L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 180

"What? Ah!"

Startled, Koi slipped with his knife while cutting his steak and let out a near-scream. The unpleasant screech of the blade scraping the plate made him grimace unconsciously as he looked up in alarm at Ashley, who sat across from him.

Ashley, as if nothing had happened, calmly sliced into his steak and said,

"I handled it. He won’t be showing up in front of you again, so don’t worry."

"Wait, how...?"

Koi blinked, confused—then suddenly his eyes went wide.

"No way... Ash, that bruise on your jaw—is that why...?"

"Don’t worry. I hit him too. Probably more than he hit me."

Ashley echoed Koi’s own words from before, saying it like a joke—but it was the plain truth. Nelson had been beaten to the brink of death.

But Koi, unaware of that, thought Ashley was just bluffing to ease his mind. His eyes trembled as he looked at Ashley, voice shaky.

"Does it hurt a lot? I mean—of course it hurts. What should I do..."

Koi couldn’t take his eyes off the red mark still lingering on Ashley’s jaw. Ashley brought a piece of steak to his mouth and answered casually,

"It’s tolerable."

As he started chewing, he frowned slightly. Oh no... it must really hurt. Koi's face turned pale. Ashley took a sip of wine and continued,

"Anyway, you don’t have to worry about Nelson anymore. He won’t be coming near you again."

"Yeah..."

Koi murmured faintly. Right now, Nelson was the least of his worries. The whole time they were eating, he kept sneaking glances at Ashley’s jaw, barely touching his own food. Toward the end of the meal, he spoke up.

"Um, Ash. Is there anything I can help with? Just tell me—anything. I’ll do whatever I can."

Ashley, finishing his wine, smiled at him. Was that a yes? Koi’s shoulders slumped, unsure. Then Ashley poured more wine into his glass and replied,

"There is one thing."

"Really? Yeah, tell me! Anything!"

Koi perked up, sitting straighter in anticipation. Ashley, holding back on what he really wanted to say, offered a different request.

"For now... I’d like you to help with my work. Would that be okay?"

"Of course! I’ll do it, whatever it is."

He didn’t even take a second to think. Ashley frowned ever so slightly. That habit of immediately agreeing—he really should fix it. It was fine if he only did it for Ashley, but if he behaved like that around anyone else, it would be a huge problem. Ariel’s face flashed through Ashley’s mind.

No, it’s better to just lock him up. If he belonged only to Ashley, the issue would be solved. It was far too dangerous for Koi to act like that with others. But with Ashley? That willingness was unbearably cute. No need to fix anything—just make sure he never left.

Unaware of any of Ashley’s thoughts, Koi cautiously asked,

"N-Nelson didn’t, like, come looking for you first or try to hurt you, right...?"

Ashley didn’t answer—just took a sip of wine. Koi’s face immediately turned ghostly pale.

Ashley let the silence hang for a moment, then spoke casually,

"It’s fine. Everything’s been taken care of, one way or another."

There was no way Koi could ever confirm the truth. Nelson would never speak again.

Ashley brought it up again after they cleared the table and moved to the tearoom, where they had tea and cake together.

"Koi, have you looked into your next job yet?"

"Huh? Oh, uh... no."

He couldn’t stay here forever. Koi quickly added,

"I’ve been looking at a few places, but I haven’t had any interviews yet. I sent out some emails, so I should get replies soon."

Too diligent for his own good...

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Ashley clicked his tongue internally but pretended not to notice.

"Actually, a position just opened at a place I know. I was thinking of recommending you. How about it?"

"What?"

Koi blinked in surprise at the unexpected offer. Ashley continued,

"It’s an interior design firm—both residential and commercial. They’re looking for someone with experience. I thought I might put your name forward, if you’re interested."

"Oh, oh, yeah! Of course!"

If it was a place Ashley recommended, it had to be trustworthy. Koi nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling, and smiled brightly for the first time in a while. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

"Thanks, Ash... Even helping me find a job..."

How was he supposed to [N O V E L I G H T] repay all this kindness? Just as he was starting to feel small again compared to Ashley, sighing quietly, Ashley suddenly added,

"There’s a condition."

"Huh?"

Koi tensed up instantly. Ashley waved a hand like it was no big deal.

"Nothing serious. Just a medical exam."

"Medical exam?"

Koi blinked in confusion. Ashley continued in a relaxed tone,

"You know, a basic health checkup before joining. Nothing to worry about—it’s routine. The company covers the cost too."

Ashley narrowed his eyes slightly, smiling.

"Think of it as a free checkup. Not a bad deal, right?"

"Y-yeah..."

Koi nodded, dazed. The idea of a health exam felt totally foreign—he’d never even stepped foot inside a hospital his whole life.

"Must be a huge company if they offer that kind of stuff..."

Koi murmured. Ashley listed the company’s benefits: insurance, solid salary, even a car for commuting. Koi’s eyes grew wider with every word. They’d pay for gas. They’d cover hospital expenses if he got sick.

"That kind of company even exists?"

The longer it went on, the higher Koi’s voice got. Ashley calmly sipped his coffee.

"Most decent companies offer that much. It’s standard for my law firm too."

Yeah, for someone like you, Koi thought bitterly. For Ashley, those perks were basic—but Koi had struggled just to find jobs that offered any insurance. He almost felt depressed... but straightened up again.

"Thanks, Ash. It really means a lot. I’ve never had a job like that. Stuff like that’s never been ‘standard’ for me."

Grateful again, Koi smiled. Ashley returned the smile and said,

"It’s good for me too. You don’t have to thank me."

"Huh?"

Koi looked confused. Ashley lightly lifted and dropped his hands.

"If you’re safe, I can relax."

"Oh..."

Remembering how much Ashley had helped him again, Koi couldn’t just leave it at that. Face flushed, he whispered a quiet "Okay." Ashley stared at his face for a long moment, then spoke up.

"Koi. Come here."

"Huh? Okay."

Recalling their earlier conversation over dinner, Koi moved without hesitation. As he stepped closer, Ashley suddenly reached out.

"Ah!"

Koi yelped as he was yanked forward. Ashley pulled him onto his lap, seating him on one broad thigh. Koi blinked rapidly, completely flustered, as Ashley looked straight into his face and said,

"If I kiss you right now, you could technically sue me for sexual harassment."

"What? Why would I do that...?"

Koi thought to himself, My heart’s pounding this hard just from having your face this close.

I’m the one who wants to kiss you.

Almost like he’d heard that thought, Ashley whispered,

"It’s a different story if you’re the one kissing me."

Thump. Koi’s heart crashed in his chest. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. It pounded like mad.

Ashley was still staring at him—waiting for Koi to make the first move.

Drawn in like he was under a spell, Koi leaned in. But suddenly a thought hit him: Wait, if I’m the one doing it... wouldn’t he be able to accuse me of harassment?

Ashley was still waiting. Koi swallowed hard, made up his mind.

It’s okay. He said I could. He gave me permission.

Trembling with anticipation, Koi leaned forward. He could see Ashley’s long lashes lowering. Koi parted his lips, breath catching, the edge of it brushing Ashley’s lips.

"Can I...?"

Just before the kiss, Koi whispered the question. Ashley didn’t answer—he just reached up, gripped the back of Koi’s head, and pressed their lips together.

Koi gasped and instinctively wrapped his arms around Ashley’s neck.