The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

REMI stared at the screen, not missing any details. The room was dimly lit. It looked like some kind of warehouse. At the center of it, a teenager was tied on a chair. The other was unconscious.

The only consolation Remi had in this situation was the fact that Noa didn't look hurt. But that didn't mean that his worry and fear subsided. Because whoever kidnapped Noa could easily hurt him at any second.

"Show yourself," he said to whoever was pointing the camera of the Terminal to Noa. "Tell me what you want, you bastard."

There was a chuckle. And then someone spoke without moving the camera. Obviously, this person didn't have any plan on showing their face.

"Don't be too hurried, young master," said a man's voice. "If you want to save this little servant of yours, come to the place I'll tell you. Alone, of course. If you try to call any authorities, I promise, the only thing that would be waiting for you if your servant's corpse. Seeing as how your servant is too beautiful for his own good, I almost wish for you to fumble. I'll definitely earn more selling this little beauty to a brothel. Of course, not before tasting him first."

Then it was followed by a disgusting laugh.

Remi gritted his teeth, he could feel the veins on his forehead popping. An anger like never before filled his whole being. If he could, he wanted to stretch his hand through the virtual screen and rip this bastard to shred.

"Don't you dare--!" he growled.

The other's response was another mocking laugh. "Why wouldn't I dare? Remember, 'young master', I'm the one who have the upper hand. So, just follow my instruction like a good boy, okay? That is, if you still want your little servant."

Then, the other hang up, ending the video call abruptly.

Remi had to take a deep breath, trying to at least get a semblance of calmness. Because if he didn't, he might just destroy everything around him right now. And this was hardly the time for it. He needed to be calm for Noa.

A message notification then sounded at that moment. It once again came from that unknown number. He opened it and read the message. It was basically telling him to go to a certain address listed on the message.

The program he launched earlier just finished tracing. When he checked the address, it was completely different from the address that the bastard sent him. He scoffed. He could already imagine what would happen if he followed the other's instruction.

Remi wouldn't let them get their way. That bastard or the person behind him. They would pay for this.

And then he proceeded on executing the plan he just came up with.

-----

Noa slowly opened his eyes. He was still feeling dizzy, but he forced himself to come to his senses. Probably because he knew that staying unconscious wouldn't do him any good.

When he finally managed to open his eyes, what he first saw was darkness. It took a while before his eyes adjusted to the lack of lighting. And that's when he realized that he was tied to a chair.

A lot of things crossed his mind at that moment. But nothing like fear appeared on his beautiful face. What he felt was worry. He was worried what his young master would do once he found out that he had been kidnapped.

He just hoped that the other would not put himself in harm's way just to save him. He would really give him an earful if he did.

His hands were tied together at the back of the chair. He tried to loosen it but it didn't even budge.

"Don't try to remove it. With your thin wrists, there's no way you can untie it," suddenly said by a gruff voice.

Noa raised his head and saw a big, muscular man walking towards him. Because of the dim light, he couldn't see the other's features clearly. Until the other stood before him. Seeing the scar that ran horizontally across his face, Noa quickly recognized him.

How could he forget how this person looked when he was almost sold to the other by his father?

"Gerald."

"Oh, you still remember me. Good." The other suddenly clutched his chin. "You really grew into such a beauty. Now I regret that I didn't buy you faster from your father."

Seeing the disgusting smile from the other's face, Noa felt like vomiting. But he forced himself to calm down. If he showed even the slightest of reaction, he was sure that this guy would revel in it.

"What do you want?" he asked.

Gerald raised his brow as if he didn't expect that Noa would have such a calm reaction. He let go of his chin. "I don't need anything from you." Then he smiled full of malice. "The only reason you're here now is to be a bait for that young master you serve."

Noa felt his heart thud. Fear finally flashed in his eyes. Knowing his young master, he would definitely come here just to save him. That's just how foolishly kind he was.

Gerald seemed to enjoy seeing him panic. "I like this look on you. It suits you more."

"What do you want from young master?" he asked instead.

"Me? I don't need anything from him. But the one who hired me told me to break him. I was thinking of breaking his limbs while letting him watch his beloved servant being raped. Even if those limbs heal, he would always associate the pain he felt while it was being broken to the image of you getting defiled." Gerald leaned towards Noa. "What do you think?"

Noa glared at the other, his eyes brimming with hate. Not because of what he said he would do to him but because of the possible effect it would have to Remi if something like that indeed happened.

At that moment, he immediately made a decision – that he would never let that come to fruition.