Aster Veren
Episode 23

-ana

"Den, Mr. Tomi has come to pick me up." I said a little yell entering Mr. Arselio's private library.

"St..." His frown while pointing his index finger near the lips and making me frown confused when he saw his regretful expression.

Why did he put on such an expression? was he angry because I was screaming? Inner wondering.

"What's wrong?" My whisper as I walked towards the unmoving den Carel because Miss Aster's head rested on her shoulder.

Ah, apparently miss asleep on the shoulder den Carel ya. My mind could not hold my lips back from smiling when I saw her sleeping peaceful face.

"Then I ask Mr. Tomi for help to move the lady to her room, den Carel wait a minute." I said in a soft voice while grinning at him.

"Why should I ask Tomi for help? Let him sleep like this." He was busy with the thick book in his hand.

"Bahu den Carel can be sore if the lady is not immediately moved, and again den Carel must go home right?" Obviously before I get out of the library.

"Looks den Carel likes miss ya ...." I continued muttering as I walked towards the living room to meet Mr. Tomi who was waiting for den Carel there.

Arriving in the living room, I immediately asked her to help me move the lady to her room. And Mr. Tomi helped me without much talking.

As for den Carel, he could only snort in annoyance when separated from miss. He even glared at Mr. Tomi and made him unable to speak when he was about to hold Miss Aster.

Den Carel is funny too yes, but usually always bothers Mr. Arsel and makes Mr. Tomi hassles. But now ... could he be sweet like this too? My mind could not turn away from the figure of den Carel who followed Mr. Tomi to the lady's room.

"Let's go home." Take den Carel when you see Mr. Tomi finished laying miss on her bed.

"Thank you for accompanying the lady until last night, and thank you also for Mr. Tomi for helping to move the lady to her room." I said to them after covering the lady's body with a thick blanket.

"No problem" said den Carel sounding cold, "maybe in the future I will visit more often too." Continue while walking out of the lady's room after taking a quick glance at the miss.

"Hee ...." I muttered I could say nothing.

Is he still upset that I asked Mr Tomi to move Miss? I continued in my heart can not accept the cold treatment, but usually den Carel is always behaving like that.

"That child .. Then I say retreat first." Sir Tomi's words immediately bowed her body making me bow my body as well to return the salute.

***

Cring...

The sound of the house phone rang, I quickly ran towards the middle room to pick up the phone that kept ringing.

"That night who called?" I immediately picked up the phone in front of me.

"Hallo, Hannah ...." Mr. Arselio's voice surprised me.

"Ya–ya sir?" I answered a little while glancing at the wall clock that showed at 08:50 p.m.

"Is Aster asleep? How was the meeting with Carel?" He sounded worried, for the first time I heard Mr. Arsel's voice this worried from the phone.

"Yes, sir, the lady just went to bed. It seems that he was exhausted from playing with den Carel, today the lady also smiled and laughed a lot thanks to den Carel." I said I felt relieved when I remembered Miss Aster's happy face, even the sound of her laughter still ringing clear in my ears now.

"Thank God, I thought he'd be bothered by that kid. Turns out he can be nice to other kids too." Mumbled Mr. Arselio after sighing his leg.

"Then please keep an eye on Aster for me as long as I'm not home." Before turning off the phone.

"Of course, without even being asked I will look after him sir. To me, Miss Aster is like my own family." I muttered while putting the phone back in its place.

But ever since Miss Aster came, you have relied on me before. Then she was very kind to me too, and I couldn't stop worrying about her as she kept waking up to her nightmares.

Though I haven't known you for a long time, I don't really like children either. But miss .. it feels different. Even without realizing it, I started to love him. My mind felt something I had never felt before.

"Maybe this is what it's like to have a sister, I don't really understand because I'm an only child. But ... This feeling, no longer wrong." I continued muttering while feeling my own heartbeat by putting my right hand on my left chest, even unconsciously I was smiling happily for no reason.

***

- Esther

This morning I was bathed by sister Hana, but I rejected her. But sister Hana instead forced me to be bathed by her, inevitably I have to obey her wishes because I do not want to make her sad, because every time I refuse sister Hana, she said, his face immediately looked sad and lethargic.

"Den Carel said, today he's coming to visit again, miss." Sis Hana said, rubbing my hands gently and carefully.

"Carel said that?" I asked to feel a little excited and looked at the brown bead of Hana, then before long Brother Hana nodded and smiled broadly to answer my question.

"Did you like to be friends with den Carel?" He still smiled gently at me.

"Yes," I replied remembering my conversation with Carel yesterday afternoon, then turning to the shadow of the day we met for the first time.

"Because Carel was my first friend." I continued to have no power to hold back my growing excitement.

"First friend?" Hana's asking surprised me.

"That's it, I mean–" Obviously I stopped when I felt the pain on my back when sister Hana rubbed it.

"Oh." I said while grimacing.

"What's wrong, miss? Am I rubbing too hard?" Ask Brother Hana to stop the rubbing.

"No, it's just–" I replied again stopped by sister Hana.

"Geez, what's wrong with my back? Why is this bruise?" Ask Hana looks panicked.

"That's ... Aster tripped and banged on the edge of the school desk yesterday hehe." I tried to hide my pain.

Yesterday was not sick, but why is it sicker now? Is it because of the water? Or because of Hana's touch? I continue in my heart.

"Miss, why didn't you tell me? I can treat it early. Now let's finish the bath first, after that I'll treat it." Sis Hana sounded worried.

"Do you want me to call the homeroom teacher to ask permission not to go to school?" He continued asking with worried eyes.

"Ti–no need, Aster can't skip it just because of this small wound. Soon there's a class test, Aster has to get in so he doesn't miss the material." I clearly.

"Miss sure?" Hana's asking made me nod quickly.

"Well if that's what you want, miss, I can't ban it. Instead, miss should tell me if she gets hurt like this again. So I can directly treat it, please don't hide anything else from me okay." After I finished flushing my body with warm water.

"Yes .. I'm sorry for making sister Hana worry." My answer after finishing was put on a towel by sister Hana.

Good thing Hana didn't ask about the first friend I meant .. I can't say that I don't have any friends at school, right? I continued in my heart while looking at Hana's sincere smile.

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Thanks for reading...