LMUC Ch 12

Acting nonchalant, he let go of Koi’s hand, took out his keys from his pocket, and opened the car’s trunk.

“Go sit inside.”

As always, Ashley moved Koi’s bike by himself and loaded it into the trunk. Meanwhile, feeling grateful and a bit guilty, Koi hurried to the passenger seat, trying not to be in the way. Once Ashley was seated in the driver’s seat, he checked that Koi was safely buckled up before starting the engine.

“Where we’re going is a secret. I’ll tell you when we meet tomorrow.”

Ashley added with a smile.

“You’ll be surprised.”

“Really? For real?”

What could it be? Koi asked with a racing heart. Feeling his ears twitch, he hastily grabbed them, but it was too late; Ashley had already seen them. Pretending not to notice Koi’s embarrassment, Ashley drove out of the school.

“Uh, Ash.”

Once the car was on the road, Koi cautiously called him. When Ashley glanced at him, Koi asked carefully.

“Um… the reason I wasn’t invited to the party tomorrow… was it because of this?”

To spend time with just me?

The thought alone made his heart flutter and his fingertips tingle. Earlier, he had been so sad, but now it was the opposite. He had never imagined Ashley would skip the party to spend time alone with him. Seeing Koi’s excited face, Ashley teased.

“No, I was planning to kidnap you.”

“Haha.”

Koi burst into laughter. Seeing his flushed cheeks and twitching ears, Ashley also laughed.

Poor Koi. Crying over something so small.

Ashley had noticed Koi had been crying as soon as he saw him. Anyone with eyes could have seen it. But Ashley had pretended not to notice, knowing Koi might be hurt if he acknowledged it.

He hadn’t expected Koi to actually cry.

Crying over not being invited to the party? Ashley had been taken aback but was fine now. Koi had completely forgotten about it and was filled with joy. His twitching ears were proof of that.

In fact, seeing Koi with Bill and the others had made Ashley feel an unprecedented discomfort. Until now, Koi had fit in well with their group, chatting and laughing together.

But that was only when Ashley was also present. Seeing Koi talk warmly with the others without him had made Ashley furious. So he had played a small prank.

Recalling Koi’s red-rimmed eyes, Ashley felt another emotion. But he didn’t plan to apologize. Instead, he changed the subject.

“Koi, should we eat dinner when we get there?”

“Yes.”

Koi answered immediately. Ashley asked again.

“What do you want to eat? We can order anything.”

“Anything’s fine.”

Koi answered without hesitation.

“Anything is great as long as I’m with you, Ash.”

Koi’s ears twitched continuously as he smiled brightly again. Screw the party.

Ashley thought, smiling at Koi.

Only Ashley Miller needs to know about cute and lovable Koi.

🏒

“Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm hmm hmm.”

Koi hummed as he organized the display case. A male customer, who was a friend of the store owner, watched him suspiciously.

“Did something good happen today?”

“Huh? No, why?”

The customer, arms crossed, pointed to Koi’s face with one hand.

“You’re smiling non-stop and even humming.”

“Am I?”

“Yeah.”

The customer looked him up and down, fixing a suspicious gaze on his face. But Koi just tilted his head, smiling innocently, and continued humming as he worked. The customer watched his back disapprovingly.

Ten minutes left.

Koi glanced at the clock, barely containing his excitement. He had never closed the store even a minute early and often worked overtime. Normally, the store closed at 10 PM, but after closing, cleaning up, and taking out the trash, it took at least an hour.

Whenever he tried to clean up early, customers would come in and make a mess or leave trash just before closing. Moreover, if he cleaned early, customers felt uncomfortable entering, so the owner insisted he clean after closing.

Though he got a break from working on weekdays due to skating practice, on Saturdays, he had to arrive at least an hour early to finish the cleaning and trash disposal left from the previous day.

Even though there was no extra pay, Koi silently followed the owner’s instructions, grateful to have the job.

Five minutes left.

I’ll see Ash soon.

Unable to contain his excitement, Koi’s ears perked up.

“Have you taken your college entrance exams?”

The customer suddenly asked. Koi hesitated before mumbling softly.

“Uh, yeah… kind of…”

“Really? What was your score?”

“…I didn’t do well.”

Koi tried to dodge the question, but the man pressed on.

“So, what was your score?”

“Uh…”

Koi was very weak against such pressure. Eventually, he admitted the truth, and the man’s stern expression softened.

“I see, you really didn’t do well.”

The man, a friend of the shop owner, had a son in the same grade as Koi. He often visited the shop and constantly compared his son to Koi, picking fights. Initially, he ignored Koi, but upon learning that Koi was in the same grade as his son and had better grades, his attitude changed.

At first, he subtly tried to learn Koi’s scores and study methods. Eventually, he began openly criticizing Koi. Questions about his scores were common, and if Koi didn’t answer, the man would persist until he got a response.

Feeling pleased that his son scored higher than Koi, the man placed his items on the counter, and Koi hurried over. Just then, a bell rang, and a cool breeze was felt. Koi instinctively turned his head and froze. The customer at the counter also widened his eyes.

The man who entered was enormous. Bending down to pass through the door, he stood up straight, nearly filling the small shop.

The customer craned his neck to look up at the man’s face, but the man ignored him and glanced around the shop before fixing his gaze on one spot. It was then that Koi, still shocked, called out his name.

“Ash?”

Ashley smiled as he removed his sunglasses.

“Koi.”

The customer quickly looked back and forth between Ashley and Koi, seemingly surprised that Koi knew someone like this. Ignoring the customer’s reaction, Ashley walked over to Koi with long strides.

“It’s time to go, right? I came to pick you up.”

“Uh, yeah, but…”

There were still 2 minutes left. Ashley glanced at the wall clock and smiled.

“Close enough. I’ll wait.”

“Okay.”

Koi nodded and looked up at him, a smile spreading across his face.

“Thanks, just wait a bit longer.”

“Sure.”

Leaving Ashley, Koi hurried to the counter. The customer, who had been staring at Ashley, spoke.

“Who is that? Do you know him?”

“Huh? Yeah.”

Koi answered absentmindedly, then felt a surge of pride. He had to take a deep breath before speaking again.

“He’s my friend.”

“What? Friend?”

The customer looked visibly shocked and glanced back at Ashley. Ashley stood with his hands in his pockets, looking at the display Koi had been organizing. When Ashley raised his head and made eye contact with the customer, the man quickly looked away.

“He’s huge. Is he in your grade?”

“Yes, he’s the captain of our school’s ice hockey team.”

“Really…”

Koi handed the customer the bag of items, but the man didn’t take it. Instead, he exclaimed.

“Is that the kid? Ashley Miller? The one who got a perfect score on the college entrance exam and takes all AP classes?”

“Yes, that’s him.”

Koi nodded proudly.

“He lives in the front country.”

“Huh…”

The customer sighed, looking conflicted, and reluctantly handed over his card. After Koi completed the transaction and handed back the card, the customer turned to leave with his bag but hesitated at the door.

“Hey, kid.”

His cautious tone was completely different from how he had spoken to Koi. Ashley, who had been looking at his phone, raised his head as the man pointed to the side and asked.

“Is that car yours?”

Ashley followed his gaze and replied.

“No.”

“I see.”

The customer seemed relieved until Ashley added nonchalantly.

“It’s my father’s.”

The customer stared at Ashley in silence. Koi, feeling awkward, glanced between them. Just then, Ashley’s phone alarm went off.

Ashley checked his phone and showed the screen to the customer.

“The store’s closed, sir.”

Koi quickly checked his phone; it was exactly 6 PM. The customer hurriedly left, and the shop was soon empty except for Koi and Ashley. Ashley walked over to the counter where Koi stood and asked.

“It’s done, right? Let’s go.”

“Uh, yeah.”

Koi, who had answered in a daze, looked down late. He was still wearing his dirty uniform. He was going to change his clothes after cleaning tomorrow morning, but he didn’t have the chance.

“Why did you come so early? We were supposed to meet at 6:10.”

“Just because.”

Ashley answered with a smile.

“I wanted to see you sooner.”

At those words, Koi’s mouth opened involuntarily, and he chuckled, “Hehe.” Ashley also smiled back and extended his hand towards Koi.

“Come with me.”

“Sure.”

Koi, who was about to take his hand, hesitated at the last moment. Ashley furrowed his brows, and seeing this, Koi hurried to explain in a fluster,

“Wait, just give me five minutes, okay? I’ll quickly change out of this uniform. Wearing this to wherever we’re going is just…”

Looking down awkwardly, Ashley followed his gaze. The crumpled, stained uniform made the wearer look even more unkempt.

But it was Koi standing in front of Ashley now. Even if Koi were wearing a garbage bag, it wouldn’t matter to him. Of course, being naked would be best.

“Is it really that bad?”

Koi was pleased by Ashley’s words, but he felt he should keep some standards. Ashley was just saying that because they were friends. He shouldn’t take advantage of that and make Ashley uncomfortable.

While he was thinking, Ashley suddenly leaned down. Before Koi could react, Ashley grabbed his arm and buried his nose in Koi’s neck. “Sniff,” the sound of him inhaling deeply was right by Koi’s ear.

Suddenly, stars appeared before Koi’s eyes, and his heart started racing. The warmth of Ashley’s breath on his skin felt like a burn. His whole body tingled, his fingers curled, and his face turned bright red as he struggled to breathe. Ashley whispered to him,

“Ah, you smell.”

Koi snapped back to reality, almost jumping back but only managed to twitch due to Ashley holding his arm. His heart was racing for a different reason now.

“Do I smell?”

Koi stuttered as he looked up at Ashley. Ashley replied nonchalantly,

“Yeah.”

Then he added as if it was obvious,

“Smells like Koi.”

“I smell?”

Koi’s voice went high in surprise. Again, Ashley nodded readily.

“Yeah.”

In his confusion, Koi asked quickly,

“What kind?”

After a moment of thought, Ashley answered,

“A delicious smell?”

“Huh?”

Blinking in a daze, Koi saw Ashley smile. Only then did Koi’s frozen brain start to move, realizing Ashley was just teasing.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Finally laughing comfortably, Koi saw Ashley frown and then say seriously,

“It’s true. I always feel like eating you.”

Koi shook his head, still laughing,

“No way, I’m not tasty.”

Ashley tilted his head, looking down at Koi,

“Really? I think you would be.”

Ashley leaned down again. This time, instead of his breath, his lips touched where they had before. Caught off guard, Koi stiffened as Ashley bit into his neck.

“Ouch.”

It didn’t hurt, but a small scream escaped reflexively. The spot felt so ticklish that Koi wanted to pull away, but Ashley still held his arms, making Koi only able to shrink his shoulders.

“Stop it.”

Koi’s urgent plea made Ashley slightly bare his teeth. He bit down gently, like taking a bite of marshmallow, and stayed like that for a moment. Koi, feeling both ticklish and embarrassed, tried to push him away.

“Stop, really. It tickles.”

Holding down Koi’s shoulder-pushing hands was easy for Ashley. If he wanted to, he could even embrace Koi right there. Koi wouldn’t even understand what was happening to him.

But Ashley controlled his impulse and lifted his face. However, he couldn’t resist giving one last strong suck before removing his lips.

Satisfied with the red mark he left on Koi’s pale neck, Ashley looked up into Koi’s face. Koi was blinking, looking dazed like he was dreaming, clearly unaware of what had just happened. Ashley deliberately asked with a smile,

“Can I have more?”

Hot, Koi came back to his senses, his face flushed as he answered hurriedly,

“No. I’m not food.”

Slipping out of Ashley’s grasp, he ran to the storage room used as a changing room without even saying “wait” or “I’ll be right back.”

Ashley watched the door close with a loud bang and slowly ran his thumb over his lips, the sensation from a moment ago vivid in his mind.

“Ah…”

Still touching his lips, he sighed,

“I want more.”

🏒

Koi came out 15 minutes later. It was just his usual stained, stretched-out shirt and old jeans, but Ashley pretended not to know why it took so long.

“Wow, I thought you’d come out all dressed up.”

“I-I’m sorry.”

Koi hurriedly apologized. Scratching his head in embarrassment, he soon stared blankly at Ashley.

Ashley, who usually wore comfortable t-shirts and jeans, was dressed entirely differently today. The blue-tinted shirt had a couple of buttons undone, and under the dark green slacks close to gray, his ankles were visible. His shoes were not the usual sneakers but sepia loafers.

His hair, which he always slicked back with wax, was down naturally today, and the large black sunglasses covering his eyes suited him perfectly. With a light gray jacket on top, this was a new look for Ashley.

“What’s wrong?”

Ashley asked with a smiling face. Koi blinked blankly and said,

“Well, uh… you look different today.”

“Yeah?”

Ashley only said that, but he was inwardly pleased with Koi’s reaction. He had been preparing for this moment since the night before. Dressing up like a peacock wasn’t his style, and he wouldn’t have done it unless it was related to his father’s business, but today was an exception. If his father’s secretary found out, they would report it to him immediately.

Who cares, they’re probably reporting every little thing anyway.

Ashley decided to focus on the joy of the moment. After locking up the shop and turning around, Koi hurried over to Ashley who was waiting.

“What are the others doing? Having fun?”

Is it okay for the party host to be out here? Curious, Koi asked, and Ashley suddenly grabbed his empty hand. Ignoring Koi’s surprised reaction, Ashley walked towards where the car was parked and answered,

“I don’t know. I haven’t been there.”

“Is that okay?”

Koi tried to focus on the conversation, but his attention kept going to the hand Ashley was holding, making it difficult. Ashley, fully aware of Koi’s flustered state, pretended not to notice and said,

“I told my father’s secretary, so they’ll handle it.”

“I see.”

Koi replied, but his mind wasn’t working properly. Just holding hands would have made his heart beat faster, but today Ashley looked too handsome. He was usually good-looking, but today he was even more so. Koi was in awe but also felt guilty, wondering if he deserved to be beside such a stunning Ashley.

His once excited heart sank, and he became despondent. Trying to subtly pull his hand away from Ashley’s, he was instead gripped tighter. Ashley, preventing Koi’s escape, deliberately asked,

“What’s wrong, Koi?”

“Huh? Uh…”

Koi was about to say it was nothing when he noticed the car in front of him wasn’t the usual Cayenne. Tilting his head in confusion, Ashley then pulled out a smart key from his other pocket, pressed a button while still holding Koi’s hand. With a light beep and the sound of the door unlocking, Koi asked in surprise,

“Is this your car?”

“No, it’s my father’s, to be exact.”

It was the same question and answer someone else had given earlier, but the atmosphere was entirely different. Ashley answered Koi’s question with a kind smile. Koi couldn’t help but let out a small “Wow” at the elegant and beautiful sedan that even he, who knew little about cars, could appreciate.

“Come on, get in.”

Ashley said, opening the passenger door. Koi quickly snapped out of it and ducked into the car.

The interior was even more luxurious than it appeared from the outside. The soft leather seats were so plush that Koi involuntarily sighed in admiration. Once seated, he realized this car was on a completely different level from any he’d been in before. From the center console to the glove box and dashboard, everything was covered in marble and leather. Overwhelmed by the opulent and dazzling interior, Koi reached out to touch the handle, marveling at the incredible softness of the leather when Ashley came around to the driver’s seat.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh? Uh, um.”

At Ashley’s voice tinged with laughter, Koi stuttered in surprise. Trying to quickly fasten his seatbelt, he fumbled due to his nervousness or perhaps being overwhelmed by the car.

“Just a second.”

To Koi, who was fumbling in confusion, Ashley suddenly reached out. Koi held his breath as Ashley’s arm moved over him. Koi watched as Ashley pulled the seatbelt and leaned over him to clip it into the buckle.

Koi could see the top of Ashley’s head. In the sunlight, his hair sparkled like silver threads right in front of him. Koi stared blankly at that radiant platinum hair.

It was rare for Koi to see the top of Ashley’s head since he was more than 20 centimeters taller. Suddenly, he remembered when Ashley had tied his skate laces for him, along with the excitement from that time.

Thump… thump…

Koi carefully raised his hand. He wanted to touch Ashley’s hair. How soft would it be? How warm would his cheeks be? His jaw, his nose…

His lips.

Then, suddenly, Ashley looked up. Their eyes met, and Koi froze. Ashley’s eyes narrowed, and Koi watched as his lips slowly parted.

Maybe he’ll kiss me.

Koi held his breath with the thought.

He’s going to kiss me.

Ashley’s warm breath tickled his lips. Ashley whispered in a low voice, as if sharing a very secret secret.

“You have to buckle up properly.”

Even then, Koi just blinked with a blank expression.

“Huh, huh?”

Ashley smiled slightly.

“It would be a big deal if there was an accident.”

“Uh…”

Koi watched blankly as Ashley moved away from him and straightened up. While Koi stared, Ashley started the car and drove off. In the smoothly moving car, Koi slowly came back to his senses, and his face soon turned red.

What was I thinking!

Startled, he slapped his own cheeks several times.

“Koi? What’s wrong?”

Ashley, concerned, took one hand off the steering wheel to hold Koi’s hand.

“What is it? Why are you like this?”

“Uh… uh, uh.”

Koi stammered, feeling his cheeks tingle.

“Well, it’s just, um…”

After opening and closing his mouth several times, he finally mumbled in a barely audible voice,

“It’s nothing. …I’m sorry.”

Despite this, Ashley held Koi’s hand for a while, scanning his face with concern, clearly checking if he was okay.

I need to change the subject quickly.

Koi desperately tried to think of a new topic. Then, like a miracle, he remembered a customer from the shop. That’s it.

“Um, what’s the name of this car?”

Hoping Ashley would take the bait, Koi waited with bated breath. Fortunately, Ashley didn’t hesitate and fell for Koi’s shallow trick.

“Aston Martin.”

He continued, keeping his eyes on the road.

“You wouldn’t want to ride in a van on a day like this.”

Phew.

Koi internally sighed in relief and asked, feeling a bit more at ease,

“Did your father come?”

“No, it was in the garage.”

Koi briefly imagined his house upon hearing the casual reply. Thinking about the always-closed massive garage doors, it made sense. Of course, there must be more cars in there besides this one.

“Do you have a lot of cars?”

How many could there be? Now curious, he asked, and Ashley smiled.

“I’ll show you next time. If there’s one you like, we can take it for a drive together.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Ashley, changing lanes, asked,

“Do you have a favorite car?”

At the sudden question, Koi scrambled for an answer.

“Uh… Jaguar?”

In fact, that was the only expensive car name he knew. If it weren’t for the name being an animal, he wouldn’t have remembered even that. His heart was pounding, but still looking forward, Ashley simply said, “I see.” Letting out a secret sigh of relief, Koi was about to relax when Ashley asked another question.

“Which model?”

“Uh…”

This time, Koi was completely stumped. He couldn’t even make up something if he didn’t know anything. Koi squeezed out his meager knowledge and answered,

“Just, a classic car…”

With a small, hushed voice, Ashley nodded readily.

“Okay, I’ll bring that next time.”

Nodding in relief, Koi then turned to look at him in surprise.

“You have a Jaguar too?”

“Can you get me some water from the glove compartment?”

Suddenly, Ashley pointed ahead, and Koi turned his head to where he indicated, quickly opening the glove compartment to retrieve a bottle of water. As he was about to hand it over, Koi paused and asked,

“Should I open the cap for you?”

“Thanks.”

Koi, happy at Ashley’s response, unscrewed the cap. Handing it over with a “Here,” Ashley took it, drank from it with one hand on the steering wheel, then placed the half-empty bottle in the cup holder, still looking ahead. Koi was surprised to see they were now entering the freeway.

“Are we going far?”

Koi had thought they’d just be going to the next neighborhood. Ashley nodded, replying,

“An hour? An hour and a half?”

“That far?”

That would mean they were heading into the city. Where could they be going? Koi was inwardly anxious but calmed himself by trusting Ashley.

Ashley wouldn’t do anything bad to me.

While trying to calm his racing heart, his curiosity was inevitable. He discreetly took out his phone to check their location and tilted his head in confusion. This was the first time he’d gone this far, so he had no idea what lay ahead in this direction.

As Koi pondered with a serious look, trying to figure it out, Ashley struggled not to let his smile show.

Koi, you’re really too cute.

How great it would be if he could hug him all day and roll around in bed. Imagining biting and licking every inch of Koi, Ashley let out a deep sigh. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and he deliberately turned on the radio.

[Put your XX in my XX, suck on your wet XX.]

Unfortunately, the first song that came on was a popular track known for its vulgar lyrics listing various sexual acts. Ashley quickly turned it off.

Silence filled the car instantly. Neither Koi nor Ashley spoke. But when Ashley glanced at Koi, he saw him with wide eyes and an open mouth, so Ashley coughed awkwardly.

“Koi, aren’t you hungry?”

“Huh? Uh?”

Koi turned to look at him in surprise. Ashley, trying to act as nonchalant as possible, continued,

“Just hold on a little longer. Let’s stop here first and then go eat. We can have some light snacks here too.”

“Uh… okay.”

Koi nodded, but his heart was racing like mad. The memory he had briefly forgotten due to the lewd song came back.

Why did I even think of such nonsense?

Even recalling it made him feel embarrassed and his face burn hot.

To think I thought Ashley would kiss me.

He was truly dumbfounded. How could he even think of such a thing?

If Ashley found out, he might be so shocked that he’d get angry.

Even as he broke out in a cold sweat behind, Koi pretended to be nonchalant, just fiddling with his phone. Please, don’t let Ashley hear my heartbeat.

🏒

Wow…

Soon after they exited the freeway and entered a regular road, Koi’s eyes widened in astonishment. This was the first time he’d ever been to such a place. The clean and glamorous street was filled with beautiful and handsome people coming and going, and the shops lined up were all sleek and elaborately designed. Even the road, trodden by countless people, shone brightly. Koi felt like he couldn’t breathe.

Ashley parked in front of one of these shops. Koi was puzzled by the awning over the display window, unlike the other shops, when Ashley, who had gotten out first, opened the passenger door for him. Realizing he had been staring blankly, Koi hurriedly got out of the car.

“Th-thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

With a gentle smile, Ashley wrapped an arm around Koi’s back and pulled him towards himself.

“Let’s go in.”

“Huh? Uh, uh.”

Koi nodded, somewhat dazed. A large security guard was standing by the door, and as soon as he saw them, he stepped aside, opening the door. That wasn’t all; he even smiled at Ashley and Koi alternately.

Koi, not understanding what was going on, was led inside by Ashley. Until that point, he thought Ashley had something to buy here.

“Hello, Mr. Miller. Welcome.”

Mr. Miller?

Koi was shocked to see the sophisticated woman who greeted them with a bright smile as soon as they entered. She was addressing a high school student with “Mr.” But even more surprising was Ashley’s demeanor in response. He replied very casually to her greeting.

“Hello. It’s been a while. How have you been?”

After a brief handshake, Ashley turned to point at Koi.

“This is my friend, Conner Niles. Koi, come closer.”

Koi just blinked in confusion as she smiled at him and introduced herself.

“Hello, Mr. Niles. I’m Joanna Mondavi. Nice to meet you.”

Among students, only the old-fashioned history teacher, who was mocked for being outdated, would call teenagers “Mr.” or “Ms.” Koi thought of him as a gentleman, and he liked being called “Mr. Niles,” but he never imagined hearing it outside of school.

Standing there dumbfounded, Joanna, after exchanging simple greetings, turned to lead them.

“Please come this way. We’ve prepared the items thanks to your prior notice. You’re heading to dinner next, right? Oh, that restaurant is very famous. You’ve chosen a nice place indeed. Please have a seat here. Would you like some refreshments and drinks while you look around?”

Koi was once again impressed by her smooth, professional conversation. It wasn’t just that; everything that caught his eye was dazzling and luxurious. Even the staff standing at regular intervals were so stylish and sophisticated they captured attention. Koi, looking around in amazement, hesitated when he saw the sofa Joanna pointed to.

The sofa, clearly prepared for customers, was covered with elaborate embroidery on luxurious fabric, looking so expensive that even if Koi sold everything he owned, he couldn’t afford even one leg of it. The thought of sitting on such a chair made him freeze.

“Koi.”

As he stood there hesitantly, unsure, Ashley called out to him. Seeing Koi’s confused look, Ashley extended his hand. Koi, puzzled but careful, took it, and suddenly Ashley pulled him with force.

“Ah!”

Before he knew it, Koi had let out a yelp, and when he came to his senses, he was slumped on the sofa, or more accurately, in Ashley’s arms.

“S-sorry!”

Koi quickly tried to move away, apologizing, but Ashley just shrugged it off with a slight nod before turning to Joanna.

“I’ll have a Spanish latte. Koi, what would you like?”

“Uh…”

Koi, blinking in confusion, hurriedly answered,

“I-I’ll have the same.”

“Understood. Would you like it hot or cold?”

At Joanna’s question, Koi’s body tensed again. Ashley smiled at Joanna.

“I’ll have mine cold, and Koi’s hot.”

Then he added,

“My friend doesn’t like ice.”

Shouldn’t I clear up this misunderstanding?

The thought crossed Koi’s mind, but the overwhelming environment silenced him. Feeling intimidated, he just nodded, “Yes, that’s right,” and listened quietly as Ashley ordered the refreshments.

How grateful he was that Ashley remembered and considered his preferences. Koi decided that ice wasn’t important and changed his mindset.

A little later, another employee brought a wide, long tray on which macarons, strawberry tarts, scones, and even chocolates were neatly arranged in a line. All were about the size of a single bite, like the macarons, and Koi was once again amazed at the existence of such desserts.

“You must be hungry, try some, Koi.”

Ashley offered him food first. Although hunger was now creeping up on him, Koi hesitated, lacking the courage to reach out. Seeing Koi’s hesitation, Ashley reached out first.

He picked up a deep purple macaron first. Koi just watched blankly until Ashley held the macaron out to him.

“Here, Koi.”

Ashley smiled at the startled Koi.

“Open your mouth.”

“Uh…”

Koi suddenly felt embarrassed and hurriedly looked around, but fortunately, no one else was around. Once he confirmed they were alone, he straightened up again.

Ashley was still holding out the macaron to him, waiting for Koi to eat it. Koi took a deep breath and carefully opened his mouth.

As Ashley watched Koi’s lips part, revealing the red flesh and soft tongue inside, his eyes heated up. He imagined putting something else in that mouth. Just then, Koi took the macaron into his mouth.

Ashley almost sighed involuntarily. He didn’t let go of the macaron and watched as Koi took a bite. Koi was about to use his hand to take it from him, but Ashley stopped him with the other hand. When Koi looked up at him in confusion, Ashley spoke in a lower voice than usual.

“Don’t bite too hard, Koi.”

His voice had a strangely breathy quality.

“It hurts.”

Koi, who had half of the macaron in his mouth, paused and nodded. He had never eaten a macaron before, only seen them. He didn’t understand what Ashley meant, but thought this must be how to eat one, so he carefully let it melt in his mouth before swallowing.

“Did you finish it?”

Ashley, who had been silently watching until Koi swallowed the remaining half, finally spoke.

“Yes, all of it.”

Koi nodded and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Ashley narrowed his eyes and smiled.

“Good job.”

Still staring intently at Koi’s mouth, he asked.

“How does it taste?”

Koi answered without hesitation.

“It’s delicious, really. Thanks, Ash.”

Ashley was silent for a moment before asking.

“…You don’t know what I’m talking about, do you?”

Koi stopped and looked at him.

“Aren’t we talking about the macaron?”

Did I make a mistake? Koi’s face clearly showed his anxiety. Ashley forced himself to act nonchalant.

“…Yes.”

Ashley pretended to drink his coffee, avoiding eye contact. Guilt and desire welled up inside him, making it impossible to look at Koi’s face.

If you knew what I was thinking, you wouldn’t smile at me like that.

Hiding his conflicted feelings, Ashley bit down on an ice cube with a crunch. Just then, Joanna and an employee returned with a rack full of clothes.

“Sorry for the wait. How were the refreshments?”

Joanna’s friendly question made Koi blush as he answered.

“Oh, they were really good. Thank you.”

His ears twitched slightly. Ashley thought he’d have to take Koi to a macaron specialty shop next time to let him indulge. Though he could ask the house staff to make some, it wasn’t a good idea. If they were alone at home and Koi ate macarons, Ashley couldn’t guarantee he would control himself. Today’s unsettling fantasies had forever tainted macarons for him.

“You’re here to look at clothes for your friend today, right? I guessed his size, but if it doesn’t fit, we’ll bring more options.”

Joanna’s explanation left Koi momentarily dazed. What? They’re speaking English, so why don’t I understand? He looked at Ashley, who casually clarified.

“Right, we’re here to buy you some clothes.”

“Clothes? Why? All of a sudden?”

Koi’s voice inadvertently rose before he hurriedly whispered.

“Why are you buying me clothes?”

Though Koi’s panic was evident, Ashley had expected the question. He answered calmly.

“Homecoming is soon, remember?”

“Homecoming… party?”

Koi repeated Ashley’s words, then remembered. Ashley continued as if he had expected Koi to forget.

“You need clothes for that, right? Am I wrong?”

“Uh…”

Koi was extremely flustered but couldn’t argue. He had eagerly agreed to go because Ashley had asked, but it seemed out of his league. Clothes? He had been wearing his current clothes for years, and his other clothes were in similar condition. Altogether, he had less than ten outfits.

Unable to admit his situation, Koi lowered his head, and Ashley spoke.

“There’s still time, so you could rent or buy new clothes. But you got the ticket.”

“I didn’t buy it. The teacher gave it to me…”

“Anyway, you got it.”

Ashley interrupted.

“So I’m buying you clothes as a thank you. Okay?”

“Uh…”

Though Ashley’s logic made sense, Koi doubted the situation. He knew the ticket had been free and the clothes would be much more expensive, maybe even by several times. Accepting such a gift, even from a wealthy friend like Ashley, seemed wrong.

“But Ash, this is…”

“Koi, everyone has their best to offer.”

Startled by the sudden statement, Koi closed his mouth and looked at him. Ashley continued.

“Your best was the ticket, and my best is these clothes. Understand?”

Although Ashley had been making sense all along, Koi couldn’t quite accept it. The words themselves made sense, but something felt off. Ashley looked into Koi’s eyes seriously and said,

“Koi, why do the rich pay more taxes?”

“…Because they have more money?”

“Correct.”

Ashley nodded at Koi’s cautious response and continued.

“So, go change into the clothes. We need to check the size.”

“Huh? What?”

“This way. You have a dinner reservation, right? You should hurry.”