LMUC Ch 17

〈Let’s stay together.〉

Remembering Koi’s words, a slow smile spread across Ashley’s face.

“…Okay,” Ashley said. “Let’s stay together.”

“Yeah.” Koi nodded. It didn’t matter what his father said. He would never leave Ashley.

Resolving this, Koi smiled brightly at Ashley. “I’ll stay with you.”

At that moment, Ashley clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, restraining the urge to hug Koi and shower him with kisses. We’re at school, he repeated like a mantra. I have to hold back, for Koi’s sake.

They weren’t officially dating yet. Only Ashley considered them to be. He longed for Koi to acknowledge it, to make it official, but no one knew when that day would come. Every day, every hour, every minute, every second felt too long for him.

“Koi,” Ashley said as they reached their classroom. He felt Koi’s gaze on him but continued to look straight ahead. “I can’t wait much longer.”

Huh?

Koi blinked, unable to respond immediately. Ashley released his arm from around Koi and entered the classroom first. He sat down, leaving Koi standing there hesitantly. Koi entered the classroom after a moment’s hesitation, glancing at Ashley, and sat down next to him. Ashley gave him a deliberate smile.

So, admit it before then, Koi. Your feelings.

Another student entered, and the teacher began the class. Ashley glanced at Koi, who was sitting up straighter than usual. His tense expression clearly showed how much Ashley’s words had affected him. Looking away from Koi and towards the front, Ashley thought, I might not be able to hold back anymore and just kidnap you.

🏒

“One, two, three, end!”

Everyone stopped moving in unison at Ariel’s call. The music stopped at the same time, and a few seconds later, everyone relaxed, catching their breath. Koi also gasped, bending over to take deep breaths.

Cheerleading practice was harder than he thought. The amount of exercise was far greater than he anticipated, and the team members’ stamina was incredible.

Since joining the team, Koi had felt a constant sense of atonement towards all cheerleaders, including his teammates. He had never imagined the hard work, training, and tears hidden behind their bright smiles and energetic performances. More than anything, they were dedicated to their roles.

“We will lead Buffalo High to victory!” Ariel shouted, and everyone echoed her words. Koi shouted along, moved by their pride.

But the moment of inspiration didn’t last long. Koi always had extra training.

“You don’t have enough muscle,” Ariel would often say, poking him critically. And she had a point. All the cheerleaders had developed toned muscles through repeated physical training. Among them, Ariel, as the captain, was the best.

“Ariel even won an amateur boxing match,” the vice-captain had once said proudly of their captain. Koi had been impressed, but at the same time, the memory of Ashley’s bruised face sent a shiver down his spine.

“Alright, everyone, good work today.”

As they were tidying up, Ariel clapped her hands to get their attention. Everyone looked at her, and she continued, “The homecoming game is coming up soon, so we’ll be getting fitted for our uniforms. We’ll prepare them in advance, so if anyone has any problems, please let me or the vice-captain know. This game is practically the start of the season, so we have to do it right.”

“Yes!”

“Okay!”

Ariel nodded at their enthusiastic replies, then suddenly smiled. “So, to celebrate, how about we all go to Green Bell together today?”

“C-Celebrate?” Koi stammered amidst the cheers and the flurry of everyone getting ready to leave. Ariel frowned at him. “Yes, is there a problem?”

“No, well… it’s just…” Koi hesitated, unable to speak, and averted his gaze. He really didn’t have any money today. His income had drastically decreased because he only worked weekends, and even then, he often had to miss work for practice. He was worried he might get fired soon, so every penny counted.

And now, Green Bell?

If it were a cheap fast-food place, he might have managed, but Green Bell was out of his budget. Should he just say he couldn’t go?

He really wanted to go. He had finally started to open up to his teammates and fit in. It would be great to spend time with them and chat. He wanted a group of friends like Ashley and his friends, but reality wouldn’t allow it. And he had to buy a new uniform, too. He was truly broke.

As he was torn between his desire to go and his empty wallet, Ariel, untying her hair and letting her long locks flow freely, said, “You should come today. It’s a bonding experience for everyone.”

The vice-captain popped her head out from behind Ariel. “You’ll regret it if you don’t come. We’re going to choose the design for the new uniforms there.”

Koi asked cautiously, “Um, even with the new uniform… will I still be wearing a skirt?”

“Oh, of course,” the vice-captain replied, singing dramatically like a Disney character, and turned back to finish packing her things. It seemed there was no way around it. Koi suppressed his desire to go and faced reality. He didn’t even have enough money for a soda. There would be other opportunities. He would look forward to that day.

“Well…” he began.

“Are you trying to skip because you don’t want to wear a skirt?” Ariel interrupted, frowning. Koi was startled and shook his head.

“N-No, it’s not that. Well, I want to go, but…”

“Then come. You’re not a guy to us. Of course, you’re not a girl either, so you’re… something else.”

Was that better than being called a jalapeño? Koi thought for a moment, then quickly snapped back to attention. “No, of course I know you don’t think of me as a guy. And yes, I’m not a girl either. But, well…”

He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. Ariel said, “We sold your piece of junk.”

“Huh?”

He blinked at the sudden statement, and Ariel continued, “Your scrap metal bike, we sold it. My dad did.”

“Sold it? That?” Koi repeated her words, bewildered. Ariel nodded readily.

“Yeah, it’s amazing that even that scrap metal is worth something, right?”

“Uh… well, yeah, but…”

What was she talking about all of a sudden?

He was surprised that the bike had been sold and puzzled by her bringing it up now. Seeing his bewilderment, Ariel said, “It was such a piece of junk, it only fetched 12 dollars. Here.”

“Huh?”

Ariel suddenly pulled some bills out of her wallet and held them out. Koi’s mind went blank at the unexpected turn of events. Ariel waved her hand, urging him to take the money, but Koi hesitated.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s the money from selling your junk.”

“But…” Koi still didn’t understand. “You gave me your bike.”

Hearing this, Ariel tilted her head back and sighed at the ceiling. “Just take it. Why are you so talkative?”

“But it’s true…”

“Oh, honestly.”

Ariel, annoyed, shoved the money into Koi’s shirt. The bills, crumpled and damp with sweat, stuck to his body. Before he could react, Ariel turned and walked away.

“Everyone come! No exceptions! We have an important meeting!” she called out and quickly disappeared towards her car. Koi carefully peeled the sweat-damp bills from his shirt and stared in the direction she had gone.

[Ash, I can’t practice skating today. The cheerleading team has a meeting at Green Bell. See you tomorrow. Sorry. -Koi]

Seeing Koi’s message, Ashley quickly typed a reply.

[Have a good time, Koi. See you tomorrow. -Ash]

While he was looking at the screen, the unread notification disappeared, and a new message arrived.

[Yeah, thanks. See you tomorrow. -Koi]

Only then did Ashley put down his phone with a faint smile. He could exchange messages like this all night long. Koi always replied to his messages, even sending another greeting after Ashley replied to his initial one. It seemed like he felt obligated to respond to every message.

Cute.

Ashley chuckled softly and looked up, still smiling. He saw the ice hockey team practicing on the rink.

He sighed. It was frustrating to sit in the stands and watch while the others were working up a sweat. But it couldn’t be helped. He was waiting for the coach’s decision.

Before presenting, their routine had been to practice skating together at Ashley’s house after Koi finished cheerleading practice. But his presentation had disrupted their regular schedule.

Koi had told Ashley to go back to the mansion first, and he would come over after practice, but Ashley chose to wait. Even if Ariel had given him a new bike, it would still be a strenuous ride up the mountain. He wasn’t going to put the person he liked through that.

More than anything, he didn’t like the idea of Koi riding Ariel’s bike.

I need to get him a new bike as soon as possible.

He couldn’t stand the thought of Koi cherishing Ariel’s bike. But he couldn’t just buy a new bike without Koi’s input; it had to be something Koi liked. So, while waiting for the right opportunity, all he could do was give Koi rides in his car as much as possible, including to and from school. Of course, Koi always brought that bike and put it in Ashley’s trunk, but it was still better than him riding it.

Should I pick him up from Green Bell after their meeting?

That was a good idea. It was quite a distance from Green Bell to Koi’s house, and even though the new bike was better than the old one, it was still a tough ride. Plus, he got to see Koi again, and Koi wouldn’t be riding that bike. It was a win-win situation.

If Koi asked how he happened to be there, he would just say he was passing by and thought of stopping. Koi would believe him, of course. He believed everything Ashley said. Thinking this, he checked his watch. Green Bell closed around 10, so there was still plenty of time.

When will the coach tell me his decision? He stretched, bored. Then, he heard footsteps. He saw the coach walking towards him. He folded his arms and waited. The coach sat down one seat away from him.

“Well, have you been waiting long?”

“About an hour?”

He deliberately checked his watch and smiled. The coach chuckled awkwardly. “It wasn’t an easy decision.”

“I understand. I’m prepared.”

If the answer was no, it couldn’t be helped. It would be disappointing, but his ice hockey days would be over. He hadn’t planned on going pro anyway, so maybe it was for the best. The coach then asked, “You’re only playing this year, right?”

“Yes. I need to prepare for college.”

Come to think of it, how did Koi do on his college entrance exams? He didn’t think Koi had done well. Would he have to retake them? It would be tough if it overlapped with college applications.

He’s not thinking of not going to college, is he?

Then he remembered Koi saying he wanted to go to NASA, and dismissed the last thought. He’ll have to retake the exams. I’ll have to check.

“Ash, after our discussion…”

Brought back to reality by the coach’s voice, Ashley focused his attention. The coach scratched his throat and cleared his throat. It’s a no, isn’t it? Ashley thought. Then, the coach spoke.

“We’ve decided to allow you to play on the team for this season.”

Ashley was taken aback by the unexpected answer. The coach continued, “It’s your last season, and we need time to strengthen our team. We already have some players who are planning to quit after this season, so we were preparing to make replacements next year… You know about that, right? It’s only for one season, and there’s nothing against the rules about you playing.”

The coach paused and added, “We’ll monitor your rut cycle and any other issues as we go. I’ll make sure we have a replacement ready, just in case. It doesn’t just come on suddenly, does it?”

“No… I don’t think so?” Ashley raised and lowered his hands slightly. “It hasn’t happened yet, so I don’t know for sure, but I understand there are warning signs. And I have suppressants.”

“Well, if that’s the case…”

Only Koi, his father, and his secretary knew that Ashley had presented as a Dominant Alpha, not a regular Alpha. They also didn’t know that regular suppressants weren’t very effective for Dominant Alphas. In fact, since there were no Dominant Alphas taking suppressants, no one knew how effective they would be.

But for now, he could control his pheromones, and as long as he didn’t go into rut, he should be able to manage. And the coach said he would have a plan in place for his rut.

“Yeah, it’s amazing that even that scrap heap is worth something, huh?”

“Uh… well, yeah, but…”

What was she talking about all of a sudden?

He was surprised the bike had been sold and puzzled by her bringing it up now. Seeing his bewilderment, Ariel said, “It was such a piece of junk, it only fetched 12 dollars. Here.”

“Huh?”

Ariel suddenly pulled some bills out of her wallet and held them out. Koi’s mind went blank at the unexpected turn of events. Ariel waved her hand, urging him to take the money, but Koi hesitated.

“Why are you giving this to me?”

“It’s the money from selling your junk.”

“But…” Koi still didn’t understand. “You gave me your bike.”

Hearing this, Ariel tilted her head back and sighed at the ceiling. “Just take it. Why are you so talkative?”

“But it’s true…”

“Oh, honestly.” Annoyed, Ariel shoved the money into Koi’s shirt. The bills, crumpled and damp with sweat, stuck to his body. Before he could react, Ariel turned and walked away.

“Everyone come! No exceptions! We have an important meeting!” she called out and quickly disappeared toward her car. Koi carefully peeled the sweat-damp bills from his shirt and stared in the direction she had gone.

[Ash, I can’t make skate practice today. The cheerleading team has a meeting at Green Bell. See you tomorrow. Sorry. —Koi]

Ashley, after reading Koi’s message, started to type a reply.

[Have a good time, Koi. See you tomorrow. —Ash]

He paused, a good idea coming to mind. He deleted the message and put his phone back in his pocket. Just then, the coach’s whistle blew, signaling the end of practice.

“Bill!” he called out as he walked down from the stands. Bill, who was about to head inside, stopped and looked back. Ashley reached the fence and said, “To celebrate my return, want to go to Green Bell? My treat.”

“Sure! Hey!” Bill immediately turned and relayed the good news to the others as he walked away. Ashley thought, This way, I can naturally join the cheerleading team.

Traditionally, the cheerleading team and the sports teams were close. He had started dating Ariel because they saw each other often due to this connection. If the two teams happened to meet at a restaurant, it was natural for them to join tables.

I’ll just kill some time and leave with Koi.

Ashley whistled, picked up his bag, and headed out. The others would drive to Green Bell in their own cars. The plan was perfect.

Until reality unfolded before his eyes.

🏒

Everyone had already arrived at Green Bell and was waiting for Koi. He was the only one on a bicycle; the others had driven or carpooled and left school earlier. This was their way of being considerate. Koi was only a temporary member, so he could have gone straight home, but the earnest Koi didn’t realize this.

“Koi, over here!” one of the cheerleaders shouted, waving her arm, spotting him looking around at the entrance. They were already looking at menus and deciding what to order. Koi awkwardly walked toward them.

Cheerleading teams are popular in every school, and their members are no exception. Even now, the teenagers at Green Bell were glancing and stealing looks at their table. When Koi joined them, their expressions turned curious. Embarrassed, Koi quickly squeezed into the most secluded spot.

“We’ve all chosen. What do you want?” the vice-captain asked, handing him a menu. Of course, there was only one option for Koi.

“C-Cola. No ice.”

“And?”

“That’s all.” Koi shook his head. Ariel had given him money, but he still had to buy a uniform, so he was still tight on cash.

But he couldn’t refuse Ariel’s kindness. And he wanted to be a part of this kind of gathering, even if it was just tagging along with the girls.

“That’s why you don’t gain muscle,” Ariel scolded him, but Koi could only smile awkwardly. Soon, their orders were taken, and the girls started chatting. Boyfriends, makeup, favorite pop stars… it was all trivial stuff, but Koi loved listening. He sat in the corner, his face flushed, listening intently, when he suddenly heard the chime of the door.

The atmosphere seemed to change. Koi involuntarily turned his head and froze. Accompanied by boisterous chatter, the Buffalo High ice hockey team poured into the restaurant.

“Oh?”

“Oh!”

They spotted each other almost simultaneously. The ice hockey team’s eyes widened as they made eye contact with the cheerleaders, and then they rushed over to their table.

“Wow, you guys are here too?”

“What are you doing here? What’s going on?”

“Idiot, we’re here for dinner, of course. What else would we be doing at a restaurant? What about you guys?”

“These overgrown gorillas are here to wreck the place again, I suppose.”

Despite the teasing, the cheerleaders were all smiling. They were clearly on good terms.

Didn’t Ash come…?

Ashley had said he would find out today if he could rejoin the team. Maybe he just left after hearing the results? Koi scanned the faces in the group, and someone voiced his thoughts.

“Where’s Ash? Did he skip practice again today?”

“Oh, he parked a bit further away because there weren’t any spots. He’ll be here soon.”

Relieved by the answer, Koi became curious. What was the result? He must have come with them because he got good news, right? His heart pounded with anticipation. Then, the ice hockey team suddenly suggested they combine tables.

“Hey, want to move over there? It’s cramped here,” Bill suggested first. No one objected. The girls picked up their drinks and stood up, and the ice hockey team members went ahead to pull out chairs for them.

As Ariel stood up with the others, Koi hurried over to her. “Um, Ariel,” he said.

Ariel turned, and Koi, feeling awkward but emboldened, thanked her. “Um, I didn’t get to say it earlier… but thank you. For the bike and the money…”

“It’s okay. And can we please drop it? I did it because I wanted to. I’m glad you weren’t offended.”

“Offended? Why would I be?” Koi asked, surprised. Ariel glanced at him and looked away.

“I know I crossed the line a bit. Well, I’m glad you’re okay with it.”

With that, she headed towards the other table, her cheeks slightly flushed. Koi was surprised to see her acting shy. He hadn’t expected her to be embarrassed after showing him such excessive kindness. His heart overflowed with gratitude and goodwill toward her.

“Ariel…”

Just as he was about to follow her, calling her name again, the chime of the door rang, and the door opened. It was Ashley. He entered, scanned the room, and spotted Koi first. His bright smile faltered. Ashley’s eyes went to Ariel, who was standing too close to Koi, and then back to Koi.

What are you doing?

Just as he felt as if he’d heard Ashley’s voice, he noticed the cheerleaders whispering amongst themselves. Then, they split into two groups and flocked to Ashley and Ariel.

“Here, sit down.”

“What are you doing? Let’s get started.”

Chattering, they pulled the two of them along and sat Ariel and Ashley next to each other, then quickly filled the seats on either side, alternating between cheerleaders and ice hockey players. Koi, who had been watching blankly, ended up with the seat furthest from Ashley, flanked by cheerleaders.

“What is the meaning of this?” Ashley asked, unable to hide his annoyance. Ariel mouthed, “I don’t know,” while the cheerleaders giggled. Ariel, realizing their little scheme, was dumbfounded but couldn’t just storm out. She took a deep breath to maintain her composure.

But Ashley was different. His priority wasn’t maintaining composure; it was the fact that Koi was sitting as far away from him as possible, surrounded by cheerleaders.

“Didn’t you tell them we broke up?” he asked Ariel in a low growl, his teeth clenched. Ariel smiled and muttered through gritted teeth, “Of course I did. Do you think I’m crazy enough to pretend we’re still dating with an asshole like you?”

“Then what is this situation?”

Ariel didn’t know either. She threw her hands up and forced a smile, looking around. “We have things to discuss amongst ourselves, so should we rearrange the seats? Cheerleaders together, ice hockey team together.”

“Can’t we eat first, Ariel?” the vice-captain quickly interjected. Seeing the other members nodding in agreement, Ariel reluctantly yielded to democracy. “Fine, let’s do that…”

“What are you discussing? Some kind of meeting?” one of the ice hockey players chimed in. Before Ariel could answer, the vice-captain said, “We’re changing our uniforms. We’re choosing a new design.”

“Then we can all look at it together! We’ll help you choose,” another clueless ice hockey player added. The cheerleaders immediately agreed, and, to the satisfaction of everyone except Ashley and Ariel, the seating arrangement remained unchanged.

How did this happen?

Koi sipped his cola and looked around. This was the first time he had been in such a noisy, boisterous environment.

He knew the ice hockey team was loud. The cheerleaders were too. But the combination of the two made it impossible to understand what anyone was saying.

The only upside was that no one noticed him sitting quietly, just drinking his cola.

After practice, the ice hockey players ate an incredible amount of food. He had been surprised by Ashley’s appetite, but the others were just as impressive. They devoured the food on the table in an instant, and then polished off the refills just as quickly. Koi thought, Well, that’s how they maintain those physiques.

His stomach growled with hunger, but there was nothing he could do. He waited for the meal to end and the meeting to begin. At this rate, it wouldn’t take long.

Of course, what he was most concerned about was Ashley and Ariel. He could barely hear the conversations next to him, so eavesdropping on what they were saying amidst the noise was impossible. But their serious expressions suggested they were discussing something important.

〈I can’t wait much longer.〉

Ashley’s words suddenly came to mind. He saw Ashley lean in, and Ariel whisper something in his ear. Koi’s heart sank.

“Sorry about my sisters acting up,” Ariel said, her whisper loud enough for Ashley to hear, even though no one else could.

“Why are your ‘sisters’ acting like this?” Ashley asked, making air quotes with his fingers. Ariel, slightly offended, replied haughtily, “They seem to think you’re almost good enough for me.”

“Oh, I’m so honored,” Ashley said sarcastically. Ariel punched him in the side under the table. Ashley winced and recoiled from the quick jab. Clutching his side, he asked with a grimace, “Just curious, but was it your sisters who spread the rumor that you dumped me?”

Ariel snorted and tossed her head. “I don’t know. I just said we broke up.”

Ashley let out a short, incredulous sound. “And they just made up that rumor on their own?”

With a haughty smile, she continued, “To them, the idea of me getting dumped is as absurd as you marrying a pauper and having a bunch of kids.”

“Why would they think that?” This time, he couldn’t just laugh it off as a joke. He was seriously considering it. Of course, the pauper in question was a Beta male and couldn’t have children.

Ariel looked at him pointedly. “Because your father would never allow it?”

Ashley fell silent, reminded of his father. Ariel chuckled in disbelief. “Your father was the first man to ever look at me with such disdain.”

Ariel was impressive in her own right, and her family was a perfectly ordinary, harmonious middle-class family. Ashley liked her for that, but his father disliked her for the same reason. He had only left Ashley alone because Ashley was still a minor, and the relationship wasn’t serious.

Once, when his father had come to the school to meet the principal, he had seen Ashley with Ariel. Remembering the expression on his father’s face then, he could completely understand Ariel’s reaction. Ashley, imagining her discomfort, repeated what he had said then.

“Sorry, I apologize.”

He had said the same thing to her back then, but this time, he added, “I’m sorry for having such a shitty father.”

“You shouldn’t talk about your parents like that,” Ariel scolded him, then added, “Well, I don’t know the details of your family situation, but…”

“You’re right. It’s not good to talk about your parents like that,” Ashley agreed, smiling. “But that man is shitty.”

Ariel smiled back. “I should have slapped his other cheek too.”

Ashley laughed and extended a hand, leaning back. “Please spare me. That really hurt.”

“Of course it did. I hit you to hurt you.”

Seemingly satisfied with Ashley’s reaction, Ariel smiled and drizzled dressing over her salad. Watching her spear a large lettuce leaf with her fork, Ashley asked, “I heard you gave Koi a bike.”

“So?” Ariel replied, sprinkling croutons and tossing her salad. Ashley continued, “Didn’t you dislike Koi before? Saying he was different from us.”

Ariel readily answered his question. “Of course I did. I still dislike people with low self-esteem, who are timid and gloomy.”

She took a sip of her zero-calorie soda and looked at Ashley. “But what can I do? He’s on our team now. Once we decided to work together, he’s my sister. Well, technically a jalapeño, but still, he’s part of the team.”

Ashley knew how dedicated Ariel was to whatever she did. It was one of the things he had liked about her. And she was passionate about cheerleading, so the temporary member, who was practically the team’s savior, must be precious to her.

Moreover, Ariel was always honest, sometimes brutally so. So, her assessment of Koi must be genuine. But Ashley had to correct one thing.

“Let me tell you something about Koi, regarding what you just said.” He smiled and added, “The first two parts are correct, but the last one is wrong. Koi isn’t gloomy, just timid.”

He expected a rebuttal or a defensive reaction, but Ariel was surprisingly nonchalant. Sprinkling crushed peanuts over her dressing-soaked lettuce, she said, “Yeah, he’s brighter than I thought. Kind of cute, too.”

Ashley frowned. “Cute?”

“Yeah,” Ariel replied, placing a lettuce leaf on her fork and looking at Ashley. “Doesn’t he remind you of that cottontail rabbit that used to come to your house?”

Wild animals occasionally appeared in the garden of Ashley’s mansion, and rabbits were the most common. He could see the resemblance, picturing them hopping around, nibbling on the grass, then darting away at any sign of human presence.

But the problem was that Ariel had said it. And “cottontail rabbit” was too cute a comparison. The thought annoyed him even more. And Ariel added fuel to the fire.

“I always like people who work hard.”

“Like?” He couldn’t let that slide. Ashley asked sharply, but Ariel replied in her usual tone.

“Yes. So Koi is alright. It’s good for our team to have a diligent member, even if it’s temporary.”

That was the end of it. Ariel, seemingly no longer interested in the topic, focused on her salad. Ashley, after watching her for a moment, started eating his burger. It would be fine. Koi wasn’t Ariel’s type.

…Or was he?

His gaze naturally drifted toward Koi. He hadn’t intended to, but it happened automatically.

Perhaps unfamiliar with the boisterous atmosphere, Koi was hunched over, sipping his cola through a straw, looking around. He looked like a bristling hedgehog, and Ashley couldn’t help but smile. If Koi were closer, he might have nibbled on his cheek.

Just as he took a bite of his bland franchise burger, a substitute for Koi’s sweet cheek, the cheerleader sitting next to Koi kissed him on the cheek. Ashley froze, mid-bite.

“Oh, sorry,” the cheerleader apologized. She’d been trying to pick up her dropped lipstick and accidentally brushed her face against Koi’s cheek. Koi smiled and said, “It’s okay.” He bent down with her as she reached under the table.

“What did you drop?”

“My Chanel. …Where did it go? I can’t see it.”

Chanel? What’s that? Koi blinked and crouched under the table with her. He looked around, intending to tell her if he saw anything. Suddenly, someone slammed their hand on the table.

Koi and the cheerleader, who were under the table, flinched and froze at the vibration.

What, what was that?

Confused, Koi poked his head back out. Ashley was standing there, looking at him with a grim expression.

Huh? What’s going on?

Bewildered, Koi crawled out from under the table. He wasn’t the only one confused. Everyone stopped their noisy chatter and stared at Ashley. Even Ariel looked up at him questioningly and asked, “What’s wrong?”

The others also had question marks written all over their faces as they waited for Ashley’s answer. But only one thought occupied Ashley’s mind.

I have to get Koi out of here.

“Ah, well, um…” Ashley stammered, which was unusual for him. He quickly added, “I suddenly remembered an assignment. I missed a few days of class, and I’m supposed to make it up with extra work.”

“…So?” Bill asked, spreading his arms and looking around. Everyone looked equally unconvinced. Ashley forced a smile and continued, “Ah, so I shouldn’t be messing around here. I have to finish my assignment to maintain my grades. GPA is important for college, right?”

“Uh… yeah, but…”

“So, let’s go, Koi.” Ignoring Bill, Ashley turned abruptly. Everyone’s gaze shifted to Koi. Koi, also clueless, blinked and pointed at himself. Without another word, Ashley strode over to him and grabbed his arm.

“Ah!”

Ashley dragged Koi away without stopping. Ariel belatedly stood up and shouted, “What are you doing?! We have a meeting!”

“You can decide on the uniforms yourselves and just tell me the results later, right, Koi?” Ashley called out as he opened the door and looked back at Koi. Koi, flustered, looked up at Ashley. If I stay now, Ashley might be embarrassed…

“Ah, yeah. I will,” he agreed, unusually perceptive. “I-I also missed class… so I have to do my assignments. Sorry, Ariel. I’ll agree with whatever design you choose. Sorry…”

As he was speaking, Ashley pulled him out the door. Those left behind stared at the closed door, dumbfounded. But that wasn’t the end. Ashley suddenly reappeared, waved a handful of hundred-dollar bills at the staff, placed them on the counter by the entrance, and left again.

Silence fell over the table. They looked at each other, unable to comprehend the situation. Then, one of the ice hockey players broke the silence with a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness. I thought he was just leaving without paying.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Me too.”

“Me too, I ordered everything I wanted.”

“Wow, that’s a relief.”

“Ash is a true friend.”

“A real man.”

And they started eating again with gusto. The girls, including Ariel, frowned in disbelief, but of course, it didn’t bother the boys.

“This is why you’re called gorillas, you know,” Ariel said lightly. Bill, who had just finished his burger, grinned.

“Call us happy gorillas.”

The ice hockey team members beamed, looking utterly content. Seeing no point in further conversation, Ariel just shook her head and addressed her sophisticated sisters. “Let’s talk about the new uniforms. Is everyone ready?” She looked around and then frowned, ordering, “Except for the gorillas, everyone gather around.”

🏒

Ashley, after practically throwing cash at them, left the restaurant and immediately locked the car doors. Koi, who had been waiting in the passenger seat, flinched and looked at him nervously.

He locked the doors again.

Ashley had done the same after pushing Koi into the car earlier. Koi had given up trying to open the locked doors and waited.

Finally settled in the driver’s seat, Ashley started the car without a word. Koi, clueless as to why Ashley was acting this way, just watched him nervously.

Ashley finally spoke after they had been driving for a while.

“Who was that guy?”

“Guy…?” Koi asked cautiously. Ashley was silent for a moment, then suddenly gritted his teeth. Startled by the sound, Koi instinctively pressed himself against the door. Ashley glanced at him, then down at the door, confirming it was locked. He spoke again.

“The guy sitting next to you. He seemed awfully close.”

“Oh…” Koi searched his memory and tilted his head. Which one was he talking about?

“The one on your right,” Ashley said curtly. Koi realized who he meant.

“Oh, Whitney? He’s on the cheerleading team with me.” That’s strange. Doesn’t Ash know Whitney?

He had heard that the cheerleading team and the ice hockey team were close, but he wondered if Ashley was an exception. Before he could ask, Ashley spoke.

“You haven’t even been cheerleading for long, and you’re already that close with the others?”

“Huh? Uh…” Koi blinked and answered honestly, “I’m pretty slow… but they’re all very helpful and kind. They’re all good people…”

As he spoke, a smile naturally spread across his face. Remembering the cheerleaders who always encouraged him and told him he could do it, the anxiety he had felt moments before subsided. Of course, Ariel was among them, too, albeit with a stern expression, shouting, “Not enough muscle!”

He chuckled involuntarily at the thought, which, in turn, irked Ashley.

“Sounds like you really enjoy thinking about him, huh?”

“Huh? Uh…” Koi replied without thinking, “Well, I’ve never been close to girls before… Practicing together… we see each other up close, you know. I didn’t know girls were like that. I mean, well, I didn’t know anything about girls.”

Koi’s voice gradually brightened as he rambled on, unusually fluent and without stuttering.

“They’re kind, cute, and have such a strong bond. And they’re all incredibly serious. They’re so passionate when they cheer, it’s really amazing, isn’t it? You knew that all along, right? I’m glad I finally realized…”

His eyes shining, he turned to Ashley, but Ashley suddenly jerked the steering wheel. Startled, Koi cried out, unable to finish his sentence. Even with his seatbelt on, he was thrown sideways. Ashley pulled over to the side of the road, turning on the hazard lights.

Pant, pant.

Koi couldn’t even process what had just happened. He was just catching his breath when Ashley unbuckled his seatbelt and turned toward him.

“And so you kiss him? Right in front of me?”

Startled by the harsh voice, Koi, who had been catching his breath, raised his voice involuntarily, “Kiss? Me? Why? With whom? When?”

He couldn’t believe it. His first kiss had been stolen without him even knowing. With whom? When did that happen? Ashley glanced at the pale Koi and then looked forward again, spitting out the words, “The guy sitting next to you. He kissed you on the cheek.”

“Who? Next to me?”

“Whitney!” Ashley finally yelled. Koi flinched and gasped.

“Kiss? What are you talking about?! That never happened! Our faces just brushed!”

“I saw it.”

“No, you didn’t! You saw wrong!”

Ashley glared at him, clearly unconvinced. Frustrated, Koi said desperately, “It’s true! He dropped something on the floor, and when he was picking it up, our faces just touched. A kiss? That’s ridiculous!”

Koi vehemently denied it, but Ashley’s expression remained unchanged. He still had reason to be angry.

“And you both went under the table together?”

“Huh?” Koi paused for a moment, then sputtered in disbelief. Honestly!

“I told you, he dropped something! I was just trying to help him pick it up! Why are you so angry about that?!”

He was so frustrated that his eyes started to sting. Ashley, still suspicious, glared at him and asked, “You weren’t thinking anything? You just went under there to pick it up?”

“Yes!” he shouted, but Ashley continued to glare at him with distrust.

“Really? Can you swear on it?”

Koi, aghast, suddenly blurted out, “You were laughing and talking with Ariel! Why are you only picking on me?!”

For the first time, Ashley faltered.

Silence descended. Koi glared at Ashley, breathing heavily. Seeing Koi’s reddened nose, Ashley regained some of his composure.

“Ariel is a friend.”

“Whitney is my friend, too!”

Ashley’s aggressive demeanor deflated. He looked forward, then down, then back, stroking his chin and mouth. Finally, he turned to Koi and asked in a calmer voice, “…What did he drop, anyway?”

“Chanel!” Koi exclaimed triumphantly. Ashley paused, frowning, and repeated Koi’s words. “Chanel?”

Frustrated, Koi shouted again, “Yes, Chanel! Chanel! Cha! Nel!”

Finally, Koi burst into tears. He had never felt so wronged. He had endured all sorts of unfair treatment at his part-time jobs, but why did this feel so much worse?

Because it’s Ash.

Koi wiped his tears, thinking, I can’t stand it when Ashley misunderstands me and accuses me, especially him.

Because I like him.

Koi realized, I hate it when he misunderstands me because I like him.

For a while, only the sound of Koi’s sniffles filled the silent car. Ashley, looking at him, hesitated, then turned off the hazard lights and started the car.

They didn’t speak for a while. Ashley glanced at him, but Koi kept his head down, sniffling. His tears seemed to have stopped, but his nose was still red. Koi sniffed again and suddenly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. Startled, Ashley asked urgently, “Are you crying again?”

Koi replied in a voice filled with frustration, “I didn’t even finish my cola.”

He was hungry, and the thought of the wasted cola was killing him. I shouldn’t have come.I just wasted money and fought with Ash for nothing.

Seeing Koi continue to wipe his tears, Ashley, after a moment of silence, asked, “What about dinner? Did you eat?”

Koi shook his head slightly, still sniffling. Ashley sighed and made a U-turn on the empty road. Koi was thrown sideways again, but not as violently as before.

They remained silent as Ashley drove in the opposite direction. Finally, Koi broke the silence, still sniffling, “…What’s Chanel?”

Ashley, still looking straight ahead, replied, “A person’s name.”

“Huh?” Now he was even more confused. Koi looked at him, bewildered, and asked cautiously, “Are you… making fun of me?”

Ashley often teased him, but this wasn’t the time. Ashley replied flatly, “I’m serious. You can look it up.”

“…Oh, okay.”

Koi hesitantly took out his phone and started searching. S…

“C,” Ashley said immediately. Koi quickly deleted the S and typed the letter Ashley said. The search results appeared, and Koi started reading.

“She’s pretty old, isn’t she?”

“Not really.”

Koi tilted his head. Why is he suddenly searching for someone who died a long time ago…? Ashley seemed to be mistaken about something.

Or maybe Whitney is involved in some kind of cult?

He suddenly felt scared. Then, he saw a 24-hour fast-food restaurant in the distance. It was the only place open this late. Ashley pulled into the empty drive-thru and asked Koi before ordering, “What do you want?”

Koi, still sniffling, looked up hesitantly. The menu was full of expensive burgers he could normally only dream of. He was overwhelmed by the choices, and Ashley, glancing at him, said, “I’m going to order a bacon cheeseburger with a double patty. Want to try it?”

“Uh…” His heart pounded at the thought. A double patty at such an expensive place… Seeing Koi’s expression, Ashley smiled for the first time. Seeing his smile, Koi relaxed. Ashley asked in a gentler voice, “What about sides?”

“It’s okay.”

After Koi replied, Ashley offered him a drink this time.

“They don’t have mango cola.”

“Um…”

Koi cautiously asked,

“Can I have a milkshake…?”

For him, with his dulled sense of taste, sweetness was the most discernible flavor. Combined with the smoothness of milk, milkshakes were Koi’s favorite drink. Although, they were expensive, so he rarely bought them.

Ashley nodded and then asked again,

“Anything else you want? No extra toppings on the burger?”

At that moment, Koi spotted the small print at the top of the menu: ‘All toppings free.’ His face immediately brightened as he replied,

“Yes, tomatoes and onions. Cheese too.”

“Okay.”

Ashley readily agreed and started the order by pressing the buttons. Just listening to the recited menu made Koi’s mouth water. While they waited for the food, Ashley moved the car. Forgetting their previous argument, Koi’s mood improved considerably. It seemed Ashley’s misunderstanding had been cleared up. The girl kissing Conner Niles—she must now know that such a thing would never happen.

…Right.