Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 207

“Phew.”

Back home, Koi let out a long sigh. Once he was alone, a sense of quiet settled over him, and his mind calmed.

A lot happened today.

After a quick shower, he lay in bed, calmly reviewing the incredibly long day. It was truly surprising that Bill had come all this way to rekindle his relationship with Ariel. He was overjoyed that she had recently broken up with her lover and was single, but it seemed he couldn’t approach her easily. Since he had come all this way, Bill wanted to carefully rebuild their relationship. Of course, Koi valued both their opinions, so he apologetically declared neutrality. He couldn’t force Ariel if she didn’t want it.

<Of course I understand, Koi. Just telling me how Al is doing is enough.>

Bill said with a smile.

<Al probably won’t even be happy that you told me she broke up.>

That’s true.

Koi unconsciously nodded. Anyway, it was like he had carelessly blabbed about Ariel’s private life, so he honestly had to confess and apologize. He felt it was only fair to tell her that Bill was here, but he couldn’t hinder Bill’s plan, let alone support him. Because of that, he promised to apologize after Bill met Ariel. Bill’s vacation was only two weeks, so it wouldn’t take long.

I’m sorry, Al.

Koi, apologizing with guilt, closed his eyes. Soon, Ashley’s face floated into his mind, and his chest tightened. It had been better when he was with Bill, but as soon as he was alone, he became depressed. Every one of Ashley’s words came back to him, and his last words echoed in his mind.

<You’ll find out soon.>

What are you thinking, Ash?

<You completely ruined my plan.>

As he drifted off to sleep, Koi vaguely remembered what Ashley had said when they first met again.

Come to think of it, what was that plan then…?

But those words were buried back beneath his consciousness, and when he woke up, he had completely forgotten them.

&

“Ouch…”

Suddenly, a corner of his stomach ached, and Koi grimaced, letting out a small groan. The irregular, stabbing pain, which had started a few days ago, appeared suddenly and then subsided, repeating several times.

Am I not feeling well…?

Koi paused his digging in the garden and straightened his back. Garden work was hard, but the daily wage was quite good. Phew, he sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead, when he suddenly felt a vibration at his waist and took out his cell phone, startled. The owner of the number he had saved just in case was calling him; something must have happened.

“Ah, yes.”

He hastily answered the call, and the familiar dry voice came from the other end.

– Connor Niles? This is…

“Miss Bernice, did something happen to Ash?”

Koi asked urgently before she could finish speaking. There were still about two days left of the week he had promised himself. At that moment, a foreboding feeling made his vision go dark, when Bernice briefly replied, “No.”

– Something happened, but it’s not Junior.

“Huh? What do you mean…?”

As he asked, bewildered, she continued.

– Mr. Dominique Miller has passed away. It’ll be in the news anyway, so I wanted to let you know in advance.

“…What?”

Koi was momentarily stunned and could only manage that much.

“M-Mr. Dominique Miller, you mean Ash’s father?”

He barely managed to collect himself and stammered the question, and a cold voice from the other end said, “Yes.”

– Junior will be very busy with funeral arrangements for a while. If you can’t reach him, call me. I can pass on a message.

“Uh, yes… J-just a moment!”

Koi, still bewildered, had answered, but just as Bernice was about to hang up, he urgently stopped her. After confirming she was waiting, Koi finally spoke.

“Um, is Ash… okay? Is he very upset…?”

Of course he would be. His father passed away.

Koi thought, blaming himself. Even if Ashley hadn’t had a good relationship with his father, he would still feel bad if he actually passed away.

He might be very disheartened.

I should be by his side.

As his expression darkened with anxiety, Bernice opened her mouth.

– He’s fine. Junior appears outwardly normal. Are you done now?

Koi, somewhat relieved by her extremely businesslike voice, mustered his courage and asked again.

“Um… just one more thing. Why… why did you tell me? Why did you even call me like this…?”

There was no reason for Bernice to care about him like this. A chill ran down his spine as he recalled the harsh words she had said to him as a child, when Bernice replied.

– Because it’s my job.

He paused at the unexpected words, then she added.

– Would you understand if I said Mr. Miller’s policy has changed? Then I’ll hang up now. I’m very busy too.

“Oh, ah, yes. Thank you for letting me know…”

Koi hastily bowed and hung up the phone. The news of Dominique Miller’s death flooded the articles that evening. Only then did Koi fully grasp Bernice’s words.

He really passed away.

He still felt bewildered, but seeing the endless stream of articles, he couldn’t help but believe it. Koi skimmed the online articles and was surprised to find that Dominique Miller was younger than he had thought. He was seven years younger than Koi’s father.

Extreme Alphas should have a longer lifespan than other species…

The question was soon resolved. The cause of death was a fire at the mansion, and Dominique was not the only one who couldn’t escape.

Ashley Miller also deceased.

His heart sank for a moment when he found another name listed as having died with him, but then he saw the age next to it, and the tension in his shoulders eased. Thanks to the simple family tree explained afterwards, Koi learned that Ashley’s full name was ‘Ashley Dominique Miller,’ taking one name from his Omega mother and one from his Alpha father. He understood and murmured softly, “Ah…”

How heartbroken must he be right now.

To lose both parents at once would be an immeasurable wound. He wanted to rush to him and hug him, but Bernice’s words weighed on his mind. Perhaps she had called him in advance to inform him of the situation because she had already anticipated such an action from Koi.

Ash is busy with funeral preparations.

Koi suppressed the impulse and took a deep breath. All he could do was skim the articles, checking if there was any mention of Ashley. As he scrolled through a few articles, one caught his eye. It was a photo of Dominique Miller taken during his lifetime.

There were no photos of him after he quit being a lawyer and secluded himself. All the available photos were taken during his time as a lawyer, and the photo that caught Koi’s eye was also one of him leaving the courthouse.

Dressed in a black coat and an expensive suit, he was a tall, handsome man, clearly visible even in the photo. Koi had seen his photo before reuniting with Ashley, but even now, he felt an immense sense of intimidation. The man with brighter silver-white hair than Ashley and deep purple eyes was smoking a cigarette, one hand in his coat pocket, descending the stairs. He used to think that he and Ashley didn’t resemble each other at all, but for some reason, now they looked so much alike. It even felt like if Ashley grew older, he would become this very face.

What am I thinking?

Koi hastily shook his head and checked the time again. It was already past midnight, almost 2 AM. Is he sleeping now…?

He barely managed to resist the urge to call, but he couldn’t resist sending a message. He hesitated, then carefully typed.

– Ash, are you sleeping?

As soon as he sent the message, he immediately regretted it. Of course he’s sleeping. He must have been tired all day, what have I done! Just as he felt like tearing his hair out, his phone alarm rang.

– No.

It was just one short word, but it was enough to make Koi excited. He took his hands off his head and hastily sent a reply.

– Can I call you?

He waited for a reply with a pounding heart, but no message came. Instead, his phone suddenly rang, and Koi was startled, checking the caller ID. He half-believed, half-doubted, but it was indeed Ashley. He hurriedly pressed the call button and answered.

“Ah, yes, hello?”

He answered quickly, and a voice came from the other end.

– What do you want?

It was still just one short word, but Koi felt like crying from relief. He hastily composed himself and opened his mouth.

“Um, well… I heard your parents passed away. You must be having a hard time…”

Bernice had said he was holding up well, but was that really true? Koi’s chest tightened again, and he carefully added.

“Um, if it’s okay, I’d like to meet… Can I come?”

Ashley was silent for a moment. Is he looking for words to refuse? Just as he felt uneasy, he heard a deep sigh. The moment his heart sank, Ashley spoke.

– If you come now, I’ll hold you without anything under your apron. Are you okay with that?

Suddenly, all the perverted things they had done together came to mind, and his face flushed. His heart, which had been on the verge of stopping from fear, now pounded and raced wildly. I like perverted games with Ash too. Koi thought about saying yes, but Ashley spoke first.

– Just kidding. You don’t have to come.

“Oh…”

Koi, who had already gotten out of bed to leave, awkwardly sat back down. When he let out a small sigh, full of disappointment, Ashley asked.

– Are you disappointed?

“Yes.”

Koi answered honestly.

“Very much.”

Hahaha, laughter came from the other end. It felt like ages since Koi had heard Ashley laugh like this, and he was momentarily stunned. It felt like a dream that he had been so cold to him.

– Me too, Koi.

Ashley said, his voice still tinged with laughter.

– Don’t worry, I’ll definitely do it soon.

“Oh, yeah.”

Koi replied, feeling his ears flush.

“I’ll look forward to it.”

The atmosphere softened considerably. Is his attitude different because he’s half-asleep?

“Um, are you very busy? Did I wake you up while you were sleeping?”

To Koi, who had secretly wondered, he replied dismissively.

– It’s okay. I don’t usually sleep well.

Insomnia, this was new information.

“Then it’s bad for your health. You don’t usually sleep well… do you mean you have insomnia? How long has it been?”

Come to think of it, he had hardly seen Ashley sleep when they lived together. He went to bed later than Koi and woke up earlier. Considering his return home and departure times, he slept less than five hours at most. Suddenly, the fact of Dominique Miller’s death came to mind, and he felt scared for no reason, when Ashley replied.

– It’s okay, don’t worry about it. Is that all you wanted?

He wanted to know more, but Ashley didn’t seem to want to talk about it, so Koi reluctantly changed the subject.

“Um, how about the funeral… is there a lot to do?”

– I don’t have much to do. The complicated part is the inheritance process.

At Ashley’s indifferent tone, Koi asked, “Inheritance?” Ashley continued to speak casually.

– Yes, my father left a damn lot.

At the bored tone mixed with a curse, Koi chuckled humorlessly, then hastily apologized. Ashley said, “It’s okay,” indifferently.

– I was thinking it was a hassle too.

“Really… is the inheritance process very complicated?”

It would be completely different from his own situation, where he had nothing to inherit and not much to do. When Koi asked, Ashley readily replied.

– There’s a lot to inherit, and a lot to do. Once the estate is settled, I’ll also draw up a new will…

“A will? What kind?”

When Koi reacted to the word that particularly caught his ear, Ashley paused for a moment, then replied indifferently.

– Because I might suddenly die too, someday.

The atmosphere, which had briefly improved, suddenly turned cold again.

“Why would you say that…?”

Koi murmured, his voice completely disheartened. Ashley seemed to notice and added dismissively.

– Everyone dies someday.

“Even so, don’t say things like that.”

At his strong tone, Ashley remained silent for a while. Feeling an uncomfortable silence, Koi cleared his throat.

“Um, then… tomorrow, can I also go to pay my respects? Um, if you’re okay with it, that is.”

He hesitated and stammered, but Ashley replied indifferently, as before.

– Why? The dead won’t know anything even if you greet them.

“Uh, that’s true, but…”

Koi felt strangely uneasy at his still indifferent reaction. Ashley didn’t seem to have been very close to his father, but his reaction felt too cold. Koi quietly mulled over the emotionless voice, as if it were someone else’s business, then mustered his courage and opened his mouth.

“Ash, you don’t have to hide it from me. It’s not good to suppress your sadness too much.”

Just as he thought that perhaps he was still in shock and hadn’t fully grasped it, Ashley spoke.

– You seem to be misunderstanding something, but I’m not particularly sad.

He continued in his usual calm tone.

– I’m not hiding anything from you either. I told you, I’m fine. Koi, you seem to think that everyone must be sad when a family member dies, but there are people who aren’t. In fact, I think he was thoroughly selfish and did everything he wanted until the end. There’s no reason to be sad, unless it’s disbelief.

As Koi paused at the somewhat cynical tone, Ashley changed the subject casually, saying, “More importantly.”

– How are you doing, by the way? Are you still at Al’s house?

Hearing the sudden question, Koi was bewildered.

“No, I told you I left last time…”

As Koi spoke casually, Bernice’s words suddenly flashed through his mind. Did he get memory loss again? Just as Koi froze, Ashley also fell silent. A tense silence hung in the air, and Koi spoke first.

“I’m doing well. I’m also working part-time…”

– Part-time? Doing what?

Suddenly, Ashley’s voice sharpened. Koi was startled by the abrupt reaction and replied distractedly.

“No, I’m going to find my next job, but I haven’t found a suitable place yet… I have to do something in the meantime, I can’t just do nothing.”

He didn’t ask what the answer to his proposal was. He couldn’t complicate Ashley’s situation even more at a time like this. It’s okay, just think of it as more time to prepare the ring. Koi moved on, but Ashley couldn’t.

– You’re working? Now? What kind of work?

At the repeated questions, Koi blinked in bewilderment. “Just,” he said, fiddling with his hands for no reason.

“It’s the same work I used to do… plumbing or repairs or something like that…”

– No, don’t do it. You need to rest.

“Huh? Why?”

At the urgent words that poured out, Koi tilted his head again. An ominous silence fell. All he could hear was Ashley’s ragged breathing. As if searching for words. “Hey,” Koi began to speak, but Ashley spoke first.

– Health check-up.

“Huh?”

Ashley continued, as if barely able to voice the words.

– I told you, you need to have a health check-up. Did you forget too?

“Oh, no.”

Koi hastily shook his head. He had remembered, but he hadn’t set a date, and he thought it had just fizzled out, so he stammered, bewildered.

“Was that still valid? I…”

– Of course. …It’s already passed.

He seemed to have checked the date, then cursed softly and immediately added.

– I’ll reschedule your health check-up for sometime next week. You need to maintain your best condition, so it would be best not to go to work for a while. Let’s rest at home and prepare for the check-up, okay?

Koi, who had only repeated “Uh, uh,” asked, bewildered.

“Is a check-up usually like that?”

He had never had a health check-up in his life. The gender test with Ariel was also his first since school. Ashley’s answer came immediately.

– It’s usually like that. I also take about a week off work and stay home when I have a health check-up.

“I see… So everyone else does that too?”

– Yes.

To Ashley, who repeated the same answer, Koi said, “Okay.”

“Then I’ll have to do that… Don’t worry, since it’s a part-time job, I’m free to work or not. I’ll rest at home as you say.”

– Good.

Only then did Ashley return to his usual tone and conclude. Koi also smiled with relief, then Ashley asked.

– I’ll prepare everything so you can do it right after the funeral procedures are over, so it should take three days. Stay at my house during that time.

“N-no, it’s okay.”

Remembering being chased out by the doorman at the entrance, Koi hastily replied. If he had the same experience again, he really felt like he would get depressed. Moreover, he didn’t feel like being alone in that big house without Ashley, and Ashley’s last appearance had been so cold that he was afraid to wait alone.

“I’ll stay here. Don’t worry, I won’t go to work.”

He couldn’t let the expensive health check-up go to waste. He secretly vowed and promised him, but Ashley’s reaction was firm.

– No, that house isn’t a good environment. I told you, you need to maintain your best condition. Come to my house, I’ll take care of it.

“Oh…”

Ashley seemed to completely disregard Koi’s wishes. But he couldn’t be stubborn either. His heart warmed, feeling that Ashley was doing his best for Koi even though his own situation wasn’t good, so Koi finally nodded, agreeing.

“Okay, then I’ll go tomorrow.”

– You should.

Ashley, who had spoken in a strong tone, once again emphasized that Koi should come to his house and wait for him, then hung up the phone. Koi belatedly realized he hadn’t properly said goodbye to him, but it was already too late. He looked down at his phone, from which no sound now came, sighed, and lay down on the bed.

What happened to Ash’s memory?

The buried question resurfaced. Hadn’t the situation been resolved? Is it still the after-effects of the pheromones? What if it is?

If he’s tired, his condition will get worse.

But he couldn’t avoid it either. What about his parents’ funeral? Koi groaned, shaking his head.

I can meet Ash in a few days.

It wouldn’t be too late to confirm then. Anyway, his task was clear. When day broke, he would pack a simple bag, go to Ashley’s house, and wait for him. He would get enough rest for the health check-up. The end. Koi organized his thoughts like that, then forced himself to sleep.

He had barely fallen asleep when he was woken by a sudden abdominal pain.

“Ah, ouch…”

He groaned involuntarily, curling his body into a fetal position like a shrimp. The pain, which came occasionally, was a bit longer this time. As he groaned, clutching his stomach, he suddenly felt a warmth in a corner of his body.

…Huh?

Koi, sweating coldly, barely opened his eyes and waited blankly. Another throbbing pain came, and just as he bit his lip and grimaced, a wave of warmth spread throughout his body.

…Oh.

He froze. The pain slowly subsided, and instead, his body began to heat up. Koi knew what this was. He had experienced it before. Only then did Koi realize what the irregular pain that had started a while ago was.

His heat cycle had come.

The moment he realized that, Koi’s entire body froze.