Aster Veren
Episode 29's

- Ansel

The time has shown at 09:00 am, I don't know how long I've been sitting in the garden with Arsel. Watching Aster play with Carel near the rose garden not far from our seats.

I saw Carel seemed to enjoy his time together with Aster, as well as Aster who looked happy together with Carel.

"I don't think I need to worry about their relationship." Arsel turned my attention to her.

"When I was very anxious and hesitated to introduce Carel to my nephew, but now .. they look familiar, but not long ago they were friends." Continue before reaching for the cup of tea in front of him.

I turned my attention back to the figure of Aster and Carel who had been running towards me and Arsel.

"Uncle red." Said Aster after arriving before me with both hands that had landed on my forehead.

"Red uncle?" I muttered not understanding with his words and now I see Aster's surprised expression when I realized the person before him.

What ... It looks like he's wrong. My mind could not turn away from his surprised expression after glancing at Arsel who had coughed as a result of holding back his laughter and the will of the tea water he drank.

"Pft... You're wrong Aster man, hahaha ...." Carel said he was trying to stop his laughter from growing.

"Come here." My words immediately grabbed the body of Aster who was still frozen in front of me and I held his body on my lap after looking at the bead with his purple for a few seconds.

"The doctor said you shouldn't be tired, right?" I got no response from him.

***

- Esther

"So Tomi's uncle is Carel's uncle?" I asked who had been crouched beside Carel who was busy picking up red rose petals that had fallen.

"Carel's not kidding, is he?" I immediately got a hard pinch from him.

"Why am I joking like that? I'm not a person who likes to confess to showing things off." Ocehnya looked a little annoyed and immediately released her hand from my cheek.

"He~ but right ... Carel doesn't look like the Alterio family. Kak Hana said that Alterio's family was very respected for his manners, but Carel ...." I said all my thoughts about Carel while stroking my cheek that had been pinched by her.

Yeah, I asked Hana about Carel because I was curious. And quite unexpectedly, it turns out that Carel came from the Alterio family who is famous for being the richest among all the ranks of the richest people in the city.

"I why?" Her question made me shudder in horror when I saw her cold gaze.

"Di–out of suspicion," I replied while throwing my eyes away any direction.

"But Carel .. isn't Alterio's family known to be the richest? Why did Uncle Tomi work with Grandma instead?" I continue to be curious.

"Hem, why? I don't know either." The answer again picked up the rose petals that fell on the ground.

"I guess people as smart as Carel can know anything .. It's not yes." My murmur instantly dashed away from Carel as it felt a threatening aura emanating from his body.

"Back here you're Aster." Shouted Carel instantly releasing all the rose petals in his hand and rushed after me.

"Nothing to." I said as I avoided his right hand that was about to grab my shoulder, "haha not hit, let's go after me." I kept making him even more upset.

"Uncle red." I said after running as hard as I could to approach my uncle and father who were talking on the bench of the park.

"Red uncle?" Father's voice made me look up immediately to see the figure in front of me.

How surprised I was when I saw my father sitting in front of me, I was wrong. My mind while glancing at the uncle who had coughed and I turned my gaze to the palms of my hands that had landed on my father's thigh without me noticing.

Uwaah... How is this? I may have gone wrong to uncle. I couldn't even take my eyes off my father's eyes, my heart was racing with fear.

Has already .... My inner.

"Come here." Said father while reaching for my body that was still frozen in place and directly sitting my body on his lap.

"He?" I murmured after sitting on his lap and felt his left hand curl around my stomach.

"The doctor said you shouldn't be tired, right?" The next thing made me unable to pucker so surprised by the actions that my father gave me.

"Then we just go inside the house, you can play inside." Said uncle while reaching for the top of Carel's head.

"Then let me see you work." Carel said so excitedly opposite to uncle's expression that it was hard to explain, looking like ... dislike Carel?

"You just want to bother me, don't you?" Ask uncle with emphasis.

"It's allowed." Carel immediately ran towards the door of the house.

"I didn't say let you, wait for me Carel! back you!" Shouted uncle directly chasing after Carel who was already laughing crisply seeing uncle's exaggerated reaction.

"Have they always been like that?" I muttered in shock at the behavior of Carel and uncle.

"We'd better get in, too." Father's voice resuscitated me.

I forgot that I was sitting on my lap. My mind is with my father who has stood up from his sitting position.

"Eh? A–anu, A–aster can walk alone–" said I feel bad because carried by father despite a little happiness that burst into my heart. But I can't accept this kind of treatment from dad when dad hasn't acknowledged me as his daughter, right?

I just don't want to be too hopeful to be recognized as her daughter, but if this is so. I don't like Kalea confessing to me as dad's daughter, I don't like dad loving Kalea more than me ....

"I'm sorry." Dad's words surprised me.

"I'm sorry?" I asked while glancing at my father.

"I heard that Kalea used to bother you at school, is that true?" My father answered and dropped me off right in front of the door.

"Ka–kalea ...." My answer came to a halt when I remembered all the ill-treatment Kalea and my classmates had for me.

Is it okay to be honest now? Will dad believe it? Can I complain to Dad now? My mind was trying to consider what I was going to say next.

But all this time I've never complained to anyone, not even to my mother and grandmother. Why should I complain to the father I just met? What was I expecting? Is now the right time to be selfish Aster? I'm really worried.

".... Kalea is good." My words tried to show my best smile to the father who was still crouching in front of me after lowering me from his carrier.

"So yeah .. I hope you can be good friends." Said the father while smiling gently with his right hand that had reached the top of my head.

"Aster also hopes that, after all, Kalea will be Aster's half-brother right? So we got to get along." I mumbled a little sad.

"Who said you'd be half-brothers?" The voice of red uncle surprised me.

I saw my uncle standing next to me with his serious eyes. I don't know since when uncle was standing there, I didn't even notice his presence.

"Ta–tante Claretta." Answer stung.

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Thanks for reading...