Aster Veren
Episode 132

- Kalea

"How's your stomach?" I asked after coming out of the academy, walking side by side with a tired-looking Aster.

"Better, not as sick as this morning hehe ...," he replied with a chuckle.

"... is that the snack that the white one brought?" My question made Aster frown confused when he met me.

"The white?"

"Carel the son sucks." My grunts were irritated for no reason when I mentioned his name.

"Oh, haha who do I think? Lea always gives a unique nickname, right? I used to call Teo by straw hair, right? What now still calls it straw hair?" It embarrassed me when I remembered that day.

I called him that because of reflexes. But, who would have thought Aster would remember it until now. Turns out the memory of this child is quite sharp too huh?

"Well, it's natural. This kid always gets top. His brain can't be underestimated right?" I muttered while glancing towards Aster who was still walking beside me.

"You guys!" Carel's voice surprised me, making my steps and Aster stop.

I saw that he had already walked quickly towards us who were already standing outside the gates of the academy. Followed by Teo behind him. Somehow I became embarrassed again when I recalled the name of Teo that I discussed with Aster a few seconds ago.

"... here I bring your favorite fruit, there are other fruits as well. Eat it, spend it!" Carel said giving a bag of fruits Aster.

"Eh? But–"

"There's no buts! In addition ...," cut Carel while grabbing Aster's forehead with his right palm. Making a red hue on Aster's face sticking out.

"Ap–apa?" Ask Aster.

"... I wonder why they're not just going out?" My murmuring along with Teo's hand that had grabbed the top of my head, made me turn towards him.

"No! I said I don't have a fever I–"

"No fever what? Your face is so red."

"He's a fool?" My grunts couldn't distract me from Carel's innocent-looking figure or stupid huh? It felt strange to see his expression that way, when he was known as a genius man. But why does he look stupid in my eyes now?

"That kid was sensitive and blunt at the same time huh?" Teo said making me nod my head, agreeing with his words.

"For a long time I was anxious to see their relationship never progressing, how about we make them aware of their feelings?" My suggestion was still to pay attention to the figure of Carel and Aster before me.

"You mean you're gonna match them up?" Teo asked as she pinched my cheek in a daze, making me grimace before I could finally take her hand off my face.

"What can you do, right?" My grunts.

***

"... base Carel! He thinks I can spend all these fruits alone? Why did he give so much fruit? One kind of fruit is enough." Aster said before breathing out tired.

"She has always looked at you ..," my god made Aster look at me with his shy expression, so adorable.

"Bu–not so–"

"It's okay, too."

"That's him, right? The woman who always sticks to Carel?"

"Yes right, pity on Lusy ...,"

"It's Aster, right?"

"Well till when does he keep clinging to Carel?"

Eh–apa? What do they mean whispering like that? My mind wonders about the situation around me.

"I heard Lusy was made to cry by Aster–"

"really?"

"What's wrong until he's made to cry like that?"

"Of course, maybe Aster doesn't like it when Lusy's close to Carel. They've been friends since childhood."

"This–gossip trash moreover?" I muttered in annoyance when I heard their babble in front of the dorm door. I wanted to hit them but couldn't because Aster stopped me immediately when I realized my bad intentions.

"It's okay Lea." He said with his forced smile. It was obvious that he was pretending to be tough.

May the change of its nature at this time be because ...,

"What actually happened? Where did they get such trashy gossip?" Ocehku while walking up a bunch of stairs to my room and Aster.

"That's them!" Nadin's voice caught my attention, I saw him standing at the door of my room with Tia beside him.

"What really happened to Aster?" He asked when we arrived before him.

"I heard that Lusy is Carel's fiancee, is that true? Why didn't he ever tell you?" Tia's asking makes me question that in my head.

"And again, why does everyone judge you as the one who got in the way of Carel and Lusy's relationship? They're crazy, aren't they?!" Nadin looks furious.

"Ahahaha, it–actually ...,"

"Se–we'd better go in first and talk inside." My suggestion while unlocking the room door after feeling the awkward atmosphere that lasted for a few seconds.

Nadin and Tia quickly entered my room following Aster who entered first.

"So?" Tia Tanya looks so impatient while pulling Aster's study chair from inside her study desk. Then he quickly sat down on the chair and noticed the figure of Aster who looked confused.

***

- Carel

"What's wrong with that tangled face of yours?" Teo's question made me glance towards her lying down.

"It's none of your business!" My grunts refocused on my learning activities.

"Hee .. whereas this afternoon your expression was fine. Especially when dealing with Aster, but why suddenly change?"

"Hah~ I told you it's none of your business!"

"... cih! You think I don't know what your problem is?" His deceih made me glare at him, distracting me from the textbook in front of me.

"Don't know."

"No puny. I can assess your problem when I see your expression change the day after Aster's birthday party is over. That night your aura changed. Usually whatever your condition is you'll always stick to Aster, but all I see is you've only been with him for a while. And what makes me even stranger is that you don't ask Aster to dance. A Carel–"

Ah, sucks! Why does this guy keep raving that no-no? Does he know what? My mind felt upset on its own when it remembered the events of that night.

After Aster's birthday party was over, I returned to my residence. And I accidentally heard Dad and Grandpa talking in his study.

They're arguing over who deserves to be my fiancee. Really sucks.

It feels like my life is never free, everything is determined by the decision of grandfather or father. Why can't I choose my own way of life? Why do they always interfere?

"... I told you Carel was already betrothed to Lusy the grandson of the owner of the academy. Even her grandfather thought they were engaged. So stop protesting me!" Grandpa's voice came back to my head. I quickly picked up that memory. But, my head could not ignore it.

This morning made me angry too. Why does that woman keep clinging to me? She even constantly stressed that she and I were engaged.

Is there an unscheduled engagement? I never even exchanged engagement rings with her. So where did he judge that we were engaged? Didn't my grandfather and grandfather make the engagement? Yeah–because they discussed the plan without my knowledge.

"What engagement? No kidding!" I murmured while clenching my right hand which was holding the pen.

"Hee... So the gossip is true, right?" Teo's question made me look at him.

"Gossip?" I was feeling confused.

"You didn't hear any rumors about you getting engaged to Lusy? There are even rumors about Aster that get in the way of your relationship out of jealousy. But ya–"

"Whatchu mean? That kind of bullshit?!" I felt even more annoyed when I heard the name of the woman.

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Thanks for reading...