Aster Veren
Episode 30's

- Esther

Time rolled quickly, the sun had long since returned to its contentions. Father and Carel returned to their home this afternoon.

And now I see my uncle sitting by my bedside as I lie down listening to my uncle's work trip out of town. Sometimes uncle also stroked my forehead with his right palm.

"It's night, aren't you sleepy yet? I told you everything ...." His words asked to make me smile initiative at uncle when our views met again.

"So much like having nightmares?" Continue to ask.

"Not as often as before." My answer can't distract me from the look in my uncle's worried eyes.

"Anu uncle .. sorry, Aster didn't mean to hide Aster's meeting with Aunt Claretta." I continued while recalling my conversation with uncle this afternoon.

Uncle was really upset when he heard about Aunt Claretta meeting me after school, and telling me about her wedding plans with dad.

Now I feel my uncle's hand clasping my hand tightly, even the look of his eyes looks soft.

"It won't happen Aster." My uncle surprised me.

"Will not happen?" I asked myself not to believe what I heard.

"Sister wouldn't have gotten married to Claretta." Reply uncle while reviewing his thin smile.

"Why? Didn't you look close to Kalea? Dad even looks like a man who would give anything for Kalea's happiness. If marrying Claretta's aunt makes Kalea happy, can't you do it?" I can't go on with my words when I remember my father's voice echoing in the room where my uncle and mother had gathered with him that day.

Though this morning my father was nice to me, I also felt happy because I spent a lot of time with my father, but I went straight home when I got a call from someone. If it remembered his voice, none other than that voice belonged to Kalea.

Dad left immediately when he got a call from Kalea and forgot about my presence, so much as my affection for Kalea .... My mind feels pain deep within my heart.

"Aster wants another mother?" Uncle's question surprised me and immediately shook his head quickly.

"No, Aster's mom is just Helen's mom. No one can replace you." I made my uncle smile again.

"True ... By the way, uncle heard you were injured again when you came home from school last–" said my uncle immediately stopped when I found out the direction of the conversation.

"It looks like Aster's getting sleepy." I muttered before yawning, pretending to yawn.

"Well, you better get some sleep now." My uncle pulled my blanket over my entire body.

"Are you sure you can sleep by yourself?" Uncle looks worried.

"Aster has to get used to sleeping on his own, right? Aster can't keep being a scared kid. Uncle doesn't have to worry." Obviously I tried to convince uncle even though I was not sure myself.

But I need to be able to defeat my fear and stop making everyone worry about me.

I should be able to. My mind strengthens my resolve.

"Well, if you change your mind go to my study." Said uncle while getting up from his sitting position.

"Eh, uncle want to work again?" I immediately got a big smile from my uncle.

"That's it, good night Aster." My uncle replied before leaving my room.

When I just returned from out of town, is it okay to work again? Did uncle not force himself? But there is still tomorrow, why work overtime? My inner self is worried about uncle's health.

***

- Ansel

"My head really hurts now." I muttered after throwing my body on the bed.

"In this world, is it only Helen who can love me sincerely?" I said slurping while grabbing the headphone in my pants pocket. Then I opened the incoming message I just received.

"From the boy it turned out," I said as I saw Kalea's name there.

"Today Lea will also thank me for picking Leah up. Lea dear father." I continued when I read the incoming message from him.

"Thank you ...." I muttered while turning off my headphone while recalling the expression Aster had shown before I left Arsel's house.

The boy looked really sad, even though he looked so happy before. But her expression was so quick to change, it was easy to read like Helen.

About what Eric said this morning .. I hope it's not true. My mind recalls what Eric said about Kalea who always bothered Aster at school.

I quickly recovered my headphone and called Rigel to find out the truth about Eric's words.

"Hallo Rigel." I said as the man received my call.

"Yes, sir" he answered.

"I have a job for you, please keep an eye on Kalea while she's in the school environment for me, report everything you see. Then please arrange my meeting with Claretta as soon as possible." My next.

"Good sir." He ended my call.

If I only relied on Rigel, I wouldn't get much information. After all, he will not be able to freely enter the school environment. My mind thought of another plan that could benefit me.

"Then I have to find a kid who can watch over Kalea all day during school. But who? Should I ask Nadin for help?" Continue muttering.

Ting!

The notification sound of my headphone's incoming message broke my daydream, I quickly opened the incoming message I received.

"Carel?" I muttered as I saw the name on my headphone screen.

"I had a chance to hear uncle's conversation with Eric before I went home .. would I like to find a good spy?" I read the incoming message from him.

He must have eavesdropped on purpose. My mind sighed tiredly.

"I have an acquaintance who goes to school there, if you want me to ask him to watch over Kalea and Aster." I continued when I saw the next incoming message I just opened.

"And he heard it all from the beginning." I muttered again recalling my conversation with Eric on Arsel's doorstep.

Though at that time I was very sure there was no one around us, I was also very careful when asking for a copy of the voice recording of Claretta and her mother from Eric. But the kid? Who would have thought he would eavesdrop on my conversation intentionally like that.

"But there's nothing wrong with asking her for help. Besides, I can't ask Nadin for help, who is obviously a close friend of Kalea's. Their friendship is so close, I can't make Nadin betray Kalea ...." I muttered considering my thoughts while typing a reply message for Carel.

Ting!

The notification sound of the incoming message again sounded after I sent a reply message to Carel. then Carel replied to my message shortly afterwards, I quickly read the reply message from him.

"Give it to me." I said while reading a message from him.

"He was very confident ...." I continued while turning off my headphone and instantly got up from my newest position, intending to go take a bath before going to bed.

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Thanks for reading...