Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 35

As they walked together, Ashley let Bill’s incessant chatter flow in one ear and out the other. According to Koi, it seemed the rumor was that Ariel had dumped Ashley, but that didn’t matter to him.

As expected, Bill’s stories were consistently trivial everyday matters. Eventually, after hearing about his dog pooping on the street during a walk the day before, Ashley almost yawned.

“Did anyone come looking for me while I was off training?”

He asked, deliberately changing the subject, and Bill replied, “No.”

“No one?”

Damn, Ashley thought to himself. Did he completely forget meeting Koi?

“You told Koi that Ariel dumped me.”

“Koi?”

Bill tilted his head and asked.

“That small, skinny kid? Why him? Oh, now that you mention it.”

He belatedly snapped his fingers.

“He did come and ask why you weren’t around when you were resting. I told him you were taking a break because you were sick.”

Following that, Ashley frowned at Bill, who was humming and walking.

“…Is that all?”

“Yeah, that’s all. Why? Is something wrong?”

At Bill’s puzzled question, Ashley feigned ignorance, turned his head, quickly took off his shirt, and changed the subject.

“So what happened to that dog earlier?”

“What? Oh, right. So I was going to pick up the poop, but I didn’t bring a bag…”

Ashley just let Bill’s continuous noisy chatter flow past him.

There wasn’t much to say.

Ashley didn’t bother to mention that Koi had come to comfort him. It was enough for just him and Koi to know.

Just then, a group walking from the other direction acknowledged them.

“Ash, you’re here.”

“Hey, why are you so weak for your size? How many times has this happened already?”

The large guys greeted him warmly, happy to have him back, and jostled him around. After exchanging light hugs one by one, Ashley prepared for class. His eyes searched for Koi, and he subtly smiled when he spotted a familiar head in the distance.

It’s Koi.

No matter how many people gathered, he could spot Koi instantly. It was a strange, new experience. Among so many people, only Koi shone brightly. He could recognize him from just a small part.

Koi opened his locker. He seemed to rummage inside, then closed it again and turned around. Ashley waited for him to look at him.

Their eyes met.

Ashley.

He clearly saw the shape of Koi’s lips calling his name. Ashley’s smile deepened, and Koi also smiled and waved.

“I’m going.”

Ashley said goodbye to the group and walked away with quick strides. He pushed through the jostling kids, running towards only one point.

“Koi!”

As he called his name from behind and tackled him from behind, Koi let out a groan.

I like you.

Ashley felt his heart swell with joy and hugged him tightly.

“You want to join the cheerleading team?”

Koi gave an awkward smile to Ariel, the captain of the cheerleading team, who was looking at him with a surprised expression. After immense hesitation, he had finally knocked on the cheerleading team’s door.

“Are you serious? You know you have to wear a skirt, right?”

Ariel asked with a frown. Koi changed the subject instead of answering.

“I’ll do my best.”

“You have to do well, what’s the point of just doing your best?”

Ariel retorted sharply. Koi also thought they were different from him, so he had nothing to say. Seeing him just blush in embarrassment, Ariel said.

“Are you really sure? It’s going to be a problem if you run away saying you can’t do it once the season starts.”

“Please let me in.”

Koi pleaded desperately. Ariel crossed her arms and scrutinized him. With a visibly troubled and serious expression, Koi remained silent, holding his breath, waiting for the result.

Ariel, who had been looking at Koi with a displeased gaze, suddenly took a big stride and approached him. As Koi flinched in surprise, she whispered in a low voice.

“I know you’re doing this for extracurricular activity points.”

As Koi gasped, she glared at him sharply and threatened.

“It’s good that you voluntarily came to get your points, but if you mess up our team, I swear I’ll torment you forever.”

Koi’s spine tingled, and he hastily nodded.

“Uh, uh-huh.”

“Good.”

Ariel stepped back. Returning to her initial strict captain persona, she spoke to the frozen Koi.

“It’s true that we’re in a hurry right now, but we don’t just accept anyone. In the worst case, we can change the choreography and finish the season with just us. Understand?”

“Yes, I understand.”

“Good.”

Ariel nodded again and handed him the printout she had prepared in advance. As Koi hastily took it, she explained.

“These are the basic movements. I’ll test how well you can do them, so practice them. If you make a mistake, you’re immediately out, so pay close attention.”

“Oh, okay. Thank you.”

Just as Koi hastily checked the printout and was about to leave the club room.

“Wait, Connor Niles.”

“Uh, huh?”

He paused and turned around, and Ariel looked at him suspiciously and asked.

“Just in case, do you know how to skate?”

“S-skate?”

To Koi, who stammered at the unexpected question, Ariel said with a frown.

“Isn’t that obvious? Don’t you know our school’s ice hockey team is the national high school champion? Of course, the cheerleading team has to cheer for the ice hockey team.”

“Oh, right.”

He had forgotten. No, it was more accurate to say he hadn’t even thought about it. At Koi’s belatedly flustered reaction, Ariel’s expression instantly changed.

“Are you serious? You can’t skate? Skate?”

He denied it vehemently in his panic. Ariel still looked full of suspicion but didn’t press further and backed off.

“Anyway, no matter how well you can skate, it’s over if you can’t do the basic movements.”

She said simply and then readily turned around and walked towards the team members who were stretching. Koi hesitated there and then quickly fled as if escaping.

Big trouble.

As he went outside, reality immediately hit him. Koi turned pale and clutched his head. Skating, he hadn’t even thought about it. Skating? And doing choreography while skating?

Not only could he not skate, he didn’t even have ice skates!

Koi stood there blankly, his soul having left his body. He had no idea how to deal with this situation.

How should I fix this situation? Should I say I can’t do it now? Then what about the extracurricular activity points? Should I ask them to find something else? No, this was the last one. If I can’t do this, what about my GPA? Is there really no other way than this?

Ugh, he groaned.

“Koi? What are you doing here?”

At the familiar voice from behind, Koi turned around in surprise. The moment he saw the familiar face walking towards him from the other side, he involuntarily shouted with relief.

“Ash!”

Koi ran towards him, delighted, and instantly stopped right in front of Ashley. Ashley, who had been waiting for him, smiled but tilted his head in confusion. Koi took a breath and then opened his mouth.

“You know, I…”

Koi, who was about to speak, paused. Something suddenly flashed through his mind. Ashley was dating Ariel. Even if he wasn’t, most sports clubs had a special relationship with the cheerleading team, so he would know the internal situation well. Didn’t he also know that the cheerleading team was facing a serious crisis due to a vacancy?

Perhaps he also knew about the skirt?

It was bound to happen anyway, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it, especially to Ashley.

Ashley looked down at Koi, who had stopped mid-sentence, with a puzzled expression. He was about to ask what was wrong when the cheerleading team’s door suddenly opened, and girls’ voices were heard. Ashley hastily pulled Koi’s arm.

“Let’s go for now.”