WHEN YOU'RE CLOSER

CHAPTER 11

"Ravi..." I slowly murmured when I saw my brother standing at the corner as if he was waiting for someone. He heard me call his name and that made him look in my direction and slowly smirk at my sight. 

"Aster," he called my name and slowly walked towards me. 

Before he reached me, Loly called. "I'll go now, Aster." 

I glanced at her and smiled a little. "Take care." 

When she's gone, I immediately flip the signboard at the door to indicate that we are close now. I heard Ravi chuckle.

"What are you doing here?" I fiercely asked. 

He chuckles. "Don't you miss you? Is that how you say when you reunited with your brother?" 

"As far as I can remember, I don't have any family," I said. "Alive." 

"Woah," he looks at me amused. "After all these years? I haven't seen you for five years and then you'll say you don't have any family? That hurts, huh?" 

"What do you expect me to do, then? Welcome you with a warm hug and face you with a smile on my lips. Wow, stop dreaming." I scoffed. "Now, get out of here before I drag you out." 

"Fiesty as always, Aster. You haven't changed. You're still the spoiled brat we raised, after all." He commented as if he was proud and nodded his head. 

"Yeah? I'll take that as a compliment even though you haven't done anything to my existence." I nod my head to him. 

"Are you sure about that? If it weren't for us, you wouldn't even be here. Managing a cafe now, huh?" 

"Wow, you finally acknowledge that I am here because of all of you, huh?" I scoffed and shook my head unbelievably. "You're even proud of that? Really? Wow!" I sarcastically said. 

"Hey. I'm sorry, okay? Come on, we grew up together, aren't we? I apologize for giving you a hard time." He seriously said. "Am I too late to say this to you?" 

I bitterly chuckle. "If that's what you said five years ago, Ravi, I'll forgive you without any second thoughts. But Ravi, I am not the person who you should be sorry for." I shook my head. "Maybe you should have done that before? When she's still not drowning? When she's still not shredded into pieces?" 

"It's late, then." He smiled bitterly. "Can I order?" he asked suddenly, looking around the cafe. 

I shook my head in response. "I'm talking to you not because I'll forgive you or anything you might think — but I'm talking to you now to say that you should get out of here. You are not very much welcome at my cafe and I hope to never see you here again." 

"Business is a business, Aster. How could you shoo your customer?" 

"Point taken, Ravi. Though my business is peace of mind so get out of here." 

He sighed deeply and smiled bitterly. "You're hurting me with your words, Aster." 

I also smiled bitterly and looked at him. "Isn't it amusing? I'm the one who said those lines years ago yet here you are, repeating the exact words I said before. Do you remember that? I'm the one who's begging years ago. Even though I am begging so hard, you're all in front of me doing nothing. But yeah, life sucks, right? Now, this will be my last warning, Ravi. Get out." 

"If that's what you want," he exhales and accepts defeat. "Take care, Aster. Don't let anymore fool you again, okay?" he walked toward the door and before he opened it, he turned to face me and said, "I know you have no family in your life now, but always remember that there's someone who will still be your older brother. He's still waiting for his little Aster to come back home. And this time, he'll do better and protect his little star at all costs."