Aster Veren
Episode 53 (End Season 1)

- Esther

"You're really going?" Carel asked glumly when she saw me coming out of Grandma's house after saying goodbye to everyone.

"Caravel ...." I was sad to have to part with my first friend.

"I forgot to give this to you yesterday, take it." I continued while giving a bag of guava picked by my father yesterday.

"What's this?" He asked as he opened the bag of friction in his hand, "guava?" Continue while glancing at me.

"Today I went to bi Siti's house with papa. And I immediately remembered Carel when I saw the ripe guava fruit in the backyard of Siti's bi house, so I asked papa to pick it up for me." Obviously I was remembering what happened yesterday afternoon, and I saw that Carel was already smiling thinly at me.

"... If this is the case I'm really gonna miss you." His speech sounded sad in contrast to his expression that looked happy, very out of sync. Maybe her heart wanted to release me happily but her little heart said something else.

"I'm going to miss you too Carel .. Anyway you're my first friend, so–" Obviously I stopped when Carel suddenly hugged me tightly after putting the scraping bag I gave him on the floor.

Carel ... If it continues like this I will not be able to part with a happy expression, I will definitely cry. So .... My mind kept on babbling, trying to calm myself so as not to cry.

"Please promise me Aster" he said, still hugging me, "never forget me." The next one sounds painful.

"Not going to." I answered her warm embrace, trying to hold back my tears.

"Promise yes!" His words in a trembling voice made me stroke his back slowly.

How can this annoying kid be this weak just because I'm going so far away?

"Promise." My whisper immediately let go of Carel's embrace and I saw that she was already smiling broadly with her warm eyes.

It seems like her feelings have improved, but why do I want to cry now? Though a few seconds ago I heard Carel's voice trembling in my arms.

"Miss ... Miss must quickly return healthy huh. I will always wait for the return of Miss." Shouts of sister Hana surprised me and Carel who was still standing in Grandma's house. Then shortly afterwards Hana's sister immediately hugged my body tightly.

"Sir Hana." I said as I returned Hana's embrace with mixed feelings.

The shadows on everyone's faces began to flash back and forth in my memories and made me even more reluctant to go far from their side.

But when I remember the people I care about, I quickly brush off all my bad thoughts, anyway, I have to go with my dad to get some treatment so everyone feels calm and doesn't have to worry about me anymore.

I've prepared myself for today, so don't waver Aster! My mind is trying to strengthen me.

"Don't forget to always call grandma baby." The grandmother continued when sister Hana had already released her embrace from me.

Now that everyone had gathered outside, even my father was standing next to my grandmother, letting Uncle Rigel carry my father's suitcase and into the trunk of the car that would take us to the airport.

"Yes, Aster will definitely ask you to call grandma so we can talk on the phone." Say it while showing my best smile so as not to make them worry.

"Grandma's fine, don't get too tired of her work." I couldn't hold back my tears anymore when I saw everyone's face in front of me.

"Oh my grandson, why are you crying? We're only parting ways for a while, once your father's work and your treatment are done. We'll regroup again, so don't be sad anymore." Grandma said as she hugged my body warmly.

"grandmother." I muttered straight back to Grandma's embrace.

"Hurry back Aster, take care of your health and keep an eye on your father. He always forgets time when he's too focused on his job." The voice of Brother Wanda who just arrived at my grandmother's house along with my uncle Arsel, my red uncle.

"True, my brother is so workaholic!" The uncle sounded mocking.

"Do you really think you're not a workaholic? Aren't you more crazy than me? Don't make Eric trouble every time." Said Dad replying to uncle's taunts.

"Huh?! Who told? I'm not as crazy as you are! I never got Eric in trouble either." Said the uncle who was standing before the father with his regretful expression.

"You guys still love to fight, right? Isn't it good to fight in front of a child?" Grandma said as she let go of her embrace from me.

"Really! Basic parents–" Carel continued immediately stopped by uncle who had pinched Carel's cheek with his anxiety.

"Who are you saying old man huh?!" Ask uncle with emphasis.

"Stupid hospital! Put your hands on my beautiful wajhhhai!" Carel furiously tried to remove his uncle's hand from his face.

"You're not ashamed of what a fight with a child is?" Asked Brother Wanda made the uncle immediately release the pinch from Carel's face.

"Well! Who do you call a child?!" Screaming Carel did not accept the little boy as his hands were busy stroking his cheeks that had been reddened by being pinched by uncle.

"You! How many years do you think you're that old?" Said Brother Wanda with a sarcastic smile making uncle chuckle.

"Gt ...." I muttered trying to hold my laughter as best I could, but the next second I laughed with uncle bergitunpun with Brother Wanda and others.

"Don't laugh at me!" Carel yelled annoyed, but the next second he laughed with us.

"After that, you should immediately go to the airport. Don't miss your plane because it's stuck in traffic." Grandma said after laughing.

"True," said the father immediately grabbed my body and directly carried me on his lap. Lately, my dad has been carrying me a lot, right?

"Then we're leaving now." Follow me along with Uncle Rigel's hand who has opened the rear car door for us.

"Be careful on the road, if you get there, call me immediately." Said uncle while embracing Brother Wanda beside him.

"Let me think about it later." Dad said sounding sniffling while sitting me in the back.

"Woi!" Shouted uncle sounding annoyed.

"Papa." I met you face-to-face with dad's red bead.

"Iya‐iya I'll call." Father said after sighing his resignation, making me smile with relief at the sight of uncle red's wide smile and grandmother's laughter.

Uncle and Dad never got along, did they?

"Ah wait!" Said uncle when dad just closed his car door after getting in the car following me.

"Otherwise?" Ask the father who opened the car next to him.

"It's for you Aster, open it after you guys get there. Take care of yourself." Said uncle while giving a letter to me with a warm look.

"Yes, thank you uncle. I'll be well soon and back here." I returned my uncle's smile.

"Don't look!" My father immediately covered my face with his left hand.

A–ada what? My mind wondered, not understanding the foreign reaction of father like this.

"What the hell? You stingy!" Uncle sounded annoyed.

Tuk tuk tuk!

There was a knock on the windshield by my side, I quickly turned to the glass and found Carel there.

I gave a quick glance at my father and uncle who were still busy arguing. Then look back at Carel who looks adorable in silence.

"Do you want me to open the glass, miss?" Uncle Rigel's voice whispered a little, making me turn to the rearview mirror of the car that already displays Uncle Rigel's smile.

"Hehe, yes please uncle." I whispered, and soon my car windshield opened.

"Aster." Carel looked doubtful.

"What's Carel?" I asked as I looked my head out of the car.

"... memories from me." He answered while showing me a small pink package.

"For me?" I asked, instantly getting a quick nod from her. Even her face was already flushed, very adorable. At times like this a Carel can behave like a child mostly, but usually always act pretentious adults.

"Thank you Carel. I'll keep it well." I continued while grabbing the small package from her hand and giving my best smile to her.

"Yes." Yeah." His words returned my smile better than mine.

"Stay away from my car!" Father's words made me aware of the debate with uncle that was still going on.

"You kicked me out, huh?!" Uncle asked sound annoyed.

"of course! If you stay here when are we leaving?" Answer me directly make uncle silenced.

"Be–really also yes ...," the uncle's grunts directly away from dad's car.

"See you Aster!" Said uncle and Carel who was standing next to uncle.

"Yes, see you all. Take good care of yourself." Shouted me as I looked up my head in the mirror of my father's car, then waved my hand at them as my father's car drove away from my grandmother's house.

Then my eyes caught Tomi's uncle and Eric's uncle in front of the entrance gate of Grandma's house, they immediately bent his body to pay their respects when they saw my father's car coming out of the grandmother's residence.

Today I'm going to a new place with papa. For the sake of everyone who loves me, I will soon be back in good health. My mind turned to my father who had smiled gently at me with his warm eyes.

"Are you sad?" Ask dad to throw my smile.

"Why?" I asked back, not that I wasn't sad. But I'm going with you, so I don't have to worry, do I? And why did you ask me that?

"Because you were crying, I thought you wouldn't come with me and look like you'd cancel your trip." Clearly father with his serious gaze.

"Where is possible .. if you say sad, Aster can not lie about it. Because since meeting with Uncle Arsel, Aster's life has changed and surrounded by many good people like papa. So Aster was sad to have to part with them when Aster got used to them." I said my thoughts at this moment.

"But since Aster left with papa, Aster was not worried anymore. As long as you're with Dad Aster, you'll go wherever you go." I continued with a smile on my father, I hope his worries disappear after seeing me okay.

I know you might hesitate to take me away too. But I don't want to be far from the father I've been hoping for so far, so I'm going to be with him forever.

"Is that so?" Father muttered with a faint smile and gently stroked the top of my head.

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Thanks for reading...