Aster Veren
Episode 80's

- Esther

"You're done? Want me to help you?" Kalea's voice surprised me who was daydreaming for noticing the pink ribbon Carel gave me as a memento for me a few years ago. Before I went to do the treatment in Singapore.

"No, I'm done with it." I replied while looking over and smiling at Kalea who had adopted the standing attitude of her study chair.

"Then, would you like to have lunch now?" Tanwarnya while glancing at the wall clock available in our room.

"Can. It just so happened that my stomach was already hungry," I answered immediately got up from my seat and hurriedly tied up my unraveled hair with a pink ribbon in my hand.

"It's over." I continued muttering while watching myself reflected in the medium-sized mirror available beside my study table.

It feels like I have not worn it for a long time, in Singapore I used to wear it to relieve my longing for Carel. But since my grandmother's departure, I've rarely worn it again. It really makes me nostalgic.

"You going now?" Kalea's voice stopped my mirrored activities.

"Yes, I'm coming ... What do you want to eat?" I answered as I ran to Kalea on the side of the door she had opened, and then her hand closed the door to our room when I came out with her.

"Content .. I want to eat a soupy and spicy meal. Is dikantin there anything like that?"

"Fruitful and spicy, what is it? Don't tell me you want to eat instant noodles?"

"In the academy as luxurious as this there is a canteen that sells instant noodles huh?"

"Eh–that's who knows, right?"

"... emh, it seems good that there is." His words surprised me.

"A–aku also want to try it if there is one. You see, when at home, papa and the servants always forbid me to eat instant noodles even though I want to eat them .. when the time mother is still there, I often eat noodles with her ...." I muttered recalling all the moments with my father as he warned the servants not to give me food carelessly.

"Aah!" Kalea's words made me look at her, "i also know how you feel. I am such a man." Continue with his grim expression.

***

Arriving at the cafeteria, we immediately lined up to buy food sold in the canteen. The food menu that is made every day changes, and looks good. That's the information I got from Nathan's brother when I passed him on the academy grounds before I went to Kalea's dormitory.

"By the way, I still can't forget that father-dumb quarrel with that fool, anyway,"

"... if I am reminded I cannot forget it either. They really embarrassed me."

"They humiliate themselves in public." His murmur made the memories of that moment re-shadow in my brain.

Especially when the father was stopped by Uncle Victor so as not to get out of control on Carel, then uncle Ian hid his son behind his body while smiling sweetly as if challenging father to fight. His nature was the same as Teo when he was upset.

"They also make the master Albert and his son can not dwell when they see the true nature of the father and master Ian who often quarrel if met." He said with his flat face.

"ft! You ... don't say it with that expression," I said trying to hold my laughter as much as possible, but the next second came off as well. Yes how not? Kalea said it without laughing the slightest bit with that expression. Though if you imagine the expression of master Albert and his son Sean, I can't help myself so funny.

"Once you go, control yourself. You can get a stomachache if you keep laughing like that" said Kalea while taking her order, as well as me.

With great difficulty I managed to control myself, but not until ten seconds had I returned to laughing while landing my ass in the canteen chair and putting my food on the table. Kalea was sitting sweetly in front of me.

"... hahaha, oh–my stomach .. hahaha," I muttered trying to control myself again.

"What's wrong with her?" Carel's voice surprised me.

I saw that he was sitting next to me along with Teo who was sitting next to Kalea as well. Thanks to it I was able to stop my laughter in one breath.

"When did your bad habits disappear?" My grunts were irritated by his habit which always made my heart startle.

"He laughed at the incident when I had a fight with Mr. Ian." Obviously Kalea made Carel round his mouth to say "oh".

"What's so funny about their fight?" The question justifies his sitting position.

"I don't laugh at papa and uncle Ian, I only remember the expressions of master Albert and his son when they saw papa and uncle Ian quarreling." Obviously before grabbing my drinking glass.

"ft! Right, I also saw their expressions. Really funny." Teo agreed to my explanation.

"Hee.. It's also great that you can pay attention to their expressions. I just didn't notice it." Continue Carel while stirring the noodles?

"You–" I stopped noticing the food being stirred by him.

"What?" The lyrics make me angry.

"Where's the noodles from?" I was curious because the cafeteria didn't sell instant noodles and forced me to order curry rice, "even Teo?" I continued when I saw the contents of Teo's bowl.

"Why are you so excited?" Carel asked before sipping noodle soup into his mouth, just seeing it made me tempted.

"You don't know? Aster hasn't eaten instant noodles since living with his father." Kalea answered me who couldn't say anything.

"really?" Carel asked with her inattentive eyes made me nod limp in response.

"You ate a little?" Teo's voice made me glance at him, I saw that he was watching what Kalea was eating quietly. Of course I also noticed it out of curiosity.

This kid! What short am I? My indignation inwardly when I saw her green bead glanced at me with its thin smile that seemed to insinuate me. Very clearly insinuating to me.

In a fit of annoyance I grabbed a tablespoon next to the bowl of curry rice I ordered and ate it with annoyance.

"Something offended, huh?" The insinuation again tried to make me even more upset, I did not take offense to his words. But his expression made me very disturbed. Looks like he learned a lot from Carel huh?

"It! Open your mouth," Carel's voice along with the tablespoon outstretched before me, I saw there was a piece of noodles and a little gravy on top of it. I hesitantly turned to Carel who was sitting next to me.

"You said you wanted to try it, right?" He continued asking when our views met face-to-face, he really understood me very well.

It was my pleasure to go with the noodles that Carel gave me, and it tasted really good even though it was spicy.

"You want to kill me, right?" I immediately grabbed my drinking glass.

"You trying mine?" Teo asked who had noticed me since, "my gun doesn't wear spicy." The next made me tempted, especially when Teo stuck out his tablespoon as well. Doing the same thing as Carel. Vouching.

But I haven't opened my mouth yet, Carel has devoured the food from Teo's spoon and surprised me, as well as Teo.

"That's for me to know!" Snapped me while hitting him because I was upset when I saw my ration stolen by him.

"Ouch! Sick tau. If you're so eager to eat instant noodles I'll give it to you. I brought a pretty good stock of noodles from home." He made me stop beating him.

"really?" I immediately got a quick nod from Teo as I turned to him to confirm the truth of Carel's words.

"Then give it to me too." Said Kalea who had been silent since, enjoying her lunch, she also ordered the same lunch menu as me. It's just that he cut the portion from the actual portion.

"Well, I'll give it to you. Now just finish your food." The answer is again devouring pieces of noodles on the spoon.

"By the way, that ribbon?" Carel asked me to turn to him again while chewing food in my mouth

"What?" I asked back.

I saw his red bead focused on watching my hair and his left hand immediately propped up his chin. Then his gaze turned to me, staring deeply into my eyes.

"So you still keep it?" He continued with a wide smile with a slight red hue on his face, looking adorable.

Saving it? She saw what? My mind wonders, ". ah! This ribbon?" I continued while grabbing the ribbon I was wearing as my hair tie.

"Yes, I think the ribbon's gone. It turned out to be overtaken in–" Obviously I stopped when Teo cut my words.

"You like it?" The question made me look at Teo.

"Of course, this is the first gift I got from Carel. Besides that Carel was my first friend, I–" I replied back to a standstill when I saw Kalea's palm lifting up, giving me the code to stop talking.

"... You made that fool blush in shame. Don't keep going!" His words surprised me and immediately turned back to Carel. Sure enough, he looks embarrassed. Even her face was red, I could see her even though she threw her face away from me.

"Hhaha.you're great, Aster." Teo said before eating the chopped piece of meat, "it can make people like Carel fall silent in shame." This makes me smile amusedly.

"really?" I tried to tease Carel by poking her shoulder a few times, but she was still looking the other way.

"He won't see you before the red hue on his face disappears." Obviously Kalea instantly got a quick nod from Teo.

"You two are noisy!" Carel snapped at them with his arrogant gaze as it continued to be teased by them.

I who saw his reaction could not help but laugh at him. For the first time I could see Carel's red face, but whatever she wanted, it wouldn't be that red.

Why is he ashamed?

"You–also don't laugh at me!" He said while pinching my cheek as usual, and I could only surrender to accept the pinch.

"Thank you for being friends with Carel." I tried to show my best smile even though my cheeks were being pinched by it.

I don't know, suddenly I feel like thanking her. Thanks to him, I have been able to spend a lot of fun days with him and my family. Especially if considering Carel's quarrel with uncle Arsel first, then his quarrel with father as well. He was always looking for father and uncle.

Then even though Carel sucks, this kid always makes me smile and laugh. He also gave her a lot of attention and warmth without her noticing. And without me noticing, I've been good friends with him to this day.

"Sudden attack?" The words of Kalea and Teo together made me realize the pinch of Carel that I did not feel on my face.

I was daydreaming, right? My mind while watching Carel who can only sculpt with her face reddened again.

"He's alive, right?" Teo's question made Kalea wave her left palm in front of Carel, but there was no reaction from her.

A–ada what's with him?

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Thanks for reading...