Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 165

Am I dreaming right now?

Standing alone in the empty bathroom, Koi blinked blankly. From the moment he got out of the car until now, he had felt no sense of reality whatsoever. The doorman who opened the apartment door, the hall with a huge painting covering one wall, the elevator covered in dark translucent glass on all sides, and the spacious living room large enough to fit his entire basement apartment, the ceiling so high it would break his neck, and the vast multi-level interior with marble stairs leading up.

He had followed Ashley’s guidance into the bathroom, but he was still dumbfounded. This isn’t all a dream, is it?

Koi, who had been blinking blankly, raised his hand and slapped his cheek hard. Slap! Following the sound, he snapped back to reality, letting out a small groan and clutching his cheek.

It’s not a dream.

After rubbing his still stinging cheek and barely accepting reality, he finally began to prepare to wash. In front of the spacious bathroom was a marble bathtub, and the wall opposite it had a large window, providing a perfect view of the night cityscape for enjoying a bath. Moreover, the shower room, separated by a glass wall, was entirely adorned with large and small natural stones, so beautiful that it naturally drew admiration.

This is the first time I’ve seen such a luxurious and clean bathroom.

While grateful for Ashley’s hospitality, he couldn’t bring himself to use the bathtub. He just wanted to take a quick shower, but when he took off his clothes, there was nowhere suitable to put them. He couldn’t do anything, fearing that his dirty, old clothes would soil the bathroom no matter where he put them, when suddenly, there was a light knock on the bathroom door. He startled and stepped back, then Ashley opened the door.

“Koi? Are you okay?”

“Oh? Ah, yeah.”

Ashley briefly scanned him, who had hastily nodded. Confirming that he was still wearing his clothes, he silently placed the clothes he had brought onto the empty space next to the sink.

“Wash up and change. My pajamas will be a bit big, but this is all I have.”

“Oh, yeah. Thank you.”

As Koi thanked him, Ashley asked before leaving.

“Do you need anything else?”

Koi hastily shook his head.

“Uh, no, I’m fine.”

Ashley nodded lightly and turned around. Koi belatedly called out to Ashley, who was about to leave.

“Um, Ash!”

He stopped and turned around. Koi, with a flushed face, cautiously asked.

“Where do I put the clothes I take off?”

Ashley pointed under the sink. Koi saw a large rattan basket and said, “Ah,” looking up, and saw Ashley still standing there. He was still waiting. As if to confirm if he needed anything else.

“Um, um…”

Koi hesitated, then mustered the courage to speak.

“Could you tell me how to use the shower? I’ve never seen one like this before…”

His voice gradually faded into silence. Koi’s face burned, but there was no other way. All the facilities in the bathroom were new to him, and he had no idea how to use them. He could avoid using other things, but not the shower. Since it wasn’t divided into hot and cold water, he figured he had to turn it to adjust the temperature, but he couldn’t figure out how to turn on the water at all.

Ashley was silent for a moment. Koi was inwardly anxious, not knowing what he was thinking, when Ashley glanced at the bathtub and spoke.

“Wouldn’t it be better to take a bath than a shower?”

“Oh? Oh…”

Of course, it would. But just jumping into the bathtub felt too shameless. He was about to say “I’m fine,” but Ashley spoke first, as if he had read Koi’s mind.

“Koi, now that you’re in my house, I want you to relax and rest.”

He added in a quiet voice.

“That makes me feel at ease too.”

Was he saying this as a friend or to a client?

As the thought suddenly crossed his mind, the new clothes Ashley had placed came into view.

It’s a lawyer’s duty to protect their client.

“…Did you do this for your other clients too?”

After saying it, he realized he had made a mistake. To blurt out what he was thinking internally. He covered his mouth with his hand in embarrassment, but it was too late. Ashley, who had been quietly looking at him, said.

“Koi, don’t misunderstand.”

To Koi, whose heart suddenly sank, he continued with an expressionless face.

“My clients, if they put their minds to it, have more than ten hideouts that no one could ever find.”

…Huh?

He blinked at the unexpected words, but Ashley said nothing more and moved first, heading towards the bathtub.

“Come here, Koi.”

“Oh, yeah.”

Ashley began to explain how to use the bathtub to Koi, who followed him in confusion.

“Turn this this way for hot water, this for cold water, this is the valve, and this is…”

Koi diligently nodded and listened to the continuous explanation. The luxurious bathtub had just as many functions.

While Ashley explained each function of the bathtub, Koi found himself mesmerized, listening to his voice. It was the first time Ashley had spoken so much since they reunited. Before, he used to laugh often and tell silly jokes frequently, but now he doesn’t do that at all. Ashley had become much less talkative. He had been regretting that, so it felt good to hear his voice like this. He unconsciously smiled faintly when Ashley suddenly called his name.

“Koi, are you listening?”

“Oh, oh?”

He blinked in surprise, and purple eyes gazed at him. Koi quickly returned to reality and nodded.

“Oh, yeah. I heard everything. Thank you for explaining.”

It meant he could leave now, but Ashley didn’t. His gaze, frowning and looking at Koi, was full of disbelief.

Are you really sure you understand?

As if he had heard the silent question, Koi hastily reached out his hand and said, “Really, I can do this by myself…”

It was when he smiled and pressed the button. The water, which he thought would collect in the bathtub, suddenly poured down from the ceiling.

“Ugh, ugh!”

Koi screamed in surprise, and Ashley quickly turned off the water. Koi, who had barely opened his tightly closed eyes and looked up, was momentarily stunned. Water was dripping from the sunflower showerhead on the ceiling.

“I-I’m sorry.”

Koi, who had come to his senses, saw the soaking wet man in front of him and cried out in embarrassment. Ashley just looked at him silently. His neatly combed hair was disheveled, and his wrinkle-free shirt clung to his skin, revealing his body underneath. Moreover, the water that had soaked his entire body flowed down him, creating a puddle on the floor. Standing before the best lawyer in the East, who was a mess from head to toe, Koi turned pale.

What should I do?

He wouldn’t have any complaints even if he was kicked out like this. He couldn’t even pay the retainer fee and was just being a burden. To make such a mistake when he should be helping even a little, he didn’t have the confidence to look at Ashley’s face and tightly closed his eyes.

“Koi.”

At the quiet voice, Koi flinched and hunched his shoulders, then cautiously opened his eyes. Ashley’s face, which he barely met, hadn’t changed much from before. He waited anxiously, and Ashley slowly continued.

“If you stay wet for too long, you’ll catch a cold.”

…Huh?

Koi couldn’t react to the unexpected words. Leaving him be, Ashley personally moved his hand and began to fill the bathtub with water. Koi just watched him sit on the edge of the bathtub, put his hand in the water to check the temperature, and turn the lever.

Ashley was wearing a suit jacket, a white shirt, and a tie. He might have been about to take a shower himself. Perhaps he had just come to give Koi a change of clothes before that.

Did Ash do this with other people during the time we were apart?

His heart suddenly sank at the thought that came to mind. Just then, Ashley, who had checked the water temperature and taken his hand out, looked up and called him, puzzled.

“Koi? What’s wrong?”

Koi couldn’t answer and just looked at him. He couldn’t open his mouth, desperately swallowing the words that filled it.

Ash.

Facing Ashley, who was gazing at him, Koi couldn’t help his choked feelings and just repeated it in his mind.

How many people did you date while we were apart?