Aster Veren
Episode 164

- Esther

"Finally up, father ...," I muttered immediately walking towards my father's ward after coming out of the elevator.

"Slow down a little miss." Uncle Hans said a little screamed, but I didn't care.

Father ..., my inner self really misses her a lot, I want to hug her as tightly as possible. I wanted to cry in her arms and tell her a lot about my sadness when my father was not there.

I opened the door in front of me and I saw my father checking the headphone in his hand before looking at me who was still standing on the doorstep. I can't believe what I'm seeing right now.

Thankfully, thank God the information I got was real, not fake information to calm me down.

I quickly ran up to my father and hugged his body along with my tears that had already spilled first.

"Dad hiks, sykurlah .. thank goodness I was conscious. Aster hiks, Aster is so afraid that you leave Aster too." I said, sobbing in my father's arms.

"What are you doing?" Dad's heavy voice made me tighten my arms even more, it felt like I hadn't heard his voice in a long time.

"Aster misses you so much, don't go without me anymore. Don't stay away from Aster, don't–"

"Who are you?" Ask Dad to cut me off.

Whatdoes thatmean? I'm Dad's daughter, why do you ask me that? My inner.

"Dad jokes aren't funny." I still hugged my father's body and listened to his heartbeat. It feels very comfortable and calm.

"I ask you again, who are you?" Ask me again, confusing me. And in that confusion, father instantly let go of my embrace with his full strength. Gripping my hand so tightly, it made me grimace.

"Anu tuan–"

"I'm Aster, father's daughter." My answer was to cut Uncle Hans off, and then I looked at my father's red bead that looked cold? Wh why? Aren't you glad I came all of a sudden? Yes, I did come without telling you first. Because I thought you'd be happy if I gave him a surprise. But, why didn't father's expression show any happiness?

"Don't joke!" Excited dad looks annoyed while releasing his grip on my hand.

"Dad who's joking, time doesn't remember me?"

"What's wrong with sir?" Uncle Hans's whisper made me turn to him talking to Uncle Rigel, as he tried to remember me from his expression.

"I don't know either. The doctor said his condition had improved, and in a few days he was allowed to go home." Obviously Uncle Rigel replied to Uncle Hans' whisper.

"Then what is it? When she doesn't remember the lady?"

"Dad, it's Aster. Dad said–"

"Shut your mouth!" My father yelled a little, cutting off my words, seeming to give up on his memory. "I never had any children from anyone. Don't confess me as my son." The next thing surprised me, it felt like my heart was being hit so hard right now.

"But I–"

"Go! Hans, Rigel take him away!" Tell me you made my tears fall back.

What the hell is this really? Why don't you remember me? My mind could not distract me from the familiar father figure in my eyes. The father I know is not this cold.

"Pa–call the doctor!" My exclaim with a trembling voice made Uncle Hans hurry.

"What are you doing? I told you to come out instead of asking you to call a doctor!" Said he looked stranger in my eyes. I really don't understand my situation right now.

Why did you suddenly act like you forgot me? Though I remember uncle Hans and uncle Rigel, but to me? Why don't you remember? What father ..., my mind immediately shook my head, dismissing my bad thoughts about the current condition of the father.

"Rigel! You deaf? I said get the boy out of my face!" Father's word again looks more upset than ever, along with that uncle Hans returns with a doctor who is caring for father.

I saw the doctor rushing to check on Dad. "Dad .. I hope my bad thoughts are wrong. I hope that fear doesn't happen. May–"

"What are you doing?"

***

My head was throbbing violently now after hearing the doctor's explanation telling me about my father's condition.

I wasn't even too focused on listening to the doctor's explanation afterwards, as my mind was instantly muddled. Thinking about all the possibilities of why you can lose your memory, and why I'm the only one you don't remember.

"... Aster?" The familiar voice of someone made me look up, I found Nathan's brother already standing in front of me with a confused expression.

"Why alone? Where's Carel?" He immediately filled the empty space beside me.

"I came with Hans." I said while wiping away my tears along with the gust of wind that hit my body.

"Hans? Where is he now?"

"There." I pointed at the hospital building from where I was sitting at the moment.

"Hospital?"

"Yes, Hans is talking to Uncle Rigel. I'm out to get some fresh air." Obviously I tried to show my best smile, even though my voice could not be lied to.

"... Who is sick?"

"That's ...," I answered again, wiping away my tears, "dad." I continued after breathing deeply.

"Mr Ansel?"

"Yes." Yeah."

"I just found out, since when did he get sick?"

"Even longer. By the way, why is Nathan's brother here?" I tried to divert the conversation. I don't want to keep crying because I'm talking about dad.

"I came to take Grandma, she was also visiting the hospital and was doing an examination."

"Hee, why didn't you accompany her?" I asked, surprised by his reply, how could he leave his grandmother alone and wander in the park near the hospital? Yeah, I don't deserve to think badly of him either.

"There is a mother who accompanies him." He answered while showing his best smile, a smile I hadn't seen in a long time.

"How is your father doing now? She's okay, right?" Back to the initial talks.

Why is it so hard to take the conversation away from her? My mind remembers Nathan's ability to remember things.

"Ba–well, now the condition is good. The doctor said I could go home in a few days after treatment." Obviously I turned my attention to a bunch of little kids playing in the middle of the park.

"Thank God, glad to hear it's okay. Then which room is your father in? I want to visit her before I go back to the hotel with my grandmother and my mother." It made me a little reluctant to tell him.

"Room number 703." I briefly returned to showing my best smile.

"Thank you for telling me." His words returned my smile.

"By the way Aster, how are Kalea and Nadin at the academy?" He continued to ask, thank goodness Nathan did not ask him further about the condition of the father. And he believed in my answer to my father's improved condition. Yes, it has improved. But not with his memory.

"Good, maybe. I've been out of the academy a long time and taking home schooling again. So don't really know Lea and Nadin's condition." I answered to meet Nathan's brother.

"really? Since when?"

"One month ago maybe, I forgot hehe ...," I replied with a chuckle. I even forgot how much time I had spent being too busy with my work, and too busy thinking about my father's condition.

"Why?" Ask again makes me have to think hard to find the right reason so as not to reveal about the accident that father experienced. I do not want people to know the condition of the father, especially if they find out father does not remember me.

That could be dad's biggest weakness, so I should be able to cover it up as best I can.

"Is your pain recurring?" The question made me a little surprised by his words.

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Thanks for reading...