By Zephyria Even the insensitive Koi noticed the sudden change in atmosphere. Koi blinked in confusion at Ashley’s gaze, who was looking down at him with a stiff face for some reason. Why was he being like this all of a sudden? No matter how hard he racked his brains, he couldn’t figure it out, so Koi couldn’t say anything and just watched.
“Hey…”
“You.”
He carefully opened his mouth, but once again, he was deprived of the opportunity. Ashley was still looking down at him with a cold gaze and asked.
“You haven’t had your Manifestation, have you?”
“Uh… I’m a Beta, still.”
Since he was already past the time, his type was as good as determined. Koi’s face turned red when he realized he had said something ridiculous like ‘still’, but Ashley didn’t laugh at him. He was worried about why Ash was looking at him with that face, and then Ashley suddenly turned around.
“Come on, I’ll take you home.”
Koi was startled by the unexpected offer and looked at him, then hurriedly chased after him and said.
“I-it’s okay. I’ll go alone.”
“How? Are you going to take a taxi? Or walk?”
Actually, he hadn’t thought of a way. Seeing Koi speechless for a moment, Ashley smirked as if he knew it would be like this and turned around again. Koi hesitated and finally followed him into the car, and when he fastened his seat belt, Ashley finally started the car.
“When’s the date?”
“Huh?”
Ashley asked not long after leaving the parking lot. Koi unknowingly asked back at the sudden question, and then belatedly said, “Ah,” and laughed awkwardly.
“It’s not a date… we’re just having dinner and watching a movie.”
“Koi.”
“Yeah.”
Ashley, who glanced at him when he hurriedly answered, visibly twisted the corners of his mouth.
“People call that a date, Koi.”
Koi couldn’t react easily and closed his mouth. He hadn’t thought about it, but it seemed like that was the case when Ashley said that. Did Julie think so too? Koi, who was lost in thought, hesitated and opened his mouth.
“Then, would it be better not to meet…?”
He hadn’t thought of it that way at all, so if Julie had expectations, it would be better to make his attitude clear. Ashley said indifferently at the cautious question.
“It’s none of my business who you meet.”
Koi reflexively raised his head. His heart sank at Ashley’s cool profile lit by the moonlight. As if to mock such Koi, Ashley said.
“I hope you have a good date, Koi.”
Koi couldn’t answer this time either and just lowered his head. And the two of them remained silent until they reached their destination without saying a word.
* * *
Ashley slowed down as he entered a dark alley with no streetlights. Koi became uneasy as they slowly moved through the eerie street, where a gunman with a pistol could jump out and shoot at the car and steal the car stereo.
It wasn’t just a delusion because he had heard gunshots several times while sleeping at night. He was afraid to imagine what would happen if he was attacked by a stranger while driving around in such an expensive car. Even an Alpha, who was said to have superior physical abilities than ordinary people, was still a person. If he got shot, he would die. Koi became restless, thinking that Ashley was putting himself in danger by coming to such a place because of him.
“T-that’s enough. I can go alone.”He tried to open the car door to signal that he wanted to get out, but it was locked. In that instant, a forgotten memory flashed through Koi’s bewildered mind. Could this car also have a special device to prevent it from being opened from the inside?
He hesitated, unable to make a decision, but in contrast to Koi’s confusion, Ashley spoke with his usual composure.
“Where do you live? Do I need to go further?”
“Uh…”
Koi hesitated, then pointed to one side and answered honestly.
“It’s over there. On the corner.”
Ashley drove the car in the direction Koi indicated without any particular reaction. They arrived at a place not far away, and as if he had been waiting for it, the door of the passenger seat where Koi was sitting clicked open.
“…Thank you for the ride.”
After saying his thanks, Koi hesitated and asked.
“Um, would you like to come in for a cup of tea?”
As soon as he said it, he realized that such a nice car parked in a place like this would surely be stolen. But he couldn’t take back the words he had already spoken, so he was flustered, but Ashley opened his mouth.
“It’s okay. Thanks, but I’ll pass.”
Koi breathed a sigh of relief, thinking how fortunate he was. Ashley stared at Koi. It was difficult to read his expression because he was standing with the dim streetlight behind him.
Koi knew it was time to get out of the car, but he couldn’t move immediately. He had to make an appointment to meet again. If he let him go now, he would never see him again. At least ask for his phone number, hurry. Right now!
“I have a question.”
“Uh, yeah.”
Koi nodded in surprise at Ashley’s sudden words. Ashley, still looking at Koi with an unreadable expression, asked.
“Didn’t you say you came to see me?”
“Y-yeah, that’s right.”
Ashley spoke in an even lower voice to Koi, who nodded again.
“What exactly did you want to do by seeing me?”
This time, he couldn’t answer easily. So many emotions rushed in at once, blocking Koi’s words. How could he convey all of that in just a few words? Even now, his heavy heart weighed him down so much.
“I…”
Koi opened his mouth with difficulty. He cleared his throat to forcibly calm his emotions from his trembling voice, and then continued.
“I just… wanted to see you.”
Despite so many emotions, that was all he could say. In the darkness, Ashley’s brow furrowed slightly.
“That’s it?”
Koi’s face flushed at his incredulous reaction. Of course he would be dumbfounded. After more than 10 years, he suddenly appears and all he says is this?
But as Ashley said, that was all there was to it, so Koi had nothing more to say. Anyone would react the same way if all he did with the money he had worked to death for more than 10 years was to see Ashley Miller’s face. But in Koi’s mind, Ashley Miller’s existence was so much greater than anyone else could imagine, so this price was actually very cheap. Of course, Ashley had no idea about Koi’s feelings, and Koi had no intention of revealing them and burdening him.
I know we ended a long time ago.
Koi thought. It was incredibly fortunate for him that Ashley was still not married and had no special someone. Of course, he didn’t have the absurd arrogance to think that it was because of Koi. Ashley must have had other reasons, such as being busy or not being interested. He was just grateful that he had the opportunity to be brave like this. Even if Ashley hadn’t been married, he wouldn’t have dared to meet him and see his face if he had someone special by his side.
“I even went to your law firm.”
Koi plucked up his courage and continued.
“Did you hear about it? They told me to leave a message, so I left my contact information.”
It had already been over a month. If it had been delivered, there would have been some kind of response by now. Recalling that he had asked when Koi had come to the East Coast, he guessed. Ashley definitely hadn’t received the message.
“I know.”
“Uh…”
Koi blinked blankly at the indifferent words. As he looked at Ashley’s expressionless face looking down at him, his heart began to flutter anxiously.
“Um… you were too busy to contact me, right? You didn’t have time.”
“No.”
Ashley flatly denied the words he had asked with a hopeful smile.
“I had no intention of meeting you.”
Koi froze for a moment. He had clearly heard his words, but he couldn’t understand them. What did I just hear? What did Ashley just say? Koi, who was just staring blankly at Ashley, suddenly remembered.
〈I don’t want you to come into my sight.〉
〈Do you think I’ll be happy to see you?〉
Koi was completely frozen in belated realization.
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