The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

"WHAT you said earlier… is it really what I think it is?" Wulfric asked, his voice low, with a trace of uncertainty.

Earlier, he'd been too stunned to respond, his thoughts moving too slowly to make sense of Aster's words. He'd just stood there, stupid and silent. But now, with Aster about to leave, this was his last chance to clear things up. He stared intently at Aster, waiting for his answer.

Aster held his gaze steadily, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "And what exactly does Wulf think I meant by that?"

"I- I don't know, I mean, you know, that thing," Wulfric didn't mean to, but he still stumbled in his words, making him feel embarrassed.

Aster tilted his head, a playful glint dancing in his eyes as he repeated, "That thing?"

Wulfric felt an odd mix of exasperation and helplessness rise within him. Aster was clearly teasing, but there was little he could do about it. This was Aster, after all. Somehow, he couldn't muster even a shred of annoyance. It was as if there was a switch in his mind that refused to let him get angry with him, no matter how hard he tried. Really, what choice did he have?

With a shrug, Wulfric decided to be as shameless as he pleased, interpreting things however he liked.

"Alright, then. I'll just assume it is what I think it is," he said. "You are definitely winning a Best Actor award soon. So, be prepared, because when that happens, I'm not letting you back out of this promise."

Aster blinked, his long lashes casting delicate shadows against his pale skin. "What makes you so sure I will win a Best Actor award soon?"

Wulfric shot him a look that practically said, 'Why would you even ask that?'. He sighed and replied, "With your talent, the only way you're not getting a Best Actor award is if everyone involved in giving those awards is either blind or has a personal grudge against you. As long as you land a leading role, a nomination is as good as guaranteed. And if you're nominated, there's no way you won't win."

Astrid couldn't help but chuckle. Wulfric was probably talking about his lead role in [Serendipitous Summer]. Yes, he was the leading actor, and there was a slight chance he might win an award, but that didn't mean he would. Serendipitous Summer wasn't a high-budget production—not a big commercial movie, and not quite an art film either. The three major film awards weren't likely to consider it for a nomination.

It wasn't that Astrid looked down on the movie—of course not. This was his own project; why would he? He was just being realistic. [Serendipitous Summer] was a coming-of-age story, a teen romance, if one might add. It simply wasn't the kind of film the three major awards would have on their radar. But that didn't mean it was a bad movie. On the contrary, Astrid believed it would turn out well, possibly one of Streamline Film's best live-action adaptations. It just wasn't the sort of material that wins awards.

Of course, it could still win awards from some of the smaller festivals. Those honors still held value, adding recognition in their own way, but they were a dime a dozen in the industry. Winning one wouldn't necessarily carry much weight for a career. So, while Astrid respected those awards, he hadn't given them much thought in this case.

And he had to make that clear to this big wolf.

"That promise only stands if I win the Best Actor award at one of the three major film awards," Astrid said with a subtle grin on his lips.

Wulfric's expression looked exactly like someone who'd just realized they'd been scammed. Astrid nearly laughed out loud, but before Wulfric could say a word in response, he quickly got into the car. Since it was already programmed to drive to his own apartment building, and with Reas already inside, the car started moving the moment he settled in, smoothly pulling away from the spaceport.

Wulfric had no choice but to just watch the car leave, standing there with a mix of disbelief and amusement. He shook his head, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he muttered to himself, "That little charmer…"

Then, with a sigh, he turned and headed back to the spaceship, still replaying Aster's teasing words in his mind.

A Best Actor win at one of the three major awards, huh? Wulfric recalled the time Aster was nominated for the Rookie of the Year Award at Silver Moon. Curious, he'd done some research on acting awards and knew how prestigious the top three were. If anyone could win one, it was Aster. Maybe not now, but someday for sure.

So, he wasn't really risking anything by agreeing to this condition. He just had to wait—and he realized he was pretty good at that.

As he climbed back onto the spaceship, he glanced once more in the direction the car had gone. A soft smile touched his lips as he murmured, "See you soon, my star."

----------

The next morning, with their leave over, Astrid and Reas each returned to their respective schools. Reas left early for the Imperial Military Academy, while Astrid took his time to go to Redwood.

As he walked into the academy, he couldn't shake the feeling that it had been a while since he'd last been there. It was strange, really, given that he'd only taken three days off—far shorter than the leave he'd taken whenever he had to film.

Maybe it was because so much had happened in the past five days that it felt like he'd been away for half a year. Unlike during filming, when time seemed to fly by.

As Astrid walked on, he noticed a familiar figure ahead of him. Picking up his pace, he hurried to catch up.

When he finally caught up, he immediately greeted the other. "Good morning, Kiran!"

To his surprise, Kiran almost stumbled at the sudden greeting.