"CAN we really not go with you two?" Emmy asked while combing back the messy hair of his youngest.
They were standing at the waiting area in the space port. The departure of the space shuttle that would bring them to the Academe Planet of their planetary system was still a few minutes away.
"Emmy, you know we can't. You'd just embarrass your kids," Gage said.
Emmy glared at her husband. But because of her petite stature, instead of looking threatening, she just looked adorable. Like a ruffled little kitten. "Oh, so I'm an embarrassment now?"
Gage quickly put his arms around his wife's shoulders and coaxed her. "You know that's not what I mean. How could there be such a beautiful embarrassment?"
"Hmp. You won't fool me with your sweet talk, Gage Townsend."
"When did you see a parent attending their kids graduation party? Mine certainly didn't. Did yours go?"
Schools that offer primary and secondary education didn't really have a graduation ceremony just like how it was in the ancient Earth. Once a student graduated, the school would simply give them a 'graduate' status in their education profile. It was like some kind of curriculum vitae that was registered in each citizen's Terminal. It would then be used in applying to a university.
Graduation parties were a common thing. They were usually arranged by the students themselves. Like a last get together before everyone went their different ways.
Emmy frowned. "I understand. No need to coax me any longer."
"What are you saying? I could coax you forever."
An almost girlish smile crossed Emmy's lips and she teasingly pat her husband's chest. "Oh, you."
The people passing by were giving a double look to the couple. Because in this era, public display of affection was not really a thing. Especially since most people only married for the sake of producing the best progeny. Since babies could be produced in a lab by combining two people's genes, some couples didn't even bother to have sexual relations with their partners.
Meanwhile, the kids who were unexpectedly fed dog food by their parents had no reaction on their faces. It's because they were used to it. They grew up watching their parents shower love with each other.
Astrid smiled seeing them like this. Looking at them, they appear to be only in their 20s. But both were much older than that. His mother was 41 while his father was 50. One of the perks of this era. Having a life span of at least 300 years, one could really only appear middle-aged here once they reached their 100s. Even then, with the technology, they could easily erase those wrinkles and forever appear to be in their 20s or 30s.
He was really glad that, in this new life, he was born to these two amazing people. The familial love he barely felt in his past life was multiplied a hundred times in this life. Maybe even more. Because his parents never failed to show him and his twin brother their love for them. Always making sure that they wouldn't lack for anything. And they didn't. Whether it was love or material things, they received loads of it.
Growing up, Astrid sometimes wondered if he was just inside a long dream. That one day he would wake up and find out that he actually survived that choking incident. That everything was not real. Every time he thought of that, he would panic. Because he'd rather stay in this dream than wake up from it.
That's probably what made him human. Because once humans experienced something they never had, they would not want to let go of it.
But he knew that this was real. He was truly living his second life. And unlike his last one, he had a loving and caring family. He didn't have to worry about food and money while growing up. There were no shameless people trying to take advantage of him. Everything was just warm and beautiful.
Maybe this was heaven's compensation to him. All the luck he never had in his last life was poured down in this life in huge bulk. And for that, he's truly thankful. He no longer even minded that he died in his last life from choking on a piece of grape.
"Mom, Dad, it's almost time. Reas and I will go," he said when he checked the time on his Terminal.
"Okay. Be careful, the two of you," Emmy said, giving a tight hug to each of her son.
"Reas, be sure to ward off any pest that try to get close to your brother," Gage said seriously to his youngest.
Reas nodded solemnly, a rare serious expression on his handsome face.
"Dad, I could very well take care of myself," Astrid said with a helpless smile.
His father suddenly put his hands on both his shoulders and bent down a little so their eyes could be on the same level. "Aster, what does Dad always say to you?" he asked, calling him in his pet name.
"That the universe is filled with wolves," Astrid answered. It's his father euphemism in saying that there were a lot of dangerous people in the universe.
"That's right. These wolves would love nothing more but to prey on the innocents. So, you should always be careful," Gage warned.
Astrid had never acted naïve or innocent in front of his parents. In fact, between him and Reas, he was the more mature one. Which was as it should be since if he combined his age to his last life's, he was definitely much older. But his parents always treated him like he was the baby of the family. Which was really frustrating in a way.
"Don't scare your son," Emmy said disapprovingly to his husband. Then she turned to Astrid and cupped his face. "But your father has a point. With this beauty of yours, it's always better to be more careful."
Again, with the 'beauty' thing. He really couldn't get used to the idea that he was this big beauty. Especially when he knew himself that he wasn't. The people here only thought that he was because of the color of his hair and eyes. If one of these were changed, then he would definitely just blend in the background. But because he did look like this, he experienced a lot of troublesome situations while growing up. Despite that, he always managed to solve those situations. So, it never brought him real problems.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry, I'll just punch anyone who tries to take advantage of Aster," Reas said, yawning right after.
Gage let out a hearty laugh and patted Reas on the back. "Very good, you really are my son."
"Reas, do try not to use too much force. It would be bad if you accidentally kill one of them," Emmy said seriously.
Astrid looked at his family who was seriously discussing how Reas should beat someone and he could only shake his head.
"Mom, Dad, we really should go now," he said just to make a stop to their conversation.
Both his parents hugged them again before letting them go. And the Townsend twins walked towards the departure area.