Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 83

“A-Al!”

Koi belatedly called out to stop her. Ariel, who had walked some distance, turned around, and Koi stammered,

“Um, one more thing… Can I ask?”

Ariel nodded, as if to say, “Go ahead.” Koi hesitated, then with difficulty, began to speak.

“Um, buying clothes… that’s because you’re embarrassed of your friend, right?”

Ariel frowned.

“If I were embarrassed, I wouldn’t hang out with them, why would I buy them clothes?”

At her unhesitating question, Koi hesitated, then answered,

“Because you’re friends…?”

“Hmm,” Ariel tilted her head and said,

“Well, you might buy a T-shirt or something, right?”

Koi lowered his gaze and mumbled,

“He… bought me quite a lot…”

“How much?”

When Ariel asked, Koi searched his memory and began to list them one by one.

“Um, a dress shirt, T-shirts, and pants too… Oh, and a watch.”

Ariel, who had been listening silently, frowned and sighed.

“That’s not something a friend does, that’s flirting.”

Koi flinched and shook his head.

“No, he’s the same gender, how could he…?”

“Koi, Ash is rich and has good manners, but he doesn’t just throw money around at anyone.”

At the name that popped out so abruptly, Koi gasped. How did she know? Seeing him wide-eyed in confusion, Ariel continued sternly,

“You seem to be mistaken that he treated the gorillas at Green Bell the other day, but that’s not a common occurrence. The gorillas always pay for what they eat themselves. That was a really special event. Though, they did eat a lot that day since Ash was paying.”

She shook her head, speaking with a hint of exasperation, then quickly added,

“Of course, I didn’t pay a single cent when I was dating Ash. He obviously paid for everything.”

Of course. Wouldn’t anyone? With Al.

At Koi’s unhesitating agreement, Ariel asked with a serious expression,

“Do you understand what I’m saying?”

Before Koi could say something else absurd and annoy her, Ariel spoke first.

“Those were dating expenses. That’s why he spent so generously on you.”

Koi was dumbfounded again. Ariel didn’t waste any more time and pressed him.

“Koi, you seem to want to find evidence that Ash doesn’t like you, but what do you gain from that?”

Koi was speechless, unable to open his mouth. Ariel continued,

“Ash is a good guy. Don’t torment someone who likes you by falling into self-deprecation.”

Her words were so true that Koi had no choice but to listen silently. To him, who hung his head and couldn’t speak, Ariel delivered a final ultimatum.

“If you keep doing that, I’ll burst your jalapeño and truly make you my sister.”

“Eek!”

Koi gasped in surprise, a small scream escaping him, and when he instinctively looked up, Ariel was already far away.

*

When he slowly walked back to the rink, the once noisy arena was as quiet as death. Everyone had already left, and only silence remained.

Koi cautiously entered the dugout and saw Ashley in the distance, slowly skating across the ice. Koi stood holding onto the fence, watching him for a long time. In his mind, Ashley’s face confessing to him and Ariel’s face giving him stern advice alternated.

Why on earth does Ash like me?

Ariel was right. Only Ashley knew the truth. Koi’s job was to be honest with his own feelings.

Then, me.

He felt his heart beating dully as he watched him, and just then, Ashley, who had turned, looked up and met Koi’s eyes. Seeing a gentle smile appear on his face, Koi’s cheeks automatically flushed, and it became difficult to breathe. Koi stood silently, waiting for Ashley to come closer.

“I thought you might have run away.”

Ashley stood on the other side of the fence and said with a smile.

“I almost did.”

Koi also replied with difficulty, forcing a smile. But Ariel had held him back. She had scolded him, telling him not to run away like this, and pushed him to face it. She was right. Koi had to face this situation eventually.

Phew, Koi took a deep breath and smiled awkwardly.

“I don’t see the ice hockey team guys.”

“I told them to go first. I was waiting for you.”

Koi was secretly curious about their reactions. Perhaps it showed on his face, as Ashley immediately continued.

“They thought it was some kind of show. I don’t know if they really thought that or if they were just trying to get past the situation, but anyway, I told them to think what they wanted and sent them off.”

“I see.”

His voice cracked in the middle, and he quickly cleared his throat. When Koi fell silent, the surroundings became quiet again. The vast arena was so empty that their voices echoed embarrassingly loud and far.

Koi felt a suffocating tension and with difficulty, raised his head. Immediately, his eyes met Ashley’s, and he swallowed hard again.

Ashley was waiting. Just as he always had, for Koi’s answer.

Koi opened his mouth to speak, but a sigh escaped before any sound. He took several deep breaths, his chest tight, before he finally spoke.

“…Al said you two were completely over.”

“That’s right.”

Ashley answered readily. They had both calmly accepted the breakup and had sorted out their feelings long ago. Only Koi and those around them hadn’t come to terms with it. Koi automatically lowered his head, thinking it was natural for Ariel to be annoyed.

“…Sorry, I thought you… would get back together with Al.”

He apologized with difficulty, but Ashley was silent for a moment.

“…Why did you think that?”

The words that came after a pause sounded genuinely bewildered. Koi, desperately trying to suppress his urge to hide somewhere in embarrassment, replied,

“I thought you’d confess to Al again if you won the game…”

“Ah…”

Ashley seemed to understand then, and quickly added in a rapid tone,

“You thought that, and you still gave me your lucky bill to win?”

His voice went up a tone, clearly dumbfounded. Koi quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry.”

He whispered softly, watching Ashley’s expression.

“I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“That was a huge misunderstanding.”

Ashley pointed out.

“Yeah.”

Seeing his obvious displeasure, Koi had no choice but to apologize, just as he had to Ariel.

“I’m sorry.”

Ashley was silent for a moment. He spread his arms wide and gripped the fence with both hands. Looking down at Koi, who was practically trapped within his arms, with the fence between them, Ashley said,

“I told you I liked you countless times, and I even said we’d come to a conclusion after this game, and you still mistook it for Al? What is wrong with you?”

Koi’s face flushed hot. It wasn’t teasing or sarcastic, but a tone that truly sounded desperate for an answer. Koi stammered, then finally managed to speak.

“The post on the bulletin board, that was me.”

“Yeah.”

Instead of ‘I know,’ Ashley said that. Koi continued with difficulty.

“You and I are friends… But having those feelings is strange. I even posted it on the bulletin board, but it just got buried.”

Of course. Because I buried it.

Ashley waited for his next words without a sound. Koi was silent for a long time. His head was bowed, making it difficult to read his expression. Ashley gathered all his patience and waited and waited. Until Koi finally spoke.

“Why do you like me?”

At his weak, trembling voice, Ashley immediately answered.

“Because you’re someone I can like.”

Koi cautiously raised his head, and Ashley smiled, adding lightly, as if joking,

“You seem to think I’m amazing, but if so, think of it the other way around. How much more amazing are you, whom I like?”

Koi just looked at Ashley’s face for a while. He seemed to have a lot to say, but couldn’t utter a word. Ashley had to muster several times more patience than before to resist the urge to kiss him. Koi finally opened his mouth. A glimpse of red flesh was visible inside.

“I shouldn’t have those kinds of feelings.”

The voice that came out after a long time was choked. Ashley, whose gaze had momentarily been stolen, frowned and asked,

“Why not?”

“Because.”

Koi took a trembling breath. Phew, after a sigh, he finally confessed.

“I know you hung out with me out of pity, so this shouldn’t be happening.”