ASTAKONA [COURSE EIGHT]
Chapter 3

The twilight spotlight welcomes the return of Zack and Hushion to their beautiful pastures. They hurried to see their goats in the stable made by Hushion. However, an unexpected miracle occurred the fence suddenly melted and disappeared like water vapor. Without hesitation, Zack brings his goats home to keep them safe before dark comes. Hushion also assisted his sister in the task.

Upon arriving home, they saw a man standing in the courtyard. Smiles flashed across Zack and Hushion's faces as if they had found a treasure. "Dad!" zack exclaimed enthusiastically, running fast and hugging his father tightly. Hushion happily followed behind him.

Zack asked cheerfully, "Dad just came home huh? Zack misses a lot!"

"Hm... Yes, it just arrived" replied the father, looking at Zack with a gentle smile, though his countenance looked rather tired.

"Must be tired, right? Zack's gonna make some warm coffee water for dad." Zack suggests mindfully.

"Very good your idea, Zack. Go make water."

"All right, dad."

Zack went inside the house and headed for the kitchen, slowly disappearing from the sight of his father and brother.

In Zack's absence, Hushion asked curiously, "Dad, is there any special business that brought father home today? Normally, I rarely go home on Mondays unless there's something important."

His father smiled and carefully took out a letter marked Octagon with a rose in the middle.

Hushion understood immediately that the letter was from Astakona Academy.

"This is a letter to you, Hushion. It was sent directly by the carrier pigeons and reached father." Said father.

Hushion let out a long sigh upon seeing the letter, feeling a mixture of excitement and anxiety in his heart.

"I refuse to go there, father."

In the conversation, Hushion resolutely expressed his disapproval of his father's decision for him to return to Astakona solely. He refused to go back to that place because he did not want to repeat the mistakes of the past. Hushion was perplexed and annoyed by his father's stern attitude which seemed reluctant to change his mind. He asks why his father still insists, even though Hushion has taken a different decision.

His father tried to defend himself by saying that the past must be allowed to pass and forgiveness is difficult.

However, Hushion insisted he would not leave.

"Who will take care of Zack? Daddy?" About Hushion. He worries about who will look after Zack and also tries to show that his own father should be Zack's guard.

This made Hushion even more angry, because according to him, his father only returned for goat business and did not have any real responsibility towards Zack. He also gets annoyed by his father's decision to take Zack to the place of Mak Zalilah, a woman who has a bad reputation and once made Zack and Hushion insulted by the villagers for her slander.

In the heightened tension, his father took a deep breath and looked into Hushion's eyes sharply, perhaps looking for the right words to convince his son.

"Hushion, my wise and mature son, use your wisdom and thought wisely. If you become a father free from responsibility, you will lose your refuge; the cave will be your home, while the dry leaves will be your pillow and mattress. Your night light will rely on the fire of a wooden branch, and your food will be only air filling your empty stomach. However, due to a sense of responsibility, father provides shelter and basic necessities to keep you both alive."

"You cite father's guilt as an excuse for you to forget the service you gave. Are you questioning the heart and the feelings hidden behind its steps? Father asked you, can you pay for all this if you are alone? Surely not, right? At least you followed this father's wishes as a sign of your gratitude for the kindness of not neglecting you and your sister. It's not hard for me to ask, you just have to go back to the Academy. That's it."

"In this life, sometimes we have to choose the difficult path, and for fathers, being a father who has to part with the family is a hard decision. Let's go inside, it's not nice to talk about this privacy thing outside."

Hushion, who heard his father's words, was silent for a moment. He felt his obligation to look after the goats would end, and that was good news for him. However, Hushion still wants to take Zack to Astakona Academy as a student like himself. He knew he had to convince his father to register Zack as well.

As Zack brings coffee water to guests, he inadvertently listens to a conversation between father and Hushion in the kitchen. The name of Astakona Academy seemed to tickle his memory. "Astacon? I feel like I've heard of it before."

While continuing to monitor the conversation, his father snorted in frustration and complained that his glasses were removed and placed on the table.

"Alright, you can enroll Zack into the academy and take him with you, but he has to pass the entrance exam just like you. But remember the conditions for admission to the academy. Have you forgotten that Zack is Tias? He is not talented and has no skills. Unlike you, who has everything. You're perfect. Attractive appearance, intelligent brain, outstanding talent, good behavior, and many people like you. But Zack..."

"He's just a burden to the family."

His father's words made Hushion feel sad and guilty. He turned his head towards the kitchen and saw Zack standing there, listening to everything his father said. Zack lowered his head and held tightly onto the tray carrying the coffee water, then suddenly, he stomped the tray firmly onto the kitchen table, creating a loud echoing sound.

That impulsive action may be Zack's way of expressing his hurt and angry feelings. He left the tray and ran out of the kitchen through the back door.

Hushion felt full of regret and rushed after Zack. He realized that he had to talk to his sister and comfort and support her. Because, at the end of the day, family is a place where they have to support and love each other.

Hushion was shocked and anxious when he saw Zack disappear and the back door of the kitchen was wide open. He immediately ran towards the door and tried to find his sister.

His father approached Hushion with a serious expression. "Let him go. The first lesson she had to learn was to accept herself" her father said firmly.

However, Hushion felt troubled by what he heard. He looked at his father with great feeling. "Dad, do you realize what you're saying now? Zack is a girl. He's weak, but that's no reason to throw him away. Why do we not protect and protect the weak? No matter how powerful we are in this world, when we die, we will be as weak as humans."

Hushion's wise words riveted his father. He contemplated the words seriously, realizing that there was truth in them. He fell silent, digesting the meaning of what Hushion revealed.