Chapter 24 - INVITE ME BACK

ASTRID once again felt the veins on his forehead closed to popping. When he thought that this man's level of annoyingness finally reached the top, there would still be another level higher. How did he go from asking if his name was 'Aster' to deciding on calling him that ridiculous name? And 'Twinkle', really? What was he, a pet or something?

"You're not going to ask what my name is?" the annoying man asked.

Astrid didn't answer and just quickly took his arm back that the other was still holding. Then he jumped back as far away as he could.

Seeing his series of actions, Wulfric couldn't help but feel irritated again. Why did Aster seem like he always wanted to get away from him? Was he still mad because he pulled him into the lake earlier? Or was it because he paraded naked before him? But he wasn't even fully naked anymore. What else was he being dissatisfied with?

Wulfric hadn't even thought of beating him up despite making him feel all kinds of irritated. That's already an all-time record for someone like him who couldn't hold in his temper. Which was truly a mystery, even for him. Because he had never been patient with anyone. But with this guy, he felt like he could.

Subconsciously, he probably already had an answer on why he never thought of beating him up. Because he just couldn't bear to hit him. Just thinking that he would mar that perfect white skin himself, he already couldn't wait to beat himself up. But he still couldn't understand why he felt that way. Just like how he couldn't understand why despite not wanting to hurt him, he also had this extreme urge to bully him. This contradictory feeling was just making him even more irritated.

And him, moving farther away from him only fueled that.

Wulfric was planning to move forward to hold Aster and pull him next to his side when someone suddenly held his waist and pulled him back. At the same time, a tall teenager with ice-blue hair and teal gray eyes suddenly stood between him and Aster. He even protectively put the other behind him.

"General, please calm down. You can't just harass locals. The Lieutenant will definitely kill me if I don't stop you!" shouted by Edmund's voice behind him.

Wulfric didn't know what was more irritating, this bald guy pulling him back or the boy who suddenly appeared and completely blocked his gaze of Aster.

Since he heard his voice earlier, Astrid knew that Reas had come to this place for some reason. But he still felt a bit surprised when his wide back appeared in front of him. All the irritation and frustration he felt since encountering that annoying guy slowly subsided because of his brother's presence. Probably because now he wouldn't have to deal with that guy by himself.

He secretly glanced at the person who arrived the same time as Reas and was currently holding back the guy. It was another tall man with a bald head and a pair of warm chocolate brown eyes. He looked a bit pitiful, trying to pull back the guy and not even making any progress.

Reas glared at the half-naked man in front of him. He still remembered how the other was trying to pull Astrid earlier. What would happen if he didn't come? Would this bastard harassment just escalate? Just the thought of that could already fill his brain with nothing but anger. This had always been one of his fears. That one of these days, some bastard would do something to his brother that would cause irreparable damage. Just thinking of that could already make himself murderous.

And so, because of anger, Reas ignored the warning his brain was blaring out. A warning telling him that he had already seen an image of the man in front of him on [Cyberspace]. That the man he was referring to as 'bastard' was the person he long wanted to challenge in the arena of the Mecha Hall.

"This is private property. Go before I make you," he said in cold voice.

Wulfric laughed as if he heard the most hilarious joke. "Kid, you wouldn't even be able to lay a hand on me. Not even in your dreams."

That statement hit a nerve in Reas. For some reason, he had a feeling that the other was not just being arrogant. He truly believed that he was no match for him. Now, his feeling of anger was suddenly mixed with the spirit of challenge. He wanted to know if the other was indeed stronger than him.

He clenched both fists, readying for an attack. But before he could move, he felt a soft hand touching his knuckle. He looked down and saw his brother gently shaking his head.

"Ignore him. Let's just go home. I need to change clothes."

When Astrid said that, Reas then only noticed that his twin was soaking wet. He quickly unbuttoned his shirt and took it off. Then he took the bag slung on Astrid's shoulder before putting his shirt around him. After slinging the backpack over his shoulder, Reas also took the box from his brother's arms.

"Okay, let's go home."

It's more important for his twin to change clothes than fighting some bastard.

Wulfric narrowed his eyes dangerously on the shirt that surrounded Aster. The comparison between that and the shirt he gave him earlier was like heaven and earth. Of course, he also noticed the familiar way the two got along. The irritation he was feeling just intensified by a hundred, no, a million times.

He didn't like what he's seeing. He didn't like it one bit.

Edmund was suddenly pushed. Then he noticed the dangerous glint in the general's golden eyes. Suddenly, he had a very bad feeling.

Sure enough, the general ran after the two teenagers. It didn't even take five steps before he caught up to them.

Wulfric put his arm around Aster's shoulders. And then he leaned down and whispered to his ear, "You're not going to invite me to back to your home, Twinkle?"