Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 29

“Be more careful next time.”

“Ah… okay.”

Koi nodded, but he couldn’t let go of his regret for the bread that had ended up in the trash.

What a waste, I could have eaten it if I just cut off the moldy part.

He was filled with regret, but it was already too late. Soon, Koi’s mind was filled with other thoughts.

“Are you okay? You must be very hungry.”

His words were true. Ashley was so hungry his stomach felt shriveled, but he still had business to take care of.

“More importantly, what are you doing here? …At this hour.”

He should have bought the tickets quickly and left, but his mouth was saying something else. Koi, completely unaware of Ashley’s internal groan, readily replied.

“It’s very busy at the beginning of the semester. I’m short on extracurricular activities and volunteer hours, so…”

His voice trailed off, as if embarrassed. Ashley casually brushed it off with an “Oh, I see.” He was flustered at the unexpected encounter with Koi at this hour at school, and he couldn’t immediately think of how to react. Perhaps it was due to hunger. Nevertheless, his nerves, instead of sharpening, were gradually softening. Moreover, he had to force himself to press down the corners of his mouth to prevent a smile from appearing, and Ashley struggled to make his constantly stopping mind work.

Buy the tickets quickly and leave. That was the best option.

“Two tickets.”

“Huh?”

Koi blinked and looked up at him. Ashley slowly broke down each syllable and repeated himself.

“Tickets, please. Home, coming, party.”

“Ah, ah-ha.”

Koi finally understood and nodded. He expected him to rush to the counter, but for some reason, Koi hesitated and didn’t leave his spot.

“Um… I’m sorry, but we’re all out.”

“What?”

This time, Ashley didn’t understand. Koi took a deep breath, exhaled, and then said in a clearer tone.

“They’re all sold out. So there are none left now.”

Ashley looked down at him without a word. Seeing him stand motionless, not even blinking, Koi secretly grew worried.

“Out? The tickets?”

After a few seconds, Ashley finally burst out in a rough voice. Koi flinched at the sudden outburst, as if he was suppressing his anger and then letting it all out at once, and then nodded with difficulty.

“Uh, uh-huh… The last two were sold just a moment ago. About, 30 minutes ago…”

Koi stammered, starting to explain the situation with unnecessary detail.

“I think they were 10th graders, they bought them saying they were going with their first girlfriend. I should have put up a ‘sold out’ sign, but I thought no one would come at this hour, so I decided to clean up first and just put it up before closing. I’m sorry, if I had known you were coming, I wouldn’t have sold them… I never thought you still hadn’t bought them. I’m sorry.”

He kept apologizing, but it was useless. What he needed wasn’t an apology, but tickets. Tickets that would bring Ashley back to his normal life.

But the plan went awry from the start. Nothing went according to plan, from his decision not to meet Koi again to buying the tickets. And on top of that, he was starving.

Why did it turn out like this?

Ashley groaned in pain, covering his eyes with one hand and leaning his head back. What is it about a mere homecoming party that I have to experience such frustration?

“…Haa.”

After a few more seconds, Ashley finally accepted reality. It wasn’t difficult. The truth was simple. He was screwed.

Ashley dropped his hand and adjusted the bag on his shoulder. And he prepared to leave this damn school.

“Goodbye, Koi.”

Just as he said goodbye weakly and turned around.

“W-wait, Ash!”

Koi, who had been timidly watching him until then, suddenly shouted. When Ashley turned around, wondering if he was going to offer spoiled milk this time, Koi fumbled in his pocket and held something out.

“Um, this.”

“…What is it?”

When he spoke indifferently, Koi simply held it out again without a word. Ashley, looking reluctant, took it and unfolded the crumpled paper one step at a time. First, he saw the word “Party,” then the date, and then the word “Home.”

With each fold he unfolded, Ashley’s expression changed slightly. Koi watched the change in his expression with delight. Finally, when he had completely unfolded the ticket, Ashley looked down at him with a surprised face.

“How did this happen?”

To Ashley’s question, Koi only smiled with a proud expression.

“You said they were all sold out, what happened? Were you messing with me?”

Ashley asked, suppressing his annoyance, and Koi replied, still smiling.

“I got it as a gift.”

“A gift?”

“Yeah,” Koi nodded.

“Teacher Bacon gave it to me, saying thank you for helping out at the cafeteria in her place.”

“But she gave it to you.”

“That’s true, but.”

At Ashley’s point, Koi replied shyly,

“I don’t have a girlfriend, and I don’t have anything to wear.”

He confessed honestly, then continued in a lighter tone,

“So it’ll be much more meaningful if you have it.”

“No, wait, wait a minute.”

Ashley, confused, held out one hand, interrupting him.

“I’m a little confused right now, but you’re saying you’re giving me something you received as a gift? Without any compensation?”

“Yes, of course.”

Koi nodded as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“If it’s for you, I don’t mind it at all.”

“…”

Ashley looked at him without a word. Flustered by the ensuing silence, Koi fidgeted with his ear, mumbling,

“Um, I really didn’t know the bread was spoiled. I’m sorry.”

“That’s fine.”

Ashley mumbled. He barely managed to speak, as if squeezing his vocal cords, but nothing else came to mind. Of course, he never thought Koi had offered it to him intentionally. He just wanted to give Ashley something.

Without any compensation.

Ashley opened his mouth. Koi’s eyes sparkled, waiting for him to speak.

“…Why do you like doing things for me so much?”

“Well, of course.”

To the question that came after a long pause, Koi replied without hesitation.

“Why?”

Ashley asked again. Koi’s answer flowed out instantly this time too. But to Ashley, that moment felt incredibly slow.

With bright, shining eyes, a wide smile spreading across his face, and cheeks flushed red with joy, Koi said,

“Because I like you.”

Ashley felt as if he had been struck by something, his mind blank. It felt as if his heart had fallen to the floor and then shot back up. Then his pulse pounded wildly, his face flushed, fireworks continuously exploded in his ears, and a tremor spread to his fingertips. At that moment, he felt as if his feet were floating in the air.

Ah.

He realized. He could no longer deny it.

I like this guy.

It had clearly started with pity. But when did that feeling change like this?

Ashley thought.

Maybe I still pity this guy.

But Ashley knew that was a lie. His heart wouldn’t pound like this out of pity.

Suddenly, a hollow laugh escaped him.

To think I was going to keep my distance from Koi for a while, what kind of ridiculous thought was that?

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Everyone knew Koi was a boy. It was an obvious fact.

But so what?

This pounding heart, this excited breath, this trembling gaze, they are all directed only at you.

“…Koi.”

After a long pause, Ashley finally spoke. Koi reacted immediately.

“Huh?”

It was clear he was pricking up his ears, not wanting to miss a single word of what he was about to say. Ashley’s lips naturally softened into a smile.

“Want to go together? To the homecoming party.”

“W-what?”

Koi exclaimed in surprise. Ashley could have confessed he was a serial killer and Koi wouldn’t have been this shocked. Koi’s eyes widened, he jumped back, then took a step forward again.

“Go to the homecoming party? With me?”

“Yeah.”

Ashley nodded.

“If you have someone else you want to go with…”

“No, absolutely not! There’s no one! How could there be for me! I’m Connor Niles!”

“I know.”

Ashley burst out laughing. Koi’s face turned bright red with embarrassment, but he stubbornly said what he wanted to say.

“Maybe for Ashley Miller, but Connor Niles will never have someone like that in his entire life.”

“That’s good then.”

“What?”

Koi unconsciously asked back. He thought he had misheard. But Ashley, still smiling, said,

“You only need me for the rest of your life.”