By Zephyria What am I hearing right now?
He couldn’t believe his ears. What the hell was Koi babbling about? As Ashley stood there dumbfounded, unable to say anything, he heard Koi’s sobs.
“…Koi.”
He managed to open his mouth, and a hoarse voice came out. Ashley cleared his throat quickly to clear his voice and continued.
“What are you talking about all of a sudden? Did something happen? Koi, did you have an accident or something?”
– No, no. It’s not that.
Koi denied his words urgently and then let out a trembling breath. Ashley tensed unconsciously at the exaggerated breathing he heard from the other end. After a pause, Koi finally confessed.
– Father is, he’s sick.
His voice was broken, punctuated by trembling breaths.
– It’s cancer. …They say he has six months at most, there’s nothing they can do.
Ashley just blinked for a moment. What does that have to do with anything?
“…Oh, that’s too bad.”
That was all he could say. He couldn’t understand at all what that had to do with Koi not being able to come here. Impatient, he opened his mouth again, but after taking a deep breath, Koi continued.
– My father doesn’t have much time left… He’s going to die.
“Yeah, I know.”
Ashley couldn’t bear his frustration and spat out the words quickly.
“So? Why can’t you come? It has nothing to do with you.”
For a moment, Koi didn’t say anything. Ashley held the phone tightly to his ear, listening only to the wheezing breaths, and repeatedly clenched and unclenched his remaining hand, unable to bear his anxiety. Only after what felt like a long time did Koi finally open his mouth.
– He’s my father…
Ashley frowned unconsciously. He didn’t know what Koi was trying to say. When he didn’t react, Koi repeated the same words once more.
– My father has cancer and doesn’t have much time left, only half a year at most.
“So what does that have to do with anything?”
Ashley also continued, sounding frustrated.
“Isn’t he in the hospital anyway? Then they’ll take care of it there. There’s nothing you can do there, so why can’t you come?”
Koi seemed momentarily speechless and hesitated.
– There isn’t… but…
Ashley cut off his hesitant words.
“What do you want to do there now? Did he apologize for hitting you like an animal? Did he beg you while crying?”
Again, Koi was silent. A sigh of disbelief escaped Ashley’s lips.
“Okay, so he apologized now, that’s good. Is it all over? Come to the station quickly. No, I’ll go. Which hospital is it? I don’t think I can catch the last train, so I’ll go to the next station and…”
As Ashley spoke, he grabbed the handle of his trunk and moved urgently. He had to get back to the car as soon as possible. He had to meet Koi soon. If he missed this opportunity, if he didn’t meet him right away.
A small sob was heard from the other end. And a trembling voice followed.
– I’m sorry, Ash. I can’t go.
Ashley, who was hurrying to leave the station, stopped walking. Koi continued to speak to him, who was standing there rooted to the spot.
– I can’t leave my father alone… I’m sorry, I’m sorry.
“Koi.”
Ashley cut off the repeated words mercilessly. His voice was also faintly trembling.
“Do you know what you’re saying right now? …You’re giving up leaving with me because of that man?”
Koi didn’t say anything. But Ashley knew that it meant yes. He inhaled roughly, unconsciously, and asked without hiding the passion in his trembling voice.
“You’re going to stay for the man who beat you like an animal? Are you serious? You’re saying you’re going to abandon me now?”
– I’m sorry…
“Shut up!”
Ashley finally snapped sharply. He couldn’t understand or accept it at all. Koi wasn’t coming? He was giving up on him because of that man? Now? Really?
“There’s still time until the last train.”
Ashley continued quickly.
“It doesn’t matter if we miss the train. We can take a car to the next station and take the first train in the morning. I’ll wait here, so start right now, no matter how long it takes. It’s better to take an Uber. Don’t worry about the taxi fare, I’ll take care of it. Okay?”
– Ash…
“I’ll wait here until you come.”
After saying only his words, Ashley hung up the phone. Silence fell in an instant. There were hardly any people coming and going in the train station, so the surroundings were quiet.
Haa, after sighing, Ashley went back to his seat and sat down. He buried his face in his hands and rubbed it roughly, then took a deep breath and raised his head.
He’ll come.
Ashley thought to himself, as if making a vow.
Koi will definitely come. He’s just a little late.
It felt like he would run to Ashley, calling his name, from that entrance any moment now. He would apologize, not knowing what to do, and jump into his arms. Then Ashley would say it’s okay.
He would tell him not to play such bad jokes, that it’s not like Koi, but his face would be full of smiles. He would hug the thin body in his arms tightly and kiss him. And then they would leave for a world completely their own. Yes, that’s definitely how it will be.
Because there’s no way Koi would abandon him.
Ashley thought, anxiously looking at the entrance of the station. Time continued to pass, and night fell, and the last train left. Ashley was still left alone in the station waiting room until then.
*
Koi turned his head at the sound of the door opening. A nurse, who simply nodded in greeting, walked across the hospital room, checked the IV drip, and then turned her eyes to the machine connected to Father. Koi sat quietly, watching her check Father’s condition.
“…Excuse me.”
Koi hesitated and opened his mouth to him as he was about to leave the room. Seeing the nurse stop and turn around, Koi spoke with difficulty.
“Is Father… okay? I mean, he seems to be sleeping too deeply…”
“It’s because there’s medicine mixed in the IV drip.”
The nurse explained simply.
“His condition hasn’t changed, so don’t worry too much. He’ll wake up soon.”
He smiled as if to comfort him, then turned and left the hospital room. Koi sat there and turned his gaze back to Father. He didn’t know how much time had passed. Suddenly, Father seemed to frown and slowly lifted his eyelids. Koi waited quietly until he recognized him.
“…Koi.”
Father, who turned his head to check on his son, gave a faint smile. Soon, Koi saw his dry eyes become moist.
“…You stayed, by my side…”
Father couldn’t continue speaking and bit his lip. Tears streamed down from his closed eyes. Koi took out a tissue and wiped his face.
“Sleep more.”
Koi continued quietly.
“There’s still time until morning, so you can rest a little more. I’ll… be here the whole time.”
After finishing his words, Koi closed his mouth. No more words came to mind. But Father seemed to be satisfied with just that and nodded, giving him a faint smile.
“…Thank you, Koi.”
He whispered in a fading voice and reached out his hand. When Koi quietly took his hand, Father finally closed his eyes as if relieved.
After some time, he soon heard calm breathing and fell asleep again. Koi sat there without moving, just looking at Father.
The outside of the window was gradually brightening. The sun was rising.
*
The rising sun brightly illuminated the waiting room. Ashley blinked his dazed eyes at the sunlight coming in through the many windows and sat limply. It was still early, and there was no one to be seen in the station waiting room except for the occasional station employee.
The sound of several footsteps echoed loudly from afar. Ashley didn’t move at all, even as the sound of the approaching group of people grew louder. Finally, a woman stopped a few steps away from where he was sitting and opened her mouth.
“Let’s go back now, Ashley Miller.”
It was a few seconds before Ashley reacted. He slowly turned his gaze to where Father’s secretary was standing with the same expressionless face as usual. She added in a still businesslike tone.“You know, don’t you? Corner Niles isn’t coming.”
Ashley turned his head again. His eyes, staring straight ahead, held nothing.
……Ha.
A short, hollow sigh leaked from his lips like a laugh. The number of people coming and going gradually increased, as much as the amount of sunlight flooding the waiting room. But the face Ashley had waited for all night would not be among them. Now he knew it too.
Ashley quietly rose from his chair and stretched his back. As he took his first steps, his secretary gestured, and one of the bodyguards quickly grabbed Ashley’s trunk.
Ashley didn’t say a single word until they left the waiting room and returned to the mansion.
*
Dominique Miller was sitting in the Breakfast Nook, having breakfast. Anyone would find it incongruous to see him sitting peacefully at the wooden table in the small room filled with soft sunlight.
As he put down his fork and brought the black coffee to his lips, he heard footsteps, which soon stopped not far from him.
“Junior is back.”
“I see.”
Dominique put down his coffee cup and wiped his mouth with a napkin. The secretary, watching his mechanically precise movements, spoke.
“……If Niles had Manifestation, would you have allowed it?”
Dominique turned his gaze to the secretary for the first time. With a cold face devoid of any hint of a smile, he said,
“He didn’t.”
The secretary quickly shut his mouth. Asking such a question was clearly crossing the line. Leaving the silent secretary alone, Dominique turned his gaze away again.
“I expected them to break up, but I didn’t expect him to come back this quickly. He couldn’t even run away.”
Dominique gave a chilling sneer and raised his wine glass as if toasting.
“My poor son, abandoned.”
The secretary said nothing more, only watched him. Dominique Miller’s private jet left for the East Coast late that afternoon. And no one was left in the mansion.