The Lovely One's

Chapter 22: Obstacles

Starla's mind wandered, still thinking Aozora's words earlier. He does not believe he will race with Aozora—ia sure the young man is proficient considering Japan is Aozora's home country. It's unlikely that Aozora could not draw.

No. gabe.

Starla wouldn't give up, even if their class didn't win, at least she tried.

"So what's the proposal for?" ask Ayu.

"How about a simple drawing, Yu?" Gea gave me advice. "You know such cool words..."

"Eh? But isn't that too simple?" Starla doesn't really agree, she's sure she won't win.

"Yes, simple and boring." Ayu agrees with Starla.

"What can we do? As great as Starla, Thunder, and Andre are if there is no free money." Gea gave his opinion. "You see now, not everyone's coming in, right? They don't care."

Silent class...

Starla accepts the harsh fact that what Gea says is true, has great abilities but no money to buy equipment, it's useless.

Starla must accept Aozora wins...

"We can bill them Monday, Ge." Ayu tried to say optimistically.

"You said that when we visited Mr. Abdul" Gea said. "Your money's back?"

Ayu.

"My opinion is done here" said Gea.

Starla looked at Gea who was leaning leisurely on the chair, she could see that something was wrong with Gea because it was not usual for Gea to give a sharp opinion, preferring silence.

'Did he fight with Brother Ferdian?' Starla wondered in her heart.

Whatever Gea says, reality is not always beautiful.

Starla pensive.

Should he give up? Though Aozora already trusted him but with potluck money is definitely not enough.

Starla raised her hand. "You can use my money first."

All gawking.

"You sure La? True said Gea, this is an ordinary contest, you can lose money, I think other classes also experience the same obstacles" said Ayu.

True, this contest is not clear what the prize is so of course other classes will think to choose to save as much.

Maybe this contest doesn't mean much to him either.

"Alright," Starla finally gave up.

"Then we just decide what image we will make, name or face, what is the view... ?" Ayu wonders.

Starla exhaled, looking blankly out the window. He was no longer interested in attending the meeting, Gea and Luna who would explain it to him.

'How about Aozora's class huh?'

Does Aozora class choose to save as well?

***

The meeting was over an hour ago, Starla chose to take shelter in the gazebo.

As per the agreement of the meeting, the picture they made was just writing on the back, the side wall was just plain painted, really making it not excited at all.

"You okay?" asked Gea who was standing in front of him.

Starla glanced at her friend for a moment before bowing down again. "Honestly? Of course I'm disappointed" an hour ago his chance was lost in front of his eyes without being able to fight.

"La, this isn't the end of everything." Luna who was sitting next to Starla was trying to cheer up. "Me and Gea admit that if you're good at drawing, you can show it next time."

Of course Starla knows it's just... "I'm just a spirit to compete with Aozora's sister."

"Sir Ao!?" luna and Gea together.

Starla nodded. "Sir Aozora's coming too, I'm sure she's more proficient than me so I want to compete fair with her" he explained. "But I don't think I can anymore." he continued lethargic.

"Huh..."

"It's hard, yeah," said Luna, competing with people who are bigger than us must be fun; seeing Starla so moody about this, he reached into something in his pocket and handed it to Starla. "This,"

Starla glanced at something that was in her hands; a fifty thousand piece of money. Eyes widened. "You don't have to, Luna!" he shouted while returning the money to Luna but the friend refused by standing next to Gea.

Starla feels bad, she knows Luna's difficult economic condition, giving her that much money for her is a crime because obviously she is more capable.

"I can ask Mama or Papa for help" Starla said.

"really? You wanna do it?" Luna was challenging.

"I'm..." Starla is at a loss for her words, to be honest she doesn't like asking her parents for help if it's a money problem, preferring to collect her own from the school's pocket money.

"I gave Ayu a hundred thousand" said Gea. "I'm thinking realistically but at least I want to see you fight."

Starla was shocked to hear it, and was moved. "I.." he was speechless. He did not expect his friend to think of him so far.

"Not to worry, La. I only give a little but I hope all the walls can be crowded even with that amount of potluck paint" Gea said softly.

Starla blushed hearing that. "Me, Thunder and Andre will try to get to each wall. Thank you, Ge."

"I want to see the magic hands of the three of you," said Luna in spirit. "Of course it's most important you, La."

"Defeat Brother Ao!" gea said with her hands clenched in the air.

"And win Ao~'s heart" Luna added, clenching her hands up as well.

"You guys.." still had time to tease him, although he finally laughed too, then clenched his hands into the air. "Of course!"

After that they laughed together.

***

Starla was feeling better, Ayu told her to start painting tomorrow because she said she wanted to take money from other friends who did not come to school earlier.

Saturday's bus schedule doesn't exist because the day is free, so Starla waits for Arthur in front of the school gate while playing the phone in her hand.

Luna and Gea, as usual, returned with her scourge, but for the first time she was neither sad nor envious, for she remembered the kindness of her two friends and also that she had Aozora too.

His cheeks fizzy thinking about it, then playing the phone again.

"Starla-san is? You haven't come home yet?"

'This sound...'

Starla turned her head and found Aozora beside her, already wearing free clothes; just thinking that she was there, she blushed again, a second later she realized Aozora was carrying a black plastic bag. "What is that, brother?" tanyanya.

"Oh this?" Aozora raised the plastic bag in her hand, her face suddenly blushing. "There are some underclassmen who give gifts for me, he said as a welcome to enter the pencak silat club. I can't refuse it of course, they're making it hard" she explained.

"Oh," said Starla briefly; he was willing to bet if it was not just a gift for a welcome, not a week Aozora had stolen a lot of attention girls at school including himself, he coughed; how not? Aozora is so gentle to women supported by her handsome face, casual style is not excessive is also a plus for some people.

Aozora today wore a gray sweater in tune with the young man's eyes clad in a dark blue jeans jacket and jeans the same color as the jacket; a casual look of the Starla type once.

Starla coughed. "So, why haven't you come home yet?"

"Our class began to paint, but because I had important business was forced to go home."

"Oh," deserved Starla smelled the paint on Aozora's body, it turns out they've started. He was amazed Aozora class was very alert with this contest is very different from the class that 'cantun' once. "Surfing once in Brother's class seems to..."

"Your class hasn't started yet?" Aozora wonders. "My class was slow, others started drawing."

"Really!?" Starla was too moody earlier to see the state of the other classes; could it be that the other classes were really the same this contest? Is there hope for him? He does not know, for sure he will try more, starting from tomorrow of course. Mannered...

Aozora nodded. "Looks like your class's the laggards, huh?"

Starla patted her forehead. "That's how Brother, my class is the naughtiest among the other classes, understandably." he chanted despite the facts. "So all day we had a fuss over not enough money."

"Money?"

Starla nodded. "Our money is still uncertain so we can't be sure what our class will be" he explained. "But we already have a plan about it, we will take a frugal way if the money is a little, if many there may be more additions." he continued full of confidence.

"Hm..." Aozora thought for a moment. "Money is most important here, but can you use a painting tool in your home? My friend and I are also wearing used items."

Starla was shocked; why did it not occur to her beforehand. "Thank you for the advice, brother!" he said excitedly, then sent a message to Ayu to tell him this brilliant idea.

"Oh, and..." Aozora takes something in her pants pocket and hands it to Starla. "It's..."

"Well..." Starla looked at the hundred thousand dollars in her hand. "I mean this Brother—" was what he thought right? Aozora donates to her class? Sweet thing but. Getting money from people outside of her class is a little sad.

Aozora nodded. "Take it, just think of it as a gift so that this contest is much more interesting" she said with a gentle smile on her lips. "Now, the winner is not guessed."

"Really?" Starla makes sure once again, she is heartily pleased that Aozora sees her as a worthy rival.

Aozora nodded once more. "We fight together—oh!" unable to finish her words, Starla hugged her first.

"Thank you, sister." whispered Starla.

Aozora was silent for a moment, before then returning the embrace with her one free hand. "Hm," he murmured.

Silent...

Not a single one of them spoke, Starla was washed away by the happiness and fragrance of Aozora.

Aozora herself began to be unable to bear being noticed by the other students as well as her heart that was pounding, coughing softly. "Can you let me go, Starla-san?" whispered.

Starla realizes she has hugged Aozora because of her happiness, she immediately takes off and steps back, bowed shyly, but placed a glance at Aozora through the gap of her eyelashes—seeing a clear red hue on both cheeks of the young man, he was a little happy not only was he ashamed. "Sorry," he said slowly.

Aozora still did not want to stare at Starla said. "What's wrong, sharing happiness isn't evil."

Starla laughs awkwardly, Aozora starts talking formally to her again, as if making a defense on her, she plays her legs shyly, thinking of the possibility of Aozora having a little feeling towards her after seeing the reaction of the hug earlier.

Silent again...

"You want to take a public bus with me?" Aozora finally opened the conversation, her voice still sounding nervous.

Starla is glowing; go home with Aozora! Take the public bus too, but his happiness is gone when he remembers he's already called Arthur to pick him up. "Ah, I can't, Brother. I asked to be picked up earlier," he said sadly.

"I see," said Aozora softly.

"But we can go home together tomorrow!" starla says try to amuse herself or her love luck. "Are you next Saturday?"

Aozora laughs. "Alright," he said. "Then I go first, Starla-san."

Starla waved her hand, after which Aozora stopped the bus and climbed inside. He was still watching the bus that Aozora was riding on until it completely disappeared from the sight of his eyes, then blushed again.

Today wasn't as bad as he thought...