Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 153

“Ash didn’t do anything wrong.”

Koi shook his head, turning pale.

“It’s my fault. I… I hurt Ash.”

“Ten years ago, you mean. So what’s your reason for not being able to kiss Julie and backing away? Unless that bastard did something to you…”

Ariel paused there. Koi flinched as her eyes widened. Seeing his reaction, Ariel spoke with certainty.

“My God, you met Ash.”

Unable to lie, Koi merely bowed his head. Seeing him, Ariel let out a sigh that sounded like a gasp, then carelessly swept her hair back and spoke again.

“What happened? How did you meet?”

“Well…”

Koi reluctantly recounted what had happened. Ariel, who had been listening with a serious expression, only spoke when Koi fell silent.

“So that’s all with Ash? That you decided to be friends?”

“Uh, yeah.”

When he nodded, Ariel knitted her brows and looked at him.

“…Are you okay, Koi?”

“Huh?”

Seeing Koi blink, Ariel continued seriously.

“You worked for ten years with only one goal: to meet Ash. Are you really okay with just that?”

“Uh…”

Koi hesitated, looking at his friend’s genuinely worried face, then replied,

“Uh, I guess I have no choice. As you said, it’s something from ten years ago. Just the fact that Ash isn’t angry with me and wants to be friends again… I should… be grateful…”

“Koi.”

His words, which had gradually trailed off, finally remained unfinished. A flustered Ariel hastily pulled out several paper napkins and handed them to him. Only then did Koi realize he had started crying again and quickly pressed his eyes to wipe away the tears.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Ariel readily accepted Koi’s apology. After just looking at him for a moment, she called a passing staff member and ordered more beer.

“What about you? Do you need anything?”

When Ariel asked, Koi just shook his head. After the staff member left, Ariel opened her mouth again.

“Did you tell Ash? That you worked like hell for over ten years just to meet him.”

“Why would I say something like that?”

A flustered Koi denied it with a start. Seeing his friend’s reaction, Ariel raised her voice, as if her temper was flaring.

“Of course you should have! Ash needs to know how much you suffered for him.”

“There’s no need to…”

“You should have told him.”

Ariel firmly stated to Koi, who was still backing away.

“If you had told Ash, he would have known you still liked him, and then you wouldn’t have heard that bullshit about being friends.”

Ariel’s attitude was firm, but it differed from Koi’s thoughts.

“That’s not allowed.”

Koi said, uncharacteristically decisive.

“However many years it took, coming here was my choice and my will. Ash has no reason to feel responsible for it, and I don’t want him to. Think about it, how tiresome would it be if someone you broke up with a long time ago saved money for over ten years just to see your face and came all this way? I’d be creeped out by myself.”

Even seeing Koi shake his head repeatedly as if the mere thought terrified him, Ariel did not back down.

“Even so, if he knew you still liked him, Ash might change…”

“I’ll never let him find out.”

Koi strongly denied her words again.

“If Ash has no such feelings and I tell him I still like him, how much of a burden would that be for him?”

“Koi.”

“Even if Ash doesn’t have an officially known partner, he might have someone in mind… and if that’s the case, I’d really just be in the way.”

He continued before Ariel could open her mouth.

“I know you’re telling me this for my sake. Thank you so much, El. But being friends is enough. I’m grateful to Ash for saying that.”

It’s true, Koi said with a smile, his eyes still red. Seeing him, Ariel finally fell silent. An awkward silence hung in the air, but thankfully, the staff brought the beer. Ariel gulped down the cold beer, then slammed the empty bottle onto the table with a thud.

I can’t forgive him.

Ariel’s anger flared, and she looked at Koi with a terrifying expression. How dare he make my sister cry?

And there was something else that infuriated her. Although she hadn’t told Koi, Ashley had been engaged and then broke it off around the time he graduated from college. She didn’t know how deep their relationship had been, but Ashley had definitely tried to marry someone after breaking up with Koi, and their relationship must have been that serious.

On the other hand, Koi had only ever had Ashley, from before until now. Even if it was understandable during high school, after graduation, he had only focused on earning money and couldn’t even think of anything else. As his appearance gradually changed, there must have been women who liked him, but he probably hadn’t noticed at all. It was obvious from how he had completely ruined his date with Julie. Koi must have done something clueless.

Of course. How would he gain insight without any experience?

Ariel couldn’t bear the injustice of Koi having never had a proper date at his age, while Ashley had done everything during their time apart.

“Koi.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Koi immediately replied with a start at the sudden call. Ariel looked at Koi with a more serious face than ever before and opened her mouth.

“I have a favor to ask you. Can you grant it?”

Koi’s face immediately brightened. This was the first time such a thing had happened. Ariel asking him for a ‘favor’.

“Of course, anything.”

Koi readily replied. He seemed ready to jump up and lie on the bed for surgery even before Ariel said, I need your liver right now. Ariel felt the urge to grab Koi’s neck and shake him, thinking, Don’t be so naive! but she held back and instead offered a gentle smile, saying,

“Thank you. First, contact Julie and apologize. You know you acted rudely, right?”

“Ah, yeah. Of course. I was going anyway.”

Koi answered honestly, nodding. He was about to apologize to Ariel too, but she spoke first.

“You didn’t dislike Julie, did you? You went out knowing it was a date, right?”

“Uh… yeah.”

Koi hesitated, then confessed honestly.

“I didn’t know at first, but Ash said it was a date…”

And then he bought you clothes and told you to have a good time, didn’t he?

Ariel quickly pulled out a paper napkin and handed it to Koi, who was tearing up again at the mention of Ashley’s name, and muttered to herself,

“What on earth is that bastard up to?”

“Th-that’s not it.”

Koi, who had somehow understood the insult directed at Ashley, hastily said. Seeing Koi defending Ashley in such a state, Ariel felt her stomach churn.

“I’ll be honest. Ashley Miller is a black-hearted snake. You never know when he’ll stab you in the back.”

“No, Ash doesn’t deceive people. He doesn’t betray anyone.”

This guy, really.

Finally, Ariel couldn’t take it anymore and gritted her teeth, raising her eyes fiercely.

“Koi, that bastard is the one who dumped me because he fell for you while we were dating.”

Suddenly, the tears vanished from Koi’s eyes, and they widened. Koi turned pale in an instant and stammered a hasty apology.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry, El.”

“I’m not asking you to apologize.”

Ariel snapped at his repeated apologies. It infuriated her that Koi was apologizing for something that was that guy’s fault.

Phew, Ariel sighed and composed herself, then opened her mouth.

“Anyway, I get it. That aside, I’ll tell you my next favor.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Koi quickly straightened his posture, ready to listen. He seemed ready to accept whatever Ariel said, no matter how many things it was. Seeing the tear stains still around Koi’s eyes, Ariel smiled sweetly at him and thought,

Ashley Dominique Miller, I’m going to make you cry tears of blood.