Kiss Me if You Can Novel Completed - Chapter 85

Immediately, Josh called Mark and Laura. After explaining the situation, receiving instructions for what to do next, and contacting the on-site doctor, Josh ended the call, having spent a busy time.

He let out a tired sigh and turned his head. Chase was sitting on the floor, his head bowed. Josh watched him for a moment, then walked closer.

He must have heard the footsteps, but he didn’t react. Finally, Josh walked right in front of him and stopped, looking down at him intently.

“Chase.”

Josh knelt on one knee in front of him and spoke.

“Why did you do that?”

“…”

“Why did you try to die again?”

Josh asked the silent Chase again. He could wait as long as it took for an answer. It didn’t take as long as he thought for Chase to speak.

“If I die, will you cry?”

Josh answered in a low voice.

“Yes.”

He continued, whispering.

“I’ll cry a lot.”

“…”

Chase fell silent again. Suddenly, Josh felt strange. He subtly lowered his gaze to check his face and paused. Chase was crying.

“…Chase.”

Josh reached for a handkerchief to wipe his face, then paused when he found his pocket empty. Embarrassed, he turned around, then looked back at Chase, sighing deeply without realizing it.

Chase made no whimpering sounds or sobs. Only tears streamed down his cheeks. His deep purple eyes, filled with tears, blurred and became cloudy, then soon cleared.

Tears that ran down his cheek gathered at his chin, hesitated for a moment, then fell to the floor. Drop by drop, new tears joined the fallen ones. Josh’s chest tightened, unable to speak, as he watched Chase’s face, silently shedding tears.

“Chase.”

When he finally called him again, Chase slowly raised his head. He thought their eyes had finally met, but Chase’s eyes blurred again with welling tears.

“Haa,” Chase took a trembling breath for the first time. He tilted his head and kissed Josh’s lips. Feeling the salty taste in his mouth, Josh opened his closed eyes to see Chase’s face right in front of him.

“I love you.”

Chase uttered a single word, then bit his lower lip. Josh just watched him, gasping for breath and suppressing his sobs. “Haa,” Chase exhaled again and spoke.

“Don’t go to that woman.”

“…That woman?”

Josh managed to ask. He stared at Chase, bewildered, as Chase struggled to compose his ragged breathing and made a sound.

“I overheard, by chance. That you… have a child, and you’re waiting for the child’s mother.”

Josh was momentarily flustered. Chase, misunderstanding his wavering gaze, spoke.

“You said you weren’t interested in men, so she must be an Alpha, right? And you must have given birth to the child… I knew the surgical scar on your belly was from a C-section.”

Josh couldn’t speak, overwhelmed by the words. Chase looked at him and shed tears again.

“Choose me.”

“…”

“Not her, choose me.”

Chase pleaded between sobs.

“Please… I’ll do anything, I’ll do whatever you want.”

Unable to control his emotions, he wailed. Josh could no longer bear the rough sobs that poured out like lamentations. He managed to move his lips and make a sound.

“Don’t say things like that. What if I become a beggar because I’m a bad guy?”

Josh joked in a faintly trembling voice. But Chase was serious.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“I don’t want to be a gigolo.”

Chase’s face turned pale with shock. Josh kissed him to reassure him. His chest ached, and he suppressed the stinging sensation in his nose as Josh spoke.

“Is that why you reduced your pheromones?”

“…”

“Because you couldn’t tell if I truly liked you?”

Chase didn’t answer this time either. But his blurred eyes, looking at him, were filled with anxiety. Josh, feeling guilty, ended up hugging him.

How much must he have agonized?

Chase’s feelings were beyond doubt. Josh’s pheromone scent was almost nonexistent. But Josh’s case was different. Seeing Chase, who must have constantly doubted and suffered, believing that Josh’s actions were merely swept away by his pheromones, pained Josh’s heart.

“I didn’t sleep with you because of your pheromones.”

“Then?”

Josh thought for a moment, then answered.

“I slept with you because your face was good.”

“…”

Seeing Chase say nothing, Josh emphasized once more.

“It’s your face, not your pheromones.”

Though it’s not just his face now, Josh added inwardly, smiling. There was no longer any reason to delay. He had to end Chase’s suffering quickly.

“I’m sorry for making things difficult for you.”

Josh kissed his lips briefly, then spoke.

“I’ll introduce you to my child.”

Chase’s face hardened. Seeing his eyes tremble with anxiety, Josh said gently.

“Don’t worry, he’ll like you. Because…”

Because I love you.

The rest of the words stopped at the tip of his tongue. Chase looked at Josh as if waiting for the next words, but Josh couldn’t continue.

He had said “I love you” so casually until now, so why couldn’t he say it now?

“Because…”

When he trailed off again, luckily, his phone rang. Josh quickly got up and answered.

“Yes, Mark. Ah… Is that so? Yes, things are mostly sorted out here. I’ll be waiting. Yes.”

He hung up and spoke to Chase, who was still sitting on the floor, looking up at him.

“The doctor will be here. Let’s get you into bed first.”

Josh helped Chase to the bed, then brought a wet towel and wiped his face, avoiding the wound. Chase frowned each time he wiped away dried bloodstains.

“Does it hurt?”

“…I’m okay.”

Even as he said that, he flinched when the towel touched near the wound. That sight was so endearing that Josh couldn’t help but kiss his lips.

“…Why do you keep kissing me?”

Only after Chase asked did Josh realize he had already kissed him more than five times. There was only one answer.

“Because you’re pretty.”

“…Ha.”

Chase let out a short sigh, as if dumbfounded. As Josh smiled, sounds were heard from outside, and the doctor and Laura quickly entered the trailer.

Josh stepped outside while the treatment was being done and pulled out a cigarette, putting it in his mouth. His hands trembled slightly, requiring a bit more effort to light it.

Phew.

Only after exhaling the smoke could he finally reflect on what he had said.

I have to confess everything.

He inhaled deeply, thinking.

Even after knowing everything, will Chase still tell me he loves me?