Aster Veren
Episode 102's

- Esther

The time was already 07:00 at night when I finished chatting with Kalea in the room. We were walking to the cafeteria for dinner.

"That's Carel, right?" Kalea asked as she saw Carel coming out of the canteen followed by a woman in a sweet manner.

"Where is he going?" I muttered along wondering about the situation I was seeing right now, when normally he was never seen with a woman other than me and Kalea. Everywhere was always with Teo, but tonight I saw him with another woman. It's a very rare sight.

But ... is there a serious problem? I continued in my heart, worried about the woman who followed Carel. I don't know, I can't stop imagining Carel being cold and annoying to that woman. Besides, right now I see Carel's extremely unfriendly expression.

"... You hear me Aster?" Kalea's voice surprised me who was daydreaming, without realizing we were already in the cafeteria and were in line to take our dinner rations.

"Ya–what?" I asked as I turned towards Kalea who was standing beside me, filling the other ranks.

"Pretend not to see the straw-haired creature there," Kalea explained making me frown in confusion.

"That straw-haired creature? Who?" I asked to directly glance at the direction designated by Kalea.

"Theo?!"

"Yes, his hair color is like straw."

"Pft.. You're right,"

"Ah–"

"What's wrong?"

"That's ... the upperclassman you rejected this afternoon right?" Kalea's whisper made me glance in the direction she looked. Sure enough, I saw the upperclassman laughing with his friends on the sidelines eating.

Thank goodness she looked fine, but I was worried she would be moody for a few days because of my rejection. My mind sighed in relief and began to take my dinner ration when the queue in front of me had already advanced.

After finishing taking the food, Kalea and I immediately walked towards the empty table by the window. But our steps came to a halt as Teo shouted our names and waved his hand at me and Kalea while showing a wide smile.

"Oii, you hear me?" His shout again made Kalea cluck upset and twisted her body to walk towards Teo sitting down. And I could only follow Kalea's steps from behind, covering my face from the attention of everyone who had been directed towards me and Kalea.

"When do you like to scream like that?" Kalea asked as she kept the tray containing her dinner plate and glass roughly on the table, making Teo a bit of a degree.

What Kalea said is true, usually Teo never screams like that just to call our names because he is very good name. But tonight she screamed like that when Kalea and I ignored her.

"Since you've ignored me," he grinned, "when you saw me sitting here alone, but you pretended not to see me." The next made me glance at the tray of dinner plates and drinking glasses that were still intact, untouched beside Teo.

"Who's that then?" I asked while pointing the tray in front of me after confirming my sitting position.

"The food is still intact, not touched in the slightest." Kalea continued after drinking the water.

"A, Carel. He's out for a while, but why hasn't he come back?" Teo replied while watching the surroundings, looking for Carel's whereabouts.

"Looks like he's in trouble, huh?" Kalea muttered making me look confused at him.

"That's the matter?" Tanya Teo precedes me.

"That's the thing you experienced this afternoon. The difference is not Carel who expresses his feelings, but the woman." Obviously Kalea made me feel good about Teo as well.

"My heart was still beating loudly, imagining the events of the afternoon and the shadows were still vividly reflected in my memory. I could have seen–" Kalea said stopped when Teo kicked the dinner table in front of us, making me surprised with Kalea.

"What the hell? My heart's almost out!" Kalea almost yelled while stroking her chest.

"What did you say?" Teo asked as he stared intently at Kalea's blue bead.

"What's? My heart almost popped?" The answer made Teo frown.

"No, before that ...,"

What's he thinking? Why is his expression like that? My mind wondered while watching Teo's disheveled expression.

"My heart is still pounding loudly, imagining the tad– afternoon incident"

"Before!" He said as he brought his face closer to Kalea who looked irritated with Teo who kept cutting off his words.

"What the hell? Ah you mean .. yes this afternoon there was a person who expressed his feelings for Aster and asked him to date." Said Kalea made my face warm, it turns out Teo wanted to make sure Kalea's speech that. I thought what was going on? And again why did Kalea show such a smile to Teo? Seemed content and proud of something.

Regarding my heated face, I feel ashamed if I have to remember the incident this afternoon. Especially when Kalea caught me listening to the class sister's statement about her feelings for me.

"Seriously?!" Teo asked with her perfectly rounded eyeballs.

"Yes," Kalea's nod made me reflexively cover my face with both palms of my hand, "I caught him alone in the corridor, just below the stairs to the second floor." Further.

"La–lalu .. have you guys officially dated Aster?" Teo asked as he glanced at me, visible from the gap of my open fingers peeking at Teo's figure before me.

"Official what? Who's dating?" Carel's voice sounded so surprised, I who heard it was also surprised. It felt like my heart wasn't okay today, too many things surprised me to the point that breathing was even harder.

***

- Carel

"It's exhausting" I muttered walking back into the canteen while scratching my itchy back head.

Why are so many women expressing their feelings to me today? I continued in my heart, considering all the women who had invited me to go to the back garden of the academy, the roof of the academy, the front yard of the academy, and the, and another place that looks good to express your feelings to someone you like.

"... next time I have to refuse in any way so that they don't dare to express their feelings to me?" I muttered thinking of another way to reject the statements of love from the women that upset me. Because those days of mine have recently become unpeaceful and tiring.

Though I have shown my true nature to everyone in the academy, it never occurred to me to show them my good side. But why do some women like me when all men like me are away from me.

"Hah~ is completely wrong," I muttered with a weary sigh before seeing Aster and Kalea sitting before Teo.

I saw Aster's face flushed red and he quickly covered his face with both palms as Teo stared at him with his perfectly rounded eyeballs, looking shocked.

What are they discussing? Why is Aster acting like that? My mind as I walked closer to their table.

"La–lalu .. have you guys officially dated Aster?" Tanya Teo made my step stop so surprised by what I just heard.

"Official what? Who's dating?" I asked after continuing my steps and stopping before the three of them, then I turned my head towards Aster who was still covering his face with both palms.

Can't possibly–kan?

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Thanks for reading...