Please Leave Me Be

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾Chapter 3☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

So-so bright!! 

Licht raises his arms to shield his eyes. Such an innocent smile was too blinding for him, a middle-aged man living in a kid's body. Ah, sweet youth. 

Artty tilts his head at Licht's interesting reaction and giggles. Licht was so funny, 'she' had the best reactions. He leans towards Licht and whispers, "Can you show me more of that magic?"

Licht's lips turn to a frown immediately, "Shhh!" He gestures around him wildly, signally the fact that there are a lot of people around. 

Artty's lips soon open wide in realisation, "Then we can go inside!" He grabs onto the smaller boy and dashes to the stunning carriage not far from where they stood. It was the classic carriage, that is, if you ignored the exquisite designs of purple and blue that blended perfectly. And the gold that lined the coners and sides, highlighting the crest of the Von Erasil family. 

If Licht had seen it, he might have recognised it to be the family crest of one of the capture targets. But he was too focused on the feeling of a certain boy grabbing him. It made his skin feel itchy; it was uncomfortable but not as uncomfortable as before. 

Is it because the contact is minimal? Or am I subconsciously trusting him?

Licht made his thinking face once again, trying to discern the reason why his body was accepting someone else's touch. Artty watches Licht attentively, finding the oblivious creature in front of him cute. 

"Hey, hey! Licht how old are you?"

"Hmm?" Licht looks up, a bit startled. "Oh, um....I'm 5 years old." Artty's eyes widen, "Woahhhh, really?! But you're so small!" 

Licht's face turns dark at Artty's sentence, "It's how genes work, kiddo. My dad's short, so it natural that I'll be short too."

The young master's head shakes frantically, afraid of offending his new friend. "I don't mean in a bad way. I think you look cute like that, really! If anyone says otherwise, then I'll beat them!"

Licht snorts, but continues to play along. "Waaah! What if no one wants to be my friend because you beat them up?"

"Then, then-" Artty's brows bunch up in frustration. Licht sighs, a bit guilty for putting such a young kid on the spot like that. "Don't worry about it kid. I can take care -"

"Then I'll marry you!!"

...

.......

..........What?

"I'll tell my dad about it, don't worry. I'll marry you, and that way I can always protect you. But we'll probably have to get engaged first.......Hmm...."

Licht sat there, blank faced from shock. But his mind was moving a thousand kilometers per hour. 

What. Did. He. Just. Say.

Marry who? Marry me? He knows I'm a guy, right? ........HE DOESN'T KNOW!!!!!

"Look Artty, I'm really flattered," Licht has successfully transitioned to businessman mode, "But I'm-"

"Good news!!!" The man from before bursts into the carriage startling both boys. 

"Young Master!!" A teary and snot faced Celeste appears soon after, picking Licht up with a single scoop. She thanks the man in unintelligible words; and so begins their journey back home without Licht fixing the slight misunderstanding. 

Just a slight one. But that was the last time Licht met his brown haired little friend named Artty. 

                ☆○o。Timeskip 。o○☆

At 10 years old, Licht was hesitant to go to church. Why? Well, you see, both Licht and the heroine were the same age. Meaning, that they would eventually meet at the ceremony. There's no telling if he'll get dragged into a scene and gain unwanted attention from her and the male leads. 

"Aaaand done!" Celeste stands up proudly from Licht's slouching depressed figure. "You look absolutely adorable, young master. Don't slouch!" She scolds lightly as she dusts off the imaginary dirt off him. 

"Celeste, you baby him way too much. With you around catering to his needs, he becomes lazier each passing day!" Licht's mother, Evelyn, says exsparated. She walks up to Licht and pinches his waist, "And you! Stop giving Celeste so much work and try to become more independent."

She sighs again and crouches to his level, "Such a cute face, why did you have to grow up to be so lazy?"

"Am I interrupting something?" Sylvester walks into the scene of his wife pulling on his son's cheeks while venting. He could tell Licht was not happy with his cheeks being abused so he swiftly took his young son in his arms. 

"You sure took your time. Finally decided to come out after 20 years." Evelyn rolls her eyes with a cheeky smile, she loved her husband's reactions to her sarcasm. She could never get enough of it. 

"Surely I didn't take that long. I was only gone for about 20 minutes." Sylvester's eyes scrunch up in confusion and he looks at his watch helpless. Evelyn bursts out in laughter, while Licht snickers softly in the man's arms. 

The man's eyebrows scrunch even further until he seems to have reached some revelation. "Was that sarcasm?"

Evelyn lightly dabs at the tears in her eyes, "Oh, how I love my cute and oblivious husband." She leans low and lays a kiss on his cheeks, "Let's go, we're going to be late."

Licht, the now 4-foot boy, gives a small smile at his parents. "Mom, dad," Licht looks up at them, his face oddly serious, "If I don't have any magic, what would you do?"

"Simple," Evelyn answers without hesitation. "You'll have to practice swordsmanship, then."

Licht frowns, "Then what if I don't want to do swordsmanship?"

"Then you'll have to work on martial arts or any kind of self-defence. Because honey, you have my face and eyes. And let's be honest, I'm gorgeous. Which only means you will too." She looks down at him and takes him from her husband's arms. 

"We don't want any creepers scaring you, so you have to learn how to protect yourself because we can't always be with you. Okay?" She boops his nose. 

Licht nods in a daze as a warm feeling awakens in his heart. Unknowingly, Licht let go of his past and wholeheartedly accepted the people next to him. The people who genuinely cared for him.