Aster Veren
Episode 139's

- Esther

I let out my tired breaths repeatedly as I remembered the events of these past few days. I don't know what it was like, especially when Dad called me that night.

Dad told me to stay away from Carel. I know you're very protective and all of his words sometimes don't explain the truth of what he means. But this time, I was absolutely certain that my father was stressing me to stay away from Carel. Even his heavy voice that seemed to be holding back the upset still lingered in my ears and made me wonder.

Then the next day I met Dwi's brother, Carel's sister who was visiting the academy to see me. I was surprised that Brother Dwi visited me and not Carel.

But after hearing his intentions and purpose coming to me, I was completely made to shut up.

"... morning Aster," said the voice of Dwi's brother on the air stopping my steps towards the academy building.

"Sister?" My murmur immediately got a big smile from him, I quickly approached his figure who was walking towards me.

"Did you come to see Carel? Dia–"

"No, I came to see you."

"Why? What's up?"

"That's .. actually," he said sounding doubtful, I saw his index finger already scratching his cheek as his eyes dodged my gaze. Makes me confused. But the next second, I saw that Brother Dwi had let out a rough sigh and looked back at me.

"You know what?" The next one confused me.

"What?"

"My father tried so hard to match you with Carel at my mother's request,"

"Ha–hah's? Tapikan Carel–" My words were so surprised by what I heard, and in the midst of the shock, sister Dwi cut my words.

"But Mr. Ansel did not approve it–"

"of course! Carel is engaged."

"No, not that! This is the story before Carel was betrothed to that woman."

"I mean–"

"Yes the point before Carel was betrothed to Lusy, I had already urged Mr. Ansel to match you with my sister. But Mr. Ansel refused it many times until grandfather suddenly interfered in Carel's matchmaking matters." Obviously it makes it a little difficult to digest all of his words.

"Then I was asked to replace Carel for my arranged marriage." He continued after sighing deeply to my surprise and reflexively turned to look at Brother Dwi who was walking beside me, either since when we started walking towards the library.

"So–" I muttered back cut.

"Of course your father didn't approve of it either, he even threatened me until he insisted on setting you up with me. And of course I also rejected it because I .. I already have someone I like," he explained meeting me.

A–ayah really .., my mind could not imagine the expression of father when faced with Mr. Alterio who continued to meet him and urged him to agree to the matchmaking.

"But you know Aster? When I went to Mr. Ansel's residence to make things clear, he scolded me because I refused to be betrothed to you even though he himself did not approve of the match, right?" He said with his pale expression.

"She said, how dare you reject my daughter just because of another woman! Do you want to die?" He continued to act on the expression of the father he saw, even the tone of the father's speech he imitated.

"Hha-haha, please forgive my father." I felt bad for her, somehow I felt annoyed when I heard her. If I had been there by then, I might have stopped you.

"I really don't understand him, what does he really want?" His murmur again sighed deeply before turning to me again.

"The reason Carel was betrothed to Lusy?"

"I think you deserve to know. But it's up to you, if you don't want to know why then I won't tell you. So just say it."

I quickly shook my head as I hesitated to listen or did not listen to the reason meant by Kak Dwi. And my heart says I need to know, maybe that way I can better understand Carel's position now.

And again, somehow I feel I can get a clear reason why you asked me to stay away from Carel.

"Please tell me everything!" I made Dwi's smile come back together with her right hand reaching for the top of my head.

"Alright, we continue inside." His words made me realize that we had arrived in front of the library.

***

"So ...," I said I could not continue my words after hearing the explanation from Kak Dwi. I really don't know if there was a big incident last year. And I also didn't expect that her grandfather Carel would match her grandson with Lusy to prevent bad news about Carel from spreading in the academy.

I guess Carel was only threatened to be transferred to another class if he didn't agree to her match with Lusy. It turned out ..., I continued in my heart.

"... The boy didn't even know the real reason he was betrothed to that Lusy." Brother Dwi's words awakened me from my own daydream.

"Carel doesn't know?" I asked along with my brother Dwi's hand that closed the thick book in front of him, before we spoke seriously at the back desk of the library, Kak Dwi had brought a thick book in the history book cabinet. I don't know what history book he read, and again he could read that book when he was busy telling me about Carel's problem?

"No. Dad even forbid me to tell him." He answered while stretching his muscles.

... Mr. Ian's decision is correct. I know what the boy would do if he found out why he was betrothed to Lusy. My inner self imagined Carel's actions would instantly make a scene by going to see her grandfather, then after that somehow rumors about her would spread.

I don't want that to interfere with his lessons. Moreover, he was very serious about studying medical science to realize his dream of becoming a doctor and quickly cure his mother's disease.

"Hah~ I finally know why you asked me to stay away from Carel." I muttered after sighing deeply.

"Your father asked you to stay away from Carel?" Said Brother Dwi looking so surprised, my reflexes nod my head to answer that question.

"Hee .. Why did he ask you to stay away from the boy? Wouldn't he be troublemaking if you– ah! I see," he continued, stalled when he learned of Dad's motive.

... Another reason, I don't want Lusy's threat to come true. I don't want Alterio's and Veren's family's relationship to be ruined because I didn't listen to his wishes. My mind recalls Lusy's threat a while back.

I don't want to have to stay away from Carel no matter what. Then I hope he won't find out why he's been betrothed to Lusy for the near future, if necessary until he graduates or forever.

But ... can I really stay away from Carel? I was still in my heart, doubting my own decision.

"Sorry to have involved you." Brother Dwi's words made me lift my bowed head, I saw that he was looking at me gently with a faint smile. I feel like crying right now, for some reason the memory pieces with Carel are starting to fill my head right now.

I'm really afraid of losing her, I .. my heart hurts. My eyes even started to shimmer and get hot from the puddles of tears I was trying to weave. The memory of Carel kissing my lips was also present in my memory, making my tears spill.

And what made me even more sick was that when I realized how I felt about Carel, it turned out that I loved herI didn't want to lose her but it's too late now.

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Thanks for reading...