L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 97
“Aaagh!”
Koi screamed in a high-pitched voice when Ashley grabbed his bare butt. Immediately slapping both hands over his mouth, he looked up at Ashley with wide eyes, as if to say What are you doing?! But Ashley didn’t care. He shoved both hands down and kneaded both sides of Koi’s ass with a groan.
“Ugh, I don’t wanna say goodbye.”
The next class was about to start. Koi’s face flushed red as he looked down at Ashley’s hands groping him. He agreed with the sentiment, but all he could think about was what those hands were doing, and nothing came out of his mouth. Seeing Koi’s reaction, Ashley frowned and asked,
“Koi, you’re really okay with this?”
“Eeep!”
Koi let out another shrill cry when Ashley gave his butt a hard squeeze like he was punishing him. Breathing raggedly, trembling, Koi felt dizzy and stammered a reply.
“I-I d-don’t w-w-want it either.”
“Right?”
Ashley loosened his grip a little. But he definitely didn’t let go. Instead, he rubbed gently and sighed above Koi’s head.
“I wish we could stay together all the time.”
“M-me too.”
This time Koi managed to answer right away. He tried his best to shift his focus from his butt to his ears so he could listen properly and respond to what Ashley was saying.
“I don’t wanna break up either. I wanna stay with you.”
When he spoke without stammering, Ashley looked down at him.
“Really?”
Seeing Ashley’s bright smile, Koi nodded.
“Yeah. Really.”
Koi didn’t want to part either. The night before, after they separated, he’d felt so empty and alone. Hearing that Ashley felt the same gave him a bit of courage.
“Um... I’ve been thinking...”
He started cautiously, and Ashley stopped moving his hands to look down at him. Though his hands were still firmly on Koi’s butt, Koi tried his best to ignore that and continued.
“So... after we graduate...”
Ashley’s eyes sparkled.
“Koi, were you thinking the same thing?”
“Uh? Uhh...”
Koi had answered on reflex, but then his eyes flew wide open.
“You—you too?”
Ashley beamed.
“Of course.”
“Oh...”
Looking down at Koi’s glowing, overjoyed face, Ashley felt like his heart might explode. We were thinking the same thing. We really are connected, just like people in love should be.
“Koi.”
“Ash.”
They both spoke at the same time.
“Let’s get married.”
“Let’s live together.”
They stared at each other, smiling—until their brains caught up with what the other had said.
“Huh?”
“...What?”
Then came the realization. Koi blinked dumbly while Ashley frowned. As they each registered what the other had said, their expressions changed completely.
“M-m-m-m-married?!”
Koi jumped back in shock, his face bright red. Seeing that, Ashley’s expression twisted even more.
But Koi didn’t have the time to worry about that. Shocked by the sudden proposal, he instinctively tried to pull away—only for Ashley to grab his butt and keep him in place.
“Why? You don’t wanna marry me?”
Ashley’s voice turned accusatory. Still trapped in his arms, Koi panicked and shook his head.
“N-no, that’s not it—”
We’re still in high school!
His heart pounding, Koi rushed to explain.
“I mean, marriage is kinda too soon—”
Before he could finish, Ashley cut him off, growling.
“Too soon? You’re saying you don’t want to marry me?”
“No! No, that’s not it—”
Koi frantically shook his head. That wasn’t what he meant, and he scrambled to explain his thoughts.
“Like, I-I don’t mean I don’t want to, but it’s all so sudden, so, um, maybe we can start by just living together—”
“So if something goes wrong, you’ll just break up with me? Is that it? Koi, are you seriously saying that to me right now?”
“No, no, that’s not what I meant!”
Koi was cornered. No matter what he said, Ashley would find some way to attack. So this is the ace of the Buffalo High School ice hockey team, he thought, swallowing dryly.
There was no escape. Koi didn’t want to break up, and he didn’t hate the idea of marrying Ashley. He just... hadn’t really thought about it. When he finally confessed that, Ashley stared at him with a stern expression and said,
“Then think about it. Right now.”
“Uh...”
“Koi. Answer me. Are you gonna marry me or not?”
“I-I will!”
Pushed by Ashley’s intensity, Koi blurted it out in a panic. Ashley stared into his face, and Koi nodded in a fluster and repeated himself.
“I—I’ll marry you. I want to marry you.”
“Koi.”
Ashley’s face finally relaxed into a bright smile. He let go of Koi’s butt only to pull him into a tight hug.
“You’re mine. Forever.”
“Y-yeah.”
This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.
Koi answered dazedly. He still couldn’t believe he had just agreed to marry him. But what felt even more unreal was that Ashley had proposed to him.
“Do you really want to live with me? Forever?”
Koi asked softly. Ashley lifted his head and frowned slightly.
“Of course. Don’t you?”
His expression was dead serious. Ashley meant it—every word. The realization made Koi’s pulse speed up. His whole body felt like it might burst.
“Me too.”
Koi answered with a trembling voice.
“I want to live with you, too... forever.”
Even saying the word “forever” was overwhelming. When Ashley heard that, he broke into a huge smile and tilted his head to kiss Koi. Koi closed his eyes, gently opened his lips, and wrapped his arms around Ashley’s neck.
I love you, Ash.
The emotion tingled all the way to his fingertips. Pressing his whole body against Ashley’s, Koi whispered the words again and again.
I love you. I love you, Ash.
Class time was approaching, but neither of them cared. All they could hear were wedding bells ringing in their heads. As Ashley licked into his mouth, he silently repeated the promise he’d made so many times before:
He’s mine. I’m never letting go of this small body in my arms. Not even in death.
*
“Buffalo!”
With Elle’s shout, the cheerleaders echoed her cry and quickly reformed their formation. Moving in perfect sync with the music, they flowed across the field. Koi clapped hard, cheering them on.
“The cheerleading team made it through the homecoming game without a single injury.”
That news quietly spread, and soon enough, new recruits began to # Nоvеlight # show interest.
Of course, once new members joined, Koi’s role immediately ended. But Ariel and the other cheerleaders didn’t seem willing to let him go.
“There’s something else you can help with instead.”
Koi was assigned a different task—not as a cheerleader, but as their assistant. Cleaning up props, preparing the music, little behind-the-scenes jobs. It wasn’t glamorous, but someone had to do it. And rather than train someone new, they just picked the “sister” they were already used to.
It worked out well for Koi, too. If he kept it up until the end of the semester, he’d earn the credits without any trouble.
Sure, these kinds of tasks could’ve been given to anyone. But they picked him. It was obvious they were being considerate of his situation.
Koi gratefully accepted their kindness and helped out during their practice sessions whenever he had free time after classes.
“Here, water.”
He passed out cold water bottles he’d chilled ahead of time, and the girls—sweaty and tired from practice—gratefully took them.
“Thanks, Koi.”
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“Oh, lifesaver.”
Hearing all the relieved voices around him, Koi smiled, feeling proud. Homecoming was over, and the season had reached its peak. Buffalo High was once again a top contender for the championship.
Everyone was working especially hard this year.
Ashley’s face naturally came to Koi’s mind. Things had been going well between them. So well, it almost made him anxious.
Once the cheerleaders wrapped up practice, the ice hockey team would finish soon after. Koi cleaned up quickly and rushed off to meet Ashley at his car.
“Ash!”
When he shouted, Ashley—leaning against the car waiting for him—straightened up and smiled brightly. Koi didn’t hesitate to run into his open arms. Ashley’s hair was still damp from his quick shower. Koi could picture how he’d rushed to finish, just to see him sooner.
“You could’ve dried your hair first.”
“It dries fast.”
Ashley said that, then gave Koi a quick kiss on the lips. Koi smiled as he accepted the kiss.
He was happy.
“Let’s go.”
Ashley lifted his head and said. Koi beamed and nodded, climbing into the car. Ashley started the engine and, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, reached over and took Koi’s hand.
That kind of ordinary happiness had settled comfortably between them.
