Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 117

“Josh! How long has it been? How have you been?”

“Wow, you look good, enjoying your time off, aren’t you? Good?”

“Jo… Josh, it’s really good to see you. I missed you.”

Henry, who had greeted Josh boisterously after Seth, immediately turned around at Isaac’s words, who had followed up with a greeting.

That tactless bastard.

Seth inwardly clicked his tongue and pretended not to notice, focusing his attention on Josh. Josh, who had come to the lodging where the team was staying, exchanged greetings and then spoke.

“Everyone’s been well, right? I’m glad the job finished without any hitches.”

“Yeah, well, there was an incident recently, but…”

Isaac casually responded to Seth, who trailed off.

“That’s nothing. Compared to a C-level incident, that was tame.”

“True enough.”

“Right.”

Seth and Henry took turns agreeing with him. Josh could only smile.

Laura had informed him of the contract termination two days ago. Josh had essentially received an order to return home instead of resuming work. Sure enough, the lodging was in disarray, as if everyone had been packing. Just then, Mark returned to the lodging and soon spotted Josh.

“Josh! You!”

Mark, who embraced Josh with wide-open arms, rubbed his back vigorously before letting him go.

“You’ve been through a lot, haven’t you? It’s all over now, let’s go home.”

Josh, however, couldn’t readily nod to Mark, who held him by the shoulders and spoke with a face full of trust. Instead, seeing his troubled expression, everyone watching sensed that something was amiss.

“What’s wrong? Is there something left to do?”

As expected, the quick-witted Seth asked. Isaac looked at him, puzzled.

“Something left to do?”

Seth, accustomed to such situations, added an explanation.

“Seeing as Josh isn’t reacting to the talk of going home, I thought maybe there’s something here that’s keeping him from leaving.”

Josh couldn’t help but agree with everyone else. Admiring Seth’s perceptiveness anew, he nodded.

“You’re right, actually, I have something to talk about because of that.”

A small tension filled the relaxed atmosphere. Henry pulled out his phone to find the memo where he’d written down the terms of their bet, Isaac looked at Pete with a hardened face, and Mark steeled himself, resolved not to be surprised by anything Josh might say. In the midst of it all, Seth wondered if his guess was correct, staring only at Josh’s lips. Finally, Josh spoke.

“First, regarding future work, everyone will work as a team as much as possible. There won’t be any absences unless it’s a very, very special case.”

“Oh, then that’s fine.”

Mark relaxed and spoke, but the other members thought differently. Seth, uncharacteristically, shot a glance at Mark, who had cut Josh off, then asked Josh.

“So? That’s not all you have to say, is it?”

“Of course not. The main point starts now…”

Tension once again filled the air between them. Josh cleared his throat with an “ahem” and then opened his mouth.

“Actually, um. I’m getting married here.”

“…”

He expected surprised exclamations to burst out from everywhere, but unexpectedly, the opposite happened. Everyone fell silent as if dead. Not even a breath could be heard. Josh awkwardly scratched his head at the members’ reactions, who merely stood there with wide eyes and open mouths.

“No, it’s not that surprising…”

Those words acted as a signal, and everyone suddenly snapped out of their shock. And a more violent reaction than Josh had anticipated erupted.

“Married? No way, married?”

“Did I hear that right? Oh, Josh. What did you just tell me?”

“You’re getting married, Josh? No, I didn’t even know you were dating, and now marriage?”

“It’s a lie, isn’t it? Is this a hidden camera prank? I saw one before, where they pranked ordinary people.”

“That’s when they grab a passerby and set up a situation, who knows Josh enough to pull a hidden camera on him?”

Even amidst the chaos, only Seth offered a sharp retort. Mark blinked in confusion and still protested, “But still…”

“Couldn’t it just be to see how people around react in a situation like this? And besides, why wouldn’t they know Josh? Josh is…”

“A bodyguard. And our team’s ace.”

“Right, the ace! Josh is practically family to us. But if he gets married, what about us? Do we all have to come here too? Or do we just meet up when we get a job there? Josh, what in the world is this sudden bolt from the blue?”

Mark and the others seemed to be in a panic, rambling on. Henry chattered about the world ending tomorrow, or how he’d blow all his recent earnings in Vegas, or how he wanted to raise a hamster but nothing ever works out for him. Isaac stared blankly, lost in thought, then suddenly recited a prayer, then zoned out again, then tore at his hair, muttering incomprehensible French.

In the chaos, only Seth and Josh seemed normal. At least on the surface. Seth, who had been silently observing the members’ frenzy, turned his gaze to Josh, as if asking what on earth was going on.

“Ahem.”

Josh waited until the members showed signs of calming down somewhat, then cleared his throat to get their attention. In the sudden silence, he opened his mouth.

“I don’t know why everyone’s so surprised, but…”

“Of course we’re surprised! Of all people, you, Josh, getting married!”

“Are you really getting married? Did you make a mistake drinking in Vegas during your time off?”

“If that’s the case, you can get a divorce, right? How long has it been? If you report it within the period…”

As a barrage of words poured out, Josh slowly began to feel annoyed.

“Why does everyone bring up divorce whenever I say I’m getting married?”

He couldn’t hold back his anger, and the members paused, falling silent. Seeing their reaction, Josh regretted it, but he didn’t feel particularly wrong either. Even if this was the first time they were hearing it, Josh had received the same reaction every time he announced his marriage. He couldn’t help but be fed up.

“Phew,” Josh sighed, calming himself, and continued.

“It wasn’t a mistake, and it’s not about someone else. I am indeed getting married, Mark.”

Josh, who had declared it calmly, quickly added before they could start shouting again.

“The other person is Pete’s papa.”

“What?”

“Wait, what did you just say?”

“Is this really a hidden camera? Where’s the camera? Look for it!”

Again, shouts and screams erupted from everywhere. This time, even Seth seemed surprised, his eyes wide.

“Wait, Josh. I don’t understand.”

Seth held out his palm as if to say, “Hold on,” his confusion evident.

“You’re marrying Pete’s papa, so you two have been seeing each other behind our backs? Since when?”

Henry barely managed to stop himself from shouting, ‘How much do you bet?’ at that moment. He knew enough about reading the atmosphere not to break the mood. He bit his lip and waited for Josh’s answer, when Seth, who had let out an uncharacteristic groan, continued.

“What happened during your forced break? I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable, but honestly, you’re the number one person I know who would never get married. But now you’re the first among the guys I put on the list to announce marriage. What happened? And Pete’s papa, of all people. Was the other person a man? An Alpha? Did you reunite? I’m sorry for all the questions, but I’m so confused right now.”

Seth uncharacteristically poured out a lot of words. While he spoke, the rest of his colleagues remained silent, nodding repeatedly. On the other hand, Henry envied Seth, thinking how nice it would be if he could also calmly and efficiently pinpoint his questions like that.

Once Seth finished speaking, everyone waited in silence for Josh’s answer. They had a lot they wanted to say, but for now, those seemed to be the most pressing questions. Josh sighed, “Phew,” and then opened his mouth. Everyone was staring only at his lips. Josh chuckled, feeling the burden.

“Can’t you look somewhere else?”

He made a joke, but the only response was Seth’s cold remark.

“Just tell us.”

Everyone’s reaction was the same. Josh had no choice but to answer their questions one by one with the words he had prepared.

“I met Pete’s papa before, when I came to California. And we lived forgetting each other until I came here for work and we met again.”

“Did you keep liking him, Josh?”

“Shut up, Isaac.”

Henry gritted his teeth and cut him off. Josh continued as professionally as possible.

“Somehow, our hearts connected, and we decided to get married. I plan to explain it to Pete soon. I’m also thinking of moving here, but if a job comes up, I’ll join any state. I have no intention of quitting work.”