Aster Veren
Episode 152

- Esther

The air this morning was quite cold and piercing. The time is also only showing at 08:00 am, but the dormitory is still very quiet because all the students who live in the dormitory have not returned everything.

"Are you okay Aster?" The sound of the hostel mother breaking down my daydream, I was currently enjoying the morning with the hostel mother in the back garden of the academy.

"Since returning to the dorm, I see you've become a little bit of a parent. What was? Is something bothering you?" Her next question made me reflexively smile thinly at her.

"No, I just .. I still want to spend a lot of vacation time. But tomorrow, class has restarted." I answered looking for an excuse along with a gust of wind that gently swept across my face.

I also want you to wake up immediately .., I continued in my heart, never able to not think about the condition of the father of the goods for a minute.

"really? Mother also used to love school vacation time, mother spent a lot of time with her friends to go to good places to clear her mind, and, a place that has beautiful scenery is great for resting the brain that has worked hard for half a year of study." He sounded warm and there was a longing for his words.

"Definitely exciting huh? Vacation with friends." My words made the dorm mother smile as she glanced at me.

"You should also try it, take a vacation with your friends. Make as many good memories as you can with them, because when you grow up, you will definitely miss that moment a lot."

"... yes," I mumbled, remembering what I did to Carel.

I used to be very happy when school holidays came. Before that I used to play with Carel, every time I got sick he would come to visit me and play with me. He even once took me away to the hill behind the house just to see the sunrise.

Carel knows best when I feel bored and need a conversation partner. My mind felt both corners of my lips drawn upwards as it remembered the annoying child.

But ... I was never even in Carel's hardest moments, when he needed a backrest. When he ... I'm useless! I continued still in my heart, letting out my smile that had expanded.

"It's getting colder, it looks like it's going to rain soon. We better get back inside now," said the hostel mother to make me look up, watching the gray sky that looks darker.

"Come on!" Invite him while rising from his sitting position, making me get up too.

***

- Kalea

"Gee!" Nadin shouted to my surprise who was about to climb the stairs to my room.

"I thought you were coming tomorrow. Your holiday?" He started walking side by side with me.

"Well, it's quite fun." My answer is to remember my time together with my father.

"On Aster–"

"That's all a lie! Teo and I met him on the street in Carel's house, and even his face looks really messed up." Cut me off when I realized Nadin's direction.

"Then why did Brother Dwi say that Aster did not come? He even said Aster went on vacation to Singapore right? When we visited the residence, everyone in the house said Aster was abroad." His words made me wonder, but when I thought about it. I have another thought, I don't know, I feel Aster is hiding something from me.

Again, I can't believe it, if I could be trusted, maybe Aster would tell me all his problems without me asking. Aster ..., my inner self is really worried about her.

"... What about Carel? Is he coming in tomorrow? Or take longer off? He's in mourning." Ask when I get to my doorstep.

"Let's know, Teo didn't even get any information about the boy. None of his messages were answered." I answered after breathing out tired.

I saw Nadin walking to his room and standing at the door of his room with his left hand reaching for the door, "break Lea, you must be tired right? I'll also go rest. I'll see you tonight." He said while showing a big smile, then went into his room.

"Is Aster back?" I muttered in wonder while opening the door of the room in front of me.

Then both of my eyes caught the figure of Aster who had turned towards me with a faint smile, "welcome back Lea."

"Yesterday afternoon, how was your vacation?" His reply asked back with his gaze focused back on the thick book before him. Aster is currently sitting in front of his desk.

"Funny. How's yours?"

"Just like you," he muttered to me, let alone the obvious change in his expression.

Whereas before she greeted me with a smile, why did her expression suddenly change so quickly when I asked her about her vacation? He asked me first about my vacation time.

What exactly happened? Inner wondering.

I pulled the chair near my study table and faced it towards Aster, then sat it with my left hand that had propped up my chin on my study table. Look at his face carefully.

"Do you know Aster?" I asked after being silent for a long time, cradling my decision to start a conversation with him.

"What?" He muttered back asking while glancing at me at a glance.

"Sir Dwi, he told Carel that you didn't come to his residence to offer his condolences. Kak Dwi even said, you went to Singapore for a vacation. We met and talked, right?" I'm giving an explanation.

"Then?"

"Ha–hah's? Aren't you angry?"

"For what? I asked him not to tell Carel about my presence at the funeral and the Alterio family residence." Clearly calmly opening a new book before him.

"Ke–why? Didn't you intend to explain everything to Carel? You said you'd fix your relationship, right?" I'm afraid I can't understand the way he thinks.

"I changed my mind." In short, he was still focused on the book in front of him.

"Easy then?" I asked to hold back the resentment that began to invade my heart, "didn't you know that the boy was so desperate? He didn't even care about his education and his goals of becoming a doctor." I continued to explain, but there was no reaction from Aster.

Actually .... What exactly has happened in this short time? Whereas that day, Aster was still the Aster I knew. Butwhy? Why do I feel so foreign to him now? My mind wondered with the figure of Aster before me.

"... That's his decision, right?" He muttered before sighing deeply.

The sreet!

The sound of crumpled paper made me look at Aster's hand, I saw him crumpling the pages of the book in front of him with his right hand. Squeezing it with full force, even his hands trembled. Does that mean he's lying? He looks troubled. My mind turned on Aster's face which was visible from the side, I saw that he had also bitten his lower lip with anxiety until I saw the blood spots on his lips.

I quickly stood up and walked over to her, then I grabbed her hand and gently grasped it. Make Aster look up and meet me.

"Stop biting your lips!" I could see that purple bead that looked luminous. It makes my heart ache when I see it.

What else are you hiding from me? Can't you share your problems with me? My mind blotted the bloodstain on my lips with my thumb as the bite slipped from her lips.

"What–"

"I'm fine, thanks Lea." The cut surprised me a little. It seemed like Aster knew what I was going to ask him, and he tried not to discuss it. He warned me not to ask him anything.

... if, if my guess is correct. If you're in so much pain because of your bad relationship with Carel, why don't you just end it? Are you afraid of that Lusy guy? Should I get rid of the boy?

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Thanks for reading...