L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 20

Koi spoke as if addressing a child, then carefully laid Ashley’s head back onto the pillow.

For a brief moment, Ashley felt a sense of disappointment—but Koi didn’t leave.

Instead, he pulled the blanket up to his chin and patted his chest gently. The touch made Ashley realize something.

He felt relieved.

“...Yeah, I’ll stay here.”

Koi’s voice was soft.

Only then did Ashley realize that he had whispered something to him.

Don’t go.

Words he had never spoken to anyone.

Not to his girlfriends, not to his friends.

Not even to the parents who had brought him into this world.

Because he had always thought it was meaningless.

Ashley blinked slowly, staring at Koi. Through his blurred vision, he saw Koi’s face, smiling faintly.

...They always leave, no matter how much I hold on.

Ashley lifted his heavy hand and grasped Koi’s.

Unlike his fevered skin, Koi’s hand was cool.

Haa.

Ashley let out a deep breath, finally surrendering to sleep.

This time, he didn’t wake up even once.

*

Koi let out a slow breath as he looked at Ashley’s sleeping face.

His chest finally eased.

When he had first found Ashley, he had almost called an ambulance.

That’s how bad he had looked.

For a moment, Koi had been overwhelmed by the terrifying thought that things could take a turn for the worse.

Stay calm.

Suppressing his fear, Koi forced himself to think logically.

When had Ashley gotten sick?

There was no one else in the house.

That much was certain—Koi hadn’t seen or heard a single sign of anyone since he had arrived.

First, let’s do what I can.

With that decision, he carefully left the room.

On his way in, he had noticed a snack bar and a small kitchen on the second floor.

He only needed a pot to make soup, a bowl, and a ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) cup for the medicine. There was no need to go all the way to the main kitchen.

After shutting the door behind him, Koi quickly retraced his steps.

The kitchen, unfortunately, was in the opposite direction.

It took him a while to get there, but once he did, he started heating up the instant soup he had brought.

Opening the door again must have woken Ashley up, but in the end, he had taken the medicine. That was enough for now.

Koi glanced down at Ashley’s sleeping face, deep in thought.

Let’s see if the medicine works first.

Since he had just grabbed whatever looked right at the store, he wasn’t entirely confident in its effectiveness.

But for now, he had done everything he could.

He wiped the sweat off Ashley’s forehead with a napkin and adjusted his posture.

I’ll reheat the soup when he wakes up...

As he was thinking, Koi yawned without meaning to.

Fatigue hit him all at once.

Ashley was still sound asleep—his fingers loosely curled around Koi’s hand.

Koi looked down at it for a moment.

Then, without pulling away, he slumped forward onto the bed.

Sleep overtook him instantly.

Soft, even breaths filled the quiet room.

And soon, Koi drifted off as well.

*

Somewhere in the distance, birds chirped.

The crisp morning air stirred, carrying a refreshing chill.

Sunlight streamed through the window, its warmth contrasting with the cool air.

Ashley furrowed his brows slightly at the change in temperature, then slowly opened his eyes.

“......”

At first, he was just blank.

Lying still, he blinked drowsily. Then, a strange sensation made him glance down at his hand.

His eyes widened.

His fingers were still curled around something.

Or rather—someone.

He turned his gaze to confirm.

And then he froze.

Koi.

His mind, which had been an empty haze, finally started moving again.

How...?

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Taking a deep breath, he stared at the face of the person still asleep beside him.

One by one, the memories came back.

Koi had shown up out of nowhere.

He had tried to feed him four different kinds of soup.

He had bought a handful of medicine, making sure Ashley took it with water.

And lastly—

He had promised to stay.

And he had kept that promise.

Koi had pulled up a chair next to the bed and fallen asleep there, his head resting on his folded arms, Ashley’s hand still clutched in his.

His face, half-buried in the sheets, was peaceful—so deeply asleep that nothing seemed likely to wake him.

Ashley stared at him in silence for a long time.

He could’ve just left.

The feverish nonsense Ashley had mumbled shouldn’t have mattered.

And yet Koi had fallen asleep here, in an uncomfortable position, because of it.

If it were me, I would’ve left a long time ago.

Why?

Why didn’t he leave?

Just as that thought surfaced, a sudden, monotonous alarm sounded.

Startled, Ashley sat up, looking around for the source.

When he confirmed it wasn’t his phone, he glanced around and quickly realized—

It was coming from Koi’s phone.

Still softly snoring, Koi remained oblivious.

Ashley hesitated for a moment before carefully searching Koi’s jacket pocket.

Once he pulled out the phone and unlocked the screen to silence the alarm, his drowsiness vanished in an instant.

“Koi! Koi!”

Ashley shook him urgently by the shoulders.

Even then, he was still holding onto Koi’s hand.

He didn’t want to let go.

But he had no choice.

Instead, he took hold of Koi’s shoulders and forced him upright.

“Koi, wake up! It’s morning!”

“Mm... hmm?”

Koi barely cracked his eyes open, staring dazedly at Ashley before breaking into a sleepy grin.

“Ash, you’re better?”

“Focus!”

Ashley shouted.

“You have an exam today! Your entrance exam!”

Koi blinked.

For a moment, there was no reaction.

Then—

“What?!”

With a scream that matched Ashley’s, Koi shot up from his seat.

“Wait! Hold on, Koi!”

Ashley tried to follow, but the moment he stood, a wave of dizziness made him stumble.

Damn it.

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His fever hadn’t fully broken.

It was better than yesterday, but his head was still heavy.

Still, he had no time to hesitate.

“Koi, wait!”

His hoarse voice rang out as Koi was already dashing down the stairs.

Hearing Ashley’s call, Koi skidded to a stop and turned back, his face pale.

Ashley, leaning against the railing, spoke between short breaths.

“I’ll drive you. Do you have everything? Check first!”

“Huh? Oh—oh, right.”

Koi stopped, rummaging hastily through the bag he had grabbed in his panic.

“Uh, my phone—”

“Here.”

Ashley descended the stairs, gripping both his own and Koi’s phone in one hand.

“I’ll hold onto it.”

“Thanks.”

Koi barely remembered to say it before frantically checking his bag.

Luckily, most of his things were there—including his exam slip.

Except for one thing.

“Wait, my calculator—”

Before Koi could even panic properly, Ashley spoke first.

“I’ll get it.”

Before Koi could protest, Ashley was already running back upstairs.

“Just get in the car first!”

Ashley’s hoarse voice echoed before he disappeared from sight.

Koi stood frozen for a second, then hurried down the stairs.

Ashley’s car was right where it had been the day before.

Koi hesitated as he reached for the door, worried that an alarm would blare.

But there was no sound.

The passenger door opened easily.

Once inside, Koi noticed the smart key sitting haphazardly on the dashboard.

“Here.”

Ashley tossed the calculator onto the seat before even getting into the car.

Then, he started the engine.

“Where’s the test center?”

As they pulled away from the house, Koi answered in a trembling voice.

“Thank God, it’s close.”

“Yeah.”

The problem was the morning traffic.

If he didn’t arrive on time, he wouldn’t be allowed to take the test.

Clenching his hands together, Koi shut his eyes and prayed.

Please, please, please...

“Shouldn’t you be praying to me instead?”

Ashley’s voice interrupted.

Without opening his eyes, Koi replied,

“I’m praying to you and your car. Please don’t let us be late.”

“If we make it in time, what will you do for us?”

Ashley’s voice was still hoarse, but better than yesterday.

Koi could tell he was trying to lighten the mood.

“Anything. Whatever you want.”

He meant it.

Ashley laughed.

“You shouldn’t say things like that so easily.”

He sounded amused.

But Koi was serious.

“I don’t mind. If it’s for you, I’ll do anything.”

Ashley glanced at him instead of the road.

Koi met his gaze and repeated,

“Really, thank you.”

“Save it for after we get there on time.”

Ashley’s voice was tinged with laughter.

Then, without hesitation, he jerked the wheel, cutting into the next lane.