Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 102

It’s Ash!

It was the first call since he left for the East Coast. Soon, his heart swelled with joy and longing. He was about to quickly press the button, but at that moment, the pile of condoms came into view. Then, Koi froze.

The phone continued to ring. Koi watched the phone screen for a while. It was the first time he hadn’t immediately answered a call from Ashley. It took some time and courage to press the call button.

“Hooo, hooo.”

Only after taking two deep breaths aloud did he finally press the button with trembling hands. Just before it went to voicemail, Koi answered the call.

“He-hello?”

“Koi?”

Ashley’s voice immediately flowed from the other end.

“Did something happen? Why did you answer so late?”

At Ashley’s voice, which was clearly full of concern, Koi felt guilty and hastily coughed to clear his throat.

“It, it’s nothing. Just answering while working.”

Hearing Ashley’s voice, the frozen feeling in his heart instantly melted away. Instead, feeling his chest overflowing with the affection that filled its place, Koi cautiously continued.

“Were you busy…?”

Why didn’t you call me?

He hastily clamped his mouth shut at his own voice, which couldn’t hide his resentful feelings. Of course he was busy, he must have met his parents after a long time.

Koi also hadn’t called him because it was hard to gauge when he would be with his family, and the three-hour time difference had a significant impact. Ashley probably hadn’t called for similar reasons.

I was waiting for Ash to call first, and now I’m feeling hurt.

He felt sorry for Ashley and was about to rephrase his words, but a sigh was heard from the other end. Immediately, Koi’s entire body stiffened. Was he angry with me? His heart pounded with tension, but Ashley spoke from the other side.

“Sorry, Koi. It’s just been too hectic here.”

“Oh…”

His voice was calmer than he expected. He wasn’t angry. While relieved, Koi also felt sorry. Ash wasn’t the type to get annoyed or angry over such things, but I wrongly thought ill of him.

Koi, feeling guilty, cautiously asked.

“Do you have a lot of work with your parents…?”

“Well, something like that.”

Ashley’s answer was vague. Koi was curious about the ambiguous words, but thinking it was impolite to pry into someone else’s family matters, he held back and said something else instead.

“You must be tired. But your parents must be happy to have you around, right?”

Ashley didn’t answer readily this time. Koi was flustered by the strange silence, then he heard the reply from the other side.

“Well, I’m not sure what’s truly on their minds.”

“Oh…”

Koi mumbled, bewildered. He couldn’t immediately think of what to say to such a cynical response. It was Ashley who saved Koi, who was clearly flustered, once again.

“How about you, Koi? Did you have a good Thanksgiving?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah.”

Koi, who had hastily nodded, belatedly expressed his gratitude.

“Um, thank you, Ash. Thanks to you, work is going well.”

“Really? Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

Koi nodded emphatically.

“The work is easy, and they pay a lot. Um, I get paid much more for much less work than my previous part-time job. Thank you, thanks to you, I can retake my college exams and…”

Koi, who had been listing things excitedly, paused. It took a little courage to say the next words.

“Our… wedding, funds too.”

As he mumbled softly, his face beet red, a chuckle was heard from the other end. It wasn’t a laugh mocking Koi at all, but rather one of amusement, which made Koi even more embarrassed.

“Why, why are you laughing?”

“Ah, Koi.”

Ashley whispered with a lingering laugh in his voice.

“I want to kiss you.”

Koi’s heart began to race wildly. Koi clutched his pounding chest and with difficulty opened his mouth.

“Me… too.”

I want to see you, Ash.

Koi barely held back the words that were about to burst out and clamped his mouth shut to avoid making a mistake. He felt that saying such things would only make Ashley more difficult. Ashley must be holding back too, so I need to be strong.

Hoo, after Koi took a deep breath, Ashley asked.

“What were you doing? Cleaning?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Did he guess by the time? Koi thought and answered.

“I was cleaning the pool until a moment ago, and now I’m inside.”

“You’re working again? After cleaning the pool?”

Ashley asked, sounding puzzled. He had clearly instructed them to assign only one task per day to Koi. How much work were they making Koi do? He held back the urge to immediately check and tell them to assign work properly, and waited for Koi’s answer. Koi hesitated, then replied.

“That’s the only work they assigned, but I wanted to do more…”

“Why, specifically?”

Ashley’s tone was clearly unconvinced. Of course, I would be too. Koi understood him, but the current situation was special.

“Because I like you…”

He hastily added, and Ashley was silent for a moment. Noticing the surprised tone, Koi couldn’t contain his embarrassment and mumbled softly.

“You said that you wanted the house to be clean when you came back. So…”

“So, you’re cleaning inside the house? Even though no one told you to?”

Ashley was silent again. How should he react to this? He had told Koi to work at his house to make things a little easier for him, but Koi was creating work for himself.

For me.

Ashley felt a mix of joy, endearment, and frustration, unable to find the right words. Ahem, he cleared his throat, then composed his voice and gently asked.

“So, what are you cleaning now?”

“Uh, uh-huh.”

Koi answered quickly.

“Your, your room.”

“My room?”

When Ashley asked again, Koi nodded.

“When you come back, you’ll rest here first, right? So… I clean your room every day.”

Only then did Ashley realize the meaning of “one or two.” It meant Ashley’s room and one other room. This was Koi’s way of expressing his affection. Ashley decided to accept it and said.

“I see.”

Koi felt relieved at the gentle tone that flowed out. Then his mouth moved on its own, and he blurted out something without realizing it.

“But why are there so many condoms?”

“What?”

Agh!

Koi swallowed a silent scream and covered his mouth with one hand. He could almost see Ashley’s frowning face on the other end.

“No, um, that is, so…”

He stammered desperately, then Ashley let out an “Ah…” as if he understood.

“Koi, you looked inside the drawer.”

At the subtly mocking tone, Koi shouted in embarrassment.

“N-no, I didn’t do it on purpose, I just moved the table a bit to wipe the dust behind it, and it tilted this much and the drawer opened by itself, I didn’t mean to look!”

Seeing his incoherent reaction, Ashley burst out laughing. Koi, instead of getting angry that he was being teased again, felt relieved. He’s not upset.

Koi, secretly sighing in relief, hesitated, then bravely asked.

“Um… this, you bought this, right? In your size?”

“That’s right. Why?”

He admitted it so easily that Koi felt foolish for being so nervous. His tension also eased, and his tongue moved more lightly than before.

“It’s so big… I was a bit surprised.”

“It’s not that big. More like a meerkat?”

Ashley didn’t miss the opportunity to try and brainwash him. However, Koi, who had already seen the real thing, wasn’t easily convinced.

“Meerkats are small and cute, though.”

“No, Koi. That’s because you haven’t seen one in person. You haven’t, have you?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Koi unconsciously agreed.

“I’ve only seen pictures.”

“Then trust me. Mine is about the size of a meerkat.”

After saying that, he shamelessly added.

“Small and cute, right?”

At his confident ending, Koi was silent for a moment. His brain must be working hard to try and understand Ashley’s words, Ashley thought with a smile, when Koi opened his mouth.

“You haven’t seen a meerkat either, have you?”

Ashley flinched at the disbelief in his voice. It was his own brain that needed to work hard. Ashley frantically racked his brain, while outwardly asking calmly.

“No, I have. Why?”

“A meerkat can’t be that big. That’s an anaconda, you’re teasing me again, aren’t you?”

“No, Koi. Really.”

Now it was Ashley’s turn to sound desperate.

“Mine is a meerkat. Seriously. Koi, don’t you trust me?”

The last words were filled with hurt. The frustration that his trick hadn’t worked, mixed with the resentment that Koi didn’t trust him, flowed out genuinely, shaking Koi.

“…Really?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Ashley insisted strongly this time.

“It’s a meerkat.”

“…Just a moment.”

Koi made him wait, then quickly searched. Meerkat, meerkat. Meerkat size. And he confirmed.

50 centimeters including the tail.

The moment he saw the description, Koi understood.

“…It could be a meerkat after all.”