Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 61

Ashley stumbled, feeling a dizzy spell for the first time. Koi, held by Ashley, also sensed something strange, looked up, and gasped, reaching out his hand.

“Ash, Ash, are you okay?” Koi asked, flustered. Ashley tried to say he was fine, but his mouth wouldn’t move. It wasn’t just his mouth that wouldn’t obey his will. His whole body felt heavy as lead, unable to move even a single finger as he wished.

…What is this?

As he wondered, a piercing pain shot through the back of his eyes. Ashley swallowed a groan and covered his eyes with both hands.

“Ash!” Koi cried out urgently. Ashley, with one hand covering his eyes, raised his other hand to stop him.

“I’m… fine.”

“Ash.”

“Sorry, Koi. …Let’s talk later.”

Ashley finished his words with difficulty, then staggered and walked away. A flustered Koi stood there, watching his retreating back, and belatedly tried to follow him. But before he could, Bill spotted him first, and then his friends surrounded Ashley.

“Ash, what’s wrong?”

“What’s going on? What is it?”

“Ash, snap out of it!”

In an instant, there was no room for Koi among them as they surrounded Ashley and left. Koi could only watch them disappear, his heart pounding with anxiety and worry.

“What? Leaving early?”

Koi, who had briefly run into Bill during class change and asked about Ashley’s condition, was surprised by the unexpected answer and repeated what he had just heard. Bill sighed, scratched the back of his head, and replied.

“Yeah, his condition suddenly got really bad. It’s strange, he seemed fine when he came to school this morning.”

He corrected himself, “No, his complexion wasn’t good. I asked him if anything happened yesterday because he looked different than usual, and he said nothing did. But I don’t know why he suddenly became like that. Do you know anything?”

“Oh, no…” Koi shook his head, flustered. “I don’t know either.”

It was true. Ashley’s condition had rapidly worsened when he was with him, but he had just left with his friends, and Koi was left behind.

“So you don’t know the cause either?” Bill asked. Koi nodded. Bill sighed again and turned to leave. Left alone, Koi reluctantly walked towards his next class.

This class was also one he shared with Ashley, but Ashley was nowhere to be seen. What on earth was going on? Koi was so worried that he couldn’t concentrate on the class at all.

Even during the cheerleading team’s physical training after class, Koi kept thinking about Ashley. But Bill and the other ice hockey team members didn’t know what happened afterward, and Ashley wasn’t even answering his phone.

He’s not answering his phone.

After practice, Koi made one last call and silently stared at his phone as it went to voicemail.

It would be rational to just go home. He was just another person to Ashley, like any other friend. There was no good in getting involved unnecessarily.

But.

Ashley’s image, suffering alone, kept appearing in Koi’s mind. His feverish face, unable to even properly eat soup, flickered before his eyes, unbearable to witness.

In the end, he turned his bicycle and headed for Ashley’s house.

I have to check on him myself.

The grand mansion where Ashley lived was pitch black, with not a single light on. The mansion, hunched black in the already fallen darkness, looked like a giant monster. Koi felt an eerie chill at the darkness of the mansion he had never known before, yet he bravely walked towards the front door.

Everywhere was dead silent. His fear grew even more with the silence he had never felt when spending time with Ashley. Yet, he didn’t retreat or run away, thinking that this darkness and silence must have been Ashley’s everyday life.

He must be alone in this mansion right now.

According to Ashley, there were no employees at this hour. In such a large mansion, Ashley was all alone.

Koi steeled his resolve and carefully entered the mansion. In his hands, he held a bag containing cream soup, mushroom soup, and cold medicine. He had, of course, omitted the vegetable soup.

He wanted to buy something more delicious, but his money only allowed for this much. Hoping it would help Ashley, Koi climbed the stairs one by one. The distance to Ashley’s room felt endlessly far. And finally, he reached his destination.

Haa, haa.

His rough breaths intensified his dizziness. Ashley lay with his eyes closed, gasping for air. He had left school early with his friends’ help and come home, but he had been in this state ever since he barely managed to lie down on the bed.

Even lying down, he felt so dizzy that he kept wanting to vomit. He curled up in a ball and lay motionless, only gasping for breath.

His whole body was burning hot. He had never had such a high fever, no matter how bad the cold he had suffered. And strangely, an unknown sweet scent kept wafting around him. He thought this scent felt familiar for some reason. It was definitely a scent he had smelled somewhere before. It was clearly the same, yet different. …Who was it, this? In his hazy mind, he tried to recall.

‘Who’…?

“Augh…”

The moment he recalled that much, a piercing pain shot through his eyes. Ashley covered his eyes with his hands and groaned. His body felt like it was burning. The rising heat was driving him crazy, yet at the same time, a languor spread throughout his body, making him not want to move even a finger. Only one thought came to mind.

I want to pour out this heat somewhere.

Koi.

Ashley whispered his name between ragged breaths. Koi, Koi, Koi. His eyes continued to ache, and his whole body was so hot it tingled, but only his name kept lingering in his mouth. I want to hold you, I want to kiss you.

Ah, if only I could hold you and pour everything into you.

A deep sigh and a suppressed groan escaped him. It was the first time he had felt such an intense desire. If Koi were in front of him now, he wouldn’t hesitate this time. He would strip his clothes, lick his skin, suck on it, and mark his entire body. Even if Koi burst into tears, trembled in fear, or begged him to stop, he wouldn’t listen. You, you, you. Ashley repeatedly thought. His mind was already filled with only that one thing.

I’ll make you my Omega.

“Ash…”

Suddenly, a familiar voice pierced his mind. Ashley gasped and blinked, lying on the bed.

He couldn’t tell if this was a dream or reality, or if he was still lost in a delusion. He remained motionless, and a moment later, the voice spoke again.

“Ash, it’s me. Koi.”

The moment he realized whose voice it was, Ashley’s mind went completely blank.

“Ash…”

Koi hesitated and entered the room. Just like the rest of the mansion, this room also had no lights on. Stepping into the room where only the faint light of the night entered through the window, Koi cautiously called his name.

“Um, sorry for suddenly showing up. I called, but you didn’t answer…”

Koi, who had prepared his words, stammered and asked again.

“Are you… very sick? Is it another cold? I bought some soup and medicine just in case…”

Koi closed his mouth and waited for Ashley’s reaction. He still didn’t answer. Ashley hadn’t said a single word so far.

Maybe he’s angry at me.

Koi’s heart ached, but he couldn’t just turn back after coming all this way. Instead, he took another step forward.

“Ash, um… can I come closer?”

He cautiously asked for permission, but again, he received no answer. Koi slowly walked step by step towards the bed.

Maybe he’s asleep. Koi thought. Before, Ashley had been delirious with fever and only opened his eyes when he brought him soup.

He must be really sick.

Feeling a pang of pity and heartache, Koi continued to move. On the bed, a bulging lump rose. It was clearly Ashley, covered by the blanket.

Koi planned to just lift the blanket slightly, check Ashley’s face, and then go make soup or do whatever was needed. But actually, more than that… he just really wanted to see his face. Koi took a deep breath and opened his mouth.

“Ash…”

As he whispered and carefully grabbed the edge of the sheet, an arm suddenly shot out from within, and Koi was unexpectedly pulled down onto the bed.

“…Ah!”

He screamed in surprise and slammed into the mattress. When Koi belatedly lifted his head, Ashley was above him, gasping for breath and looking down at him.