By Zephyria “What are you doing?”
Ashley asked, noticing Koi trying to move his steak to Ashley’s plate. Koi paused and looked up at him.
“Oh, um, it’s a bit too much for me.”
“You’re only going to eat that much?”
Ashley’s gaze moved to Koi’s plate. Koi, who had also looked down at the drastically reduced amount of meat, forced a smile.
“Yeah, I don’t usually eat much.”
“…Really?”
While Ashley was giving a lukewarm reaction, Koi quickly moved the meat he was holding. He even felt proud after successfully completing his mission. He was smiling contentedly when he heard Ashley’s mutter.
“No wonder you’re so small if you eat so little.”If it hadn’t been Ashley who said those words, Koi would have shouted things like, “Have you ever seen a bean that big? Aren’t you being ridiculously gluttonous? If everyone ate like you, the Earth would have been destroyed long ago! You eat so much grass and meat, is there anything left for anyone else?” and much more.
But the fact that it was Ashley completely crushed his fighting spirit. Koi even nodded, thinking, “If Ash says so, then it must be true.” Ashley then asked him,
“What do you want to drink?”
“Huh? Oh, cola.”
As he answered absentmindedly, Ashley opened the refrigerator door and asked again,
“Mango, Apple, Lime, Zero, or Original?”
“M, Mango!”
Hearing that, Ashley took out two Mango Colas and two glasses, placing one of each in front of Koi.
“Thanks.”
He said his thanks again, but Ashley turned around without any particular reaction and pressed the ice maker button on the refrigerator, filling the glasses with ice. Koi blinked as he watched Ashley sit down as if it were natural, fill his own cup with ice, and gulp down the cola.
“Um…”
“You don’t eat ice, right?”
Koi, who was about to say something, was cut off by Ashley’s question and found himself speechless again.
“Y, yeah.”
He mumbled vaguely and silently drank his cola. He had said that was all the food left, but as he ate, he realized there was quite a lot. Koi filled his empty stomach with mashed potatoes and salad instead of the lacking meat.
Having eaten a decent amount, Koi put down his fork and leaned back in his chair. Ashley, as if he had also finished eating, was wiping his mouth with a napkin.
“Is that enough? Aren’t you still hungry?”
At Koi’s question, Ashley said nonchalantly,
“I don’t always eat that much. This is enough for now.”
He got up first and started clearing the dishes. Already? Koi was surprised but quickly followed suit and cleared the dishes. Ashley, who had tidied up the area in an instant, spoke first.
“Well, shall we go practice now?”
The food he had just eaten suddenly felt heavy in his stomach. Koi nodded, feeling a stuffiness in one corner of his chest.
“Yeah.”
*
The ice rink Ashley mentioned was on the second basement floor. When Koi asked what was on the first basement floor, Ashley simply replied, “Wine.”
…It’s cold.
The moment he reached the second basement floor and opened the closed door, a blast of cold air rushed at him. Koi hunched over and gasped for breath. Ashley, who had gone inside first, turned to look at him and said,
“Are you okay? Should I get you a jacket or something?”
“C, can I?”
Seeing Koi shivering, Ashley readily opened one of the several closets placed on one side. Inside were some clothes and skates, and Ashley took out a thin jumper and handed it to Koi, saying,
“I’m giving this to you because you’re not used to it yet, but it’s good to get used to this temperature. You have to if you want to join the cheerleading team.”
“Yeah, I will.”
Koi nodded obediently, but right now, avoiding the cold was his top priority. The jumper he received from Ashley wasn’t thick enough to block out the chill, but it was better than nothing. As Ashley watched him hurriedly put his arms through the sleeves, he asked,
“What’s your shoe size?”
“Huh? Oh, 7.5.”
“What?”
He stopped looking for skates and turned his head. Koi felt embarrassed, but he answered in a louder voice.
“I said 7.5! 7.5!”
“Huh…”
Ashley let out an unknown exclamation and turned his body back around. He only muttered to himself, but in the silence of the empty ice rink, Koi could hear his voice very clearly.
“Wow, I was an 8 when I was in fourth grade…”
Koi wanted to hide somewhere out of embarrassment.
*
The skates were very well preserved. According to Ashley, his body grew so fast that he had a lot of shoes and clothes that he had never worn and just put away. Of course, that was something that could never happen to Koi.
“Is this one better? Or this one?”
At Ashley’s question, Koi was lost in thought for a moment. In terms of foot size, the right one fit well, but the left one felt more secure. Honestly, Ashley made the decision for him.
“Then let’s go with the left one. It’s better for skates to be snug.”
He added that it’s easy to get injured if they’re loose. Koi did as he was told without complaint.
“Sit down, I’ll tie them for you.”
Ashley sat Koi down on the bench and knelt in front of him without hesitation. A flustered Koi quickly reached out his hand.
“It’s okay, I’ll do it.”
“Do it next time.”
Ashley said, moving his hands skillfully.
“I’ll do it this time.”
Ashley was overly kind. Koi’s heart warmed at his kindness, but he whipped himself, telling himself not to get conceited.
Ash is a good kid, so he’s just being kind to everyone.
Just because they happened to become friends doesn’t mean he’s special. Ashley has many friends, and even more people like him. Everyone is looking for an opportunity to get close to him. So, a situation like Koi’s could happen to anyone.
Just be grateful.
Koi calmed himself down and lowered his gaze. Soon, he saw the crown of Ashley’s head. It was the first time he had seen the crown of his head. It was strange and fascinating. He never imagined that he would ever look down on him like this.
And Ash is kneeling in front of me.
Koi quietly held his breath and watched him. His delicate fingers skillfully twisted the long, thin laces to make a knot, captivating his gaze. His long, elegant fingers with long knuckles and even his square nails were pretty.
Lost in thought as he stared at them, Koi inadvertently asked,
“Ash, do you know how to play any instruments?”
“Um… the flute?”
He asked without much thought, but the answer he received was unexpected. Koi blinked his eyes and asked,
“The flute? Really?”
“Yeah.”
Ashley, who had tied all of one lace, straightened his back and grabbed Koi’s other leg. He gently grabbed his calf and pulled it towards him, then leaned forward again and wrapped the loosely untied lace around his fingers.
“I even took my instrument exam with it.”
“Really? What did you play?”
“Sentimental.”
“Sentimental?”
Ashley replied to Koi, who repeated what he had said.
“Yeah, by Claude Bolling.”
Koi had never heard of the name before. In fact, he didn’t know much about music. Instead, he diligently memorized it in his head. He was planning to find the music when he was alone. But as if he knew Koi’s thoughts, Ashley stopped tying the laces and took out his cell phone from his pocket and quickly tapped something.
“Here, this.”
“Ah.”
He put his cell phone down on the seat next to the bench where Koi was sitting and went back to what he was doing. He was about to say thank you when the music started playing.
Quiet jazz music softly echoed. Koi was momentarily speechless at the beautiful melody he was hearing for the first time.
Ash played this song…
Listening carefully to the flute performance, he imagined how Ash would have played this song. Would he have touched each note with those long fingers that were tying the laces? Just like now, with his eyes lowered like that, and his long eyelashes fluttering from time to time.
He would have inhaled every time the note was cut off. Opening his lips, taking a breath, and slowly exhaling each note.
Ah.
Koi thought.
How beautiful that must have been.
It was when a vague sadness suddenly washed over him and his heart sank. Ashley, who had tied all the laces, raised his head. Koi, who had been looking at Ashley until then, suddenly met his eyes. The corners of Ashley’s eyes curved, and his lips drew a soft line.