LMUC Ch 7

Walking beside him, Koi nodded, and Ashley, looking down at his head from above, felt the urge to sneak up from behind again to rest his chin on Koi’s head. Suppressing that urge, he looked straight ahead and continued:

“They’re short on cheerleading team members.”

“What? Again?”

Koi exclaimed without thinking, then quickly added:

“Oh, I heard about it before. Someone got injured, and there was a vacancy.”

You were talking about it in the classroom before the summer break.

Koi thought to himself. The memory he had forgotten came to mind, and he spoke without thinking. Ashley answered without much suspicion:

“That’s right. They filled the vacancy, but someone else left.”

“I see…”

Koi nodded out of habit and asked again:

“Isn’t that a big problem? The season’s coming up.”

They must have been looking for members before the summer break to finish training. Matching with a new member would take time. Ashley agreed:

“That’s why they’re worried. She probably wanted to vent to me.”

Of course. At times like this, the person you’d lean on the most would be your boyfriend.

Koi nodded, thinking:

Then, there might not be much time to spend with Ash from now on…

Feeling suddenly lonely, Koi quickly shook his head. It’s only natural that his girlfriend comes first. He’s already so grateful that he spent the summer break with me.

“Sigh.”

Suddenly, a deep sigh came from above his head. Looking up reflexively, Koi saw Ashley with a serious expression. Puzzled, he said “Huh?” while Ashley, still looking forward, spoke:

“Al said she would talk to the coach, but maybe changing the routine would be better.”

“Uh… huh…”

Koi didn’t know much about the subject, so he could only give an ambiguous response. As he trailed off, Ashley suddenly looked down at him and narrowed his eyes.

“You’re not thinking at all, are you?”

“Huh? Uh…”

Koi stammered with a flushed face. As Ashley expected, he wrapped his arm around Koi’s neck from behind, pretending to choke him.

“Ouch, ouch, it hurts! It hurts!”

Though it wasn’t painful at all, Koi flailed and exaggerated. Ashley’s laughter was heard from above. Koi hoped days like this would continue. He smiled along.

Until then, Koi thought this matter had nothing to do with him.

🏒

“What? I’m short on credits?”

Koi’s voice rose at the shocking news. Seeing his face turn pale, the teacher seriously said:

“Yes, you’re significantly behind in extracurricular and community service points. Your college entrance exam score wasn’t as high as expected either… Frankly, Koi, even with perfect scores, you might not get into the top state universities.”

“Because of the extracurricular points?”

To Koi’s anxious question, the teacher nodded.

“Both that and community service.”

“Oh…”

A groan came out naturally. He had been overwhelmed with part-time jobs and assignments, lacking the time to earn points outside of his major, and his introverted nature made it hard to actively participate in activities. Yet, he couldn’t just give up. Even if he took the college entrance exam again, he wouldn’t have time later to make up for service and extracurricular points if he didn’t do it now.

What should I do?

Koi asked in a panic, feeling very anxious:

“Uh, teacher. Isn’t there anything you can recommend?”

He could have gone to a hospital or church to inquire, but Koi lacked such connections. His only option was to cling to the teacher, who sighed with a look of exasperation:

“Koi, looking for these opportunities on your own is part of ‘activity’ too.”

“I know.”

Koi said, defeated. But if reality worked out as easily as knowing, he wouldn’t be in this headache. Seeing Koi holding his head in distress, the teacher pondered for a moment before speaking:

“Participating actively in school events could earn you points, but it’s too late to join a sports team…”

And he had no athletic ability. Although he had to take marathon classes as part of the curriculum, he was barely managing that. Thinking about how he could ruin a team, joining such a specialized one might even result in negative points.

“Then, maybe the choir, or…”

The teacher suggested various external activities, but there was nothing Koi could do. The activities with potential were already full, and the ones with vacancies were not possible for him.

“Sigh…”

After a long sigh, the teacher finally proposed the last option:

“I really didn’t want to suggest this, Koi. But there’s nothing else left.”

“Yes, teacher.”

Koi tensed up, ready to do anything if given the chance. The teacher’s lips opened slowly, and Koi watched without even blinking.

“…You know.”

When she finally spoke, Koi thought he heard wrong.

“Sorry?”

He asked again with an awkward smile, and the teacher said seriously:

“It’s the cheerleading team, Koi.”

Seeing Koi’s face freeze with a smile, the teacher added:

“And you’d have to wear a skirt.”

Now, not just his face but Koi’s mind froze too.

“Wait, a skirt? Why?”

After a few seconds of silence, Koi’s mind started to work again, and he immediately voiced his first concern. The teacher answered seriously:

“Because our school’s cheerleading team traditionally only accepts girls. Honestly, even if you applied, it’s fifty-fifty whether you’d get in. You’d need to pass the tryout too…”

The teacher sighed and continued:

“Usually, the cheerleading team is very popular, so it’s rare to recruit members in such a rush. But this year, with vacancies keep popping up, there’s been a bad rumor, and people are avoiding it.”

“Bad rumor?”

“Well, it’s something like a superstition.”

The teacher trailed off, but Koi could guess. When these things happen, rumors like being cursed or haunted usually spread. It was a childish notion typical of high school students, but for Koi, the lack of applicants was good luck.

But a skirt…

Hesitating and unable to respond promptly, Koi asked:

“But even if I have to wear a skirt, can a guy like me join the cheerleading team?”

“Um, you see.”

The teacher chuckled, seemingly amused by her own statement.

“They say if a guy dresses as a girl and performs for one season, it brings good luck. So, we’re looking to recruit a male student.”

The teacher shook her head and laughed again upon finishing her words. The cheerleading team students, however, were extremely serious about it. This was undoubtedly a golden opportunity for Koi, if he was willing to face the embarrassment of dressing as a girl in front of the whole school.

Of course, for Koi, who was naturally shy, this felt like torture. If he could have immediately refused and left, he would have, but he couldn’t. His lack of extracurricular points was holding him back.

“Can I… think about it?”

Koi could only say this in a weak voice.

“Don’t be too disappointed, Koi.”

The teacher comforted him, noticing his visibly drooping shoulders.

“I’ll look for something easier for your community service points, okay?”

She knew well about Koi’s tough home situation. Koi had never told anyone he was being hit, but the teacher had sensed it early on and subtly tried to confirm it. Of course, Koi denied it, and since then, she had been helping him in whatever ways she could.

“Are you still working there?”

The teacher asked one day when she came to buy something. Koi nodded in response.

“Good boy.”

She looked at him with a warm smile, and Koi felt slightly more at ease. She patted his arm encouragingly, then blinked, as if she had just remembered something.

“Right. It won’t give you many points, but how about working at the school store?”

“Huh?”

Koi was taken aback by the unexpected suggestion. Before he could ask, the teacher continued:

“Of course, there will be no pay.”

“Oh, no. I know that…”

Koi asked, still bewildered.

“But can that count towards my points?”

“Well, technically it’s just volunteer work, but…”

She continued with a smile.

“If you’re covering for a teacher with a bad back, you might get a small bonus in points.”

The teacher winked at him. Her wrinkled face tilted playfully. Seeing that expression, Koi finally managed a smile.

“Th-thank you.”

“Sure, Koi.”

The teacher said with a still smiling face.

“This is the time I’m in charge. I’ll let the other teachers know.”

She wrote down the date and time on a memo and handed it to him.

“I wouldn’t know about other times, but as you know, it’s the beginning of the term, so it’s not that busy, and there are many students wanting to buy tickets.”

“Homecoming party tickets?”

“Yes.”

The teacher nodded, then remembered something and opened a drawer.

“If you want, take your girlfriend with you.”

“Huh? No.”

Koi quickly shook his head, declining the two tickets the teacher held out. She insisted, saying it was okay, and pushed the tickets towards him again.

“I can’t go this year because of my back. Wouldn’t it be a waste to throw them away?”

“Oh, yes. I guess so.”

Koi nodded reluctantly, looking down at the tickets the teacher was holding. He had never been to a homecoming party before and doubted he would in the future.

Maybe this is another opportunity for me.

After some hesitation, Koi cautiously reached out his hand. The teacher waited silently. Once his hesitant fingers touched the edge of the tickets, she let go.

“There, they’re yours now.”

“Th-thank you.”

Koi thanked her, still in disbelief. It was the first time he had held homecoming party tickets. They were just cheap paper with childish phrases, but to Koi, they seemed more valuable than tickets to a top pop star’s concert. The teacher looked at him with satisfaction and added in a light tone:

“Keep up with the cheerleading team.”

“Oh…”

The teacher laughed cheerfully at Koi’s unintentional sigh.

🏒

With a sharp sound, the puck flew far away. Despite the goalie’s desperate dive, the puck hit the net. Ashley high-fived Bill in the air who had passed him the puck. Just then, the whistle blew, giving them a brief break.

“Phew.”

Bill chugged water from a bottle, wiped his lips, and asked:

“So, what’s going on with you? Are you breaking up with Al?”

“What are you talking about?”

Ashley, who had also drunk nearly half the bottle in one gulp, replied. Bill continued, catching his breath:

“She said you haven’t been answering calls or meeting her.”

“I was busy.”

“That’s just an excuse. Come on, we’re friends; don’t give us that obvious lie. We all know.”

Bill looked around as if to say, ‘Right?’ The others nodded in agreement.

“Once you lose interest, you start avoiding contact.”

“It’s weird you didn’t meet every day even during vacation when there was no training.”

“It’s a sign of breakup.”

“Be honest, have you found someone else?”

All attention turned to Ashley. Ashley frowned, showing his displeasure.

“No, and I haven’t lost interest in Al.”

“You might not dislike her, but you can still like someone else.”

Someone said, and Bill pointed out:

“Friend, that’s what people call two-timing.”

The crowd around them booed and clapped. But Ashley couldn’t laugh. He didn’t understand why they would say such things. He hadn’t cheated or found another girlfriend. His feelings for Ariel were not much different from before. She was still pretty, kind, and they got along well.

But what was this uneasy feeling?

“Damn.”

He swore under his breath and finished the rest of his water. Watching Ashley throw the empty bottle into the trash, the others exchanged glances.

“Um, did you buy the tickets?”

It was Bill who started speaking, scratching his nose.

“Not yet.”

At Ashley’s reply, Bill spoke as if he had been waiting for it.

“They say they printed fewer tickets this year. If you go late, they might be sold out.”

“Yeah, why don’t we go to the school store right after practice?”

Another guy quickly chimed in. The guy next to him gave a slight rebuke.

“The store’s closed by now, you idiot.”

“No, it’s open late these days. I went there after practice yesterday, and it was still open.”

The school store usually closes around the same time classes end. It was only open late for special events or during certain seasons. Anyway, stopping by after practice didn’t seem like a bad idea.

“Alright, thanks.”

As Ashley thanked them, the coach blew the whistle again, signaling the end of the break. As he was about to head back to the rink, Bill grabbed him from behind.

“Ashley.”

Hearing his full name, which was rare, Ashley frowned and turned to look at him. Bill, with a hand on his shoulder, said seriously, without his usual humor:

“I’m not joking, really. Al is pretty worried.”

Ashley looked at him for a moment before turning away. He walked over to where the other guys were taking their positions and stood at his spot just as practice began.

Bill’s words made sense, which made Ashley feel even more uncomfortable.

I should buy those tickets soon.

Ashley thought as he chased the puck. Right now, there wasn’t much else he could do. If he went to the homecoming party, spent weekends on dates, and spent time like before, Ariel would feel better.

And maybe I should keep my distance from Koi for a while.

He had been neglecting Ariel, so it was right to focus on her. But that would mean there’d be no time to spend with Koi.

Like before.

Before he knew Koi, that was how his life had been. And now he was going back to that.

…Not really keeping my distance, though.

Ashley reconsidered his thoughts. He was just treating Koi the same way he treated other friends. They saw each other every day in class anyway, so there was no need for extra meetups. Besides, Koi would be busy with his part-time job.

Ashley hit the incoming puck up and quickly chased after it. Why was he thinking about Koi now? It was strange. He shoved aside a guy charging at him and let out a curse.

Why should I distance myself from Koi just to spend time with Ariel? Why am I even thinking about Koi in the first place? It’s weird.

I shouldn’t meet that guy anymore.

He chose to ignore rather than find an answer. Everything would be fine. He had just gotten excited about meeting a new friend who shared his interests. It was time to stop.

Ashley believed that.

Of course, this was all assuming things went according to plan.

🏒

“Uh.”

Right after practice, Ashley headed to the school store and stopped in his tracks when he made eye contact with a classmate busily moving around inside. The classmate, who was putting away some newly arrived items, turned around and widened his eyes.

“Ash!”

Ashley reluctantly responded to the cheerful call.

“…Koi.”

Koi put down the items he was arranging and hurried over to Ashley. Ashley just stood there, watching Koi approach. When Koi finally stopped right in front of him, he looked up at Ashley.

“How did you get here? Do you need something?”

“Uh, yeah.”

Caught off guard, Ashley stuttered. Koi, unfazed by his reaction, continued to speak brightly.

“Practice is over, right? What are you doing for dinner? I have some bread saved; do you want some?”

Listening to Koi’s cheerful chatter, Ashley felt conflicted. To run into Koi right after deciding to avoid him for a while.

He could have just turned around and left, but Ashley didn’t.

I’m just here to buy tickets.

He gave himself that excuse. He couldn’t understand why he felt so uneasy. Weren’t he and Koi just good friends?

No, if Koi were a girl, everyone would suspect something.

Ashley had been sticking close to Koi. He considered himself lucky that Koi was not a girl.

…If he were.

“Here!”

Snapped back to reality by bread thrust in front of him, Ashley blinked down to see Koi offering him some bread.

“I opened the bag because I was going to eat it, but I haven’t touched it with my mouth yet.”

While listening, Ashley caught a whiff of a not-so-pleasant sour smell. It was to be expected, considering this was from one of the store’s discount sales for items past their expiration date.

“…Isn’t this spoiled?”

Ashley asked suspiciously.

“Huh?”

Koi checked the bread in panic, his eyes widening. His movements to hide the bread bag behind him looked suspicious. Ashley narrowed his eyes at him. With suspicion in his gaze, Koi, sweating profusely, stuttered:

“Uh, well, this, you see…”

“Let me see it.”

Ashley reached out his arm. Koi turned to avoid him, but there was no way Koi could dodge Ashley, who was the captain of the high school’s championship ice hockey team. Despite Koi’s best efforts, Ashley easily snatched the bag away.

“Ah!”

As Koi turned, Ashley extended his other hand and quickly grabbed the bag. Holding Koi’s head down to keep him at bay, ignoring his desperate struggles, Ashley held the bread up to his eye level and examined it. He then grimaced.

“There’s mold on this.”

“Really?”

Koi stopped flailing and looked with wide eyes. Ashley let go of Koi’s head and showed him the bread at eye level. Just as Ashley said, there was mold dotted on one side of the salad bread with sauce.

“…It’s true.”

Koi admitted in a deflated voice.

“Sorry, I almost put you in danger.”

Apologizing again, Ashley spoke with a frown.

“You’re the one who almost got sick. What would have happened if you had eaten it? Didn’t you smell it?”

“Uh, uh…”

Koi was at a loss for words and just blinked.

“I didn’t know it would spoil so soon.”

He managed to come up with an excuse, but Ashley immediately threw it in the trash.

“Be more careful from now on.”

“Oh… okay.”

Although Koi nodded, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for the bread that ended up in the trash.

It’s a waste; if we just removed the moldy part, we could have eaten it.

He felt regret, but it was too late. Soon, Koi’s mind was filled with other thoughts.

“Are you okay? You must be really hungry.”

That was indeed the case. Ashley was famished to the point of feeling his stomach cramping, but he still had business to attend to.

“But what are you doing here… at this hour?”

Instead of quickly buying the tickets and leaving, Ashley found himself saying something else. Koi, completely unaware of Ashley’s inner turmoil, answered readily.

“It’s the beginning of the semester, so it’s busy. I’m short on extracurricular and community service hours…”

His voice trailed off, seeming embarrassed. Ashley passed it off with a simple “I see.” He hadn’t expected to meet Koi at school at this hour, so he was flustered and couldn’t immediately figure out how to react. Maybe it was because he was hungry. Despite this, instead of becoming more irritable, Ashley felt his tension easing. He had to force himself not to laugh, pressing his lips together, while trying hard to make his mind focus.

Let’s just buy the tickets and leave. That was the best course of action.

“Two tickets.”

“Huh?”

Koi blinked up at him. Ashley repeated slowly, enunciating each syllable:

“Tickets, please. Home, Coming, Party.”

“Ah, ah.”

Finally understanding, Koi nodded. Ashley thought he would rush to the counter, but for some reason, Koi lingered, fidgeting.

“Um… I’m sorry, but they’re all sold out.”

“What?”

Now it was Ashley’s turn not to understand. Koi took a deep breath and explained more clearly:

“They’re all sold. There aren’t any left now.”

Ashley stared at him silently. Koi, watching Ashley who didn’t even blink, began to worry internally.

“All sold out? The tickets?”

After a few seconds, Ashley finally burst out in a rough voice, like he was venting suppressed frustration. Koi flinched at the outburst, then reluctantly nodded.

“Y-yes… The last two were sold a while ago. About 30 minutes ago…”

Koi started to explain the situation in unnecessary detail, stammering:

“They looked like sophomores, and they were buying them to go with their new girlfriends. I should have put up a sign saying they were sold out, but I thought no one would come at this hour, so I decided to just put up the sign before closing. I’m sorry, if I had known you were coming, I would have kept them. I never thought you hadn’t bought them yet. I’m sorry.”

He kept apologizing, but apologies were useless. What Ashley needed were tickets, not apologies. Tickets that would return his life to normal.

But even this simple plan had gone awry from the start. Nothing had gone according to plan, from deciding not to meet Koi again to buying the tickets. On top of that, he was starving.

Why did it turn out like this?

With a painful groan, Ashley covered his eyes with one hand and tilted his head back. Why should I experience such frustration over just a homecoming party?

“…Hah.”

After a few more seconds, Ashley finally accepted reality. It wasn’t hard. The truth was simple. He was fucked.

Ashley dropped his hand and adjusted the bag on his shoulder, preparing to leave this damn school.

“Bye, Koi.”

As he turned around listlessly, Koi suddenly shouted:

“Wait, Ash!”

Until then, Koi had been timid and hesitant, but now he was shouting. Thinking he might offer some spoiled milk or something, Ashley turned around to see Koi pulling something out of his pocket.

“Here, this.”

“…What’s this?”

Ashley asked indifferently, and Koi silently held it out again. Ashley reluctantly took it, unfolding the crumpled piece of paper step by step. The word “party” appeared first, followed by the date, and then “home.”

With each fold he opened, Ashley’s expression changed little by little. Koi watched these changes with a happy heart. When the ticket was fully unfolded, Ashley looked down at him, surprised.

“How did you get this?”

To Ashley’s question, Koi just smiled proudly.

“I told you they were all sold out, so how did you get this? Were you messing with me?”

Ashley asked, trying to control his irritation, but Koi kept smiling as he answered:

“I got it as a gift.”

“A gift?”

Koi nodded, “Yeah.”

“Ms. Bacon gave them to me for helping out at the store in her place.”

“They were given to you.”

“Well, yes, but…”

Koi answered sheepishly to Ashley’s point.

“I don’t have a girlfriend, and I don’t have anything to wear to the party.”

He confessed honestly, then continued in a lighter tone:

“So, it would be much more meaningful if you had them.”

“No, wait, wait.”

Ashley, now confused, held up a hand to stop him.

“I’m having trouble understanding; you’re giving me what you got as a gift, without expecting anything in return?”

“Yeah, of course.”

Koi nodded as if it was the most natural thing.

“If it’s for you, I won’t regret it at all.”

Ashley looked at him silently. In the ensuing silence, Koi, feeling awkward, fidgeted with his ear and mumbled:

“Um, I really didn’t know the bread was spoiled. I’m sorry.”

“That’s… fine.”

Ashley murmured. He barely managed to speak as if squeezing the words out of his throat, but he had nothing more to say. Of course, he didn’t think Koi had intentionally offered him the spoiled bread. Koi just wanted to give him something.

Without expecting anything in return.

Ashley opened his mouth. Koi, eyes sparkling, waited for what he would say.

“…Why do you like doing things for me so much?”

“Of course, why not?”

Koi answered without hesitation to the question after a long silence.

“Why?”

Ashley asked again. Koi’s answer flowed out effortlessly this time too, but for Ashley, the moment felt incredibly slow.

With bright shining eyes, a wide smile spreading across his face, and cheeks flushed with joy, Koi said:

“Because I like you.”

Ashley was stunned as if he had been hit by something. His heart seemed to drop to the floor and then rise back up. His pulse went wild, his face heated up, fireworks seemed to go off in his ears, and the trembling reached his fingertips. At that moment, he felt as if his feet were no longer touching the ground.

Ah.

Like being struck by lightning, he suddenly realized. He could no longer deny it.

I like this guy.

It had definitely started with pity. But when did this feeling change like this?

Ashley suddenly thought.

Maybe I still pity him.

But he knew well that was a lie. His heart wouldn’t beat like this out of pity.

Suddenly, a ridiculous laugh spread across his face.

To think I decided to keep my distance from Koi for a while, what a foolish thought that was.

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it seemed, and no other response came to mind. Everyone knows Koi is a guy. It was an obvious fact.

But what does that matter?

When my heart beats like this, when my breath quickens, when my gaze trembles, all of it is directed only at you.

“…Koi.”

After a long silence, Ashley spoke. Koi immediately responded.

“Yeah?”

It was clear he was eager not to miss a single word Ashley was about to say. Ashley’s mouth relaxed into a smile.

“Do you want to go to the homecoming party with me?”

“What, what?”

Koi exclaimed in surprise. Even if Ashley had confessed to being a serial killer, Koi wouldn’t have been this shocked. With wide eyes, he jumped back, then stepped forward again.

“Go to the homecoming party? With me?”

“Yeah.”

Ashley nodded.

“If you have someone else to go with…”

“No, no one. How could there be someone for me! I’m Conner Niles!”

“I know.”

Ashley burst into laughter. Koi, blushing from embarrassment, still managed to say what he had to.

“Unless it’s Ashley Miller, Conner Niles won’t have anyone like that in his life.”

“That’s good then.”

“What?”

Koi asked without thinking, wondering if he had heard wrong. But Ashley continued with a smiling face.

“You’ll only need me for life.”

“Huh?”

Koi made a dazed sound. Ashley laughed again. Seeing him laugh like that, something good must have happened. Koi thought before tilting his head in confusion. What good thing could have happened since coming into the store?

‘The homecoming tickets?’ he thought, but quickly dismissed it. The tickets given to go with a girlfriend were now offered to go with him, so that couldn’t be the reason. Did something happen with his girlfriend? Is that why he wants to go with me?

Then why did he come here to buy homecoming tickets in the first place? It doesn’t make sense. What the heck is going on? I don’t understand at all!

With his mind completely tangled, Koi finally gave up. He couldn’t understand anything Ashley was saying. The one thing he was sure of was that whatever Ashley said, Koi would follow.

“Are you really going? With me? To the homecoming party?”

“Yeah.”

Ashley said.

“I want to go with you.”

That was more than joyful, but there was one concern.

“Do guys go together to these things?”

Koi asked cautiously, and Ashley countered:

“Don’t you want to go with me?”

“What? No, definitely not!”

Koi jumped, waving his arms around. Ashley laughed again.

“Then it’s settled.”

“Uh… yeah.”

Something seemed to have been rushed, but a decision was made nonetheless. Koi looked up at Ashley, still bewildered. Ashley looked back at him, his gaze fixed on Koi’s slightly open lips.

I want to kiss him.

He had to clench his fist tightly against the strong urge. Hold on, Ashley Dominique Miller. He scolded himself. You haven’t even confessed yet.

“Is this all that’s left?”

Ashley suddenly looked around and asked. Koi quickly followed him as he took a step forward.

“Oh, yeah. Just need to tidy this up.”

“Okay, let’s finish quickly.”

“What?”

Ashley, lifting a box first, said to the surprised Koi:

“Let’s finish up and go. I’m starving to death.”

“No, but, but…”

Koi was flustered, not knowing what to do.

“This is my job, I can do it alone.”

“If we do it together, it’ll be quicker. Let’s get this done and go eat something.”

Interrupting Koi, Ashley pointed to an empty spot and asked:

“Should I put it there?”

“Ah, yeah. That’s right, but…”

Before Koi could finish, Ashley pushed the box he was holding onto the shelf. What Koi had to struggle with, stepping on a stool to arrange, Ashley dealt with effortlessly.

“Is there more?”

Turning back quickly, Ashley asked again, and Koi tried to stop him once more.

“Really, it’s fine, Ash. This is my job, my community service points.”

“Koi, I’m starving to death.”

Ashley said with a sigh.

“Let’s finish quickly and go. You haven’t had dinner either, right? That wasn’t your dinner, was it?”

Ashley glanced over. Koi followed his gaze to the trash can where the moldy bread bag was. Ashley continued:

“If you’re not planning to eat that for dinner, let’s finish this quickly and go. If we’re too late, there’ll be nothing left except cheap burgers.”

Ashley’s will was firm. In the end, Koi couldn’t resist and raised his hands in surrender. As they sorted out the remaining items according to Koi’s instructions, Ashley occasionally looked over at Koi.

I can’t be sure that Koi feels the same way as I do.

While feeling his heart race like mad, Ashley tried to analyze the situation as calmly as possible. Koi had told him several times that he liked him. But one shouldn’t be mistaken.

To Koi, I might just be a friend. A friend he likes a lot.

This was a very realistic judgment. Even if Koi felt the same way, whether he distinguished that feeling from friendship was unknown. Of course, even that was just an optimistic hope. It wasn’t a pleasant conclusion, but Ashley acknowledged it.

Maybe I’ve started a one-sided love.