Lucina jumped, shocked, in response to the sudden ringing. The loud siren ringtone wasn't helpful, "Warning! Warning! Your Mother is calling! Warning Warning! Do not pick up the-" She reached over the island and with a hesitant hand, pressed accept.

The other end was silence for a while, "Aster? Aster? You there?"

Lucia couldn't bring herself to answer so she pulled the phone away from her ear and hung up the phone and slammed it on the island. Immediately fearful that she may have cracked the screen, which she thankfully didn't.

The room was engulfed in silence, which was destroyed by the return of the alarm-like ringing. She didn't dare look at the phone knowing exactly who was calling. Instead, she pressed the power button and turned it onto vibrations instead of ringing in case they called again. Despite her best efforts to return to wedding planning, she was entranced by the phone. 

There was a single buzz and her heart fell to her stomach waiting for the second buzz that didn't come for a while. She could hear the clock ticking in the corner, which reverberated in her head. 

"I shouldn't have done that," She admitted, she needed to explain herself to the caller, she couldn't let the misunderstanding permeate. Hiding something like this can fester and mutate into something so much worse. She'll explain herself to Aster and apologize. He was kind enough to not further question her about the phone call so she won't question him about the situation, she will apologize to him. While also explaining herself to his mother that she was the one who picked up.

Broken from her thoughts as the rumbling of the phone returned, her heartbeat quickened with it. She reluctantly stretched out her hand and slowly pressed answer, "Hi..." She was quiet, her voice only barely heard by the other end.

"A girl? Did I dial wrong? Hello missy, is a man named Aster there?" The voice was jubilant, a high pitch shrill erratically jumping from word to word. 

"He went out for a lunch meeting, do you need me to pass a message?" Lucina was stuttering over her words in a simple reply.

"He always is..." She heavily sighed into the mic her previous joyful tone lost.

"The one who picked up the first time was me, I wasn't thinking, and I apologize for that." She blurted out, embarrassed at her own lack of forethought. 

She continued her voice now mellow, the erratic tone lost, "Don't worry about it. The momentary joy of the thought of him picking up my call was enough. Thank you." Aster's mom didn't give Lucina a chance to answer back, as the call was cut off. Lucina placed the phone on the island and started pacing around the room, unable to return to her previous actions.

The door was not long later opened by Aster reentering the house. "Did I leave my phone here?"

At the shout of his voice, Lucia paused and composed herself before answering, "It's over here on the island!" She shouted back this was quickly followed by footsteps reentering the kitchen from downstairs.

He picked up the phone and didn't check it before rushing back out. He told her his thanks before rushing back out of the place.

"Wait!" She tried to call out to him, but he was already gone.

"I'm sorry..."

---

He checked his phone to see he had one missed voicemail, "Hello Aster..." His mother's voice deafened the sound engine's roar. The tension in the car was palpable while scorn replace his momentary stupor at the realization of who was on the other end. 

"I don't know why you answered, but..." His mother was very mellow in her speech, her words slow and reluctant.

"Because I never would, you whore," His voice seethed, taking a gravel undertone akin to his morning hoarse that dripped with venom. 

"Thank you. Maybe you still hate me but I'm -" He deleted the voicemail before she could finish. His eyes and face were clouded in fury. He held the phone tightly in his fist multiple times making a throwing motion at the window. His mind clouded in rage a lust for destruction of something within reach. Shortly he found a bottle of wine that he shattered against the carpeted floor staining his white shoes red. 

"You bitch..." He fell back into the seat, the spit of anger mellowing. He knew Lucina answered the phone and in honesty, he didn't care about that, he was angry for even hearing his mother's voice.

The ride continued to the restaurant in silence, "Sir we are here." The driver informed, Aster composed himself with a deep breath and made his way inside the high-class restaurant, ignoring the stains of red wine.

He was greeted by the waitstaff and hostesses before being led to a table with four other guys sat around it. He adopted a smile at the men and with a shout announced his presence, "Sorry I'm late, relationship issues."

The men around the table all laughed in unison at Aster's entrance the blond seated next to Aster was the first to comment, "You have a relationship? If that is true I'll be the one to pay for lunch today."

The other three nodded in agreement, to which Aster was momentarily silent and took a hurt pose with his hands over his heart, "You guys don't believe I can be with someone? This breaks my heart."

A brunette across from the blond took the chance to bash Aster some more, "Okay then, who's the unlucky guy?"

"Obviously me, given my partner is a female and only with me for my money." He retorted, drawing more laughs from the others at the table.

"Okay then, where's a photo of her or even her phone number. If she is going this deep, obviously you should have that little bit of information." The blond countered.

Aster was left at the loss, he had never exchanged contact information with Lucina nor did he have a photo of her. It took him a while to think up an excuse and this didn't get unnoticed by everyone else.

"Oh, so she doesn't exist? Man, and here I thought I may finally see the little Aster finally find a partner." The brunette explained his head downcast.

"It's okay Raam, you shouldn't hold such high expectations of him. This is Aster we are talking about, him being with a girl is like you being single." The bluette next to him comforted.

"Hey! I know I'm late but do you guys have to dig so deep!"

"Yes!" They all answered in unison.

"I'll keep that in mind. Jun, you said you would pay if I proved I was in a relationship right?" Aster questioned his eyes solely on the man next to him.

"Yes, if you prove you have a girlfriend, I'll buy lunch today," Jun promised his hand held over his heart.

Raam didn't let a chance to make fun of Aster slip by, "While then you are pretty safe, Jun."

"Oh, why's that Raam?" Aster moved his gaze over to Raam an evil glint held in his eyes.

Raam was unfazed by the look, "Because we all know if you do date, someone, it would be a man." He then immediately broke out into a hearty laugh.

"You want to take a wager as well then too?" Aster suggested the glint still there.

"I'm never one to back down. If you prove you are in a relationship, I'll give you one of my more expensive wines." Raam was being completely serious despite the heavy laughing.

"Raam, you don't know Aster might just pay a girl to show up for one of those wines." The redhead at the table mentioned.

"Shhh, Roy don't give him any ideas!" Raam was quick to react and his face turned serious. While Aster simply gave a thumbs up.

"Roy, Memo, either of you want to get involved?" The both shook their heads no.

"Since you both have been so generous with your bounties, I'll offer something greater. For Raam, my most prized car. For Jun, my house in Golden Oaks."

When they heard Aster's counters to their own bets they both paused their faces stiff.

"Aster, you do know you can't actually call a girl and say you two are dating right?" Raam reminded, to which Jun nodded in agreement.

"I know."

He proceeded to take out his phone and make a call, "Hello, Reltub, can you go back to the house and inform Lucina she will be joining me for lunch actually?

Thank you."

The color dropped from their faces at the turn of the situation.

"This wasn't how it was supposed to go!" The two of them shouted in distress.

"Thank you both for your generosity!" Aster lowered his head and spoke in a tone of scenery respect.

"You two should have known, never make a deal with the Devil."

"Roy, you know I prefer to be called Aster, Devil is only a part-time gig."