Horoscope

Anita’s POV

Having a perfect life is everyone’s hope. I had it all — a happy family and everything. But is this truly my dream life?

It all began when I decided to run away from home to enjoy the beautiful night view. Why should I run away just to have some alone time? Can’t everyone do that without running away from home? 

Can’t they simply ask their parents for permission? Well, you might think it’s an easy thing to do. But in my life, it’s a daunting challenge. Those solitary nighttime walks were rare occurrences for me — I rarely went alone.

Yes, it’s all because of my incredibly strict parents. They never let me go out on my own. They always assign guards to look after me. There’s no freedom when you’re constantly being watched. The guards even prevent me from mingling with people around me, even though I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.

When my parents were away, I would often stay at home and study martial arts to protect myself, learning to use various weapons. My parents are always busy with work, and they often neglect me, but I understand.

I found myself in a crowd, surrounded by street music, cafes, and people passing by. There was a variety of street entertainment around me. I approached a street musician who skillfully played the violin, captivating the audience. Everyone clapped for him, and some even gave him money. I, too, contributed to the street musician’s talent by offering some money. I had prepared everything I needed for this trip, and I carried it all on my back.

After enjoying the street music, I watched street magic shows and a small circus. It was a fantastic performance with trained animals, and people expressed their appreciation by clapping and giving money. I also gave money to a little dog, adding to the joy of the show. Afterward, I quickly made my way to a café. I didn’t have time to read the café’s name; I simply walked in and took a seat at an empty chair.

At another table, right in front of mine, a man was engaged in a conversation with two others. The man, wearing a white coat, had a handsome yet cold face. He remained calm as he interacted with the two men across from him.

A waitress approached me and greeted me, “Good evening, miss. Here’s the menu for our café,” she said, handing me the menu.

I opened the menu and browsed through the various items served at the café.

“I’ll have a late berry milk, please,” I said, handing back the menu to the waitress.

“Anything else?” she asked.

“No, thank you,” I replied.

The waitress left to place my order. As I waited for my drink, I took in the café’s interior. It had a cozy atmosphere, making me feel right at home. The place had air conditioning. I took out my new notebook, its pages pristine and untouched. I began sketching the vase and flowers on the table, doing my best to capture their beauty.

While engrossed in my drawing, I noticed a commotion at the table in front of me. The man in the white coat was now engaged in an argument with the two men. A fight broke out, and one of the two men drew a gun, aiming it at the man in the white coat. Surprisingly, the man in the white coat remained calm. Just as the trigger was about to be pulled, the man in the white coat swiftly attacked, disarmed the other man, and removed a bullet from the gun before dropping it on the floor.

Thinking the ordeal was over, the man in the white coat left the café. However, he hadn’t even stepped outside when another man pulled out a gun and pointed it directly at me, the girl who was peacefully drawing.

“Hey, take one step out of this café, and this girl will lose her life!” the man threatened.

I was startled and immediately let go of my pen, locking eyes with the man pointing the gun at me.

The man in the white coat turned around and noticed the man threatening me with his gun. I, frozen and scared, silently awaited his next move.

The man in the white coat walked over to my table, calmly approaching the two men.

“Hey, enough of this! Stop causing a scene here. Let go of the girl,” he commanded.

“You should have discussed this with us more carefully. We’ve been working hard for you all this time, and you’ve been ignoring us!” one of the men protested.

“Fine, I’ll sit back down,” he replied, retaking his seat.

The man who had aimed his gun at me withdrew his weapon. I couldn’t help but show my annoyance. These three men had recklessly involved me in their personal matters. Not once did they apologize. Their actions could have cost someone their life, and it terrified me.

The three men resumed their conversation, and I discreetly listened in on their discussion.

“Bro, why are you acting this way? We have everything. Isn’t that enough?” one of the men asked, the same man who had previously aimed his gun at me.

“I guess it’s time to find a woman. But I’ve been keeping all this a secret. I don’t want the girls to know me like this; they’d hate me!” the man in the white coat replied.

“But sir, don’t most girls like something fancy?” another man chimed in.

“I don’t want a girl like that. Besides, I’m searching for a life partner, not a fleeting beauty by the roadside!” the man in the white coat asserted.

At that moment, their conversation annoyed me to no end. How dare they involve me in such a situation, pointing a gun at me simply because this man was looking for a life partner? It was absolutely infuriating!

Driven by emotion, I approached their table and slammed my hand down, causing the table to reverberate with a loud “Brukk!” sound. The impact startled the three men.