Current Astra
"I remember… it all started when we were in high school. He was the most handsome boy in our school, and everyone was dying to have him."
Aki tilted his head.
"Was he a bad boy, Mother-in-law?"
Astra shook his head, smiling.
"Nope. He was a handsome nerd, completely careless about the people around him. He didn't know how many hearts he was crushing under his feet."
His voice softened as the memory pulled him in.
"Silk-black hair slicked back, reading glasses. Quiet type. Blue eyes—one glance was enough to make anyone fall in love. Six foot three. But what's the point when you don't even look at others?"
He laughed quietly.
"He always topped the class. No friends. Always alone—either studying or staring at the ceiling for hours."
Astra leaned back slightly.
"At that time, I was in another class, not his section. I was in second year, Section B, and he was in second year, Section A. Whenever I passed his classroom and saw him staring at the ceiling, I honestly thought he was a mental health case."
Aki and Yuri burst into laughter.
"What? Mother, you really thought this man was crazy?"
Astra giggled.
"Yes! Who stares at the ceiling if you have nothing to do? Go play or join some club activities, right? But nope. His pride was more important than any love or games."
He sighed.
"You know, one time there was an omega boy—the cutest person in our school. Every alpha was ready to be on their knees for him. But that stupid boy loved only this wall."
Yuri leaned forward.
"Then what happened, Mother?"
Astra exhaled slowly.
"So then…"
---
The omega boy was standing on the rooftop railing. People on the floor below were yelling, "Don't jump." Teachers shouted, "Get down, boy! This is not funny or I will rusticate you from the school!"
The boy yelled, "Until Leo says that he will be my boyfriend, I won't come down."
A teacher muttered, frustrated, "Kids nowadays."
Everyone turned toward Leo, waiting.
"Then jump."
Shock rippled through the crowd.
"What?" the boy shouted.
"He said jump," people murmured.
"I heard that, morons!" The boy frowned. "Look, Leo, I will really jump. I love you so much."
Leo checked his wristwatch, his face bored.
"Enough waste of time."
He walked away from the crowd.
"Where are you going? Answer me!" the boy shouted.
Everyone already knew—it was a no.
"Jerks. Like I don't know."
The boy wiped his tears dramatically, climbed down from the railing, and stormed back inside. Teachers rushed toward him.
"What, so you're not jumping?" one of them asked awkwardly.
The boy glared.
The teacher smiled awkwardly.
---
Astra's voice returned, softer now.
"At that time, I knew no one mattered to this man. But still… he was cool."
He paused, then continued.
"Time passed. I grew up and went to a business university."
---
I was sitting in the front row that day. Everyone entered, and the professor started teaching.
The lecture was painfully boring. I thought I was sitting alone on the bench until I turned my head to the other side.
Someone was sitting next to me.
White shirt. White waistcoat. Sleeves rolled up. Watch on his wrist. Serious face, eyes fixed on the board.
My heart skipped.
It was Leo—without glasses. For the first time.
His eyes shifted, and he looked at me from the corner of his eyes.
I gasped softly and looked forward, pretending I hadn't been staring.
"Astra… from high school, right?"
Aki and Yuri kicked their legs excitedly.
"Ahhhhh! Mom! He recognized you! Damn! Then what happened?"
---
Current Astra cleared his throat, cheeks faintly red.
"So then…"
---
I turned my head toward him, my face burning.
"Y… yeah. Hello, Leo."
He looked surprised, then smiled softly.
"Heh. You know my name, huh?"
In my mind, I thought, Who doesn't? You were famous.
Out loud, I rubbed the back of my head.
"Yeah… it just came out of my mouth. Haha."
He raised his eyebrow, still smiling.
"Is that so… hmm."
I nodded twice, and we both returned to focusing on the board.
We kept meeting each other in class every day. He sat next to me. We didn't really talk, but we always sat together.
Then one day—
I was sitting in the back row with others. Leo entered with his bag hanging from one shoulder, looked at me, and sat in the front row.
I noticed him looking back at me.
"You're friends with him, Astra? He was looking at you," a guy next to me said.
I smiled awkwardly.
"W–what? Friend? No, no. We're just seatmates."
A girl chewing gum added, "Then why was he looking at you like that? I've never seen him look at anyone before."
I tried to brush it off.
"Uhh…"
Another girl raised her hand.
"Then I'll go sit next to him and check if he looks at me."
"O… okay," I said.
She sat beside Leo while we stayed in the second row.
"Hello, Leo," she said with a smile.
"Hm."
She glanced back at us, awkward.
"Try harder," someone whispered.
She leaned closer.
"Ahm, Leo, what are you reading?"
"What class is this?" Leo asked without looking up.
"Business class," she answered nervously.
"Good."
"Oh… so you're reading a business book…"
The teacher entered, and everyone straightened.
When class ended, Leo stood to leave.
"Leo, may I—"
"You wasted my ten minutes with your nonsense."
His gaze shifted to the second row.
"And you people behave yourselves."
Then his eyes landed on me.
"Idiots."
He left.
I stood there, stunned.
It felt like that word was meant for me.
Gasps filled the room.
"Damn, he's scary…"
"What happened, Astra? You okay?"
I lowered my head and walked out of the class.
---
Astra's voice returned again.
"Then the next day…"
"In the class—"