L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 85

“...Huh?”

It was definitely English, but Koi couldn’t process what he’d just heard. He just blinked, dumbfounded, as Ashley’s eyes narrowed with a smile. That smile only confused him more.

Wanna shower?

Wanna shower... together?

“W-what, what, what?”

Koi finally reacted, stammering as he looked up in panic. Ashley leaned in with a calm smile.

“I said, let’s shower.”

Then he bent down and whispered directly into Koi’s ear.

“Together.”

The warm breath brushed his ear, and at the same time, a chill ran down his spine, goosebumps rising over his skin. The unfamiliar sensation startled Koi so much he jumped back in reflex. But Ashley’s grip on his hand didn’t loosen—he’d barely stepped one foot back before being reeled in again. Koi flailed in panic and finally managed to speak.

“W-w-what are you saying?!”

Realizing how stupid he sounded, stammering like a fool, only made him panic more. But Ashley remained completely unbothered.

“What do you mean, ‘what am I saying?’”

He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

“We’re dating now, right? What’s wrong with taking a shower together?”

Then he furrowed his brows and asked, as if genuinely confused,

“Wait... aren’t we a couple now?”

“U-uh...”

Koi was at a loss for words, stumbling again. Ashley didn’t let up—he pressed forward.

“Why can’t you answer? We kissed. You said you like me. Are you seriously about to tell me we’re not together now, Koi? Is that how it is?”

“N-no, no, we’re dating! We’re really dating!”

“There we go.”

Ashley’s face finally broke into a radiant smile. Seeing it, Koi exhaled in relief—only for Ashley to ask again, smoothly:

“Then we’re showering together, right?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Koi nodded before he could stop himself—then froze. Wait... wasn’t that a bit too easy?

But he didn’t have time to think about it. Ashley leaned down and kissed him again, and in his daze, Koi let himself be pulled along.

*

“...Huh?”

The place Ashley led him to was the hockey team locker room. Koi blinked, dazed from being dragged here, only snapping out of it once they stepped inside. Ashley had already pushed open the door without hesitation.

For a split second, Koi glimpsed a few of the team members—but then realized something was off. The room was silent. Empty.

As Koi looked around the deserted locker room in confusion, Ashley explained,

“They probably all went to the after-party. This is probably the only place we can use right now. You wouldn’t want to shower and change in the girls’ locker room with the cheer squad, would you?”

“...Huh?”

Ashley’s logic was sound—perfect, even. Everything lined up. But still... something didn’t feel right.

What is this weird feeling?

Koi blinked rapidly as he replayed Ashley’s words, and finally—

“Oh.”

Realization hit him like a brick.

“So... we’re showering in the hockey locker room shower stalls.”

“Yeah.”

Ashley nodded with a smile. Koi’s brain began clearing up.

“T-the stalls are... separate, right? With partitions?”

Koi asked again, just to be sure. Ashley nodded once more.

“Yeah.”

“...Ah.”

Koi finally let out a sigh of relief and smiled back.

Oh. That’s what he meant.

“Right, okay. Then that’s fine.”

The nervousness, the anxiety—it all faded away. So did the tiny hope he hadn’t wanted to admit to. But he pretended not to notice that part.

“Koi.”

Ashley called from above.

“Yeah?”

Koi looked up, smiling, finally relaxed. Ashley narrowed his eyes, suspicious.

“What were you thinking? You weren’t imagining something weird, were you?”

“W-what? No—!”

Caught completely off guard, Koi panicked again. Ashley, smirking, teased him knowingly.

“Didn’t think you had it in you. Naughty, aren’t you, Koi?”

Flushed and flustered, Koi waved his hands and shook his head frantically.

“No! I wasn’t—I didn’t! I swear, I wasn’t thinking anything like that!”

He tried his best to defend himself, but Ashley wasn’t buying it. Instead, he put on his most doting boyfriend face and gently comforted him.

“It’s okay, Koi. The hornier you are, the more I like it.”

“I am not—!”

Koi couldn’t take it anymore and smacked his chest with [N O V E L I G H T] both hands. Ashley laughed out loud, then pulled him into a hug. He kissed him on the crown of his head, then down to his ear, then his cheek.

Koi froze.

Next is the lips...

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

He braced himself and shut his eyes tight. But the kiss, sliding down toward his mouth, didn’t come.

Still waiting, eyes closed, Koi slowly cracked an eye open—only to find Ashley watching him with a wide grin.

Again?!

Realizing he’d been tricked again, Koi’s face turned bright red. And right then, Ashley leaned in and kissed him for real. Koi’s brain went blank. His whole body lost strength.

Ashley kissed him deeply, holding him tight. Koi’s legs buckled, but he didn’t fall. He just clung to Ashley and tried to kiss back as best he could—which, really, only amounted to awkwardly puckering his lips.

Should I teach him how to kiss today?

Ashley licked Koi’s lips gently, amused. Koi’s body trembled in response. His ears twitched.

So sensitive. So responsive.

Ashley felt a surge of joy at the thought that he was the only one who got to discover this side of Koi.

How fun will it be, teaching him everything little by little?

He had to breathe deeply to calm himself. He couldn’t lose control. He’d regret it. He had to savor this—slowly.

Things like how to use your tongue... where to touch... how to feel pleasure...

Just the thought made Ashley’s brain buzz. Koi had all the makings of a model student—the kind who’d make the lessons very rewarding.

One at a time. Slowly.

He bit Koi’s lower lip gently. Koi’s startled reaction was so obvious in his arms. For a moment, Ashley found himself regretting that Koi had accepted his feelings so quickly.

I could’ve locked him up.

He glanced down.

Koi still had his eyes tightly shut, not even realizing the kiss had ended. If Ashley kissed him again now, he’d probably think it had never stopped.

Ashley couldn’t resist. He leaned in, ready to kiss him again—but at that moment, Koi slowly opened his eyes.

Just imagining him counting the seconds in his head made Ashley laugh softly.

Koi stared, transfixed, at Ashley’s smiling face.

Did my boyfriend just fall in love with me all over again?

Pleased by the thought, Ashley heard Koi murmur,

“You’re not wearing lenses today?”

The unexpected question made Ashley blink. Koi was still staring intently into his eyes. He’d noticed during their first kiss, but hadn’t been sure. Now he was.

Is this okay? Won’t it be a problem if someone finds out?

“...Yeah.”

Ashley gave a wry smile.

“I didn’t wear them. No one’s gonna notice anyway.”

His helmet hid his eyes. And hockey was a sport where fights broke out constantly, so it wasn’t practical to wear contacts. Besides, no one had noticed the color change today.

“You’re the only one who noticed.”

At that, Koi blinked—then suddenly blushed bright red. Ashley tilted his head, confused, and Koi mumbled while looking down.

“W-well... because I’m the only one you kissed.”

Ashley couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing. Koi flinched in his arms, and Ashley hugged him tightly again.

“You’re right, Koi.”

He whispered by his ear.

“My boyfriend.”

Koi’s heart nearly exploded.

Boyfriend.

The word echoed in his ears, his fingertips tingled, stars danced before his eyes, and fireworks went off in his mind.

“M-my boyfriend?”

“Yeah.”

This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.

Ashley answered without hesitation.

“I’m your boyfriend.”

Koi stared at his smiling face, dazed. One word repeated endlessly in his head.

Boyfriend. Boyfriend. Boyfriend.

“...Yeah.”

Koi finally spoke.

“You’re mine.”

The moment he said it, it felt like his whole body exploded with light.

“Yeah.”

Ashley whispered as he hugged him tightly.

“And you’re mine.”

Their lips met again. This time, Koi closed his eyes at just the right moment. And during this kiss, he learned something new:

How to wrap his arms around Ashley’s neck when kissing someone you love.