The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

ASTRID first took a bite of the toast. The creamy richness of perfectly ripe avocado slices enhanced the simple, toasted bread, creating a delectable blend of textures and flavors. He then ate a bite of the egg and the sausage.

The sunny side up egg, with its silky yolk and slightly crispy edges, paired perfectly with the savory sausage, adding a burst of flavors to each bite. Together, they created a balanced and satisfying breakfast, where the egg's richness and the sausage's savory notes played harmoniously with the toasted bread.

He was thoroughly surprised. This was... definitely unexpected.

Even when he saw how good the dish looked earlier, he still had his reservation. He thought, what if it only looked good on the outside but actually tasted, well, not so good? Thank goodness that wasn't the case.

When he raised his head, he saw Wulfric looking at him with anticipation and even a bit of nervousness. The other must be really anxious. Astrid really wanted to tease Wulfric, but because he felt a bit guilty about doubting the other's cooking skills, he decided not to and just chose to be honest.

Besides, if his guess was right and Wulfric was really planning to tell him that he would have to leave soon, teasing him at this moment could be quite a blow for the other.

"It's delicious, Wulf," he said with a genuine smile.

Wulfric's face visibly brightened when he heard that. But then, it also slowly dimmed. As if he couldn't believe Astrid's praise.

"Really?" the other asked hesitantly. "You're not just being kind, right?"

Astrid chuckled at that. "If I said that it did not taste good, then that would be me teasing and lying to you." Then he changed his expression and acted as if he was offended. "Or are you saying that I am in the habit of lying?"

Wulfric quickly panicked. "No, no, of course not. If you say it's delicious, then it must be delicious!"

Astrid finally couldn't help but laugh. "Because it is. Just try it and you'll know."

After saying that, he continued eating.

Seeing Aster, looking like he was really enjoying the breakfast, Wulfric finally let down the stone weighing in his heart. But he still couldn't feel totally relieved.

"Really?"

A helpless smile crossed Aster's lips. "Really. I believe with just a bit more dedicated practice, you can be a master chef."

Although those words were probably laced with a bit of exaggeration, it still made Wulfric feel gratified. He finally took a bite of the toast and was also a bit surprised to find that it was quite delicious. Knowing that he actually cooked everything perfectly, he finally felt relieved.

He finally could eat breakfast with peace of mind.

But as they continued to eat, Wulfric felt more and more nervous. Because the time for him to tell the other that he had to leave was also coming closer. That's why as the food on the table diminished, his mood also plummeted. By the time they finished, he was feeling completely melancholy.

"Wulf, there's no need to look so glum. It's not like we won't see each other again."

Wulfric turned sharply towards Aster. It's like all the thoughts swirling in his mind at this moment completely disappeared and all he could think of was, 'does Aster know?'.

"You're planning to tell me that you have to leave soon, right?" the other asked, as if confirming.

Wulfric tried to calm down and at the end could only say, "Yes."

He looked down. The thought that he would soon leave Aster made him dejected again.

Looking at Wulfric, who was visibly saddened by this, Astrid didn't know whether to feel amused or also be sad. But he did know that he had to cheer up the other. So, he no longer hesitated and stood up. Wulfric didn't even notice it and just continued looking down.

The fact that the other didn't even notice that he moved showed just how low his mood was right now. So, this little cheer-up method should at least energized him, right?

Astrid stood behind Wulfric and hugged him. Since the other was still sitting, he leaned over him, his arms wrapped around the other's shoulders, offering a heartfelt embrace.

"Don't be sad, Wulf. As I said, it's not like we won't see each other again. Besides that, we can still call each other and exhange messages. So, cheer up, okay?"

After he said that, it was only then that he felt how stiff Wulfric's body was. It was like he suddenly freeze on the spot. Much like when he hugged him a week ago. And since his face was just beside the other, he could clearly see how red his ear tip was. A smile crossed his lips. This guy could really be adorable sometimes.

When he thought that Wulfric would continue to remain frozen, he was planning to ler go, but the other said something that made him freeze for a second.

"If you give me a kiss, I think I'll feel much better."

Astrid let go of Wulfric and instead pinched both his cheeks. He also didn't hold back his strength. "Nice try."

Wulfric didn't mind though, and finally smiled. "A man can dream, you know?"

Astrid was relieved seeing that Wulfric seemed to have really cheered up. He let go of the other's cheeks and sat beside the other. "So, when will you leave?"

"Tomorrow."

This surprised Astrid. He knew that Wulfric had to leave soon, but not this soon. Now, he was the one feeling a bit down. Especially since tomorrow was a school day. "I might not be able to see you off."

"It's fine. As long as we can eat together the rest of the day today, it will be enough for me."

Astrid could see that Wulfric was trying hard to smile, but he was obviously struggling. Showing his current true feelings. He stared at the other and decided to cheer him up some more.

He put his hand on Wulfric's lips and slowly leaned over. Then he kissed the back of that hand. "This should be a nice dream, right?"