By Zephyria The others, as well as Koi, were surprised by the unexpected words. Ashley nonchalantly picked up his hamburger and said.
“Isn’t that the most reliable way? If we post it there, everyone will see it.”
“Ah, that’s true.”
Bill agreed.
“But don’t you hate that kind of thing?”
Ashley simply dismissed Bill’s added remark.
“Regardless of whether I hate it or not, it’s the most efficient system, isn’t it?”
And he deliberately pointed at Bill and added.
“Besides, you’re the one who’s going to post it.”
“No, that’s…”
Bill was about to say something more, but the other guys cut him off.
“Ash is right.”
“Yeah, let’s post it there. Everyone’s going to go crazy.”
“You should post it, you go on that site all the time, you’ll be the best at it.”
“I’ve never written a post before.”
Bill said, feeling wronged, but he opened the screen and started writing a post on the bulletin board. He quickly typed on the keyboard, posted the post in an instant, and put down his cell phone.
“Let’s watch the reaction.”
No sooner had he said that than Bill’s cell phone vibrated. Another guy opened his cell phone to check and widened his eyes and said, “Oh.”
“Hey, there are already comments. Wow, the views are going up really fast.”
“Where, where.”
“Ah, here it is.”
Following suit, the other guys took out their cell phones to check and started laughing here and there.
“Everyone’s going crazy. Is the whole school coming?”
“Wow, the site’s gotten really slow.”
“Wait a minute, what’s this? Why isn’t it working.”
“Oh, me too.”
“Me neither.”
The kids in the cafeteria were exclaiming and cursing here and there. Ashley and Koi were the only ones in the cafeteria who weren’t looking at their cell phones while constantly refreshing the bulletin board that wouldn’t open.
Koi looked around with wide eyes and then turned his gaze to Ashley. He, on the other hand, was chewing on his tasteless cafeteria hamburger with an indifferent face.
And after that time, no one talked about Koi’s timid worries anymore. Not only on the bulletin board but even in reality, everyone’s topic was Ashley Miller’s party.
*
Before lunchtime was over, everyone left the cafeteria to go to class. They put away their trays and walked together as a group when someone shouted at Ashley.
“Ash, thanks for inviting us to the party!”
Ashley looked over there and lightly waved his hand in response. Koi, watching the girls run away quickly with loud laughter, glanced around.
Everyone’s attention was always focused on them when they passed by, but today Ashley was receiving even more gazes full of deep admiration and envy. Even so, Ashley didn’t react much. He joked and laughed with his friends as usual and moved on. Koi wondered again how he had ended up in this group.
Since that day, Nelson’s group’s bullying had subsided, and his school life, which had been so painful, had become so enjoyable. Everyone, including Bill, was cheerful, didn’t play bad pranks, and, above all, everyone was very kind to Koi.
“Then, see you later.”
They waved to each other as they separated for class. Koi also waved to them and turned around.
This class was with Ashley. The two walked side by side toward the classroom where the class was held. While walking the short distance, the kids who passed by kept talking to Ashley and greeting him. It was something that happened often, but it was especially so today. It was probably because of the party. Koi thought so and walked silently, looking only at the ground.
It was when the kids who had been passing by had dwindled and the surroundings had become quiet that Ashley spoke to Koi.
“Koi.”
“Yeah?”
As he answered reflexively, Ashley put his hand over his head. He just blinked and stood there, and then his long fingers seemed to brush against Koi’s hair before falling away. What he was holding then was a small leaf.
“It was on you.”
“Ah, okay.”
Ashley laughed out loud when he belatedly shook his head quickly.
“It’s gone now. I took it off.”
At the cheerful laughter, Koi felt embarrassed and laughed along. Ashley was laughing a lot today.
He must be in a really good mood. Koi thought. What happened? He was curious, but anyway, he was also happy if something good had happened to Ashley.
He was smiling, thinking that it was a good thing, when his heart started beating again and the area around his chest tickled. Oh. Koi, flustered, stopped. But the throbbing didn’t stop, it only got worse.
Suddenly, Ashley stopped laughing and looked down at him. As if asking what was wrong. Koi stared blankly at his face, which still had traces of laughter. His mouth was burning, his fingertips were tingling, the pulse in his whole body was pounding, and he was completely out of his mind. So he couldn’t stand it at all.
“Um, um, A, Ash.”
“Yeah.”Ashley answered immediately. Koi, amidst the confusion, hurriedly racked his brain to come up with an excuse.
“Um, this is about my friend.”
At the difficult start, Ashley widened his eyes and asked.
“You have other friends besides me? Who?”
“Huh? Uh, uh?”
Suddenly hit with the truth, Koi was flustered. Ashley, glancing at Koi’s ears twitching for a different reason this time, smiled broadly and said.
“Just kidding. Of course, you have friends besides me.”
“Uh…”
Koi was once again bewildered, blinking rapidly. Ashley, seeing Koi’s reaction, deliberately added.
“A lot of them.”
That’s not true, Ash. You’re my only friend.
Koi barely swallowed the words that lingered in his throat. But Ashley seemed to think Koi had a lot of friends. It wasn’t true at all, but since Ashley was thinking of Koi as a very sociable friend, he didn’t want to shatter Ashley’s illusion. Koi, putting on a very small pretense, hurriedly mumbled.
“Yeah, well, so, one of those many friends, you see.”
He was stuttering, and even his voice cracked in the middle. Koi almost panicked, but fortunately, Ashley didn’t react much. If Ashley had kidnapped Koi and locked him in his room earlier, he would have burst out laughing in this situation, but unfortunately, they were at school right now.
Whew, Koi, letting out a small sigh of relief, mustered his courage and continued.
“He said he’s been having some worries lately, and I don’t really know, so I was wondering what Ash thinks.”
“What is it?”
“Um, well, you see.”
Unable to bring himself to look at Ashley’s face, Koi stared at the ground and said.
“Um, he made a close friend, and lately, well, every time he sees him, it’s weird. He used to just think he liked him, but lately, well, his heart races, his hands shake, and stuff like that. He even feels ticklish here.”
Ashley silently looked down at the top of Koi’s head. He found Koi both annoying and cute for stubbornly avoiding eye contact. In the end, cuteness won out, and Ashley asked with a smile.
“Your friend?”
“Y-yeah! M-my friend!”
Koi was startled and nodded quickly. Ashley had to hold back from asking if that person was him, pausing to calm himself.
Did I say something wrong?
Koi became anxious again looking at Ashley. What if he says these feelings aren’t something friends have? What if he gets upset?
“Koi.”
Ashley finally spoke. Unexpectedly, his voice was hoarse, and Koi watched him, inwardly frozen, as he cleared his throat. Koi was more nervous than ever as he waited for Ashley to answer. The time, which was only a few seconds, felt very long to Koi, and finally, a sound flowed from Ashley’s mouth.
“Koi, isn’t that friend in love with that person?”
“Huh?”
Koi was surprised and his eyes widened. He looked up at Ashley without even realizing it.
“O-of course he likes him. Because he’s his friend.”
As he answered hastily, Ashley pointed out.
“But you said it’s different from that, right?”
At Koi’s hesitant reaction, Ashley continued to ask.
“Do you feel your heart race and feel ticklish when you see your other friends? No, in the first place, is there a reason to worry about this? As a friend?”
I don’t know. You’re my only friend.
As if noticing Koi’s thoughts, Ashley said.
“Well, for example, I always eat lunch with our team members, train with them, and spend a lot of time with them. You know that, right?”
“Yeah.”
“I think of those guys as friends, but I’ve never felt my heart race or felt shy like that.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Ashley said firmly. Then, he frowned and added.
“I’d actually feel disgusted if I thought I was doing that to those dark gorilla-like guys.”
“Ah…”
Koi blankly let out an exclamation. Ashley looked straight down at him and said more seriously than ever.
“That’s because he likes that person, Koi.”
Realize it.
Inwardly, Ashley desperately hoped.
Realize it, Koi. Your feelings.
A cold wind blew between the two who stood facing each other. They just stared at each other. Koi felt like the sound of his own heartbeat was echoing very slowly and dully in his ears.
Me, like Ash?
In love?