L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 133

As Koi climbed the stairs, his heart started to pound faster and faster. What kind of expression would Ashley have when he saw him? He didn’t even dare to imagine. But his feet didn’t slow down—in fact, they only moved faster. His longing to see Ashley overwhelmed everything else.

By the time he stood in front of the second-floor room where Ashley was, his heart was racing so fast and his breathing so ragged that he felt a brief wave of dizziness. Koi took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob. With a trembling hand, he finally opened the door.

A cool breeze was the first to greet him. Then, beyond the wide-open door, the ordinary interior of the room came into view. A king-sized bed on one side, a fireplace on the other. And there, with his back turned toward Koi, stood a man. His tall frame and broad shoulders—there was no mistaking it. It was him.

Koi forced down the pounding in his chest and stepped inside. As he closed the door behind him, the sound from downstairs faded into the background, filtering faintly through the balcony. He took a few hesitant steps forward before the figure finally seemed to notice someone had entered.

Ah.

Koi stopped dead in his tracks. Ashley did the same. Frozen where he stood, Ashley simply stared at Koi in silence. The platinum-blonde hair tousled slightly in the wind, the tall frame, the amethyst eyes fixed on him—it was all exactly the same.

Ash.

Koi’s vision blurred immediately, and he sniffled, trying to hold it back. Ashley looked the same, yet different. Wearing a crisp white shirt, tie, and neatly tailored suit—something about him felt foreign. The sense of distance held Koi back, made him hesitate.

Ashley moved first. But all he did was slowly raise one hand.

Oh.

Koi faltered again. That’s when he finally realized what felt so strange.

Ashley was smoking.

He stared blankly at the glowing red tip of the cigarette. Ashley took a drag, then slowly exhaled the smoke. The sight was so familiar that Koi couldn’t find any words. The tears clouding his eyes had already dried by the time he let out an awkward cough and spoke.

“Um... long time no see.”

“...Yeah.”

Ashley responded. The fact that he wasn’t being ignored gave Koi a small sense of relief.

“You... smoke now.”

Trying to pick a neutral topic, he pointed it out, and Ashley brought the cigarette back to his lips as if to show him.

“I’m not an athlete anymore.”

“Right...”

They still weren’t old enough to legally buy cigarettes or alcohol. Ashley really had changed. His expression was especially cold as he looked at Koi—that unfamiliar coldness made Koi unable to step any closer. He just stood there.

The wind blew again. The sun had already started to set, and behind Ashley, the twilight sky stretched out in endless shades of indigo.

The smoke from Ashley’s cigarette drifted over, making Koi cough softly. Watching him, Ashley took another drag, then pressed the cigarette out against the balcony railing.

He waved a hand to scatter the smoke he’d just exhaled. Seeing that small, considerate gesture warmed Koi’s chest. He’s still Ashley. That one motion gave Koi a flicker of courage.

“Um, college... how’d it go? You got in, right?”

“Yeah.”

That was all Ashley said. Trying to keep the conversation going, Koi forced out another question.

“Uh, same college as your dad?”

This time, Ashley didn’t even answer. He just gave a short nod. Koi fell silent. An awkward hush settled between them. It was the first time he’d ever felt such discomfort with Ashley, and he had no idea how to fix it. As he floundered, unsure of what to do, Ashley suddenly spoke.

“I want to ask you something.”

“Y-Yeah.”

Koi quickly straightened up and met his eyes.

“That day—why didn’t you come?”

Koi was speechless. It wasn’t an unexpected question. And yet, hearing it out loud, he found it hard to answer. After a moment of hesitation, he managed to speak.

“My dad was really sick... I couldn’t leave him.”

“...What about your phone?”

After a short pause, Ashley asked again.

“Why didn’t you call?”

Koi answered honestly.

“He had to go to the ER... and they said he might not make it. I wasn’t thinking straight... I’m sorry.”

That much, at least, was the truth. He had completely lost his senses. He only began to regain his composure once his father was moved to a hospital room and it was just the two of them.

But even then, though the phone kept ringing, he couldn’t bring himself to answer. The reason was the same as why he couldn’t go to the station. And Ashley, to some extent, seemed to know that too.

“Koi, what I really want to know...”

Ashley looked down at his own hand as if he wanted another cigarette, then sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

“You could’ve come, even just for a minute. You knew I was waiting, and your dad had stabilized, so it’s not like it was impossible. Saying you couldn’t even leave for a little while—sorry, but I’m not buying that.” free𝑤ebnovel.com

Ashley had thought about that day over and over again. Even after moving east, even while throwing himself into school, that memory haunted him relentlessly. Now, he finally had a chance to get an answer. He lowered his voice, barely keeping it steady.

“Be honest with me. Did you never intend to come?”

Koi couldn’t answer right away. He just looked at Ashley, eyes trembling. He was ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) right. Koi probably could have gone to the station. Could’ve looked Ashley in the eye and explained. Maybe Ashley would’ve understood a little more.

But he didn’t. And he couldn’t deny the reason why.

“...I’m sorry.”

Koi lowered his head. He couldn’t bear to look at Ashley’s face.

“If I saw you... I would’ve lost my resolve. If I had gone to the station, I might’ve left my father behind and gone with you.”

Ashley said nothing. He just kept looking at Koi.

Unable to bear the silence, Koi stared at his own feet—until Ashley’s cracked voice broke through.

“So you chose to abandon me.”

Koi looked up instinctively.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

He would never forget the look on Ashley’s face at that moment.

Ashley was smiling faintly. A broken, hollow smile. Like he’d expected this. Like he’d already given up. But also, somewhere beneath all that, a glimpse of something that had still hoped—shattered and twisted into something unrecognizable.

“Ash...”

Koi opened his mouth, but Ashley raised a hand, cutting him off.

“You gave up on college?”

Koi hesitated, then nodded.

“Because of your dad?”

Koi had no choice but to admit it again.

“There’s no one else to take care of him...”

His voice shrank to a whisper. Ashley didn’t respond. He just let out a breath like the wind had been knocked out of him. Koi looked up at him, finally forcing out the question he’d been holding in since earlier.

“Ash... after the party, you’re going back East, right?”

“Yeah. I only came back to see you.”

Koi was stunned silent. Ashley gave a bitter smile.

“I just wanted to check if I was wrong about you. ...But I wasn’t, was I.”

There was a strange calmness in his voice. That, more than anything, made Koi panic.

“A-Ash!”

Koi blurted out, then added quickly,

“Hey, can I at least call you sometimes?”

Ashley didn’t answer. Koi mumbled in a fading voice,

“We don’t have to part like this. I mean... maybe during the holidays or something...”

“You’d better stay out of my sight.”

Ashley said it lightly, but the words hit like a brick. Koi blinked in confusion.

“...Is that a threat?”

“Who knows.”

The vague reply made Koi shrink back, nervous.

“...Are you going to hit me?”

Ashley gave a short laugh. Then his expression twisted into something bitter, and he muttered:

“Maybe I should’ve. Might’ve hurt less.”

Koi's eyes widened in shock. Then Ashley suddenly moved.

Koi stood frozen, watching as Ashley approached. Step by step, he got closer. When he finally stood right in front of him, Koi held his breath, tense. He thought Ashley would just pass by him—

But instead, Ashley pulled him into a hug, arms tight around his waist.

Koi gasped as he was pulled in, and then—

Their lips met.

It started soft, but quickly deepened. Their mouths pressed together, tongues entwined, breath mixing in a wild, consuming kiss.

Stunned for only a moment, Koi wrapped his arms around Ashley’s neck. Their bodies pressed together, nothing between them. The kiss became rough, desperate.

I hope this kiss never ends.

Koi gave himself over completely, pouring everything into it. Ashley sucked on his lower lip, then bit it gently, their mouths wet with saliva and breath catching on cold air.

When they finally broke apart, both of them were gasping.

Ashley looked down at Koi and gave a small, breathless laugh.

“You’re intoxicating.”

Koi wondered vaguely—was it just the cigarette? Or had he been drinking too?

But even after the kiss ended, Ashley didn’t let go. Still holding Koi tightly, he spoke.

“One last thing. Come with me. Let’s go East—together.”