AFTER Astrid walked into his room, he closed the door. Not only to give his twin and Lauren some privacy, but also so he could talk with Wulfric with more ease.
He wasn't worried that Reas would hear his conversation with Wulfric because of the other's SS level physique. Besides, this apartment unit had a privacy device that could prevent others with high-level physiques to hear what was happening inside. Aside from that, he also believed that his brother would be too busy trying to do his 'cold act' towards Lauren that he wouldn't even bother to listen to anything else.
Astrid sat on his bed and opened his Terminal. Wulfric's handsome face appeared on the screen. The other seemed to be a bit surprise after seeing him and then that surprise turned into enthusiasm. Wulfric's golden eyes were shining as if he was waiting for something. Astrid somehow had an idea of what this 'something' was.
"Wulf," he greeted.
He didn't know it was possible, but Wulfric's eyes shined even more when he called his nickname. So, he was right. The other was indeed waiting for Astrid to call him by his nickname. How cute. Almost like a puppy.
"Yes, hi, Aster. Are you busy right now?"
"Not really," he answered. "Are you calling to follow me up on that incident earlier?" he asked, referring to the kidnapping/attempted murder incident.
"Yeah."
That was Wulfric's official excuse anyway. The truth? He just wanted to test try calling Aster. Of course, he wouldn't make a habit of it. He didn't want to be a bother. Especially with the other's busy career. He also had to attend school on top of that. If he kept bothering him by calling him every day, Aster might get sick of him.
But sending a message should be fine. It didn't matter if Aster replied back or not. He just wanted to let the other feel his presence. At least, even if it would take time for them to meet again, Aster would be constantly reminded of him because of his messages.
"Is he alright, the guy that I saved?" Astrid asked after hearing Wulfric's response.
"He's fine. Do you want to know what we discovered regarding his almost abduction?" Wulfric asked.
Astrid shook his head. "No, it's okay. I'm just glad that he's fine."
And frankly, it didn't really interest him. Whatever problem that person might have, he didn't want to get entangled in it. Based on the conversation he heard between those two thugs that tried to kidnap the teenager, they mentioned a 'young master' being involved. So, it probably had something to do with some noble family or something.
As much as possible, he didn't want to get involve with any noble's business. The far away he was from them, the better. Due to his parents' history, being entangled with the nobility would only be a pain in the neck.
Although no one would think that he's the son of the 'dead' daughter of a powerful duke and one of the most wanted man in the Empire, it wouldn't hurt to be careful. This wasn't just about him after all, it was also about the freedom of his parents.
But then again, one could say that if that was the case, then, shouldn't he be running far away from Wulfric? After all, the other was a prince. And not just any other prince, but the only prince of the Empire. He's at the top of the noble ladder, only one step behind of the emperor.
So, why was he not running for the hill and instead even befriending the other?
Because Wulfric was different from other nobles. He didn't have that kind of snobby attitude that most nobles had. In fact, he was more like a bandit with weird mood swings. Because of his unconventional way of thinking, he would most likely not do anything even if he found out about the history of Astrid's parents. The other might even think that it's too troublesome.
It's also a good thing that Wulfric was not the type to scheme. He's the type that would rather solve his problems using his fists. That straightforward attitude that clearly showed his likes and dislikes, he would probably not even bother to stab someone at the back. Instead, he would stab them head on.
And Astrid could see that the other was someone who gave importance to the close relationship he had made along the way – like his relationship with his subordinates for example. So, he was certain that even if the day came that Wulfric's fascination with him dwindled, since the other had already recognized him as a friend, he wouldn't do something that might hurt him or the people close to him.
That's probably why he didn't hesitate much and agreed to be friends with the other.
Wulfric nodded in agreement to Aster's response. He also thought it's better to completely cut Aster's involvement in this. Knowing Viscount Campbell, he would definitely show his appreciation to Aster. Which would make it easier for the viscount's wife to know Aster's identity.
Depending on how the viscount would deal with this problem, Aster might end up being the target of viscountess' wrath. Of course, Wulfric would protect him. But it's better if something like that wouldn't happen in the first place.
"I won't mention your involvement in this, don't worry," he said.
Astrid smiled. "Thank you, Wulf."
Seeing the other's smile, Wulfric felt like everything around him just brightened. He really liked Aster's smile. Seeing it was like walking on a desert and finally finding an oasis. Especially when those obsidian eyes were twinkling like the star-studded night sky. Because that's when he knew that Aster was smiling from the heart.
It made him want to smile back. Even though knew how sinister his smile could be. But really, who could bear to not smile back at him?
"It's nothing," he said. "But if you're really thankful, then I definitely wouldn't mind another free meal."
Astrid laughed at that.. "I'll keep that in mind."