walk on two legs and talk does not necessarily mean they are human.

“Wait outside the alley. Hey, pumpkin flower. Take the kid quickly.”

"Okay."

And at the same time, they realized that they were now dead. Beryl gritted his teeth.

“It’s funny that you smoked in front of a child and took his money, but how dare you try to hold someone hostage?”

Rose and Taksha held hands and walked out of the alley. He saw a bench across from him.

“Let’s sit there and wait.”

"Yes. By the way, how did you get here?”

Rose pointed to his forehead, which was still red.

“I heard from Mera that the waitress at the restaurant had a good medicine room. So I was going to go with you right away, but you weren’t in the room.”

Taksha's eyes widened.

“I thought there was no way a child who was so scared of becoming a lost child would go out alone, so we all came out to look for you and find you before it’s too late. I'm glad you're here. You almost got into big trouble.”

She came to look for him. Taksha's cheeks turned red with joy. 

Rose stroked the cheek. He felt relief from her touch.

“But really, why did you go outside alone? You hated being alone like that.”

"That is..."

Taksha mumbled and then confessed honestly.

“I wanted to eat cotton candy with Young Lady, the Master, and sister Mera. There will be a fireworks display soon, so I thought it would be a good idea to watch it while eating.”

"..."

“Those people pushed me and made me fall. Sorry, Miss. You hit your head earlier, but you couldn't rest because of me."

Rose said, still stroking Taksha's cheek.

"It's okay. You can buy things like cotton candy again.”

"Miss...."

“But next time, it would be better to go out with Mera. Especially at night.”

“I definitely will.”

Taksha shook his head. Rose checked once more.

“Are you sure you’re okay? No injuries?”

“Yes, I'm really okay. There wasn't even a single scratch."

"Thank God."

Only then did Rose take her hand away. The two were sitting with the heavy-hitting sound coming from inside as the background sound.

“It’s been a while since you went out alone. How was it?”

“I was a little lonely, though.”

Taksha smiled broadly while shaking his legs.

“It’s okay now.”

At that time, one more shooting star fell. Taksha quickly put his hands together.

“Young Lady, quickly put your hands together and make a wish! Hurry!"

Rose shook her head.

“I don’t want to beg.”

"Why?"

“Even if I pray to God or a shooting star, my wish doesn’t come true.”

“But it’s still fun. Then it's done, isn't it?"

Rose was struck by the sight of Taksha accurately stating one of the things she had desperately felt while walking around outside.

"That's right. I'll pray too... Ah, just now, It's gone."

Rose apologized as she looked at the sky, which was filled with nothing but ordinary stars.

"Sorry. You couldn’t make a wish because of me.”

“It’s okay. It’s a little disappointing, though.”

Taksha said with his hands still clasped.

“You can just look at the stars and make a wish.”

“But are you really okay?”

"yes. A shooting star that falls very occasionally. I’m glad it’s special.”

Taksha's eyes were filled with stars.

“I also like the stars that I can see every day. It’s not special, but I can see it all the time.”

“Don’t you usually like special shooting stars more?”

“I see. Because you can't see clearly..."

Taksha, who was thinking deeply, clapped his hands.

"For a moment! So, if there is a world where only shooting stars fall, in that world conversely, would you like to make a wish when a star rises? Because the stars are special there.”

Rose froze with her hands clasped together.

"What's wrong?"

“No, that’s not it.”

It's an unimaginable idea. If there is a world like Taksha said... Rose nodded.

“You’re absolutely right.”

"Yes?"

What was special was actually something that could change depending on the standards. And in the end, we are the ones who set the standards. 

Rose thought of Taksha's brilliant future when she was with the protagonist, or to be more precise, Taksha's future that Rose thought was brilliant. Rose asked.

“Taksha. What kind of person do you want to be in the future?”

“Well, I’ve never thought about it that way...”

Taksha, who was in agony, cried out. 

“But if I had to choose, it would be someone as brave as Master Beryl! Ah, but someone like you would be nice too. I think so, what should I do? Oh, there’s no need to worry, I just need to look half like the two of you.”

“What kind of person am I?”

“A quiet and calm person in any situation.”

"I see."

If someone else had it, she would have thought it was an advantage, but if she had it, she thought it was a disadvantage. Rose continued to ask questions.

“I don’t want to be like the main character in the adventure novel I read a while ago? "

"Ah?"

Taksha was immediately shocked.

“I’m not a reckless person who goes into caves or the ocean to explore like the main character! Why do you do such a dangerous thing?!”

“Yeah, that’s common sense.”

“I don’t have anything to eat, so I don’t even want to eat things like hard jerky or moldy cheese! It’s nice to eat three generous meals a day in a comfortable home!”

Taksha got up from his seat.

I shouted passionately.

“Definitely the main character in the book!”

“Who is the main character in the book?”

Taksha's luscious cheeks stood out.

“He trains to fight and win against monsters, but I train to eat delicious food!”

"..."

“First of all, this isn’t the world in a book, right? It’s not the world in the book, so is there a need to be the main character?

What should I say about this? 

Rose wondered what to say. It can never be said that this is the world in the original book.

But I thought there was no difference between this world and the world in the book. Leading and supporting roles are determined from birth, and people born with ambiguous talents struggle to somehow achieve their hopes, but eventually compromise and take a different path.

At that time, the stars in the night sky came into view.

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