Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 139

“You still haven’t met him?”

Ariel, who was having lunch with Koi on the weekend, frowned at his confession and asked. Koi blushed in embarrassment and mumbled,

“Uh, yeah… I’ve been busy.”

“Weren’t you here to meet Ash? What could be more urgent than that?”

Just then, a waiter brought their ordered drinks and food. After the setup was complete and the waiter had left, Ariel spoke.

“Honestly, after hearing and seeing things, you decided it wouldn’t work out, right? It’s okay if you give up. It’s understandable to be disappointed. I’d actually welcome it.”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Koi shook his head in a hurry.

“Why would I be disappointed without even meeting him? It’s just that, with finding a place and working, I haven’t had the time…”

“You know that’s an excuse, right?”

Ariel hadn’t changed. She still didn’t tolerate evasion or excuses. Koi hesitated, then spoke with difficulty.

“To be honest… I just don’t have the courage.”

“After coming all this way?”

“Exactly.”

Koi gave a wry smile and idly poked at the French fries on his plate.

“Now that I think about actually seeing him, it’s not easy. What if Ash has forgotten me, or even if he remembers, if he’s dating someone, it would be a nuisance…”

His voice trailed off, losing confidence.

He knew Ashley wasn’t married yet. Ashley Miller was the most famous lawyer on the East Coast and one of the wealthiest people in the United States. Articles about him were constantly published, and news about him never ceased. Ashley Miller’s private life was easy to find out. Koi had already seen Ashley’s current appearance, as well as photos of his father, Dominique Miller.

Dominique Miller had retired several years ago, handing over the company to his son, and had since become reclusive. It was clear from the few existing photos, which must have been taken much earlier, that Ashley strongly resembled him. Especially the near-silver platinum blonde hair and purple eyes.

But it’s different.

Koi asserted. He admitted that Ashley wouldn’t be the same as before. However, he disagreed with the statement, “He’s just like Dominique Miller.” The appearance that everyone unanimously called “identical” was even more so. They might look similar at first glance, but to Koi’s eyes, the more he scrutinized them, the more completely different they seemed. Above all, it was ridiculous to say that Ashley resembled Dominique Miller, who had a cold, ruthless face like a snake. Everyone’s eyesight must be terrible.

Indeed, Koi could still vividly recall Ashley’s face, smiling at him. That’s why he couldn’t believe the current reputation and lacked the courage to confirm it with his own eyes.

What would happen if he met Ashley again? He had imagined countless scenarios, but now that it was a reality before him, fear took over.

He might not want to see me…

With his gaze dropping in lack of confidence, Ariel frowned and remained silent for a while before finally changing the subject. After all, it was their problem. It wasn’t something for others to meddle in, nor did she intend to. Meddling in other people’s relationships and gossiping was something teenagers did. They were adults now, and all decisions had to be made by themselves. The responsibility for the outcome was solely theirs.

If he gives up, it’ll be for the best.

Just as she thought that and took a bite of her sandwich,

“Oh, Al.”

Someone called out, and she looked up to see a familiar woman looking down at her. “Ah,” Al said, putting down her sandwich, and greeted her warmly.

“Julie, hi. Long time no see. How have you been?”

After a brief hug, the woman stood up again and smiled, continuing,

“It’s lucky to meet you like this. I actually wanted to see you sometime.”

Julie said that and then glanced across the table. Ariel, noticing her glancing at Koi, spoke.

“Julie, this is Koi, my high school classmate.”

“Hello, I’m Julie. Nice to meet you.”

Julie readily extended her hand to Koi, her face shining brightly. Ariel knew this situation well. It was clear that Julie was interested in Koi. And Ariel didn’t miss the opportunity.

“Want to join us for lunch? Do you have company?”

Julie immediately accepted Ariel’s offer.

“No, really? I was just about to leave because there were no seats.”

Both their gazes simultaneously turned to Koi. Of course, Koi had no reason to refuse.

“Thank you.”

As soon as he agreed, Julie pulled out the chair between Ariel and Koi and sat down, smiling. Ariel raised a hand to a waiter, asked for a menu, and then subtly observed Koi.

After graduating from high school, Koi had suddenly grown over ten centimeters. His shoulders had broadened considerably, and his pretty face, which had looked good in women’s clothing, had become quite masculine. In fact, no one had expected him to change so much. His high school classmates probably wouldn’t recognize Koi now. Not even Ashley.

Well, I didn’t expect Koi to become such a handsome man either.

He was a grown man, yet Koi still retained a boyish charm, giving him a fresh impression. In high school, he had a thin, weak, and even dark aura, but now there was no hint of that. The current Koi would be quite popular. Just like the woman in front of them was showing interest.

The problem is that Koi is too awkward.

However, that very awkwardness could be a charming point. Moreover, it was a plus for his fresh, boyish image.

Julie also seemed pleased with Koi, a smile never leaving her face. Ariel watched Koi awkwardly answering, swept up in Julie’s skillful conversation, and contentedly drank her beverage. She began to think about finding an opportune moment to excuse herself.

And as the meal ended, Koi exchanged contact information with Julie.

It was a Friday afternoon when Koi was instructed by his boss to go to a large mansion in the suburbs. He finally managed to escape the congested roads and drove for a while along the somewhat deserted forest path. His daily life was hectic, but he was adapting quite well. He had plans to see a movie with Julie over the weekend. It was the first time he had made plans with someone other than Ariel since coming to the East Coast. The fact that it wasn’t Ash made a corner of his heart heavy.

But it couldn’t be helped. Last week, he had finally mustered the courage to visit Ashley. He had forced himself into the luxurious building where the law firm was located, feeling intimidated, but was immediately stopped by security. As soon as he mentioned wanting to meet Ashley Miller, he was thrown out. They treated Koi like a vagrant or a terrorist.

“It’s too obvious.”

Ariel had said firmly after Koi relayed the situation.

“Now you understand, don’t you? Ashley Miller has become someone impossible to even send a simple message to.”

He was aware that he had thought too simply. But he couldn’t just back down. He needed a different approach than just showing up and leaving his name. As he drove, lost in thought, he eventually arrived at his destination.

The opulent mansions lining the road were set far back from the street, making the surroundings eerily quiet. Seeing the expensive cars parked in front of the target mansion, Koi took his equipment from his old truck and headed for the entrance.

His job was to inspect the kitchen sink, which wasn’t draining properly. His boss had told him that when the owner first bought the house, their company had done the entire interior design and construction, and they had been continuously doing repairs ever since. In short, they were regular clients.

Koi cleared his throat and rang the doorbell. As he reminded himself of his boss’s warning, “They’re bad clients, so avoid talking to them as much as possible,” he heard footsteps inside, and then the door opened.

“Good afternoon…”

Koi, who was about to offer a conventional greeting with a smile, froze in surprise. The man standing before him looked as if he had just rolled out of bed, wearing pajama bottoms and an indoor robe, his hair sticking out in all directions. His half-closed eyes and pale complexion made him look sickly, but it wasn’t his appearance that surprised Koi.

Even though more than ten years had passed, Koi recognized him instantly. How could he forget? The face of the perpetrator who had made Koi’s life a living hell before Ashley saved him.

Nelson.

Koi stared at him, his face ashen.