By Zephyria Koi’s eyes widened at the unexpected words. Seeing his reaction, Bill sighed and muttered.
“You didn’t know either.”
Koi only nodded, still looking dazed.
“I haven’t been able to see him either…”
He hadn’t heard from Ashley since he saw him being dragged away like that. That’s why he braved the rumors and came to school, just in case. When Koi stammered out this situation in a choked voice, Bill took a rough breath and distorted his face.
“What the hell happened? Why did Ash kidnap you out of nowhere? Do you know what the kids are saying? They’re saying that Ash is crazy about you, and that he kidnapped you because you kept rejecting him. Does that make sense?”
“That can’t be true!”
“Of course that can’t be true.”
Koi shouted in a panic at the unexpected words, and Bill continued to speak with a still frowning face.
“Ash isn’t that clingy. I’ve been friends with that guy for years, and I’ve seen how cleanly Ash ended things when he broke up with his girlfriend. He greets his ex with a smile when he runs into her, and he’s even friends with her new boyfriend, Ash is! The girls even complained that he doesn’t get jealous and is too cool, but he kidnapped you because you didn’t accept his feelings? What do they know to say such things!”
Bill was genuinely angry. Koi could tell how much he cherished and admired Ashley.
Well, all the ice hockey team guys were like that. Their feelings for Ashley, the captain and their friend, were more than just friendship. So it was natural that they were all panicking when something like this happened.
I can’t hide it anymore.
Ashley had wanted to reveal their relationship a long time ago. He had no choice but to keep it a secret for Koi’s sake, but he never expected it to lead to this result. Koi couldn’t stand the fact that he was being misunderstood because of him.
It’ll be okay, now.
Koi forced himself to make saliva in his parched mouth from nervousness and swallowed it before opening his mouth with difficulty.
“You’re right. Ash didn’t kidnap me. I, we…”
Koi took a deep breath and finally confessed.
“We like each other.”Bill’s eyes widened as he looked down at Koi upon hearing those words. Seeing his completely frozen reaction, Koi realized that Bill hadn’t expected this situation at all. What on earth had Bill been thinking then?
*That’s why he dragged me here to ask, because he couldn’t figure it out himself.*
After convincing himself, Koi continued in a clearer tone.
“I had my reasons for asking Ash to keep it a secret. Ash was just doing me a favor. I’m sorry for hiding it all this time.”
He even added a sincere apology, but Bill still didn’t react. Was it that shocking? Koi felt a little bitter, but he accepted that this was a normal reaction. After all, who would imagine Ashley Miller and Corner Niles liking each other and dating? Unless Koi was the only one with a crush on Ashley.
That was clearly written on Bill’s face. Had Ashley anticipated this reaction? Koi felt embarrassed and guilty towards Ashley, who had been willing to endure everything for him, and repeatedly insisted.
“We’re dating, and we’ve decided to get married after graduation. And I…”
Koi stopped speaking, realizing his true feelings. *If you asked me again now, I would answer without hesitation.* Feeling his eyes grow hot, Koi declared firmly.
“I’m going to the East Coast with Ash.”
At the following bombshell, Bill didn’t even blink, just stared blankly down at Koi. His brain, overwhelmed by the sudden flood of information, had simply emptied.
*
Koi returned home around dusk, as the surroundings began to darken. He was alone in the hopelessly old and cramped Motorhome. Father had been hospitalized that day and hadn’t returned yet.
After leaning his bicycle against one side of the Motorhome as always, he opened the door and was greeted by a silent stillness. Koi deliberately sighed loudly before plopping down on the bed.
The Motorhome was still the same. He still remembered the interior being a mess when he was escorted home by the police. More than anything, the sight of the paper cups he had lined up by the window scattered everywhere, the dandelions inside them strewn about with dirt, made him feel like crying again.
He had cleaned up the house roughly, but the loneliness hadn’t disappeared. The thought of Ashley disappearing before his eyes again made him feel like he was going crazy.
According to Bill, whose father was a police officer and had heard quite a bit of detail, Ashley had been released somehow.
Bill continued after a sigh. Koi felt a little bitter when he heard that Ashley’s father was trying to pay for Koi’s father’s hospital bills and other compensation in exchange for releasing his son. He had assumed that Father would have accepted it, but the following words were unexpected.
Koi was taken aback by the unexpected words. He had felt Father’s hatred for him to the bone his entire life. How much had Father cursed Koi and used violence against him that day?
But why suddenly?
He didn’t think it was for good reasons anyway. Koi hadn’t visited the hospital once, nor did he intend to meet Father. His mind was completely occupied with thoughts of Ashley.
Recalling Bill’s last words, Koi buried his face in his hands. *No way, Ash.*
*You’re not leaving like this, are you…?*
He tried calling, but Ashley didn’t answer, and when he went back to the mountain, unlike before, burly security guards were stationed there, so he couldn’t even get near the mansion. Of course, he wasn’t allowed to meet Ashley either. Only once, a woman who claimed to be Ashley’s father’s secretary came out and gave him a simple warning.
Hearing those words, he had no choice but to back down, fearing that Ashley might be harmed. And he had been in this state ever since.
*I miss you, Ash.*
Koi resisted the urge to cry again and repeatedly took deep breaths.
*
Ashley, who had been huddled in the darkness, was startled by the sound of the door handle turning. A ray of light cut through the pitch-black darkness. At the same time, his eyes stung painfully, and he covered them with his hand. Soon, he heard footsteps, and someone approached him and grabbed the hand covering his eyes.
“Wear this until your eyes get used to the light.”
The cold, businesslike voice belonged to the secretary. As he did as she instructed and put on the eye mask, a plastic bottle was soon placed in his hand.
“Drink this, it’s water.”
He brought the open bottle to his mouth and emptied it in one go, the secretary silently watching him. After taking the empty bottle, the secretary spoke again.
“Get up. Can you walk?”
Ashley shook off the hand that was trying to support him and awkwardly got to his feet on his own.
Even with the light seeping in under the eye mask, his eyes stung, so he closed his eyelids and groped along the wall as he walked. As he staggered down the hallway, his senses gradually returned. All the sounds and light that had been cut off rushed at him at once.
“How many days… has it been?”
He asked in a somewhat hoarse voice, and the secretary replied.
“Three days.”
Ashley barely managed to stop himself from gasping. He had been trapped in the basement for three days without any light at all. The image of Koi flashed through his mind, and he couldn’t help but let out a stifled sigh.
It had been a week since Ashley had returned to the mansion after being arrested by the police. He followed the secretary who came to greet him to the car, and when he returned, the mansion, which was always quiet, was swarming with people.
Of course, it wasn’t a party. Seeing the mansion brightly lit and dozens of security guards and employees moving busily, Ashley sensed it immediately. His father had arrived.
His guess was correct. However, he didn’t even see his father’s face and was immediately thrown into the basement. He was punished by being left alone in the pitch-black darkness, just like when he was in the East Coast, but he had been prepared for that.
However, the fact that it was three days, the same amount of time as when he had tried to kill ‘Ashley’, was proof that Dominic considered his son’s crime to be that serious.
Ashley braced himself to some extent and followed the secretary’s guidance. He would probably be waiting at the end of this. As evidence, the faint scent of another person’s Pheromone that he had been feeling was gradually becoming stronger.
“Stop.”
Ashley stopped at the secretary’s instruction. Soon, he heard the secretary knocking. There was no answer, but she opened the door after a few seconds of silence.
“Two steps to the right, then ten steps straight ahead.”
As before, the secretary gave him directions. Ashley moved slowly, and only the sound of his own footsteps echoed ominously in his ears.
…Nine, ten.
He stopped counting and stood there, and he heard the sound of the door closing behind him. And Ashley smelled the acrid scent of cigars mixed with a strong Pheromone scent. It was the familiar scent of that man.
Just as he was unknowingly stiffening, a thick voice suddenly broke through.
“You look very good, Junior.”
It was Dominic Miller.