L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 34

"Uh?"

Koi, who had set down the empty can, made a strange sound. Ashley, anticipating the grim situation that was about to unfold, let out a frustrated sigh. Koi, his eyes already clouded from the alcohol, looked at Ashley and spoke.

"This is weird."

"It's because of the alcohol," Ashley replied, brushing his hair aside, making a face.

"You can tell by the smell."

Koi blinked and then grinned.

"Yeah... no wonder my nose is tingling."

The sound of Koi giggling, making "tzing, tzing" noises, took Ashley by surprise. It was the first time she had seen someone drunk. Was it normal for alcohol to affect someone this quickly?

Just to be sure, she shook the can, and, as expected, it was empty. She never expected a single can of beer to get him so drunk. Maybe it was because it was his first time drinking.

Anyway, the situation had to be dealt with.

Ashley tried to think as rationally as possible. Although it hadn't been her intention, she had given him the alcohol, so she was responsible.

The people who had put the alcohol in the fridge must have been the employees. They might have placed it there to drink during work or maybe just to prepare for guests. Right now, though, the "why" didn’t matter. Ashley let out another sigh as she watched Koi continue to giggle.

He seems to be in a good mood.

Seeing his ears twitch every now and then, Ashley gave a bitter smile. She wasn’t sure if he would feel guilty once the alcohol wore off, but at least for now, the only people who knew about the situation were her and Koi, so nothing would leak out. Of course, Ashley also had some responsibility in this, but it was more important to take care of Koi now than to make a fuss about it.

"Get up, Koi. You can’t lie down here, you'll catch a cold."

"Huh? Huhhh...?"

Koi made a strange sound, his speech slurred. Ashley sighed again and lifted him up.

"Ugh."

He was lighter than expected, and she almost hurt her back trying to lift him. Letting out a surprised grunt, Ashley looked down at Koi, who was still giggling absentmindedly. Koi continued to smile, unaware of what was going on.

"Ashii, my body feels like it’s floating."

"Yeah, it probably does, since that’s the truth."

Ashley answered indifferently as she started walking. As they approached the mansion, Koi kept rambling on.

"It's amazing... it feels like someone’s carrying me and flying."

Is he really drunk?

Ashley furrowed her brows and glanced at him suspiciously. Just as they were about to climb the stairs, Koi suddenly flailed his arms.

"Ah, hey!"

Startled, Ashley hurriedly adjusted her hold, and Koi burst into laughter.

"I’m flying! I’m flying!"

"You better stop drinking like this."

Ashley warned, but Koi didn't seem to hear.

"I'm an astronaut! I’ve become an astronaut!"

Making "woosh, woosh" noises with his mouth, Ashley silently stared at him. She resumed walking without saying a word.

While climbing the stairs, Koi continued to laugh, make wind sounds, and list the names of constellations in no particular order. Ashley kept her mouth shut and just walked.

"Mmmm..."

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Ashley used her shoulder to push open the door to the guest room and carefully laid Koi on the bed. Koi mumbled in his sleep, and Ashley was left speechless. After just one can of beer, he was passed out, and Ashley couldn’t decide whether to feel disappointed or just baffled.

She stared at Koi sprawled on the bed. His slightly parted lips and the rosy hue on his cheeks, likely from the alcohol, caught her attention.

"...Koi."

Ashley called ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) his name softly. If he were awake, he would have answered, but instead, all she could hear was his deep breathing.

"Koi."

Ashley whispered even more softly. She leaned over him carefully and gently stroked his cheek. She could feel Koi’s warmth in her palm.

Koi.

Ashley mouthed his name silently.

"I want to kiss you."

He confessed in a voice that was almost a whisper, as faint as his breathing. She couldn’t tell if the warmth on her cheek was hers or Koi’s. The temptation was overwhelming. Just a slight touch wouldn’t hurt, would it? Just a little kiss on the lips.

...That can’t happen.

Ashley summoned all her willpower to force herself to sit up. It took an immense amount of courage to reject such a strong temptation.

Breathing heavily, she sat on the edge of the bed, gazing out the window. The same dark navy sky filled her view.

"Hah..."

Letting out a deep sigh, almost as if something inside her was boiling over, she sat there for a while. It felt as if she had drained all her energy in that moment.

After a while, she let out another sigh and stood up. She then walked out into the hallway and closed the door behind her, never once looking back at Koi.

*

"Uuuhhh..."

Koi stretched widely as he woke up, blinking sleepily for a while. The scenery that entered his sight was completely unfamiliar. The bed was surprisingly large, fluffy, and soft, like a cloud. It felt like he was dreaming.

Actually, maybe he still was.

Koi closed his eyes again and rolled over. The musty, old sheets that used to have a stale smell were nowhere to be found. Instead, there was a fresh, crisp sensation that gently wrapped around his body, making him sigh in relief and rub his face against the pillow.

Huh?

Just as he was about to drift back into sleep, a strange feeling suddenly hit him. Could dreams feel this real?

That can't be!

Surprised, Koi opened his eyes wide and hurriedly sat up, looking around the room. The surroundings hadn’t changed, but the antique bed and furniture, along with the soft colors of the walls, looked even gentler in the sunlight pouring in through the large window.

Where am I...?

Koi suddenly remembered. The events of the previous day came rushing back. The falling stars, the sky shining even in the darkness of night, and the fresh breeze that made his heart flutter.

And then...

I drank!

Koi’s eyes widened in shock. It was an accidental mistake, but he couldn’t believe he had made such a slip-up. He had never broken even the smallest of rules in his life, yet now he had broken the law.

Oh my god, how could I commit such a crime?

Koi's face turned pale, and he grabbed his head in disbelief.

What do I do!?

*

"Good morning, Koi."

After wandering around the large mansion looking for Ashley, Koi finally found him in the tea room. Ashley, who was preparing breakfast, smiled as he spoke.

"Are you having breakfast? Come sit down."

"Uh, yeah."

Koi nodded absentmindedly but then said a bit late.

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"No, it’s all ready. Just sit down."

"Okay."

Following Ashley’s instructions, Koi sat down, and Ashley asked.

"Coffee? Black tea? Herbal tea? Or..."

As he casually listed the options, he mischievously added.

"Beer?"

"Pfft."

Just as Koi was drinking water, he got startled and spat it out.

"Cough, cough."

Choking on the water, Koi quickly started coughing, and Ashley handed him a napkin.

"T-Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

Once Koi managed to stop coughing and straightened up, Ashley finished preparing the meal.

"Did you make all this?"

Koi asked as he looked at the plate full of food, and Ashley answered lightly.

"It’s nothing special. Just needs to be cooked."

In reality, it didn’t require any exceptional skill. It was just bacon, eggs, sausages, potatoes, and salad. But it was impressive that he made all this by himself. Koi looked across the table at Ashley.

"Do you always have breakfast like this?"

"No."

Ashley answered quickly.

"I don’t usually eat. I might have cereal."

"So you made this because of me?"

Koi asked, intentionally teasing. Naturally, he was joking, but the only answer he got was Ashley’s smiling face.

Huh.

Koi hesitated. Could it really be because of me?

"Eat up."

Ashley said, unfolding his napkin. Koi quickly grabbed his fork, saying "Umm," and dug in. It had been a long time since he had had breakfast, and today’s breakfast was, by far, the best he had ever remembered.

*

"Ash! Hey, are you okay? Are you all better?"

When Koi arrived at school after a long time, Bill, who was parking his car, greeted him with enthusiasm. After getting out of the car, Ashley naturally hugged him, then pulled away to respond.

"I’m fine now. Everything’s been alright?"

"It’s only been a few days. What are you talking about?"

Bill smirked and said with a teasing smile.

"You came back earlier than I thought. You said you were going to take a week off."

"The coach misrepresented it. I clearly said I’d rest just a little."

"Oh."

Bill whistled briefly, then glanced at Ashley’s still-puffy cheek.

"It looks a bit swollen, but it should be fine, right?"

"It hurt quite a bit."

Ashley smiled bitterly. Of course, he had asked for it.