Aster saw Ramuja in the corner of his eyes and his heartbeat quickened.

            ‘T—This is not my intention, I swear.’ Aster said in his heart. But he was somewhat happy with the outcome. He finally got to have time with Ramuja in very private situation.

            ‘But I don’t want it to be too direct!’ Aster tried to take few steps back anxiously and sat on top of the cushion.

            “W—Well, now we can eat our food, I guess…” Aster said. Ramuja nodded and served all the foods in front of Aster attentively. Ramuja was sure very happy with just spending time with his Young Lord without any pressure.

            After the foods were all prepared, Aster only took a bite each and then gave the rest to his servant until Ramuja couldn’t eat anymore.

            “Young Lord, why did you give me so many foods?”

            Aster sighed. He still remembered when they first met in the summer market. Ramuja was thin with his bones were protruding. Whenever Aster remembered that, he wanted to give as much food as possible to his servant.

            “I’m worried that you might starve...”

            “Young Lord is very generous, but this servant is full.” Ramuja said. He held his bulging stomach and tried to kneel, but Aster stopped him.

            “What are you doing trying to kneel after you eat so much. You need rest,” Aster tapped the cushion besides him and continued, “I don’t mind you to sit here, besides me.”

            Ramuja shook his head immediately, “Pardon this servant, because he is unable to complete your request. It is also a sin for a servant like me to share the same cushion with Young Lord.”

            Aster’s mood turned sour instantly, “We are not a master and servant here! Don’t you remember? We—we are um… uh… couple, we are on a date! Date!”

            Ramuja hesitated and finally yielded to Young Lord’s compelling behavior. He sat beside Aster and their skin was close to each other. Sometimes, their skin brushed and there was a tingling sensation on their mind.

            There were stuck into long silence before Aster ordered Ramuja to take out the last snack they haven’t touched, the big, heart-shaped candy. Aster blushed, “I—I think we can just throw that away.”

            Ramuja nodded, but as he was about to throw the candy away, there was a wild idea suddenly popped out in his mind. He talked to his lord, “Young Lord, during Sweet Aster day, the rumor said that you are not allowed to throw this candy away!”

            “What?!” Aster jolted.

            “They said, if you throw this heart candy away before eating it um… with your lover, your love life will forever suffer!”

            “That is ridiculous!” Aster rebuked.

            “Pardon this servant Young Lord, but I have seen it happened once when I was working in Milord Grand Duke’s business. My supervisor went to Sweet Aster Festival with his girlfriend and returned alone, crying,” Ramuja suddenly had this bravery to bluff in front of Young Lord.

            Ramuja continued his bluff, “When we asked about his problem, he said his girlfriend left him with a new man without even thinking about their years of relationship! His love life has always been failed since.”

            Ramuja glanced at Young Lord whose face paled, “What about the relationship between him and his girlfriend? Did they really break up without reason?”

            “He said that his ex-girlfriend suddenly hated him without reason after they threw the heart candy away. Even though they were fine before, and already planning their marriage.”

            “T—That’s bizarre,” Aster gulped, “It just doesn’t make sense. There must be another reason why that happened…”

            “Yes, Young Lord, it could be. But would Young Lord take risk? What if the one you love right now suddenly hate you for no reason just because of a heart candy?”

            “Hmph! A—As if I would believe a superstition like that!” Aster puffed his chest, tried to hid his fear. But his body started sweating nervously, “Well, it is a ridiculous superstition, but um… I wouldn’t risk it, I guess.”

            “Young Lord has someone in his mind?” Ramuja asked.

            “… yes.” Aster replied nervously and lowered his head.

            Ramuja bit his lip. His chest felt pain, “Since Young Lord seems to treasure this person a lot, Young Lord shouldn’t risk it…”

            Aster seemed to weigh down on something, but his face blushed tomato red already, “Y—You are right, I don’t want to risk him leaving or hating on me…”

            ‘Young Lord is surprisingly gullible when it’s not about academic and politics…’ Ramuja was surprised that his master was still very naïve even though he was nineteen already.

            ‘But, to have Young Lord’s love, how lucky that person is…’ Ramuja tried to contain the burning jealousy in his heart. He smiled to his master, “Young Lord, should this servant call the that person you like to eat this with you? It might take time, but this candy should be able to preserve until that person comes.”

            Aster raised his head slightly, but lowered his eyes again, “No need to wait that person to come, I—I can just eat the candy with you…”

            Knowing that the chance didn’t come twice, Ramuja tried to act reluctantly, but secretly overjoying in his heart, “This servant will obey… it’s just that, is it okay for Young Lord to eat the same food with this servant?”

            “I told you, you’re not a slave or a servant here. You’re my d—date! Just for today… hum…”

            “This servant feels very grateful that Young Lord think so highly of this humble servant…”

            ‘At least, even if it’s just today, pardon me for being impudent, Young Lord…’

            Ramuja unwrapped the heart candy and said, “Young Lord, this servant is ready whenever Young Lord is ready…”

            Aster leered at his servant who didn’t seem to show much emotion and he got a bit annoyed. Because he was burning in shame and expectation. His chest palpitating and his mind was blanking out.

            Aster nodded slowly and bit the end of the heart candy. Ramuja took a deep breath and bit the other side of the candy. They closed their eyes and licked the candy slowly. The sound of two people sucking, licking, biting a candy filled the pavilion.

            Aster stole a glance, and saw Ramuja’s deep facial feature, his handsome brows. He could also see Ramuja’s lips licking, and sucking the candy.

            Aster closed his eyes immediately, he almost drooled by the sight of Ramuja’s face.

            When their noses almost touched, feeling the soft breath of his master, Ramuja opened his eyes slowly. Young Lord was sucking the candy with his eyes closed. He could see Young Lord’s delicate eyelashes trembled, his gorgeous skin, his red lips sucked the candy.

            Ramuja’s breath quickened, dirty thought starting to fill his brain, thus he immediately closed his eyes and focused on eating the candy.

            Aster could feel something soft was touching his lips and his lips trembled. That soft thing was pecking his lips which made him inexplicably hot and aroused. Aster opened his eyes and jumped back instantly.

            His chest was raising up and down and he touched his lips with his finger few times. ‘I just… kissed Ramuja…’

            Ramuja opened his eyes. He knew that he just kissed his master and it felt amazing. He had kissed many men when he was a sex slave, but none of them felt as fantastic as this. Even though the kiss was just few pecking, but Ramuja felt his mind was numb in euphoria.

            ‘Young Lord, this is not our first kiss, but touching your lips only makes me wanting more…’

            Ramuja acted as if nothing had happened and took out a small paper roll inside the candy, “Young Lord, this is the fortune paper. This servant cannot read…”

            Aster took the paper roll from Ramuja’s hand and read it silently.

            -Your love will come true, but only if you give him Red Aster-

            Red Aster was quite rare in Golden Camellia. Pink and purple ones were common, but Red Aster was usually imported from another country. It was the sign of undying love to loved one, usually only given to lover.

            Aster crumpled the fortune paper and threw it on the ground.

            “Young Lord, what is the fortune?”

            “Hmph! That’s just nonsense, I can’t believe they tried to persuade you to buy a very expensive flower here!” Aster scorned. Ramuja lowered his head, from Young Lord’s expression, it seemed that the fortune wasn’t good. Which made him happy.

            ‘Whatever bad fortune that paper has, I wish it will separate Young Lord from that person…’      

            Aster rose from the sofa and walked out of the pavilion. Ramuja followed from behind and asked, “Young Lord, where will we be going next?”

            “To buy Red Aster.” Aster replied short

***

            Aster continued walking until they met the old lady who was sitting inside her house. The old lady smiled and said, “There is still plenty of time, did your man finished too early?”

            Aster and Ramuja blushed.

            “We didn’t do such thing!” Aster replied.

            “Oh-ho, no need to be shy, I hear the sound of sucking and grunting, you two must be having good times!” the old lady chuckled happily.

            Aster was too embarrassed to continue this conversation, he gave five gold coins to the old lady and scurried out with Ramuja.

***

            They entered the Sweet Aster garden. There were many asters and other flowers in various colors. But Aster ignored them all and walked straight to the center of the garden. There was one flower that was kept inside a glass on top of a table. The petal was bright red and golden in the center. It was the Red Aster.

            Aster saw the flower, and then the price, 40 gold coins just for a single flower.

            He fished out his coin bag and put forty gold coins on the table. Then took out the flower from the glass cover. People stared at this gorgeous man just buying an overpriced flower without even thinking. However, Aster didn’t care about all the gazes around him and daringly gave the Red Aster to Ramuja in public.

            “Y—Young Lord, this…”

            “The fortune said I must give Red Aster so my love will come true,” Aster replied and lowered his head. He wasn’t embarrassed being stared by so many people. But he was embarrassed because he actually followed that superstitious heart candy rumor and also believed a fortune paper.

            “B—But, Young Lord should be giving this to the one you like, which is not me…”

            Hearing such answer, Aster raised his head and gazed straight to Ramuja’s eyes. His golden circle dilating, “Ramuja, my Red Aster… is you.”

 

 

Undying Red Aster
You are inside me forever
If the passing river drift us together,
My soul would carry you wherever
But this is our tale, an iridescent lore
And my Red Aster shall bloom once more