Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 67

Josh woke up to the faint chirping of birds. Forcing his gritty eyes open, he couldn’t remember where he was for a moment. He stared blankly at the unfamiliar yet somehow familiar, perplexing room, then a sweet scent belatedly reached him, and with an “Ah,” he recalled the memories of the previous day.

He subtly lowered his gaze, and the neat face of the man who was holding his waist and resting his face on his chest came into view. The man, who claimed he couldn’t sleep without medicine, was now in such a deep slumber that it seemed nothing could wake him.

Feeling both fortunate and a little sad, Josh simply gazed at Chase’s peaceful face for a long time. He unconsciously tilted his head and kissed Chase’s eyelids, and the man faintly furrowed his brow. Josh smiled silently.

He wished he could enjoy this peace forever, but he knew well that reality wouldn’t allow it.

With a soft groan from deep in his throat, Josh sighed and sat up. Chase frowned and stretched out an arm. Josh looked down at him for a moment as Chase hugged his waist and rested his head on him, then gently patted his shoulder before carefully detaching his arm.

There was much to do before Chase woke up. He subtly raised his wrist to check the scent and was relieved that no other scent was present besides the sweet pheromone. This was probably because he hadn’t been stimulated, as last night had simply been about holding Chase and falling asleep. But he couldn’t continue such a risky adventure indefinitely.

Speaking of which.

Suddenly, Josh remembered something he had forgotten.

That guy might be able to get me the right medicine.

He carefully slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake Chase. He rummaged through his phone, found the number, and sent a message after much deliberation.

It’s been years, what if the number has changed?

Just as he was fretting with a furrowed brow, unexpectedly, a message returned shortly after. Josh’s face brightened as he checked the sender.

“……?”

Chase, groping beside him in his sleep, slowly opened his eyes, realizing the spot was empty. He was left alone on the large bed. Just as his face stiffened, he heard the sound of water from the connected bathroom. He sat up awkwardly, and only after confirming the faint silhouette through the glass door did he finally exhale the breath he had been holding.

…Phew.

Chase rubbed his tired eyes and lifted his head. He was contemplating whether to wait for Josh or go into the bathroom when the door opened, and Josh appeared.

“Oh, you’re awake?”

Wearing a large towel below his waist, he dried his soaked hair with a towel as he approached Chase and gave him a light kiss.

“How do you feel?”

“……Good.”

Only then did Chase smile and return the kiss. He tried to wrap his arms around Josh’s neck and push his tongue in, but Josh lifted his head first.

“Get up and wash quickly. Don’t you have an early schedule today?”

It was true, but Chase frowned again. He didn’t like how Josh seemed to be rushing him. Josh, oblivious to this, took off his towel, casually put on the clothes he had draped over a chair, and spoke.

“Oh, right. I have to go to the hospital today, so I’ll be gone all day.”

Gone all day?

The moment he heard that, Chase was about to get angry. He was about to ask what Josh was talking about and say he’d go too, when suddenly his schedule for the day flashed through his mind.

Meanwhile, Josh, thinking it would be troublesome if Chase got annoyed with Mark or others again, continued as if it were nothing.

“I made the appointment a while ago, so I can’t help it. I’ll take over as soon as I get back…”

“Have a good trip.”

Josh blinked at the unexpectedly compliant response. What did he just say? He was puzzled, but Chase soon got out of bed, picked up his carelessly discarded clothes, and said,

“You shouldn’t skip your treatment, …will it take about three or four hours?”

Josh roughly calculated the time based on the casual remark and replied.

“With travel time, probably five or six hours?”

When Josh exaggerated the time as much as possible, Chase said, “Really?” and then casually turned his head away. Something was off. Why was he accepting it so readily?

Just the day before, he had held Josh back with absurd demands to change shifts.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t you going?”

Chase asked, seeing Josh standing with his arms crossed, looking suspicious. Still, it was strange.

“Why are you trying to send me away like that?”

“What?”

Chase flinched. Josh, his suspicion growing, spoke in a deeper voice.

“It’s weird, are you plotting something? Why are you trying to send me away like this?”

“You’re going for treatment.”

“Still, it’s weird.”

Chase, who had been watching Josh with narrowed eyes as he showed no signs of backing down, suddenly grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. Soon after, their lips met.

“…Ugh, mmph.”

Josh helplessly accepted Chase’s hasty tongue. Chase cupped his face, freely licked the inside of his mouth, and rubbed their lips together, then let out a short sigh. His breath entered Josh’s mouth, and their tongues and saliva mingled. Pushed against the wall by Chase, Josh could no longer retreat. When their lips finally separated, both were breathless.

“Then, should we go to the hospital another time, and I’ll postpone my shoot too?”

Chase said, his breath ragged, as he brushed Josh’s hair back. His other hand suggestively pulled Josh’s firm buttocks closer. Chase’s erection was clearly felt through the thin fabric. Their lips met again, and as the kiss threatened to deepen again, Josh hastily pulled away.

“Let’s do it when I get back.”

Chase smiled brightly at Josh’s words. Josh then couldn’t suppress a groan and pulled Chase’s neck closer, roughly rubbing their lips together. However, before it could deepen, he quickly retreated, didn’t look back, and fled the trailer as if escaping. He felt a sense of crisis that he might never be able to leave if he stayed.

The suspicion he had briefly harbored had already vanished from his mind.

Two men sitting opposite each other in an outdoor cafe was, to anyone, open to misinterpretation. And it was even more so when Josh was with Dane.

Josh had met Dane Striker in the military; he was a handsome man with reddish-blonde hair and blue eyes. Josh still couldn’t forget the shock of seeing him for the first time. Even among men, Dane boasted such an outstanding appearance that people would turn to look at him.

He was indifferent to his surroundings and had no special friends, but after Josh accidentally saved him, they became acquainted, though that was entirely Josh’s perception. Dane was always hard to read, so it was difficult to guess his thoughts. For now, Josh considered him a friend.

“Here.”

As soon as he saw Josh’s face, Dane first pulled out a note and placed it on the table.

“If you go there, you can get a suitable medicine that will prevent pheromone scent even if you go into heat. You’ll have to be prepared for the price, though.”

“Thank you.”

Josh checked the address on the note and crumpled it into his pocket. Seeing Dane take out a cigarette and place it on the table, Josh continued.

“I didn’t expect your number to be the same.”

Dane replied indifferently.

“Too lazy.”

Josh simply laughed at his typical answer. He surveyed Dane, who was sitting across the table from him.

Meeting Dane after several years, he was no different from before. About two inches taller than Josh, he was a firefighter boasting impressive muscles. It was surprising that Dane, a thorough individualist, had become a firefighter, a profession more altruistic than anyone, but it wasn’t hard to imagine him rushing into flames. He had always been truly fearless.

He still exuded a somewhat thuggish aura. Even now, leaning back in his chair and casually drinking Dr. Pepper, he looked more like a club bartender or a bodyguard than a firefighter.

Perhaps because he was a handsome man who looked cool even in a worn T-shirt and crumpled jeans, Dane never lacked company. At least as far as Josh knew. Even while sitting across the table, three people had already recognized him and passed by. One of them had even noticeably greeted him warmly and showered kisses on his face.

“Two handsome men sitting together, what luck! Won’t you come to my place? It’ll be a lot of fun.”

With her arm around Dane’s neck, she winked at Josh. Josh gave a wry smile and politely declined, saying, “I’m sorry, but…” Then Dane leaned in and lightly kissed her neck before speaking.

“This guy’s impotent.”

“Oh my.”

“Dane.”

The woman looked surprised, and Josh’s expression also uncharacteristically hardened. But Dane still looked indifferent, as if asking what he had done wrong, simply staring at Josh. Even though Josh thought it didn’t matter since he had no intention of being with her, he felt disgusted. Only after she made Dane promised to hang out together next time and disappeared did Josh finally speak.

“You’re definitely going to get shot someday.”

At that, Dane took out a cigarette, put it in his mouth, and grinned.

“Amen.”