Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 158

Ashley just looked at Koi’s face. In the sudden tension, Koi quickly regretted what he had said. If Ashley wasn’t going to say anything, why did I bring it up and create this atmosphere?

But if he was the one who had upset Ashley, he couldn’t just ignore it and leave. Above all, Ashley was the one who had contacted Koi first, even when Koi hadn’t had the courage, and he had even made time despite being busy. If he ruined Ashley’s mood and then pretended not to care, wouldn’t that be truly shameless?

He waited for Ashley’s answer, enduring the tension with a serious expression, and after staring at his face for a long time, Ashley spoke.

“Are you happy, Koi?”

The quiet voice contained something entirely different from what he had expected. Koi was momentarily flustered by the sudden question and hesitated. Why is he asking that? He couldn’t understand the intention, but he could grasp the meaning. So Koi answered honestly.

“Yes.”

It was sincere. Lately, only good things had been happening. It was the first time he had experienced such a daily life, to the point where he would pinch his cheek every morning in a daze. He had become friends with a NASA employee he admired, Ashley had contacted him first, and they had even had a meal together. Until he realized Ashley was in a bad mood, Koi had been happy all along.

Ashley, confirming his truthful expression with no trace of a lie, smiled faintly.

“That’s good.”

Koi paused, looking at his smiling face. Is he really smiling right now? His lips were definitely curved upwards, and his eyes were narrowed, yet Koi felt a strange sense of incongruity. Even though Ashley was smiling, he seemed…

“I hope your date tomorrow is also very happy and successful.”

After saying his final goodbyes, Ashley pressed a button. Click, the sound of the lock disengaging echoed in his ears. This car also had that function, after all. Koi vaguely recalled.

Silence fell. Ashley had said goodbye, and Koi should turn around now. But for some reason, his body wouldn’t move readily. Koi hesitated, reaching for the car door handle, then stopped. He made up his mind and turned back, asking one last question.

“Are you, Ash?”

Ashley looked at Koi. Meeting his now expressionless face, Koi spoke again.

“Are you happy?”

During the not-so-long silence, many thoughts flashed through Koi’s mind. Of course, he’s happy. Ash has a successful life by anyone’s standards. He has everything. Everyone in the world must envy Ashley Miller.

But you know that’s not all.

A small voice of protest emerged from within him. More than 10 years ago, Koi had made an irreversible mistake. Ashley’s expression at that time never left his mind and had always held Koi back. If he had just one chance to go back in time, he would choose that day without hesitation. If only he could undo the words he had spoken then, he would ask for nothing more.

However, that was impossible. It was even less likely than him becoming an astronaut. If so, then the only remaining method was to not make the same mistake again.

Ashley did not answer. His face remained expressionless, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. The silence felt infinitely long. Koi was once again filled with regret.

“I’m sorry.”

Suddenly, his chest tightened, and his voice naturally cracked, breaking off the word. Koi took a deep breath and quickly added,

“I asked an impertinent question. …I’ll go now, goodbye.”

He blurted it out hastily and turned around quickly. Just as he reached for the car door handle to escape this space.

Suddenly, Ashley reached out and grabbed Koi’s arm.

“…!”

Before he could even realize what was happening, he was pulled forward, and their lips met. For a moment, Koi didn’t register what had happened to him. His eyes wide, he froze, even holding his breath, but Ashley paid no attention to his reaction and simply rubbed his tongue against Koi’s lips to open them, pushing inside.

Friends don’t kiss.

Koi barely managed to recall this in his half-dazed state. The thick tongue swirling inside his mouth soon entwined with Koi’s hesitant tongue.

Rubbing lips might be okay, right?

Koi, who had vaguely thought this, soon realized.

Putting your tongue in is definitely not something friends do.

Amidst the confusion, the kiss did not stop. Koi, unable to push Ashley away, simply let his body yield to him.

Maybe it’s different in the East.

He vaguely thought. His eyes were already half-closed, his mind hazy. Ah, finally, closing his eyes, Koi realized.

I’m kissing Ash.

Memories of frequent kisses and embraces resurfaced, making his whole body tremble. It wasn’t a sweet or gentle kiss like those times. It was a kiss that sucked his lips as if to devour him, licked the inside of his mouth, and bit his tongue, yet Koi couldn’t hide his excitement.

He put aside thoughts like they agreed to be friends or this isn’t in Ariel’s manual. Before he knew it, he was responding to Ashley’s kiss as he had learned. He diligently rubbed his tongue against Ashley’s, and when their lips parted, he immediately followed to continue the kiss. His trembling hand caressed Ashley’s cheek, then cautiously moved downwards. Moving his hand along Ashley’s neck, shoulder, and chest, he vaguely thought,

Maybe lawyers kiss like this even if they’re friends…

But even Koi, who had been so yielding, could no longer deny it when Ashley violently tore open his shirt and caressed his chest.

Ash knows better than I do what a friend is.

Then what is this kiss?

Just as he thought that friends would never kiss like this, Ashley leaned down. As their lips met deeper, Koi, whose hands had gone around Ashley’s back, let out a deep sigh the moment their lips briefly parted.

The kiss that followed was much softer than before. Their lips touched and parted with short pecking sounds, like a sparrow pecking at food, and Koi couldn’t help but let out a pained moan, as if his heart was aching.

Suddenly, Ashley seemed to smile. But before Koi could open his eyes to confirm, their lips met again, and naturally, Ashley’s tongue entered, gently tapping Koi’s upper teeth.

His heart fluttered wildly. Koi, unable to control his trembling breath, carefully breathed into Ashley’s mouth.

The spacious van felt ridiculously cramped. Ashley, who was trying to move on top of Koi, got caught on the console box and let out a rough curse.

Koi was just as excited, but he couldn’t help but laugh. As if infected by Koi’s laughter, Ashley also smiled and pressed their lips together again.

Ah, with a short gasp in between, they kissed again, and Koi moved the hand that had been resting on Ashley’s back. As the tension eased, his body moved instinctively. Beneath his hand, which moved as he vaguely remembered, he felt a firm, muscular body.

Unable to control his excited breaths, Koi trembled all over. Ashley’s large hand boldly slipped between his shirt, caressing his chest and stroking his nipple, then twisted it. Koi gasped, but the sensation was greater than the pain. At the same time, he gained courage and gripped Ashley’s body.

Suddenly, Ashley pulled his lips away and retreated abruptly. Koi’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at him.

Their ragged breaths mingled and echoed in the quiet car. Koi looked at Ashley with an inexplicable feeling.

Why is he looking at me with that face?

He realized the answer a moment later. Still panting, Ashley asked,

“What did you just do?”

Koi couldn’t understand why he was looking at him with such surprise.

“When you kiss, you grab their butt.”

I just did what you taught me.

He felt somewhat wronged. Ashley always squeezed Koi’s butt whenever they kissed, but when Koi finally mustered the courage to do as he was taught, he reacted with such a horrified expression.

But Ashley thought differently. It was true that he often touched Koi’s butt, but Koi would always squirm in embarrassment and never dared to do the same. So what was this now?

Ten years is not a short time.

Koi had also grown up and experienced many things. He knew that intellectually, but perhaps he hadn’t accepted it emotionally.

Haa, a sigh escaped from deep within his chest, as if boiling over. For some reason, Ashley, with a deeply distorted face, whispered to Koi,

“This is why I didn’t want to meet you.”

Suddenly, Koi’s heart sank. What does that mean?

He saw Koi’s flustered reaction but didn’t explain.

From tomorrow, we’ll go back to being friends. I’m sorry for suddenly kissing you.

Ashley intended to say that, but what came out of his mouth was entirely different.

“It might be better to cancel tomorrow’s date.”

“…Why?”

At Koi’s question, Ashley reached out. When Koi flinched at the sudden touch of Ashley’s thumb on his lips, Ashley narrowed his eyes.

“How are you going to explain how swollen they are?”

He couldn’t check in a mirror, but the throbbing sensation where Ashley’s finger touched confirmed it was true. Koi hesitated, then mumbled,

“If I say I was bitten by a bug…”

The thumb caressing his lips paused, then he took his hand away.

“Now you’re calling me a bug.”

“No, no, you know I didn’t mean that!”

Koi was startled and shook his head, denying it, but Ashley still said indifferently,

“Do as you please. It’s up to you whether you go on the date or not.”

Before Koi could say anything, he smiled and added,

“If that makes you happy.”

Koi hesitated, unable to speak readily. Something felt blocked in his chest, stifling and uneasy. Observing Ashley’s expression, he finally managed to speak.

“Ash, are you really wishing for my happiness?”

“Of course. That will never change.”

It was utterly sincere. Because of that, Ashley could answer without hesitation. With a smile.

“For 10 years, that has been my only wish.”

There was no trace of falsehood on his face. Koi had no idea what Ashley was truly thinking, but he knew those words were true.

“…I’ll cancel tomorrow’s appointment.”

“Alright.”

As Koi hesitated and finally confessed, Ashley, who had readily nodded, suddenly took out his wallet. Ashley took out a card and held it out to Koi, who looked at him in confusion, and said,

“Buy her a gift. If you buy something expensive, she’ll feel better quickly. She’ll forget about the broken appointment in no time.”

Suddenly, Koi’s eyes widened. Even as he saw the disbelief trembling in Koi’s eyes, Ashley remained still, holding out the card.

Slowly, Koi’s eyes began to sparkle and glow. When Ashley saw his face, always so honest, filled with disappointment, bewilderment, and other emotions all tangled together, Koi opened the car door and immediately got out of the car.

Thud, the sound of the door closing echoed, and only then did Ashley realize that Koi had just left. Without a goodbye.