Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 65

Always, on the way Ashley took Koi home, after stopping the car, Ashley would get out first and stand facing Koi.

“Thanks for the ride, Ash.” Koi said, looking up at him. Ashley silently looked down at Koi, but he wasn’t looking at his face. Perhaps noticing his gaze, Koi looked down, then said “Ah,” and looked up again.

“Thanks, for buying me clothes again… you could have just lent me yours.”

“No, absolutely not.” Ashley strongly denied. Koi looked at him in surprise, but Ashley was serious. Koi had no idea how he had looked earlier, but for Ashley, it was an incredibly serious situation.

After showering, when Ashley saw Koi come out wearing his old, worn-out jeans and the new T-shirt Ashley had lent him, Ashley froze. The ill-fitting shirt hung loosely, revealing Koi’s skin from above. Seeing all the marks he had bitten and sucked still clearly visible, Ashley felt both intense anger and desire simultaneously.

He immediately put Koi in the car and headed to the mall, buying him three shirts that fit his size and making him wear them before he could finally relax. Of course, Koi, completely unaware of the situation, simply thought, ‘Ash doesn’t like it when others wear his clothes.’

They still stood facing each other. Although outwardly nothing seemed different from before, Koi somehow felt that today’s atmosphere was different from usual.

Well, it can’t be helped.

He admitted it, feeling a bitter pang inside. He was the one who had created this situation. But he couldn’t help it.

Ash is just mistaken.

Koi understood his own situation very well. Ashley had only included him in his group out of pity, and while he was grateful for that, he shouldn’t misunderstand further. Moreover, Ashley had only recently presented, so he must be quite confused. He would surely regret it later.

He’ll be glad later that I didn’t readily accept him.

“Thanks for everything, Ash.” Koi managed a difficult smile. Thank you for saying you like me, even if it was just a misunderstanding. He added inwardly. You’re really a good person.

“Koi.”

“Yeah.”

Ashley called his name. Koi quickly replied. Ashley was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth.

“What I said about liking you was sincere.”

“That…”

“It’s not a misunderstanding, and I didn’t say it wrong. I like you.”

Ashley firmly cut off Koi’s words. Seeing Koi stammering and searching for words, Ashley continued.

“I don’t know why you’re so strongly denying my words, but I know my feelings better than you do. I like you, and this is not a lie.”

“…”

“I like you. Why can’t you believe me?”

Ashley gave a bitter smile. The setting sun dyed the surroundings completely red. Koi stared blankly at Ashley’s brilliant platinum blonde hair, which was tinged orange and occasionally swayed in the wind. He opened his mouth, but no sound came out properly. “That,” Koi finally replied after a long pause.

“Someone like me… there’s no way you’d like me.”

Ashley frowned. His displeasure was clearly evident, and Koi, at a loss, shifted his gaze around.

“Koi.”

“Yeah.”

As he hastily replied, Ashley commanded in a voice more serious and stern than ever before.

“Don’t ever say ‘someone like me’ again. If you do, I’ll become someone who likes ‘someone like you’.”

“…”

Koi was speechless, only staring at his face. Ashley continued.

“Don’t you dare belittle the Koi I like. If anyone despises Connor Niles, I’ll get angry, no matter who it is. Even if it’s you.”

In a strong tone, Koi had nothing to say. Seeing him just speechless, Ashley asked.

“Understood, Koi?”

“…”

“Connor Niles.”

Ashley called his full name. Koi hastily nodded.

“Yes.”

Koi quickly added in a trembling voice.

“I won’t do that again, from now on.”

Only then did Ashley’s expression soften, and his usual gentle smile appeared.

“Good.”

Seeing his smiling face, Koi felt somewhat relieved, but he still found it hard to believe the current situation was real. Am I dreaming right now?

Perhaps I’m still lying on the bed with Ash.

Maybe I just fell asleep while waiting for his presentation to end, lying next to him. Otherwise, there was no way Ashley would say such things to him.

Just as he thought that, Ashley’s voice suddenly cut in.

“Are you belittling yourself again right now?”

“What? Oh, no.”

At Ashley’s suspicious expression, Koi was startled and shook his head.

“I just, um… I can’t believe it.”

“That I like you?”

Koi couldn’t even answer. Ashley was now used to his reaction and was no longer surprised or flustered.

“It’s okay, even if you don’t believe me.” Ashley said.

“I’ll continue to like you, and I’ll tell you how much I like you again and again until you believe me. So it doesn’t matter. I’ll never give up until you accept it, whether out of exhaustion or sincerity.”

“But…”

Koi couldn’t finish his sentence, trailing off and lowering his head. He had no idea how to interpret this situation. As he stood there, hesitating, Ashley rummaged in his pants pocket and pulled something out, holding it out to him.

“…Huh?”

Seeing the object he held out, Koi’s eyes widened, and he looked up. Ashley, seeing his expression, opened his mouth.

“That’s right, the homecoming party ticket you gave me.”

“Why would you…”

To a flustered Koi, Ashley said.

“I wanted to go with you with this.”

Koi also knew that. Had he changed his mind? While he thought it was natural, he also felt conflicted, wondering why he was specifically returning the ticket. Just as the returned ticket somehow pained his heart, Ashley said something unexpected.

“Give this to me when you feel like you want to go with me.”

“Huh… huh?”

At the unexpected words, Koi stammered again. Ashley continued in a calm voice.

“You just have to tell me you want to go to the party with me. Then I’ll know.”

A faint smile appeared on Ashley’s lips.

“That you like me too.”

Koi stood speechless, his mouth agape. Ashley, who clearly saw that he was in a panic as if a war had broken out in his mind, no longer dragged it out. He bent down and took Koi’s hand. He placed the ticket on his limp palm, bent his fingers to force him to grip it, and then held Koi’s hand in his own.

“I’ll wait, Koi.”

Leaving those words, Ashley kissed Koi’s cheek again. Smack, a cute sound was heard, and a moist sensation remained on his cheek.

“Then goodbye, Koi. See you tomorrow.”

Ashley smiled and waved, then readily got into the car. And leaving Koi, who was still standing blankly, behind, he drove his Cayenne away.

Koi, reflected in the rearview mirror, quickly disappeared from view. Ashley, instead of going straight home, changed lanes and began to drive aimlessly on the road.

He didn’t want to go home right now. He had just been with Koi, and now he was alone again.

In fact, it wasn’t much different when he lived in the East. Many servants always bustled around the mansion he lived in, yet it was still silent. He had run away because he hated that, and it was still silent here, but it was better than having people around. Because it was only natural for it to be silent if no one was there.

But that natural silence changed after Koi came to his house. Ashley was now sick of that silence. He no longer wanted to sleep alone. But it wasn’t just anyone he wanted. There was only one person he desired.

Suddenly, the hand gripping the steering wheel came into view. A bandage was wrapped around his arm, visible beneath his short-sleeved T-shirt. It was the bandage Koi had put on him while he was asleep.

He held the steering wheel with one hand and lifted his bandaged arm. Ashley looked at it for a moment, then gently pressed his lips to the bandage. The sudden warmth he felt was like Koi’s, and he unconsciously sighed.