Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 23

He felt pathetic for feeling so self-deprecating over something so trivial, but he couldn’t help his shoulders slumping. Ashleigh, who was checking the cart to see if anything was missing, said, ignoring Koi behind him.

“Could you get some drinks and ice from the snack bar? The snack bar is…”

“Second floor, right? Okay, I’ll get it!”

Koi replied, his face brightening. He then realized his mistake belatedly when Ashleigh looked up at him. Koi had no choice but to confess the truth.

“Um… when I came to your house yesterday. I… wandered around the house a bit to find you. I saw it then.”

“Ah, I see…”

Ashleigh nodded, as if he finally understood. Right, he brought me soup yesterday.

Unlike Ashleigh, who understood internally, Koi grew anxious. He was embarrassed for having wandered around the house without permission, and at the same time, he was afraid Ashleigh might dislike him for it, causing his shoulders to involuntarily hunch. He watched nervously, but unexpectedly, Ashleigh simply turned his head and checked the dishes on the cart.

Huh?

As Koi stared, bewildered, Ashleigh looked back at him and asked.

“What are you doing?”

“Oh? Uh…”

Koi, who came to his senses belatedly, quickly stepped back and said.

“I-I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.”

Ashleigh said casually, then grabbed the cart handle.

“Where do you want to eat? Dining room? Living room?”

“Uh, anywhere’s fine with me.”

Koi replied quickly. He meant it. With Ashleigh, he would even eat scorpions in the middle of the desert. Ashleigh thought for a moment, then spoke.

“Let’s eat in the garden. There’s a gazebo, you’ll see it right away when you go out.”

“Ah, okay.”

Koi nodded.

“Got it.”

“Right.”

Ashleigh said, pulling the cart ahead.

“I’ll get things ready, so bring the drinks and cups.”

“Okay. Ice too?”

When Koi asked one last time, Ashleigh chuckled.

“You might not eat it, but I do.”

This was Koi’s chance to clear up Ashleigh’s misunderstanding, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t want Ashleigh to know that he was from a completely different world. Of course, even if he did, he could never live in the same world as him, but if Ashleigh found out he lived in a completely different world, he felt like he would truly be separated from Ashleigh forever.

What’s so important about ice in cola anyway?

Koi thought, quickly running towards the snack bar. He didn’t care if he never put ice in cola for the rest of his life. As long as he could be with Ashleigh.

As they ate, the sun slowly began to set. The entire sky, dyed by the sunset, burned red, a truly spectacular sight.

“It’s amazing.”

Koi mumbled, pausing his meal. The mansion where Ashleigh lived was not only enormous in size but also had incredibly vast grounds. Moreover, located at an altitude closer to a small mountain than a hill, it offered a high vantage point. So, standing on the grounds, he could see the houses below the mountain at a glance, and in the evening, the lights emanating from each house sparkled brilliantly, creating an incredibly enchanting night view.

It was the first time Koi had seen such a sight, and he unconsciously let out a small gasp of admiration. It was a scene unimaginable for Koi, who lived in a shabby, old motorhome.

Ashleigh must see this night view every day.

Thinking that, he felt the distance between himself and Ashleigh again. As much as the difference between someone who puts ice in cola and someone who cannot.

“What’s wrong?”

Ashleigh asked. Koi, who had been staring blankly, startled and shook his head.

“No, nothing.”

Thinking such things was useless. What mattered was the present. Ash and I are having dinner together right now, and that’s all that matters.

“It’s delicious.”

Koi said, even though he could barely taste the food. It was just one of the countless secrets he kept from Ashleigh.

“Thank you so much today, Ash.”

Late at night, Koi, who had finished preparing to leave, expressed his gratitude. Ashleigh, not smiling as usual, said with a frown.

“I said I’d take you home.”

“No, it’s really okay.”

Koi vehemently refused, even waving his hands.

“It’s a quick bike ride.”

He absolutely did not want Ashleigh to see the shabby state of his motorhome. It was enough for Koi alone to know that such a world existed.

“You still have a bit of a cold, you should rest.”

Koi said sincerely. It was also true that he was worried about Ashleigh’s health. He was still feverish, but he had overexerted himself by bringing Koi and taking him back.

After dinner, Koi had given Ashleigh another dose of medicine, carefully packaged the remaining medicine, and handed it to him. With a reminder to never forget to take it.

“Okay.”

Ashleigh nodded reluctantly. Koi smiled once more, then gripped the handlebars of his bicycle.

“Koi.”

“Huh?”

He turned back at the sudden call, and Ashleigh was looking at him. He waited for him to speak, but Ashleigh remained silent for a while, then shook his head.

“No, nothing.”

“Okay…”

Koi, feeling somehow disappointed, hesitated, then his face brightened as if he had thought of something good.

“Come to think of it, the new semester is starting soon, isn’t it?”

“So?”

To Ashleigh’s question, Koi replied with a bright smile.

“Now we can see each other every day.”

Only then did Ashleigh seem to understand, and his face softened.

“Yeah.”

Ashleigh said.

“That’s right.”

“Yeah.”

Koi nodded again, then vigorously pedaled and got on his bike.

“Bye, Ash. Get well soon!”

He held the handlebars with one hand and waved widely with the other, looking back. Before Ashleigh could wave back, he turned his head, and quickly disappeared from sight.

The surroundings instantly fell silent. All that remained was Ashleigh and his persistent cold.

“…Haa.”

Ashleigh intentionally let out a sigh, then turned and went inside the mansion. The silence he always experienced felt unusually heavy today.

Pant, pant.

Koi pedaled with all his might, going as fast as he could. He had to get home before his father returned. His father would be very angry because he had stayed out overnight without permission the day before.

Even if I had asked, he would never have allowed it anyway.

Koi, who had thought that to himself, pedaled even more frantically. He had to quickly get into bed and hold his breath to remain unnoticed. The fortunate thing was that if he was asleep, his father wouldn’t forcibly wake him up to hit him or cause trouble.

But unfortunately, luck was not on his side.

“Gasp.”

The moment he spotted the motorhome with its dim light on, Koi gasped in surprise. He stopped his bicycle there and watched for a while, then heard something shatter inside, followed by his father shouting. The shouts, mixed with curses, were unclear in pronunciation, but they were definitely calling for Koi.

I can’t be seen now.

He knew well from many experiences. If he got caught at times like this, he would always be beaten to death. It was better to wait outside in the night dew until his father fell asleep. His father always left for work as soon as he woke up, so he just needed to get through this. Koi made up his mind and quietly backed away, hiding himself at a distance where the motorhome’s light was still visible.

As he lay his bicycle on the ground and crouched down, watching the motorhome, everything that had just happened felt like a dream. To eat dinner in such a large mansion, watching the sunset. And with Ashleigh.

Even after spending a night at Ashleigh’s house, it felt unreal. Perhaps it was all just a dream I had?

Suddenly, he snapped awake.

I really must have been dreaming all this time! What if taking the exam was also a dream?

Just as he thought that, his cell phone suddenly rang. Koi, startled, looked at the screen and his eyes widened. Ashleigh’s number was displayed.

“H-hello?”

He answered, stammering in confusion, and after a brief pause, Ashleigh responded.

• Koi?

“Ah, yeah.”

Koi nodded, trying to force down his involuntarily quickening breath.

“It’s me, Ash.”

Even though he intentionally spoke his name, he still felt no sense of reality. Is someone playing a prank on me? Koi briefly thought, then immediately dismissed it. He realized he didn’t have any acquaintances who would play such a prank on him.

It really is Ash.