Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 78

The weight constricting his wrists disappeared, and Chase finally let out the breath he had been holding. Josh silently looked down at him, who was belatedly rubbing his tingling wrists, and then spoke.

“You can walk, right? Tell me if it’s hard.”

“I can do it.”

Chase was about to get off the bed when suddenly a sound came through Josh’s earpiece. Josh held out a hand, signaling Chase to wait, and then spoke.

“Yes, this side is cleared. Please prepare to leave and handle the rest. C is safe, but he has a cut on his face…”

Josh suddenly frowned. He fixed his gaze on Chase’s swollen cheek, then ended the communication and looked down at Chase.

“Who did this?”

Chase felt a chill down his spine at the quietly subdued voice. Of course, it wasn’t out of fear. He silently raised a finger and pointed to one of the guys lying on the floor. Josh stroked Chase’s cheek with a pained expression, then turned and headed towards the guy.

The guy had just regained consciousness and was trying to get up to escape. Josh grabbed him by the collar, lifted him, and slammed his head against the wall. Thud, violent sounds followed.

“What, what was that sound?”

Henry turned his head in surprise, and the other security team members also widened their eyes, focusing their gaze. It didn’t end there. Josh threw the man to the floor. The man groaned in pain, clutching his broken nose, but Josh’s anger didn’t subside. He immediately began to kick the man. The guy curled up, screaming in agony. Still, Josh continued to kick him.

“Josh, calm down. What are you doing?”

“Stop it, he’s unconscious.”

Isaac and Seth, surprised by Josh’s continuous kicking, tried to stop him. But Josh still kicked him one more time, then ran a hand through his disheveled hair. Everyone watched him in silence. It was the first time they had seen Josh so agitated.

Why is he so angry?

Seth shook his head at Isaac’s bewildered gaze.

I don’t know either.

“Hey, you, what on earth…”

Henry, unable to contain his curiosity, began to speak, but Josh ignored him and turned his head.

“Let’s go.”

His gaze was directed at Chase, who was sitting there. Everyone looked between Josh and Chase, as if asking what this situation was. But neither Josh nor Chase seemed to care.

Josh smiled and held out his hand to Chase. Chase’s face slowly brightened. Seeing a splendid smile bloom on his face, like a flower, the security team instantly forgot all the curses and insults they had hurled at him. Even Henry forgot the “Chase getting beaten up videos” he had so diligently watched.

Just as everyone’s attention was focused on one spot, a man from among the fallen group barely managed to get up.

Chase was the first to spot him. Josh quickly dodged when he saw Chase’s eyes widen, and thanks to that, the man’s swung knife wildly cut through the air. Immediately, the man swung his other hand. Josh dodged it again, but it narrowly grazed his ear.

His earpiece flew off, and just as Josh was about to retaliate, Seth punched the man. Thud, with a dull sound, the man collapsed.

“Ah, thanks.”

Josh turned his gaze from the fallen man and thanked him.

It was then that he realized the atmosphere was strange. Everyone was looking at him. Even Seth, who had just helped Josh, was looking at Josh with wide, surprised eyes.

Why are they acting like this?

Josh turned his head, puzzled. There was Chase’s face, pale and stiff with shock, looking at him. Josh met his gaze and blinked.

Why is he looking at me with that expression?

“…Why? Is there something wrong with me?”

Josh asked, smiling awkwardly. But everyone still looked at him with a dazed expression. Seth was the first to regain his composure.

“…I didn’t know you had a mark too.”

At his murmur, Josh was momentarily stunned. He slowly raised his hand to his ear, unable to even blink his wide eyes. The solid object that always occupied that spot was not there.

He felt his soft earlobe. His fingertips slowly moved up along the helix of his ear, and suddenly, he felt a deeply indented mark. Josh stopped moving.

Chase getting off the bed came into view at the corner of his eye. He approached Josh one step at a time. But Josh remained standing, unable to move.

Chase, who was now right in front of him, reached out to Josh’s ear. The hand that had been resting there fell away, and Chase’s hand touched him instead. The tape that had always covered his ear flew off with the earpiece, and the secret he had so carefully hidden was revealed without concealment.

Chase couldn’t take his eyes off Josh’s ear and slowly stroked the helix. He felt his fingers tremble faintly on the clearly marked area.

“What is this?”

Chase finally spoke after a long time. His voice trembled even more than his fingers.

“Why do you have a mark?”

“Chase.”

“Tell me, what on earth…”

Chase inhaled and spoke. But he couldn’t continue, looking at Josh with a face full of confusion. Josh also couldn’t say anything. Chase asked, squeezing out the words.

“What are you?”

Everyone was looking at him. Josh swallowed dryly. To think that what he had desperately hidden was revealed so futilely.

Josh opened his mouth. He had to speak, but his tongue wouldn’t move easily. Receiving everyone’s shocked gaze, he lowered his head and bit his lip.