Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 183

“Are the flowers growing well?”

Koi asked after they finished the appetizer and were waiting for the next course. Ariel replied with a regretful expression, “Oh, I’m sorry, I guess I’m just not good at growing things.”

“Oh, no. It’s okay, I gave them to you because I couldn’t handle them myself…”

Koi truly thought so. Since nothing like that had happened afterward, it seemed the flower’s scent was indeed the cause. It was a shame the flowers died, but it might even be for the best, as it would be a bigger problem if Ariel ended up in a difficult situation like Koi did because of them. He dismissed it as nothing.

Meanwhile, Ariel was thinking something similar. She had worried for a moment that Koi might have presented, but no similar symptoms had appeared since, and there was still no scent. Most importantly, if it were pheromones, Ashley would have noticed first, but his attitude remained unchanged.

It must have just been a cold after all.

A laugh involuntarily escaped her at the thought of having worried needlessly, and she hid her expression by pretending to drink water. Until then, Ashley had said nothing. Ariel, who had been chatting happily with Koi, couldn’t shake her suspicion about his suspicious silence.

What is that sly bastard plotting now?

“Um, thank you for helping. It was resolved well, thanks to both of your efforts.”

Just then, Koi expressed his gratitude. Ariel frowned and grumbled,

“Why did you let it get so delayed in the first place? You should have confronted them sooner.”

At the obvious point, Koi mumbled, “Well,” with an embarrassed expression,

“At the time, everyone quit at once, so the boss was having a hard time too… I thought I could hold out for a few weeks.”

He thought it would be fine since he had some money saved up. To Koi, who had paid a harsh price for underestimating the murderous cost of living in the East, Ariel sternly lectured,

“Most people, Koi, if their wages are delayed for even a week, they sue or quit that job.”

“That’s right.”

Unexpectedly, Ashley, who had been silent until then, also agreed. Though they had been at odds, at this moment, they were in agreement.

“Being too kind only harms you.”

Ashley picked up Ariel’s words.

“It’s not good to be overly good.”

Ariel glanced at him and added, “Right.”

“You need to know how to be a little bad too. You’re too bad.”

“Thanks for the compliment.”

So, they were on good terms after all.

Watching Ashley and Ariel bicker and exchange sarcastic remarks, Koi was thinking something entirely different. Ariel, who constantly spoke ill of Ashley, and Ashley, who seemed not to welcome her, were surprisingly in sync when together. Of course, it was because they had the common topic of scolding Koi, but Koi didn’t care at all. How happy it was to have three high school classmates together, especially with the two classmates Koi liked the most, enjoying such a pleasant time.

Ariel frowned, seeing Koi smiling contentedly.

“It’s not like that, don’t misunderstand.”

At Ariel’s warning, Ashley said indifferently,

“Leave him be. Even if you and I stabbed each other with knives right in front of him, Koi would probably think we’re just playing around.”

Ariel grimaced, but unfortunately, Ashley was right.

“No way, you wouldn’t do something like that.”

Koi smiled and shook his head. His face, looking back and forth at the two as if asking, ‘Right?’, was even flushed. Koi, who had been oblivious to the surrounding atmosphere and just happy on his own, seemed to have gained a little awareness now. As embarrassment crossed Koi’s face and Ariel paused, Ashley spoke.

“Of course, there’s no way. Even if Al stabbed me, I wouldn’t do that.”

“Reeeally?”

Ariel immediately asked, drawing out the word sarcastically. Ashley raised his wine glass and chuckled.

“I’m a lawyer. I don’t resort to violence in a fight that can be settled with words.”

Excuse me, Nelson is hospitalized right now.

Ariel barely swallowed the words that were about to burst out. She was curious how much Koi knew about that incident, but it was better to just drop it than to bring it up and potentially fall for that cunning tongue.

“That’s right, Ash doesn’t use violence.”

Koi even went a step further, siding with the wicked lawyer. That’s right, he rarely uses his fists, Ariel thought. He just socially kills people in court with that three-inch tongue of his.

But for that bastard to beat Nelson up like that…

It was surprising in another sense. Ariel pretended to drink wine and stole a glance at Ashley. He still showed no change in expression and barely spoke afterward. When he did say something, it was invariably to mock Ariel, and Ariel also retaliated without backing down. Only Koi genuinely enjoyed the gathering of the three of them.

Finally, the meal was almost finished, with only dessert remaining, when Koi got up from his seat.

“Um, I’ll be right back.”

He got up, indicating he was going to the restroom, and subtly glanced between the two. Is it okay? At his lingering gaze, as if seeking confirmation, Ariel smiled as if to say, Don’t worry.

As Koi left the table, a staff member immediately followed. Recalling the staff member’s kindness when he first arrived, directly guiding him to the restroom and even opening the door for him, Koi said it was okay. But the staff member smiled and walked ahead, heading towards the restroom.

Koi, who had no choice but to follow him, found the staff member, who had opened the restroom door for him just like last time, extending a small shopping bag to him once he was inside.

“Mr. Miller asked me to deliver this.”

The staff member explained to Koi, who took it, puzzled, then left. Left alone, Koi tilted his head and looked into the small shopping bag. Inside, there was a beautifully wrapped small box and a message card.

‘Wear this.’

“Ah.”

‘I’ll do anything.’

Koi, recalling the promise he had made the day before, nodded as he looked at the message card. Curious about what was inside, he took out the box and opened it.

The item inside was something he had not imagined at all. His eyes widened, unable to blink, and then he saw another message card at the bottom of the box. Koi, picking it up with trembling hands, gasped and held his breath.

The second bottle of wine was almost finished. Ashley’s lips relaxed as he brought the last pour to his mouth. By now, Koi would have checked the item in the box. The thought of how flustered he would be made him smile involuntarily.

Next time, I need to see him wear it in front of me.

Actually, his initial plan was to have him wear it under his pants from the start, but he soon changed his mind. If he had done that, Koi wouldn’t have been able to enjoy dinner properly and would have been anxious the whole time. He wanted to see that, but being caught off guard wasn’t bad either.

He laughed and chatted happily with Ariel throughout the meal, so that should be enough now.

Ariel raised an eyebrow suspiciously, seeing him smile and drink wine. Why is that bastard laughing to himself? It’s annoying.

“What kind of scheme are you plotting again?”

With Koi gone, there was no reason to hide it anymore. At her direct question, Ashley glanced at her, as if asking what she meant. Ariel brought up what she had been holding back.

“Did you know Nelson got a 16-week injury? That was your doing, wasn’t it? Why did you do it?”

To Ariel, who asked with certainty, Ashley replied in a leisurely tone,

“It was self-defense. Nelson hit me first.”

Unexpectedly, he readily admitted it. Ariel overtly scrutinized Ashley from head to toe, then fixed her gaze back on his face.

“You don’t look that hurt, though?”

Ashley chuckled at her sarcastic remark.

“Your hits hurt more.”

Ariel then smiled back, satisfied, and said,

“I could hit you harder now.”

“I’ll decline. I’ve been hit by you enough.”

His tone was polite, but laced with obvious sarcasm. For some reason, she felt good and was playing along with his jokes, but if his mood soured, there was no telling what he might do. Ariel also stopped smiling and asked,

“What on earth did you do? You’re a lawyer.”

When she repeated his earlier words, Ashley twisted his lips into a smile. As Ariel flinched at his chilling sneer, Ashley replied in a low voice,

“Now, I’ll do things by the book.”

“You still have business with Nelson?”

When Ariel asked, exasperated, he merely smiled instead of answering. To Ariel, who stared at him dumbfounded, Ashley spoke in a slow tone,

“I know you dislike me, but you’re unusually hostile today. Could it be that you liked Nelson?”

To him, who was talking nonsense and infuriating Ariel, Ariel declared, “No,” with a bombshell.

“You, you slept with Koi, didn’t you?”

Ashley, who was drinking wine, stopped moving and turned his gaze to Ariel. Ariel continued, as if she had been waiting.

“Koi is a Beta. Do you know how surprised I was when I heard you slept with him? You’re truly a selfish, arrogant bastard. How could you sleep with a Beta? And Koi is a man, how could you do that if you truly cared about him?”

Ashley just stared at Ariel, who was accusing him in a rapid-fire manner. Ariel stopped talking and glared at him in the ominous silence, and a look of satisfaction slowly spread across Ashley’s face.

“You don’t know, do you?”

Ariel felt a chill run down her spine at the whispered words. What is this bastard up to?

“What don’t I know?”

Ariel asked aggressively, but Ashley merely brought the wine to his lips. Ariel, staring at him intently, opened her mouth.

“You hit Nelson like that because of Koi, didn’t you?”

Ashley frowned. Ariel continued,

“Tell me honestly, you were angry because Koi got beaten up by Nelson, weren’t you?”

Ashley remained silent. Silence was the most powerful affirmation. Ariel pressed him in a strong tone,

“Admit it now, that you still like Koi. Enough to beat someone to death, even as a lawyer.”

Ariel added that he should retract the crazy things he had said last time. Ashley, who had been merely looking at her, slowly opened his mouth.

“What about it?”

“What?!”

As Ariel frowned, Ashley said with an expressionless face,

“I’ve never denied my feelings.”