Aster Veren
Episode 205's

- Esther

"By the way, why do you look so upset?" Auntie's asking reminds me of Dean.

"Aunt know? Dean, that kid—" I stopped as I watched a man keep watching me in the corner of the store with bread in his hand.

Wh who?

"What's wrong with Dean?" Auntie asked to distract me.

"No, aunt must be tired, right? Go get some rest, let me close the shop." I said when I saw the time it was 06:05 p.m.

"But it's still afternoon—"

"It's okay, we can already close the shop like it used to be." Obviously I remember the store was back crowded so the store did not have to open until seven in the evening. Uncle also said to close the store faster if there is no uncle at home.

"Aunty, by the way, when is uncle coming home?" I continue to remember uncle has not come home from yesterday. Makes me think of the job Mr. Albert gave him. Is the job so hard?

"No idea, he hasn't called me since yesterday."

"That's so ...,"

"Then, auntie goes up first huh. You quickly close the shop and go get some rest, too." Auntie said before leaving me.

Judging from her expression, it seemed that aunt had not completely healed. Her body was also thinner than before as aunty constantly refused to eat under the pretense of being unappetizing.

I hope the aunt's grief passes soon ...,

"Ekhem! So, can you tell me why you keep standing there?" I said then after making sure auntie left in front of me.

I saw the man flattered and sighed before stepping his foot over me, and his hand placed a pack of bread on the counter and his other hand took off the mask he was wearing.

Carel? wh why? My mind when I see that man's face.

"I ...,"

"Ya—iya?" My heart had lost focus because of his face that looked like a wall, but the look in his eyes was so sharp looking at me. Like looking for something?

Don't tell me he recognized me? It's impossible, right?

"Can I stay here for the next two days?" Her question shocked me half to death when I heard her no-nonsense words.

"What?"

"I've been looking for a place to live around here, but I'm not—"

"No!" Cut me down immediately rejecting him firmly. How could I let it be a single roof with me? I was in hiding.

"I can help you in the kitchen and in the store if you want." The bargain made me a little tempted, especially when remembering Dean who already had to go back to school tomorrow. Uncle hasn't come back yet, which means I'm going to work alone, right?

Or do I just close the shop? Besides I just learned to bake bread yesterday, and then today I learned how to make bread from Dean and aunt. I lack confidence when making bread alone. My mind immediately shook my head when I saw Carel's confused figure looking at me.

"Ti— can't." Reject me again while pounding the cashier table in front of me.

"Why?" He looked unhappy with my answer, "then I will pay my stay so—" I cut him back, for some reason he suddenly wants to stay at uncle's house. Isn't that very suspicious? Especially with that persistence.

"Can't you, don't you understand the word no? This place is not an inn."

"You really have no heart." He said with an expression I couldn't understand, whether it was sad or upset? I don't know. All I know is that my head can't think clearly right now, thinking about it as much as I can't find the reason this kid suddenly wants to stay here.

Of all the places, why didn't he just go to the inn?

***

I let out my tired breath when I saw Carel coming out of the bathroom with my clothes he was wearing. I don't know why he finally got into this house, all I remember is that suddenly my aunt showed up and allowed her to stay as long as she wanted on condition of paying the lodging money like the boy said.

Judging from her moves, it seems like auntie is planning to pay back the money I gave her and uncle.

But why do I have to do it this way? Don't you know that my life is under threat right now? Or didn't?

"Faren here has dinner together." Auntie's shout made me sigh deeply before getting up from my seat and walking towards the kitchen. I saw Carel was sitting in his place with aunt.

"Wah ... today aunty cooks a lot huh?"

"I think I'm too excited. Last time I cooked this much was Dean and Yuna."

"true." I said before I could get my drinking water.

Ah it hurts so much ... when was the last time I spoke normally? Lately I have been difficult to use my original voice because of the many unexpected situations around me. My body also feels tired.

"Uhuk! Uhuk, what are you looking at?" I asked after coughing when I met him, "eat your food." I went back to eating my food restlessly. I don't know, after seeing her so watching me made me even more unsettled.

"I'm done." My breakup is going through my dinner because I can't stand that look.

"Eh? Done already? But your food isn't over yet." Ask aunt looks worried.

"I'm full already."

"Ba—good."

I stepped my feet towards the sink and washed my old dishes and used glasses before going to the living room to watch television.

Although the plan was to go watch television, but I really could not watch quietly. My mind was getting more and more wildly wandering, thinking about the reason the boy lived here.

Until I didn't realize the time was fast passing, and now it's 10:45 p.m., auntie went to bed an hour ago and now I'm stuck with Carel in the living room.

"Stop looking at me like that! You're scaring me." I said after gathering all my courage.

"Fearful?" His murmur with a frown on his forehead made me move away from nearby and switch seats while hugging the small pillow in my hand.

"Go to bed!" Excited after calming myself down and focusing again on the evening news that I was watching.

"You're right but ..," he said, not continuing when the voice of a news anchor caught my attention.

My eyes really widened when I heard his words, especially when reading the news title listed there.

What the hell does this mean? Why can the news be like this? I mean disguised myself as another woman while selling the ring, it's just so my whereabouts are unknown. But why do I feel like a fugitive now? And again at this time Carel—

"Do you know the woman in question there?" Her voice made me turn to her who was already pointing at the television screen with her flat expression that looked terrifying.

"Ti—no, where is possible."

"But from your reaction—"

"What's? What about my reaction? I was just surprised by the Veren thing that was sold. And again ... bu—wasn't the owner dead half a year ago?" Cut me off trying to shake my nerves. But Carel was looking at me even more.

I think my heart will jump out.

"... if the first guess is wrong. Is it possible that the daughter of the Veren family is still alive?" The voice of the news anchor surprised me once again.

Damnit damnit! I didn't think I'd get there before selling my mother's ring. All I thought about was how to help my uncle and aunt. And again, why did this news appear? I'll sell it to a jewelry merchant on the black market. But .... My mind stopped when I remembered some of the data I had checked while taking care of my father's work first.

I forgot that the Veren family takes care of the case in the underworld. So, now what? I don't want to be found .. What should I do? Mother, grandmother .., I continued still in my heart while biting my lower lip with anxiety.

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Thanks for reading...