Aster Veren
Episode 192

- Esther

"Don't joke, if you quit school what about Sarah? Didn't you guys promise you'd graduate together and go to town?" I don't like to hear his decision.

"But—"

"Everything will be fine. Trust me." Cut me off after I made up my mind to ask uncle Albert for help.

I saw Dean also not responding to my words and looked back at his hand which I had finished bandaging. This time either let alone what he was thinking with that serious expression of his.

"Rest in my room. I'll sleep here." Continue while cleaning the P3K box in front of me.

"Why do you have to sleep here and I sleep in your room?" Ask looks confused.

Also true! He must be confused why we have to sleep apart right? My mind that had forgotten that I was now acting as a boy.

"That, you know my room is small. So—"

"I can sleep on the floor with Yuna. So you can sleep in the bed."

"No! How could I do something like that to you? You are now guests in this house." My daughter did not approve of that idea.

"Yes, then you sleep in bed with Yuna. Let me sleep on the floor."

"You, you didn't hear what I just said, did you?" I asked that I didn't get an answer from him, even the boy had gone to my room first. Leaving me still busy cleaning the P3K box in front of me and all the cotton that was strewn on the table to clean Dean's wound earlier.

I exhaled before I got up from my place and went to the kitchen to save back the P3K box I took from its place.

"It looks like the rumors that are circulating are true huh?" The voice of my uncle, who was standing in the kitchen doorway, surprised me who was daydreaming about my way of asking Uncle Albert for help.

"Uncle?"

"Did the boy tell you everything?" Then the uncle who had walked into the kitchen and sat in front of the dining table.

"Yes, like the rumors. Dean said he ran away from home 3 years ago because he couldn't stand his father's treatment. And it seems that the man called his father has already discovered the whereabouts of his children. This afternoon I also saw the man following me and Yuna." I said explain what I know.

"I don't know how bad they're getting. But if they insist on running from her father, isn't her treatment worse than we imagined? Moreover, I heard that his mother went to a mental hospital because of a mental disorder." I can't look into uncle's eyes. For some reason imagining Dean's face, and the man who followed Yuna this afternoon gave me goosebumps. Especially when the man intends to hurt his daughter.

"Uncle, I know my current situation is just as dangerous. But can we help them?" I asked after gathering all my courage. But I did not get any answer from uncle other than his words asking me to rest.

***

The night just passed after I returned to the room and slept in the bed with Yuna. Although I initially insisted on not sleeping in the same room with the child, but what if he kept forcing? If I keep resisting, she might suspect me, right?

"You just woke up? Did I wake you?" Dean's voice surprised me, his facial water also looked awkward standing by the door.

"No, but it looks like you woke up earlier huh ...," I muttered staring at the black bead.

"I have to help Uncle Tesar in the kitchen. So I woke up early."

"Aah so."

"Then go take a shower and get ready, your aunt is already waiting in the kitchen. I'm going down now." He immediately grabbed the door of the room in front of him.

Then I nodded my head weakly, and immediately got out of my bed. Leaving Yuna who was still soundly asleep in her sleep.

"Thank God you weren't hurt." My murmur stroked his forehead at a glance. I don't know why seeing this kid, I feel like I'm seeing myself. The difference is she has Dean as her brother, unlike me who has no one.

"Let's go take a shower and get ready!" Excited after being satisfied to see the peaceful face of Yuna who was still asleep.

I took my feet to the bathroom to clean my body, after which I prepared with jeans and a large black t-shirt with short sleeves. Then hurried off to meet the aunt who was still busy in the kitchen.

"Auntie?"

"Faren aunty." Cut me up making aunt smile thinly.

"Right, I have to be careful because now there's someone else living in our house." Said the aunt after a short sigh and returned to her cooking job.

"really. Then ... leave the rest to me." My words immediately took over the spatula in aunt's hands.

"Eh? What are you doing?"

"Auntie just sit down, I'll finish it quickly." I answered while showing my big smile. Trying to convince aunt.

"Hah~ you always spoil me. I told you my condition had improved." Said aunt immediately grabbed a chair near her.

"Hehehe, auntie if there's anything that aunt wants auntie can ask me for help. Don't do it yourself okay."

"That's enough, don't treat me like a child."

"But I don't treat aunty like a child. Does aunt feel that way? I didn't know that aunt felt that way. I showed little attention and affection to my aunt. Doesn't aunt like it?" Ocehku again while turning off the stove and serving fried rice that aunt made on the plate.

"How can aunty not like it?" Aunty asked with her teary eyes, making me shocked when I turned to aunt.

"Bibi—crying? Why?" I asked in between my surprise.

"Auntie doesn't cry!"

"really? Then that's what came out of aunt's eyes?"

"I'm—ini just because of the flickering."

"Yes well, please eat aunt. After this I will also go down to help uncle." I said after serving food to my aunt and walking to the sink to wash all the dirty dishes.

"You don't eat?" Auntie was confused by what I was doing. Well how else, I can't let aunt do the dishes again like last time.

"I'll eat after I finish washing the dishes."

"Eat first—"

"Auntie first." Cut me while looking at my aunt and showing my best smile.

"Huh okay."

***

I took my foot into the kitchen of the shop, found my uncle and Dean busy making bread.

"You're coming." Uncle's words made me smile thinly and grabbed the apron I used to use.

"of course. Does uncle need my help too?"

"No, you just clean the shop."

"Yes-yes all right." Nod me after a short sigh, trying to calm myself down who was irritated by uncle's reply. I feel like uncle has spoiled me so much, ever since the store opened uncle never let me work in the kitchen.

Though I also want to learn to make bread .. but why is uncle so insensitive?

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Thanks for reading...