Aster Veren
Episode 76's

- Ansel

The time has shown at 05:30 am, my body is also still lying next to my daughter who is still sleeping soundly with a sideways position facing me.

"You really look like your mother huh" I muttered as I played the tip of her hair with my right hand as my left hand propped up my head.

Tok, tok!

There was the sound of the door being knocked from the outside, and soon I heard the sound of two female servants entering the room after opening the door she knocked on.

"St..." My whisper made them stop their footsteps on the spot, "let him sleep for a while. You guys just get the bath water ready." I didn't want to wake my daughter, especially when I found out she was waiting for me to come home late last night.

"Ba–baik sir." Say them simultaneously after throwing a glance at each other.

Then they went to the bathroom to prepare the bath water I told them to. Then one of them went back to the room to prepare clothes for my daughter.

"Hmmm..."

I saw Aster blink his eyes slowly while rubbing them a little after groaning softly.

"Good morning." I said when his eyes were fully opened.

"Pa–papa," he immediately hugged me tightly after putting on his surprised expression for a few seconds, "I don't think papa will go home, why not leave before leaving for work? Why not call if you are late? Me, I'm really worried .. hiks, papa." The following surprised me with his reaction that I never imagined, let alone his tears.

"Ma–forgive me, yesterday was really urgent so I left without telling you first. I didn't want to wake you either, and then last night my bathtub was finished .. No, stop crying." Obviously I was in a hurry while replying to Aster's embrace and stroking his head as gently as possible.

***

- Esther

After finishing the bath and getting ready, Mila took me to the dining room to do breakfast with my father.

I stepped my foot into the dining room and I saw my father sitting in his place smiling faintly at me as he looked in and walked towards the empty chair beside him.

"Your school uniform looks beautiful, yes" praised my father making me smile amusedly, could-can father say things that are rarely said with his flat expression.

"She's uniform?" I asked to stop the first feed of father, then his gaze returned to me who had been propped up with one of my palms. Watching dad's expression.

"Your face can't be compared to your school uniform." Answer me before eating breakfast.

"Whatis that? I mean, my face isn't as pretty as my school uniform?" Murmuring annoyed while watching the father who was busy chewing food in his mouth, then I started eating my breakfast without saying anything more.

Today Mila made a sandwich and a glass of milk for my breakfast today. As for father, sister Mila made ossobuco.

Ossobuco alla milanese is a popular Italian food. It is the backbone of veal, cooked at low temperatures and slow to tender in meat broths, white wine, and vegetables.

Traditionally, a serving of ossobuco is accompanied by gremolata (lemons, garlic, and parsley) but optional. Although ossobuco is a popular Italian food, but this dish is not always commonly served in restaurants because it requires a long cooking time, about three hours. That's what dad said when I first saw him eating a food called ossobuco that he liked.

Then my gaze stopped on the father who was still cool eating breakfast in the morning, for some reason I still could not believe that I had a father as good as he could and I was also loved by him. Though the father did not want to admit me as his daughter, but gradually our relationship improved until the father also admitted me as his daughter. So good, I was able to see the protective nature of my father that I had never expected before.

Sometimes I still feel afraid that all the things I went through with my father were just a dream, considering how hard my father refused my presence. Then my fear grew as my father began to get busy with his work, it felt like I was really going to be left behind by him. And I hate to keep thinking about it, despite being pushed aside so many times that thought always comes back to me ....

"What's with your face?" My father's voice broke my long daydream, I quickly showed my best smile to cover my previous expression.

"Hah~" muttered father suddenly sighed heavily while putting the dinner knife and fork he held on the plate, then I saw the moody expression of father directly adorning the face of the wall.

Unknowingly I was frowning confusedly, not knowing what kind of father to respond to, "not usually papa sighs in the morning, in front of me again."

"... Should I cancel your application to the academy?" Asked Dad started to speak up after being silent and staring into my eyes for a few seconds.

"Ha–hah's? Ma–apa? What do you mean by canceling my enrollment to the academy? Papa kidding?" I just couldn't control my surprised expression, nothing, just that it was too sudden for me and again it could just cancel my registration? On my first day of school?

"I can't imagine parting with you for months." It obviously made me gawk at the sad expression of father, especially his sad gaze that was so burdening on me.

A–ada what is this? Not usually papa shows his sad expression blatantly like this to me... papa ate wrong? My mind wondered while watching the dinner plate in front of the father who still left a little ossobuco.

"You think so too, don't you? From the beginning I should have refused Ian's request and sent you to a regular school. So I can pick you up every day, or I can make you home-schooled again, okay?" My grumpy father made me even more confused and burdened with his expression.

"This pa–papa, why worry so much about me? I'm definitely home every smester vacation, so don't worry about me." I was a little stammered because I was not used to my father's expression.

"Where can I not worry about my daughter, it seems like I really have to speak directly with the principal there–"

"Why is this papa? I'm fine, there's Carel too. Besides, if I don't get into the academy and take home schooling again, I won't be able to get any friends other than Carel and Teo." I said before reaching for my drinking glass.

Plus papa's getting busy with his job, if I don't get into the academy. I will definitely feel more lonely at home because Carel has decided to enter the academy. Continue in my heart while putting back my drinking glass after sipping out my drinking water.

"Really! You can't make new friends if you take home schooling again, can you? Then, I'll just enroll in a regular school ya–"

"Mr ...."

"Yes?"

"Don't you have to keep papa's promise to uncle Ian? Papa agreed to uncle Ian's request to enter me into the academy for some reason right? Any other reasons besides Carel?"

"That's .. yeah, you're right. I have to keep my promise, right? Basic Ian s*alan!" Reply father again grabbed his dinner knife and began to stab the meat on his plate with annoyance when he cursed uncle Ian.

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Thanks for reading...