Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 132

The seasons passed quickly. The morning and evening air grew chilly, and in an instant, the year ended, and a new one began. News of classmates getting accepted into universities started to trickle in.

While everyone was frantically busy preparing for college, only Koi quietly commuted between the hospital and school. His father was frequently hospitalized, but fortunately, since his father had gone bankrupt long ago and they were close to poverty, there were no medical expenses.

Koi stayed late at his father’s hospital room, watching over him, then returned to the motorhome to sleep alone. There weren’t any particularly warm conversations. But it was definitely different from before.

They didn’t have enough time to bridge the gap of over ten years since his brother died and his mother left. Both of them knew that fact but didn’t explicitly say it. Instead, they exchanged unnecessary words, trying to get a little closer during the remaining time. And that was enough.

“Koi!”

Ariel shouted towards Koi, who was just passing by. He was about to get on his bicycle but stopped and waited for Ariel to approach.

“Where are you going? To the hospital again?”

“Yeah.”

Koi nodded readily. His friends knew that his father was hospitalized. Ariel asked with a serious expression, furrowing her brows.

“Are you really not going to college? You said you didn’t even submit a single application.”

She and Bill were set to attend the state university. Koi had once desperately wanted to go too, but it had ultimately become just a dream.

“I can’t go to college and leave my father alone.”

Anything could happen while he was in the dorm. More than anything, it was Koi’s job to drive his father to the hospital whenever he needed to go.

“It’s okay, I’m looking for a job. I can always go to a community college first and then transfer to a four-year university…”

“Haa…”

Ariel sighed deeply. Koi had seen this reaction many times before. It was unavoidable, so Koi smiled nonchalantly.

“Well, Al, I’m going first.”

“Oh, Koi.”

Ariel called out to Koi again, who was about to head to where his bicycle was parked.

“Did you hear anything about Ash?”

“Huh? …No.”

“…I see.”

When Koi shook his head, Ariel lowered her head, looking disappointed. Koi awkwardly mumbled a goodbye and left. He hadn’t seen Ashleigh at all since that day. He had only heard through others that Ashleigh had gone to the East.

Koi kept himself busy so that regret wouldn’t have a chance to occupy his mind. And it was one day after spring had passed and graduation was approaching that he finally heard news of Ashleigh.

“Ash is coming to the prom party?”

One of the ice hockey team guys, who was eating lunch with him, shouted loudly at the sudden news. Koi also put down his sandwich and looked at Bill with wide eyes. Bill, who had just delivered the big news, nodded and continued.

“I finally got through to him yesterday, and I just asked him on the off chance, and he said he’d come. He said he’d attend the after-party, so I told him to.”

“Oh, so Bill, he’s coming to your house?”

“Yeah. Let’s see his face after a long time, see how he’s been doing.”

Everyone cheered and rejoiced at Bill’s words. Koi’s face also brightened, but he couldn’t cheer with them. Bill glanced at Koi, who was awkwardly hunched over, and added nonchalantly.

“Anyway, that’s how it is, so after you’ve had some fun, everyone come to my place. Got it?”

And Bill looked at Koi and added.

“You too.”

Koi instinctively swallowed dryly. Only after nodding did he finally reply.

“Yeah.”

Bill smiled at him. Koi lowered his head and pretended to eat his sandwich, feeling a hint of pity in Bill’s expression.

I can meet Ash again.

Just the thought made his heart pound so much that he couldn’t properly swallow his food. The others were already talking about something else, but Koi’s mind was so filled with Ashleigh that he couldn’t say anything.

The day of the prom party was even nicer than usual. Koi opened the door and saw the clear blue sky without a single cloud, and his heart pounded, making him take several deep breaths.

“Koi, is something wrong?”

His father, who was sitting up in bed, asked. Koi turned to him and quickly closed the door.

“Oh, no. The weather’s nice.”

His father quietly watched his son move hastily to prepare breakfast. Recently, his father had difficulty eating. It was natural since the cancer had already spread to his stomach, but Koi tried his best to get him to eat something.

“It’s vegetable soup.”

Koi, who had warmed up the soup and brought it over, suddenly remembered something he had forgotten. He quickly shook his head and erased the surging emotions, then placed the cracked tray with the soup bowl and spoon on his father’s lap.

“Thank you, Koi.”

His father thanked him and then coughed repeatedly. Koi quietly waited for his coughing to subside, then handed him water. His father, who managed to moisten his mouth by taking a sip of water several times, picked up the spoon. He put a spoonful of the thin soup into his mouth and smiled.

“It’s delicious.”

The instant soup bought from the store couldn’t have tasted very good. Moreover, considering that he had to cook soup for every meal, quantity was more important than quality, and above all, a cheap price was crucial. The soup he had made this time, from a discounted bundle of expired instant soups at the supermarket, was probably the worst instant soup on the market.

Nevertheless, his father always smiled and said it was delicious. Koi waited patiently for him to slowly and laboriously finish the entire bowl of soup, then quickly cleared the tray, gave his father his medicine, and helped him lie back down in bed.

After finishing the dishes, he returned to find his father had fallen asleep again. A faint breathing sound could be heard, and Koi felt relieved and sat down in a chair.

The money he had saved to live independently was almost gone. He was working part-time, but it was difficult to call it a proper income while taking care of his father’s hospital bills.

Since he had already given up on college, he had to find a new path.

Koi sighed and started doing housework. The day flew by quickly as he busied himself. After cooking his father’s evening soup, giving him painkillers and sleeping pills, and checking a few job listings he had picked out, a message notification suddenly rang.

Koi froze in surprise. A call at this hour could only mean one thing. Bill had promised to contact him if Ashleigh showed up at the after-party, out of consideration for Koi, who couldn’t attend the prom. Koi took a deep breath and checked the message with trembling hands. As expected, it was from Bill.

[Koi, Ash is here.]

Koi took a deep breath, then quickly grabbed his phone and left the motorhome. His father had taken his medicine, so he would sleep soundly for the next three hours.

Koi carefully closed the door, then quickly got on his bicycle. His mind was already filled with Ashleigh. Koi pedaled like crazy towards Bill’s house.

“Haa, haa.”

When he finally reached his destination, he was so out of breath that he felt like he was dying. Koi bent in half, panting, trying to calm his breathing.

The party was already in full swing. The music and chatter coming from inside already made Koi’s head feel numb.

“Oh, Koi.”

Bill, who recognized him first, greeted him cheerfully. Koi, who was looking around for Ashleigh through the crowd of people, brightened and approached Bill.

“Welcome, was it hard getting here? Is your father okay?”

“Yeah, he took his evening medicine, so he’ll be sleeping now.”

Bill nodded, saying “I see,” at Koi’s answer. Bill was the only one who knew that Koi and Ashleigh had dated. He had no idea why they broke up or why Ashleigh left for the East, but he didn’t ask.

It was their problem, and the most Bill could do was something like this.

“Ash is in the back garden.”

Koi unconsciously held his breath.

“Thank you.”

His voice came out strained and hoarse from nervousness. Bill patted his shoulder a couple of times as if to cheer him on, then let go. Koi forced a smile and passed Bill, heading towards the garden.

After pushing through the crowded kids and finally getting out of the mansion, he saw a crowd of kids gathered around the pool. Koi watched them laughing, chatting, drinking punch, and jumping into the water, then shifted his gaze again. But no matter how much he looked around, it was futile. Ashleigh was nowhere to be seen.

It was when a nervous Koi instinctively lifted his head. Suddenly, someone’s shadow appeared on the second-floor balcony.

It was Ashleigh.

The moment he confirmed Ashleigh standing there, looking into the distance, Koi urgently moved his feet and went up to the second floor.