By Zephyria “Thank you for your patronage.”
The manager of the jewelry store bowed politely to the special customer who had purchased the wedding ring as he saw him off. Ashley put the case containing the ring into his suit’s inner pocket and headed for his car.
Today, he would propose to Melanie. Since there had already been talk of it, she would probably expect it to some extent. Even if not, since they had met with marriage in mind from the start, it was only natural to think that this day would come eventually.
What was surprising was that Ashley had become quite fond of her. Unlike his previous thought that marriage would only be a repetition of boring and predictable days, he had a feeling that things might be different with her.
That was because, during the past few months of dating Melanie, he had been feeling a sense of stability and comfort that he hadn’t felt in a long time, along with a slight flutter. Ashley’s feelings made him even more certain that he should propose to Melanie. Of course, Dominique was unlikely to object, so things proceeded smoothly. He readily agreed to the proposal to get engaged and hold the wedding ceremony at the same time as Ashley’s graduation.
She’ll be alright.
He had met several people before Melanie, but she was the only one who made him feel this way. Meeting Melanie made him feel good. He didn’t know why she was special, but he drove even faster to meet Melanie.
*
“Ashley.”
Melanie greeted Ashley, who had come to her house as always, with a happy face and a blush on her cheeks. Ashley smiled, gave a light greeting, and opened the passenger door of the car. Melanie was also wearing a more glamorous dress than usual, so it was clear that she was expecting today to be the day. Ashley put her in the car and headed to the restaurant he had reserved, asking.
“How’s the graduation preparation going? Is it going well?”
Melanie nodded.
“Fortunately, I’ve been offered a job. You’ll be going to your Father’s law firm, right?”
“Yes, that’s what’s been decided.”
Ashley said listlessly. Everything was predetermined, just like the rest of his life. Marrying Melanie, too. Melanie, who didn’t know anything about his inner thoughts, said with a smile.
“Your Father must be really proud of you.”
If someone else had said that, Ashley would have mercilessly ridiculed them. But he didn’t do that to Melanie. Instead, he vaguely said, “Yes, probably.”
Fortunately, they soon arrived at the restaurant. As always, eating and talking with her was comfortable and enjoyable. Ashley would sometimes give a faint smile when he was with Melanie. That gave him the confidence that he would be able to do well in the future.
It was after the date, when he was driving her home, that Ashley took out the ring he had prepared. Ashley, who had gotten out of the car and was standing in front of her house, took out the ring case from his pocket and opened it.
Even though she must have expected it, Melanie’s eyes widened. Ashley held out the engagement ring, which he had instructed his secretary to purchase, to Melanie and said.
“Melanie, will you marry me?”
He didn’t kneel. It wasn’t a romantic place at all, and he had only said a formulaic proposal without any flowery language.
Nevertheless, Melanie’s face was overflowing with joy and shining brightly. She covered her mouth with both hands and gasped for breath, barely managing to nod. Seeing that, a faint smile appeared on Ashley’s lips.
Why does this woman feel so lovely?
Ashley, who had taken out the ring and put it on Melanie’s finger, smiled even more deeply. Melanie stared at him with a dazed look, as if possessed. Ashley took her hand with one hand and covered her cheek and ear with the other.
Melanie hesitated and closed her eyes. In response to her waiting for a kiss, Ashley naturally tilted his head. The distance gradually narrowed, and Ashley also lowered his eyelids.
He could feel her trembling breath. Melanie waited for the kiss with her whole body tense. Just as he was about to press his lips against hers, pulling her closer by gently squeezing the hand that was holding her cheek.
Suddenly, she twitched her ear.
At that moment, Ashley froze. He opened his closed eyes wide and froze. No way, it can’t be. It can’t be, it can’t be.
Then, he felt her ear twitching again inside his fingers. Unable to deny it any longer, Ashley stopped breathing.
“Um…?”
Melanie, who had been waiting, carefully opened her eyes and looked up at him. Ashley slowly turned his gaze to her bewildered expression, not knowing what had happened. Melanie was flustered and quickly grabbed her ear with her hand.
“I-I’m sorry. I just made a mistake…”
She stammered an apology, but Ashley didn’t hear it. He just stared intently at Melanie’s ear and opened his mouth. In a voice that trembled more violently than he had ever heard before.
“Does your ear… twitch? Normally?”
Melanie couldn’t hide her embarrassment and hesitated.
“Ah… yes. When I’m nervous… I have a habit of twitching sometimes. It doesn’t happen often…”
She kept saying something. But not a single word reached Ashley. He was stunned, as if he had been hit on the head by something, and just stood there. And Ashley remembered the past that he hadn’t even realized.
The memory of when he first met her, Melanie calling out to him in front of the door. Why had Ashley accepted her request to see him again next time? Why had he said let’s go see a movie?
Why had a kind voice naturally flowed out every time he met her and had many conversations with her, why had he smiled, why had his heart warmed, why had he felt good, why had he felt she was lovely.
There was only one reason.
He had definitely seen it. Her ear twitching very faintly.
He couldn’t move as if lightning had struck him. Only then did Ashley realize. Why she was different from the other candidates, why he felt comfort and excitement at the same time only with her, why he believed that he could do well with her.
Why he thought he had come to like her.
Then he couldn’t stand there any longer.
*
He didn’t remember at all how he got into the car. Before he knew it, he was driving on the road. He ignored the lanes and the signals. He just ran and ran and ran.
I thought I had forgotten.
He gasped for breath and stepped on the accelerator. Horns were blaring from all directions, but he ignored them.
Before he knew it, he could see the sea, and he continued to drive his car along the coastal road. The road, which had become dark at night, suddenly reminded him of that day. The day he was driving with Koi. If we had succeeded in running away then, would something have changed?
The memories that he had suppressed and endured all this time were released all at once and overflowed all around him. Koi, who had come to Ashley’s mansion on an old bicycle, Koi, who had smiled while giving him a useless, ugly doll, Koi, who had diligently boiled cheap instant soup and fed it to Ashley, his appearance as he ran hard on the ice rink wearing a cheerleading skirt, his face turning red, not knowing what to do with Ashley’s kiss, and.
Even that sweet voice saying he loved him.
〈If I leave, you’ll be alone.〉
Koi whispered in his ear.
〈Let’s be together, Ash.〉
“Ah… Aaaaaah!”
Eventually, Ashley screamed. He thought he had forgotten everything, but he hadn’t. He hadn’t forgotten a single thing.
I’m still going crazy like this. Why, why.
You abandoned me, but why can’t I forget you like this? Why me, why you.
Tears overflowed and he couldn’t see. Sobbing rose up and he couldn’t breathe.
Why did you abandon me?
〈You have a lot.〉
At that time, Koi’s expression vividly came back to life in front of his eyes. He finally slammed on the brakes.
You’re wrong, Koi. I don’t have anything.
The wheels made a sharp noise and ran for a long time.
I only had you, but now I have no one. No one, nothing.
Because I lost you.
Inside the car, which had barely stopped, Ashley gasped for breath and recalled.
You said you’d be by my side. You promised you’d be by my side forever, so why.
Tears welled up again and he covered his mouth with both hands. Unable to bear it, he tilted his head back and covered his eyes with his palms. Why didn’t you choose me back then?
〈If I leave, Father will be alone.〉
Why, why, why.
The tears didn’t stop and continued to overflow.
“Ah, ah… Aaaaaah…”
Why did you make promises to me that you couldn’t keep? Why did you do that from the beginning? Why did you say you loved me? Why did you say you’d be by my side? Why. Why. Why.
Even though you were going to throw me away so easily.
〈I’m sorry, Ash.〉
His breath was cut off in pieces by rough sobs. Ashley gasped and wept. No matter how much he cried, the tears didn’t stop.
If I meet you again.Ashley gritted his teeth, desperately trying to swallow the sob that surged up. But the cry continued to force its way out, past his lips. He bit down hard on his lower lip and clenched his fists.
I’ll make you regret this, regret that you abandoned me.
Far in the distance, the sun was slowly rising.
@Jaehee
137 – Lick Me Up If You Can
137
From the moment Koi stepped off the plane, he felt like he was only half-present. The East Coast was different from the West Coast, where he had lived his whole life, starting with the air itself. He couldn’t feel the hot sunshine or the cool, gentle breeze that contrasted with it here. Nor were there the smiles of people as relaxed as the sunshine.
Startled by the energy of the people rushing past with expressionless faces, he hunched his shoulders and walked. He felt strange looking at the gray sky overhead instead of the familiar clear blue. Koi pulled his luggage, carefully making his way through the people racing ahead like thoroughbreds.
He barely managed to reach the motel he had booked in advance. After unpacking, the first thing he did was look for a place to stay long-term. Taking the subway and seeing people bump into him and walk away without a word felt foreign. He felt like he was in another dimension and let the hours drift by.
“Koi, welcome!”
As soon as Ariel opened the door and saw him, she gave him a warm hug. Only then did Koi relax and hug her back.
“It’s been a while, Al. How have you been?”
“Great, come on in.”
Al readily stepped aside and let him into the house. Koi handed her the bouquet of flowers he had brought, then paused at the sight of a man he had never seen before waiting inside. The man smiled and extended a hand.
“Hello, I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Garrett White. Al’s boyfriend.”
“Ah, yes. I’m Corner Niles, Al’s classmate. Please, call me Koi.”
After the two men shook hands lightly, Ariel chimed in.
“Are you hungry? It’s almost ready. Would you like a drink first? I’ve prepared some wine.”
Ariel led Koi to the living room and soon returned with wine in glasses. While they finished the preparations, Koi sipped his wine and watched them.
As Ariel had told him in advance, Garrett was a reporter working at the same media company as her. They had been living together for about six months and seemed to be getting along well without any major issues. They set the table together, exchanging light jokes, and their movements were so coordinated without needing to speak that they seemed very familiar with each other.
After finishing the preparations, Koi moved to the table and his eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the food. Seeing this, Ariel sat down in her chair and asked,
“Did you have a hard time getting here? Did you find a place to stay?”
Koi took the salad she offered and placed it on his plate before answering.
“I’m still looking. I saw a couple of places today, but I’ll start looking in earnest tomorrow.”
“The rent must be pretty steep.”
Garrett said with a worried look. Koi could only smile awkwardly, as he had expected it. In fact, one of the reasons Ariel had started living with Garrett was because of the rent. It was common to find roommates to afford the exorbitant monthly rent. Koi vaguely imagined that he would have to find a place that way as well.
“Isn’t it better to stay on the West Coast? The weather’s nicer, too.”
Ariel cut in before Garrett could finish his question.
“It’s good to live in a different state for once. I came all the way here, too.”
Ariel had come to the East Coast not long after graduating. Since then, she had been working there as a reporter, and she had built up quite a career and was now a well-known figure. Koi had come this far with her help as well.
When he announced that he would be moving to the East Coast not long after his Father passed away, everyone who knew him was surprised. Of course, it was such a natural reaction that Koi wasn’t at all flustered.
Why all of a sudden?
Everyone had the same question. In fact, anyone would be curious as to why Koi, who had lived in the same neighborhood his whole life, would go to the East Coast, which had no ties to him and was the complete opposite of where he was from. But Koi only replied that he just wanted to go. Only Ariel and Bill knew his true intentions.
It took him several years to save enough money for the plane ticket and to support himself until he could find a job on the East Coast. But in the end, Koi did it, and he had come this far.
“I still can’t believe it. That you’re here.”
After dinner, Ariel sat in the living room with him, drinking wine, and spoke. She didn’t seem to believe that Koi would really come to the East Coast. She might have thought he would give up. Ariel had reacted similarly when she heard that Koi and Ashley had dated and broken up. In fact, Bill wouldn’t have believed Koi if he hadn’t witnessed the situation firsthand.
Koi still vividly remembered the day the three of them sat in Greenbelt and talked about what had happened. At first, Ariel couldn’t believe Koi’s confession and frowned. But when Bill solemnly vouched for everything, she shut her mouth.
But that didn’t mean she approved of Koi’s decision. Going to the East Coast just to see Ashley was an absurd idea. In fact, Bill and Ariel thought that Koi would eventually tire of it and give up. Wasn’t it obvious? To risk his life for someone he couldn’t even contact, for a relationship that was already over.
But Koi had finally come here. Ariel recalled the day she received a call from him. Not only that day, but even now, sitting face to face with him, it still didn’t feel real. That Koi would really pull it off.
Nearly ten years had passed since that day. During that time, Koi had worked day and night to save money and finally made it here. Ariel suddenly had a look of deep emotion on her face. It had already been several years since she had left the West Coast. Soon they began to reminisce about the past.
“How’s Whitney? Is she doing well?”
Ariel happily asked about her high school classmate and her sister. Koi readily answered as he knew. One of the sisters who had gotten married right after graduating from high school had already had her third child, someone else had started a small business and was doing quite well, someone else had moved to another state and they had no news of her, and so on.
“Bill’s moving teams this time.”
At Koi’s words, Ariel said, “Oh, really?” casually, sipping the wine in her glass. Bill had become a professional ice hockey player. He was probably one of the five most successful classmates.
They were happily sharing memories of the past when Garrett, who had been smiling and occasionally adding interjections, chimed in.
“But Koi, why did you come here? It must have been hard to leave the place where you lived. All your friends are there, right?”
Ariel, who was somewhat drunk, glared at Garrett. She was warning him for asking unnecessary questions, but Koi stopped her.
“It’s okay, Al. You’re right, Garrett. I came here because there’s something I want to do.”
“…What is it?”
This time, Garrett looked at Ariel cautiously before asking. Al sighed and said,
“He has someone he wants to meet. Is that enough?”
“Oh, I see. …Then there’s no need to stay here, is there? A trip would be enough.”
Ariel took her legs off Garrett’s lap, where she had been resting them comfortably, and apologized to Koi.
“I’m sorry, Koi. He’s a reporter, so he talks a lot. Prying is part of his job.”
“Al, I just wanted to get to know him…”
Seeing Garrett protest, Koi smiled wryly and shook his head.
“It’s okay, Al. It’s okay, Garrett. Well, how should I put it… There is someone I want to meet, but it’s not easy to meet him… I’m trying to find an opportunity… So, if I get the chance, I want to meet him…”
Garrett’s eyes sparkled as he listened to Koi’s rambling explanation, unable to find the right words.
“Is there someone you’re looking for? Who is it? It’s okay, I’m a professional at that, so tell me. I’ll find him and get you to meet him as soon as tomorrow, or at least within a week…”
“Garrett White.”
Finally, Ariel frowned and said his full name. When Garrett paused, Ariel looked at him sternly and said,
“He knows where he is. He’s not hard to find. So you don’t have to go out of your way to help.”
“…Okay.”
“Thank you.”
Ariel finished speaking with a stiff face and turned her attention back to Koi.
“There’s no guarantee that he’ll meet you, you know that, right?”
Koi smiled awkwardly at Ariel, who spoke with a softer expression than when she was talking to Garrett.
“It’s okay. I…”
He hesitated and lowered his gaze.
“I just want to see him one more time.”
That was why he had come here prepared to live here indefinitely. Ashley might never meet him. But if they lived in the same city, wouldn’t he be able to see him, even if it was just passing by on the street? That was all Koi wanted. Ariel looked at Koi and opened her mouth.
“He’s changed a lot since the old days. You’ll be very disappointed if you think he’s the same.”
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Her expression was more serious than ever. Koi looked at Al’s face, which was devoid of any smile, and opened his mouth.
“It’s okay.”
He soon added.
“I trust Ash.”
Ashley’s face, smiling brightly at him, was still vivid in his mind. So was his devastated expression as he turned away. It still hurt Koi’s heart, and he lowered his head and pretended to drink his wine, desperately trying to hide the tears that were welling up.
A person’s nature doesn’t change. So it’ll be okay. Despite all the articles and rumors about lawyer Ashley Miller, Koi believed it.
He was still the same Ashley Miller.
Ariel looked at him and didn’t say anything more.
* * *
“It was really nice to see you.”
Ariel said, sharing a warm hug. Koi hugged her back and then shook hands with Garrett.
“Thank you for inviting me. It was nice to meet you, Garrett.”
“Come visit again next time.”
“Keep in touch, often.”
Koi nodded at Garrett and Ariel’s words and turned around after exchanging greetings one more time. Ariel felt a little awkward at the sight of his back, which didn’t fit in with the familiar night streets, and stood there for a moment. Only after Koi turned the corner at the end of the street and disappeared completely did Ariel turn around and enter the building.
“Is the person you’re looking for named Ash?”
Garrett asked, putting his arm around Ariel’s shoulder and walking down the hallway to press the elevator button. Ariel nodded briefly and opened her mouth.
“Yes, Ashley Miller.”
The sound of the elevator arriving at that moment echoed through the empty hallway like a sound effect. Garrett’s eyes widened and he looked down at Ariel. Ariel said, still looking straight ahead.
“That’s right, that Ashley Miller. The lawyer.”
And she left the frozen Garrett behind and stepped through the open door. Garrett belatedly scrambled into the elevator and opened his mouth with a still surprised expression.
“No way, really? That Ashley Miller?”
Garrett repeated the same words several times, but nothing changed. Ariel pressed the floor button and stepped back, muttering indifferently.
“Koi will find out when he meets him, how much of a bastard that guy has become.”
* * *
“Jess, coffee for me. Three shots.”
“Yes, Counselor.”
At the instruction given as she passed by the desk, the secretary quickly got up and prepared the coffee. She didn’t forget the brownie filled with her favorite chocolate. Only after taking a sip of the coffee that the secretary had quickly prepared and putting the brownie in her mouth did the lawyer finally sigh and sink deeply into her chair. Only after visually confirming that her sharp nerves had finally relaxed did the secretary open her mouth.
“You seem especially tired today, Counselor.”
“You can say that again.”
She said, waving her hand.
“They’ve prepared quite a bit on their end. Oh, and find the Billy Austin trial records from last time. I think they’ll be useful.”
“Understood.”He paused, about to leave his seat immediately. The secretary hesitated and gave an awkward smile to the lawyer, who looked at him as if asking what was wrong.
“Um, there’s no way they’ll win, right? The damage cases seemed pretty clear…”
At the cautious question, the lawyer’s expression hardened. The secretary hurriedly laughed and mumbled.
“Ah, no, it’s just that they’re holding out better than I thought. I doubt they even think they can win against Morgan Pharmaceuticals…”
“Miller.”
“Yes?”
The secretary stopped at the lawyer’s words. She stared at the secretary with fierce eyes and said,
“They’re not up against Morgan, but the Miller law firm. There’s no way someone who makes less than a thousand dollars a week can beat us.”
“Someone’s,” the secretary carefully corrected.
The lawyer sighed, seemingly annoyed at the correction.
“So, what difference does it make if they band together?”
The secretary avoided her gaze and lowered his eyes.
“…No.”
“Get a grip, ‘cute’ Will.”
The lawyer spat out the words mercilessly to the secretary.
“We’re just doing our jobs. If you wanted to fight for the powerless and weak, you shouldn’t have joined Miller, but worked under a human rights lawyer.”
“I’m sorry.”
He apologized quickly, but she didn’t stop there.
“If you feel like you’re losing focus, remember, our boss is ‘Ashley Dominique Miller.’ He doesn’t tolerate failure under any circumstances.”
“I suppose so. He is ‘Dominique’ Miller, after all.”
The lawyer finished speaking firmly to the secretary, who reluctantly agreed.
“Don’t forget, we’re serving a monster even worse than his Father as our boss.”
And she defiantly took a piece of brownie and threw it into her mouth. The secretary had no choice but to leave the room as if fleeing.
And before the weekend, an article announcing another victory for the Miller law firm was spread in the media.
* * *
“They lost again, huh? I knew it.”
At the grumbling president’s words, Koi stopped what he was doing and turned to look at him. The president, who had been looking at his cell phone for a moment, soon stuffed it into his back pocket. As he was about to pick up his hammer and start working again, the president met Koi’s eyes and coughed awkwardly.
“Those people who filed a lawsuit over the side effects of the new drug, you know. They lost the lawsuit, as expected. Everyone probably expected it as soon as the article came out that Morgan Pharmaceuticals had hired Miller as their law firm. Miller, those bastards. God will surely punish them someday.”
Koi paused, about to return to work, at the name he couldn’t just ignore.
“…Miller?”
“Yeah, oh, you said you were from the West, right?”
Another employee, who had been looking with a dumbfounded expression, shrugged and continued working. The president continued, fitting the plywood to the size he had prepared in advance.
“They’re the kind of guys who can make even the devil innocent if you give them enough money. In this trial alone, people who clearly had side effects from the drug gathered and filed a lawsuit, but they made them lose with some ridiculous sophistry. Those people bet their lives on this trial. They’re all bankrupt, so how are they supposed to live now? Bastards, they deserve to be punished by God.”
“Uh…”
Koi blinked in confusion at the continuing curses and carefully opened his mouth.
“Um, is there a chance that the side effects weren’t real…”
The president immediately distorted his face at those words.
“Koi, this is America. It’s a country where you can do anything with money. And people like us can’t even get a consultation with the Miller law firm. The retainer fee is millions of dollars, you know? So, how can you win against those guys? No, you can’t win, ever.”
The president shook his head again and forcefully fastened the edges of the plywood together. Koi watched him for a while, then turned back to focus on connecting the water pipes.
It had been a little over a month since he had been recognized for his skills and joined a small company specializing in interior design and repairs. It was a small workshop, hardly worthy of being called a company, but the president was a good person, and the two or so employees he worked with were decent enough. The exorbitant prices and rent made life even harder than he had expected, but deprivation was all too familiar to him. He didn’t have any particular complaints. It was what he had expected, and it was a good start.
However, what was different from what he had expected was Ashley Miller’s reputation. Stories about him had come in many ways, but the conclusion was the same.
The devil of the legal world.
Whenever anyone talked about him, they would often spew curses. Ashley Miller was an object of hatred, and they were quick to slander him. That was because the name of the Miller law firm was always on the big lawsuits against large corporations. And he always won. By any means necessary. So much so that people here casually told each other to just give up if the Miller law firm was the opponent.
But even so, Koi still couldn’t believe it. The Ashley Miller he remembered was never that kind of man. He still had a clear image of Ashley’s face smiling brightly at him in his mind. It had already been over 10 years, and it was enough time for anyone to change. But the essence doesn’t change. Ashley Miller wouldn’t have changed. He repeated to himself as he connected the kitchen water pipes.
He would judge what the truth was after meeting him in person.
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