Aster Veren
Episode 200's

- Esther

I took a deep breath after arriving in front of the store greeted sobs Yuna and Sarah who ran up to Dean.

I who was standing behind them could only smile bitterly watching Dean's fragile back. I felt like she would collapse if I touched her, so I let her go and pretended not to know she was so tired and scared.

Well, I'm tired and scared too. Even my head was about to explode with everything that happened today. But at least I can deduce why Carel came to that place along with the village chief and the two foreign men who looked like his accomplices.

Of all the things I saw in that storage shed, I could tell that they were all stockpiles. What made me feel inexhaustible was the owner of the items, I did not expect that the village chief who stockpiled all the crops that were said to have failed the harvest.

Then he arbitrarily increased the selling value of rice and wheat and other staple materials for his own benefit.

"Are you okay, Faren?" Sarah's voice broke my daydream, especially when her body suddenly hugged me without warning.

"I'm really worried about you two getting hixed, but this afternoon Aunt Nina was rushed to the hospital. But you came to save us all these nights." It made me grab his back immediately and rub it slowly, trying to

give her peace. Although I could not calm down when I remembered the name of Uncle Albert mentioned by Carel.

"I'm doing fine. It's late, I'll take you home." My words let go of his embrace.

"Eh?" His murmur looked surprised before wiping away his tears.

"No, let me drive him." Dean made me look at him. Well, he's a close friend of Sarah's, after all. She wanted to ensure Sarah's safety with her own two eyes.

"You sure?" I asked to be sure when I saw Yuna hugging her in Dean's lap. It seemed that the boy did not want to be separated from his brother.

***

"When's brother back?" The tiny voice made me stop the activity of drying Yuna's hair with a towel in my hand. I saw that she had turned to me with Maya in her mess.

"A little while." Short of me while giving my best smile and getting back to dry her wet hair.

"Will my sister be okay?"

"of course. Your brother is very strong."

"Yes, but still ...,"

"You want to eat? What good are we for dinner? Aunts and uncles are still in the hospital, so tonight we can only eat three. What do you like to eat Yuna?" I tried to draw his attention to something else while combing his long hair.

"Eggs of omelettes." He replied with a sparkling look, it seems like I managed to distract him. And again, for some reason it felt like I hadn't seen the twinkle of his eye for so long. I'm sure not as long as I think.

"Alright, then I'll make you an omelet. Then ... do you know your sister's favorite food? I said again while keeping the comb in my hand onto the table after rising from my bed with a towel in my hand, intending to keep it to the wash.

"Emh .. big brother, he likes fried fish?" The answer sounded doubtful.

I who heard it also felt doubtful and confused about the favorite food of the child. But if remembered again, Dean did often go fishing to fill his free time with Sarah. I've been with them a few times too.

"... So what can it be called a favorite?" My mutter immediately shook my head as I did not get any answer from my question, "alright, then I will start cooking. You just wait while watching tv." I made him nod steadily.

I think there's still some fish in the fridge, did I see it wrong? My mind ransacked the contents of the fridge in search of the fish I saw this morning.

"What was the last fish that morning?" I continued after sighing resignedly when I did not get anything in the refrigerator.

I feel her fear has been slightly reduced by watching her favorite tv show. I don't know for sure what he was watching, but from the voice I heard it looks like Yuna is watching a cartoon.

I set my foot on the dinner table to prepare the dinner plates and arrange them, then returned to my cooking. Twenty minutes of cooking, I finally finished my last meal.

"Tonight it was simpler than usual ..," I muttered putting a plate of omelet in Yuna's place, then switch to the bowl of soup that I put in the middle of the table with some fruits that I have prepared also for dessert.

I hope aunt comes home soon. I continued in my heart, feeling lonely because this house has no aunt and uncle.

"It's over?" Yuna's voice surprised me. I saw him standing next to me with his head looking up at me questioningly.

"It has. Want to eat now?"

"Can?"

"of course. Wash your hands before eating."

"okay." Suppose he immediately ran towards the sink and pulled a small chair near him to ride. Then her tiny hands immediately turned the tap in front of her and washed her hands.

"Hup!" His words while jumping down from the top of the chair made me a little surprised by his actions.

"Don't do that again, you can fall later." My words immediately got Yuna's wide smile with her chortle voice.

"Hehe's sorry." He said when he got near me, then I lifted his body and sat him on the chair. Serving rice and an omelet and drinking water for him.

"Eat slowly okay."

"OKAY. Have a good meal."

I saw that Yuna was enjoying her dinner with joy, her chubby cheeks really made me unable to turn away from her. Especially when she chewed the food in her mouth, it was adorable.

But, by the way when will Dean be back? It's been a long time since he went to take Sarah. Is she okay? My mind wondered as I watched the wall clock in the kitchen with my two chin-backed hands.

"Sister didn't eat?" Yuna asked back to wake me up.

"A little while." I answered while showing my best smile and rubbed the top of his head slowly.

"When is that soon? What after I finish eating? Or ... Is brother waiting for Dean's brother?"

"Ah, that's .. true." My reply felt uneasy with the obvious change in his expression.

"Sister won't leave me, will he?" The next thing makes me jerk. How can a child think like that?

"Ma—mana may—"

"really right? There's no way my brother left me. Hehehe ...," his cut really left me speechless, especially when he saw his expression like that. Do you force yourself to look okay?

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Thanks for reading...