Aster Veren
Episode 20's

"Uncle? Why are you keeping quiet?" The question surprised me.

"I'm here Aster, sleep .. The rain has subsided, the lightning has also disappeared." Arsel's voice made me look at him who was standing in front of me blocking the candlelight behind him. Then the red bead looked at me with a look that was hard for me to explain.

I turned my gaze to the purple bead that I saw faintly from the boy's eyes.

"But uncle–" The boy's speech came to a halt as Arsel's hand stroked his forehead gently and attentively, sending his eyes back closed with his hand still tightly hugging mine.

Soon the whole room became bright again and I saw the boy sleeping in his sleep in the white nightclothes he was wearing.

"Still not admit it?" Asked Arsel looked at me seriously, then I turned my gaze back to Aster.

I slowly removed her hand from my hand, and let Arsel cover the child's body with my thick blanket. Then my eyes saw a familiar ring in the child's necklace.

"This?" I muttered as I grabbed the ring and watched it.

"Self's wedding ring with you." Ketus Arsel made me look at him who was standing firmly beside me.

"Tell me everything you know." I returned his serious gaze.

For some reason I'm curious now, I feel like there's something I don't know and Arsel is hiding it from me. Even my head started thinking maybe this kid is my daughter now.

"For what?" He turned around and moved his feet towards the doorway.

"Groz!" My words made him cluck in annoyance.

"Ck! Follow me." His words made me hurry.

***

- Esther

I returned home with Uncle Eric, while uncle Red was still busy with grandma in the mansion.

Arriving at the uncle's house, I immediately ran into the house to meet Hana's sister.

"His mother home?" Hana asked when she saw me running into the kitchen.

"Yes, I'm home." My answer immediately plunged into the warm embrace of sister Hana.

"What about the lady? Did you meet the lady?" Ask Brother Hana while stroking the top of my head.

"Okay, grandma was very nice to me ...." I replied with a warm smile, sister Hana.

To be honest I was still surprised by the conversation I heard the other day. But when Grandma met me in that room, I felt like everything would be fine. Especially when he heard his words and convinced me to make my father acknowledge me as his daughter at all costs.

Then we talked a lot about the childhood of father and uncle red. Grandma also showed me a photo album of red uncle and dad when they were kids, and the picture was really adorable.

I even just found out that uncle's hair is actually black like dad's hair, but grandma says uncle red dyed his hair red. And I always called him uncle red unknowingly.

"Miss?" Brother Hana's voice roused me from my daydream.

"Yes?" I asked while smiling.

"Has the lady eaten? Want something made?" Ask sister Hana.

"If so Aster wants to make green tea." My request immediately got a quick nod from Brother Hana.

"If so miss wait in the middle room yes, I will deliver there ...." Sis Hana made me nod and immediately went to the living room.

I don't know why I became addicted to drinking green tea after trying it once at my grandmother's house, at first I didn't like it very much and didn't want to taste it. But uncle asked me to taste him a little to respect Grandma's wishes. So I tasted it a little bit, but it became addictive.

After remembering, that night I felt something changed from the scent of uncle's body. I also spoke a lot out of fear, I felt a little guilty towards my red uncle for talking like that.

"It's been." Brother Hana's voice resuscitated me.

"Wake the fragrance ...." I said as I smelled the scent of green tea in front of me.

"It's still hot, miss, wait until the tea warms so that the lady's tongue doesn't hurt." Sis Hana stopped my hand that was about to reach for the teacup in a hurry.

"I heard that Miss had a fever, how is the condition of the lady now?" Further asked.

"It's improving. Grandma took good care of me hehe," I replied unable to hide my feelings. Although initially feeling sad because my father did not want to admit me as his daughter, but .. grandmother admitted me as her grandson and it made me happy.

***

The time passed quickly, and my uncle had also returned from my grandmother's house. And now he's with me studying in my room.

"Hee .. I just found out that you're a third-grader at Elementary School ...." Said uncle was so surprised and made me look at him who was sitting at the end of the bed while watching my notebook.

"Your grades are good too, what the hell is this?" Continue muttering while opening the book in his hand.

"Aster hasn't said yes?" I asked to make a red bead uncle glanced at me.

"How can a kid like you be in third grade? isn't it judging by your age that you should be in first grade right?" Asked the uncle with his incredulous expression.

"Rem ... Aster went to school early, "I answered back to my homework.

"You went to school when you were 5? How could? Your age at that time should be the age of children who are happy to play, why did sister Helen send you to school? your childhood ... ends quickly ...." Oceh uncle with an expression that I cannot describe, whereas I can only smile stiffly silently when I hear the chat.

My mother became my private teacher when I was 4 years old. When I was able to write, read and count, my mother sent me to elementary school to continue my education because I had to focus on my work.

And at that time I made a lot of friends, they were very nice to me. But after they found out I didn't have a father, they just walked away from me and mocked me as they pleased.

"It's over?" Ask my uncle to surprise me.

"Se–a little more." I answered back to doing my homework with mixed feelings that bother me now.

I don't know... Should I feel happy now? because I still have a family, or feel sad about the fact that my mother and grandmother will never see me again even though I shout to call them until my voice runs out, like that day .... My mind remembers that sad day.

"If you're done going straight to bed, tomorrow I'll take you to school before you go out of town." Said uncle breaking down my daydream, and I felt his palms gently stroking the top of my head.

"Yes." Yeah." I answered while looking at the wall clock that showed at 08:15 p.m.

Tomorrow uncle will work out of town for a few days, and again this big house will be quieter as before.

I hope there won't be any more rain and lightning. My inner.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay at Grandma's until I get back from out of town?" Ask my uncle who is sitting next to my bed.

"Aster is fine, there's Hana." I replied with a smile, trying to convince red uncle not to worry about me.

"Then I'll ask the boy to come, so you won't feel lonely as long as I'm not around." Said uncle after sighing tiredly.

"That kid? who?" I muttered wondering with the child that uncle meant.

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