The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

GAGE and Emmy blinked, their surprise so clear it was as if they hadn't heard Reas properly. He'd always been more interested in Mecha, spending his time immersed in the VirtualNet, playing fighting games. He even decided to be a soldier because he wanted to be a Mecha pilot. The thought of him dating someone was the last thing they expected. They exchanged a quick, puzzled glance, almost as if silently asking each other, 'Did he really just say that?'
Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l'e|m,p| y- r

Reas noticed their expressions and felt an inward sigh escape him. He'd been so nervous about telling them, and this was how they reacted—stunned silence and confused glances. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry. Was it really that shocking that he was dating someone now? Did they honestly think he'd stay single forever?

"Mom, Dad, did you hear me?" he finally said, breaking the silence. He needed to be sure they hadn't misheard or convinced themselves they'd imagined it, just because the idea of him dating seemed so unlikely.

"Uh, just to be clear," Gage said, still processing, "you said you're dating someone, right?"

"Yes," Reas responded unhesitatingly.

Without warning, his mother slapped his arm, and she didn't hold back. But with his solid build, it barely made an impact. It felt more like a nudge than anything else.

"You brat," his mother snapped. "Didn't you go to the capital to study? And now, just a few months in, you're already dating?" Now that the reality had sunk in, she wasted no time launching into her scolding.

Gage let out a sudden laugh. "Why's that a problem? This is a good thing," he said, his tone light. "Everyone should get a chance to date while they're young."

Emmy glared at her husband. "Why is your reaction so different from Astrid potentially dating the prince? This is discrimination. You should treat your children equally!"

Gage scratched the back of his head, an awkward grin spreading across his face. "It's not that, honey. I'm just relieved Reas is actually interested in dating," he said. "Honestly, I was starting to worry he'd end up marrying a Mecha someday. So, this is a bit of a relief. At least now I know he's... well, normal."

Emmy almost nodded in agreement. It did make sense, after all. Ever since Reas was a child, right up through his secondary school years, he'd never been the type to socialize much with kids his age. If it hadn't been for Astrid always being around, he probably would have been just fine keeping to himself.

Still, going from that to suddenly dating someone felt like a huge leap, and Emmy wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. They didn't even know who this person was. What if Reas had gotten involved with someone who wasn't good for him? What would they do then?

She shot her husband a glare, annoyed that she had almost agreed with him. She understood his reasoning, but she also knew it was mainly because he wasn't worried about Reas being taken advantage of. Gage had too much confidence in Reas' physical strength. But not all harm was physical—sometimes, a wound to the heart could be far more painful.

It seemed he had to give her husband a thorough lecture on that later.

But first, she needed to find out who this person Reas was dating.

"Who is it, this person you're dating?" Emmy asked. They probably wouldn't know who the other person was, but she still had to ask. "Are they another military student?"

Given how unlikely it was for Reas to socialize with strangers in unfamiliar places, the military academy was the only place she could imagine where he might have met this person he was dating.

"Or are they someone you met in the VirtualNet?" she added.

That's also quite plausible. With how Reas enjoyed doing Mecha battle, he might have met someone there who shared the same interest and that's how they started dating.

But Emmy didn't expect the answer Reas was about to give.

"He's neither both. You probably know him, or at least, of him," Reas started. "His name is Lauren Watts. The actor Aster starred with in his first movie, [The Sleeping God]."

Emmy and Gage were dumbfounded once again. Lauren Watts? If he was the same actor from The Sleeping God, then he was the handsome guy who played the villain in the film. He even won the Best Supporting Actor award at the same ceremony where Astrid took home Rookie of the Year.

But... wasn't he a known playboy?

Although neither of them was deeply familiar with the entertainment industry, they made a point of learning about the people Astrid worked with. That way, if anyone ever tried to harm their son, they'd be ready to act. After all, they'd come to realize that the entertainment world wasn't all glamour and glitz; it had its fair share of shady sides, too.

From their research, they knew a few things about Lauren Watts, and at the top of the list was his reputation as a notorious playboy. And now, Reas was telling them that he was dating him?

But how did the two of them even meet?

No, wait. Reas must have accompanied Astrid to the filming of [The Sleeping God] movie. Since Astrid filmed it at the time when he still didn't have an agency, Reas would have definitely accompanied him. Because there's no way he would let Astrid go there on his own.

Could it have started back then?

Reas might be strong physically, and very mature for his age. Or at least, in some way, he was. But in terms of things like romance and relationships, he's still very much like a kid. So, how did he end up dating a playboy?

Could Lauren Watts have actually seduced their son? That seemed like the only explanation. What if he wasn't just dating Reas, but was seeing other people at the same time? How would their son handle that?

By now, Emmy and Gage had conveniently forgotten that Astrid once mentioned he became friends with Lauren and that the rumors about him being a playboy weren't true.

At this very moment, all they could think was that their innocent son was being led on by a playboy actor who might be cheating on him.