The Metal Military Academy
Chapter 81: The Star

“Senior Ardan?” call Chrysanthemum with an innocent face while watching Ardan who walked up to him.

“Why are you alone nights here?” Ardan is leaving his waist. “Let's be a Satanic, you know.”

“Not if I don't forget to read prayer.”

Ardan sighed when Chrysanthemum had already given such a reply.

Tuh, right. It's hard to get a girl like this Chrysanthemum. The inn wants to be irritated, but can't bear because the person is very cute.

“Just want to enjoy the night sky aja.” Then, Chrysanthemum asked, “What are you doing here?”

“Eee...”.

Ardan scratched his non-itchy head. He's ashamed to say he wants nyamperin to know there's a chrysanthemum here. Strange, this one's attitude is not like Ardan who is usually clumsy-coplos difficult to talk.

“Just by chance,” alibi Ardan. “Can sit?”

Chrysanthemum did not answer, but shifted his body, a sign that he allowed Ardan to sit beside him.

The young man was as young as he was, then sat beside the Chrysanthemum as his silver eyes joined in to see the night sky scene.

In that calmness, both of them enjoyed the beauty in the sky up there, a quiet, peaceful place, far from the hustle and bustle.

“Dek Chrysanthemum.” Ardan started the conversation, “You like to see the stars, huh?”

“Like,” replied Chrysanthemum without taking his eyes off the sky. “Since childhood, I've always liked to see the stars. It feels crowded in the sky there, but soothing when enjoying its beauty.”

Ardan looked back at the sky. As Chrysanthemum said, when it saw the luster of the star cluster, it felt like the heart was so calm. The feeling of unease due to many thoughts so vanished by looking at the stars there.

“I always hope to get out of space, see more stars and other celestial bodies I've never seen before in Ribelo,”. “That's one of the reasons why I enthusiastically want to be a Space Warrior.”

Ardan nodded in understanding.

A desire that initially wishful thinking will try to be realized if there is an opportunity. When Chrysanthemum had a chance to become a Space Warrior, he enrolled in this academy. Not only to be able to see how beautiful and vast space is, but also to want to protect many people.

“You yourself how, Senior?”

“About what?”

“Star-stars.”

“Hah...” Ardan tried to think before replying, “I also like to see it. Back then, when my father was alive, we often saw the starry sky using a telescope.”

“Woah.... I'm so envious.” The chrysanthemum hugged both of his legs. “It would be obvious to see stars using a telescope.”

“Hehe Ardan chuckled for a moment. “If we both have free time, you can visit our house to see the sky using a telescope. Nadia would be happy if you visited.”

Suddenly Chrysanthemum turned to Ardan. “You live with Nadia?”

“To be exact stay with his family Nadia and Rafa.”

“Aaah..

Chrysanthemum nods. He remembers Nadia and Rafa as siblings, while Ardan is their cousin. However, Chrysan does not know if Ardan lives with Rafa and Nadia's family.

“Nadia hasn't told me about me staying with their family?”

Chrysanthemums just shake.

Ardan began to tell me, “Both of my parents have long since died, Chrysanthemum. My mother died after giving birth to me, and my father died a few years later on the battlefield. From then until now, I was taken care of by my uncle and aunt, father and mother of Rafa and Nadia.”

“During my stay with them, I never lacked anything. They took good care of me, gave me all sorts of needs, and guaranteed me this high. Anyway, they already consider me as part of their family.”

Ardan's body was laid there with one knee raised, both hands supporting the back of his head, and his eyes refocused on looking at the sky. Night breeze stroked the soft orange hair of Ardan, feeling fresh air and soothing.

“But, I had thought that my presence in their family only carried a burden. Whatever problems I'm dealing with will definitely involve them.”

Ardan recalled his conversation with Rafa yesterday about Shujin's true identity and purpose. They did want to investigate about this Shujin, but could not because it would risk the secrecy of Ardan's power and would affect the good name of the Novan Family.

Indeed Rafa and Nadia had said, they would not issue anything about Ardan. Ardan is part of their family, it's fitting that they help and protect each other.

But, if this continues, Ardan feels awkward. Even he considered himself a burden on the Novan Family.

“Don't think so, Senior Ardan.”

Ardan's silver eyes glanced at Chrysanthemum, but the girl still looked towards the sky. The night breeze blew away the soft strands of long black hair.

If Ardan looks around, Chrysanthemum hair looks like the night sky. Soft, dark, yet radiating its luster in the darkness.

“If they are comfortable with you and have considered you part of the family, then you do not need to be insecure about your position there. You are still a meaningful person to them. Maybe their family will feel lonely if there is no presence.”

The chrysanthemum turned around, giving a smile to Ardan. A sincere smile, warm, and more beautiful when the black hair again moved smoothly in the wind.

“So, never be insecure, Senior Ardan. You had your own charisma when you were with all of us. You are very valuable with all your uniqueness.”

Ardan was transfixed, not only because of the words that Chrysanthemum had spoken, but also because of that smile.

Since the introduction of Chrysanthemum, only this time Ardan can see the girl smiling. Chrysanthemums are very rare to show a smile, even just a very thin smile on the awkward smile that is seen.

But this time, Ardan did not expect that the Chrysanthemum smile could be as beautiful as that. The beauty of the night sky above them was even less beautiful than the rare smile that Chrysanthemum showed her.

Can Ardan consider himself lucky to see that smile? Just a smile from the cute girl alone has made Ardan's heart beat uncontrollably.

“Then, how about you?”

“Hah?”

Ardan sat back down, his face slightly tilted as he deliberately approached the beautiful face of the smooth Chrysanthemum, almost impeccably. His silver eyes with Chrysanthemum blue eyes clashed against each other in the calmness between the two of them.

“What does my presence mean in your life?”

One sentence thrown in a low and hoarse tone, one sentence with various meanings, and one sentence that managed to make the atmosphere more intimate between the two.

Both Ardan and Chrysan were silent, focusing on each other no matter how cold the night felt almost piercing the skin. Quiet, just the two of them. Calm down, drifting in charm.

Out of nowhere Ardan's courage appeared to bring his face closer to Chrysanthemum, even the girl herself seemed to have absolutely no way of preventing what Ardan was about to do.

He drew closer, closer, until their breaths could feel their breaths exchanging with each other. Their lips even stay a few inches longer will touch each other.

It's just, it's just,

“Adoh!”

Unexpectedly, Chrysanthemum slapped Ardan's face until it turned red.

What the hell is going on? Was Ardan's action considered a delay, so Chrysanthemum dared to slap him?

“Kok I slapped, Chrysanthemum Deck.?” whinek Ardan while stroking his face that had reddened the five-finger mark.

The chrysanthemum shows the palm he used to slap Ardan.

By her innocence, the girl said, “There are mosquitoes.”

“Eh?”

Both of them see there is a mosquito body that has been dented with one of the legs moving stiffly on the palm of the white Chrysanthemum.

Ardan several times blinked his eyes, realizing that it was true that Chrysanthemum was patting mosquitoes that had stuck on Ardan's face.

Ardan hurriedly turned his face while hiding a red hue from embarrassment to be caught almost performing an action done on the basis of his heart instinct. He really felt dead lice facing off against Chrysanthemum again.

Chrysanthemum remains calm. He even touched the corpse of the mosquito from the palm of his hand, then looked back at the sky as if nothing had happened.

Both of them were silent, Ardan with his efforts held back the embarrassment, while Chrysanthemum still kept seeing the stars.

The mood was awkward, though,

Very clumsy.

“Dek Chrysanthemum.”

“Hm?”

“Back to hostel each time, yuk. Very late at night too.”

“Hay—.”

Chrysanthemum speech stopped when he heard a strange noise between the sepins of the night. Very noisy, almost deafening.

“You fart, Senior?”

“E-ee.... Ja.... Pengen beracu me.”

Unfortunately, Ardan almost issued a young e’ek.

Can Ardan let him sink into a black hole?

...~*~*~*~...