Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 19

“…Cough, cough.”

A violent cough shook his entire body, waking him from sleep. The pain he had ignored spread throughout his body, agonizing, but it was better than continuing to have nightmares.

Haa, haa.

He gasped for breath and slowly opened his eyes. It had been bright before he fell asleep, but now the sun was already setting. The fever was still there. A sigh escaped him automatically as his cheeks burned and his whole body felt heavy. Just as he closed his eyes again, he suddenly felt a strange sense of unease.

…What is it?

Ashley listened with his eyes closed. Perhaps due to the fever, his senses were dulled, so he couldn’t be sure at first. But he wasn’t mistaken. Just as his consciousness was about to fade, a distinct sound was heard. It was footsteps walking down the hallway.

Is it the housekeeper? he thought for a moment, but then dismissed it. Even if he had been unconscious for more than a day, the setting sun proved that couldn’t be the case. Housekeepers came early in the morning, finished their work by midday, and left. If that was the rising sun, it was too early, and if it was the setting sun, it was too late. Besides, even if that wasn’t the case, they were on vacation. The conclusion was that there was an uninvited visitor.

A thief?

Ashley thought, still lying down. If he were well, he would have found his ice hockey stick and swung it, but now everything was bothersome. He just wanted them to take whatever they wanted and leave him to sleep. Even if the entire mansion disappeared, that man wouldn’t care. Only if Ashley disappeared might he show a little concern.

Ashley was that man’s child, and practically his possession.

Just like ‘him’ who gave birth to Ashley.

The footsteps grew closer. If it were a thief, they would be busy rummaging around, but there was no such movement.

The approaching footsteps seemed to indicate that their destination was Ashley’s room.

…Could it be that man?

Just as the hateful purple eyes came to mind, the door burst open.

Ashley instinctively took a deep breath. If it were that man, that dreadful sweet scent would fill his lungs.

But he braced himself for the unpleasant feeling that would follow and inhaled deeply, yet there was no smell. Realizing that it was just the faint scent of the blanket he was covering himself with, Ashley returned to his previous guess.

It’s a thief.

Ashley burrowed deeper into the bed, hoping the thief wouldn’t hold a weapon and demand valuables, which would be bothersome.

Take everything. Just don’t touch me.

That was Ashley’s only wish, but the chances were fifty-fifty. He had to consider what to do in the worst-case scenario.

Take everything. Just don’t touch me.

That was Ashley’s only wish, but the chances were fifty-fifty. He had to consider what to do in the worst-case scenario.

He waited with his eyes closed, but unexpectedly, the thief wasn’t readily entering the room. Perhaps he was surveying from outside the door.

But with a creaking, loud sound, Ashley soon realized the reason. That foolish thief had been waiting, holding the doorknob to make as little noise as possible. As proof, as soon as the loud noise echoed, he heard the thief gasp in terror.

Just a petty burglar, then.

Ashley thought, still with his eyes closed and half-asleep. If it was such a clumsy fellow, he wouldn’t even be good at taking things. He thought he’d leave soon, and decided to just sleep. He was almost successful in drifting back into his hazy consciousness when it happened.

Creeeeak.

Another sharp sound pulled him forcefully from his sleep. A deep furrow appeared between his severely furrowed brows. This time too, the petty burglar stopped moving.

Ashley ignored it and forced himself to sleep. But again, he failed, and when another loud door creak echoed, Ashley almost shouted for him to just open it and come in. If it weren’t for the high fever burning his entire body, he would have. But in reality, he only closed his eyes, contorted his face, and let out a faint groan.

Fortunately, the door creaks stopped. Instead, another eerie mechanical sound was heard. Click, creak, click. It wasn’t as loud as before, but it was still annoying.

What on earth is he trying to steal that’s causing such a commotion? Just as Ashley gritted his teeth, the sound stopped.

A moment later, a hushed presence was felt. The movement of someone tiptoeing stealthily across the room touched his skin. He cautiously crossed the room and approached Ashley’s bed.

Ashley hadn’t moved until then. Boldly, the petty thief seemed to be trying to confirm the person lying on the bed. He couldn’t take it anymore. The moment the petty thief subtly lifted the sheet that was pulled up to his head, Ashley suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm.

“You son of a bitch, that’s enough…!”

It was then, when he roughly pulled the startled thief onto the bed and shouted with a terribly hoarse voice. More than he expected, the thief was small. Small enough that Ashley could easily break a bone or two if he put his mind to it.

What surprised him was the thief’s identity. Ashley looked down at the familiar face, staring at him with wide eyes, with an expression of disbelief.

“…Koi?”

His hoarse voice barely squeezed through his vocal cords. Koi, who had been blinking blankly until then, nodded awkwardly.

“Yeah, it’s me. …Have you been well?”

The words, added as a formality when looking at Ashley, who was clearly not ‘well’, faded into a whisper. Ashley stared blankly at Koi, then belatedly started coughing.

“Ash!”

Koi shouted in alarm and quickly got up. Perhaps due to the release of tension after realizing the thief’s identity, Ashley collapsed onto the bed.

“Ash, are you okay? Oh no, you must be really sick!”

It’s because of you.

Ashley wanted to say, but he couldn’t make a sound due to his coughing. Koi, who was watching him anxiously as he continued to cough painfully, quickly got off the bed.

“Ash, I brought medicine. Have some, and soup too.”

Ashley, who barely opened his eyes, shaking his whole body from coughing, realized what that strange mechanical sound had been. It was the sound of the cart Koi had brought.

“The kitchen was huge.”

Before Ashley could ask, Koi spoke first, scooping soup from a pot with a ladle into a bowl.

“It’s vegetable soup.”

“Get rid of it.”

Ashley immediately retorted. Koi paused, then quickly turned around, poured the scooped soup back into the pot, opened another pot, and repeated the same action.

“It’s cream soup.”

“…”

Ashley, even in his feverish, hazy state, looked at Koi in disbelief. As he gasped for breath and looked past him, he saw four pots on the cart.

“I bought all kinds because I didn’t know what you’d eat.”

Koi said, blushing. He didn’t forget to add, “I’ll remember you don’t eat vegetables.” Ashley just blinked his eyes, lying down. He didn’t even have the energy to think, let alone speak. Seeing Ashley like that, Koi looked sad, then stirred the soup, scooped it onto a spoon, and held it out.

“Here, Ash. Have some.”

Ashley moved only his eyes towards the spoon, then looked back at Koi. Koi, unable to hide his concern, said.

“You need to eat a little to regain your strength. Let’s eat and then take medicine, okay? Then you’ll get better quickly.”

Koi’s ears didn’t move at all as he held out the spoon again, saying, “Here.” Ashley felt strange, thinking that Koi was genuinely worried about him.

“Alright, here.”

When he hesitated and opened his mouth, Koi carefully put the spoon in, let the soup flow in, and then pulled it out. Seeing him ready to scoop more soup, Ashley with difficulty swallowed it.

“Does it hurt?”

Seeing Ashley immediately frown, Koi reacted instantly. His sore throat was too severe, and he couldn’t take any more. When Koi held out the spoon again, Ashley shook his head. Koi looked dejected, then put the bowl down and this time offered a glass of water and medicine.

“At least take the medicine, here.”

Ashley blinked while lying down, then stumbled and got up. That was what he needed most right now.

“This is for fever, this is for phlegm, this is for sore throat.”

Koi explained each one, placing pills and capsules in Ashley’s palm. He didn’t forget to bring lukewarm water. Ashley, unable to control his frowning brows every time he swallowed water, finally sighed after emptying a whole glass. His throat ached terribly, but at least his thirst was somewhat quenched.

As Ashley tried to lie back down, Koi quickly approached and helped him. Although he thought it wouldn’t be much help, Ashley subtly leaned his head on Koi’s thin shoulder. The cool touch of his T-shirt on his forehead felt good.

“Go to sleep, Ash. You’ll feel much better after you sleep.”