Aster Veren
Episode 91's

-Teo

"It's all my fault, if I hadn't told her. But if I didn't tell you, he would know from others, right? And I don't want Aster to know everything from other people, so I'm–" he said looking agitated when I told him Aster didn't get into class.

His expression really did not look alright, his gaze stared deeply at his two hands that were playing with his fingers restlessly.

"You've done the right thing, calm yourself." My words cut the explanation.

I saw her blue bead begin to return my gaze, and slowly her eyes began to glaze over. "Yes, I was expecting this to happen anyway." His words left me confused.

"What thing?"

"I'm .. I'm prepared that Aster will hate me for my mother and grandmother,"

"What did you say?"

"If I were even an Aster. I will also hate the son of the murderer who obliterated Kelua–"

"Stop!" I cut the explanation, then I saw the blue bead glazed over, but his lips could still smile thinly without any burden.

"I don't know what you're thinking about Aster. But I'm sure he'll never think like that, after all you've struggled to uncover the truth of the Veren family's negative news with Carel right? You stopped the bad rumors about the Veren family that they said framed Mr. Albert's wife to destroy the Alaric family's good name. You put your own feelings aside, you realize that? If I were you, I wouldn't be as strong as you. Maybe I'll use that opportunity to save my family. But you didn't, you saved someone else's family and sacrificed your own. You ... really great Lea." I said at length, trying to crush his anxiety.

"... It's because I've been dumped by them. All I have now is Papa Victor. I also did it to repay the kindness of father–I mean uncle Ansel." His words struck me when I saw him smile again with his blue bead that felt like it was cutting my heart.

In–wasted?

***

- Esther

"Meet!" Carel's voice surprised me who was daydreaming in the back garden of the academy building close to the warehouse.

I saw Carel having trouble breathing, even his sweat soaking up almost his entire body. Did he look for me all day?

"You're ditching?" I asked to remember that the doorbell rang a few minutes ago.

"Huh? You're ditching yourself, too, right?!" His words looked annoyed still with his breathing still hunting, then his hands immediately pinched my cheeks with anxiety when his steps managed to approach me who was still sitting on the bench of the park.

"Ouch! Swakit Carel," my whine tried to take her hand off my face, but it couldn't be released easily because her strength was really strong, even though she looked so exhausted.

What's with those eyes? My mind wondered with Carel's red bead that looked so sad, even his expression did not show any irritation. He could speak that regret and pinch me with his anxiety. His expression? What's wrong with her?

"Let's go!" He said after releasing the pinch.

"Pe–go where?" I asked not to be heard, even my wrist had been gripped tightly by it. And my body was forcefully dragged by him towards the back gate of the academy?

"Why go to the back gate?" I went back to asking.

"Sstt. just come along don't ask too many questions." His whisper of emphasis made me reluctant to ask again. And his attention was focused on the surrounding environment.

He didn't plan to kidnap me, did he? My mind felt the bad things that Carel would do to me. Things that could drag me into big trouble if I got involved with Carel's plan.

"Hurry away!" His whisper made my attention go to the janitor near the gate.

"Don't tell me you–" I stopped as Carel's hand tightly closed my mouth.

"Sstt.. You can get us caught off guard, keep your voice down!" His whisper looks upset.

This shitty kid didn't really think about what I was thinking, did he? My mind tried to shake off my bad thoughts about Carel, but those thoughts could not be taken for granted. Especially when he saw his red bead that was focused on the janitor.

I could tingle my legs, I continued still in my heart, trying to refrain from crouching behind the bushes along with Carel who was still smothering my mouth.

Irritatedly I pinched his cheek until his face was facing me, then I pointed at his hand that still had my mouth. Carel quickly let go while smiling stiffly, "sorry, hehe ...." His words immediately rubbed his nape.

Then my mind, which had not been completely distracted from my conversation with Kalea this morning, came back to my mind and weighed on me. He actually explained the situation in the academy when I had not entered for three days due to a fever.

Lea said her mother and grandmother were arrested on charges of premeditated murder on Marta's grandmother, right? Before the arrest, Albert was officially divorced from Claretta's aunt. Then bad rumors about the Veren family start circulating, everyone thinks the Veren family framed Aunt Claretta to destroy the Alaric family.

But to my confusion, why are they planning a premeditated murder on Grandma? What is Grandma's fault with them? I really can't understand.

"It's safe, let's go!" Carel's voice again surprised me who was daydreaming.

Carel quickly pulled out my hand and ran out the gate with his broad strides, "wait! this–you really want to take me out of the academy?" I asked who was following his broad steps.

There's no answer. All I saw was Carel looking at me and showing me a big smile.

"Ca–carel! We can be punished if we get caught out of the academy." I continued not to stop his steps that were getting faster to take me running.

"Just calm down, I'll get you back safely." He said confidently while grinning the sumringah with his warm eyes. Though when I saw me sitting on the bench of the park before, the look of his eyes look so sad.

But somehow, now I feel Carel is trying to cheer me up. It felt like he knew my heart, and without asking much he immediately dragged me away from the garden.

His hand that grasped my wrist had also moved to hold my hand and walked side by side beside me. Even his footsteps began to adjust to my steps.

Not running anymore, but walking. Right now we're walking to a place I don't know.

***

After walking far enough, we finally reached the destination.

"This?" I asked when I saw the many merchants along the road, they were so busy serving the visitors.

"Actually I'd like to bring you here tonight, but it's gonna be harder to get out at night than during the day. So I'm groping you now." Clearly, he stepped back into the crowd with me.

"Where do you know this place?" I asked to be confused with him. Although Carel was a genius, but he couldn't possibly know a place like this by himself right? Someone else must have told him.

"The kids in my class. They said today there's a fireworks festival here tonight, so I brought you here. Although it's too early ...." His reply further downplayed his voice and turned his gaze in a directionless manner, hiding his guilty expression from me.

"Pft. Really early huh?" My mutter tried to hold back my laughing voice, how not to laugh if Carel put on such a guilty expression. Not to mention, now the new time shows at 10:45 pm. Where are the fireworks during the day, right? The color will also not look beautiful in this hot sun.

"Ah, you! Don't laugh at me secretly!" Carel said with his red face.

"No way." My reply immediately put on as flat an expression as I could before turning away from Carel's probing gaze.

But if you pay attention again the atmosphere of the festival in front of me is very amazing. Many food booths, accessories and others are filling the outskirts of the road. Letting all visitors walk in the middle as they please.

Different from the festival I've been to with my dad. Looks like they're getting ready from morning huh? The visitors are also quite a lot. It's still working hours. I wonder how the festival will be in the afternoon? Must be a lot of people visiting to see the fireworks, right? My mind can't stop babbling.

"See that! Apple candy, I guess no one is selling it," I continued muttering as I pointed the apple candy in front of me unconsciously.

"You want to?"

"You! But ... I don't have a wallet." I said I was embarrassed not to bring any money. Yeah, well, it's not my fault either, is it? Just try Carel telling me from the beginning about our escape. Maybe I can prepare myself.

"Buy one ya." Say Carel while giving a piece of money with a high nominal. Then he gave me an apple candy with his change.

"Here, eat!" Continue while giving the candy to my hand. I who saw him could only gawk at Carel's unfamiliar expression in my eyes.

.

.

.

Thanks for reading...