Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 17

Instead of asking a question, Ashley picked up the plastic bag Koi had packed for him and inadvertently opened his mouth when his eyes fell on a textbook.

“Are you taking the college entrance exam?”

“Ah, yeah. Next week.”

Koi nodded and asked.

“Did you take it?”

This much I can answer. Everyone knows it anyway.

“Yeah.”

“I see. That’s nice. I’m so nervous.”

Seeing him exhale deeply and rub his chest, Ashley said.

“If your scores aren’t good, you can just take it again.”

Then I’d have to pay again.

Koi swallowed the words that had reached the tip of his tongue and gave an awkward smile.

“You got good scores, right?”

“Well, just so-so.”

Koi asked him, who was vaguely brushing him off.

“Can I ask what your score was?”

Ashley said nonchalantly.

“It’s a common score.”

“So what was it?”

Koi asked persistently. It wasn’t so much that he wanted to know his score, but rather that he wanted to talk to him a little longer. Ashley rubbed the back of his neck and said.

“Perfect score.”

“What…!”

Koi, who had unknowingly raised his voice, widened his eyes. Ashley inadvertently let out a laugh, feeling like his already large eyes were about to pop out.

“Unless you make a big mistake, you get a high score.”

“That’s true, but.”

It wasn’t uncommon for students taking the same AP classes. Still, from Koi’s perspective, with the exam just around the corner, it was an amazing feat.

“I’m jealous. I hope I do well too.”

“You’ll do even better.”

Ashley comforted him. Koi tilted his head and asked.

“How can I do better than a perfect score?”

He wasn’t being sarcastic; he was genuinely curious. If someone else had said that, he would have scoffed, but coming from Ashley, it felt like there was really something to it. Of course, Ashley was just a high school student his age, so there was nothing particularly different about him. Ashley avoided giving an answer.

“Well, I’ll be going then.”

“Ah, wait a minute! Ash!”

Koi, who had urgently called him back, rushed around the counter. As Ashley waited, wondering what was going on, Koi held out the ugly doll from before with a bright face.

“You have to take this.”

His face showed no imagination that Ashley might have intentionally left it behind. Ashley looked between the doll and Koi’s face, then reluctantly accepted it.

“…Thanks.”

“Yeah!”

Koi was overjoyed. Ashley could clearly tell by his ears, which were constantly twitching.

“Alright, I’m going. Good luck.”

“Yeah, goodbye. See you again.”

As Ashley said goodbye again, Koi stood behind the counter and waved enthusiastically. The last time, the owner had scolded him for leaving the counter, so since then, he had no choice but to see Ashley off from that spot. With Koi leaning over the counter and vigorously waving his arm, Ashley turned and opened the store door.

“Cough, cough.”

Suddenly, a harsh cough erupted. Ashley, who had coughed with his shoulders shaking, raised one hand to signal to Koi, who was staring with wide eyes, that he was okay, then headed for his parked car.

He carelessly tossed the plastic bag Koi had packed onto the passenger seat, then looked down at the doll in his other hand and sighed.

Ashley moved again, opened the back door of the car, and finally placed the ever-increasing ugly doll in the back seat, just as he had with the others. Buckling it in with the other ugly dolls.

Koi watched the departing Cayenne from inside the store. Whenever Ashley visited, he always felt a mix of proud happiness and loneliness, but the feeling today was a little different.

Is he not feeling well…?

He remembered Ashley getting sick with a cold and suffering for a few days when they had a group project. Ashley might be weaker than he looked. Some people are just prone to catching colds. Come to think of it, his cheeks seemed flushed today too. Koi fell into deep thought with a serious expression.

“Cough, cough.”

It was cold. Ashley recalled, coughing with a fever. He had always prided himself on his health, but colds were the exception. The respiratory illnesses he had suffered from frequently since childhood had only decreased in frequency; there wasn’t a year that passed without one. Moreover, this was the second time he had such a bad cold this year.

Haa, haa.

He gasped for breath and reached for the side table. He poured water from the pot and tried to drink it, but it was difficult to swallow due to his sore throat. He had no choice but to barely wet his mouth, then put the cup back down and curled up like a cocoon.

He would get better in a few days. He would recover faster if he took medicine, but he didn’t even have the strength to go look for it. The housekeeper, of all people, had gone on vacation. She had prepared food for a few days, but that was useless at this moment. Right now, he could barely swallow his own saliva.

Haaaa…

His consciousness, hazy with fever, was just about to drift off when his eyelids slowly closed.

♪♪♬♩♩♪…

A faint, familiar sound was heard. It took him a while to realize it was his cell phone ringing.

The sound gradually became clearer. Ashley barely managed to lift his eyelids and looked up at the side table where his cell phone was. He wanted to ignore it, but it was too loud. He reluctantly pulled his arm out from under the warm blanket and grabbed his phone.

“…Yes.”

He managed to answer with a hoarse voice, and on the other end, he heard a surprised, sharp intake of breath.

• Ash, are you not feeling well?

It took him a little longer to realize whose voice was asking so quickly. Ashley blinked his half-open eyes and whispered.

“…Koi?”

• Yes, it’s me! Ashley, why does your voice sound like that? Is it a cold again? Are you very sick?

Koi poured out words quickly, as if he had been waiting. In contrast, Ashley couldn’t answer. His mind was blank, and no words came to him.

“…I’m fine.”

He finally managed to say that one sentence after a long pause, but the harsh cough that followed probably didn’t lend it much credibility. Sure enough, from the other end of the phone, Koi asked with a voice full of worry.

• Really? You’re coughing so much? You’re actually sick, aren’t you? Very sick? What should I do? Did you take medicine? Did you eat?

There were many questions, but this time too, Ashley only managed one sentence.

“I’ll get better soon.”

• You’ll be sick until then!

Koi retorted sharply, then suddenly fell silent. The faint sound of his panting, as if he was contemplating something, somehow sounded like a lullaby to Ashley. He closed his eyes and was about to drift back to sleep when Koi suddenly spoke.

• Ash, can I come to your house for a bit? I’ll just check on you.

What is he talking about?

His mind wasn’t working properly, so he couldn’t grasp the meaning. He just listened blankly when Koi continued.

• You said you live alone, didn’t you? You haven’t had any medicine or food, have you? …Or, is someone with you right now?

The last part followed hesitantly and cautiously. Ashley still didn’t understand his words and only reacted to the last part.

“No, I’m alone.”

• Then I’m coming.

Koi declared with an uncharacteristically firm tone. That firmness jolted Ashley’s mind a little.

“…What?”

He asked, still breathing heavily, and Koi replied.

• It’s harder when you’re sick and alone. I’ll just drop off some medicine and food so I don’t bother you, and then I’ll leave right away. …Can I come?

Koi added the last part after a pause again. His mind was too hazy to think of anything, so Ashley could only mumble.

“Do as you please.”

• Okay!

As soon as he got permission, Koi shouted. Ashley, belatedly, caught him just as he was about to hang up.

“You can’t get in anyway.”

To enter the premises, several procedures were required, such as identity verification by the security guard or confirmation from the owner of the mansion he was visiting. Ashley was in no condition to do any of that. As if sensing Ashley’s thoughts, Koi said firmly.

• It’s okay, I can go. If the house you taught me about last time is the right one.

Ashley again reacted only to the last part.

“It’s the right one.”

• Got it. So, I can go, right?

Koi asked once more. But Ashley had already passed out and fallen asleep.

It was a cold after all.

Koi thought, looking down at his disconnected cell phone. He had called Ashley because he felt uneasy about him not coming to the store for several days, and his prediction was correct.

What if it gets worse?

Koi was also someone who had no one to take care of him. That’s why he knew well how lonely it was to be sick.

Tomorrow is the college entrance exam.

It was a very important day for Koi, but he couldn’t just leave Ashley alone. He wanted to help him in any way he could, and this might be his chance. Wouldn’t it be okay to just bring him some medicine and food? It wouldn’t take long either.