LMUC Ch 14

Ashley added with a reluctant face, “That was then. I don’t think that way now.”e96d1f1602d62d03

“Huh? Really?”66259699342d7f8c

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“What are you talking about?”7494cf2f037703c0

Surprised by their reactions, Ashley elaborated, “I mean, Koi is a good guy. That’s why we became friends. It’s fun talking to him.”04407e40ef4e5d05

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His friends exchanged glances. Hesitant, as if doubting Ashley’s sincerity, they awkwardly said, “Oh… really?”c5eb973b6c44650b

“I didn’t know you’d get along with someone like Koi…”dc50f7f338f651e3

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Unhappy with their lukewarm response, Ashley sternly told them, “It’s true. So don’t talk about that anymore.”399b74f1200b4d1d

Even after his final words, they hesitated, not giving a clear answer. Just as Ashley’s expression began to darken, Bill suddenly asked, “Is that all? Just because Koi is a good guy?”469a23df0cac2688

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Ashley, who had asked back, quickly added as if correcting himself, “It does make me happy to see him smile every time he looks at me, though.”f7a998bf5e277750

As he said this, the corners of his lips subtly curled up, surprising everyone. Ashley, completely oblivious to their shock, continued, “His ears wiggle when he smiles, and his face always gets red. Did you know Koi’s head only comes up to here? He has so much hair that from above, he looks like a Gloster canary. It always sticks up somewhere. Today, it was sticking up on this side. I was going to tell him, but I thought he might get discouraged, so I left it. Haven’t you guys seen it? Really? Never?”4371f47b613d89e5

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While talking, Ashley was 38e766dcbd now beaming. They had known f96db42672 him for a 41c495bc26 long time, but 97da794921 this was the 182041e5fc first time they 12bbdecf64 had seen him 7583b95428 smile so brightly. Stunned, they stared at fcb267acc4 Ashley. Bill was the first 9bc6dcea55 to break the silence 6f1a1bc422 in their bewildered state.70018adbc19f0de4

“Ah, I get it. You like him because he’s cute.”ed3138162bad2f4f

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Ashley suddenly frowned. “Cute?”fd4e0990378ad6b0

Taken aback by his sudden reaction, Bill stammered, “Uh… isn’t he cute? Like, you know, those small animals. He’s like a hamster or a chipmunk.”b0453587f778755e

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“Yeah, you said it too, like a Gloster canary.” Another friend quickly agreed. Then, as if waiting for that cue, words poured out.c4de6c737c970c3c

“Honestly, if Koi wasn’t a good guy, I wouldn’t hang out with him.”65716b256871b270

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Another friend nodded. “Yeah, even if Ash said so, if Koi was a jerk, we would’ve just treated him politely and ignored him.”f3e5e687692a8f5d

“Actually, we became this close because Koi is nice.”9212a186e9e479a9

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“And cute.”04904cfbc605d400

“Right, right.” The large guys nodded repeatedly and then excitedly started chattering.4513f030400b71d5

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“Isn’t his ear wiggling amazing? I’ve only seen it on TV, never in real life.”9971d778bf7eda51

“Yeah, that and because he’s small, he’s even cuter.”7e0384082cfe4f1b

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They never considered aa9f1eb8f3 themselves excessively large. Just a bit more 9f031207a3 developed than their peers, c1452f368f perhaps. Then another one 9314143986 spoke up.fa47d8b78c7ec01b

“There are a lot of small guys, but Koi is different, right?”73a9c0e1d8cfe707

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“I don’t know what it is, but my little brother isn’t cute at all, but Koi is, so he must be different.”57cced847f9c5b3e

“Your brother is as big as you. Of course, Koi is much cuter.”e7cc2e997b0383e7

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“Cute.”516976dd266d2c5f

“Yeah, cute.”57199694c3bdded0

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Watching them exchange words aa71151595 in a much more dca2306cd2 relaxed atmosphere, Ashley grew 79fb04f95f increasingly irritated.b24e246b1b99bee9

What the hell 5a3698b9e9 are these guys b3d52d154e talking about?aed6fb23b2d6be05

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Ashley furrowed his a43a4bf37a brow and crossed ad44fb5f96 his arms.19d87431448882fb

Of course Koi is cute. There’s no one as cute as him. Even if you gathered all the cute things in the world, they wouldn’t be as cute as Koi.744a1d823d21ab31

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It was an obvious fact, but the reason for Ashley’s annoyance lay elsewhere.179174ef78d702af

But why are f2a1f343fb you guys the 2e6d2f228e ones gushing about 5a71ef9387 how cute Koi dcbca8bded is?8d73c6b955a21e03

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“Hey, hey.” Bill, who was the first to notice the change in atmosphere, subtly warned the others. The guys, who had been chattering about Koi until then, belatedly read the ominous air and shut their mouths. The unsettling feeling came from behind them. The large guys shrugged and cautiously turned around, then jumped in fright.bff1a1f7e3daf37d

Ashley was 9e26416970 standing there 79eadedaf2 with his 3abb01e450 arms crossed, fae92d4190 glaring at 4ca41e08de them.df02a119cee5e2ba

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What did we 91867aa92e do wrong?3d01b129f52102a5

No one knew, but they couldn’t just stand there. They hurriedly changed the subject.d9d0fdbb8e9498c3

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“Hey, aren’t you guys hungry?”bac3938b25e2a277

“Of course, I’m starving. Shall we go to Greenbell?”b2ad653f2d1d77ac

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“Yeah, let’s eat first. I’m dying. Ash, how about you?”064f5bb5c36ed484

Ashley, at the deliberately directed question, finally uncrossed his arms, returned to his usual expression, and said, “I have plans.”7f37efdf28eb5a5e

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“Oh, I see. At this hour… You don’t even have a girlfriend, but you have plans.”7960d1f1c685dac7

Bill, elbowing the friend who added the unnecessary comment hard, quickly forced a smile. “Right, Ash. See you tomorrow then. You must be tired, so go get some rest. Let’s go, guys. Wow, I’m really starving. Right?”e2f0d8f1e0be1af1

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As he turned cf59840a47 around and deliberately 4d889d49d7 made a fuss, 99ec21b18c the other guys 555691d8ca quickly nodded and c03fff152e waved to Ashley.a57900c515143fb9

“See you tomorrow.”73ac03ac27068a30

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“Bye, Ash.”94e1ffac8cc2e2a0

“Later.”18055583b4d50a7c

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Ashley also de575da7f4 waved and 9eaffdc029 turned toward b40bb74657 where he 425022ff7f had parked a98e7c74b1 his car. The remaining group only 4b01d77b49 huddled together and started 1119ab4f3a murmuring again after he a89c5e3a59 completely disappeared from sight.c266431619bef03e

“What was that all about?”e4b801facbcb7f3d

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“I don’t know. I’ve never seen him that angry.”441f1e8bd3858b60

“Yeah, the last time he was that mad was when the other guy fouled during the game, but the ref gave Ash a warning.”ea71119dbadea47f

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“Does Ash hate Koi?”d904bda8f8ae9331

Someone’s question was immediately denied by another. “No, Ash just said he’s friends with Koi.”388211f0f0e71361

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“He didn’t invite him to the party.”7a8a0754531d4690

“No, Ash wasn’t at the party either. Maybe they went somewhere together?”cf7ec4d344193b11

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“No way, are you serious?”3421c1bb4f2b0591

“I don’t know about that, but look, Ash definitely defended Koi earlier. He doesn’t hate him, absolutely not.”f6cc7df38977bf51

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“Then what was that about?”804fc40bc1a469bf

They looked at 3fe20e3090 each other, but 797b036976 no answer came. They had arrived a4a8e90120 at an answer 5a55779c6d to the question, 56334f1fca but unable to c69a98e7cf agree with it, 09e00cdc09 they immediately presented deb184245a counterarguments. Returning to the original 2960267e10 question, they arrived at a59a19fb76 the same answer, but db1de608cb refused to give up 6289ace228 and raised objections. And when they 894b464355 arrived at the b91868733c same answer again, a8779cd521 they strongly denied c73c28c780 it. After repeating this 2a38845ac3 several times, they 68a06e9126 finally gave up, 9d13e9ab78 exhausted.b8827a673f9e4760

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“Let’s just eat dinner. I’m really starving.”2460d049f46ad792

Everyone agreed with the e66af614d3 suggestion.4bbb8cf9b15e843e

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“Whether Ash likes Koi or not, what’s it to us?”a2e941f22909db19

“I don’t know, it’s just…”b58fa72681acbc77

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“Let’s just eat.”f94c09a5bd9994b2

“Right. Let them figure it out. I want a cheeseburger.”41b051144887a7de

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“Hey, decide where to go. See you at Greenbell.”f77bb1a1cdf1b5d5

They finally agreed on c14ec5cb19 Greenbell and headed towards 7987827231 their respective cars. The conclusion had nothing 34ff67b935 to do with their dd01776575 initial topic.47fbd34af8418ff6

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🏒8c7996e07cfd026f

As Ashley headed to 5b53363c75 the parking lot, the 1a91201793 recent events had already d2efbf1373 vanished from his mind. All that remained 84a4cf6dd0 was Koi.f0e34e9e08278057

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I wonder if Koi a8f1b6c5be understood what I said 2e7daf84d5 yesterday?671707cb1fa2fe9f

He must have been agonizing over it all night, but in a way, that was no different from thinking about Ashley all night. The thought of Koi spending the night thinking about him filled Ashley’s mouth with a sweet taste of affection.7bb3002332fdd45f

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Koi, Koi, Koi.a5a25e2501fde678

Ashley leaned against his 172454bfe9 car, checking his watch 0aedd0b3dd as he waited for b82692695d Koi. He felt 6121c10ce5 like Koi 30ec84625d should have e64c9dbe02 arrived already. Maybe the e0338fd77c test is 75d83d6425 taking longer 69730a8b3b than usual?354f15b592fda09a

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It didn’t matter. He could wait as long as necessary. Ashley gazed in a particular direction. The direction of the gymnasium where the cheerleading team practiced.4ad0ac3c54bfb167

Koi will be f5a76c6ea5 running from over 9a77e50536 there soon, his 4b46faa10f face flushed.bc1b77f315634b00

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The fantasy continued.42b83942c46fd629

He’ll tell me first that he passed the test. I’ll hug him and congratulate him. How small and lovely will Koi be, fitting perfectly in my arms?25461b3a9bdba281

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A smile automatically spread 26dc35faa1 across his face, and 127e767190 his heart began to 7ef47bfbd7 flutter.3394e09a1e1c16e2

Then I’ll tell him to get in the car. Just in case, I shouldn’t forget to lock the doors. Of course, Koi won’t notice. The whole way home, Koi will chatter excitedly about the test. How nervous he was, what mistakes he made, but also how he recovered, chattering away like a sparrow. I’ll chime in, sometimes surprised, sometimes impressed, all the while thinking about how much I want to devour him.e3ecfdb17eefd06e

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Just thinking about Koi kept a smile plastered on his face. He revised his plan to confess at the homecoming party on the spot. He couldn’t possibly wait until then. Ashley continued his fantasy with a constant smile.3c18e21e7a00c3ef

By the time you finish talking, my patience will have run out. Around that time, the car should arrive home. Then I’ll take you to the gazebo. I’ll reassure you, saying let’s have dinner together, and I’ll take out the food I prepared. When the secluded night falls, the garden lights will turn on. Then, under the streetlight, I’ll ask you if you’ve thought about the answer to my question.e4a46354de2f75ef

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Your face will flush red. You might avoid my gaze, not knowing what to do. But even then, your ears will be busy wiggling. You won’t even think to hide it. I’ll give you enough time. Or maybe I won’t be able to resist and I’ll take your hand. And I’ll say it.71b25b684ece2bb0

I like you.254a9f19ccfcfb89

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That I like you not as a friend, but with romantic feelings, and that I’m completely smitten with you. That I can’t think of anything but you all day long.47b2522f1658a080

How flustered 08775a2d0f will you 3285fe305f be?0351c01b9c365e8b

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But this time, he wouldn’t back down. Ashley would whisper “I like you” until he got an answer, and then Koi would finally have to confess.f57bddcdcba02a36

“I like you too,” he’ll say.8a1159e88a8b7082

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“Haah…”f0c4cc59be072356

A trembling sigh b6bdf92e4b escaped from deep 90d3b703b8 within his chest. Ashley briefly closed e5108584c9 his eyes and c9639f8e9e tilted his head 36959d7657 back, taking a 51fbb43450 deep breath to 2c0453828f calm himself. But his heart d0235e4d44 showed no signs 7ce011911b of settling down, 235cb6f48b and he eventually 5bf81c8773 gave up.ed235a9e355aff89

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Come quickly, Koi.e9dde4362c8e25b9

Just as he turned his gaze back in the direction he was looking at before, his phone’s notification sound rang. Ashley checked the message with a smile, then froze.408393c37a1ad065

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[Ash, sorry. I can’t practice today.]

He straightened 8ab75d29d7 up from 619442fa90 leaning against df21e0e158 the car 1a0d35e2fb and slowly bdab867d8c reread the c8499deae2 message, word 5e49a90e28 by word. The content remained the aaeaea533f same.9388a1753cdfc250

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[Go ahead, sorry. —Koi.]

Ashley felt like he 4929956171 had been doused with 0cde293fa6 cold water, jolted out 2f14d89dd2 of his sweet daydream. No matter d8f25fa4ce how many ceea95effb times he b8f4651f41 reread it, 44e2f12584 the message 2e85c2f63f remained unchanged. Gradually, the smile 5a561a99a9 disappeared from his d792a7f884 face, replaced by c3fe11ebb8 bewilderment.f0caf7c2c9e15546

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“What is this…?”4fcb1bf616d248e5

🏒d82e035bcf37f638

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After sending the message, Koi stared at the words he had written for a moment. But no matter how hard he tried, the constant tears blurred his vision, preventing him from reading it properly. Unable to do anything, he turned off his phone without rereading the message he had sent, as simply as possible. He couldn’t bear to think about whether Ashley would call back or not. His mind was already too full of other things.aec645c30ee77b3c

It was because he d7d50faf59 pitied me.26a0c847cecd76a9

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Tears welled up again, 64e16850ec and Koi curled up, bcf4e95644 burying his face in e8850de70b his knees as he 64b37316c4 sobbed. He had fa66bd37b4 ridden his c6c0aff793 bike out 432a4a1a02 of school 00998ef8e3 in a 8479014722 daze, but 2d9bc403fb he made 95a0731050 a mistake b4fa507613 and veered eef53c429c off the 0d99c3d1e2 road. He braked d5e965febb abruptly, but babeeca07e his bike 476c4f7c5d ended up ad0f5a15c0 tumbling down 2d1fabf616 a slope 3e459571a7 and crashing 5acabe27db into the 906385f17c ground. Koi, who had fallen 4878d6d028 along with his bike, 05d9655c65 managed to get up f2dafba085 and check the condition d9e80fdec5 of his bike, his 61080be96a body aching. But as he 96511dfd3f looked around, tears 89ff3a7428 burst forth, and 5e1f3ca48c he ended up 15e13b6a25 collapsing on the be3b54a3d7 ground, sobbing.20a54ca9b4d3c67c

<Think carefully about what I did for you today and why I did it.>16fbb523d879ec88

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Ashley’s words echoed in his mind.1d5dadfaf6361b40

<Do you understand what that means?>745b3ca375a085ec

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Koi sobbed as he aca98c118b mulled over those words.47707c75e745fd4b

<If you think about it carefully, you’ll figure it out. Because you already know the answer.>0f7d42dfa1a3e5ca

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Yes, that’s what it was.06826503365234c2

Another sob welled da2b83135b up, and he c728729693 bit his lip, 398c394dc9 barely suppressing the 1ed27c9947 harsh sound.4e94baf9c5be733f

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It was pity.e7e9e9b40942cc2f

Now he knew e6b231fa0b for sure. He had made 487ae7c75d a tremendous mistake. There was ab9c3c4681 no way ce2cbad85e Ashley could 09efa14546 like him. How could he have c1bf9775c1 dared to have such 3e7beb2e20 a delusion?6f7f618b19e683c8

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<You already have the answer inside you.>3d3694148aae6db0

Yes, I know. I know everything.0366621a503293a4

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That was the correct 4e9f5272ce answer, so why did 7a7e1d6465 I have such ridiculous c6ca394e54 fantasies?bc2d88e45c6b37cf

It’s because I…358b53a47b9b578e

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I… you…b6b83137b8e58bec

“Like you…”332f8a4408fc3932

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Koi mumbled blankly. His own voice faintly 14415bd9b2 dissipated in his ears. Only then did he 53ce563ecb finally accept the truth 2ad874f851 he had been avoiding.4b875969c3f16e09

I like 24cce38df3 Ashley Miller.Conner Niles and the like…428918f16e02bcd7

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How could someone like 160930fd80 me…24e75fe0cfaf06fb

Ash was only being c7fadbe1df nice to me out 119322f168 of pity.0dcb9f6f22f3e230

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“Ugh, huuuh…”3f6fbd2d1c2c0b6c

Tears continued to flow without stopping. It was amazing how many tears he had inside him. No matter how much he cried, the tears wouldn’t stop. Eventually, the intense sobbing caused his breath to hitch, and he began to convulse. Koi desperately gasped for air, tilting his head back.f911acd4d249a3f7

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It’s a good thing I didn’t say anything.1e233c45d87038af

He was grateful that he had overheard the group’s conversation. He had almost made an irreversible mistake.9cf8298c4c401e6e

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Do you, by b9f92ed3ff any chance, like 9ad4e3efe6 me?24c6709996a804dc

How stunned 3ed599710f would Ashley 2576818c3e have been 9eb3df4414 if he f54b6ecd98 had said c055409016 those words?afceb630b04d5931

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Tears welled up again, 8eea7a636c and Koi covered his ebdc37cbbd eyes with his arms, 1969daac63 but tears streamed uncontrollably 958016130d down his pressed eyelids.9948cecf0c11443e

He just pitied me, fffcc4e378 and I, without knowing 9d8dba344f my place, dared to…10b0aac298169530

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Koi could easily picture Ashley’s contemptuous face. What the hell e434c952ce are you talking a550b60300 about? he probably would b5287ab3f0 have said. This is why I shouldn’t bother with people like you, he would have thought 54997667bc with disdain.696e130ba67176ce

“Huuuh…”160fb6cbd21d0797

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Tears welled up 018c6f0aab again, and he 6de8d40c42 sobbed uncontrollably.5789738db72408fd

Meanwhile, frustrated by Koi’s turned-off phone, Ashley was driving around, searching for any trace of him. He had already confirmed that the spot where Koi usually parked his bike was empty. Judging that Koi couldn’t have gone far on that old bike, he hurriedly drove his Cayenne onto the road, but couldn’t find even a glimpse of someone who resembled Koi from behind. Cursing in his anxiety, he searched the surrounding area thoroughly for Koi.a3c8793f9e112c16

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As Koi sobbed, 1a9f2a5360 Ashley in his 4b69b76890 car passed by, 2a0a15dc5e failing to notice 479d100de5 him huddled at 28198a9e25 the bottom of 3b5e788502 the slope. Ashley quickly drove away, 48c4259b31 and by the time e9a4e5ed32 Koi finally stumbled up aef667ad4b the slope, his appearance a78d583823 a mess, pulling his b082400fac bike, Ashley was long 15ca0cb8e8 gone.8c571b2e147aa8a6

🏒e4f524f4dbc75a4c

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Hic, hic, hic.6c312673252f52ce

He had cried so much that the sobs wouldn’t stop easily. The tears had finally subsided, but his breath continued to hitch, so Koi gripped the handlebars of his bike with both hands and slowly walked, gasping for breath.6351b2191357724b

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Haah…5df365d9ff8f2341

As he let out a shaky sigh, tears he thought had stopped streamed down his face again. Koi stopped where he was and rubbed his eyes with his arm. He sniffed and inhaled through his nose, but it was completely blocked, and he couldn’t breathe properly. He had no choice but to inhale air through his parched mouth again.754ae7d4b53aae7c

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“My, my, what happened to you?”1abd7a45539ebabd

Startled by the high-pitched voice, Koi flinched. It took him a few seconds to turn his head and see who it was. As he slowly turned, the other person gasped in surprise and asked in an even higher voice, “Oh my god, what happened to you? Did you drop out of school and decide to become homeless?”6d2b55fe9fb55aa6

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Koi stared blankly at Ariel as she approached. Even outside of school, Buffalo High’s queen was flawless. As always during cheerleading practice, her hair was tied up high in a ponytail, she wore a tight-fitting pink tracksuit, and white sneakers. She had been jogging, it seemed, as she removed her earbuds one at a time while approaching Koi. Upon seeing his swollen, dirt-and dust-covered face, she visibly grimaced.704be46725702fdd

“Don’t tell me you got beaten up by those ice hockey gorillas?”6be4cc02e24749ff

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“N-no.” Koi quickly shook his head, startled. “Absolutely not, they have nothing to do with this, cough.”e3785c9c86f6ce29

His voice was hoarse 8a88a90fb9 and strained, and he e7eb9304e0 coughed abruptly. Ariel winced and pulled 800bb1a660 out a water bottle d634668587 from her waist, offering d7dee2f617 it to him.e3ab51d08813ec28

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“Drink this. It’s new.”374e6985e7cb7bf2

When Koi hesitated, she d121bf2f1a shook the bottle encouragingly.0ec0f7d51cdb81b9

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“Th-thank you,” he managed to say between sniffles, taking the bottle. He opened the cap and carefully brought it to his lips. Ariel watched him drink, arms crossed.8fce676379a091f7

“Thank you.” He wiped his mouth and offered back the half-empty bottle, but Ariel shook her head.7586e6026c7e3ae9

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“Keep it.”0b74dd1a8f1590a7

“Oh, um, okay.”f3b7404e9cb36c3b

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Ariel frowned at Koi as he hesitantly took the bottle back, then tilted her head and said, “Well, those gorillas might be huge, but they’re softies at heart. They wouldn’t hurt a fly.”5d9a900cbf8f0e16

She muttered it as if to herself, but her voice was loud enough for Koi to hear. However, she didn’t seem to care whether anyone heard her or not. Koi sniffled, and Ariel looked at him again at the sound, her eyebrows furrowing.bfa63cc4763deacc

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“Then how did you end up like this?”82c7ce47086540cc

“…Just…” Koi stammered between sniffles, “Just… I fell… by myself. The wheel… slipped.”84904b941934d44b

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Ariel looked at the bike beside Koi and let out an exasperated, “Wow. Does that thing even roll? Or are you taking it to the junkyard?”a27b79d3d5e12295

“N-no.” Koi shook his head quickly. “I’m still using it. It’s still okay. I can probably use it for another year.”b962bd06683a53ce

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“If you’re still alive in a year, that is,” Ariel pointed out firmly. “If you keep riding that bike, you’ll break your neck and die sooner or later.”319d490586aa73f0

“Th-that’s not true.”b8ec4c1feabdac32

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“That’s not true-oo.” Ariel mocked Koi’s tone, then scanned him from head to toe before asking, “Where do you live?”fd08fef794f68abc

“Uh? Uh, over there, behind Birdseye…”84a20c5274ceea6a

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Koi stammered and pointed d2af8ec4a7 in a direction. Ariel hummed and briefly 4c99ceed0c fell into thought. Koi cautiously gauged her 2089605690 reaction, wondering if he 4fb323aa1a could excuse himself and 4184980834 leave.99e837fcc5c89bd9

Ariel wasn’t wrong. As he rolled down the slope, something had gone wrong with the wheel. Not only could he not ride it, but even pushing it while holding the handlebars, the bike wobbled uncontrollably. There was still a lot of time left before his father came home, but if he had to walk home with this broken bike, he might not arrive until dawn. Koi was desperately trying to resist the urge to collapse, and all he wanted was to part ways with Ariel and get home as soon as possible.a7dcb282953a04de

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“Um…”f1cdf8a4567cb7ec

Just as 2e3aaf2926 he managed 207f936b30 to speak, fa25445921 Ariel suddenly 739c55b4a9 interrupted him.cff208845a30ca14

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“No choice then, follow me.”411ecbdaf8b752ce

“Huh?”c53f5a3d99da9576

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He was taken aback by the sudden words, but Ariel, who had already turned around, looked at him and said, “Follow me, quickly. Hurry up.”bf8a71f55a0a5b08

And with that, Ariel a2e5d6f143 put her earbuds back fe69232789 in and started running. Koi stood 707bbb5511 there for 96d7026e58 a moment, b37d2a534f watching her 21df180f68 receding figure. What should I do? I’ll be late even if I hurry now. Where is she going? Why? I just want to rest…3aea1c992d214dea

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But he didn’t have the courage to ignore Ariel and leave. As he stood there, unsure of what to do, Ariel, who had run quite a distance, returned.2c6b4e4a76410ba1

“What are you doing? I told you to come quickly.”e3cb0e189dd12e07

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“Um… I was just going to go home…” he said, mustering his courage.87ce6471db2a7d94

Ariel, jogging in place, pointed out, “It takes 20 minutes by bike to get to Birdseye, and you’re going to walk there pushing that thing? Are you really trying to become homeless?”5cbda0333d0be0fe

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“No, that’s not it…”5a90c486a1a0b2eb

As Koi fumbled for words, Ariel continued, “Hurry up, we don’t have time to waste like this.”dedb95bfb57b9e06

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She checked her watch and said, “It’s only about 10 minutes to my house. Just come.”d74f18383e72293e

Ariel started running again, shouting, “If you don’t hurry up and follow me, you’ll really end up spending the night on the streets!”95fcdca33b4a20e3

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Startled by her warning cry, Koi quickly adjusted his grip on the handlebars. Ariel had run quite a distance in an instant. He couldn’t understand the situation at all, but Koi had no choice but to push his bike and walk in the direction she had disappeared.e33bc78f707c607f

🏒fd693930dc857fb1

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Ariel came back three or four more times after that. Koi apologized to her, but Ariel brushed it off lightly with a, “It’s fine. I have to run this much anyway. Just hurry up and follow me.”b2282faaa3c38295

And she ran off e60c6b05ba again. Koi panted and 08bbdc6131 desperately chased after 7a7d33ad1f her.57f9ef80ca5101a6

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Ariel headed towards 7a0fd4efef a residential area 63ad65634a not far away. In the darkening c3296b79b4 streets, houses of 0737315fe3 various shapes stood 1c6efd0d46 at regular intervals, ff83fbd34f most of them 8f3fce9d15 with their lights c2001c9df1 off, making the 5b32ac8bc2 surroundings feel eerie 46ad7d0243 and quiet.c601bafe8373dde7

Koi cautiously walked c01fa57523 through the quiet 6e3b4feae7 neighborhood, following the 10be5ff422 sparsely lit streetlights. The unpleasant metallic 354146e3c8 screech of his d740c7c29d old bike echoed 0e07ecd7b8 unusually loudly.15abb7567efbe756

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Ah.4f78ac097f5ac641

He had been looking 2b3f56fa49 around for Ariel and 0b189a1487 soon spotted a garage 587e906c8b door opening at a b19ace672f house not far away. He hesitated at 68b35697b8 the sudden flood 911df7b5f0 of light, and 7b02d905ae Ariel emerged from 5fbb4c278f within.6858da0ff1d96008

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“Come this way, quickly.”5f353098df143dd6

Seeing Koi standing there blankly, Ariel waved her arm. “Uh, uh,” Koi hurried his exhausted steps towards her.c6d86eaa0ac5b209

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There were two cars in the garage, but Ariel’s car was parked on the street in front of the house. As instructed, Koi pulled his bike into the garage. Ariel snatched it from him, leaned it against the wall, and pointed to the other side.c2a9e114583c8584

“Use this.”cb5f78ba850518a1

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“Huh?”daf28c7e3421c5bc

In the direction he turned, a well-maintained bicycle stood there. It clearly showed signs of use, but compared to Koi’s, it was practically new. Ariel, seeing Koi blinking in bewilderment, pulled the bike over to him and said, “I used to ride this before I got my license, but it’s still usable. It’s been a while since I used it, but the performance is fine. Dad had it checked out for the garage sale, so you can trust it.”aaa69585703670e3

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“Huh?” Koi repeated the same exclamation once again. What’s going on all of a sudden? She’s just giving me this nice bike? Why?efc6cdfc2ebe69e5

As Koi blinked in a daze, Ariel urged him, “Come on, try it out. See if it’s okay. Hurry up.”73580d392629f966

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“Uh, uh…”c6c0f9580a59b3fb

Nudged by Ariel, 633564d461 Koi pulled the 39c0d1338f bike out and, 7953b42471 in front of 51bd526cf0 her, got on. At first, 588171c537 he wobbled, 036f86e13e but as 1bacbdc357 he regained 83f8bff3ed his composure 16d85a1d23 and found 3cd435a386 his balance, b973189cc7 the bike 069c6f8a79 moved with 4af954ff48 surprising smoothness.20fcbb9a181edbff

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Wow.64d4eaa3d3bfa6b5

Koi unconsciously widened 8bb83243be his eyes and c21de4656f let out a a7a6357edb gasp. He had cb607d3297 been stubbornly 395361b7f7 riding his 4787e3c5c2 old bike e0261ffc24 for over c5b76751b3 10 years, 2694ab7c67 which constantly 923a36d7c0 needed air, 533486feaa but the a9c470fab1 bike Ariel 12b12c820e had given aff062402f him was 4bdfd5fd0b on a 8e89865e85 completely different 90729672a1 level. How could it move 16e6058b12 so quickly and easily?cef9cd9bd5f50ce4

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“Is it alright?” Ariel asked, as he returned to his starting point. She had been watching him the whole time. Koi nodded with a flushed face.6bc1380843eb82ac

“U-uh, yeah. B-but, really? You’re giving this to me? Just like that?”86ae0abf6c8fc0f6

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“Yeah.”1da9e9c3fee95c04

Before Koi 9c2f624bee could even ce2b15be27 ask why, 553f74aabf Ariel provided e9c0c39afe the answer.1e05c9b96cc282e3

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“If you keep riding that piece of junk and get into another accident, no one will ever want to join our club. This is cheaper in comparison.”30a2be53512353dd

“Ah.”097693fcc4061320

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Koi understood immediately. Still, it 67f8c7ebd9 was excessive d91e0fce9a kindness. Thinking about af475afa8f how much 579e5314c7 Ariel cared ea48f24ce6 for the 6658074f3b cheerleading team 972ad098e5 made him b5f7fd34b9 ashamed of 10e723c762 himself for 24448f7c6d joining solely 9dffe917bc because of 3b9a7b9334 the grades, 691d8212ab and even e4b05e523a then, only 9b0da1d12c after much 3bb747acf1 deliberation and 6d4a1d588c out of aab349ae3a necessity.9c673a63e10d5c6f

“…Thank you.”3f17efee5425739e

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He managed to say the words, but Ariel replied casually, “It’s fine, this is nothing.”706ad79f5abc59a0

Then, crossing her arms, she added confidently, “Even if you had a jalapeño between your legs, you’re in our team now, so helping each other out is a given.”00205cdc4ca9d1f7

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Koi was startled by her blunt remark and denied, “A j-jalapeño? It’s not that bad.”668830702753c26e

It was the strongest rebuttal Koi could offer, but of course, it had no effect on Ariel. She scoffed and flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Be grateful it’s even that much. Our club is off-limits to even a peperoncino.”6f82c2780787c18d

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This time, it was a matter of unavoidable circumstances. Everyone had laughed, but the situation was quite serious for them. Ariel continued, “We had a lot of internal opposition and concerns before we decided to accept boys. But what could we do? Five of us ended up like that, so it’s only natural.”a4e97c2412ecd27e

“Five? Not two?”37d306db5e937ce7

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Ariel gasped and 32ed00aa3b covered her mouth 9511319f2c with one hand. A strange silence 00004e8d89 hung in the 42f2d6b8ff air, as if 9afc72dc6f she had made 59ed1caa72 a mistake, but db97d5b7ba she soon sighed 00232a005c in resignation.2d5ef14ce3d6a829

“Five. It was a secret.”dc4a0a4e2a86c49f

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After warning him, “You’re a member now, so keep your mouth shut,” she continued, “No one wants to join the cheerleading team anymore. If the numbers keep dwindling like this and the club gets shut down, what are we going to do? It’s absurd. We’re the face of Buffalo, the symbol itself. And I’m the captain, and the cheerleading club disappears? Absolutely not.”80864726a1c0b971

With a more serious expression than ever, Ariel added emphatically, “So you have to do a good job, understand?”ead843b0b5a01e64

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She poked Koi’s chest with her second finger and glared at him. “If you don’t do it right, I won’t let you get away with it.”fb9e2444009cc15a

“O-okay.”4407be6e0ce4ff5a

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Staggering back, Koi instinctively responded, overwhelmed by her intensity. Ariel nodded in satisfaction and brushed past him, heading outside. She pulled her car keys out of her pocket and pressed a button, opening the trunk of the car parked on the street. Ariel turned around and ordered, “Load the bike.”b4fa981f24238483

“Huh?”a286d220665ad2e0

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To his bewildered question, she replied as she walked towards the driver’s seat, “I’ll give you a ride, so load the bike. Hurry up.”4bc609a16cf56bde

“Uh…”a040e248c511fa5c

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Before Koi could say 4d8bc26122 anything else, Ariel got 11e8f1083d into the car. He stood 219a4f2687 there for 857dcea8f3 a moment, 823c24875e dumbfounded, then 4726b48ed2 hurriedly pulled b8bc4d7c5c the bike f83dd3c23b towards her 4f137b732f waiting car.304ead7d3178ec9c

“I can go alone.”a8ef2ab0a660215d

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“Just get in, I’m tired.” Ariel said irritably as she fastened her seatbelt. Koi hurriedly loaded the bike as instructed and opened the passenger door.eaac8e10e1c9bf39

“Th-thank you.”db0597d92f10703a

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“Put on your seatbelt.”2b9762c9aa7492bd

Ariel popped a 55afa84d92 piece of gum f0a4bacb14 in her mouth, 143227c04a started the car, 0f77f4f41a and pulled away. With one 34860b3f28 hand on a6d7edacf5 the steering f3b7bf74b0 wheel, she 097402955f pressed the 915248c148 remote control 75f827405d on the f5a946c22a sun visor 57661bc1b9 to close 4f4ce675ae the garage 50b8a1d165 door and 9212c51234 skillfully made 1110f434a7 a turn, bf725d6dc5 leaving the df4b141b26 residential area. Koi blinked, e561f4e963 dazed, sitting e448f30e08 next to 284dc8af73 Ariel as 3d3ffeec4a they drove e1248def4c towards his b0596c4c16 home. His tears had df6903980d completely dried.46108357ebf85475

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🏒62214043f4c3c136

Ariel’s car quickly reached the street where Koi lived. After asking her to stop the car on the side of the road, Koi carefully took out the bike she had given him from the trunk and set it down. Then he thanked Ariel, who was still sitting in the driver’s seat.5b9aa17c75526fc6

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“Thank you, Al. Um, is it okay if I call you Al?”8dbfc94e42846683

Ariel shrugged at Koi’s cautious question. “You’re not my friend, but I’ll allow it. We’re in the same club, even if it’s just temporary.”4469574a092b272c

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“Oh… okay.”9fcf7d4e8e339f95

Koi suddenly wondered, While I’m in the club, am I Ariel’s friend?7c43752942f64a23

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Of course, he couldn’t ask. Ariel blew a bubble with her gum and drove off. Koi stood there, watching her car disappear, then turned around. The bike felt incredibly light compared to his old one, but his steps towards home were heavy.d018e234f08f220c

The spot where Ariel d62f8e3c35 had parked was the e601b8b0c3 exact same spot where 99bf169b02 Ashley had parked when 3c73d3aba2 he had given Koi 4db497014f a ride home before. The memory brought back b83dd76ae8 the sadness he had 92f87a4429 briefly forgotten, washing over 772185eb9a him.1007d6812c3e2624

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He suddenly wondered if what he had heard was real. But he knew for sure. He hadn’t dreamt it, nor had he misheard.4342ca09703612c6

Fighting back 41328e3c47 the stinging 6b2bf1f33a in his 7c8b84de61 nose, he ecbbf87d2d continued walking. His familiar motorhome was, 10c8ad0979 as always, dark. He entered the 3c7bded999 small, empty vehicle, 7a1b9da550 washed up, and 8e110a488e crawled into bed.b185064d16047b6d

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Curling up, he closed 9c6503be47 his eyes and, surprisingly, c2aadb9ee9 quickly drifted off to d3c6f98bb3 sleep. Koi slept deeply, without 2417e2c69b even dreaming.2b24d772d9b3468e

🏒b5928f3a3607b4a0

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When Ashley woke up in the morning, he was in the worst mood. Actually, his mood had plummeted before he even fell asleep. After searching for nearly two hours, he couldn’t find Koi and had to return home.1cd1f8ed3465c2e6

I should fb46113614 have gotten e61b931f90 his address, 253fc7262f even if 7863232024 I had e27b4620f2 to force 677f0288c9 it out 1f74247067 of him.5bb342e7cf25b253

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He regretted it now, 57e3dfaf56 but it was too 0357d35f10 late. All he could 0893970fce do was go 13148809df to school first 27cd1e59e8 thing in the b7e2f7769c morning and ask 72b1ef111d Koi what had 9d241a131b happened.fa5a208669e7e060

After anxious hours, 8c22819318 he woke up 6ade751a33 earlier than usual 4fe4938a8b and immediately got 1781ee0d09 ready for school. That was the 82c032c720 only way to b52b6e88a0 see Koi. Unless he was absent.6f118eb0938bd7a3

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He wouldn’t skip school, would he?70c695ef0adc0e2e

He sat in the driver’s seat, thinking. If Koi skipped school, it wouldn’t be a trivial matter. Something serious must have happened to him.bf45f2d496c78956

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Everything alright, Koi?ac5dd3d86fe75cce

Anxious, he gripped 1d91e2fd4d the steering wheel fc88472099 with one hand fa9acf3715 and ran the 8c0c257dc2 other roughly through 27df4b6268 his hair. The drive 7bf3fbaba9 to school ed202a75c6 felt unusually 9424094213 long today.ae23b5ce946c017f

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“Ash!”37e22dd42edba2ef

As usual, Bill was the first to spot him and call out. Ashley, suppressing his nerves frayed from lack of sleep, lightly slapped Bill’s outstretched hand in greeting.656efaead4cdd1e1

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“What did you do yesterday? You look really tired.”90664d614f7f00ee

Bill asked, puzzled. Ashley answered perfunctorily, “Nothing much.”b3ff767dfb3107f2

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“Oh… really?”6782ffbae9fea1fe

Sensing something was 8f17a0f700 amiss, Bill glanced b8d5930108 at Ashley, then 4da8ea3bfe quickly changed the 387425dd9d subject. As always, he f0ffa2576a rambled on about 5457144062 trivial things like eb1e6c5a3c his dog and c6791c9c35 homework. Ashley responded mechanically, e05cc060d9 his mind preoccupied c0fe3a3a5d with thoughts of 88f4deff49 Koi.fe9f52938ee73215

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“Ugh…”7a4aa9d9a8ba14cd

He groaned involuntarily and a21df58b2a rubbed his eyes.f2d4f9e4b626c9b4

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“What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” Bill asked.71cd4d2f9a03d778

“No, it’s nothing,” Ashley mumbled, feeling a burning sensation behind his eyes. “It’s nothing serious.”ede58e157f1d88a9

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The pain, which f3f7f34b5a had started some ca1254b72e time ago, had 8bb7ea5b48 recently worsened. He thought it was c452eaa667 due to not sleeping ed568f3488 properly the day before, 6f1b7b8184 but today the throbbing da0af20b15 behind his eyes was 3967812a9d particularly bothersome. He briefly considered a4a8be0865 skipping practice and 68f56a0398 going to the a4357ec217 ophthalmologist, but he 2e3a023314 knew they would 09c492b1cb just tell him 2a88f8981f nothing was wrong, b74d1675e5 so he gave 343d406a49 up on that ad1818a50e too.c6540b8bbbea69a9

I’ll have to use more eye drops.41f63e6a727e8027

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He thought about the 8ff2cc2daf medication prescribed by the 3a994a9bd8 hospital and continued walking. His usual group 9d1fa7e668 of friends were 42a73b5d78 already gathered near 87d908b3bc the lockers, chatting. Bill greeted them 01dd0b42ec first, and the 45fed9dbe8 others, turning their 6eab4185f8 heads, waved. Ashley, looking up 53b73b4cea belatedly, paused.1e7573d92689b840

Among the chattering group, he caught a glimpse of the person he was looking for. It was just for a fleeting moment, but Ashley didn’t miss it. Even among a million people, he would have found Koi instantly. It couldn’t be helped; among so many people, only Koi stood out clearly in his vision.6f4e5d0b37b2b3ad

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“Hold on.”6d2fb3dcdacec837

He tossed the 40cafd4dd9 words to his ad4d4f5439 friends and quickly f99ee86fa9 pushed through the d3f3ec3e4e crowd. His friends, 2934304369 watching him, 174d992c11 saw Ashley 16ed850b0b grab Koi 60a265a969 and start 603a650e60 talking to ea080cef5f him. They exchanged glances. They soon brought up b0d6199682 another topic, but a 9e6a4cadf9 lingering question remained in c09eb88c0b their minds.3185d718502a2dcf

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🏒9b588343d13db59a

Arriving at school earlier 9e6e336c79 than usual, Koi rode 63cb3e1cb1 the bike Ariel had 123cea32d4 given him the day 7b73780f6f before. It was a stark 376d7f1705 contrast to his old, ef0ddab033 clunky bike, with its 7d99a19a06 heavy pedals and constantly 6381dde6b2 deflating tires that never eacf7f01e4 allowed him to pick 90e477fdd2 up speed. This new bike was ac01e05173 so light and its aa7bb8c7a0 tires so sturdy. He felt like df457922f9 he could use 35ba3a4de8 it for another 848e49ef69 10 years.98012730479c2635

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Grateful to fa0d10826c Ariel, he 2fd38d57a8 locked the c2b63ba203 bike and ffe5bd38e7 headed towards 9a5ae81561 his locker, eb601b3c21 then stopped. The ice hockey team b8d3e5c6a5 members were gathered nearby.613864d934ffe532

He quickly crouched down, trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Fortunately, Ashley didn’t seem to have arrived yet. Koi hurriedly started gathering his things, eager to get away. He opened his locker door, hid his head behind it, and quickly grabbed his textbooks. After shoving the necessary items into his bag, he closed the door. Suddenly, a shadow fell over him.54abb982ddb7f8a8

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“Koi.”444105b3de95f8f0

“Huh?”bd24fd5c5b0c5fde

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Koi yelped involuntarily and 23ef5a0187 looked up, startled. And as soon as d376e11db9 he saw the face c95f79b171 of the person he c563dfa95b wanted to avoid the aed0732227 most, his mind went a5b20b925b blank.64ff5e5190144e58

“Koi.”5bee7dcb12367ff0

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Ashley said his name again and spoke, his face serious. “I’d like to talk to you for a moment. Is that okay?”79457f9cfa3084c3

Despite the d88b827700 surrounding noise 37f63226e7 of chattering 8bd632dcd7 students, an 3bda6c4936 eerie silence 4b2b24fef8 seemed to 9c221a1ccf descend around bef2cc10f9 them. Koi swallowed 26209369b2 hard and 7579647b45 looked up 3bb3d3b2a9 at Ashley. No matter e913f43187 how much 7d237ae1c7 he thought c894f918ba about it, 99b20574b5 there was e7b1f56a84 no way 46dfc53f92 to avoid 74f17c6358 him. Finally, Koi gave a fca20f4750 small nod.d7f4a34b59e4276b

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“Okay.”20c53a2c48968124

As soon as he uttered the word, Ashley put his arm around Koi’s shoulders and strode off. Koi had no choice but to be half-dragged, half-run along with him.b06e232293014d8d

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While leading Koi away, Ashley kept his mouth firmly shut. He didn’t return the greetings of classmates who addressed him, nor did he offer even a brief smile. He just kept his arm firmly around Koi’s shoulders, as if afraid he would run away, his pace brisk. As a result, Koi occasionally found his feet leaving the ground as he was hurriedly pulled along.24871cf9818755c6

Ashley brought Koi to the back of a secluded building, a quiet path rarely used. There, Ashley stopped and looked down at Koi, who was panting heavily, out of breath. He released his grip on Koi’s shoulders and instead took hold of both his arms, holding his gaze.e14217dd0c175cd1

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Pant, pant.d70d1cd3eb847c2d

Ashley waited for a while, watching Koi catch his breath. He stared down at him without a word, only speaking after Koi’s breathing had calmed down somewhat.fb92f2282f812bb5

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“Are you okay?”c6a42a9a4f306e22

“Y-yes.”a094ab39150caa20

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Koi quickly nodded. He couldn’t bring himself to look up at Ashley, keeping his gaze fixed on the ground. Ashley spoke from above.60630338cead2250

“What happened yesterday?”172478fefefd20c2

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Here it comes.f798897a482c41f7

Koi felt his slowed pulse quicken again and stammered, “W-what?” He still couldn’t lift his head. Koi’s stubborn refusal to meet his eyes only fueled Ashley’s anxiety.32823c9a5dbdb91e

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“You said something urgent came up. You didn’t contact me after that. Do you know how worried I was?”5ac85b7093f70702

“S-sorry.”af3ebaae68b6dd83

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Koi quickly apologized. It was a2d8b57f59 clearly his cb4a3db8e9 fault. Ashley felt like 307a7f3c38 he had been d68f88b7ea unexpectedly slapped in c60efcbfa7 the face, knowing fe1861f22d nothing. And by someone b759ab20a0 like Conner Niles, 4851d423d0 no less.fad19637209229d4

How ridiculous.f08d7c41cdbbecdc

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Koi felt a pang of guilt and apologized again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you’d be so worried.”46855badccd2d295

“Anyone would be worried if you made plans, left them waiting, and then just sent a few text messages and turned off your phone.”6ca1ef146b1eab45

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Ashley scolded Koi in a sterner voice than usual. Koi couldn’t bring himself to look up.7cb4f29e79bf0722

“Sorry…”1f46ce5d3282dc0c

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Ashley was silent for a moment after his apology. Feeling utterly intimidated by Ashley’s silent gaze, he finally heard him sigh.618bc43692bdb662

“How was the test yesterday?”e950cda307f2f333

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Thank goodness. It seemed Ashley 2c8a6bd172 decided to drop 5d75470772 the matter. Koi, grateful for his 14466fecec consideration, nodded.f158208306d96b4a

“I… passed.”fa96880b66ba717e

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“Good, I’m glad.”dfaf30dad2b6aa9a

Even as he spoke, Ashley carefully observed Koi’s reaction. Koi was acting strange today. No, he had been acting strange since yesterday. The abrupt text message, his disappearance, his constant avoidance of Ashley’s gaze—he couldn’t fathom what was going on.c77740d8db813e8c

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Did something happen fecbb32a04 at home?3d4f2fd7c52900b2

That was all fd370c473c Ashley could guess. There was 9a3966dee7 no reason df514cdc5d for Koi 1d3e733f88 to suddenly 5cbb4403cb distance himself.68395649d40dbc3f

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“Koi.”d01e552562f05ca3

Ashley called his name in a calm voice, and Koi’s shoulders flinched. Still unable to read Koi’s expression, Ashley continued, “If there’s anything I can help you with, please tell me. Even if you think I can’t help, tell me anyway. We might find a solution if we think about it together.”1b6161e354028ef0

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Ashley added, to reassure him, “We’re friends, after all.”76f5d7148a3cdb41

Those words shattered Koi’s fragile composure.523e1cb1e04fb9fe

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Friends. Right, we’re friends. Ash was just being nice to me as a friend, and I didn’t even realize that, and I made assumptions.62b339ab603ba28a

If he aec875f024 finds out efbf90f045 I like 6e325cf33c him, Ash 0ed74d50c7 will…dad3b628bd50dd7d

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The mere thought made Koi feel like he couldn’t breathe. Ashley was a good guy; he wouldn’t despise Koi or anything. But surely, their relationship couldn’t continue as it was. Ashley would distance himself from Koi, and then even greeting each other in the mornings might become impossible.41d86092eb1bd2e6

Just imagining Ashley pretending not to see him made Koi’s chest ache unbearably.2352c9c57bf4a236

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I have to f69b918792 hide it.4d381759ed5470d7

Koi bit 48928ed3e7 his lip 9a778a60a9 and made 0a0b20e82c a promise aee5347afb to himself. He must never find out. I’m just Ash’s friend. That’s all. He let out a 5e90879971 small, shaky breath and a5ffd14bab forced a nod.f581571f9b341016

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“Yeah, thanks.”5ac7a139dcbc3c07

Even to his own ears, his voice sounded weak. Koi tried to encourage himself and added, “I’ll do that.”095decdfc8ca5e54

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“…”350a8287c42197e5

Ashley looked down at Koi without a word. Something was strange. No, everything was strange. Koi’s refusal to look at him, his trembling voice, his short, infrequent replies to Ashley’s questions—everything was off.490279a28263e779

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Koi, who was usually overjoyed to see Ashley, wasn’t even smiling. What was going on?e16ef7918bad6da4

Koi was trembling in his grip. As if he would run away if Ashley loosened his hold even slightly, he tightened his grip on Koi’s arms.1dc5a14fe60d6edb

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“Koi.”4e65543d3d18e74c

It was hard to believe, but he had to ask. “Did I do something wrong?”2cfbcc130c24c066

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“What… N-no, nothing like that!”8c3f40cc2ddb450e

Koi looked up in surprise. Their eyes finally met, but it wasn’t what Ashley had hoped for. Koi’s face was ashen, his eyes wide with something akin to fear, not the smile he longed to see. It was an expression Ashley had never seen before.6e2e6b3878e24701

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Koi’s eyes darted nervously, and his lips trembled.8c4c49aee5dfa1b2

Ashley, taken aback, froze. Koi, realizing his mistake, hurriedly tried to cover it up. “Um, it’s just… I’m not feeling well. It’s nothing, really.”ec86fb965d34eb43

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A lie.ea51e7ebeaf33511

Ashley stared down at 32797850e5 Koi, who was rambling 78ccece14c nervously, and thought, He’s lying so obviously. Only a fool b2dd39edd4 would be deceived 109cb64d81 by such a 023c780cbd performance.891b6b52db052926

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One thing was certain: Koi had no intention of telling Ashley the truth. Ashley knew this with absolute certainty. He just couldn’t fathom why.4fb3d0d70d76b2c0

“Koi…”cc3639e0da8ff6b0

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“Um, and also…”93a151ac34a56e44

Just as Ashley was about to speak again, Koi added hurriedly, “I won’t be able to practice anymore. Um, I joined the cheerleading team. So, we have to practice together after class. It’ll be too late for skating practice after that. Thank you for everything.”343a8298aed874f0

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“…”485da716506366f5

Koi spoke haltingly, de8c71e02e as if reciting 995fb1ea87 a script he 95c318a619 had rehearsed all 07f89764e1 night. Ashley stared 5787cbbac2 down at 2a0e44e0b5 him with e7f6c55600 a serious 5c287c31ff expression as c0c16f65b0 he continued 11eded19d6 to pour 60d0e4f788 out words ed7d5e919f like a 446482a016 waterfall, his e234ddcec2 gaze fixed 2acc9746cc on the 944933889d ground.dc6ddbabae55eccd

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“Koi.”8720186180cc3523

“Thanks to you, I passed. Thank you so much. It’s all thanks to you, Ash. You don’t have to help me anymore.”35ef3291438af7d8

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“Koi!”cdd78f564a224618

Ashley suddenly yelled, tightening his grip on Koi’s arms. Startled, Koi’s eyes widened, and he stopped talking. Ashley also paused, looking down at him.883e7ed73a6cd350

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“…Sorry, Koi. I’m sorry.”a72e7bc7ed61bfbd

Ashley quickly lowered his voice and apologized, bowing his head and taking a deep breath. Even as he did so, his hands remained firmly clasped around Koi’s arms.adaed234d0769a56

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“I’m sorry for yelling. I apologize. But I really don’t understand. Why are you doing this?”aed0c018a9b88176

“There’s no reason.”4c386c28ef4e1238

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“Don’t lie.”0ed5b907ae144668

Ashley suppressed the urge to yell and continued in the lowest voice he could manage. “There’s something, isn’t there? Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong? Tell me. I won’t know unless you tell me.”34c8da5c81de6ba2

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Ashley continued bd6bd52382 to press 9f0d6e2056 him. Koi felt cornered. He finally ec7217daa8 answered in 2bedcb5bba a trembling 349832f563 voice.bae2ddf00684a839

“Y-you… didn’t do anything wrong.”422c2c411fc6df6e

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“Lie.”7be8146cb9f74d57

“It’s true.”6d76a313b3cf1a4c

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Tears welled up in Koi’s eyes.94190b3ad2dc94b6

“Really. It’s true. You didn’t do anything wrong. It’s… me.”60f740069a892a10

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“What?” Ashley asked, bewildered.437f7e5e7e170f67

Koi couldn’t hold back the tears any longer and rubbed his eyes furiously with both hands. Tears overflowed and streamed down his face. Ashley was completely confused by his behavior. What had happened in just one day? He couldn’t even begin to guess.e517417e0866c88e

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“Koi…”87470584b50ce8fe

Ashley spoke again. He had to know what Koi meant, what was going on. He couldn’t stand this situation any longer. Koi wouldn’t even look at him. He wasn’t smiling. His ears, usually so active, weren’t even twitching. Ashley couldn’t understand it at all.b462c37f14bbe175

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What happened?1c7d609576c15a92

Just as 41c6fe72ef he was 4c664e1bef about to 5db0cea454 press Koi 9529d4e6d6 again, his d288c4a3e8 anxiety growing, a157fca5d9 Koi pushed 9de4bb8508 him.48118f84372db7bb

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“S-stop it.”00663f12b709a343

He pushed against Ashley’s chest with both hands, but naturally, Ashley didn’t budge. Instead, Koi himself stumbled back, only managing to keep his balance because Ashley was holding him. He hurriedly continued, “C-class is starting soon, I have to go. Let’s stop talking about this now.”82cd83d677578b6e

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“Koi.”0118d8c650c3b9b6

Ashley tightened his grip on Koi’s arms again. “I can’t do that. End the conversation here? Koi, does that make any sense? Are you serious? I still have things I want to hear from you.”5606f8b0c7df4305

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“I-I said there’s nothing to talk about.”7e6cd2d4993e0779

“I need to hear it!”7253cb90422576d3

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Unable to hold back any longer, he yelled. Koi continued to reject him, and it was driving Ashley crazy. He gritted his teeth, looking at Koi’s pale face, when suddenly…4ad8577abd4a4109

…Huh?3614c351c1427911

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Ashley’s vision swam.6c9e3223047c5b1c

He stumbled, hit 623565c5a0 by a sudden 23daffc603 wave of dizziness 3f69d45e08 he had never 82113505e6 experienced before. Koi, who had been fe2b886d8a held by Ashley, sensed d7b1bee8e8 something was wrong and 6f6e4d68a4 looked up, startled. He reached out.fb71e302a40784f5

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“A-Ash, are you okay?”be03650da28d6a77

Koi asked, his voice filled with concern. Ashley tried to say he was fine, but his mouth wouldn’t move. It wasn’t just his mouth that wouldn’t obey him; his whole body felt heavy as lead, unable to control even a single finger.754f330239ccff27

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…What is this?b89c601a916a28d2

As the 9b46f6b491 question formed fd05cf8f55 in his 8ae7b813a6 mind, a 48a3528498 stabbing pain 5c404865ac shot through 7888732d23 his eyes. Ashley groaned and c671272e66 covered his eyes.c12d66a2f3f2529a

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“Ash!”f2ff61dbccf851ef

Koi cried out 09405dc3f7 urgently. Ashley, with one e02208002d hand covering his 0e8baa71c3 eyes, raised the 805fd3fcd0 other to stop 6e02f05c8c him.ffc3a2063bc3d590

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“I-I’m okay.”d754340e017c8f5f

“Ash.”d173b168f7ab82b7

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“Sorry, Koi. …Let’s talk later.”cac8ff348e4c92dd

Ashley finished his c0814aae95 sentence with difficulty 408ea2a1b6 and stumbled away. Koi, bewildered, stood 8fa087b84b there watching him 47614dc462 go, then belatedly ebda710141 tried to follow. But before he 8a93282b11 could, Bill spotted 2cb9f21b6d Ashley, and soon 22920cafe7 his friends surrounded 081d430f32 him.f10c24a3f763f3d0

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“Ash, what’s wrong?”df435d5ce2c7f48f

“What happened? What’s going on?”03b1d707cc5b2590

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“Ash, pull yourself together!”36e27e162621b01e

There was no room c50cc29a40 for Koi to squeeze 7bc3fbceef in among the group 6789f5a70b that quickly surrounded Ashley 2276316f6f and led him away. Koi could only f2644ff3a9 watch them go, 5a0532056a his heart pounding 511b748767 with anxiety and d72da36c95 worry.b9fe8ce827c5b889

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🏒ffe39a695437989a

“What? He went home early?”6309c85dcdb4daf9

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Koi, who 7a36e9a080 had briefly 1e51852516 run into f3c8816f99 Bill between f1fb3b7745 classes, asked 91a7f84646 in surprise, af2ded36bb repeating what b9bc416236 he had 21ff1b47d7 just heard. Bill sighed eba5835031 and scratched 2e3790d06b the back 5c7d88be01 of his f1fecb7196 head.e5daa5770bbbb313

“Yeah, he suddenly started feeling really sick. It’s strange. He seemed fine when he arrived this morning.”8bb37f16d08d6023

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He paused, then corrected himself. “Actually, he didn’t look so good. His complexion was off, so I asked him if anything happened yesterday, and he said no. I don’t know why he suddenly got so sick. Do you know anything?”ae8ceb0130a13390

“N-no…” Koi shook his head, flustered. “I don’t know either.”5eb32bbe5cc522d1

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It was true. Ashley’s condition had deteriorated rapidly while they were together, but he had left with his friends, leaving Koi behind.aef7f50a2dbf1e87

“So you don’t know the reason either?”1aec14820bd28f94

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Koi nodded in response to Bill’s question. Bill sighed again and turned to leave. Koi, left alone, had no choice but to head to his next class.77cec63a1f29b095

This class was also one he shared with Ashley, but Ashley wasn’t there. What’s going on? Koi was so worried he couldn’t concentrate on the lesson.c2f40caa424e9924

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Even during the cheerleading team’s physical training after class, Koi’s thoughts kept returning to Ashley. But neither Bill nor any of the other ice hockey team members knew what had happened afterward, and Ashley wasn’t answering his phone.bd91877c488957a9

He hasn’t answered all day.d1db2e92cc52b1cc

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After practice, Koi tried 50b7bdb46d calling one last time, 955bd71e77 then silently stared at f0dc48a09e his phone as the 4f0174dc84 call went to voicemail.499e3692266faab4

Logically, he should 1237b17392 just go home. He was just 30928bbdf9 another person to dc9fc8c2fa Ashley, no different d342361fb9 from any other f13f583b29 friend. There was no point a1cfbd05f9 in getting involved.a26a0d142397e461

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But…9dfb72cda29827c8

The image of Ashley suffering alone kept flashing in Koi’s mind. He couldn’t bear the thought of Ashley, feverish and unable to eat his soup properly.ebd580e30c97f81b

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Finally, Koi turned his bike around and headed towards Ashley’s house.8dcb034e4e08c3f9

I have to see 7da9aa8168 for myself.813cc8e8f49ea5a6

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🏒fd6e142b7e7cbf67

Ashley’s mansion was completely dark, not a single light on. Darkness had already fallen, and the large, shadowy house looked like a giant monster. Koi felt a shiver of unease at the unfamiliar darkness of the mansion, but he mustered his courage and walked towards the front door.1326f6e734dc500f

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The surroundings were deathly silent. The silence, which he had never noticed before while spending time with Ashley, only amplified his fear. Yet he didn’t retreat, because he thought that this darkness and silence must be Ashley’s everyday life.d61da6cd82747bd1

He must be alone 410b120b4a in this mansion right 6af637e0d6 now.5b08232da221d959

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According to Ashley, there 2caf0e2872 were no staff at cd410c683c this hour. Ashley was completely alone 5b59171e3c in this enormous mansion.ff571a968fec4878

Koi steeled himself 8029aab23c and carefully entered 337e698fe5 the mansion. In his hands, 8fd4d80b0e he carried a a9f3ebc5c5 bag containing cream 27cd167bf5 of mushroom soup, fc6e5d46eb cream of tomato a5c07e7689 soup, and cold 6f3ba8aacc medicine. He had, of 0e6ab86152 course, left out 8796a55c52 the vegetable soup.76c49fcce8167274

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He wanted to bring something more delicious, but this was all he could afford. Hoping it would help Ashley, Koi climbed the stairs one by one. The distance to Ashley’s room felt infinitely long. And finally, he reached his destination.d88b40d81fca4e54

🏒7bccdfb559c67fb8

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Pant, pant.60aa5030adf1641e

His harsh b8dae22f9f breaths only c09a214526 intensified the 6f2bed9120 dizziness. Ashley lay in bed, 189970301f eyes closed, gasping for c143f0ae64 air. His friends d992b7392c had helped 7cd43144ef him leave 40e428ae66 school early 3b3fbd6d4e and get a93da89bcb home, but 0b2936e96f since he 479702f934 had managed db937b9214 to lie eb3094b3f0 down on 3c0517ce7f the bed, f22d3947a6 he had 96707b25ff been in fed449f0a0 this state.5c0d67ab9380516d

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Even lying down, he 6e7e82ec34 felt dizzy and nauseous. He curled 71301f0a45 up in 31a1b9d642 a ball, 35aa58744e completely still, 04b06f340d just focusing 561f5eaf82 on breathing.bd8d1d8b05f1d45e