L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 5

“Damn, I thought I was gonna starve to death.”

Ashley exaggerated as he grabbed a burger and took a massive bite. It was a double-patty burger with two slices of cheese. The sheer amount of food he had ordered was already overwhelming, but the speed °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° at which he ate was even more astonishing.

In just three bites, he finished an entire burger. Then he moved on to the sandwich, then another double-patty burger, and finally, he cut into the pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Meanwhile, Koi quietly sipped at his single cup of Coke, carefully rationing it.

“You’re really just gonna have that?”

Ashley, who had already emptied three bottles of sparkling water and was now ordering his fourth, asked him. Koi nodded and lifted his Coke cup as if to prove a point, taking a tiny sip. Ashley tilted his head in curiosity.

“You drink Coke without ice? That’s unusual.”

Because this way, I can make it last longer.

Green Bell didn’t offer free refills. That meant Koi had to make his single Coke stretch as long as possible—while sitting across from Ashley Miller, who was stuffing himself like he was preparing for hibernation.

“You’re the impressive one, eating that much.”

“I work out intensely. Every day.”

Koi muttered, trying to sound casual while hiding his envy. As if on cue, Ashley cut off a huge chunk of steak and popped it into his mouth before adding,

“And I’m still growing.”

“You’re getting taller? From there?”

Koi asked in shock. Ashley shrugged like it was no big deal.

“I grew four centimeters last month.”

“...How tall are you now?”

Despite his fear, Koi asked anyway. Ashley answered in the same calm, matter-of-fact tone.

“192.”

Koi barely held back the urge to yell at him to stop eating immediately. He wanted to snap—Are you trying to be a basketball player? Is your goal two meters? Why not aim for a Guinness World Record while you’re at it?!—but he managed to restrain himself. Because he knew the only reason for his frustration was pure, bitter jealousy.

“In hockey, size is an advantage since it’s such a physical sport.”

Ashley flashed a bright smile. Koi mentally scoffed. As if you’re not already big enough.

He was already the tallest member of the starting lineup.

And if Koi pointed that out, Ashley would probably just brush it off with a simple Well, I’m the captain, so it makes sense. Koi didn’t want to argue with him any further. Well, maybe it wasn’t even an argument—it was more like trying to kick a soccer ball while Ashley effortlessly juggled it in the air.

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“You planning to go pro?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Koi realized how bitter he sounded. But it wasn’t like he could help it. That was just the truth. However, Ashley—who seemed like he had never encountered a single hardship in his life—answered with his usual breeziness.

“Nah. I’m quitting sports after high school.”

That... was oddly realistic. It threw Koi off. As he stared at him in silence, Ashley casually cut into his half-eaten pancakes and added,

“I’m not talented enough to go pro.”

“No way.”

The words slipped out before Koi could stop them. He had always thought Ashley was an over-the-top narcissist, so hearing something like that from him was completely unexpected.

Ashley responded with the same bright, easygoing smile he had worn all evening.

“Thanks.”

He accepted the compliment so naturally, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Then, as if it were nothing more than small talk, he continued,

“I’ll probably end up taking over my dad’s work. That’s the most likely outcome.”

It was such a casual statement, but Koi couldn’t let it slide.

“Your dad’s work? What does he do? Is it a family business?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Koi had always assumed Ashley’s family was ridiculously rich just from the car he drove, but now his curiosity had spiked. Seeing the way Koi’s eyes lit up with interest, Ashley narrowed his own and smirked.

“He protects the wealth of the rich from the hands of the poor.”

...Is this a riddle?

Koi had no clue what that was supposed to mean, so he just blurted out the first thing that came to mind.

“A demon?”

“Oh.”

Ashley didn’t laugh. In fact, he looked genuinely surprised.

“Close. He’s a lawyer.”

“...Oh.”

Ashley’s words weren’t exactly wrong. If his family was that wealthy, his father had to be a pretty famous lawyer. Almost as if reading Koi’s mind, Ashley added,

“It’s a well-known law firm on the East Coast. If you mention ‘Lawyer Miller,’ people immediately think of my dad.”

Despite saying something that impressive, there wasn’t a hint of arrogance or pride in his tone. He spoke as casually as ever, taking another sip of his sparkling water.

“So, after graduation, you’ll be heading to the East Coast? Going to college there too?”

“Probably.”

From the way things sounded, he’d most likely attend whatever school his father had gone to. Koi hesitated, unsure if he should ask the next question, then carefully spoke.

“Then why are you here? Is your whole family here?”

Maybe only his father lived on the East Coast and visited during vacations?

While Koi was caught up in his own speculation, Ashley answered easily.

“I’m the only one here. My parents live on the East Coast.”

“You live alone? Why?”

The question slipped out before Koi could think. But when he saw the slight shift in Ashley’s expression, he instinctively shut his mouth.

Ashley had been answering everything so easily that Koi had ended up pushing too far. They weren’t even that close—he was prying into his personal life way too much. Regret flickered in Koi’s eyes as he glanced away, but Ashley soon responded in the same casual tone as before.

“I just wanted to live alone.”

“Wow, I wish I could do that too. That sounds amazing.”

What teenager wouldn’t dream of that? A fancy car, a comfortable life, and a place all to himself. Was there anything this guy didn’t have? Koi couldn’t help but be impressed. Just then, Ashley let out a small laugh—a quiet, almost bitter chuckle.

Koi hesitated.

“T-That sounds nice and all, but isn’t it lonely? And don’t you hate doing chores? Laundry?”

He blurted out the first things that came to mind, trying to fill the silence. But once again, Ashley’s response was completely unexpected.

“I don’t do it myself. A cleaning service comes every weekend. It’s enough to keep things livable.”

...What did I just hear?

Koi was stunned. The conversation was so far removed from his own world that his brain couldn’t process it. He wanted to ask Is your house that big? but barely held himself back.

I’ve already asked too much. This is over the line.

I’m not even that close with Ashley Miller.

He scolded himself, but the sudden awkward silence that followed caught him off guard.

Ashley continued eating as if nothing had happened, but Koi couldn’t stand the quiet.

Say something, anything—hurry, before it gets worse!

“Oh, um... Right, your team doesn’t have any manifested members yet, right?”

Recalling how one of their classmates had recently manifested as an Omega, Koi latched onto the topic and asked quickly.

Ashley nodded.

“Most people never manifest.”

Statistically, the chances of being born an Alpha or an Omega were incredibly low. Koi had long assumed he would live and die as a Beta.

If anyone were to manifest, though, Ashley Miller would definitely be an Alpha.

It would suit him. Even now, he practically radiated dominance wherever he went.

“If you did manifest, wouldn’t that make it harder to keep playing sports?”

“Most people quit. Going pro is basically impossible.”

Alphas and Omegas had certain biological restrictions due to their heat or rut cycles. Professional athletes couldn’t afford the risk—if someone went into heat in the middle of a season, it could throw off an entire team’s performance.

While individual athletes could skip a season to adjust, team sports were a different story. Some players relied on suppressants, but they were known to wreck the body over time. Most pro teams only accepted Betas or Gammas since they didn’t have those issues. No team owner would gamble millions of dollars on an unstable player.

“Have you ever taken a manifestation prediction test?”

Koi asked.

Ashley shook his head.

“No. You?”

“I haven’t.”

Koi answered honestly.

“It’s not like it matters. I’m definitely a Beta.”

“Same.”

For some reason, Ashley’s response felt dismissive, like he wasn’t really paying attention to the topic. Maybe he just didn’t like discussing it.

As Koi searched for a new conversation topic, his eyes landed on the clock hanging on the wall. It was already close to 9 PM.

The restaurant would be closing soon.

That was when it hit him—he had spent the entire evening chatting with Ashley Miller.

Snap out of it, idiot. You’re here for a project!

Cursing himself, Koi quickly tried to steer the conversation back on track.

“Uh, so anyway—how’s this for a plan? We each do our own research and send the information by email. Then, when we meet next time, we can divide the chapters properly. Sound good?”

“Yeah.”

Ashley replied easily, grabbing a napkin and wiping his mouth.

The plates that had once filled the table were now completely empty.

“So, we’re done here, right? Can I leave now?”