Lick Me Up If You Can Novel (Completed) - Chapter 92

“…What?”

Ashley doubted his ears for a moment. In a short time, the day’s events unfolded like a panorama in his mind.

His anger at seeing Koi’s cheerleading uniform, Koi giving him $2, the game they won by a hair’s breadth, kissing and confessing in front of everyone, and finally Koi acknowledging his feelings and them becoming a couple.

Even if he deleted the hour of glorious masturbation at the end, so many things had happened, and he wanted to pretend none of it did?

They had just eaten together and held hands all the way here?

Ashley, who had been holding the steering wheel with one hand and Koi’s hand with the other while driving, suddenly felt dumbfounded.

What did I just hear?

“…Are you saying we should break up? Before we even started?”

“Ah, no, that’s not what I mean!”

Koi frantically shook his head, denying it.

“We are dating. That’s right, but, keep it a secret… please…”

“Why?”

Ashley asked, snatching Koi’s fading words.

Ashley’s reaction was so natural that Koi understood him. If their positions were reversed and Ashley had made such a suggestion to him, he would surely have been depressed too.

But he couldn’t help it. If his father found out they were dating, he didn’t even want to imagine what would happen next.

If he told the truth, Ashley would definitely be displeased.

How miserable would it feel to be rejected by your partner’s family?

Of course, Ashley would probably get angry rather than feel miserable. Koi was afraid that he might break up with him because of it, and he also didn’t want to hurt Ashley’s feelings. Most of all, he was afraid that Ashley might get hurt.

Ashley was such a wonderful and perfect person, and he couldn’t bear the thought of him hearing bad things from his father just because he was dating him.

I don’t want Ash to be treated like that.

Koi thought and opened his mouth again.

“Just, um… I think it’d be better that way.”

“Why?”

“That’s…”

The conversation didn’t continue, it just kept repeating. Finally, Ashley tried to escape first.

“How can we keep that a secret? I kissed and confessed in front of all those kids?”

“Th-that’s.”

Koi hastily retorted.

“No one will think it was real.”

Ashley frowned and asked again.

“Why?”

“That’s, because.”

Koi hesitated, then finally answered.

“It’s me, you know.”

The wrinkles on Ashley’s forehead deepened further. Koi hastily continued.

“I’m not putting myself down, but think realistically. If you said you liked me, no one would believe it. You would have been like that before, too, wouldn’t you?”

Of course, he would have been like that before, but definitely not now. Most of all, it was Ashley who was impatient now, more than Koi.

And Ashley wasn’t ashamed at all of the fact that he liked Koi.

Rather, he wanted to write ‘I am Koi’s boyfriend’ on billboards and hang them all over the national freeways. Because of that, he couldn’t understand at all why Koi was doing this now. He thought their feelings had finally connected, was it a misunderstanding?

“How others see it isn’t important. What’s important is your heart.”

The fact that Koi liked Ashley remained unchanged. So why was he doing this?

Perhaps, Ashley narrowed his eyes.

“Tell me honestly, Koi. Are you ashamed of me being your boyfriend?”

At the unimaginable words, Koi jumped in surprise and denied it.

“What? How could that be!”

“Then why?”

“It’s not that I’m ashamed of you being my boyfriend…”

Koi struggled to choose his words, then barely opened his mouth.

“It’s just… I’m not ready. Can you give me a little time?”

Ashley still asked with a frown.

“Ready for what?”

“That is…”

Koi just bowed his head and mumbled, unable to speak clearly. He’s hiding something. Ashley noticed. Today had been perfect.

Until just now. But there must be a reason why the end was ruined like this.

If the reason isn’t convincing, I’ll really go through with it.

This time, he wouldn’t let it slide. He had been too considerate until now. And this was what he got in return. What? Hide their relationship?

“Tell me quickly, what’s the reason? If you lie or gloss over it, I won’t hold back either.”

Ashley gave a final warning and then closed his mouth.

Koi felt like he was in a dilemma. He was afraid of the reaction he would get if he spoke honestly. But if he glossed over it or lied, he would still get angry. Finally, he bowed his head and confessed in a small voice.

“My father…”

“What?”

Koi couldn’t lift his head and confessed, whimpering.

“My father, he told me not to meet you… He said what if I express myself because of your pheromones… He said I should never meet you. If he finds out, I’ll be in a lot of trouble.”

Finally, wiping away tears with the back of his hand, Koi continued.

“I’m sorry, Ash. I like you too… I really, really like you so much, but my dad is very scary. I don’t know what he’ll do when he’s angry. What if, just what if, he finds out we’re dating…”

Only then did Ashley understand Koi’s words.

He thought, ‘No way, it can’t be, it absolutely shouldn’t be,’ but he still opened his mouth with difficulty.

“…Perhaps, Koi. …Does that man hit you?”

At that moment, Koi gasped in surprise. Ashley couldn’t hold back and grabbed his shoulders.

“Koi, look at my face. Is it true? Is that why? Are you afraid of being hit by that man?”

Koi hesitated, then cautiously lifted his head. Seeing his expression, Ashley froze.

Until now, Ashley had despised his own father, thinking he was trash. But even that man had never hit Ashley.

Of course, he would have had no reason to commit violence in his life. He would have known countless ways to destroy others more cruelly and would have acted on them.

But that’s why Ashley couldn’t believe that someone lived being hit.

Of course, he knew there were such trashy parents. But encountering it in reality was a different matter. Moreover, it was Koi’s father.

“I’m fine.”

Koi said in a trembling voice.

“My father is fine as long as I’m careful when he’s drunk. And I haven’t been hit recently… What I’m worried about is you.”

Tears welled up in Koi’s eyes again.

“If my father knows he dislikes you, I’m afraid you’ll start to dislike me too.”

That’s why I couldn’t tell you.

Ashley felt he understood the unspoken words Koi had swallowed. Only then did he regret pushing him so hard and pressing him.

Why didn’t he just let it go when Koi didn’t want to answer? Not prying was also a form of consideration.

He had been boasting about being his boyfriend, yet he hadn’t even done such a basic thing.

Ashley felt immense remorse. At the same time, guilt and pity for him rose, and the strength drained from the hand that had gripped his shoulder.

“There’s no way I’d ever dislike you.”

When he spoke in a much softer tone, Koi bowed his head again. Then tears fell directly.

“You’re the only one I have, what will I do if you say you don’t like me anymore?”

A sniffling sound echoed in the car. Ashley just watched him for a while. He had to do something.

He felt dizzy with anger towards Koi’s father, and pity and affection for Koi.

“…Okay, then.”

After a long pause, Ashley opened his mouth.

“Let’s say I got dumped by you.”

“What?”

At the unexpected words, Koi looked up in surprise. Ashley wiped his tear-stained face and smiled bitterly.

“I confessed to you, that can’t be undone. No one would believe it if I said we weren’t dating anyway. So this is the best. Let’s say I’m just liking you on my own.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

Koi frantically shook his head. Who in the world would believe such a thing? Connor Niles dumped Ashley Miller? He’d sooner believe Connor Niles kicked a lion’s butt.

“Instead, Koi. There’s a condition.”

To Koi, who kept shaking his head, Ashley spoke with a serious face.