The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

ASTRID looked at what Wulfric just posted on [Cyberspace]. Well, technically, it was Wulfric—but under his online persona, White Wolf, aka @astridsnumberonefan. White Wolf @astridsnumberonefan: [You're definitely my precious cinnamon roll.] Attached was a short clip from Star Scramble—the scene where I pulled off that fake confession and said the line, "I am, and have always been… your precious cinnamon roll." That episode of Star Scramble had just aired today, and this was the first thing Wulfric posted after watching it. Astrid had no doubt he did—Wulfric never missed anything he was in. And really, how else could he have posted something like this if he hadn't seen it himself? He closed his eyes for a moment, exhaling quietly. Seriously, did Wulfric ever think about how embarrassed he'd be once everyone found out this was him? Because Astrid had no doubt that day would come. And when it did, he could already imagine Wulfric trying—and failing—to play it off, pretending he had no regrets while secretly dying inside. It was almost amusing to think about. Almost. He wondered what else Wulfric had thought about while watching that scene. Knowing his overactive imagination, it could be anything—from picturing himself as the one being confessed to, to feeling jealous of the nonexistent person Astrid was pretending to confess to. Whatever the case, Astrid was sure it was something dramatic and downright comedic. Yes, quite fitting. But that was just how Wulfric was—sometimes unintentionally over-the-top, yet always earnest in the way he felt and expressed things. That was one of the things Astrid actually liked about him. And he wouldn't change it for the world—nor would he ever ask Wulfric to. He skimmed through the comments under Wulfric's post. - Brother White is really something. I don't know if you're brave or just shameless. └ Of course, he's shameless! What 'you're my cinnamon roll'? Aster is definitely not his! └└ LOL, can't you let the guy dream? └└ Honestly, I respect the dedication. Unwavering confidence. └└ If delusion was a sport, Brother White would have a gold medal. - The way he clipped that scene so fast… does he have alerts for Aster or something? - Brother White, reality is calling. You gonna pick up or keep living in your fantasy world? - Man really watched one scene and decided it was a personal love confession. └ Delulu levels off the charts. Scientists are in shock. └└ Someone get him a reality check—express delivery. - This guy saw acting and went, "This is real. This is about me." - If manifestation actually worked, Aster would've married him five times over by now. └ Too bad the universe isn't on his side. - So, this was the reason he's so dedicated to Aster? Because he's obsessed with him? Talk about scary. └ Lowkey, I've been thinking the same thing. Dude's devotion is kinda intense. └└ Right? It's giving stalker energy. └└ He's been at this since the beginning. At what point does it stop being "dedication" and start being creepy? └ Y'all are so dramatic. He's just a passionate fan. Let the guy have fun. └└ Exactly! He's been supporting Aster since the beginning of his career. It's not that deep. └└ Some of you have comfort characters and fictional crushes, but when Brother White does it, suddenly it's "obsession." └└ He's not hurting anyone. Aster clearly knows about him and hasn't said anything, so what's the problem? └ I mean… yeah, he's extra, but he's been harmless so far. └└ True, if Aster really had an issue with it, wouldn't he have said something by now? └└ Let's be real, this fandom wouldn't be half as entertaining without him. Astrid read the last comment and frowned. While he found Wulfric's post amusing, he understood why others might not. In fact, if he didn't know that White Wolf was actually Wulfric, his own reaction would probably be very different. After all, his 'number one fan' had been loudly and unwaveringly supporting him since day one—something that, without context, could easily come across as overwhelming. In this case, he was probably the only one who truly understood the context. So it was no surprise that others, especially some fans, might find it unsettling, to say the least. But still, Astrid didn't like it. He didn't like that some people see Wulfric that way. Even if they didn't know that it was Wulfric. The way they talked about him, dismissing him as delusional or even creepy, didn't sit right with Astrid. He was just glad that most of the fans came to Wulfric's defense, shutting down the harsher comments and reminding others that White Wolf had always been a loyal supporter. It reassured him to see that, despite the teasing, there were plenty who understood his dedication. Of course, if people ever found out that White Wolf and Wulfric were the same person, it would be an entirely different matter. Astrid could only hope that when that day came, people wouldn't see it in a negative light. Instead, he wanted them to find it adorable—because really, who would have guessed that the prince, the man most people feared as the 'Butcher of Orus,' was the same person posting things like this on [Cyberspace]? "We're here." Ellis's voice snapped Astrid out of his thoughts. He glanced out the car window, taking in the building ahead. It was a TV station, where he was scheduled for a one-on-one interview—his final schedule for the week. The interview wasn't just for promoting [Serendipitous Summer], but also to highlight the release of this month's edition of [Vivique]. The edition featuring EMMA's new collection, where he was the model, was finally being released today. And tomorrow, as Casey had told him, billboards of him would start appearing all over the capital and in major cities throughout the Empire. Although he thought it was a bit overkill, he was still grateful for Casey's decision. After all, [Serendipitous Summer] didn't have the budget for such large-scale promotion, and this kind of exposure would undoubtedly help boost its reach. If anything, he could only hope it would bring more attention to the movie. Astrid stepped out of the car, falling into stride with Ellis as they made their way toward the building.