Aster Veren
Episode 188's

- Esther

I stretched my body as I felt my stiff muscles. Then immediately returned to the kitchen to help Dean after he finished moving all the items to the stockroom.

To be honest I was a little surprised by the arrival of the delivery truck that suddenly came and parked in front of the store. I guess the supplies for making bread will arrive tomorrow, faster than I thought.

Uncle hasn't come back from town either, so I'm taking care of everything. Move and inspect all ordered materials, and for the payment of aunts who take care of them. Really tiring. My mind wipes the sweat on my forehead.

"It's over?" Dean asked as I entered the kitchen and washed my hands in the sink.

"Yes." Yeah."

"Rest for a while, it must be tiring to move everything alone right?" His words made me sigh tiredly in agreement with his words.

Since there was no uncle, I had to work alone. Dean was busy in the kitchen and Sarah was busy serving customers, then aunt was busy hosting the supplier master and talking about the price of all the materials she had to pay.

Well even though it was said to work alone, there was a truck driver who helped me. So I wasn't too tired to move things, because the driver helped me drop everything in his truck.

"Drink." Dean said he gave me water, I'm happy to receive it.

"Thank you." Reply after drinking my water.

"Hmm ...," he muttered to me puzzled as his eyes continued to look at me. What's wrong with her?

"Why?"

"You ... would you like to try exercising with me?"

"Huh?"

"To strengthen your body muscles. I was horrified to see that skinny body of yours, even though I knew you were strong enough. But it'd be better if you had a little muscle." His words left me speechless.

It's true, for a boy my body looks very thin in his eyes and again if I have to compare it with Dean. Of course I lost, look at that tall body that formed. No wonder the women around here adore him so much.

I hear he's been doing hard work since he was a kid. So maybe that's why his body was formed.

"Hows it? I used to do sports in the morning before I left for school. You can join me, we can do a morning run together." He said as he folded his hands over the chest of his field.

"No." Reject me without further ado.

"Huh? Why?" He was so surprised by my answer.

"There is no specific reason. Just don't want to do it."

"But—"

"Here you go, I'm going to take a shower first. Continue your work." Cut me up right away from my seat and rush off leaving Dean in the kitchen.

It felt like my body was so sticky with sweat. Though the new time showed at 09:00 in the morning, but my body was already sweating this much.

"You want to take a Faren bath?" Ask Sarah as I pass her.

"Yes, my body isn't comfortable with sweat." My answer did not stop my steps towards the staircase that connected the store with uncle's house on the top floor.

"Haha, I know what it's like. So take a clean shower."

"Without in the mint, I'll shower as clean as I can." My murmur made Sarah let out a strange sound as I turned to her. Maybe he was trying to hold back his laughter.

He was secretly laughing at me huh?

***

"Well, fresh ..," I muttered after coming out of the bathroom and drying my wet hair with a towel on my shoulder.

I don't know since when she woke up from her sleep, which she obviously caught me wet. "Yu—yuna?"

"Son Faren can voice a girl?"

I'm sloppy!

"And again ..," He looked at the part of my chest that I had not covered with a corset that could shrink my chest to look like a boy.

"It—"

"Sister Faren a girl?" Her question cut off my speech, I quickly grabbed Yuna's shoulder and crouched down before her with my racing heartbeat.

"Yu—yuna, can you promise me? Please keep what you see today a secret." Tutuku tried to stay calm and speak as softly as possible to the child.

"Why?"

"That .. 'cause sister's playing hide-and-seek. So you have to disguise yourself so you don't get caught, if you know everyone, you get caught." Obviously I was trying to think of something better to explain my situation, but my brain couldn't work properly because of my panic.

I don't know if I can stay with my uncle and aunt? Or I should leave them for my safety and theirs. For sure, not a good thing that will come to me later, right? Moreover, I was already rumored to have died in tragedy that day. If I was suddenly caught alive and disguised as a boy, everyone could start moving to look for me again. Neither the enemies of the Veren family, nor those of the Veren family.

"... Brother caught?" The tiny voice came back to wake me to reality, and I lethargicly nodded my head until I unconsciously gripped Yuna's shoulder hard enough until she grimaced.

"Ma—forgive me." I said immediately release it.

"It's okay, brother must be surprised right? Yuna promised to keep it a secret from everyone. Big brother had already helped Yuna while being bullied by those brats." He said with a big smile that somehow I felt a little calmer when I heard his words.

"And again, it's a secret. Yuna and sister were also playing hide and seek. So shht.. Don't tell anyone yes." The next thing made me a little surprised when I heard it. Somehow the thought of Dean and Yuna running away from her house 3 years ago again disturbed me.

"Ba—good. Thank you Yuna .. then, I'll buy you ice cream."

"really?"

"Yes, what do you like to taste?"

"Yuna likes the taste of vanilla." His words were excited with the twinkle of his adorable eyes.

"All right, I'll buy you. Then I'll get ready first." Nod me while grabbing the top of Yuna's head before walking away towards the wardrobe.

I grabbed the corset I was going to wear today and changed the bra I was wearing. Then wear jeans and a large black shirt to cover my body shape. After I finished preparing and combing my hair neatly, I immediately went to meet Yuna who was waiting for me outside the room.

I hope all my worries never happen. My mind opened the door of the room in front of me, and I found Yuna, who was already smiling, welcoming me.

"Have you waited long?" I asked him to make his eyes glow again, this time what else? I wonder about his reaction.

"Woah, sister's voice came back again. And sister also looks really cool." His words made me a little flinched.

"Hha—haha, does it look like that?" I asked while rubbing my nape, and somehow I felt embarrassed when I got a compliment from a child like him. It feels in praise beautiful and handsome it is different from cool compliments. And I like that compliment.

"Let's go. I'm gonna go get some ice cream." Invite her after hugging my body tightly.

"alright. We're leaving now." Let me see the twinkle of his eyes that meet me. The boy quickly ran down the stairs in front of him.

"Don't run on the stairs! You can fall Yuna." My screams were not heard by him. What I heard was the sound of her laughter that seemed joyful.

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Thanks for reading...