By Zephyria “Thank you, please come again.”
After nodding briefly to the manager and employees who came out to the street to greet him, he turned around. The driver who had been waiting immediately opened the back door of the parked car, but Ashley stopped in his tracks and opened his mouth.
“You can go ahead. I want to walk a bit.”
The elderly driver blinked in confusion and looked to the side. The two bodyguards who had been guarding Ashley since he arrived here exchanged glances.
“I’ll contact you, so please wait nearby.”One of them spoke, and the driver nodded, returning to the car. Ashley left them behind and started walking. Two men, as burly as Ashley himself, followed him at a distance, but he paid them no mind. Right now, he wanted to savor this freedom for as long as possible.
Since arriving in the East, his life had been a prison. It was hell for Ashley, who had enjoyed boundless freedom and lived the life he wanted. He woke up at a set time, had breakfast with Father, and at lunchtime, sat across from ‘him,’ who couldn’t even get out of bed on his own, to eat. In the evening, he attended parties or gatherings somewhere.
Ashley spent all day preparing for these parties and gatherings, and if he didn’t know everything about the hosts—their jobs, and if they ran a business, details about their company—Father would openly display his displeasure.
Of course, Ashley wasn’t stupid enough to deliberately provoke Father. He did his best to return to Koi as quickly as possible. He obeyed without a word and did everything he was told, even if it meant staying up all night.
And that wasn’t all. Ashley had also started preparing for college applications here. After all, everyone would be busy with college prep in their senior year. But Father wouldn’t tolerate him being ‘like everyone else.’ His son had to be several times better than others. And Ashley, unfortunately, knew that he was exceptional enough to achieve everything Father wanted.
As he had already expected, Father wanted Ashley to go to the same university he had attended. So Ashley had already started meeting alumni and gathering information about the university constantly. That alone kept him incredibly busy, and he had also started studying French. He already had excellent Spanish skills, but of course, that was nowhere near enough to satisfy Father. Once his French was decent enough, he would probably have to learn German.
With all these things to do, the day passed quickly, and because it was three hours ahead of the West, it wasn’t easy to call Koi. When he finally managed to find some time, it was usually Koi’s bedtime. Unless he made a deliberate effort like today, he couldn’t find any time for himself at all.
Ashley had been working his tail off for days to clear his schedule for today. He emphasized that he needed a day off, caught up on his French studies by staying up all night, and even studied ahead. And that’s how he managed to get a single day of vacation.
Ah.
Ashley tilted his head up, realizing the reason for the cold sensation that suddenly touched his cheek. Snowflakes were falling, one or two at a time. Having spent the last few years in the West, he still wasn’t used to the frequent snowfall.
Ashley stopped in his tracks and looked up for a moment. The cloudy winter sky, with its swirling gray clouds, was the same as he had seen so often since arriving here.
Haa…
He deliberately took a long breath, and his white breath scattered around him. People hurried past Ashley, who stood there blankly, their heads bowed. He remembered the clear skies of the West, even in winter. Then, the longing for Koi, who always jumped into his arms, resurfaced, and Ashley’s heart ached.
Tomorrow was Christmas. His hope that he could return as soon as Thanksgiving was over had long been shattered. After Christmas came the New Year. Ashley probably wouldn’t be able to spend the New Year with Koi either.
Surely, he wasn’t planning to keep him here forever, was he?
Ashley started walking again. He still had a year left before graduating high school. He was determined to get his way and return to Koi, no matter what it took. Even if it took time, he would.
Please wait for me, Koi.
Ashley, inwardly pleading with him, smiled faintly as he thought of the ring he had ordered.
The platinum ring had a fairly large diamond in the center, with small diamonds lined up on either side.
He had bought two rings with a simple design and ordered them to engrave Koi’s and his own names on the inside of each ring.
He decided to put Koi’s name on the ring that fit his own fourth finger, and Ashley’s name on the ring that he guessed was Koi’s size. This way, they would completely belong to each other.
What would Koi say when he told him what it meant?
He couldn’t help but smile as he imagined Koi’s face turning red and not knowing what to do. The only downside was that it was the end of the year and orders were piling up, so it would take about a month, even if they rushed it as much as possible. He was impatient, but there was nothing he could do.
The snow was gradually falling more heavily. Koi probably hadn’t seen this much snow before. Thinking of the intersection where they always had extravagant events at the end of the year, he wanted to bring Koi here someday.
On Christmas, they would have to kiss under the mistletoe. At the end of the year, they would count down together, and as soon as the New Year arrived, he would hug him and kiss him. And he would whisper,
Happy New Year, Koi.
Thinking of Koi, his nose red, smiling at him, Ashley’s mood improved considerably. Haa, he took a deep breath and stopped walking. The bodyguards also stopped behind Ashley, who was standing in front of the traffic light. Ashley put his hands in his coat pockets and turned to look at them.
“Call the car.”
The bodyguards quickly contacted the driver. Waiting for the car, which was probably circling nearby, Ashley stood there for a while. The white snow continued to fall, but people just passed by. Before he knew it, his head and shoulders were covered in snow.
*
“Another party?”
Ashley asked, and Father’s secretary readily nodded. Unable to suppress the sigh that came out involuntarily, he took a deep breath, and she spoke.
“There are many gatherings at the end of the year.”
“I suppose so.”
Ashley had a different question in mind.
“I’m just wondering how long I have to keep doing this.”
At those words, the secretary asked with a blank face.
“It seems you have a reason to want to go back quickly?”
Her job was to report Ashley’s every move to Father. She probably knew about Koi too, but Ashley just frowned at her question, unsure if she was feigning ignorance or something else. The secretary didn’t press further and changed the subject.
“Only Mr. Miller would know that. I’m just the messenger.”
Ashley softened his hostility towards her and apologized instead.
“…I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”
“It’s alright. Mr. Miller provides me with a high salary, which includes being the target of unfounded anger.”
He wondered if she was being sarcastic, but her tone was so businesslike that it seemed like she was telling the truth. Thinking that she was still an inscrutable person, Ashley remembered.
Come to think of it, I don’t necessarily need to know what she’s thinking.
After all, the secretary was just doing her job. Ashley, like her, just had to do what Father told him to do. He was willing to do so, as long as he was released soon.
“There will be a party on the first day of January. Or rather, on the last day of December.”
At the secretary’s words, Ashley automatically thought. It must be a party to celebrate the New Year, and that he still wouldn’t be able to return to Koi by then.
The secretary placed a piece of paper with the week’s schedule on the table and said,
“It’s a very important party, so you’ll have to pay special attention. Mr. Miller won’t be attending that day; only you will.”
“Just me? Why?”
Ashley asked with a frown, and the secretary replied in her usual businesslike tone.
“Because it’s a party that only you need to attend.”
“…Ha.”
Why did I even ask? Thinking with a hint of regret, he silently picked up the schedule. It was a familiar schedule, similar to every other day, but December 31st was empty except for the party.
“…Is it a very important event?”
Ashley asked with a frown, and the secretary, who was about to leave, grabbed the doorknob and turned to look at him.
“It’s an event where you, as an extreme Alpha, will learn a lot.”
And then she closed the door and left. Ashley, still frowning, stared at the schedule before putting it down and lying on the bed.
I don’t care. He thought. Just let me go back to Koi soon.
He had endured this long enough. Once this party was over, he would go back.
Just one more week to endure.
He comforted himself and closed his eyes.
“I miss you, Koi.”
It was the first time his own voice sounded so weak.